Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - Tips for managing a large group of players?

Hobgoblin · 08-22-2019, 04:54 AM

As I mentioned in the pistols thread, I'm shortly going to be running a one-shot game for my son's birthday with a very large group of players (10, probably). I actually bought TFT partially for that purpose (and also because of very positive childhood memories of Car Wars, Ogre, etc.), as I'd heard that it was one of the best games for large groups of players.

From the games of Melee and Wizard that we've played so far, I think that assessment's right. The strict range of combat options and the depth of tactics in fights should help to keep everyone focused and involved. And things like the ability to shoot into a fight help too.

But I thought it might be worth asking for any tips and experiences of running large groups with the system, in case there's something glaring that I've missed. I've run games for groups of this size before, usually with OD&D retroclones; the problem there tends to be that combats are dull because of a lack of options and are hard to balance.

My own thoughts so far are these:

1. Limited character sheets - probably ignoring weapon talents and just adding two or three other talents to each PC (all pre-prepared). If some of the characters carry on into a campaign, I'll "backfill" weapon talents using the spare IQ points.

2. Big, fairly open encounter areas, so everyone has room to manoeuvre, rather than tight corridors or rooms.

3. Plenty of terrain (obstacles, higher ground, cover) within those large areas.

4. Combinations of challenges with combat in the same encounter, so that some PCs have to deal with traps or puzzles while their friends hold off enemies.

5. Rapid replacement of PCs in the event of deaths. I want the game to be a high-risk affair, with PC death a constant threat. But as the starting point is a boatload of pirates reaching shore on a "Treasure Island" after the sinking of their ship, there's always the possibility that other lifeboats have made it to shore too. So it will be easy to introduce another band of survivors after each encounter (enter, pursued by crabmen or whatever ...). And because the players will have picked their character and miniature from the full crew at the start of the game, they'll recognise the fresh survivors.

Anyway, I'd be very grateful for any tips or experiences for running a group of this size in TFT. Thanks in advance!

08-22-2019, 04:54 AM	#1
Hobgoblin Join Date: Aug 2019	Tips for managing a large group of players? As I mentioned in the pistols thread, I'm shortly going to be running a one-shot game for my son's birthday with a very large group of players (10, probably). I actually bought TFT partially for that purpose (and also because of very positive childhood memories of Car Wars, Ogre, etc.), as I'd heard that it was one of the best games for large groups of players. From the games of Melee and Wizard that we've played so far, I think that assessment's right. The strict range of combat options and the depth of tactics in fights should help to keep everyone focused and involved. And things like the ability to shoot into a fight help too. But I thought it might be worth asking for any tips and experiences of running large groups with the system, in case there's something glaring that I've missed. I've run games for groups of this size before, usually with OD&D retroclones; the problem there tends to be that combats are dull because of a lack of options and are hard to balance. My own thoughts so far are these: 1. Limited character sheets - probably ignoring weapon talents and just adding two or three other talents to each PC (all pre-prepared). If some of the characters carry on into a campaign, I'll "backfill" weapon talents using the spare IQ points. 2. Big, fairly open encounter areas, so everyone has room to manoeuvre, rather than tight corridors or rooms. 3. Plenty of terrain (obstacles, higher ground, cover) within those large areas. 4. Combinations of challenges with combat in the same encounter, so that some PCs have to deal with traps or puzzles while their friends hold off enemies. 5. Rapid replacement of PCs in the event of deaths. I want the game to be a high-risk affair, with PC death a constant threat. But as the starting point is a boatload of pirates reaching shore on a "Treasure Island" after the sinking of their ship, there's always the possibility that other lifeboats have made it to shore too. So it will be easy to introduce another band of survivors after each encounter (enter, pursued by crabmen or whatever ...). And because the players will have picked their character and miniature from the full crew at the start of the game, they'll recognise the fresh survivors. Anyway, I'd be very grateful for any tips or experiences for running a group of this size in TFT. Thanks in advance!