One rule fits all (sort of)

[geoffb]

I'm currently working on a skirmish system that has the potential to work for many different periods with slight changes for the relevant period specific setting. Initially its for Western gunfight but other settings iclude Greek Mythology, Pirates and Modern Skirmish.
I'm assuming most people enjoy playing a number of different periods, how keen would you be to find such a suitable system or are do you prefer specific rules for differing types of games.

The closest system I can think of is Song of Blades but this is probably scaled for less figures aside unless multiple players are involved. Ie each controlling less that 6 and more probably 2 or 3 characters each. Excuse me for posting across areas but I've picked the ones that I'm most likely to look at first

[Elbows]

So something similar to Brink of Battle?  I haven't played BoB, but it's a one-fits all skirmish rules set.  Personally I have no real interest in it, as I prefer a bit of "flavor" to my games.

That being said, I don't mind a good rules set applied to various settings- but I rarely find a "one size fits all" rules set to be worth while.

[geoffb]

I'm not aware of BoB sorry. The basic system is the way that movement, combat and how you activate your characters. That would remain constant through each era however in the western system the emphasis is very much on ranged combat with cover, movement, ammunition and marksmanship being the focus.
The Greek mythological game would be focused far more on melee and magic but retain the system for movement, the way combat is determined (but with a very different emphasis) and activation.

I think there would be plenty of flavour, character progression (and regression), and campaign elements if wanted.

Thanks for you comments.
cheers

[Elbows]

In that case, absolutely.  It's similar to what I'm doing with my initial Old West game as well - it is already being converted for use with Pirates, and perhaps other types eventually.

Each period will contain some very unique flavor/rules/weapons/characters etc., but the basic mechanics will remain the same.  I say go for it.

[geoffb]

Well the playtesting is encouraging.
The main system hangs together so I'm looking more at the scenario/progression side of things now.

Anyway, I'm wondering how you feel about rules generally.
Do you only buy hard copies and do you need colour photos and general prettiness?
Do you ever or would consider a lower cost downlable pdf (far cheaper of course).

My game intrinsically uses some special dice for some things and either dice or cards for others.
Producing these would be expensive.

Would you consider a game which is cheap to buy but you would have to buy indented dice and print out sticker sheets?
Would you only take it seriously if the dice were available to buy in the manner of Bolt Action/Saga

Would appreciate any feedback on this. Although it is possible to play this without the special dice one of the core aims of this game is that you won't need to consult the rulebook, charts or lookup sheets after a game or two.

thanks
Geoff

[Deedles]

Anyway, I'm wondering how you feel about rules generally.
Do you only buy hard copies and do you need colour photos and general prettiness?

No happy to do  , softcover or a pdf download provided they are not going to use a full cartrdige to print out! An odd bit of colour does not go amiss , but it's just fluff not essential , unless being used to illustrate a point.

Would you consider a game which is cheap to buy but you would have to buy indented dice and print out sticker sheets?
Would you only take it seriously if the dice were available to buy in the manner of Bolt Action/Saga

Not overly particular on having to buy specific dice to play a game, even less so on stickers. I have buckets of dice already why make me buy more..

hope that is of use..

[Elbows]

Nothing wrong with some simple rules via PDF.  At the same time, there's no reason you can't make a good looking PDF with simple tools. I've been teaching myself quasi-photoshop for my rules, and it's quite easy to create some very good looking images with some simple graphics, and fonts.

My game is heavily reliant on cards...however I'm having them nicely produced, and if I can do a very small kickstarter to buy some in bulk, I can provide them at very reasonable cost.  It's doable.

It's actually also very easy nowdays to have a simple small book produced.  There are some excellent companies out there where all you have to do is submit a PDF and they'll print your book for you - colour or non.  Lots of options.  It'll never be as cheap as a company producing 10's of thousands of copies.

[FifteensAway]

geoff,

I'm heading down that very path - one set of core rules for everything but with flavor enhancements for specific periods.

Right now it is planned about like this:

Line of battle infantry - 1 page
Mass formation infantry - 1 page

Line of battle cavalry - 1 page
Mass formation cavalry - 1 page

Camelry and Elephants - 1 page

Wheels muscle powered - 1 page

Artillery - 1 or 2 pages

Wind and muscle powered water craft 1 - 2 pages

Steam powered on land - 1 page
Steam powered on water - 1 page
Steam powered in the air - 1 page (more historical than not)

Probably a page for "automatic" weapons, gatling guns to very early machine guns(?)

Morale - 1 page
Command - 1 page

I want to keep to a maximum of twenty pages if I can, exculsive of illustrating examples.  And, no, this isn't planned for publication of any kind, just for my own use.  With 14, maybe 15 periods worth of figures, I don't want to remember many sets of rules.

Oh, and the flavor enhancements will be one or two pages and less adjustments to the mechanics of the rules than putting the tactics of the period into perspective for prospective players and encourage them to fit their play to the period.

I guess that means I'll be curious to see what you come up with.

Curmudgeon-in-Chief

[Conquistador]

I am going the opposite way after playing with Board toy soldiers and "on the fly" verbal rules as a child (1950's) to board based war games from 1959 (IIRC) (overlapping with miniatures) to a few years ago to miniatures from the 1970's to now:
 
Fewer periods (New Spain mid-1600s to 1820; Cuban/Philippines  Revolt that merged into SAW; Old School Fantasy/FRPG, SF Combined Arms Battle and Skirmish, Probably VSF/Gothic Horror) with genre/era specific rules.

Gracias,

Glenn

[Conquistador]

<snip>
Do you only buy hard copies and do you need colour photos and general prettiness?
Do you ever or would consider a lower cost downlable pdf (far cheaper of course).

<snip>

Only Hardcopy - no but I really prefer it very much.

Gracias,

Glenn

[Conquistador]

<snip>

My game intrinsically uses some special dice for some things and either dice or cards for others.
Producing these would be expensive.


<snip>

Mixing Dice and Cards not a killer IF done "right" - what ever "right" means to the player

Special dice/expensive - we're done...

Gracias,

Glenn

[geoffb]

Gents

Thanks for the feedback. You can play the game without any special dice or cards but if you do then you will need to loopup some simple charts etc. At the moment I can play a game without needing to at all.

FifteensAway - I'm aiming at a very low level number of figures as its a 1:1 skirmish. I've laid down the basis of a Greek Mythology version and though it uses about 70% of the Western set the way it uses dice in combat is quite a bit different. I'd say I'm hoping that it would be easier for a player of one era to pick up anothers but that there would be changes to them.
The rules are not generic enough for example that you could pit a cowboy against a spartan without having to play one or the other set.

Deedles - you can play without the special dice its just a bit more inconvenient.

Elbows - thanks for the tips. Especially as you are a bit further down the line with your rules than mine.

Glenn - as ive just said the dice just make play easier but are not essential - you can use normal dice.
I think special dice are expensive just because they are expensive to manufacture unless you are a big games company producing 10's or 100's of thousands for a game.
The same with hardcopy, I know that printing a hardcopy means a starting cost in excess of 10K where as pdf is nothing. It also means that perhaps the cost of the dice/cards production would be offset by nothing for the pdf.

[Deedles]

Gents
Thanks for the feedback. You can play the game without any special dice or cards but if you do then you will need to look up some simple charts etc. At the moment I can play a game without needing to at all.

Deedles - you can play without the special dice its just a bit more inconvenient.
/quote]

Thanks Goeffb, tables are fine, bespoke dice or cards or are fine... just don't make it entirely dependant, well not or us curmugeons