Trains, terrain and rules...

[nonefornic]

Wow! First post... anywho, I'm near-on done building a train terrain peice for Malifaux and other steampunky wargames... The natural scenario for a train is the train robbery and that means a) speed and damage for minis in its path! Having not played Malifaux for very long, this is a bit of a guess but is 10 inches each turn and an attack of 5 vs Def (allowing for a dramatic jump out of the way) for being on the track balanced? Along with damage of 2/3/4 for being hit?

[Headcase2]

10" per turn will see the train crossing the board in less than 4 turns. Your average game should last 6+ turns. Then again, making it move slower doesn't really make it feel like a train heist at all. Slower crews will also be at a serious disadvantage because they simply can't keep up with the train (Wk/Cg 3/- = fail :dozingoff).

The damage code could be spiced up somewhat. It's a train, after all, and it's not like you can't predict where it's headed (unless it gets derailed and decides to stomp your minis instead of following the tracks...). I'd say damage 3/6/*splut* is more appropriate.

[Dark Alleycat]

It seems to be a reasonable peice of hazardous terrain,and a interesting addition tbh. Also perhaps make it 2/5/7 and perhaps make the track circle the entirety of the board?

[Katcher]

The damage would be funnier like Nix - more you flip, less you suffer, like 7 / 5 / 2

[sephiroa]

i think the damage would also depend on the ht of a model,

if a wendigo or ht 1 model stand in the way of a speeding train,, wel that would be more like 4/8/splut

ht 2 is a bit more resistant 3/6/12 (or splut)

and a ht 3 model, well, an ice golem being hit by a train, or a mature they can almost stop a train, 2/4/8

but since it is a train, armor does not work

and i think evasive would work, because a speeding train is a bit like a blast, if you're agile enough, you can dodge it

also you all know the feeling when a speeding train passes you, you have this sucking thingy from the wind, so when you are standing within 1" of the train when it moves the 10" you are pushed 2" in the same direction as the train,

something like that,

and off course, what would a heist be if you can't derail the train?

since it is made of metal it would be 10 to derail it

but you could make an defender / attacker mode. with the attackers to get dynamite in the center of the board and place it on the rails and detonate them. the defender has to prevent it, off course if the train runs over the dynamite when it explodes its kinda broken.

and maybe the defender can ride the train but needs 1AP to get on

an attacker also can do it but would need 2AP (this means that only fast creatures have the chance to get on) or when a creature has flight or float he only needs 1AP and when it is the defender he can simply land on it, or the rule to get on the train is for eery model the same, 1AP to get on the train and 0 AP if the creature has flight or float?

and when is youre train going to move? end closing phase? i would also make a station, that would be lovely

i think you get the idee you've got to make it a bit funky ^^

Edited February 27, 2011 by sephiroa

[nonefornic]

Awesome... okay so, higher damage (2/5/7) ignoring armour with a push 4" away from the trian when hit. The actual train itself has a cow-catcher (quite a low one), so even Gremlins would be getting caught (heh; gremlin catcher!). My thoughts with a train robbery would be both forces deploy on the train, at either end. ANy model falling off is shifted 10" backwards at the start of each activation it doesn't start on the train. Otherwise, I was going to run a stretch of track across the board and do random flips to see when the train enters play...

[sephiroa]

Awesome... okay so, higher damage (2/5/7) ignoring armour with a push 4" away from the trian when hit. The actual train itself has a cow-catcher (quite a low one), so even Gremlins would be getting caught (heh; gremlin catcher!). My thoughts with a train robbery would be both forces deploy on the train, at either end. ANy model falling off is shifted 10" backwards at the start of each activation it doesn't start on the train. Otherwise, I was going to run a stretch of track across the board and do random flips to see when the train enters play...

maybe add the falling damage when, you know, you FALL of the train

[Borzag]

Ok, a completely random idea that was spawned from me being a Gorkamorka and Firefly fan ("The Train Job". 'Nuff said).

Did anyone here play Gorka? Great little game and had one rather special scenario, Da Chase. Essentially it was a standard scenario, except that, to represent the fact that you were racing along the highway, the terrain moved with you.

So this is what I'm thinking. Let's assume the hard part is over and everyone is already on the train (Neverborn air drop, raising some corpses headed back to McMourning's, mass Pigapult assault, whatever). So the challenge now is to grab the loot and safely get off the train before whatever you're up against comes and gets you.

Let's say the terrain moves a random distance each turn, since the side-product coal mined Mal-side is laced with Soulstone and burns unreliably. Call it 4/8/12. All the scenery and any model that's NOT the train moves that far along the board in the start phase, and damage if you're involuntarily pushed off (or jump) is half that, Df->13 to avoid it and also to jump back on (in lieu of an agility stat).

Now having a fast-moving train won't end the game by turn 3, and gives you a nice stable platform to work from.... thoughts?

Cheers!

Borzag

[Ciaran]

Did anyone here play Gorka? Great little game and had one rather special scenario, Da Chase. Essentially it was a standard scenario, except that, to represent the fact that you were racing along the highway, the terrain moved with you.

Borzag

That's what I was going to suggest. You have some awesome ideas following this. My suggestion would be to add in buildings that affect the events on the train. Examples might be a water tower from where a model can jump onto the train, or one could get off the train safely. Maybe a bridge that all models that are on top of the train have to duck for, and again, others can get onto it. Perhaps there's a junction switch that if hit will send the train down the left path instead of the right.

Train related buildings are absolutely fascinating, and would make for some awesome terrain, whether the terrain is "moving" or not...

[Borzag]

My suggestion would be to add in buildings that affect the events on the train. Examples might be a water tower from where a model can jump onto the train, or one could get off the train safely. Maybe a bridge that all models that are on top of the train have to duck for, and again, others can get onto it. Perhaps there's a junction switch that if hit will send the train down the left path instead of the right.

I'm reading this and mentally adding some Neverborn & Gremlins vs Guild, jumping through & over the train, shooting at switches and grabbing railings, all to the tune of the Dukes of Hazzard theme music...

PM me; we need to make this happen

[Doctor Amos]

Not knowing the layout of your piece, I can only speculate but...

If I were making a train heist scenario, here's how I'd shake it down. Train doesn't move at all. Terrain pieces like horses, wagons, spider-constructs, etc. surround train, and do move or can be moved. Train is assumed to be moving, but appears stationary due to relative speeds/accelerations. Being pushed off of train or moving pieces is painful or deadly. Slow figures not at a particular disadvantage.

[nonefornic]

Actually gave a game a go with a Train on the table the other night... heres some rulings we conjured...

Malifaux Train Rules

· A moving train (or the terrain) moves 5” each turn, +1” per Steam Counter.

· A train may hold a maximum of 5 steam counters.

· A model coming into contact with the front of a train moving counts as Hazardous Terrain (3/6/killed).

· Sides of the train always count as impassable terrain.

· Characters standing in base contact with the stoker portion of the engine may activate a stationary train as a Spell (CC:14 [book]/Rst:-/Rg:C),

· Characters standing in base contact with the stoker portion of the engine may place a Steam Counter on the train.

· Characters standing in base contact with the coal engine may gain a Steam Counter.

[Keltheos]

Borzag beat me to my suggestion.

[jmp_mydog]

With the train board I have we play it as follows:

Players flip to see who places the engine on a track at the board edge. Each turn a new car is added to the track. Models touched by the train when it moves forward suffer an uncheatable 2/5/killed damage flip.

As a variation I've also tried having players flip for the train weak=1 car, moderate=2cars, severe=3cars. Once the full train is on the table a car length equals 5".

Both offer a bit of tension without being over powered. Models attempting to board the train make a Df->10 resist failure means a damage flip.