STS Brikwars coming soon (hopefully)

[Battlegrinder]

I'm a big fan of the game Brikwars, a tabletop wargame system designed to be easy to use, easy to mod, and that uses legos for the models and terrain. I'm think of writing a few add-ons to the core rules to cover stuff from SL and PL (AL and DL wouldn't work as well) and add in some RPG elements, then run a few games on the forums. The rules won't be very complicated, since we can cut out a lot sections (I don't think we'll need the sections on vehicles, for example).
Here's how it will work: I'll create a dungeon, fill it with bad guys, and then a group of players can in and storm the place. They'll PM me and tell me what to do, and I'll roll for the bad guys and generally keep the game moving (you can find a good example of this kind of play on the Brikwars battle reports forum, but they have whole armies so its mostly a difference of scale). It will be a pretty short campaign, maybe a half dozen groups of bad guys in the whole place, plus the boss, and since Brikwars combat runs pretty quickly and only needs one or two dice rolls per turn, a whole group of bad guys could be taken down in only two or three turns. The whole dungeon might take a week or so to clear, with players taking a couple of turns per day. If people are interested, I might do a longer, more conventional RPG campaign if enough people are interested, but mostly I'm thinking of just doing the mini-campaigns. Note: the same group players won't be sticking together all the time. if ten people are sorted into two 5 person groups, after they beat their dungeons (or are killed), they can sign up for another dungeon, but will be matched with different people (if they want to be in a group with certain people, they can of course request to be put together).
I'll probably have everything set up and ready to go sometime around the end of the month, if people are interested. I'm don't want to spend a bunch of time setting something up and getting ready to run some games if no one is interested, so if you think that you'd be interested in doing this, please post here and let me know so I can get an idea of how much interest people have in this. if you'd be interested in having a longer running campaign, let me know as well, that's something I'd love to do if people are interested. If you have any questions, ask away, I'm pretty sure I've covered the basics but I'm not sure.

Also, where should I post and run the completed games? Seriously, I have no idea what part of the forums this thing falls under the umbrella of. I suppose I could do it in forum games, but it's a bit of madhouse over there.

Got questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me at stsbrikwars@gmail.com (the account isn't connect in any way to my regular STS email account and exists only to coordinate BrikWars games, so don't bother trying to hijack it).

[DocDoBig]

Good read , so is this like a virtual board game just in STS style ?
If so , I'm interested then!


P.S.
Found a little misleading error

(AL and DL would work as well)

Lol @ this

I suppose I could do it in forum games, but it's a bit of madhouse over there.

[Battlegrinder]

Thanks for your interest! What I'm working on isn't exactly a virtual board game, at least not as I understand the term. Brikwars is a wargame (like Warhammer 40k, if you know what that is), and the version I'm developing is going to be more like D&D or another RPG.

Sadly, AL and DL wouldn't work very well for STS Brikwars, because the unique mechanics that are part of the core gameplay are not easily ported into Brikwars. AL's pet system would be very problematic, because adding in the pets would be very hard. It would mean twice as many die rolls for the AL player (which would complicate the game too much), and it would be an obscene amount of work to write up stats for all the pets (how are there now, 40?) and build models for them. Finally, the character and the pet would have to be underpowered, in order to keep them balanced when compared to the other classes (IE, they would be level 15 when the other players are level 20). Otherwise they'd have to much of an edge in PvP.

DL's main problem is the magic system and the combat. DL combine the players mana and HP, which is a neat concept but would cause problems when ported into Brikwars, since PC in the STS mod will have about 8 HP, max. In order to be competitive, a DL character would need to have 16 or 17 HP in order to be able to compete with the other character's casting abilities, which would also mean that vampires could out-tank the actual tank classes. Plus, DL combat is pure Melee, with a lot of complicated special attacks. The problem is, Brikwars has a very simple Melee system, and it isn't designed to handle DL style skill attacks. Also, I don't have an Vampire minifigs.

It's possible to create a RPG or combat game that has PL, SL, AL, and DL, but you'd have to use a system like GURPS, which costs money and is difficult for new players to learn. By contrast, Brikwars is practically pick up and play. However, if any wants to try and write AL and DL rules as part of this project, they're welcome to try.

[Schnitzel]

So. Is this game kinda like minecraft?

[Battlegrinder]

So. Is this game kinda like minecraft?

Not in the slightest.

[Lalarie]

I'd play for sure

[Cascade]

So. Is this game kinda like minecraft?

Lol @ the didn't read post. "Oh brik? Must be a mine craft copy!"

[quanebo]

uses legos for the models and terrain.

I loved legos as a lil kid, only problem is stepping on em -_-

[Cascade]

I loved legos as a lil kid, only problem is stepping on em -_-

It's worse than tacks.

[Battlegrinder]

It's worse than tacks.

I know. They're like little plastic caltrops.


Since several people have been wondering what exactly this game is like, I'm going to try a get some stuff posted that will let people get a better idea of what it will be like. Hopefully that will clear up some questions.

[Battlegrinder]

Ok, I've gotten some example battles photographed, These are based on a very rough version of the rules, but they're reasonably close to what the final version will look like.

Ciaphas Cain is engaged in combat with two spear-wielding soldiers.

He attacks one with his sword, but the soldier manages to parry the blow. The second spear carrier charges toward him. Caiphas raises his pistol and fires at the second trooper.

Success! Cain's pistol round takes down the second soldier, leaving him with only one opponent to face during the next round.

[Cascade]

Woah, this reminds me of a game that me and my friend would play when I was young.

[Battlegrinder]

Example #2:


Six to one odds make for a pretty tough fight, but so far Harry Dresden has been able to hold his own. He's low on HP, his buffs have expired, and all his skills are on cooldown, but he's still hanging in there. He took down 4 with adroit use of Lightning and Firestorm, and encased another in ice via Frostbite, leaving only one stormtrooper still on his feet.


The frozen soldier attempts to break free of his ice prison, but fails (insert your own "Stay Frosty" pun here). His warmer comrade has better luck, managing to bring Harry down with a successful crit. The bonus damage was enough to drop Harry, who feebly clings to life, hoping his teammates can revive him before the stormtroopers finish him off.

[Battlegrinder]

Example #3


Vance Dawes hadn't planned on taking on four city guards, but sometimes, stuff happens. Four to one odds aren't great, but he's faced worse.


Two rounds of combat, one gravity well-growing rage combo, and several arc cannon shots later, things have gotten..messy.Vance lost a HP or two when a guard's frantic spear throw managed to connect, but other than that he's good to go.

[Battlegrinder]

Example #4


Ah, boss fights. The ultimate climax of a campaign, they have but two possible outcomes:


Glorious Victory



Or Utter Defeat

(Cut in half by your own shield. Oh the Irony).

[Battlegrinder]

Woah, this reminds me of a game that me and my friend would play when I was young.

I'm pretty sure "have all the lego people kill each other" is a game we've all played at some time .

In all seriousness, BrikWars has been around in one form or another since the mid-90s, so its possible you played a round or two at some point.

[Cascade]

Yeah me and my friend would play turn by turn lego deathmatch it was pretty fun. Love the boss fight scene btw.

[hellrussian]

Id love to play,reminds me of when me and a friend played Lego warfare 2000

(a game we made)