Threaten Me with a Bad Time

This was prompted by hearing a discussion about tracking torches in a dungeon crawling game. This is something that I find that adds work, rarely becomes impactful, and the threatened impact is a scary but eventually uninteresting event.

It reminds me of a boardgame I've been playing.

Gazebo is a fantastic game by Reiner Knizia. It's a redesign of his 2012 release... actually, none of that matters.

A simplified explanation of the game: You place tiles to build areas of the same colour, bigger areas being more desirable. If you connect an area to a smaller area of the same colour then it absorbs that area. In essence I can connect my area of 4 red blocks to your area of 3 red blocks and steal it. This is very powerful, and can act as a big swing with lots of beneficial side effects on my progress to victory.

It's also one of the more complex rules. The rulebook notes five main mechanics that are the ways to progress towards victory. The first four each take half a page of explanation, but absorbing another area takes a whole two page spread, with several examples given. It's noticeably more fiddly than the other entries.

After playing the game three or four times we noticed that this absorption rule hadn't come up. Setting up the move is tricky and usually easy for the opponent to spot it and block your efforts.

We played some more, maybe up to ten games now, and I think it's happened once? Maybe twice? The only time I remember was following a very stupid move on my part, leaving a clear opening for my opponent to absorb one of my areas.

So you remove that rule, right?

(psst, don't let boardgame people hear you talking about changing a Reiner Knizia rule)

No, I think the threat of a mechanic can be just as impactful as seeing it come into play. It limits where I place my tiles, teases me with a potentially huge swing when I'm way behind, and I can waste an opponent's turn by making them respond with a purely defensive play.

Of course, this relies on the players being aware of the rule. I wouldn't teach Gazebo and tell the other player "you can absorb each others' areas but don't worry it never happens". They need to know the rule to have the fear and have that fear affect their play.

Threaten them with a bad time and let the good times roll.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

This post was originally sent as a reward to all Patreon supporters, and is released freely on this site the week after its original publication.

If you want to support my blog, podcasts, and video content then head over to my Patreon.

Intergalactic Bastionland Public Playtest

Intergalactic Bastionland is now ready for public playtesting. 

Go here to find everything you need.

We're a way off the Kickstarter yet, but you can be first to follow here.

Dock Work

Dock is the second spoke on the Wheel that makes up crew life, between the drudgery of Transit and the enterprise of Layover.

I'm aiming for a good clear procedure to work through here. As with the other phases of the game, there are times when this will breeze past and others when it will make up a substantial part of the session.

Orbitals and Landings
Each world lists six locations, and the first is always the starport. Generally a ship can only dock at orbital facilities called Orbitals. Landings are docks on the surface, relying on smaller craft  to ferry crew and cargo, or an orbital transfer facility.

Rewards
While reprimands are always administered during transit, rewards are given immediately upon docking.  If the specific reward is in doubt, roll d6.

1. Public Commendation - The whole crew is told what a good job you did. 
2. The Captain’s Table - An invitation to dine with the Captain at the next opportunity. 
3. Prize Goods - A material prize is carefully selected by your superior. 
4. Medal - Only to be worn on ceremonial occasions. 
5. Promotion - Rarely up to the next tier of the crew, but something to give you a little authority over your peers. 
6. Note of Pardon - Forgiveness for a previous dereliction of duty, or held for future use.

Portside News
Worlds are never static. Much like unresolved incidents, a roll is made when arriving in dock to check on the status of the world. Each world entry details a lingering threat, which should factor in the news. If returning to a known world, consider the problems that were established last time the ship visited the world when describing the result.

1: Things have reached a crisis point.
2-3: Things are getting worse.
4-5: Things are steady.
6: Things have gotten slightly better.

Crisis Point
When a world reaches Crisis point they may close off exports, cease all trade, or even close off to outsiders altogether. A crisis left unchecked leads to a radical change in the world, sometimes its complete destruction. 

Duties
Officers are expected to carry out their portside duties relating to the ship, often delegating these in part to their heads. Even if the duties are small, Officers will want to interfere in the business of their rivals, or find a way to otherwise get ahead. 

The Arch Merchant is responsible for trading  and seeking out other financial opportunities. 

The Marshal in Arms checks the security of the world, improves their own armoury, and makes sure the locals are suitably intimidated.

The Commander-at-the-Helm manages the ship’s boats going out to other locations. 

The Mate of Papers is responsible for updating all records and data relating to this world. 

The Peoples Executive is responsible for recruiting new crewmembers and ensuring those going on shore leave behave themselves. 

The Technical Prime acquires any parts and work that needs doing on the ship and may offer engineering services to the world. 

Delegation
Officers love delegating these tasks down to their heads. It’s a chance to test their capability and loyalty, and means the Officer can stay in the comfort of their quarters.  These tasks may drift beyond the head’s normal sphere of responsibility, or even beyond the Officer’s own jurisdiction.

Portside Laws
Most worlds have a border between port and the rest of the world, so that passing business can operate without friction. Generally, weapons and armour above service grade are not allowed in port, but are permitted to pass securely through the border if the visitor’s business justifies it. 

Freight
The safest but least fruitful transport work is in shipping pre-sold freight between two worlds. The number of containers available is equal to 1% of the population rating of the smallest of the current world and the destination. Each container pays 1 Frag on arrival, or a fee of 5 Frags if lost.  

For example, available freight between a world of hundred-thousands and a world of thousands would be 10 containers (1% of 1,000).