Red Dust Rebellion - A Mars COIN game.

Boardgames are art? What does that mean?

One thing I've been fascinated with lately is the idea of board gaming as an evolving art form. Art forms take time to mature, to develop complex themes and ideas, but I think Board-Gaming is getting there. 

Boardgames are a unique art form, because it is about creating an experience for players, about evoking certain thoughts, emotions and ideas. Whether that's in a purely intellectually sense in an abstract game like Chess or a purely social sense with games like the Resistance.

And i'm not talking about the literal artwork on a game, but the idea of a game as art itself. 

Boardgames can be just a simple toy, but there is more to them than that. Just as Computer games and film explore settings, characters, stories and emotions, so do boardgames. And as an art form, its starting to present mature and interesting themes. 

Boardgames are a lot like music, an art form that can be recreated by others and each time it's interpretation is influenced by its participants. Just as "I will survive" sounds different when played by Gloria Gaynor or Cake. Two different groups of players will have a different experience each time they play a game.

So what do we get from this art form?

Well, a kaleidoscope of experiences depending on what games you play. 

Historic wargaming can be very intellectually stimulating, as the competition and competitive nature of the game tests your reasoning against other people. But its also a medium for traditional arts, such as painting and sculpting. Add to that the interest Wargamers show in researching the periods they play in to ensure historical accuracy, and you can see the impact the art has on them.

Fantasy/Sci Fi Wargaming is the same, asides from instead of researching the history, players tend to immerse themselves in works of fiction. And for a lot of people, army selection is a form of artistic expression. People play Space Wolves, for the most part, because they find space vikings cool. 

Euro style games tend to focus on decision making, maximizing moves, efficiency and reacting to changes in the board state. These games test us in intellectual ways, and the emotions that come about are normally to do with how well we executed our plans. 

Games with heavy social elements, like Spyfall, Battlestar Galactica and Coup test our social skills and expose our social dynamics. It's rare that we tell utter lies to our closest friends, but in these games, that is the norm. We get to experience deception and betrayal, misdirection and obfuscation and enjoy it. I can't think of any other time or place where you can do that with friends. 

And co-operative games explore group social dynamics. How much does one person dominate, do you problem solve as a team, do you defer to others, or do you just "do your thing".

Even solo games provide an interesting experience in introspection that's quite unique. 

Still counts for solo play

These are broad strokes, and your millage may vary. But if you have played a boardgame, and have at least one story about "the time that....", then the games have impacted you as an experiential art form. 

Every gamer has had a moment a bit like this. 

Does it matter?

I don't really know. Like a lot of art forms, you don't have to delve too deep to enjoy them. You can enjoy music without knowing what counterpoint is or what Phrygian mode sounds like. You can enjoy a movie without a degree in film studies (some might argue its easier to enjoy film then). And you can look at a painting and appreciate it without being able to hold a brush. 

But for me, I think i'm more interested in looking at what a game delivers, what experience its going for, and how that impacts on a social group than I ever have been before. 

And as a result, i've been looking at games with different themes, different ideas and different experiences a lot more than before. But more about that later. 

Radlandz - Group Identities

Version 0.7 of the Radlandz rulebook is available now for anyone who wants to see the changes. The game is tightening up and playtesting, when we have done it, has been solid fun. 

Today I wanted to talk about how a roster of figures, a group if you would, will look in Radlandz

One of the defining features I wanted for Radlandz was to give players a load of options of how to customize their groups. 

The two traditional approaches to list building in skirmish games are


Lists

Your gang has a set roster and you can pick stuff within your gang. The advantages of this are that each gang has a defined flavour and play style. The downside to this that you get a form of homogeneity, as few options means few differences between individual groups within the same list

Open recruitment 

You might have a smaller "core list" of defining feature for your group, but there is a massive pool of other units you can pick up. Opening up lists too much also tends towards homogeneity once people figure out the two or three "good" characters you can get. 

A third option

Radlandz uses identities, 12 of them in fact, and one identity is always your "core identity", but it can change through the campaign. This core identity defines a lot of your skill list, equipment and characters, but it can be supplemented by additional identities to provide flavour and variety. 

It means you can get every available skill and model with one group, but certainly not at the same time, and shifting your groups identity scores and building the facilities to recruit new troops and train new skills costs resources. 

How do identity's guide model selection?

Well, they are themes, archetypes, styles and concepts rather than prescriptive groups. For example, if you want a group to be a small group of elite power armour wearing baddasses, you pick Mech as your primary identity. 

This means Mech is a perfectly fine identity if you are playing Space Marines, Sisters of Battle, Brotherhood of Steel, Sky-net Terminators, Killer Robots, or any other concept that fits within the archetype "Big armour smashy"

How does having multiple identities work?

Only one identity is your core, but you can delve into others. For example, if your gang belongs to a mutant township that is settling down and trying to live civilized. You may want to split points between Mutant and Civilized. 

You might want a core group of light-fast moving nomads as your core group, backed up by a few Brutal specialists with over-sized guns and swords. 

You will likely only be able to delve into a few identities during a campaign, but they will add flavor to your lists and open up extra options. You can also play with a single strong identity, and spend upgrades improving their core abilities instead. 

Can I pick any identity?

Identity scores go from 1-6, for an identity to count as a core Identity it must be at level 4 or higher (and you must start with one identity at this level)

Each identity has it's opposite pair, and you cannot have more than 6 points in an opposite pair.

For example, A Group with 5 Arcane can never have more than 1 techno, and if they want to increase Techno to 2, must drop their Arcane identity score to 4. 

The identities are listed below, in their opposing pairs (nomad vs Civilized for example)


What are the identities in Radlandz?

Nomad

Nomad groups have a mobile base of operations and spend their lives moving from place to place scavenging for supplies and parts.

Pick nomad if you see your group as a roving band of scavengers who can hit and run, survive the wastes, and generally be far more annoying than deadly.

Features: Nomad forces are fast moving, lightly equipped and armoured, and can loot very well. They are also well equipped to deal with environmental hazards.

Civilized

Civilized groups have settled down and built a place to defend and protect. They are farmers, builders and engineers

Pick civilized if you see your group as regular people who have to pick up weapons to defend what they have worked hard to protect. 

Features: Civilized forces can field larger forces than most, and provide more special equipment and support items. A bigger roster and better gear overcomes any lack in specialist combat training.  

Arcane

Arcane groups have tapped into some arcane force that exists in the Radlandz. This can be a magical, religious, mystical, psychic or other worldly power.

Pick Arcane if you see your group as a mystic organization or cult roaming the Radlandz led by a powerful wizard or priest.

Features: Arcane forces have access to game-breaking spells and effects. They are also able to use relics and arcane items easier than most. Arcane bosses and specialists are capable of amazing feats, but the rank and file Gruntz tend to be poorly trained and equipped.  

    

Techno

Techno groups are obsessed with technology and gadgets. They have shiny guns and other interesting devices at their disposal. 

Pick techno if you see your group being obsessed with reclaiming lost technology or hoarders of old world secrets.

Features: Techno forces have the best access to specialized gadgets that allow them to pull of unusual moves on the battlefield. Techno troops have some of the worst stats, but make up for this with excellent equipment. 

Primal

Primal groups have embraced a more primitive lifestyle and a return to nature. Primal groups believe in spirits, omens and the power of the Radlandz.

Pick primal if you see your group as one that has fully embraced the new world of the Radlandz and seek to live with the wastes as opposed to trying to rebuild society.

Features: Primal forces are lightly armed, quiet and fast moving. They have access to many low tech weapons, poisons and traps. They also have limited access to game-breaking mystic powers.          

Mech

Mech groups rely heavily on suits of heavy armour and other machines of war and industry. While others run to battle, Mech forces lumber forward, shrugging off small arms fire.  

Pick Mech if you see your group as a group of armoured knights or elite warriors in the Radlandz.    

Features: Mech forces are small but very well armoured and capable of taking more damage than others           

Warrior

Warrior groups are obsessed with personal glory and one on one melee prowess. They are the ultimate hand to hand fighters in the Radlandz.

Pick warrior if you see your group as a warband of raiders and fighters who want nothing more than to stab people and take their stuff. Or, alternatively, a warrior cult obsessed with honour and personal prowess in battle.

Features: Warrior groups excel in melee combat, but this focus leaves them weak in other areas. They field far fewer guns and ranged support units than other groups.  

          

Martial

Martial groups are focused heavily on order, discipline and coordinated tactics and command. They use timing and firepower to suppress an enemy to make them easier to defeat.

Pick martial if your group is a disciplined and structured war fighting unit. They can be a formal military group, or one that has adopted a formal command structure in order to survive the Radlandz.  

Features: Martial groups are expert shooters and have other abilities that improve their ability to make coordinated attacks and suppress opponents. Their reliance on ranged weapons leaves them  under-equipped in melee.           

Mutant

Mutant groups are no longer normal in some way. They might be mutated humans, mutated animals, or any other non-human race that has developed in the Radlandz. 

Mutants are tough and can develop unique mutations that give them special bonuses.   

Pick mutant if you want your group to be tough and resilient to the environment of the Radlandz as well as a little unusual.

Features: Mutant groups are defined by their mutations, special bonuses that allow them to specialize in specific skill areas. In general they are poorly equipped, but make up for it with their mutant skills and general toughness.      

        

Shelter

Shelter groups have escaped the worst of the effects of the Radlandz. They have a secure base that is sealed off from the outside world, whether this is an underground shelter, a space ship, or mobile fortress, what matters is that they are well equipped and secure from the Radlandz.

Pick Shelter if you want your group to be a surviving relic of the past, or an outside force that has recently arrived in the Radlandz.

Features: Shelter groups are well-equipped and supplied. While they don’t excel at any specific combat discipline, they have few weaknesses. They also have access to environmental controlling technology and other gadgets. 

Covert

Covert groups are experts in stealth, infiltration, assassination and other dirty tricks. They rely heavily on surprise attacks and precision. Covert groups are reasonably poor in a stand up fight, but if they are fighting that way, it’s because they aren’t being covert enough.

Pick covert if you want your group to be sneaky and subtle. They could be an order of assassins, a secret society, or Special Forces. As long as the group favours subtlety over brute force, they could be covert.  

Features: Covert groups are lightly armed, lightly armoured, but gain major bonuses to using cover and avoiding being hit. They can deal a lot of damage, but tend not to be able to take much damage in return.                 

Brutal

Brutal groups care little for being quiet or subtle. They bring loud heavy weapons to the fight and pound their opponents into submission. If the big guns fail, then big melee weapons are also an option.

Pick brutal if you want to field a force of highly armed and dangerous fighters who will win the day through application of extreme firepower. They could be    

Features: Brutal groups carry bigger and nastier weapons than anyone else, and have the training to back that up. The rest of the skill selection is lacking though. Every problem needs to be solved with “more firepower”  

So that's the identity's of Radlandz. An archetype for everyone, and if something doesn't quite fit what you have in mind, you can mix and match identities until it does. 

I think I might start painting again - What to do?

I paint in fits and starts, I can paint a colossal number of figures in a short amount of time and produce way more painted figures than most painting sweatshops..... for a time.

Then I get seriously burned out and can't even look at a figure. Then I just want to play video games. Until I start looking at my steam screen and going "I don't want to play anything"

It's a strange circle, but one I have gotten used to. The last project that burned me out was this

I managed to paint a few things after that, but it was really the final straw. 

But now, I have the urge to paint again, and I have so many potential projects. So lets run through them (apologies for photo quality, we had to return the nice work camera, but will likely be getting a nice one for the business shortly). I will be scoring them on quality needed, volume, game interest, bonuses and blockers. 

Descent 2nd edition

Quality: Low to medium, my Descent 1st edition figs are pretty average but speedy paint jobs
Volume: Medium. A good number of figures to paint, but a lot of variety. 
Game interest: Low. Chances of Descent 2nd ed hitting our table soon is low with Imperial Assault and the potential of Seas of Blood 1st ed campaign looming
Bonuses: All the first ed models are painted, and the unpainted figures are just a blot in the box
Blockers: Descent 2nd ed didn't light my fire. I feel Imperial Assault is simply a better game. 

Warmachine

Quality: High. These figures are all solos and should be painted to a good standard
Volume: Low, 5 figures. 
Game interest: Low. 3rd ed is out but I haven't even read the core rulebook. Any brain time on miniatures games is going on X-wing/Armada and Radlandz
Bonuses: Only 5 figures to finish off everything, and I can use them in Radlandz
Blockers: Such fiddly damned models, I think i'll need to re-skill my painting before trying them. 

Imperial assault

Quality: Medium. I painted my previous Imperial Assault figures to a reasonable standard
Volume: Mid to High. Quite a few figs after I just picked up the last 3 expansions, and Jabba's Palace is coming with 20+ more. Plus any booster packs i pick up.... like I have to get Fett. 
Game interest: High. We are still in the Star Wars campaign, and even after that Imperial Assault remains a game I want to play more by itself. 
Bonuses: Would look good in the campaign to have more figs
Blockers: I have a shed load of pre-painted Star Wars figs that have been doing the job just fine so far. 

Spartacus

Quality: Low. The figures are a bit shit
Volume: Low. 6 dudes only. 
Game interest: Medium. Spartacus is a very popular game here and a frequent session filler when we are missing a player or we are too tired to play Star Wars (I.e, i haven't written anything)
Bonuses: Nice simple job to make a popular game look good.
Blockers: The figures plastic is really bad, like just terrible. 

X-Com

Quality: Medium

Volume: Low to medium. 12 Figs
Game interest: Medium. We haven't played it much recently, but its been popular when we have. 
Bonuses: I'm 2/3rds done painting them anyway, this was the game i was doing when I finally burned out
Blockers: Expansion coming soon, could wait until that comes out and do them all at once. 

Rex

Quality: Low. Basic ships

Volume: Low. 5 small ship models
Game interest: Low. I've played 4 games of this, and people were so-so on it. I got a rules tweak from a friend that should fix the biggest grumble people had
Bonuses: Really short job
Blockers: That could sit in the box for a year or two before its played next

Star Wars Rebellion

Quality: Low, small figures needs simple paint jobs
Volume: High. There are a lot of figures in this set
Game interest: High. I've played 6-7 games of this since i got the game 3 weeks ago
Bonuses: Star Wars! Also little painted star destroyers could be cool for the campaign.
Blockers: The last two games i've played have been on Tabletop simulator. It kinda makes painting the game less appealing. 

Relic

Quality: High as all heck
Volume: Small. 
Game interest: Medium, another very popular filler game. Probably the most popular one when everyone is really tired and just wants to roll dice for no real reason
Bonuses: These figures are simply gorgeous, and look so good on the table
Blockers: Magnets.... no seriously. I magnetized my other models and stands and cannot find the rest of them. Also, painting skills need to be sharpened. 

Zombicide 

Quality: High
Volume: Low
Game interest: Low. I want to play more, but I've just not had the urge to play it much lately. 
Bonuses: Most of these figures are at least base coated and probably could be finished off easily enough
Blockers: hard to paint a game you aren't playing much. 

Cthulhu Wars

Quality: Medium, I could go higher but too much detail on these figures would be a massive time sink
Volume: Medium-high. A lot of figures, but mostly its the size of the figures that is daunting
Game interest: Low-Medium. I really like the game, but I feel like it needs a few more of the add-ons I don't have to really come alive  
Bonuses: Those old one models will be a unique painting experience. And Cthulhu stuff is cool
Blockers: I almost feel like waiting until i get more of the game before really getting it back on the table. 

Fortress America

Quality: Low
Volume: High, loads of figures
Game interest: Low. This has hit the table once, but it got good impressions. Feel we need to revisit it
Bonuses: Its not a game i've seen a lot of painted versions of. So I could almost define what a painted version looks like
Blockers: Its a lot of work, potentially for little return

Twilight Imperium 3rd edition

Quality: Low
Volume: Mega high
Game interest: Low. People like the game, but the time commitment is scary. 
Bonuses: It would look awesome with a painted set. 
Blockers: Are you kidding. I did a list like this years ago and it was on there. This is such a big project, many months worth, I don't know if i'll ever get around to it. 

Conclusion

I honestly have no idea what I will paint first right now. Imperial Assault, Spartacus and a few others are towards the top of the list, and TI3 is probably dead last. I'll see how i feel over the next few days

Games Workshop and Fantasy Flight Games split

It's official, GW and FFG will no longer be doing business. 

Considering that FFG/Asmodee have blasted past GW in terms of total turnover in the last few years and the decision of GW to bring back specialist games, i'm not hugely surprised.

FFG has been the actual games workshop for Games Workshop for a long long time. And while they have focused on model making supported by badly designed games, FFG have been keeping people who love the settings engaged with really good games.

A lot of these games are relatively early in their development cycle. People who stumped up to get Conquest & Warhammer Quest - the card game - will likely bit put out by not being able to continue to expand those games.

Forbidden stars will stay a 4 faction game, i'm so glad I didn't buy it yesterday (and I was in store, holding the box, debating it)

For me, Chaos in the Old World is the pinnacle of this relationship. It's dripping in GW's IP and theme, but has the great game design of FFG. It's simply a masterclass in game design and I am so glad I have a copy of a game that is likely to go OOP and stay OOP for a long long time.

Blood Bowl team manager is also my favourite "Lite" game, and i'm slightly miffed it won't be getting any more teams. 

I highly doubt the FFG/GW deal will allow GW to lift all the mechanics and start selling expansions for the games, so this could be the death of these lines. Although "REX" type reskins could happen for some of the games.

And looking at GW's most recent attempts at Board Game design, my hopes are not high. Poor mechanics and nice figures don't engage me. Dreadfleet was a terrible terrible game and Warhammer Quest:Silver Tower costs about the price of three decent boardgames in NZ and, asides from the figures, is an average to decent dungeon crawler. But i could also get Descent 2nd edition core set and two expansions for the same price. It also doesn't help that the new Warhammer world is just awful. 

It's pretty, but at $320 you are paying for the models, not the game or bits

Sure GW do great figures, they are a model company after all and they excel at that. But FFG is a games company, and losing the GW IP means that we have likely concluded a 2nd golden age of GW themed games.

The first was GW's glory days as a Games design company, when titles like Space Hulk, Blood Bowl, Warhammer Quest, Fury of Dracula and Heroquest were coming out and were as good as any of the competition. Space Hulk and Blood Bowl still occupy very warm places in my heart and on my games shelf. And boy am I glad that Blood Bowl online is still a thing.

It's possible that GW will eventually return to greatness in the Boardgame field, but it won't be immediately, their game development culture has been focused on flash and models for far to long and Game Design is not easy to do well. I personally prefer a mediocre looking game than a pretty one that sucks.

Power Grid > Dreadfleet in other words. 

Looks like I have a few expansions for games to procure before they go out of print. Time to finally get "Halls of Terra" for Relic, ugh, so gutted their won't be more Relic, that game was stupid but fun. 

I highly recommend getting the stuff you want for these games now, as they will go OOP really quickly and will likely not come back. 

Post Script:

A friend of mine brings up the RPG lines and raises the point that GW will likely not develop any replacements. Sad day for WHFRP and Dark heresy fans as well.