Guns of Icarus Online - The Board Game!

[Thomas]

Introduction:
Welcome to Guns of Icarus Online - The Board Game! (proposal edition). The objective of this thread is explain and propose a different kind of contest/competition for GoIO and check for interested parties. It should be noted that this idea includes a combination of forum and ingame activity.

The game begins by players signing up and either choosing or being assigned some starting zones. The objective of the game is to control as much territory and resources as possible, ultimately aiming for 'global' domination. It could be considered similar to risk, but connectivity plays a large role. Largely strategy with some glorious combat thrown in. This is also a team game, just like a tournament.


Rules and Regulations:

• A Team must consist of at least 6 people
• Players on a team may not participate as a member of another team
• Substitutes may be used, but cannot participate on multiple teams during the same turn
• Each 'turn' consists of a Move phase, and response phase
• The turn order will rotate after each full turn
• Purchased equipment cannot be used in the same turn it is purchased
• If a team is completely wiped off the map, they may re-enter, but must start from scratch (Resources and equipment do not carry over)
• Any and all disputes are to be taken to the ref, all rulings on part of the ref are final and not subject to debate
• Teams may take a leave of absence, during such a time they may bring use a temporary replacement (Up to 10 turns)
• Teams may not use equipment they do not have access to

How to Play:
The game begins through the forums. Plays are assigned a turn order and have a limited period of time to complete their actions.

The first phase is setup and moving. Setup is where the team arranges their ships and ship loadouts. These are then locked, and cannot be changed until next turn. Teams start with access to the squid and spire, and may purchase other ships with resources. Teams also start with limited weapon choices, which can also be bought with resources throughout the game (explained in more detail below). It is during the setup phase that players also make 'purchases' with their resources.

Movement is based upon ship choice as well. Moving through neutral or your own territory costs 1 movement point. Going through territory claimed by another team costs 2 movement, and converts it to your team as you reach it.

After everyone has moved, the second turn phase begins, using the same turn order. This is the 'Response Phase', where you can move your ship back into your territory/what was your territory before your turn to attack enemy ships. This move range is based upon your ship choice, and can only be used when attacking/defending a town. You cannot move deeper into enemy territory, but may move into territory that was yours at the start of the turn, as long as it's still connected. Your piece must be able to reach the enemy ship.

These battles are first come, first serve based upon the turn order. Attacked teams have the option to retreat away one space, or battle for the territory. These battles occur in game, on the map that the node represents.

• Battle on the Dunes - Brown
• Canyon Ambush - Red
• Duel at Dawn - Yellow
• Norther Fjords - Blue
• Paritan Rumble - Black (only occurs at Major Cities and Capitals)

Teams must use the loadout chosen at the start of the turn. It is up to both teams to reach an acceptable time to meet and compete. If this cannot be done in a timely fashion, they may agree upon an alternative solution found acceptable by the ref. If no compromise can be made, the ref will determine the results by random chance. (If a team is found to constantly be refusing to retreat and/or compromise, they may be penalized at the ref's discretion).


The game board will be updated, and the next round of turns will begin. Turn order will rotate, everyone moving down in order by one, and the person who went last going first the next turn. Every 5 turns, new teams may enter the game, appearing at semi-random spots on the board as 'pirates' until the end of the turn.


The game ends when enough people vote for a reset, or when one team manages to dominate the map. Other victory conditions may arise depending on player suggestions.

Movement:
Different ships have different movement and reaction ranges

Ship	Movement	Reaction
Squid	4	1
Spire	2	3
Goldfish	3	2
Junker	2	3
Pyramidion	3	3
Mobula	3	3
Galleon	2	4

The teams movement and reaction is the average of the two ship scores rounded down. It should be noted that even though moving into a claimed territory costs 2 movement, you can still do so with only 1 movement left. You cannot do so with 0.


Resources, Territory, and Equipment:
You've heard a lot about resources and territory at this point, and you're probably wondering what it all is. Each circle on the map counts as a 'territory'. These come in three flavors, 'City', 'Major City', and 'Capital'. Cities are worth 1 resource, Major Cities are worth 2, and Capitals are worth 3 resources. These resources are added to your team total at the end of the round. The more you own, the more resources you get. As you gather resources, you can spend them to buy different ships and equipment, upgrade your territory, and even buy extra game pieces.

Territory is controlled by you as your game piece reaches it. Any upgrades on that territory will also belong to you. You can only own connected territory. If someone cuts off your connections to your other cities, those cities become neutral. You can upgrade any territory up to three times.

Upgrade 1 - x2 (costs 5)
Upgrade 2 - x4 (costs 20)
Upgrade 3 - x8 (Costs 100)

This makes upgrades very useful if you can hold the territory.

Prices:

Item	Cost	Other
Artemis Light Rocket Launcher	15	-
Echidna Light Flak Cannon	Free	Value of 10
Whirlwind Light Gatling Gun	Free	Value of 10
Dragon Tongue Light Flamethrower	25	-
Barking Dog Light Carronade	25	-
Javelin Light Harpoon Gun	10	-
Beacon Flare Gun	10	-
Mercury Field Gun	20	-
Scylla Double-Barreled Mortar	20	-
Banshee Light Rocket Carousel	Free	Value of 10
Phobos Light Mine Launcher	15	-
Hades Light Cannon	15	-
Typhon Heavy Flak Cannon	Free	Value of 20
Manticore Heavy Hwacha	30	-
Hellhound Heavy Twin Carronade	30	-
Lumberjack Heavy Mortar	30	-
Squid	Free	Value of 50
Spire	Free	Value of 50
Goldfish	100	-
Junker	110	-
Pyramidion	150	-
Mobula	150	-
Galleon	160	-
Game Piece	1000	Limited to 1 purchase

Each item is a single unit. Meaning that if you buy the Goldfish, you can have 1 goldfish on your team. Bought a hwacha? You can have 1 on your ship. Bought 3? You can have up to 3.


Player Interactions:
Teams are allowed to work in conjunction with another, and trade equipment and ships, so long as their territories are connected. Teams cannot enter a claimed territory and not claim it.

If a team cannot bring their whole team to a fight, they may bring in substitutes. Substitutes may not participate in any other team's combat that turn. If a player is registered on a team, they may not participate on another team during that game.

If a team must have a leave of absence from a game (for example, maybe most of their crew has exams that week and can't take the time to play), they may have another group of players play for them. However, those players cannot participate in combat in more than one team each turn, and they may only take over for up to 10 turns. If the team still cannot play after this period, their territories will turn neutral.


Combat and Salvaging:
What's the reason behind all these restrictions and costs? It comes down to the combat. When fighting other teams, you're both putting your equipment at risk. The losing team loses everything they had brought, but gets resources that amount to 10% of their total ship/equipment cost. The winning team earns the territory, along with 50% of the value of the losing team's ship/equipment. This is the salvage. The starting/free equipment is given a value in a table above.

You can also salvage any upgrades on territories, receiving 50% of the cost of the upgrade. The same rule works for equipment and ships, allowing you sell anything you own for 50% of it's costs (does not apply to the starting/free items, you have a limitless number of those). This can be done during the setup part of the turn.

Once a ship loses, they may 'respawn' anywhere in their owned territory. They choose this location at the start of their next turn. If they do not have any territory, they are totally destroyed and removed from the game; but may still re-enter at a later point with a clean slate (nothing carries over, they count as a new team).


Thoughts?

Well that's my proposed game/competition. A little different than having tournaments and such, and it involves a lot of strategy and planning. I feel it might be a little too complicated, although I didn't want to make it too simple either. Any thoughts/suggestions about it? What should be changed/removed/kept? How long should turns last, how long should teams have to take their turn?

And most importantly, would this interest you or any other plays you know?

I plan on updating that map frequently to represent the game board, using colors or logos for the different teams (who I'm assuming will be mostly clans).

-------------

Example Turn:

Team: Flaming Examplers


Buy: Galleon, Hwacha (2)
Sell/Salvage: None

Ship 1: Squid (Gatling, Flamethrower, Carronade)
Ship 2: Junker (Gat, Gat, Flak, Flak, Carronade)
Value: 275
Move: 3
Reaction: 2

Current Location: Sabakumura
Move: -> Chirishi -> Landmark


End Turn
Another player moves to Kiro, which we'll pretend was in the example team's territory


Reaction Phase:
Attack Team Blueberry Muffin Makers at Kiro

Team leaders communicate through PM to establish a match that night. Blueberry Muffin Makers win.


Flaming Examplers lose: Junker (1), Flamethrower (1), Carronade (2)
Flaming Examplers receive: 28 resources (round up)

Blueberry Muffing Men recieve: Kiro, 138 resources (round up)

New turn starts and Flaming Examplers choose to start at Chirishi. Game continues.

[Captain Smollett]

This is a super cool idea, I feel it would be awfully though to get teams organized enough to make this happen (though I hope I'm wrong).

What happens if you buy a ship but can't afford weapons for it, do you just use the free weapons (do you get a certain amount of free weapons with every purchase?)

Also, I can't help but feel the Mobula should have less movement speed and cost less resources.

[Thomas]

You're probably right about the Mobula.


The free stuff is essentially limitless. This is so that you can fill the guns up on any ship without having to buy weapons. The free heavy one is the flak cannon. Even if you lose all the ships you bought, you can still fall back to the spire or squid. I tried to make the least used things cheaper and what not, just to get people to use them, but I tried to make the free weapons actually have some things you can kill with, and a little variety.


I like the idea of this as well (obviously xD), but I can see it being tough to get things organized and rolling. I had this idea several months ago, just didn't have the time to put the effort into it, and was worried about the turn out.

Which is why I'm looking for a lot of input, since it's mixing gameplay and forum activity. I assume that everyone can hop on the forums at least once a day to post (with some rare exceptions), but getting teams together to fight each other can be difficult. That's why I tried to give a lot of substitute options (retreating, compromise, random).

Then there's the rate of the game. I fear it might end up going too slowly for most people to stay interested, but we'll just have to see.

[IvKir]

This is a really nice idea... i mean - wargame in my Guns Of Icarus?

Got thought - maybe restrict spawning to the major city's and capitals? I mean - you need infrastructure to build ships and equipment, right?

[Thomas]

Maybe. It really depends on the number of teams participating. What if they don't have access to such? Although if we don't overwhelmed with people (I don't think we will) I could see that working out nicely.

[IvKir]

Well.. then make a rule, like when you lose all of your cities, that can build ships - then you lost? I'm just think, that on map of that scale it will be, sometimes, difficult to hunt down players on all map with just one or even two game pieces.

[Thomas]

Well I was thinking it'd be something like risk. Was hoping for a good number of teams participating at the same time, say 8? (Although that's probably higher that what we'd get). Then players would get a little cramped and fight for space. You're not fighting everyone so much as you're competing with your neighbors.

We'll probably have to re-evaluate a lot of the mechanics depending on the number of interested teams. But it's certainly plausible to have a condition where if you lose your major cities/capitals, the rest of your territories go neutral.

[NoWuffo]

Thomas, do you ever sleep?

[Sgt. Spoon]

Thomas, do you ever sleep?

The Thomas doesn't need it


Oh and managing to pull this off would be glorious.

[Cid Ferringer]

Sounds awesome, but a bit complex to get started with.
- Having to buy guns makes it hard to just get started because you need so much theory and planning.
- I think there are way too many points on the map.

Maybe if it was made simpler we could have some kind of web based interfaced linked to a database? (would require a coder)
If this takes off I'd be willing to pitch in with Graphics design.

Also for the map, you should try doing different geometric shapes for capitals and cities.

[Thomas]

The map was just commandeered from the one Muse released at some point. I just used my vast knowledge of paint to apply pretty colors. I was planning on using stars instead of circles for capitals, and squares or such for the major cities just to make them pop more; which can easily be done.

Of course if someone with artistic ability (ie: Not me) would like to redo the map, that would be lovely.



The reason I went with this map is mostly because it represents the game world, and the other being that I was lazy and didn't feel like drawing (really finding, who am I kidding? xD) a different map and putting nodes and connections on it. It is a bit large (just about 200 nodes), but for some reason when doing this I expected a large amount of teams.

What do you think would be a good node amount? If we're going to do a custom map, we should base it around the teams participating. Giving each team a starting capital, then have various 'major' cities in the neutral zones between them to fight over.



As for the needing to purchase weapons and ships, that's really just my desire to get players using other weapons. With the free stuff, you'll never be shipless/weaponless, and you'll still be able to kill the enemy (the gat/flak combo is free so it won't take ages). And it just gives players another reason to try and grab nodes, as well as protect their own nodes; while taking into account the risks of going into a fight. Combat is the fastest way to earn resources, but you can also end up losing a lot. Making teams have to weigh the pros and cons of doing so.

If we stuck with this map, the plan was to give players a starting 'zone', several nodes to begin with; so they can start earning resources right away. Then in two or three turns they should be in prime position to buy ships and weapons. Giving players that feeling of accomplishment.



If it is too much of a bother, it can easily be removed and just turn into more of a Risk type game, as the nodes would no longer need different values since the resources would serve no purpose.

[Kitty.Hawk]

I'd look at this more like Diplomacy or Game of Thrones Board game. My one issue is what happens when one team starts to dominate the entire map? Or if two teams ally together to take the entire map? Such is the nature of board games.
 
I'd personally move the galleon to be 1 move, 4 react to make it the opposite of the squid. I'd also change the pyra to be 3 move, 2 react. It is already a very dominant ship, why make it have the best stats strategic stats as well?
 

I think people could organize it well enough with the easy going rules on subs. Just have to find a way to make the resources and movements easy to do.

[Cid Ferringer]

For ship sizes, you could take fuel into consideration too..
Could a Pyra really travel as far as a Galleon with it's limited fuel/supplies?

50 nodes for 5 teams sounds pretty reasonable..

[Thomas]

Well with the map size, I wouldn't be against teams forming alliances. You are able to trade and such, but it ensures there's no way of entering someone else's node without claiming it as your own; limiting just how much people can work together. It'll also help the game from lasting forever and a day, especially we new teams being able to pop up during the game.

For ship movement, I really just looked at their speed and size. I'd like to keep the galleon at 2, just so it can make some progress; although since team movement is based on the average, taking it down to 1 might work better. For the Pyra movement, I just didn't want to stick it the same as the goldfish, although I agree that a 3-3 move-reaction might be too much. Still might work for the mobula since it's a difficult ship to use anyways.



50-ish Nodes for 5 teams seems like a good starting point. I think if we can get at least 10 teams we'll stick with this map, otherwise we'll do a new one more suited to the number of teams. I know a few of the larger clans our there could probably scrounge up 2-3 teams each.

[Thomas]

I give you...... Version 2!




This was a blank map blatantly stolen borrowed from:
http://www.cartographersguild.com/regional-world-mapping/21103-thaldar-first-map.html

Using that as a base, I derived the map above, creating the nodes and connections between them. You'll noticed that most nodes are not long cities, but 'Resource' points. There's about 56 nodes on this map, making it significantly smaller than the original. This includes 6 capitals and 10 major cities.

Using IvKir's suggestions, the rules will be changes so that owning a capital or major city is required for 'respawning' once destroyed in combat. Failing to hold those will result in your team's removal and any remaining territories belonging to your team going neutral upon your defeat.



At this point I think we can go ahead and start the Mock Sign Ups, essentially looking for interested teams. I'd like to have 4 at the very least, upon which we'll have a 'captains' meeting to discuss the rules of the game; allowing teams to suggest and vote upon changes they deem desirable or necessary. At this time we would also set a start date.

So any interested teams please using the following format and reply to this thread (colors are first come, first serve and will be used to display territories on the map. Try to keep it simple.):

-----------------------------------
Team Name:
Team Color:
Team Logo (optional):


Team Captain:
Team Sub Captain (optional):
Team Members:
-----------------------------------

Remember that you need a minimum of 6 people to form a team (subject to change if necessary).