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I'm thinking about running a contest, to help empty out some of my bitz, boxes, cruft and stuff. Contests seem to be the 'thing' now.

Anyone interested? It would be 'terrain' oriented.

-B.

Depends on terrain. Need a little more specific before I can contemplate joining.

I'm intrested

 Theophony wrote:
Depends on terrain. Need a little more specific before I can contemplate joining.

It'll be small AND have a purpose for ALL hobbyists!

I am bitten by the comp, bug, so go for it.

Argh! Still working on previous terrain contest AND tank contest.

But, yes.

I'm in, I've got some terrain I can work on.

On a side note... can anyone tell me if there is a GW terrain kit that is roughly 6 by 9 inches in a foot print? Possibly no more than 7 inches tall? I need to build one for an upcoming 40k campaign as an HQ

You could build anything that shape, but the standard size that all GW CoD panels have multiples of is a 2"x3"- with 3" being the standard storey/floor size since the Necromunda bulkheads were released. You could easily build any of the CoD terrain kits with a top railing and be at 7" tall.

Any more on the terrain competition?

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am looking for volunteers to help me play test a new tabletop wargaming system. You can use your existing miniatures and terrain.

Pipe up.

--B.

This 4th of July, I embarked on a new long-term project. It is my intent to design a set of tabletop wargaming rules that can handle a "Fast, Furious, Fun" playstyle, where you can field a variety of armies, and have a good time blowing the crap out of each other.

I have an odd pedigree for game design. My Uncle worked for SPI in the 70's, and I played my first hex-and-counter game when I was 15. I've been playing various tabletop rulesets since the late 80's, and have played (as an example) every variation of Warhammer 40K, back to Rogue Trader, and up to a few of the fan-made 40K 'kill team' style games.

I understand that my game system will be, at best, niche. But don't let anyone tell you not to chase your dreams. Unless your dream is 'being eaten by a shark'. Then, you know, you should not chase your dream.

---

First session:

Working with my friend Greg, I hashed through the best start of any project, "givens and drithers", or "What do I have to work with" and "what do I want to do".

Givens:
A 4x6 playfield. This is what game stores have, this is what players own.
Dice will be d6 or d10, as this is what is easily, commercially available in bulk at most game stores.
Standard infantry figure is on a 1" base.
The game system needs to be flexible enough to handle scaling up or down.
The game system needs to handle both ranged and melee combat.

Druthers:
The ability to handle any 'theme', such as sci-fi, fantasy, modern; sci-fi will be 'first'.
Fog of war. Players do not have 'perfect information'.
Scale the basic battlefield better. Range and movement is based on the available playspace.
Fast. Rolling 'buckets of dice' slows the game down.
Fast. Moving 200 miniatures slows the game down.
Fast. Having to roll dice three or four times to resolve a situation slows the game down.
Alternating Activation. The game's tactical situation should ebb and flow.
Interrupt. A player should be able to tactically interrupt their opponent.
Battlefield control. A player should move to control the battlefield.
Orders. A player should have to plan in advance.
Leaders matter.
Herohammer sucks.
Off-Board assets. Artillery, airstrikes, reserve deployment.
A difference between 'attacking to kill' and 'attacking to suppress'.
Annihilation is NOT an acceptable mission goal.
Mission goals should be unknown to the other player.
A battlefield covered in tokens is confusing.
Platoon-level combat is standard. Some guys, some vehicles.
No flyers. Skimmers, helicopters, sure.
All armies are balanced, and no rules will be introduced with an army codex.
Playtest, playtest, playtest.
"Templates" aren't necessarily needed.
No cheescake.

There's others, but the above should get you an idea of what we're chasing, here.

---

In three days, we hashed out the basic wargame. We know how to setup, how the turn works, how orders work, how activations work. We know how to deploy an army, and how reserves work. We know how to shoot, how to melee, and how to resolve the basic "Morale" rule, which is a "Command Check". We have defined the three most basic units, which we amusingly refer to as cavepeeps, since we've got sticks to hit and rocks to throw.

We have run one playtest session, which revealed that, due to mis-communication, we were playing two separate games.

We have yet to actually kill a miniature.

---

My goal is that, once the cavepeeps learn to fight, then additional options can be added, playtested, and costed out. We have yet to determine how many units you can field, how to buy units, etc. Our armies are identical, consisting of one unit of each type. Once we're comfortable with the very basic rules, then we can use that foundation to build upon.

---

Wanna help develop Strikepoint? RSVP here, please. All you need are some D10's and some miniatures. We're not even using terrain, yet! (Yes, this is important.)

--B.

This reminds me to some degree of several games I have the rules for. trend is games that do not play like 40k the old 'I go/You go" method is tired and having unit green then unit red go is becoming a feature of so many of the newer games which is more fluid and life like, hate having to have units just sit there like targets dummies.

Alien Wars?
Tomorrow's Wars
the old Ground strike
old Warzone
Dust
Infinity
and others seem to adopt the similar concepts you have described, thus it should be well received.

Commanders making a difference, but not being the focus of the army like Hero hammer flyers can be confusing, but skimmers/hoverers and helos should be safe.

I'll play!

The boyz & I 'll help out.

I'm in

im down gotta buddy that will help too

I would but I got no one to play with.......

Sounds cool though, good luck.

Then this happened.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOw!!!

Uh oh...

I realize, now, that I have built the Warhammer 40K version of a Klingon D-7 Cruiser.

Did not want to be the one to say it, but yes, Klingon Warbird here we come. Always was a favourite of mine. Wings need to be longer..... lol.

Seriously looks amazing.

 Briancj wrote:
I realize, now, that I have built the Warhammer 40K version of a Klingon D-7 Cruiser.

Haha! Still looks cool though.

 Briancj wrote:
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am looking for volunteers to help me play test a new tabletop wargaming system. You can use your existing miniatures and terrain.

Pipe up.

--B.

I'd be interested in helping with the rules. My opportunity to play test is limited but I have time to read.

My Reaper Bones order arrived.

What is a Reaper Bones order?

Dice from Reaper minis maybe? Also, what of this elusive terrain contest?

HOW CAN YOU PEOPLE NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS?

...

Reaper Miniatures ran a kickstarter to move from metal to injection plastic/resin molding.

Here is the record of the Kickstarter:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1513061270/reaper-miniatures-bones-an-evolution-of-gaming-min

I went "All in", and bought the Vampire and one of all the add-ons. Cost: $350.



Hundreds of miniatures. Hundreds.

I am jealous of all those minis.

My box (vamp + 2 dragons) has been sitting at my parents' house for a couple weeks, but I moved to MA and it was delivered about 2 hours I left MN.

Can't wait to see what you do with the dragons!

Welcome to my state, Sparky! Where are you?