To speed things up in my game. And making things easier (to play and to create), I am looking for improvements. However, my mechanic with the ruler/thin rope is in the way.
The summary is in the last block.
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For a better understanding, allow me to sketch the current situation in my little war game:
We have a hexagon map, here the hexagons can be turned 60 degree's and still fit perfectly in the map. This perfect shape is needed. However, everything is printed. And there is no 3D (yet).
Let's say that unit A wants to shoot unit B over a distance of 7 hexagons on this map.
We count the 7 fields towards the target. But, we use a ruler/thin rope that connects the centres of both hexagons where unit A and B are standing.
All hexagons in between, touched by this ruler/thin rope are of influence to the accuracy. Forests and Mountains could greatly reduce the accuracy. And sometimes lead to 0.
The hit is determined with a couple of dice rolls in severe situations. Following the start of the bullet to the end.
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The problems that I face are indicated with [...]
[units on the board are in the way for the ruler/thin rope, they often have to move, I don't like that]
There are 3 improvements that I want to make:
- For now, I also have different heights of the terrain. However, currently this height is indicated with a number. The board itself is flat. I want this number to be removed and actually introduce 3D height. For starters, higher placed prints. This would greatly improve the tactical insights for the players.
[3D is in the way for the ruler/thin rope]
- There are programs out there that allow creating good looking hexagon maps. But the hexagon is not perfect in shape. which would be of no use to the mechanic. However, I still want to give those programs a try since they actually speed up the creation of maps.
[The ruler/thin rope touches the wrong hexagons when the hexagons are out of shape. Especially with the longest ranged units]
- The centre of each hexagon. Even though I have a nice little nuclear symbol pointing towards the centre.I would like to see a clearer hexagon instead. Thus this centre should be removed at some point.
[Once removed, I can't use the centre any more for determining where the ruler/thin rope has to be]
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Summary:
The mechanic with the ruler/thin rope has to go, or has to be improved. Only then I can move forward in developing my game.
But how to determine the projectile paths?
Is there a better way? In honesty, I liked the straight path which was certainly fair. But I think I have to start bending now.
Can't I simply select the hexagons instead? But then a player could shoot around the corner or let the bullet dodge mountains. No one wants that.
The 4 of us are stuck with idea's.
Any help is appreciated.
http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3271/battlesuit
I like the looks of it.
The maps are somewhat on the same level of design. Although I have the actual hexagons drawn on paper and integrated them into the rules. The guy who created battlesuit has much more freedom in his/her map design if it comes to pen and paper. I did consider such designs in the past as well. But me and my buddies like the fact that terrain influence is only partially, not 100% or 0%. So we even have the difference between 1/6th, 2/6th, 3/6th etc in rocks and/or forests.
It just so happens that a group of units is designed in such a way that 3/6th hits offers a tactical advantage in a "kill but survive" situation, in comparison to a 4/6th hits or 2/6th hits.
The current maps have hexagons with size 3 cm on the sides, so from corner to corner 1 hexagon measures 6 cm.
The maximum distance at this moment is 9 for projectiles.
The biggest maps still fit on my table. Where the middle hexagon allows for the range of 9 towards every corner.
I do hope to have a bit more in the future. Perhaps I even start using just an inch for that. A range of 12 hexagons gives good design figures.
The second information I would like to know is how widely spaced are units at any one time
Depending on the map. On top of each other, or even a fighting distance of 9 to 10 is possible. Average is about 3 to 4, which are perfect for moon shaped choke points. The outlines of bases are at least range 12 from each other.
IDEA 1
if its small enough, like 30cm or so, Id suggest a wooden bar with markings along it indicating the size of a hex.
maybe a clip on the bar can dictate the measured distance
I already have this, my goal is to discard the extra work, for speeding up the game and simplifying.
IDEA 2
as a backup idea, i would choose to go for a combination.
When you place a straight line between the shooter and target, you get to see the hexes the straight line touches. those hexes would be legal hexes to be used for accounting range in this particular trajectory. the shooter then counts the number of legal hexes determined by their range. if the target is within range, calculate probability of a hit.
I already have this. But we count first. Than we place the thin rope for determining the legal hexes. No need for determining the legal hexes if it is out ranged.
GENERAL COMMENT
As for measuring from "center to center", if you measure it from corner to corner, it will be the same length as center to center. so select a corner, and stick with it.
In that case, every corner should be reviewed. The centre is the better option.
if your units are widely spaced, placing the wooden bar or string should not get too much in the way
There is a lot in between. So it does get in the way... a lot. :(
Infact, if you use a string, the board can have holes at the corners of the hexes, and the string can start with a peg which would be anchored when placed in any of these holes
Now you are getting somewhere!
It is so simple that I bang my head in the wall for not thinking of this myself.
Even though it is not the discard of the string and the mechanic. It does give us a chance to dodge all those unit cards on the board. This also opens up the possibility for the 3D effect. Even though not to the height of 1 cm per altitude difference.
The only down sides are the holes in the board. And the, "perhaps the hexagon isn't legal".
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Still stuck with "the need" of perfect hexagons though. It would even be awesome if the map only had rectangular or so.
No need for the thin rope would be perfect.