Fishing28 - a non wargame miniature game

 So, I ran into "Fishing28" - a miniature game that is NOT a wargame:

And for my German fellows:

I think, there should be more games like this ... maybe a challenge could help out here ... hmmmm ...

And this happened:

Wow ... =)

RETHEME - a Print and Play Story

Thanks to a comment by redditor u/Responsible-Draw5354 and some research on my side I've got a story to tell.

It all begins in the year 2010 ...

2010 - Jason Sondoh releases "Escape of the Dead": https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/87632/escape-dead-minigame

2020 - Pascal Toupy takes the mechanics of "Escape of the Dead" and releases the game in some wargaming magazine as "Firebase Vietnam": https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/324602/firebase-vietnam

2021 - Brendan Whyte creates "Defense of Rorke's Drift" and attributes his game to "Firebase Vietnam": https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/338157/defence-rorkes-drift

2022 - I am introduced to "Defense of Rorke's Drift" without being aware of all the other iterations and think "Hey - his would make some cool Zombie game": https://catzeyeshq.blogspot.com/2022/11/braaaaainz-quick-zombie-defense-game.html

Ladies and Gentlemen - the circle of life.

p.s.: If anyone of you is active at the 'geek and wants to earn some Geekgold, you are free to create a game page for BRAAAINZ if you assign it to my designer's page: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/12247/kai-bettzieche (which is still in place, oddly enough..)

In a second step you might want to create a "is reimplemented by" loop:

Escape of the Dead -> Firebase Vietnam -> Defense of Rourke's Drift -> BRAAAAAINZ -> Escape of the Dead

Just for "teh lulz"

Best regards (also to the crowd at the 'Geek),

Kai

Brainstorm: Scenarios

For agnostic rules set in agnostic settings you need generic scenarios.

This is a brainstorm, heavily inspired by many other skirmish games:

Gang Warfare

This is the most basic, generic scenario: gang versus gang - fight, until only one gang (or at least one member therof) remains

Claim "anything" from centre

Place a token in the centre. This token can represent literally anything. The first player to carry the token off the gaming area with one of his fighters wins.

King of the Hill.

Only works with the optional rule Respawn.

Place 5 control points in the area in the same vein as the 5 pips on a six sided die, with the central controlpoint lying in the centre of the gaming area and the outer control points being 6" away from the central control point so they are right on the centre of the line from the central control point to the border.

Each team has got a number of markers equal to the number of control points. 

To claim a control point, at the end of upkeep have more fighters than any other player at a control point. Replace the control point with one of your markers. This counts as a control point under your control. 

At the very beginning of upkeep receive 1 VP for each control point you are controlling.

First team to receive 20 VP wins. If both teams reach 20 (or more) VP on the same turn, a sudden death mode is activated, which revokes the Respawn rule.

Capture the Flag

Only works with the optional rule Respawn.

Each team has got a flag in the home corner. Grab that flag and bring it into your base with your own flag in place to score 1 VP.

The first team to score 2 VPs wins.

Tug of War

Only works with the optional rule Respawn.

Place 3 control points: one in the very centre, the other two right between the centre and a team's starting corner. The first team to control all 3 control points wins.

Duel ... Stuff to add / to change

Some things I want to add and/or change for "Duel":

1.) Revamp the Core Rules and move stuff out to the optional rules. 

The Core Rules should be all about "2 players play with 1 fighter each on a 1'x1' area". Nothing more. Also, Movement is movement. No jumping. No falling. Not in the core rules!

2.) Revamp the Core Rules and move stuff out to the optional rules (continued)

Jumping - make it an optional rule

Climbing - make it an optional rule

Falling - include falling into Jumping and Climbing

Field more than 1 model per player. This is at best hinted at in the core rules and also in the optional rules. You can read between the lines, that playing with multiple miniatures is possible. However, I should explain this in a separate optional rule. The rule is called "Field more than 1 model per player" as F comes before H for Hero, so when you read the optional rules for Heroes you are familiar with the concept of multiple miniatures for one player.

Initiative, turn oder and especially Dueling with multiple miniatures per player needs to be explained!

2.) Rename "Dodge" to "Avoid Damage". 

I have a hard time imagining Zombies dodging... Also, "avoiding damage" is, what dodging is in the first place. It's just a broader term than can be applied to more possibilities: Damage can be soaked up, dodged, deflected - whatever you can think up.

3.) Melee + Duels

I need to explain Melee better. Melee makes "Avoid Damage" unavoidable and thus mandatory. Also I need to introduce the term "participant in a Duel". See some good reasons for that below.

Also I need to introduce the maneuver "move out of combat"/"retaliate": If a model is locked in melee, it might just want to move out of melee. This action immediately initiates a Duel, in which the model moving out of melee may only go for "Avoid Damage". All opposing models in that melee will "retaliate" and try to hit the model moving out of damage according to the regular melee rules versus the "Avoid Damage" rule.

4.) More Photos. 

Not just because. More like: Photos, so you readers can understand better, what I'm trying to explain.

5.) A "Night Raid" Scenario

May be combined with other scenarios. Special rule "Darkness" is active: Line of sight is reduced down to 8". Light sources can have 1", 2" or 3" radius, depending on their size. Anything within the radius of a light source can be drawn line of sight to and can become the target of a Duel, if a weapon's reach is sufficient.

5.) Rename Xtra Attack into Xtreme Reaction because see below ...

6.) More skills

If I want to send "Duel" to my printing company, I need way more pages. So, here goes a little bit of content. More skills, once again a selection of skills from A-Z (and this time some more melee oriented skills):

Absorb Health

Every time this Hero removes another model from play, this Hero receives 1 additional toughness. This Hero cannot receive more than 3 additional toughness.

Bodyguard

Designate any one other model as this Hero's "bodyguard". As long as this Hero is within 2" of its bodyguard, all damage received from any one source to this Hero may be redirected to the bodyguard, causing him to receive the damage instead. The bodyguard does not necessarily have to be a valid target for the source in the first place and does not get to use his own skills or equipment to reduce that damage. Also, by the time he receives damage the bodyguard can only return fire, if the source of the damage is a valid target for him.

Chained shot

Special Attack

Upon initiating a Duel this Hero may target any one model within 2" to a target within line of sight and weapon's reach of this Hero, even if the newly targeted model is not within line of sight or weapon's reach of your Hero.

If your newly targeted model cannot return fire, it may still try to avoid damage.

Defensive

When avoiding damage, this Hero can still avoid damage if your Duel Score is equal to an opponent's Duel Score.

Extra Attack

Special Attack

If this Hero initiates a Duel and is still standing after that Duel, you may roll one more die and add it to your Duel Score. If the final result is 7 or more after all applicable modifiers, this Hero scored another hit.

Fighter

Whenever this Hero participates in a melee Duel, if your Duel Score is equal to or below your opponent's Duel Score, you may decide for each die rolled whether you want to use it to avoid damage (as described in the according optional rules) or to cause your opponent's model to take a hit.

Grudge

Designate one opposing Hero this Hero has a grudge on. Whenever this Hero participates in a Duel with that opposing Hero, this Hero may reroll any die that has not scored a hit once.

Hurl

Special Attack

During its activation this Hero may hurl any model having a smaller base and standing in base to base contact to this Hero up to a certain number of inches into any direction (see below). The model hurled must be placed in a position where it can stand safely or must be placed in a different position.

Models belonging to the same warband of this model can be hurled up to 8".

Opposing models may try to resist being hurled. In that case a Duel is initiated, where the opposing model only can opt for avoiding hits. Each hit scored nonetheless allows this Hero to hurl the opposing model up to 2" instead of causing a hit. The model hurled must be placed in a position where it can stand safely or must be placed in a different position. Also, you may opt to use a combination of "actual hits scored" and "hits exchanged for inches hurled". If, for example, this model scores 2 hits on an opposing model, it may cause 1 hit and hurl the opposing model 2".

Irresponsible

Can only be selected if each player plays with "more than one model".

Neither can this Hero use its skills to benefit others, nor can other models use their skills to benefit this Hero.

As long as this Hero is at least 4" away from all other models its own warband, whenever this Hero participates in a Duel, you may ask each other participating player to reveal their Duel Score before you reveal your Duel Score. If you do, you roll your Duel Score once the last player has revealed his Duel Score.

Juggernaut

Whenever this Hero participates in a melee Duel, each unmodified 6 rolled for this Hero counts as 2 hits.

Killer Instinct

Whenever this Hero removes another model from play, he remains standing and in play at least until the end of this turn. Only if he recieves enough hits to be taken out of the game (read: 1 hit per point of toughness, 1 hit for going prone and yet another 1 hit for being taken out of the game), this Hero is removed from the game during the next Upkeep Phase. If after the next Upkeep Phase this Hero is still in the game, he remains standing.

Large

This Hero is larger than others and fully aware of that fact. Whenever this Hero participates in a melee Duel with another model on a smaller base, add +1 on each die rolled for this Hero.

Manhunt

Select 1 enemy Hero as your "prey". As soon as your prey moves into a position where this model could move into line of sight of your prey with just 1 movement action, if the prey is still standing after its activation, this Hero may immediately perform one activation to move into line of sight with the prey and may immediately initiate a Duel.

This activation is additional to the regular activation this Hero has got for this turn.

Night Vision

This Hero ignores the rules for Darkness in the optional scenario "Nightraid".

Off Hand Weapon

Requires this Hero to wield 2 weapons. One of these weapons may be a onehanded ranged weapon, the other weapon must be a onehanded melee weapon.

Whenever this Hero participates in a melee Duel, you may roll 1 additional die. 

When using a ranged weapon for your offhand weapon, you must still roll for "Jamming Weapons", if you use that optional rule.

Prehensile

Models in base to base contact to this Hero cannot move away from this Hero. Not even with the skill "swift".

Quake

Whenever this Hero participates in a melee duel, for each hit scored each opposing model in base to base contact to this Hero is moved away up to 1" in a straight line per hit scored instead of taking a hit. Any obstacles on that way end that movement early and cause the model moved to take 1 hit anyway. (So, if you score 2 hits and decide to move an opposing model away, but there is a wall after 1.5", the opposing model only moves 1.5" just up to the wall instead of through the wall and then takes 1 hit.) Opposing models cannot defend against this movement.

This Hero still can cause hits to opponent models simply by not using this skill.

Regenerate

If this Hero has got any points in toughness, as long as he is standing during upkeep he receives 1 toughness. 

This cannot raise his toughness higher than the initial toughness.

Swift

When in base to base contact with another model, this Hero may move away normally. Opposing models cannot retaliate.

Thrall

Requires this Hero to have followers. Any number of this Hero's followers can be designated as a "thrall" each. A thrall can never use the action "interact" or be used to fulfil a victory condition. A thrall can not initiate a Duel or return fire. A thrall can only try to avoid damage. A thrall may move into base to base contact with this model either to immediately restore 1 toughness. This cannot raise this model's toughness above its initial toughness. Or when this Hero is placed prone moving a Thrall into base to base contact immediately lets this Hero stand back up again.

In both cases the thrall is immediately removed from play.

Underdog

Whenever this Hero initiates a Duel where he is within line of sight of more than one opposing model, this Hero recieves a bonus of +1 on each die rolled.

Valorous

If this Hero is still standing after having participated in a Duel during which he returned fire and has not activated yet this turn, this Hero may immediately perform a movement action towards an opponent's model other than the one that has initiated the Duel.

If this brings this Hero within line of sight of at least one other opposing model, this Hero initiates a new Duel.

This counts as this Hero's activation for this turn.

Wicked

Special Attack

After revealing your Duel Score but before rolling dice immediately take any number (=X) of hits. If this would cause this Hero to be placed prone, leave this Hero standing for now and place him prone after the Duel. 

This Hero recieves +X on each die rolled. 

Xenos

Any Hero with the "Xenos" skill may use any other Hero's line of sight for targeting opposing models, as long as that other Hero has got the "Xenos" skill, too. This Hero is still restricted to his own weapon's reach, though!

Yellow

This Hero may be placed prone at any time during his activation. This may cause him to disappear behind terrain, so other models can no longer draw line of sight to this Hero. If this Hero has been placed prone by using this skill, he needs to spend his regular action to get up again. 

Zealous

You may use this Hero's activation to activate any one other model of your warband, including another Hero, within 8". This way you can even activate a model that already has been activated this turn.

Duel - The Rules

Some viewers of the previous video told me, they would love to get a better explanation of the rules.

Here goes:

Artificial Art in Games

I tried my hand at having midjourney create a world map.

The result looks impressive at first glance:

However, once you start looking at the details, you can recognize the flaws.

In all seriousness: mountains consisting of water? Trees in the midst of the ocean? And the flow of the rivers is a catastrophe!

Having posted this "map" on my Social Media Accounts, I received mixed replies.

I really do appreciate your comments.

Each and every one of them.

I understand, how this whole topic is difficult at best for at least as long as there is no jurisdiction for art like that.

Also, I agree with statements along the lines of "much to learn you still have, young A.I.". They are simply the truth: The A.I. here shows, how it does not have a single clue about how mountains do not consist of water, how rivers should flow and what else.

For now.

However, I think, what I presented here is going to be the future. Inevitably. The creators of those A.I.s do not want to present their creation as a failure. The machines are getting better at picturing and "imagining" stuff. With every day. And at the current speed of progress, this is not an issue, we can leave to the next Generation to deal with. 

I believe, in a mere couple of years machines will produce art superior to what many human artists can produce. Or at the very least, they can produce art good enough for people with no artistic skill.

And this is something we all will have to cope with. Whether we want it or not. 

Adapt, Improvise, Overcome.

Another example for A.I.:

If you "speak" with GPTChat, you will quickly realize, how this bot is able to produce very generic rules for games.

Yes, those rules are mediocre at best, but they come with a structure, they come with solid ideas a designer could build upon and the chatbot starts failing as soon as you want details such as who gets to move when or when (and why) do you roll which die.

For now...

Whack&Slaughter Hero Card - Ragnar

Look who has just been released into the wild.

Ragnar has gotten the second official #HeroCard for #whackandslaughter: https://bit.ly/WANDS_Ragnar

#free #miniature #agnostic #skirmish #wargame #printandplay #dice #fantasy #moba #28mm