Poll #1 - Choices, Choices Part One

[Terminax]

I don't want consensus, I want input! I gave my preferences on how I'd run a game, what I need to do it and if anyone wanted to volunteer to PM me or contact me on Skype. So far nothing. I put up several campaign ideas. It should be obvious those are the games I'm willing to run and nobody says anything positive or negative about any of them. It's not about me wanting to run a game or not, it's about people getting off their duffs and y'know, COMMUNICATE with me.

Argh, this is so frustrating. I'm not going to make a game just for the sheer exercise of it and hope that people will join it. I want a team of people to help me and I want to know that what direction I should be going in. I just need people to talk to me here!

I'm going home from work in less than an hour and I'll be back online sometime this evening. I want people to actually answer what I've asked them to and not talk around it. I'll be back on Skype by 5pm Eastern Time Zone and will stay on to 10pm if you want to get ahold of me if you want to help GM. Or contact me via PM. In any case I'll be around to answer on this thread later and if nothing starts moving by tomorrow I'll refocus my efforts into something else.

[Korsar]

I actually want an ATOW campaign. But I'm okay with either timeline.

[Arkansas Warrior]

I'd be up for a Periphery small scale game, but would you be up for a post-Jihad setting?  I think the FWL rump states would be pretty well matched with the MH, MoC, perhaps the Fronc Reaches.  Could be a fun game.

Clan Homeworlds would be my first choice for a small scale game, preferably either pre-Revival or post-Reavings, so none of the clans have split commitments in the IS to worry about.

I'd much rather do the big thing with all the factions than just the five Successor States if we go for a large game.  As for the setting, I'd suggest a speculative Jihadless post-FCCW setting, or a post-Jihad 3085 era setting.

But ultimately, I'll probably participate whatever the setting is.

[guardiandashi]

I would love a atow campaign but I could also see a gc game as long as I know what I am expected to do

I just know that it seems like most of the atow games fall apart when someone stops updating, or the gm gets frustrated burned out or runs out of time :(

[Terminax]

ATOW campaign ideas:

I'm running a ATOW campaign in the real world of with 7 to 11 players (depends on what we're doing) set after an alternative WoR where Clan Blood Spirits leave the Home Worlds one step ahead of the other Clans while heading towards a promised new start in the deep periphery, Battlestar Galactica style. To keep the game moving, I revolve the players every month or so/ or every half dozen sessions so from one group of PCs to another, covering various levels of the Clan from the top to the rank and file warriors and even playing as their own eventual opposition in the Coreward Confederacy/RWR Outpost 27. We could run that, or something along similar lines or something else. The usual mercenary routine is always good but I feel like something more involved than that.

Small scale GS campaign ideas:

First idea is based around the Circinus Federation to Magistracy of Canopus Periphery in the years before the Marian Hegemony eats the Lothian League and Illyrian Palatinate. Each player plays one of the periphery powers and independents or maybe a regional power or two from the FWL could also get into the act. The focus of the game is try to eat others while not being eaten at the same.

Second idea is to do the same kind of thing as above but in the Chaos March starting in the early months. The players would control the proto-states or independent worlds, maybe even mercenaries trying to get into the action. In addition to their own antics, they'd have to deal with the outside influences of the various houses as they try to bring the factions into their camps.

Third idea, Clan home world based game. Either before the invasion or after (Wars of Reaving perhaps???)

Large Scale GS campaign ideas: (deliberately not fleshed out atm)

The Succession Wars Game of Thrones edition: The five great houses and their various going ons. Just skip the explicit sex scenes because this is a family friendly site. This game could work with a dozen players but more can be accommodated.

The whole kit and caboodle - The Inner Sphere, the Clans and the Periphery in all their glory. The grand campaign from the start of the Clan Invasion, After Tukayyid, F-C Civil War or wherever. This one would be the beast of beasts and requires at least a score of players to do properly.

Those are the campaign ideas I'm talking about.

[Terminax]

Arkansas Warrior - I don't know. The post-Jihad Periphery feels rather spread out to me. I see players interacting with their immediate neighbors but little need/means to interact with their neighbors neighbor if you get what I mean. The advantage of the earlier era is you've got a bunch of small, equal-ish states all close to each other and the only equivalent in the post-Jihad period is the Barrens.

As to the Clans, my preference is to start around the invasion period strictly because it opens up more possibilities for what happens later. The easiest delineation is after the Burrock absorption because we at least have an idea of what every Clan looks like after that. Before that, the Burrocks, Star Adders and Blood Spirits are all hazy and the Wolves/Jade Falcons with their own difficulties but I'm quite willing to dictate what they start with. Then next breaking in point is after the Smoke Jaguars die and the Nova Cats get abjured. Post-reaving... not so much. You've got four (five? we give the Blood Spirits a chance?) and then the Scorpion Empire and the Hansa. Not allot of choices.

Big game, an all-inclusive game is a huge endeavor. Not against, but I'm going to need people to really stand up. The reason why I like the smaller game format, at least for a first game here is that all the factions are small and manageable and there's allot of possibilities.

Korsar & Guardiandashi - an ATOW game is a possibility but at the moment, I'm aiming for a grand strategy game. Trying to serve the most players as possible. IF an ATOW game goes forward, my inclination remains to run something like my existing game just so my brain doesn't melt from too many conflicting storylines. I tend to be a sandbox GM, I give a starting premise and ask players to fit themselves into that framework and then let them go from there.

[Nibs]

Though I've stated a preference for post-Klondike Clans, I quite like the Chaos March idea.

Considering the size of the area given, it makes each planet that much more valuable. Especially with resources. And with several factions already given, it has a nice starting point while at the same time allowing for personal innovation. A player can create a whole new faction, or take an existing one and invent nearly every aspect. Though having already established factions is appealing in a different way, this one can encourage creativity.

With the military forces of a faction in any game rarely established in canon (notable exception: Field Manual series), it can be hard to balance factions (or unbalance them, if so desired) without bickering. Hopefully, a smaller area can be easier for GMs to distribute military force. In addition, it gives more face time to individual units or single heroes, making each unit's story that much more memorable. At the same time, it eliminates some problems. No WarShips, for example, or some problems with massed forces.

In particular, I was struck by the players as mercenary idea in the Chaos March. Usually, there are a number of players wanting just to be mercenaries, not nations. This solves it quite nicely, both in established units (e.g., "I want to be Wolf's Dragoons!") and player-created units ("I want to make my own!"). In a large game, a sudden appearance of a multi-regimental non canon mercenary unit can be unwelcome, but in a smaller game, a lance-sized unit would be believable. However, the best part (in my humble opinion) is the personal control. In the large strategy games, mercenary players are often beholden to their employer with little chance of creative input but service. In a smaller environment, with factions less able to control mercenaries and less powerful to stop mercenaries, a private company could do much more. They could suddenly switch factions and cause change much more significant in impact than a larger strategy game. They could form their own faction suddenly! They could charge exorbitant fees in the mercenary-heavy worlds. Or perhaps they might be crushed and forced to rely on the good graces on a faction. Many options, quite variable.

Lastly, the existence of the Successor States nearby can create readily-made GM events. For example, a Lyran unit may go rogue, or the Suns is looking for a criminal placed within the military of a Chaos March faction. Though this would preferably not be used too often, it gives the GMs a good start. Though I liked the neutral ComStar GM faction of the 3010 game, this one excites me more.

[ScrapYardArmory]

Hi there, 

I'm a long time lurker to posts like these.  Terminax you seem to have a lot of passion for getting the game off the ground.  I'll throw my hat in the ring for software development and my server.  Shoot me an email when you feel it is time to starting talking specifics.

Brian

[Arkansas Warrior]

Arkansas Warrior - I don't know. The post-Jihad Periphery feels rather spread out to me. I see players interacting with their immediate neighbors but little need/means to interact with their neighbors neighbor if you get what I mean. The advantage of the earlier era is you've got a bunch of small, equal-ish states all close to each other and the only equivalent in the post-Jihad period is the Barrens.

As to the Clans, my preference is to start around the invasion period strictly because it opens up more possibilities for what happens later. The easiest delineation is after the Burrock absorption because we at least have an idea of what every Clan looks like after that. Before that, the Burrocks, Star Adders and Blood Spirits are all hazy and the Wolves/Jade Falcons with their own difficulties but I'm quite willing to dictate what they start with. Then next breaking in point is after the Smoke Jaguars die and the Nova Cats get abjured. Post-reaving... not so much. You've got four (five? we give the Blood Spirits a chance?) and then the Scorpion Empire and the Hansa. Not allot of choices.

Big game, an all-inclusive game is a huge endeavor. Not against, but I'm going to need people to really stand up. The reason why I like the smaller game format, at least for a first game here is that all the factions are small and manageable and there's allot of possibilities.

Regarding the Periphery game, I see what you're saying, but it isn't any farther from the MoC to Marik-Stewart Commonwealth than it would've been to Circinus.  Probably actually shorter since you don't have to go around the FWL.

I think five factions is enough for a clan game, if only just. Coyotes, Adders, Cobras, Imperio, and Hansa.  Or we could back it up a couple years and have 8.  Adding the Spirits and splitting the Imperio into Scorps, Umayyads, and Castillians.  Maybe even throw in some fleeing Blakist or Society/Dark Caste remnants, but I'd expect those to be GM-controlled.

I don't think five is enough if we're playing entire Successor States, though.  That's why I'd go for the whole enchilada there.  I guess I'm thinking there'd be more interest for a SS game, and you'd have too many players for just five states, where as the more limited interest there's likely to be in a clan game would make the numbers per faction more viable. (But even there I'd prefer a pre-Revival game)

I feel like setting a clan game durin the invasion causes problems for anyone playing an invading clan, because you're going to have to put artificial and arbitrary limits on their troop movement.  In canon they could never have moved all their IS-based forces back to the Homeworlds, but we're likely to see players wanting to do just that rather than playing with half their Touman.

[Terminax]

Arkansas Warrior - One of the possible formats for a large game, would be used with my 3042 era ATOW campaign background which deviates from canon from a several changes beginning from the 4th Succession War, and causing a ripple of changes as time passes. Only problem there, is the CC is gone leaving a region akin to the Chaos March, a triumphant Andurien state and an enlarged SiC with a handful of other Capellan derived states. It's wild, turbulent Inner Sphere compared to canon.

If it was a Successor State only game (house of thrones style) the focus would be on the royal families and those who are bound to them, so for example the Federated Suns would spots for not only it's ruling house but each of it's march lords, each of which would have circles of influence and power themselves. Each state would have multiple players and not at all obliged to work together more than necessary.

I'm still wary of a post-Reaving game atm. Maybe keep it mind for a later game.

Nibs - The Chaos March game could be allot of fun, but it looks like most people want a smaller or bigger game than that. I liked it because it doesn't require nearly as much resources at the other games :P It's also much more a strategic and tactical exercise because you have to work with limited resources and everyone looking to get over on the other guy.

Mercenaries would be limited to company to regiment sized forces making them on par with the various small powers. Wolf's Dragoons, as with the Houses is best served as a GM tool. Remember, regiments which go rogue ultimately will pay the price sooner or later unless very lucky or very good.

[guardiandashi]

after what nibs said that comes back to an interesting idea
I know its not exactly canon but...

something like chaos march periphery or even clans, the players start off with a small amount of "control" a planet, a continent or similar preferably with a small amount of things like resource production military production etc, there may or may not be other non player "powers" in the area,   (or merc units instaid) and try to expand, if merc units a goal could be to get a landhold or similar, which can get you resources or income other than just doing "jobs"

[WONC]

after what nibs said that comes back to an interesting idea
I know its not exactly canon but...

something like chaos march periphery or even clans, the players start off with a small amount of "control" a planet, a continent or similar preferably with a small amount of things like resource production military production etc, there may or may not be other non player "powers" in the area,   (or merc units instaid) and try to expand, if merc units a goal could be to get a landhold or similar, which can get you resources or income other than just doing "jobs"

That's actually not far off from an idea I've been kicking around myself, mostly for my own purposes. I've got some stuff fleshed out, but I'm still very much in the process. The basic idea would be a neutral "sand box" cluster of worlds, where different factions can interact, bash each other, lather, rinse, repeat. Minor powers in the Chaos March could work well, if someone wanted something similar that stayed close to canon.

[Korsar]

Now that Nibs said it...

The Chaos March was a close second of mine  ;D I would be totally okay with that, as it scratches most of the same itches that an ATOW game might have scratched: The possibility to choose between established characters and invented ones, small scale (the scope of the real FGC always scared me), I can play mercenaries and so on.

So if we can find a minority for this, I'm totally on board!

[Terminax]

Alright, the vocal minority vs the silent majority seems to be cool with a chaos march game. I've got to mow the lawn, give things a think and I'll be back with a follow up post.

[Terminax]

Okay, I'm back.

What we'll be working towards is a grand strategy game set in the Chaos March. For now, I'm calling it Edge of the Abyss or EotA for short. As per my earlier post, I'm going to need two or three other GMs to work things out. Volunteers, please PM me or contact me at terminax@gmail.com or on Skype. My Skype handle is lordterminax.

Edge of the Abyss will focus on an extended Chaos March with players taking on the roles of the proto-nations, individual planets, mercenaries and pirates located within. Players will vie for favor with the five Great Houses, Comstar and others all while trying to avoid being subsumed by them. Players can choose to play either a preexisting faction or unit or create their own.

So what do you think?

[Fatebringer]

I dig it ;) O0

[Korsar]

Looks cool to me!  O0 O0

[Klingon]

Looks good to me, too.

[Terminax]

This thread has served it's purpose. Could a moderator please close it?