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What's wrong with huge games?
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Author:  mrmikedrum [ Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:12 pm ]
Post subject:  What's wrong with huge games?

I have always wanted to know why the recomended squad sized are always so low. Almost every time I play a game, I go for bigger games. Most often, it's a 500 point game, but I have played up to 1000 points at once. When you do it like that, you have a LOT more options for squads. For example, with the Sith, you can run like 6 or 7 Sith Lords in a squad, whereas in the smaller games, it's hard to even get one in, much less two. And then I do some Empire squads with like 5 AT-STs, tons of CE's, and Repairers. Or a bunch of CE's, and like 50 Stormtroopers. I also always use the standard rules (2 activations per round, no time limit or # of figs limit, etc.), the exception being Centerpoint, which we only ever pay attention to if someone is just running and hiding.

Even if the games go for hours, if you have the time, they are really fun. Besides, after a while, you know who the winner is going to be, and you can just call it and stat a new one.

If you can keep track of activations, FP, victory points and all that then it goes smoothly.

Sorry if I shouldn't have started a new topic, but I looked and didn't see any similar threads.

Author:  punxnbutter [ Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

The time constraint is a big problem.....if you play by default rules. Once you begin to house rule things with extra activations per round, limits on total # of starting activations, and other minor tweaks it becomes extremely fun. I've relived the Genosis arena battle many times with all the beasts, Tyrannus, Jango and a huge squad of BDs against the unique Jedi and Padme. Very very fun. :lsfight:

The other reason is the fact that the CEs and followers get out of hand quite quickly and the synergy becomes to much. To playtest 3 squad totals is a lot to plan for. If we had to point cost based on 500 or even 300 point squads then figs like Revan would cost a bit more at the expense of lower point games.

Author:  Grand Moff Boris [ Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

I love mass battle play. It's been a long time since I've played the game that way, and I miss it.

Author:  Darth Ruthven [ Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

the largest game I ever played was 300 points. It was cool but ate a lot of time up so I have not tried it again, but I think a mass battle that recreated a famous Star Wars scene would be awesome to play

Author:  anthemius [ Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

Lately my friends and I have been playing 600 pt. light or dark melee-only squads. Once we get into contact, the game goes by pretty quick. It is pretty cool to have Bane get Duelist from Tyrannus, or Luke, Jedi Master benefit from force spirt, and give JWM an extra force point. It allows us to dust off some older pieces as well, like Luke JM, or Stass Allie. The last one we played Stass Allie got a critical hit on Bane, after she had healed Maris Brood for two previous turns.

Author:  Aaron-Wan-Kenobi [ Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

I once played a 1000 point game with my homey Phil that we started at 8 in the morning and lasted till 3:30 in the afternoon. We ignored all the gambit stuff and just played for the fun of it. It was pretty interesting having Boush lob a grenade in a room for grenades 40 and having 9 save rolls.

The thing I like the most about this game is getting together with friends and having fun no matter who wins. This game stands out as a great memory cuz I had to move 600 miles away shortly after that to take care of my mother who had a stroke. My friend Phil got me into the game and it was fun to ditch work and spend a day with a truly great friend, who I don't get to see much anymore.

That being said, I trounced him and that was pretty cool. :)

Author:  ytwars [ Wed Jul 30, 2008 2:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

Biggest game I ever did was a three-way 1000 points.

Author:  mrmikedrum [ Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

ytwars wrote:
Biggest game I ever did was a three-way 1000 points.


Strip minis doesn't count!

(inside joke)

Author:  ytwars [ Thu Jul 31, 2008 1:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

mrmikedrum wrote:
ytwars wrote:
Biggest game I ever did was a three-way 1000 points.


Strip minis doesn't count!

(inside joke)


Alex says if you still want to do that she's open saturday

Author:  mrmikedrum [ Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

ytwars wrote:
mrmikedrum wrote:
ytwars wrote:
Biggest game I ever did was a three-way 1000 points.


Strip minis doesn't count!

(inside joke)


Alex says if you still want to do that she's open saturday



OH @#$% IT ALL, $%^@ING #$%@ #%$^@ @#^%%@#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OF ALL THE DAYS IN THE WEEK WHERE I DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING EXCEPT SIT AT A $%#$#% COMPUTER AND HIT REFRESH EVERY TEN SECONDS ON THIS @#$@^$! FORUM, SHE HAS TO CHOOSE THE ONE DAY THAT I'M ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING!!!

@&$#*^&%$@#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

aaaaaaaaaaaaand sorry for not being on topic everyone else....

Author:  Grand Moff Boris [ Thu Jul 31, 2008 7:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

It sounds like you need to get out more. :P

Author:  CarlZog [ Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

punxnbutter wrote:
The other reason is the fact that the CEs and followers get out of hand quite quickly and the synergy becomes to much.


This strikes me as a question of how you handle command control. Because SWM was designed for squad actions, I don't think the rules intend for CEs, followers etc. to be applied to an army.

To do large battles, I'd delegate a total point cost to each side, but require that each army be composed of a number of normal size squads. Three 150-point squads per side, for example, with two activations per squad per turn.

CEs, etc. would only apply to the squad the contributing figure is in. I can imagine creating exceptions to that, depending the ability and situation (geographical proximity; combining efforts toward a single objective; etc.)

I'm new to the game, so I apologize if these ideas are nothing new.

Carl

Author:  punxnbutter [ Thu Nov 06, 2008 9:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

I guess Boris ( I think ) has a 1-2 commander rule, but that is a specific format. I've done some huge battles without this guideline in place and while it's quite fun it's also a long battle. It was Seps vs Rep 500 point and a rebel vs imperial 600 point (pre-A&E) and each game took around 3 hours. I kinda wonder if they'd stil take so long with the increase in damage potential now....

I also agree that having the CEs applied to army point levels doesn't make for an efficient game.

Author:  Raylinthegreat [ Thu Nov 06, 2008 9:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

I really miss playing mass battles, but have a difficult enough time as it is getting my wife to let me play at all*L* :(

Author:  Shadows [ Mon Nov 10, 2008 7:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

With the new CW's pieces, you really need some kind of house rule of CE's. Otherwise you end up with what me and my friend had the last time we played a 1000pt. battle (but it was very amusing watching the swathes of death...)

My squad:

Total:1000, 105 Activations.
General Grievous, DAC (57)
Gha Nachkt (12)
BDO (8)
Homing Spider Droidx4 (124)
Geonosian Overseerx3 (48)
Dwarf Spider Droidx6 (84)
Super Battle Droidx10 (90)
Heavy Super Battle Droidx10 (130)
Battle Droidx50 (150)
Bodyguard Droidx4 (76)
MagnaGuard-100x4 (60)
Crab Droidx6 (122)
Battle Droid Sniperx4 (36)
Uggie (3)

So the entire squad is +8/+4 and can quad attack...that's is some insanity right there. His squad...

Total:1000, 57 Activations
General Windu (72)
General Obi-Wan Kenobi (55)
Yoda (55)
General Aayla Secura (50)
Anakin,CoN (49)
Shaak Ti, JM (49)
Captain Rex (32)
Commander Gree (19)
Commander Cody (19)
Mas Ameda (8)
Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (37)
Queen Amidala (17)
RCTS (28)
Arc Trooperx5 (80)
Arc Trooper Sniperx5 (70)
Sev (15)
Boss (17)
Fixer (15)
Scorch (15)
Clone Trooperx12 (84)
Galactic Marinex10 (110)
Star Corps Trooperx8 (104)

And much the same with his squad, thanks to Windu and Aayla they can all quad attack, and So long as they're within six of two other people (ooh, hard...) then they're +8/+4...

Both squads were fairly balanced, as even though the seps outnumbered to the republic nearly 2 to one, they Republic had several beastly jedi, not to mention some Republic Commando's with re-rollable shields, and the fact that their 4 attacks could hit 4 people rather than two...

We played on the BIG Kashyykk Map, and it was great to see most of the board taken up. Anyways, I won the first init, and killed a couple clone troopers (darn lack of accurate shot...) and from there all hell broke loose. It only took us 4 hours, as there was so many attacks and so much damage flying around...the poor jedi didn't have a chance with that much firepower, so they cowered until some of the droid lines had been broken down. In the end, the turning point came when one of my homing spiders got a LoS to Windu at the end of the round and put down 60dmg. I then won init and finished him off, halving his firepower. I managed to keep Grievous hidden, and Queen Amidala, Anakin and Shaak all died trying to sneak across the map to get him and then BDO (hidden in the closed off bar bit). Anakin did manage to get up my stairs on the left, but then GG got the door open, and from a covered positition managed to use his gun to hit the last 30 on poor Anakin.

I won, and was left with GG (80hp) BDO, one Geonosian Overseer, 2 Crab Droids, 5 battle droids and a 10hp dwarf spider, when the crab droids finally cornered the 50hp General Obi-Wan, the last survivor of his army. I won init, charged Obi and needing 2's to hit him, got them both, killing the general, and winning the field for Grievous.

So much fun, and utter, utter carnage. In this situation, the mass battle worked, as the sheer abuse of those CE's was ok, as both could do it in equal measure, but if you did, say, Republic vs Empire mass battle, you would have to put a restraint on somehow, because it's pretty tough to answer to a load of +8/GM/Quad Attacking clones...

Author:  Gemini1179 [ Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

My friend and I recently played 500 points, 3 commanders and 20 activations total and it worked out pretty well.

We used to play with standard rules, but (he being Imperial and me being Republic) we found that we'd both have like 300 points of just commanders and then we'd need at least 300 points of followers, and then keeping track of everything becomes very difficult.

Our latest game (before we got any CW stuff) I used Gen Windu, CS Yoda and Captain Panaka as my commanders. My basically all-melee Unique squad (also had Cade, triple Twin is sick, although I keep forgetting about Splash...) ended up winning but only because I rolled a 10 with Kazdan and got to put a Junk Golem in front of his IG-88 BH who was tearing my guys apart. Also, VSA is sick in mass play with the Emperor. Force Lightning 4 and 5 are nasty.

Author:  ytwars [ Thu Nov 20, 2008 1:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

About 2 weeks ago mrmikedrum and I played a game where we had 1500 points. It was Republic(me) vs. Seps(him). With no limits on commanders or anything like that, Republic owned the Seps.

Author:  Gadget [ Tue Dec 23, 2008 10:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

One of the ways my group has made mass games fun while also limiting the confusion is to put a limit of 15 figures on 400 point squads and 20 figures on 500 point games. That way you can stick to two activations, the game rarely goes more than two hours or so and keeping track of the FP, damage, etc. is easier.

Author:  simone89 [ Wed Dec 24, 2008 6:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

we played a 500 point game yesterday. Seps vs Rep. It was a lot of fun, and the game came down to dice rolls, so it was the best way to play a game of SWM. This is the 2nd 500 point game we have played this year. I avoid them, just due to the fact they take so much time. Yesterday I got to the gaming store a few minutes before 3 and the game didnt end until a few minutes after 6. So excluding set up we where playing mini's for just under 3 hours!

Author:  AndrewUnleashed [ Sat May 01, 2010 8:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What's wrong with huge games?

always love a good mass battle, played a 1 vs 2 600 point battle today, they both had 300 point squads nr and republic, i had 600 hundred republic (they wouldnt let me split my factions in to 2 300 point squads) it was funny as hell though cuz they picked destroyed based and i managed to clog the doors with 3 camaasi nobles and two rodian diplomats with yularen, ended up cleaning them up pretty well. mass battles are really fun if you have the time set aside for one, and the patience, at least if your playing with the people i play with not that im the best person to deal with for so long


:saber:

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