RE: [FT] Campaign guidelines Re: [FT] Campaign Poll

The campaign narrative arose out of the two  full "campaigns" our group
carried out out uni, both taking a year to complete. Post uni we
scattered
back across the country, so the campaign narrative we use allows any
memebers of the group, when they meet up, to immediatly leap into a game
set
in our background. We try our best to act as our nations would, not as
we
would neccesarily wish, when playing games, an elememt of roleplaying
which
means some sides will attempt to disengage before suffering too much
damage,
whilst others will fight to the death no matter what.  The results of
individual games are used to reflect the overall fortunes of each
galactic
power, after games players discuss the results and explain how they see
it
effecting their nation.

To be honest the narrative system has produced much more dynamic and
interesting games and "historical development" than the original
"proper"
campaign system. In those days we spent more time keeping track of
damage
points, resupplying etc, etc, they we often ended up with no time to
actually fight any battles. No doubt our own fault for using an overly
complicated set of campaign rules (unfortunately I used Federation &
Empire
as my inspiration for those rules...and complicated them further...my
only
excuse is insanity...).

To sum up our system, it is a combination of wargaming and galactic
realpolitik roleplaying. It works for us but it is in no way suitable
for
any kind of competitive or tournament gaming. It is very suitable,
though,
for just having a good time.

And rolling a d6, 1= really bad upto 6= really good helps to add a nice
random elememt when we are unsure how certain events might transpire.

Regards,

Matt Tope

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gzg-l@lists.CSUA.Berkeley.EDU
[mailto:owner-gzg-l@lists.CSUA.Berkeley.EDU]On Behalf Of Doug Evans
Sent: 05 December 2003 15:06
To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu
Subject: [FT] Campaign guidelines Re: [FT] Campaign Poll

***
One off games as part of a campaign narrative thread, so a game or
series
of
game's may inspire the next, but there is no bookkeeping or anything
like
that. In the past we did do massive campaigns from first space launch to
galactic supremacy, but personal circumstances of all involved make
campaigning in a proper way impossible. Besides we found that a full on
Campaign just turns into Cost Accountancy in Space. We prefer well
scripted,
if logistically unsound, carnage.
***

As I pointed out a long time ago, a similar thing could be done in a
tourney setting but describing it as only part of a large space battle.
Used in teams, you could claim winning locally could be added to a
'side's'
total.

If you assume normal space movement insystem, a week's or month's or
even
longer campaign can indicate travel between local battles, giving time
for
repair and resupply. However, if I could get something like this going,
I'd
prefer to move to persistant damage, which makes for cautious play if
you
have to save SOMETHING for the next go. This can be a problem if it
means
stand-back 'safe' play, but working the victory terms can ameliorate.

A grand battle even suggests PSB for closed tables, assuming a ship
wandering off into another battle will be almost useless until synching
with the area command net.

The_Beast