Tuesday 21 September 2021

Big Little Wars: Post 4 - Down in the Weeds

Another progress report. There has been progress. I've reached 14,843 words and I'm now down in the weeds.

By that I mean I've now have movement and combat resolution mechanisms that float my boat. I'm just at that stage where I'm working through the chapters making sure I'm not contradicting myself, and that everything is where it is supposed to be.

Keep finding things missing though.

I'm checking the construction rules, where there are still some gaps from equipment not yet covered, and checking the section that describes model attributes, and cross referencing to the movement and combat rules, and came across an oopsie.

As in, I thought I'd described what the game allows players to play with on the table, you know robots, tanks, power armour, and mecha etc but, oops not stated clearly in the introduction that these units are what the rules cover.

It's not a big oops. But it is an oops. One where one finds one has described a bunch of rules, but not which models have access to said rules.

And then I remembered last night, while semi-awake, between dreams, that autonomous vehicles and robots will have a variant of the activation rules to make them feel different. This also ties in with the solo play and group play rules that Big Little Wars aspires to deliver.

Extrapolating how future science and technology affects war. You know, to make the rules not just another SF recreation of WW2 or Vietnam.

Important stuff. Not just fluff, but the flavour of meaty goodness that comes from giving players significant choices to make with different benefits versus costs, which creates the feeling on involvement in the game.

10 comments:

  1. Sounds like it is coming together well!

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    1. It is with caveats. The biggest caveat being me. ;-)

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  2. Do you have any specific scale of engagement? Is it squad/platoon level - 4 robots vs 4 others or vs a tank and 20 infantry? Just trying to judge the level of detail.

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    1. Good question.

      Introductory level up to a dozen miniatures.

      The plan is a platoon level game: teams make squads, and squads form platoons, which can be made up of different types of troops or vehicles.

      However, I'm hoping that players can each control a platoon and therefore lead to a game where all the players are on one side, and the enemy are run by an algorithm.

      Hope that answers your question?

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    2. Platoon-level - yep that answers my question.
      I've gamed with giant fighting platforms and rules of one type or another since the original Battletech and am always interested in new rules. What makes your description more interesting is the fact that you seem to be building it to include solo play and, even better, cooperative play right from the design up.
      I will be getting these when you release them. No doubt.
      Thanks,
      Graham

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    3. That sounds like a lot of fun Ashley - and I LOVE coop games too!

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  3. If things are in the weeds, running a few short playtests may be the way to get things going again?

    Regards, Chris.

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    1. That's a good idea, some prep is needed, which is slowing the progress, but I will prevail.

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  4. Congrats on the progress. I'd hoped to help playtest but 2021 hasn't been a good year unfortunately. Wishing you the best though and keep the updates coming!

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    1. Sorry to hear that my friend. I suspected you've been busy cause of your blog has been quiet, and the Dakka Dakka HG thread has ground to a halt. Dead until the stars are right.

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