warband clarifications (Tom Weiss add-on)

[jet]

I guess if you're around, Tom, these questions are directed at you.  However, if anyone else knows the answers already, please feel free to chime in.  Here they are in no particular order.

1. When expedition members choose three different traits, can they choose the same trait three times? i.e. combat evade x3.  And while we're on that topic, is there a maximum score that a character can gain? x3? x4? x5?

2. In the Romanian Vampire list, which of Vampire Lord, Vampire, and Acolyte Vampire can choose traits from the list?  All of them?  Or are Acolyte Vampires not included (i.e. no "vampire" trait)  And is it two for each?

3. Not 100% clear on this line from the Hungarian Hunters  section: "If the warband has hunting dogs these can be handled by any character of the warband."  Does that mean that the hound can be activated with any member of the warband? Also, do Hunting Dogs in the Monster Hunter warband have the "sniff out" ability.

Thanks,
JET

[jet]

Ever feel like you're having a conversation with yourself? 

As to number 1, I noticed that it does say, "three different traits."  I should try reading more often.

[Mike D. Mc Brice]

All right:

1. It's 3 different upgrades so you can't choose any one more than once. Furthermore each Expedition Member must have a different combination (This is true for any other warband entry, too).
Usually only special models in a warband have x3 traits.

2. Only models with the "Vampire" trait count, Accolytes are not yet fully converted. From the background they have been bitten by a vampire and are undead but they've not yet fed on human blood. And the master hasn't approved of them yet. All Accolytes have the same profile, there are no options.

3. This got obsolete with the pet animal rules and I forgot to update the section. Better skip it for now, the hungarians are pretty good and can take it. My fault.

There are a number of errors in the rules but most can be solved pretty easily. If you find something that's strange or opposes any other rules it's likely to be a misprint. Also if anything allows you to build nasty combinations I probably just forgot to limit it. That's especially true for the scenarios which suffer from some copy and paste errors.

If anything is unclear just post any questions here.

[jet]

I think that pretty much answers all of the questions we have currently.

As to our current campaign plan, we've settled on the following simple approach:

1. The rare item limitations set out for human war bands will be followed throughout the campaign, primarily for game balance.

2. After every 10 experience gained a character may make an advancement roll on the appropriate table.

3. Characters will be able to hire new members throughout the life of the campaign, and one assumes that money will have to be continually spent in order to replace dead henchmen.

4. Since the rate of advancement will be relatively slow, players are allowed and encouraged to play more than one warband as the campaign proceeds.

Thanks again,
JET

[Mike D. Mc Brice]

Sounds like a good plan. I made all the special available in limited amounts for free to the warbands to avoid the problems that come up when you have to buy them. Silver weapons are the best example, you can't play a sucessful game against a werewolve warband without silver so if somebody forgets to buy his silver weapons or lacks the cash to buy them or the game experience he won't have much fun playing the game. The special weapons are must haves for the game and you would buy them anyways, so I figured the best way would be to figure them into the basic cost of the warband.

Also most people set up one warband and keep playing it so if you build a warband to fight vampires you'll either have to spend cash for useless silver weapons or have a warband that can fight vampires but not werewolves.

Having a set of free special weapons available solves all these issues. It also gives some more variations between the different warbands.

As for the campaign it's a good idea if people play either two good or two evil warband. If people play one good and one evil warband these two warbands can't fight each other unless playing solo (or swapping warbands). If you have just a few players (3-4) it's worth to keep this in mind. It's nice for the fluff to keep playing good vs evil battles. Evil vs evil usually works out fine but good vs good doesn't fit in the background very well.
Matter of taste though.

 

[jet]

Starting out we have:

Chris E. - British Monster Hunters
Chris H. - Vatican Hit Squad
Ken - Nosferatu
Marc - Dr. Frank & Associates
Me - Werewolves and Romanian Vampires

The only issue (in terms of the ongoing story) will be when the two Chris's have a game.  Unless there is some reason that we can fabricate to explain why they would fight.  Perhaps Karl Von Dertflinghan's connection to a doomed line makes him and his associates possible targets for the papists?  We'll have to reflect on it.

[Digitarii]

That's simple enough. The VHS has knowledge the Brits want but are unwilling to share. Maybe the VHS thinks the Brits have been contaminated during their hunts. As a long time 40k player, finding logical reasons for two supposedly friendly groups to fight takes very little effort.

[Mike D. Mc Brice]

I think it adds to the flavour of the background if you stick to good vs evil battles and keep even the evil vs evil battles very limited. The warbands are very small and most people should be able to paint up a second warband so everybody can field a good one and an evil one.
Allowing fights in any combination always leaves a taste of tournament gaming.
Matter of taste which way to go.

 

[Axebreaker]

I think it adds to the flavour of the background if you stick to good vs evil battles and keep even the evil vs evil battles very limited. The warbands are very small and most people should be able to paint up a second warband so everybody can field a good one and an evil one.
Allowing fights in any combination always leaves a taste of tournament gaming.
Matter of taste which way to go.

 

I think in Chaos in Carp. that's more true as the dividing line is more clear,but the other ones are not so cut and dry.Chaos in Cronos and Cairo can easily have the each warband fighting each other without any stretch of the imagination.I would even say that factions can easily compete within each type of warband(ie. competing archeologists for example) all without a tournament feel.A good story and background makes everything plausible.That's the strength of this system in that it encourages story over game and that I like.