Post by bigbluecar on Jan 9, 2017 19:01:42 GMT
A couple of nights ago I set up a board to play a quick intro game for a few people, with everyone playing one survivor, and we had an absolute blast. What was intended to be one quick game of 'grab supplies and get to the RV' before dinner turned into a three game epic, culminating in them defending a base they built themselves from bandit attack as a horde of walkers descended on everyone.
It was so much fun that I'm coming up with a set of simple campaign/player progression rules and will post them here for feedback and so others can use them. At the moment the system covers experience and character progression, basic AI rules for NPC survivors and base building mechanics, but if people get a lot of use out of the system there's no reason we can't expand it to a full campaign with scenarios, decision points, supply gathering etc.
The system requires the Days Gone Bye expansion for the custom survivor rules and the Prelude to Woodbury expansion for the solo event deck.
--------------------------------
The campaign system is designed for a group controlling one survivor each, or a solo player controlling a small group, to play an RPG-lite campaign without the need for a GM. Having one player running the game and controlling enemy survivors allows for more complex gameplay but it isn't essential.
----Characters----
Characters are created using the custom survivor system in Days Gone Bye. Depending on how tough you want the survivors to begin as, each player has a certain amount of points with which to build their survivor and choose their starting equipment. For new survivors fresh to the zombie apocalypse 30 points is a reasonable level to start at.
As the survivors fight and survive they will gain experience points for accomplishing various actions. As you play keep a tally of how much experience each survivor earns. Experience is awarded as follows:
Slayer - Every walker the survivor kills grants 1 experience, up to a maximum of 5 experience each scenario.
Survivor - Each Supply token a survivor picks up and is still carrying at the end of the scenario grants 1 experience, up to a maximum of 3 experience each scenario.
Self-Defence - Each armed human enemy a survivor gets the killing blow on grants 2 experience, up to a maximum of 6 experience each scenario.
Strategist - Some scenarios have objectives that grant additional experience if they are successfully completed.
Between scenarios characters can progress by simply adding their new experience points to their total points and rebuilding the character. Only character type (Bruiser, Marksman, Runner, Support or Tactician) cannot be changed.
Example - Annie is a fresh survivor who starts with 30 points. She spends 22 points on her characteristics and skills, and 8 points on a Shovel.
During her first scenario she kills 4 walkers and collects 2 Supply tokens, gaining 6 points of experience. She can now rebuild her character using 36 total points instead of 30 total points before the next scenario. She uses 31 points on her characteristics, leaving 5 points for equipment. She can no longer afford the Shovel and instead equips a Small Knife for the next scenario.
Not every conflict ends well in the apocalypse, and All Out War can be brutal on survivors. The group must decide between Hardcore and Casual rules to resolve the effects of amputation and death.
Hardcore - Amputation and death are permanent. A character suffering an amputation permanently loses a point of health, and if they suffer a second amputation they die at the end of the scenario. A character which dies is permanently dead and cannot be used again.
Casual - Amputation is an injury which is healed at the end of the scenario, but the character only receives half of their experience points from the scenario, rounded down, as they recover from the wound. Death is the character being injured and knocked unconscious, it is healed at the end of the scenario but the character receives no experience points from the scenario.
Whichever rules the group is using, if every player character is dead/unconscious the game is over and all characters are permanently lost.
Unless stated otherwise in the scenario description, characters can flee from any table edge. A fleeing character does not receive any experience points from the scenario.
Optional rule:
Iconic Weapon - Lots of characters in Walking Dead have an iconic weapon (Michonne's katana, Andrea's rifle, Morgan's staff, Daryl's crossbow, Rick's revolver, Lucille, etc) and player characters can have one too. At any time a player can select one weapon a character has equipped. Keeping track over multiple scenarios, if the character kills 15 enemies with that weapon it becomes their iconic weapon; they can now use that weapon for 8 points less than the listed cost.
----Enemies----
Aside from walkers the group can face other people as they battle to survive the apocalypse. If one of the players volunteers to be the GM they control the enemy faction. Otherwise the enemies act as per their listed behaviour.
Before each NPC makes its activation roll the black die. Their actions are based on their listed behaviours.
Thug
Thugs are equipped with a Crowbar. Before a Thug activates roll a black die;
A blank result means the Thug will run into melee combat with the nearest player character if possible. If there are no player characters in melee range then the Thug will move towards the nearest player character but they will move defensively. If running would alert a walker then they will sneak. If it is possible to end their move in cover whilst still moving at least 3 inches closer to the nearest player character then they will end their move in cover. In melee they will never fight defensively. This is called a Defensive Melee Move.
A badge result means the Thug will run into melee combat with the nearest player character if possible. If there are no player characters in melee range then the Thug will move towards the nearest player character and they will move aggressively. They will always run. They will not attempt to end their move in cover. In melee they will never fight defensively. This is called an Aggressive Melee Move.
Scavver
Scavvers are equipped with a Kitchen Knife. Before a Scavver activates roll a black die;
A blank result means a Scavver will run towards the nearest Supply token. They will collect it if possible. If they have already collected two Supply tokens then they will run towards the nearest board edge and escape if possible. In melee they will use Nimble to escape if possible and will fight defensively. They will not attempt to end their move in cover. This is called a Defensive Scavenger Move.
A badge result means a Scavver will run into melee with the nearest player character if possible. In melee they will not use Nimble and will not fight defensively. If there are no player characters in range then they will act as per Defensive Scavenger Move. This is called an Aggressive Scavenger Move.
Bandit
Bandits are equipped with a Baseball Bat, a .22 Revolver and an Ammo Reload. Before a Bandit activates roll a black die;
A blank result means a Bandit will reload their gun if necessary and able, but will otherwise perform an Aggressive Melee Move.
A badge result means a Bandit will reload their gun if necessary and able. They will attempt to make a ranged attack on the nearest player character. They will also attempt to end their move in cover, but will move out of cover if it will enable them to make a ranged attack. If the nearest player character is out of range they will move towards the nearest player character, ending their move in cover so long as they have moved at least 3 inches closer to the player character. If running would alert a walker then they will sneak. They will never fight defensively. This is called an Aggressive Ranged Move.
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This is getting pretty long so I'll leave it at that for now. If people give feedback etc and want more I'll put up a few more enemy types, base rules, a few scenarios etc but damn that's enough typing for one day. Enjoy!
It was so much fun that I'm coming up with a set of simple campaign/player progression rules and will post them here for feedback and so others can use them. At the moment the system covers experience and character progression, basic AI rules for NPC survivors and base building mechanics, but if people get a lot of use out of the system there's no reason we can't expand it to a full campaign with scenarios, decision points, supply gathering etc.
The system requires the Days Gone Bye expansion for the custom survivor rules and the Prelude to Woodbury expansion for the solo event deck.
--------------------------------
The campaign system is designed for a group controlling one survivor each, or a solo player controlling a small group, to play an RPG-lite campaign without the need for a GM. Having one player running the game and controlling enemy survivors allows for more complex gameplay but it isn't essential.
----Characters----
Characters are created using the custom survivor system in Days Gone Bye. Depending on how tough you want the survivors to begin as, each player has a certain amount of points with which to build their survivor and choose their starting equipment. For new survivors fresh to the zombie apocalypse 30 points is a reasonable level to start at.
As the survivors fight and survive they will gain experience points for accomplishing various actions. As you play keep a tally of how much experience each survivor earns. Experience is awarded as follows:
Slayer - Every walker the survivor kills grants 1 experience, up to a maximum of 5 experience each scenario.
Survivor - Each Supply token a survivor picks up and is still carrying at the end of the scenario grants 1 experience, up to a maximum of 3 experience each scenario.
Self-Defence - Each armed human enemy a survivor gets the killing blow on grants 2 experience, up to a maximum of 6 experience each scenario.
Strategist - Some scenarios have objectives that grant additional experience if they are successfully completed.
Between scenarios characters can progress by simply adding their new experience points to their total points and rebuilding the character. Only character type (Bruiser, Marksman, Runner, Support or Tactician) cannot be changed.
Example - Annie is a fresh survivor who starts with 30 points. She spends 22 points on her characteristics and skills, and 8 points on a Shovel.
During her first scenario she kills 4 walkers and collects 2 Supply tokens, gaining 6 points of experience. She can now rebuild her character using 36 total points instead of 30 total points before the next scenario. She uses 31 points on her characteristics, leaving 5 points for equipment. She can no longer afford the Shovel and instead equips a Small Knife for the next scenario.
Not every conflict ends well in the apocalypse, and All Out War can be brutal on survivors. The group must decide between Hardcore and Casual rules to resolve the effects of amputation and death.
Hardcore - Amputation and death are permanent. A character suffering an amputation permanently loses a point of health, and if they suffer a second amputation they die at the end of the scenario. A character which dies is permanently dead and cannot be used again.
Casual - Amputation is an injury which is healed at the end of the scenario, but the character only receives half of their experience points from the scenario, rounded down, as they recover from the wound. Death is the character being injured and knocked unconscious, it is healed at the end of the scenario but the character receives no experience points from the scenario.
Whichever rules the group is using, if every player character is dead/unconscious the game is over and all characters are permanently lost.
Unless stated otherwise in the scenario description, characters can flee from any table edge. A fleeing character does not receive any experience points from the scenario.
Optional rule:
Iconic Weapon - Lots of characters in Walking Dead have an iconic weapon (Michonne's katana, Andrea's rifle, Morgan's staff, Daryl's crossbow, Rick's revolver, Lucille, etc) and player characters can have one too. At any time a player can select one weapon a character has equipped. Keeping track over multiple scenarios, if the character kills 15 enemies with that weapon it becomes their iconic weapon; they can now use that weapon for 8 points less than the listed cost.
----Enemies----
Aside from walkers the group can face other people as they battle to survive the apocalypse. If one of the players volunteers to be the GM they control the enemy faction. Otherwise the enemies act as per their listed behaviour.
Before each NPC makes its activation roll the black die. Their actions are based on their listed behaviours.
Thug
Thugs are equipped with a Crowbar. Before a Thug activates roll a black die;
A blank result means the Thug will run into melee combat with the nearest player character if possible. If there are no player characters in melee range then the Thug will move towards the nearest player character but they will move defensively. If running would alert a walker then they will sneak. If it is possible to end their move in cover whilst still moving at least 3 inches closer to the nearest player character then they will end their move in cover. In melee they will never fight defensively. This is called a Defensive Melee Move.
A badge result means the Thug will run into melee combat with the nearest player character if possible. If there are no player characters in melee range then the Thug will move towards the nearest player character and they will move aggressively. They will always run. They will not attempt to end their move in cover. In melee they will never fight defensively. This is called an Aggressive Melee Move.
Scavver
Scavvers are equipped with a Kitchen Knife. Before a Scavver activates roll a black die;
A blank result means a Scavver will run towards the nearest Supply token. They will collect it if possible. If they have already collected two Supply tokens then they will run towards the nearest board edge and escape if possible. In melee they will use Nimble to escape if possible and will fight defensively. They will not attempt to end their move in cover. This is called a Defensive Scavenger Move.
A badge result means a Scavver will run into melee with the nearest player character if possible. In melee they will not use Nimble and will not fight defensively. If there are no player characters in range then they will act as per Defensive Scavenger Move. This is called an Aggressive Scavenger Move.
Bandit
Bandits are equipped with a Baseball Bat, a .22 Revolver and an Ammo Reload. Before a Bandit activates roll a black die;
A blank result means a Bandit will reload their gun if necessary and able, but will otherwise perform an Aggressive Melee Move.
A badge result means a Bandit will reload their gun if necessary and able. They will attempt to make a ranged attack on the nearest player character. They will also attempt to end their move in cover, but will move out of cover if it will enable them to make a ranged attack. If the nearest player character is out of range they will move towards the nearest player character, ending their move in cover so long as they have moved at least 3 inches closer to the player character. If running would alert a walker then they will sneak. They will never fight defensively. This is called an Aggressive Ranged Move.
---------------
This is getting pretty long so I'll leave it at that for now. If people give feedback etc and want more I'll put up a few more enemy types, base rules, a few scenarios etc but damn that's enough typing for one day. Enjoy!