2 simultaneous games on one same table?

[poulpox]

Hey Malifauxois and Malifauxoises of the world!

So I'm starting a new 4 players group in my home. Unfortunately, due to space and resources, we only have one table at hand. I don't really want to have people waiting for the table, so ideally would like everyone to play at the same time.

I wondered if anyone has already tried to have 2 games running simultaneously on one table? Whilst not quite tourney-representative, I thought it could work for fun not-so-competitive games as it could add the fluff of non-involved models being like pedestrians (ie moving scenery).

I thought maybe treating non-involved models (ie models involved in the other game) as impassible terrain (blocking or not, dunno), and making sure each game uses a different strategy and maybe different scheme pool (so you don't have the issue of 4 crews trying to be on centerline or turf war markers at the same time). 

Any thoughts/experience sharing welcome!

Thanks!

Thomas

[Maniacal_cackle]

I'd use the recent tournament rules for teams or double-rush. But making another asap would be ideal, since the game is so geared towards one-on-one. Or staggering playtimes so you play at different times?

But if those aren't possible, definitely the team rules or double-rush, released on waldo's weekly a while back.

[poulpox]

Thanks M. Yes we tried the double rush, and the game took... 7h !! Of course it was an intro for all so there was A LOT of learning, but still, I thought if we have 2 separate games they might take less long whilst allowing for full rules/crews to be used (also not using summoning in double rush is a bit of a pain for some crews like mine -Hamelin).

[Maniacal_cackle]

3 hours ago, poulpox said:

Thanks M. Yes we tried the double rush, and the game took... 7h !! Of course it was an intro for all so there was A LOT of learning, but still, I thought if we have 2 separate games they might take less long whilst allowing for full rules/crews to be used (also not using summoning in double rush is a bit of a pain for some crews like mine -Hamelin).

To clarify, did you play teams (50 soulstones each) or double rush (master + 10 soulstones each). If the latter, eek. If the former... Yeah, Malifaux takes a while to play. I'd play smaller stone games if you have four at a table. 10 stones + masters should make for reasonable length games, and 25 stones + master will likely make for long-ish games.

[Maniacal_cackle]

You could also try taking turns with fast, small games. For instance, Henchmen Hardcore takes about 30 minutes once everyone knows how to play their crews. Although Henchmen Hardcore is also a very brutal format/very unforgiving, so might be good to just play small games with the regular rules for the first dozen games or so.

[poulpox]

27 minutes ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

To clarify, did you play teams (50 soulstones each) or double rush (master + 10 soulstones each). If the latter, eek. If the former... Yeah, Malifaux takes a while to play. I'd play smaller stone games if you have four at a table. 10 stones + masters should make for reasonable length games, and 25 stones + master will likely make for long-ish games.

Yes it was the 10ss double rush 😄😄

We did take our time and played leisurely with our pizzas in hand mind you, whilst I kept on flipping the rulebook left right centre (and I've been playing 1st and 2nd ed, but I guess I was rusty 😋).

I'll have a look at the henchman hardcore again.

Although I thought it would have been fun to have the 4 crews passing each other on might would be a busy city centre 😁

[grrrfranky]

It seems like a fun idea, if you've got space for everyone to crowd round the table at once. Might have to try it sometime. 

[solkan]

9 hours ago, poulpox said:

Although I thought it would have been fun to have the 4 crews passing each other on might would be a busy city centre 😁

I think you end up with three big issues for the game:

• You get two pairs of players trying to talk over the other pair.  I mean, if you go to a convention there's no problem with people playing next to each other, but if you've ever tried to run a demo (two players across the table, and one person to the side instructing or coaching the pair), talking across the table doesn't really work.
• Player A and Player B, in different games, declare movement that end in the same spot.  Who arrives at the desired position?
• The general hassle of impassable blocking objects moving during the resolution of an action.

I think you might be able to get away with Game A being able to move things that are more than 14" or so away from Game B's active model, but that's a lot of coordinating.

[Maniacal_cackle]

@poulpox in that case, more practice I guess xD

Also worth taking turns until you get something else sorted. Better to have good games every other week than cramped messes every week?

[poulpox]

Yes I see now how it might be a bit too messy. Hmmm...

Henchman Hardcore doesn't appeal to me as players want to learn their master so that defeats a bit the purpose. I think the only option will be straight up team game, but with low soulstone crews to start, and maybe a time limit. I'm curious actually about the time limit of HH, does the turn suddenly end once you reach 30min in HH mode? How do you go around the "1 snail player Vs 1 speedy player"?

 

 

 

11 hours ago, Maniacal_cackle said:

To clarify, did you play teams (50 soulstones each) or double rush (master + 10 soulstones each). If the latter, eek. If the former... Yeah, Malifaux takes a while to play. I'd play smaller stone games if you have four at a table. 10 stones + masters should make for reasonable length games, and 25 stones + master will likely make for long-ish games.

Yes it was the 10ss double rush 😄😄

We did take our time and played leisurely with our pizzas in hand mind you, whilst I kept on flipping the rulebook left right centre (and I've been playing 1st and 2nd ed, but I guess I was rusty 😋).

I'll have a look at the henchman hardcore again.

Although I thought it would have been fun to have the 4 crews passing each other on might would be a busy city centre 😁

[Nikodemus]

1 hour ago, poulpox said:

How do you go around the "1 snail player Vs 1 speedy player"?

Despite the often cited issues with them, you could try using chess clocks. Both players get 15 minutes and if either runs out... something happens. Usual variation I've heard used is they simply forfeit all activations for rest of the game.

Alternatively, since it's presumably a group goal to get everyone to a more reasonable speed, just talk it out and understand it might take a few games. If the snail player understands that they are, and wants to not be, then the situation should gradually improve. Speed of play is a skill you can practice. There's been many threads in the past about what a player can do to speed themselves up.