Tabletop strategy game design idea thing

[Fantasma]

So I played warhammer 40k, and while I liked alot of things.... I think I can do better for me.

So the basic premise of this game is (for gameplay) that each player has his own factions with each unit having it's own unique combination of armor, weapons, abilities, and equipment. The game has things like better and (more fun) stealth and enemy detection mechanics, different fire modes on weapons (spray and pray vs marksman shooting with rifles for example), and is ultimatelt designed for the player with gameplay first. It's not done by any means, I'm just saying the intention.

The focus on individuals units should come with more variety in tactics, however squads and the like are still a thing as when one unit spots an enemy (through distance and a roll, if enemy is stealth moving vs running) they have other options than simply cover firing the area and using aoe weapons. So a squad would be most efficient,  but a player can group his or her faction as they like and find different ways of spotting such as radio communication.

 

Now as for how the models are physically represented, what I have in mind are inscriptions on a base of the appropriate size.. for me personally this means wood burning, for others scotch tape over poker chips. Essentially each clock position on the base contains different information such as the armor level and variety (how many chevrons in the symbol for the type of armor for the level, dots that count up to what variety around it), weapon loadout (weapon class symbol, dots for variety), and the base entity from which base statistics are derived in the center.

Alternatively, a player could mark the base with a symbol or other reference for that unit and just mark everything on a paper... which I mean you will have to have some sort anyways to have for reference.

For the setting I am thinking of a society a few hundred years down the road with tech done in a more mechanical style sends colonists out to a planet, colonists fuck everything up and it becomes an unstable desert with different factions, society returns and tries to establish rule. You would get more old beasty greasy tech and new tech, aswell as special base units such as canines.

 

TL;DR

Actually economically and intelligently designed tabletop RTS centered around sweet ass gameplay (that's not overcomplicated) and player freedom in army building.

 

Edit: let's talk factions.

For the most part the game will draw upon a common pool of base entities, weapons, armor, abilities, and the like. Right now I have three factions in mind, one that is the returning society: cunning, specializing in precise use of force (think special forces), higher tech options. Now for this you would have maybe 6-10 unique base entities while the common pool would have maybe 20, 10-15 different weapons (split between different entity types like infantry and vehicle as compared to the common 30, same with abilities, armor, and misc equipment. There would be the stabilizing old army faction that specializes in control and conventional warfare,  and you would have the scrapyard crazy desert people who lack good communication, advanced technologies, but would have for example an automatic double barrel sawn off shotgun held by a unit that can't stealth but can run really well and possessing an accessory which is so much goddamn meth he will not die that turn unless he sustains catastrophic damage.

This sounds so fun to me already ><

 

Oh hey edit number (2?):

Cover. Cover basically affects the chance to hit a target, and if you miss but there is another in close proximity you can (if ya lucky) hit them instead. Possibly by accident. Whoops, sorry buddy.

LOS is done from model base to model base w/o regards to elevation (los vertically is designated by the type of your cover). Think warhammer 40k but really not.

 

And while I love the models aspect of things and find them to be so wonderfully creative.... The fact is it closes off the genre to alot of people for the time or the money. Like me. Models can still be used by placement on the base,  but they are purely aesthetical.

I mean,  this game you walk out and buy a 2x4, a wooden rod of 1" x 2ft, a roll of scotch tape, a precision pen, and some paper and you got your dream army. The gameplay is not excluded to you from lack of time, money,  or skill. I mean, you can still make some really cool pieces with or without models, but it's your skill and creativity in the game that rewards you,  not financial investment.

Edited December 10, 2015 by Johanna Waya

[Pignog]

May not be exactly what you want but there are some pretty good alternatives to WH40k. In terms of small squad/individual unit stuff my group used to play Mordheim and Necromunda, but both are GW and both are discontinued I think. Inquisitor, another GW cashgrab, sounds close to what you want too. There are a few highly customizable units with special abilities, but it runs closer to a D&D campaign than a tabletop wargame. All of these games only require an investment of a few models, and we usually used miniatures from non-GW companies because a) they were cheaper, and b) they looked cooler.

If you want to avoid miniatures altogether and just have a really good gaming experience, why not look into wargames/boardgames? Off the top of my head Advanced Squad Leader or Combat Commander are good hex-based tactical level games that just use card chits for units instead of miniatures.

But that's cool that you're thinking about designing a game, and it looks like you've already put a bit of thought into it. That might make a really good game if you flesh out the details and make a prototype out of card. The three factions remind me a bit of my old favorite, C&C Generals. I can't think of anything else like it except grand strategy stuff like Twilight Imperium. One problem you might run into is keeping track of everything for the bases and units/unit abilities. It sounds like it might get complex.

Edited December 10, 2015 by Pignog

[Fantasma]

I think it should be simple to keep track off,  essentially each player writing down a quick reference to their units. It would probably be small scale though.