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Thread: RACE SCENARIO FOR UPCOMING HURRICON CONVENTION IN FLORIDA

  1. #1

    Default RACE SCENARIO FOR UPCOMING HURRICON CONVENTION IN FLORIDA

    Hurricon is coming up in September and I will be running some games there. Hopefully I will see some of our local members there. Come up and say Hi if you do come, I would love to meet you in person.

    I had a thought about a game I have been toying with....

    Last year I ran a race scenario for WOG and it was a real success. It was fun to play and fun to run. I have had several requests to do it again. Wellll.....

    Now I am focused on SOG, I was thinking about doing something similar with this, and laying out about an 8 x 4 table, with a U shaped course, where the race goes around an island in the north side, the wind from the east, constant, with reefs, random sea monsters, whirlpools, fog banks, pirates and any other devious thing I can think of. The goal is to survive unscathed and be the first to cross the finish line. If you happen to take the odd pot shot at an opponent along the way, all the better, but be aware, they may shoot back.

    So, am I crazy, or could this work?

    Anyone have any suggestions?

    Of course I will have to lay it out in scenario form for the fun of all.

    FYI for anyone wanting the con info, it is September 25 through 28. http://www.hmgs-south.com


  2. #2
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    Tried something similar to this a few years back, worked really well

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    Admiral of the White
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    Sounds like great fun to me. The unpredictable events could be the most challenging (and hilarious) depending on what you come up with.

    If the focus is 'fun' as opposed to 'winning', I think your options as a GM are wide open.

    Outside of what you've already mentioned devious things I might entertain bringing in would be waterspouts, random wind changes (especially if one player pulls way ahead of the rest), the Bermuda Triangle (in miniature), mermaids/sirens, the Sargasso Sea and hurricanes/storms/tidal waves?

    For some reason I'm envisioning a Monty Python Flying Circus race day?

  4. #4

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    Using different size ships could be interesting. SOLs slow but better to drive away pirates, take on sea monsters, and give your opponents a good trashing. Sloops fast and maneuverable to race ahead while trying to stay out of the way of threats. Frigates a good balance of power and speed but still vulnerable.

  5. #5

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    I love running whacky games. Please do provide the details when you get it all designed.

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    Admiral. R.I.P.
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    Please publish an A.A.R. with pictures when you have done it. It sounds really good.

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    I think this is really cool. Have you considered two or three ship teams, each with an SoL, frigate, and a sloop or some such combo? Please share whatever you come up with. If you want to kibitz on mechanics, fire away.

    WoG race game as well. Would you share your WoG rules and setup? Hmmm - you have me thinking about the group we're assembling in our area - I will have to try these out.

    Great idea, Erin.
    “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” ― Plato

  8. #8

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    Eric, I put some pix of the WOG race in an album. (Not sure how to find the link, but it is in my albums under WOG race.

    One of the things I used was 'Devious Cards', where each player picked a pre written ability, which they could apply to another flyer, such as tampering with the fuel line, resulted in that pilot delaying take off by one move. Another being fuel tampering, where the victim had to use the equivalent of an engine damage special damage. The holding pilot could apply these to anyone they chose.

    I think this variable could be used in the SOG 'Great Race' as well. Just have to think of some good ones. One idea, a rumor plant, that the grog was watered down, resulting in the crew revolting and the ship going ahead 1 move regardless of chosen move. Could be tricky if it happens at the wrong time.

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    Erin, reminds me of the old Wizkids Pirates game with its "Event" cards. For example, "Becalmed" would let you throw a chit on the map and no ship within Long Range of it could move unless it was a galley or packing an oarsman, or Duel would give you a chance to kill one of your enemy's high-value crew at the risk of possibly losing your own.

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    Just saw the photos. They remind me of a recent KS I saw about a racing game using steam-punked airships.

    I like the idea of handing out a little sabotage - makes me think of the films like The Great Race or Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines. I can see a Jack Lemmon card.
    “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” ― Plato

  11. #11

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    The "becalmed" makes me think you could claim the weather is gusty and erratic to make all sorts of weird weather cards. Becalmed, localized wind direction changes. Localized gusting to cause a little sail damage. Sudden squalls. Lightning strike.

    And then for something completely different...the Kraken card! Whale hits the rudder. Mermaids distract the crew and draw a random movement plot.

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    WK Mermaids was nasty... your ship couldn't do ANYTHING for a number of turns equal to the number of crew aboard.

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    Whale hits the rudder could make a ship do the exact opposite direction turn it is plotted for this turn.

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    Quote Originally Posted by 7eat51 View Post
    I like the idea of handing out a little sabotage
    Been watching Cutthroat Kitchen on the Food channel again, have we? :P

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    Premature e....
    Well....maybe another name for this card. Play this card on someone and choose a broadside to get fired by mistake.

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    Call it "Itchy Trigger Fingers."

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    Too much grog! Plot broken mast moves for the next few turns.

  18. #18

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    Just as a quick tease, and because Andy had to mention mast damage....

    Here we see what happens when ship meets Kraken.

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    (Now where did I leave that mermaid card)

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    What other monsters did they have besides the Kraken for that game?

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    Squid, shark, giant mutant crab (Do. Not. Get. Me. Started. *rolls eyes*), octopus...

  22. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cpt Kangaroo View Post
    Just as a quick tease, and because Andy had to mention mast damage....

    Here we see what happens when ship meets Kraken.

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    (Now where did I leave that mermaid card)
    Thanks Erin. Now I know how my 1st rate masts got broken.

  23. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by Diamondback View Post
    Squid, shark, giant mutant crab (Do. Not. Get. Me. Started. *rolls eyes*), octopus...
    Diamondback.... Sorry, was this too much.... Sorry, my hand slipped.

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    That'll put a hurt on your paint job!

  24. #24

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    Here are the others I have, I don't have the octopus though.

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    Nessie and the Winged Serpent look alright
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    Not too sure about giant fishes though.

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    The octopus was in the Pirates of the Caribbean set, IIRC.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cpt Kangaroo View Post
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    Not too sure about giant fishes though.
    I could direct you to some... more-accurate... representations, but then I would probably end up killing a bunch of people (myself included). :P

    Quote Originally Posted by Cpt Kangaroo View Post
    Diamondback.... Sorry, was this too much.... Sorry, my hand slipped.

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    Oh, dear -- now DB's going to get crabby....

    You should have kept that one to yourself -- and be shellfish....

    (I'm such a Claw-d.)

    >:)

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    *breaks Clue-by-Fours over both French's and Erin's skulls... and not just any wood clue-by-fours but LIVE OAK*

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    The squid was kind of cool. The others.....nah. I'm surprised there isn't a Moby Dick.

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    They actually put a ship named the Pequod in that set, and IIRC Queequeeg the Harpooner was one of the named crew.

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    Do you think Ares will ever do a 'Sea Monsters' expansion? I doubt it. My local toyshop will sell sharks but the others? :)

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    To be quite frank, I hope NOT. :) Sea monsters were pure marketing cheese and a desperation trick when Wizkids did 'em, and they'd seem even more so from Ares.

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    I can see using these sea monsters in a race game. Since the game is already being used for a quite different purpose, adding such pieces and associated effects would be fun. I saw some bizarre mini games at Origins, e.g. British colonials vs. large bugs.

    This race game could be a fun way of introducing WoG and SoG to non-wargamers. I will definitely do this some Saturday at our FLGS.

    I need to get some of these sea monsters.
    “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” ― Plato

  33. #33

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    Eric, I can probably hook you up with what you need. I was asked once how many of the old WK PotC ship I had, I really lost track when the box weighed 37 pounds. (Every time someone heard I had a bunch, they would dump another box load on me. Sheesh!)

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    Erin, that would be great. Thanks.

    I will definitely put on WoG and SoG racing games; I can easily envision a "season" or an "around the world" campaign that would have different challenges. I think these would serve as a great gateway to the historical games.

    37 pounds - that's funny. I should tell people of games I play; maybe they'll dump minis and expansions on me.
    “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” ― Plato

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    Quote Originally Posted by Diamondback View Post
    *breaks Clue-by-Fours over both French's and Erin's skulls... and not just any wood clue-by-fours but LIVE OAK*
    <- looks down at fragments of live oak surrounding him; snaps fingers; watches as beavers appear and carry off the "beaver kibble"

    Well, I'm Oak-kay; how about you?

    >;)

  36. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cpt Kangaroo View Post
    Eric, I can probably hook you up with what you need. I was asked once how many of the old WK PotC ship I had, I really lost track when the box weighed 37 pounds. (Every time someone heard I had a bunch, they would dump another box load on me. Sheesh!)
    My first thoughts were that these monsters were just kind of dumb...except the squid. Now Eric has swung me the other way. I think they might be good silly fun for an intro race game. If you have even more extra monsters after Eric, I'd take some off your hands as well. The silliness of the crab is now what makes it the most appealing.

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    Great, just what we needed... SoG turning into the maritime version of "It Came From RED ALERT..."
    http://cnc.wikia.com/wiki/It_Came_From_Red_Alert!

    LOL

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    I think this is a creative way in utilizing the game mechanics and components. For the past two weeks, my wife and I have been helping our friend organize our FLGS - he is the new owner. I see people buying all types of fantasy games. This evening, there was a Heroclix tournament. People kept returning to the stands, buying more booster packs. Hardly anyone has looked at the historical games. I have received several comments each time we have been there about the WoG game we played two weeks ago; what caught their attention was the Zeppelin. So if I can gather folks around the table for a racing game, including sea monsters, then I will do so. My hope is that once they are familiar with some of the game mechanics and the minis, they will be more apt to play the historical games. In the meantime, we'll still have fun, which at the end of the day is one of the main goals anyway.

    I think, too, this is where Jim's pirate ships, Andy's fog of war screen, Rory's coastal scenery, etc. will help with SoG. Not only are they eye candy, but they enable different types of scenarios. I think the reality is that if we're going to attract non-historical war-gamers, we'll need a bit of creativity, a bit of sexiness. As a friend said this evening, it is hard for a Sopwith Camel to compete with Superman as far as a game piece.

    One thing I can say from the past two weeks, is that WoG and SoG minis now seem less expensive as I have seen folks shell out some serious money on Magic cards.
    “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” ― Plato

  39. #39

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    I hate to say it, but you're right. Something is needed to draw more gamers to SOG. If it takes a little magic, so be it. A percentage of them will get hooked on the historical side of the ships.
    Well thought out Eric.

  40. #40

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    Okay, Eric does have a point...

    We have a new Brick and Mortar store, mainly magic card games. (Like it or not, that's what pays the rent!)

    We have been introducing historical mini's, and really didn't get much interest from the Magic mob, then I put these monsters of the deep on the table. Within about 15 minutes I had about half a dozen reminiscing about PotC and asking about SOG.

    So, like it or not, quirky sells.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cpt Kangaroo View Post
    Okay, Eric does have a point...

    We have a new Brick and Mortar store, mainly magic card games. (Like it or not, that's what pays the rent!)

    We have been introducing historical mini's, and really didn't get much interest from the Magic mob, then I put these monsters of the deep on the table. Within about 15 minutes I had about half a dozen reminiscing about PotC and asking about SOG.

    So, like it or not, quirky sells.
    Pirates, magic and quirky are the hooks. Agreed.

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