Editing Coup-De-Grace: Arena Design
Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
The edit can be undone.
Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision | Your text | ||
Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
The following categories provide discussion and examples of different aspects of arena layout. Its intended as a design workshop, to give GMs and players ideas as to cool ways to vary their arenas. Nothing here is set in stone, but players should be made aware of which different rules are in play. | The following categories provide discussion and examples of different aspects of arena layout. Its intended as a design workshop, to give GMs and players ideas as to cool ways to vary their arenas. Nothing here is set in stone, but players should be made aware of which different rules are in play. | ||
− | |||
− | |||
=Objectives and scenarios= | =Objectives and scenarios= | ||
Line 40: | Line 38: | ||
Equally, sometimes you want models to be represent faceless minions who are there for more competent warriors to cut down, and who are only dangerous en masse. | Equally, sometimes you want models to be represent faceless minions who are there for more competent warriors to cut down, and who are only dangerous en masse. | ||
A mini can be treated as being a "mook" if the scenario directs this. This gives it -2 Hit Points, and any attack roll made by a mook that rolls an odd number automatically misses. | A mini can be treated as being a "mook" if the scenario directs this. This gives it -2 Hit Points, and any attack roll made by a mook that rolls an odd number automatically misses. | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
==Variant Objectives== | ==Variant Objectives== | ||
Line 73: | Line 63: | ||
Capture the flag works well with the respawn rule, and can be made more chaotic with the mook rules. | Capture the flag works well with the respawn rule, and can be made more chaotic with the mook rules. | ||
− | + | <br> | |
===Zone Capture=== | ===Zone Capture=== | ||
Line 83: | Line 73: | ||
* "King of the Castle" - Instead of zones, have a single square be the target area. Grant a small buff to any model on this square. A player wins if a mini he controls occupies the target area for 5 turns in a row. | * "King of the Castle" - Instead of zones, have a single square be the target area. Grant a small buff to any model on this square. A player wins if a mini he controls occupies the target area for 5 turns in a row. | ||
* "Endzone Attack" - Each player's starting area is a target zone. Leave off the respawn rule for this variant! | * "Endzone Attack" - Each player's starting area is a target zone. Leave off the respawn rule for this variant! | ||
− | + | <br> | |
===Wave Defence=== | ===Wave Defence=== | ||
Line 93: | Line 83: | ||
* "Tower Defence": Defending players play by points buy, and must spend half their points on buying traps, turrets, obstacles and the like from a GM provided list. | * "Tower Defence": Defending players play by points buy, and must spend half their points on buying traps, turrets, obstacles and the like from a GM provided list. | ||
* "Us vs Them vs Us vs Them:" Two players play simultaneously on two boards, attacking on one, defending on the other. Winner is the one who survives with his defending team the longest. | * "Us vs Them vs Us vs Them:" Two players play simultaneously on two boards, attacking on one, defending on the other. Winner is the one who survives with his defending team the longest. | ||
− | + | <br> | |
===Killstreak=== | ===Killstreak=== | ||
Line 110: | Line 100: | ||
==General Principles== | ==General Principles== | ||
===Encourage Movement=== | ===Encourage Movement=== | ||
− | + | <br>Nothing makes for a duller game than two teams refusing to move from their start areas. Some scenarios actively encourage a more aggressive approach, but in a default kill-battle the temptation will often be to just set up a defensive line and let the enemy come to you. | |
− | Nothing makes for a duller game than two teams refusing to move from their start areas. Some scenarios actively encourage a more aggressive approach, but in a default kill-battle the temptation will often be to just set up a defensive line and let the enemy come to you. | ||
<br>As an arena designer, you want to use tricks to discourage this. Perhaps set up the areas nearest the entrance points so that they aren't very safe. A wide open kill zone, with multiple accesses from different directions is a good starting zone, especially if its easy to set up flanking moves from protected positions at the side. | <br>As an arena designer, you want to use tricks to discourage this. Perhaps set up the areas nearest the entrance points so that they aren't very safe. A wide open kill zone, with multiple accesses from different directions is a good starting zone, especially if its easy to set up flanking moves from protected positions at the side. | ||
<br>Desirable features should be placed furher in, and persistent hazards should be kept near the starting areas. Make the most beneficial environments be the ones at the centre of the board, and the most detrimental ones over the starting areas. | <br>Desirable features should be placed furher in, and persistent hazards should be kept near the starting areas. Make the most beneficial environments be the ones at the centre of the board, and the most detrimental ones over the starting areas. | ||
<br>Early cramped space can encourage movement so that minis can be brought to bear. a 1 square wide corridor leading into an open chamber forces players either to move up into the open chamber, or to present his minis one by one. | <br>Early cramped space can encourage movement so that minis can be brought to bear. a 1 square wide corridor leading into an open chamber forces players either to move up into the open chamber, or to present his minis one by one. | ||
<br>If all else fails, consider having the board move! This can be literal, with the scenario having board sections rearrange themselves (perhaps sliding towards a more dangerous zone), or can be achieved with advancing hazards: if both teams are being pushed into the centre room by a closing ring of fire, then they'll soon start moving! | <br>If all else fails, consider having the board move! This can be literal, with the scenario having board sections rearrange themselves (perhaps sliding towards a more dangerous zone), or can be achieved with advancing hazards: if both teams are being pushed into the centre room by a closing ring of fire, then they'll soon start moving! | ||
− | <br> | + | <br><br> |
===Offer Choices=== | ===Offer Choices=== | ||
− | + | <br>The game becomes most tactically intersting if you give a choice of routes, which are equally (un)desirable. Maybe there's a shortcut between target control zones, but its across an exposed narrow bridge over lava. Maybe the corridors form a circle or figure of eight, encouraging outflanking moves for faster models. | |
− | The game becomes most tactically intersting if you give a choice of routes, which are equally (un)desirable. Maybe there's a shortcut between target control zones, but its across an exposed narrow bridge over lava. Maybe the corridors form a circle or figure of eight, encouraging outflanking moves for faster models. | + | <br><br> |
− | <br> | ||
===Keep it Tight=== | ===Keep it Tight=== | ||
− | + | <br>Vast sprawling dungeon arenas may look cool, but if it takes ten turns before contact is made, there's going to be a lot of dullness before the teams end up fighting within much smaller areas. | |
− | Vast sprawling dungeon arenas may look cool, but if it takes ten turns before contact is made, there's going to be a lot of dullness before the teams end up fighting within much smaller areas. | ||
<br>Better by far to keep it tight from the outset. As a rule of thumb, for every mini in the battle, have the arena be 2 squares wide. So for twelve minis, the game board shouldn't be wider or longer than 24 squares. That doesn't just mean a big open space of 24 x 24 squares, of course. You can limit the number of squares further by breaking that area into rooms, corridors, hazards, obstacles and the like. | <br>Better by far to keep it tight from the outset. As a rule of thumb, for every mini in the battle, have the arena be 2 squares wide. So for twelve minis, the game board shouldn't be wider or longer than 24 squares. That doesn't just mean a big open space of 24 x 24 squares, of course. You can limit the number of squares further by breaking that area into rooms, corridors, hazards, obstacles and the like. | ||
<br><br> | <br><br> | ||
==Layout Ideas== | ==Layout Ideas== | ||
===Hub and Spokes=== | ===Hub and Spokes=== | ||
− | + | <br>In this set up, the main "hub" part of the arena is a large central zone, likely containing a few passive hazards, such as pits or spiked walls. If the scenario has a primary objective, it should be in the hub area. | |
− | In this set up, the main "hub" part of the arena is a large central zone, likely containing a few passive hazards, such as pits or spiked walls. If the scenario has a primary objective, it should be in the hub area. | ||
<br>Several "spoke" areas are attached to this central area by narrow corridors. Each player's starting area starts on one of these attached areas, and these areas are equidistant from the centre of the hub. | <br>Several "spoke" areas are attached to this central area by narrow corridors. Each player's starting area starts on one of these attached areas, and these areas are equidistant from the centre of the hub. | ||
<br>Additionally, there'll be other spokes, leading off into other side areas. These other side areas will have a desirable feature. | <br>Additionally, there'll be other spokes, leading off into other side areas. These other side areas will have a desirable feature. | ||
<br>This map layout should encourage quick movement into the central area, with fast guys being sent out to other spokes to get any goodies when they can be spared. | <br>This map layout should encourage quick movement into the central area, with fast guys being sent out to other spokes to get any goodies when they can be spared. | ||
===Floating World=== | ===Floating World=== | ||
− | + | <br>In this set up, the starting areas are mostly thin corridors, but the main area has larger "rooms". | |
− | In this set up, the starting areas are mostly thin corridors, but the main area has larger "rooms". | ||
<br>The special thing here is that there are no walls, and the tile pieces are considered to be floating over a bottomless pit. Anyone who gets knocked off will be taken out of action. | <br>The special thing here is that there are no walls, and the tile pieces are considered to be floating over a bottomless pit. Anyone who gets knocked off will be taken out of action. | ||
<br>This set up encourages movement away from the hazardous side areas, and into the melee in the centre. | <br>This set up encourages movement away from the hazardous side areas, and into the melee in the centre. | ||
<br>Just in case there's no forced movement effects, its a good idea to have the central area have a feature that contains a controllable forced movement effect. Maybe a kinetic cannon emplacement that knocks back targets at huge ranges when a gunner takes place. Maybe a series of levers that cause board sections to crumble and disappear. | <br>Just in case there's no forced movement effects, its a good idea to have the central area have a feature that contains a controllable forced movement effect. Maybe a kinetic cannon emplacement that knocks back targets at huge ranges when a gunner takes place. Maybe a series of levers that cause board sections to crumble and disappear. | ||
===Ring of Fire=== | ===Ring of Fire=== | ||
− | + | <br>In this set up, the starting areas are at the periphery. As the game progresses, a by round or random effect causes outer sections of the board to become terminally hazardous or undesirable. For example, a closing ring of fire that burns instantly, or a creeping cloud of poison gas that wounds anyone in it. You can play around with different concepts that have the same effect as well. Maybe there are a series of burning torches across the arena, which go out from the periphery inwards, and anyone not within five squares of one has a 1 in 3 chance of being eaten by a grue! | |
− | In this set up, the starting areas are at the periphery. As the game progresses, a by round or random effect causes outer sections of the board to become terminally hazardous or undesirable. For example, a closing ring of fire that burns instantly, or a creeping cloud of poison gas that wounds anyone in it. You can play around with different concepts that have the same effect as well. Maybe there are a series of burning torches across the arena, which go out from the periphery inwards, and anyone not within five squares of one has a 1 in 3 chance of being eaten by a grue! | ||
<br>The key here is that this layout is defined by the outer areas being dangerous, rather than the inner areas being desirable. Indeed, you can introduce a risk-reward element by having the most beneficial features be on the outside! | <br>The key here is that this layout is defined by the outer areas being dangerous, rather than the inner areas being desirable. Indeed, you can introduce a risk-reward element by having the most beneficial features be on the outside! | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | + | =Doors, walls, fences and transport points= | |
+ | =Obstacles, hazards and traps= | ||
− | |||
− | |||
=Environmental effects= | =Environmental effects= | ||
=Power ups, buffs and debuffs= | =Power ups, buffs and debuffs= |