Re: [GZG] Mixed Role Fighters

On Fri, Apr 17, 2009 at 9:50 AM, Tom B <kaladorn@gmail.com> wrote:

To summarize what Tom said:  Point systems suck.

Agreed.

To add to it (and steal a bit from history):

Point systems are the worst form of game balance for random gatherings
of players, except for every other way.  Scenarios are better, but
only when you have set-up time and buy-in from the players.

I used to wargame with a friend without any sort of points balancing
or pre-built scenario.	The rules we used:  Bring whatever you want,
we will make up a likely scenario when we meet.  Sometimes we brought
seriously mismatched forces, like the time he brought all submarines
and I brought a company of mecha.  We worked it out each time and had
a blast.  BUT, we trusted each other and had spent the time playing
against each other in various games to the point where we felt
comfortable with that idea.  Outside of that, I played VERY
competitively with tons of other people at a couple of game shops,
where a point system was pretty much mandatory.

I agree that the relative values of units in a game vary considerably
based on many factors.	That said, I think the worst problem is that
there are situations where a unit, because of game design, becomes
worthless.  This is usually an artifact of fineness, since bringing a
pile of interceptors when the opponent has no targets they can affect
in FT is an artifact of the fact that most games of FT don't require
that your opponent wonder if those really are interceptors or
disguised/mis-scanned torpedo bombers, or even if they are just around
to shoot up the repair crews after the fight, but maybe they really
want to get past the main line and shoot up the supply line (no game
effect, but interceptors probably should be able to hurt non-military
targets in some way).

Having some kind of system that averages out the overall effects of
units in a variety of situations is a worthwhile goal, and most groups
after a few games know where the broken bits are for their groups and
either all use them or prohibit their use within that group, depending
on taste.  I do like the idea that the general battle scenario does
limit the units that can be taken, and as much as it pains me to admit
it, I think the way that GW did it with the last version of 40K was
done rather well.  You had a point system, but you couldn't bring all
heavies to the infantry roast.

-- 
Ryan Fisk

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