Train Robbery

[i_was_like_you]

Taking a break from some long overdue Spring cleaning in my den to post an idea of running an episode of our campaign on a train.

As was discussed over on the Cool range of Old West buildings thread, S scale is probably the best bet for having a train as terrain in Malifaux, whereas something much larger, like G, would be ideal for running an adventure on a train.

So, while I've wanted to do this for awhile, I think the new Campaign Rules from Wyrd Chronicles #5 make it more worthwhile. Sure, pushing models off of the train could still be a valid strategy, but the Finished Off flip would determine whether those models live to fight another day, rejoining their crew at the next station.

On that note, let me start with some questions and considerations:

Should a model be pushed off our very limited table edge, I'd say that models with Flight or Float should be able to return to the train on their next activation (in lieu of a Finished Off flip) even if just the top of it, 6" further back on the train from where they were pushed off, at the cost of at least 1 AP. If pushed off the caboose (or other end car), maybe up that to an All Action to return to the roof or rear-most banister of the final car.

Some models may be odd choices in this setting, but we'll see how they play out. [At the beginning of the scenario, if this were a one-shot or the first episode of a Campaign, maybe the players would forgo certain models. But in the middle of a Campaign, they won't have much choice in the matter.]

Major examples would include McCabe, aLeveticus, and all four Riders. Riding a horse on a train might not be very practical. Riding along side, could work, assuming the train hadn't gotten up to speed yet, or was slowing entering a station, but wouldn't really apply to a full game of a train racing along. The doors are going to be tough to get through for larger models, as has been discussed on various TerraClips threads (that I may add links to later). So, while a mounted model may be able to race from one end of a car to another, navigating through a door, onto and across the ledges to the next door, and through it, is likely going to be very AP intensive or at least full of movement penalties.

Another consideration: Should we go with set Strategies, and, if so, how best to implement them?

I'd think Treasure Hunt would be an obvious choice for a train, but it'd present its own complications. Would it be in the middle, with both crews racing towards it (especially in shared)? Would it be guarded in the caboose?

With three crews, I'd say Monkey Wrench or Stand Fast from the Multi-player rules (found in Wyrd Chronicles #4) could make for an interesting choice. [In a campaign, the randomly selected middle player would gain the extra ss of models as only temporary models, treatable as Summoned later, so as to not have one player automatically have an unfair advantage.]

How best to deploy crews? One crew in the caboose and the other in the first car past the tender might make sense for some Strategies, but would be rather odd in others. Maybe even split up one crew to caboose and engine, while the other crew deploys in the middle. One crew inside the train, treating the whole thing as a standard deployment zone, while the other deploys on the roof, doing the same?

I'm sure I'll think of other issues or quandaries, but I'm eager to hear your input as to how best implement a game like this.

Thanks in advance,

--Johnny