Seeking gameplay experts for new feature.

[Badorties]

So one problem people ultimately have with dice games is that there is luck involved. Sometimes too much luck which removed some of the strategy.

Well we here at MajCom have gone through our share of ridiculous rolls and wanted to offer an option that eliminates dice all together. It would be called Fixed Force.

But we recognize that we may not have the best answers, so we wanted to invite a few individuals to participate in brainstorming and strategically thinking about how to create a well balanced and simple Fixed Force model. If you want to help, let me know in this thread.

We are specifically looking for people who know enough about how this game is played to be able to extrapolate how a rule variant like this can affect the game.

 

[Robinette]

 

[Robinette]

am i really the only one?

 

[Badorties]

I'll send out a dispatch. maybe folks are intimidated!

 

[Spazm]

I don't know about expert, but I've been in a couple games and I'd like to help.

Also, just to throw something out there right off the bat, I believe in Settlers of Catan they have something like dice rolls, but on cards. So instead of rolling the dice, you have to prioritize the cards you use in order to maximize the "rolls" you get. I don't know much about it, I was just talking about it with someone briefly the other day.

So some set # of 1-6's, based on the # of offensive troops (armies - territories) you have, and that "regenerate" at a certain rate per turn.

 

[bstew]

I'd be happy to contribute any way I can. Generally its really difficult to estimate the effects of a rules change and then the second and third order effects on strategy, but I'm glad to try!

 

[diogenes]

I'd like to contribute too...but is the brainstorming supposed to happen on this thread or elsewhere?

 

[Badorties]

elsewhere... details coming shortly

 

[giuppi]

I am also willing to help

 

[RedBridgeBeach]

This sounds interesting, finally banishing the freakin' dice from the game! I've played my share of Diplomacy but this sounds like something different... and worth a shot.

 

[freebiescrap]

This game is far too simple to remove the dice completely. I'd love to see that happen, but I really think it's impossible with this simple rules. Where would the advantage come from if, for example, 8 attackers would always defeat 4 defenders? What can be done is the reduction of the role of luck by increased roles (the law of large numbers - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_large_numbers). The simplest way to do that would be to have 9 roles per troop fighting and best of 5 wins (or any number of roles you see fit). The more rolls you put per troop fighting, the less luck there would be in the game, but the defender advantage grows with increased number of rolls. To reduce the defender's advantage, you could get bigger dice (10 sided dice for example).

/off topic
If you are looking further into innovation, another idea (but quite a lot of work to make it balanced) would be the creation of scenarios. The territories would be assigned non-randomly, with some players having an advantage in territories, but some others would have +1 to their die rolls in attack (or some starting reserves, etc.) /off topic

 

[Badorties]

Ok, requested users now have access to the Fixed force Subforum, check it out.

This game is far too simple to remove the dice completely. I'd love to see that happen, but I really think it's impossible with this simple rules. Where would the advantage come from if, for example, 8 attackers would always defeat 4 defenders? What can be done is the reduction of the role of luck by increased roles (the law of large numbers - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_large_numbers). The simplest way to do that would be to have 9 roles per troop fighting and best of 5 wins (or any number of roles you see fit). The more rolls you put per troop fighting, the less luck there would be in the game, but the defender advantage grows with increased number of rolls. To reduce the defender's advantage, you could get bigger dice (10 sided dice for example).

/off topic
If you are looking further into innovation, another idea (but quite a lot of work to make it balanced) would be the creation of scenarios. The territories would be assigned non-randomly, with some players having an advantage in territories, but some others would have +1 to their die rolls in attack (or some starting reserves, etc.) /off topic

It can be done, let me know if you want to offer solutions or have ideas.

 

[Spazm]

Doesn't work for me.

 

[Badorties]

Doesn't work for me.

try again

 

[WidowMakers]

Here is an idea I found online.
I would like to be added as well to the group discussion.

~~~~
The startup is unchanged. Still, all countries are divided between the players, and armies are spread about those countries, with a minimum of one and a maximum of four. Also, still assignments are handed out, or one plays for the world. At the start of a turn, the player gets a armies for bonus-lands. Bonus-lands are those lands, that are completely surrounded by the players' own countries. These armies must be placed at the start of the turn. He can then either pass or attack.

Pass
~~~~
If a player passes, he gets extra armies for each three countries he owns, with a minimum of three. He can place them wherever he wants, but is NOT allowed to move any armies. A player can of course only pass at the start of his turn. As soon as he attacks one country, with at least one army, the turn counts as an 'attack'.

Attack
~~~~~~
From one or more countries, the player moves armies to an enemy country. Armies are exchanged 1-to-1. No country may be without armies at all times. After an attack, extra armies can be moved from the attacking country to the defeated country. At the end of a turn, the attacking player is allowed to move every army across one border to an adjacent (own) country, as long as at least one army remains in each country. If you conquered at least one country, you get a 'country-card'.

Country-cards
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the crux to great tactical play. Country-cards can be used as instant-armies, at ANY time in the game. You don't need three cards th
at fit, each card is worth 4 (for a cannon), 6 (soldier) or 8 (cavalry) armies. The cards can be used as extra defence, during an attack, or during negotiations. I won't get into this in more detail, the fun is in finding out what the possibilities are of this change. However, it is good to notice, that offensive play is now far more lucrative than 'digging in and collect armies', since each time you conquer at least one country, you get a card worth of at least four armies!

 

[Badorties]

yeah you should post that int he forum

 

[Chilly]

I'm happy to join in the discussion.
-Chilly

 

[zspBANNED]

I too, am willing to help. With thousands of games of CC under my belt, I think I know a thing or two about Risk : )

 

[grifftron]

Here is an idea I found online.
I would like to be added as well to the group discussion.

~~~~
The startup is unchanged. Still, all countries are divided between the players, and armies are spread about those countries, with a minimum of one and a maximum of four. Also, still assignments are handed out, or one plays for the world. At the start of a turn, the player gets a armies for bonus-lands. Bonus-lands are those lands, that are completely surrounded by the players' own countries. These armies must be placed at the start of the turn. He can then either pass or attack.

Pass
~~~~
If a player passes, he gets extra armies for each three countries he owns, with a minimum of three. He can place them wherever he wants, but is NOT allowed to move any armies. A player can of course only pass at the start of his turn. As soon as he attacks one country, with at least one army, the turn counts as an 'attack'.

Attack
~~~~~~
From one or more countries, the player moves armies to an enemy country. Armies are exchanged 1-to-1. No country may be without armies at all times. After an attack, extra armies can be moved from the attacking country to the defeated country. At the end of a turn, the attacking player is allowed to move every army across one border to an adjacent (own) country, as long as at least one army remains in each country. If you conquered at least one country, you get a 'country-card'.

Country-cards
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the crux to great tactical play. Country-cards can be used as instant-armies, at ANY time in the game. You don't need three cards th
at fit, each card is worth 4 (for a cannon), 6 (soldier) or 8 (cavalry) armies. The cards can be used as extra defence, during an attack, or during negotiations. I won't get into this in more detail, the fun is in finding out what the possibilities are of this change. However, it is good to notice, that offensive play is now far more lucrative than 'digging in and collect armies', since each time you conquer at least one country, you get a card worth of at least four armies!

very interesting WM. My first game experience on MC was a 12 losing to a 4... not my fav kind of intensity cubes... dice dice dice! to see something diff would def. be fun.