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Alright, I'm working on Actions... as in how much stuff can you do on your turn.

Basically I'm using Free Actions, Reactions, and Standard Actions.

Free Actions: grab item, adjust gear, shout a warning
Reactions: dodge a sudden attack, counter an enemy move

. Standard Actions
• Each operative has 3 Standard Actions to use however they want:
• Combat: Shoot, melee, reload
• Skills: Hack, disarm, interrogate
• Movement: Sneak, climb, drive

What I'm thinking is a Risky Move (Still working on the name). A possible 4th Action that the Operative can take, but they gain a 2d6 penalty on all checks (including Reactions to dodge attacks/resist damage) until the start of their next turn.

Is 4 actions, even with a steep penalty too much for a single game turn?

What do you think?

4 actions seems like alot, but whatever best serves the aim of your game.

I'm fine with the usual Move-and-Shoot of most games, but I love the gambling activation mechanic of Song of Blades and Heroes where you decide how many actions you want to attempt for each figure by rolling one-to-3 dice vs the models "Quality". You can get up to 3 actions, but two failures passes play to your opponent even if you haven't finished activating your entire warband.

Games like Dragon/Lion Rampant also have mechanics whereby actions and the number allowed are determined by a roll vs a stat.

Star Wars D6- West End Games has a neat approach. You do as many actions as you want on your turn, but every action beyond the first leads to a -1 dice to every subsequent action.

I have a Smuggler who has:

Dodge: 3D+2
Shoot: 4D+1
Computers: 2D

In my turn, I decide I am going to hot wire the controls to the bunker's blast door, while dodging incoming fire, and then take a quick shot at the enemy stormtroopers in the woods.

Great, that means for the dice tests, I need Computer, Dodge, and Shoot. Since I am taking three actions, all actions are at -2 Dice.

For the bunker door, I auto fail as that takes me to a skill of 0 dice, for the Dodge, I roll 1d+2, and the shot a 2d+1.

That makes it hard to successfully dodge or hit anything, but I can do it all I want! Maybe I should just try to hot wire the blast doors and dodge incoming fire instead? Great, then you have 1D for the computers, and dodge at 2D +2.

You can see how this approach forces you to make tough decisions and naturally limit your actions to focus on key things to do.

There are many games that do something similar. Honestly, I think 3 actions (Plus Free and Reactions) per turn is a heckuva lot! I typically limit it down to force decision making. What is the most important thing to be doing right now!

Depends what kind of game you're making

1) A mass battle game with a huge number of units per side might well not want as many actions per model/squad. You need enough sure, but only so many so that you can both track actions taken/not taken and not eat up an hour of more of just taking your turn

2) If its alternate activation or alternate army. The former you can have a longer action sequence per unit because whilst the unit activation is longer, you'll be swapping to your opponent right after for their next action sequence.
Meanwhile if its whole armies you want a shorter sequence otherwise one player has nothing to do for ages.

3) Kind of simulation - are you going for loads of dice and random effects; are you going for faithful simulation of real battle. Casual or deep; These are important questions on the nature of the game you're making which will dramatically impact how many actions you want per model/unit etc...




Basically this is like asking "how long is a piece of string". Without criteria on the table you can't really establish what might or won't work.

I think this discussion is about RPGs more than Wargames this time.

Ahh I couldn't tell if it was more a skirmisher like Infinity

but in general the point still stands; what kind of RPG you're making and what game experience you want to create is what influences a lot of the fundamentals for choices like this.

File the serial numbers off the TV shows Danger Man (Secret Agent Man) and Mission Impossible. Set in 1987 Berlin.

The Campaign Starts with President Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate and leads to the fall of the Wall.

From my intro:

You Are Not a Spy.

You are a fireman. A covert operative. Your job is simple: you operate in the shadows, where official channels are either compromised or irrelevant. When NATO requires action but cannot afford exposure, you’re the one called in.

Your missions are classified, and your presence must remain invisible. Whether retrieving sensitive material or ensuring a covert operation proceeds without detection, you will leave no trace—no sign that NATO ever existed in the area.

As a NOC (Non-Official Cover), you are completely off the books. There will be no official recognition if you’re caught. No embassy to protect you. No apologies. You are expendable, and there will be no one to come to your aid if you fail.

If your actions threaten to expose NATO, you will be disavowed. We’ve learned the consequences of rogue operations the hard way, as demonstrated by the disaster in Italy during Operation Gladio. The costs of failure are too high, and NATO will cut its ties to you without hesitation.

Remember: This is the life you chose. It’s not about glory or recognition. It’s about doing the job—no matter the consequences.

Good luck. You’ll need it.

COLONEL WESTWOOD

I originally had Action Slots that used increasing Penalties, but my playtesters unanimously told me it was too much to track.