{"id":778,"date":"2011-08-28T11:42:28","date_gmt":"2011-08-28T11:42:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=778"},"modified":"2011-09-05T23:17:33","modified_gmt":"2011-09-05T23:17:33","slug":"first-play-test-of-wizard-battle-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=778","title":{"rendered":"First Play Test of Wizard Battle Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"

A couple of years ago I wrote (and published as a .pdf download) a set of rules for PT boat actions based on Kurt Schlegel’s unpublished Fire at Will<\/em> rules. \u00a0The rules, The Quick and the Dead<\/em>, is a wild and wooly game, with no turns. \u00a0Players each command two PT boats. \u00a0They play action cards from their hands at their own pace (usually frenetic), make morale checks for each of their boats, draw more cards, and keep going until one side wins. \u00a0Games take about 30 minutes, after which players drop into their seats, exhausted. \u00a0In that sense, I think the rules do a good job of portraying the 20 minutes of action that punctuate PT patrols and actions.<\/p>\n

\"Dave,<\/a>
Dave, Tommy, and me<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A few weeks ago, at a HAWKs night, Chris and I began talking about modifying the basic system for a wizard duel. \u00a0We thought it would be neat to have a set of FAST rules that would allow players to recreate things like the fight in the Ministry of Magic in the the Harry Potter book. \u00a0Then I moved, went on vacation, and started a new (killer) job. \u00a0We finally got back to it. \u00a0We had our first play test on Saturday, as we awaited the arrival of Hurricane Irene. \u00a0Play testers were Chris, Dave Wood, my son, and me.<\/p>\n

\"Copplestone<\/a>
Copplestone "Not Dumbledore" vs. an old wizard from high-school days<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The rules worked really<\/strong> well. \u00a0We took a bunch of notes through four play test games for additional cards to add to the game deck. \u00a0We were all happy about how the game played — especially my son who won three out of four. \u00a0We played two exterior games (in an area with woods, rocks, a ruined building, etc.) and two interior games (in a wizards laboratory). \u00a0We even played a game in which each wizard had an elemental to support them. \u00a0We hope to eventually be able to get these printed by Superior POD, so I’m making the cards on their template. \u00a0It looks like a four-to-six player game will require three 54-card decks.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The battle shifts indoors<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I’ll publish updates later, along with pictures. \u00a0The next play test is likely to be on the 17th of September.<\/p>\n