Multiplayer?

[Lupus]

Special Branch was originally the "Special Irish Branch" set up to deal with Fenian terrorism in the 19th century.  MI5 and MI6 were early 20th century creations.  MI5 has always worked closely with Special Branch because it has no powers of arrest of its own, but I don't think that they have ever been amalgamated - Special Branch is part of the Police, while MI5 is a government department.

No but amalgamation was close on a few times, Vernon Kell fought hard in the 1920's-26 to Keep MI5 separate from Special Branch who feel out of Favour thanks to Thomson upsetting Lloyd George and also separate from SIS which felt it should all be collected into 1 group inclusive of MI6 as well.

I'm reading the History of MI5 at the moment and its got loads of info that's so very useful for this era.  Also Green and Pleasant Land and Cthulhu by Gaslight are great resources for the United Kingdom in this era.

[thebinmann]

I think for our first game we will be four, so two aside. I was thinking of perhaps going alternatively between players (determined randomly) or maybe having 3 threshold and just one lurker player (though the wait for the threshold could be long)

Or I might go for a card activation process like Great Rail Wars, though this could mean poblems for control (may a player with control can swap cards for those within 10")

Any ideas

[Silverpaint68]

You can roll a D6 for each player. (or 2D6 if you don't want many draw).
Activate the miniatures in order of the dice results.

Exemple (with 2D6): Player 1 roll 2D6 and have 10, Player 2 have 7, Player 3 8 and Lurkers one 9. The first player for the turn is P1 (10), second is Lurkers (9), and P3 (8 ), then P2 (7). If P1 can activate an other mini after P2, you do it, and Lurker, P3, P2 and so on ...

Reroll the 2D6 for the next complete turn (after each mini was activate once).

Other system :

If you are 2 player in each side (i.e. 2 Threshold and 2 Lurkers), you can attribute each miniature to a player. When you play Threshold (or lurkers), you play YOUR mini (I mean decide wich action doing with it).

[thebinmann]

You can roll a D6 for each player. (or 2D6 if you don't want many draw).
Activate the miniatures in order of the dice results.

Exemple (with 2D6): Player 1 roll 2D6 and have 10, Player 2 have 7, Player 3 8 and Lurkers one 9. The first player for the turn is P1 (10), second is Lurkers (9), and P3 (8 ), then P2 (7). If P1 can activate an other mini after P2, you do it, and Lurker, P3, P2 and so on ...

Reroll the 2D6 for the next complete turn (after each mini was activate once).

Other system :

If you are 2 player in each side (i.e. 2 Threshold and 2 Lurkers), you can attribute each miniature to a player. When you play Threshold (or lurkers), you play YOUR mini (I mean decide wich action doing with it).

Yeah but I'd need to double the BPS

[Mr. Peabody]

Lets come back to this briefly...
Now that we have a few local converts to SA we are looking at the necessary prospect of multiplayer / multi-faction games. While U. Mike continues to perfect the official multiplayer rules, here is an idea we want to try out..
I really like the idea of being able to play and develop factions other than Threshold. What follows assumes someone is playing a third faction.

Strange Aeons Cut-Throat: for 3 (or more odd numbers?) players.
Pre-Game: Roll or choose a Scenario. 
Lurkers: The Lurker Player enjoys a pool of BP equal to the total BP of the opposing non-lurker forces.
Special Rules: Any Activation costs related to scenario tasks are doubled. The idea is to emphasise the risk of being pinned-down by necessary activity. In this way (I hope) some scenarios should naturally lead to collaboration and others to out-right competition between the non-Lurker players.
Set Up: The Lurker Player sets-up on a Short edge of their choice. The non-Lurkers set-up opposite each other along the long side of the game board, no further than 1 foot from the short edge.
Starting The Game: Each Player rolls a die. Play proceeds from Highest scoring player to lowest.
Ending The Game: The game ends as per the chosen Scenario.

The above raises the question (amongst many) of what to do if the scenario is so heinous as to demand that the not-evil guys collaborate. Does driving the Lurkers from the field mean Treasure Hunting for everyone? How about Treasure Hunting only for the side that still has a Character or failing that, the one with the most models?

I'm open to feed-back and suggestions, especially if you get a chance to try this out!

Thomas

[Sheerluck Holmes]

I have just ordered the rules and I will most likely have to play the game solo - are there any more thoughts on this?

[Lupus]

I guess it depends Peabody who do you think the non evil teams will be Threashold and ??

[Mr. Peabody]

I guess it depends Peabody who do you think the non evil teams will be Threashold and ??

[Insert musings over morning tea here:]Self interested groups, in keeping with the theme of the game of course, that also end up toe-to-toe with the Lurkers.

The Imperial Chinese Exorcist and his coterie of feng shui masters. That Mr. Moto chap who keeps turning up everywhere. A group of Great War Veterans who once encountered something impossible & unnatural in no-man's land. A wealthy, but obviously dangerous, collector of rare objects. Perhaps a gang of criminals who found Lurker activity on their turf, and are now drawn into the struggle.

Groups like these aren't 'Threshold'. I suppose they don't have access to advanced Threshold kit, yet they ought to have some toys / abilities they can use specific to themselves.

[Lupus]

Like the idea or even a rogue Threasehold guy who thinks he can do it better..

I've been using Threasehold twisted to suit the Uk forming a group thats part of MI5.

[Mr. Peabody]

Yup, I like your proposal for the UK group a lot.