gunnyhighway
Scout Tripod
Just because your from Mars doesn't mean we can take warm showers in the wee hours of the morning...
Posts: 195 
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Post by gunnyhighway on Sept 23, 2018 18:13:05 GMT
One of the benefits of Scott's Trilogy is that it has really "fleshed" out the Martian's problems on Earth. One of their Achilles Heels is initially after the landings of the invasion, the constructors have built new machines but there are not enough pilots to run said machines. So: THE BUD RULE - I'm just going to stick to Assault Tripods at this point because this was "Q"s priority in that situation. Being a Bud Tripod it will cost less, 150 points because: Use the firing procedure for a damaged firing (aiming) mechanism in the Tripod damage chart . Movement can either be a -D6 or as a mobility hit in the Tripod damage chart. I tend to lean towards a movement reduction result but some may want the little buds to get confused and go the wrong way with a human player winning the roll to move it as he wishes. When the little buds hit something and roll for damage if a 9,10 is rolled they've overheated the heat ray and can't fire next turn. I will even go out on a limb and suggest they have a +1 to be hit as they are not control-ling their machines as a mature clan member can and are a little clumsy... IF the senior Martian Field commander expends a order counter before the Little Bud is activated, the tripod can function normally for that turn. We can call it an "Advise, Oversee" order. Trying to help the little bugger with his Tripod with suggestions and tips perhaps. To make it harder to manipulate how many little buds are in the force for that game, perhaps a chart (D10) and the year perhaps, will force the Martian player to deal with the situation and this gives another way for the Martians to expend a order counter to help their buds along. Maybe M Squared (Mad Morgan) can run another in depth playtest with this suggestion  Respectfully, Gunny |
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Post by scottwashburn on Sept 23, 2018 19:41:09 GMT
Very nice, Gunny! I must confess I never thought about having something like this in the game.
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Post by madmorgan on Sept 25, 2018 9:35:18 GMT
What an excellent 'completeness' idea. I define a 'c' idea as one not essential to game play, but, adds to the nature of a complete game with its insight into various elements of play. Another example is the idea of an escape vehicle for Martians whose tripod is destroyed for combat purposes, but the Martian can still bail out. Similar to the crew bailout from a Clamper Tank, its not essential to have the crew represented and know their fate, but, you could actually give a VP for a crew that makes it back to their board edge safely.
And yes, Gunny, I'm working on one now - apply named - Tbud4U scenario(s)
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Post by boxholder on Sept 25, 2018 12:32:16 GMT
Building on Gunny's idea, I would suggest that an adult Overseeing a bud incur a penalty for firing or movement. This due to divided attention required for supervision.
No free lunches.
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gunnyhighway
Scout Tripod
Just because your from Mars doesn't mean we can take warm showers in the wee hours of the morning...
Posts: 195
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Post by gunnyhighway on Sept 26, 2018 0:14:31 GMT
Thanks M Squared! Most Honored! @ Boxholder, I forgot to add that into the order restrictions but don't remember if I restricted it to both movement and firing.... Its open for everyone to use as they see fit. That's what is great about the game..... its flexibility.
Respectfully,
Gunny
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gunnyhighway
Scout Tripod
Just because your from Mars doesn't mean we can take warm showers in the wee hours of the morning...
Posts: 195
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Post by gunnyhighway on Sept 26, 2018 0:22:26 GMT
@ M Squared:
I was just today, looking at a canister recovery idea to use on a scout tripod. I was looking at the fluted ends of the extra Black Dust launchers (after careful removal) as a canister to be able to magnet wise, attach underneath on the circular leg pivot point (behind where the tentacles attach) using a washer. Puttying a magnet in the top of that canister so they can just snap onto that washer..... I have the canister model with the little Martian counter figure but wonder if the Fighting 15's cephelapod civilians would be a better choice. Any comments?
Respectfully,
Gunny
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Post by boxholder on Sept 26, 2018 12:46:43 GMT
Nice idea for the rescue canister and the attachment, Gunny.
An excellent example of the use of leftover extra parts.
You might want consider letting assault tripods carry them too. Perhaps a penalty to movement (an inch or so decrement) due to the canister burdening a scout tripod. Assault tripods are larger, so the canister would not be so large, relatively speaking.
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Post by scottwashburn on Sept 26, 2018 15:57:01 GMT
I had mentioned the canister was collapsible, so there should be no penalty for carrying an empty one. They only become a concern when actually used to rescue another Martian.
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gunnyhighway
Scout Tripod
Just because your from Mars doesn't mean we can take warm showers in the wee hours of the morning...
Posts: 195
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Post by gunnyhighway on Sept 26, 2018 16:56:11 GMT
This is why I read your books again, from time to time. I missed that part, probably when Dolfen is watching the pilot transfer back at the reserve park of Tripods. ADD raises its ugly head again.... (sigh). @ boxholder : yes that is true I seem to recall they all had that capability since you mentioned it. Fits in with what Scott just mentioned. They are collapsible. I wanted to make it harder for them to recover but pulling a Tripod out of the fight may be penalty enough. I wanted to mention that the pilot only survives if it is a Tripod collapse and not a catastrophic explosion.
I am seriously looking at giving the Marines a semi-submerged tank that can move through the water and land from the river. I have extra FOW MK IV's and V's that I can equip with flotation ponts that attach to the upper sides next to the top of the tracks. Using the treads as propulsion with maybe a prop attached in the rear. I am considering they would be ethonal or fuel propelled with a snorkel attached. Navy always pursued things on their own anyway. This would allow my marines to use the barges (Scott's BTW) to load up on the infantry with their support equipment more efficiently. Extra smoke stacks in the steam tank sprue can be used for the snorkel. Ponts would be wooden dowel with metal pins into the sides of the tanks away from the workings of the treads. Paint them gray to reflect navy colors. There's so much money in the different branch's coffers with brilliant scientists coming out of the wood work, a possible semi-amphibious tank wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities , right?
Respectfully,
Gunny
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gunnyhighway
Scout Tripod
Just because your from Mars doesn't mean we can take warm showers in the wee hours of the morning...
Posts: 195
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Post by gunnyhighway on Sept 26, 2018 17:10:35 GMT
 This map is much more detailed covering a wider part of the U.S. This uses the Firestorm Campaign system from FOW , now OOP. But the game map is based on 1910 maps of Tennessee. Just for the record the brown lines are rail lines as roads were very primitive in the early 1900's! |
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gunnyhighway
Scout Tripod
Just because your from Mars doesn't mean we can take warm showers in the wee hours of the morning...
Posts: 195
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Post by gunnyhighway on Sept 26, 2018 17:43:57 GMT
  These are the counters for the Simpler game (Invasion). I lost the counter art for the Tennessee game in a computer crash so will have to redo them. The Invasion game is smaller and more focused on the initial impact and response by nearby human forces that were deployed but unaware where the initial impacts would be. The Human response is structured around 6 possibilities (D6) with 1 being a weak board setup and 6 being many more forces starting on the campaign board to move quickly to the impact points. Martians randomly land on the game board with Large cities having no possibility of initial impacts with Scott's story of Martians staying away from population centers. Forces are based on pods of three martians with 600 pts. of forces consisting of 1 assault tripod, 1 scout and 1 assault tripod with blackdust or green gas. 2 Constructors are in the landing force with the 3 Martians but no equiptment to start. There are 3 tiers of machines that can be constructed but only first tier for initial landing. Buds are possible to expand the pods. Human forces are based on the rules but I have expanded the cavalry using Scott's new force. I am writing the rules now and have a initial outline but have to flesh them out. Humans can stack one "Brigade" together (for lack of a better word) or 4 dissimilar forces together on one "table point". I have designed strategic cards that force players to do unwelcome things or situs that they normally wouldn't. (I.E. Forced attacks or Hoof and Mouth disease.) I will give you those when they are finished if you want. Each Human counter has a certain mix of troops that you can pick from but those counters are set in certain ways. Marines and the River boats only come on if that Strategic Card is picked. Oh, BTW if any doubles are rolled at initial impact placement for the cylinders, something went wrong (as in the book) and that cylinder is lost. Notice both sides have dummy counters so unless moving or scouted by the enemy, the other side doesn't know for sure the force is there or not. More to follow, if anyone is interested. Having played for 40 years and many campaigns I keep them simple and never forget the campaign is to frame the table-top games and not overwhelm the players or the table-top games with extra detail that will overburden the players and implode of its own weight... Very Important! P.S. The reason I haven't submitted these before is I just figured out how to do the transfer of images just a few minutes ago! I'm so Amish...... Respectfully, Gunny |
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Post by scottwashburn on Sept 27, 2018 0:31:21 GMT
Wow! Very cool!
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Post by boxholder on Sept 27, 2018 12:55:36 GMT
Wow, Gunny! Clearly a labor of love resulting in great looking stuff.
I am looking forward to seeing more of the bits.
Press on!
The map of Tennessee has some geographic "head scratchers" on it, but you cannot be faulted for errors on the source document. It is what it is. And it is the theater for a game: a nice reflection of the limits on rapid movement in that time period.
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Post by madmorgan on Sept 27, 2018 16:07:16 GMT
Fine work & fun! I'm not sure if
ggas was available on the landing year? great stuff!
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