Fistful of Lead modifications for Fractal Decks and a bit more

[FifteensAway]

In a fractal deck there are two extra sets of face cards - Duke and Princess - and I've finally come up with how I will be using them in my Old West games, probably work for other periods the same way if desired. 

Order of precedence will be King, Queen, Duke, Princess, Jack, and then the numbers in declining sequence.

The Duke will allow a player to have two figures activated from one card but with the restriction that the two cannot fire, charge, or melee at the same target - each activated figure has to act separately (no ganging up). 

The Princess will be used to activate a group of unarmed civilians (or individual unarmed civilians if preferred) - but only a group of civilians a particular player is allowed to control (maybe move to block line of sight or get out of harms way depending on scenario set up). 

And a modest change to how Aces will work, Aces will still be wild but the suit of the card dictates the suit of the wild card, thus only an Ace of Spades could be a King of Spades, only an Ace of Hearts can be a Queen of Hearts, etc.  (don't recall if that was an option in the rules - don't have them handy to double check)

Pretty simple but adds a bit to my games.  Developed specially for how I will be running Old West games but thought others might find the concept of some interest.  Most of my unarmed civilians will be in groups of four bases, three figures to a base and, once enough painted, I can easily field more than four groups of civilians.  I do have a small number of individually based unarmed civilians which may work differently but not yet decided how (maybe activate a certain number of individual civilians?).  [On those multi-based figures, I plan to allow only one die per base, usually just for defensive or task rolls .]

Also, a fractal deck will allow you to field 56 (or 60 if individually based civilians I suppose - or if you just want to skip the civilians for 4 additional armed figures) unique individuals (or units if using Bigger Battles variation).  Yes, that would be a big game but I can see myself having such games at times.  Yes, longer games but that is okay.

[anevilgiraffe]

what is a fractal deck normally used for?

[FifteensAway]

No idea!  I found them when looking for themed cards for Fistful of Lead - other than those sold by Wiley Games.  Thought they'd be fun to use.  And since I tend to go overboard and overbuy for my various collections, I can easily see a game with more than 52 units in it so such a deck gives an option for 8 more units, 12 more if you use the jokers for more units but I think I'll reserve those for other uses.

Though, truth be told, I'm trying very hard to downsize to more reasonable numbers in most of my collections.  Exceptions will be AWI, Old West, and Slightly Cracked Colonials; those will all stay large - though not necessarily 52 unit large.  So far French and Indian War, Pirates (less so but progress), and French Foreign Legion reduced; Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and Indian Mutiny both ripe to reduce.  What to do with the excess figures?  Heck, I might just give them away - or maybe sell them, certainly sell excess painted figures.

[terrement]

what is a fractal deck normally used for?

Mathematically it changes the numerical distributions and increases the possible outcomes.  In games where results are based in whole or in part by the draw of a face vs number card, you've increased the odds a bit for a face.  In poker, you would need to redefine a few possible hands.  You now could have a Royal flush of three types.  AKQJ10 might now be a Greater Royal Straight Flush, AKQjP or AKQJD would be a Lesser Royal Straight Flush, and any combination of five cards of the same suit from the set of AKQJDP could be a Royal Flush.

From a wargaming standpoint I don't really know.  Aside from drawing for sequence of activations or a card comparison you vs them to decide a success/failure I wonder whether there is anything that is an improvement, or if it is kind of like the amplifier in Spinal Tap. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=spinal+tap+amp+up+to+11&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1082US1082&oq=spinal+tap+amp+up+to+11&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDk0MTlqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:10408f97,vid:KOO5S4vxi0o,st:0