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Old 05-21-2019, 12:19 PM   #1
chicagoviking
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Default Experimenting with a campaign mode

Hi Ogre fans! I mostly play Ogre solo, and this week I've been experimenting with combining Ogre games into a campaign. What I have been doing is, units that get destroyed in one game are not available for the remainder of the campaign.

If in Game 1, the Combine are the Defenders, then in Game 2, the Paneuros are the Defenders, and so on.

For this experiment, I've been using the counters from Ogre 6E and Ogre Reinforcements and the map from Ogre 6E.

So, I've done several regular "MK III Attack" scenarios, as well as one "GEV Escort," one "MK III Defending," one "Kill the Ogre," and one "Kill the Ogre" variant using a MK V instead of a MK III.

At this point in the campaign, there are no more command posts remaining, and only one Ogre. I am not really sure what to do for the next scenario, so I am here to ask your suggestions and advice. I'm open to your own scenarios as well as official scenarios.

Here are the remaining forces:

Paneurope
1 Ogre MK III
1 GEV
6 GEV PC
1 Howitzer
4 Mobile Howitzer
1 SHVY
1 HVY
4 Light Tank
4 Missile Tank
39 Infantry

Combine
1 GEV
6 GEV PC
5 Light GEV
2 Howitzer
4 Mobile Howitzer
4 HVY
6 Light Tank
2 Missile Tank
45 Infantry

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Last edited by chicagoviking; 05-21-2019 at 01:44 PM.
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Old 05-21-2019, 06:12 PM   #2
Izzy_B
 
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Location: Tokyo
Default Re: Experimenting with a campaign mode

The things I’ve done that are similar to solo campaigns are about a series of objectives across different maps. To vary goals I try to include a mix of “destroy this objective” and “hold this position for X turns”. One could get complex by having two simultaneous games on different maps which would then result in one of several possible goals on a third map. Try a train scenario on one map, a simple destroy command post on a second and the resulting surviving forces race to gain and hold an objective on the third for example.
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Old 05-21-2019, 07:07 PM   #3
chicagoviking
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Default Re: Experimenting with a campaign mode

Quote:
Originally Posted by Izzy_B View Post
The things I’ve done that are similar to solo campaigns are about a series of objectives across different maps. To vary goals I try to include a mix of “destroy this objective” and “hold this position for X turns”. One could get complex by having two simultaneous games on different maps which would then result in one of several possible goals on a third map. Try a train scenario on one map, a simple destroy command post on a second and the resulting surviving forces race to gain and hold an objective on the third for example.
Thanks for the ideas! Having two simultaneous games on different maps could get pretty interesting!
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Old 05-21-2019, 10:45 PM   #4
Tim Kauffman
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Pennsylvania
Default Re: Experimenting with a campaign mode

...from your remaining forces list, this may not be your cup of tea, or specifically help to answer your question, but, I noticed you have some GEVs that survived... :)

I've been kicking around the concept working on various iterations for years now that GEV pilots who survive a Scenario will become better skilled pilots next game, and so on, known as GEV Aces. In fact, I think the GEV Escort Scenario is Steve's nod to the notion of a GEV "hero" unit. It sure makes a great Scenario for them to start from...if any make it that far! But that's the fun of the concept.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/128248...7677201415017/

One core concept and house rule is, over time as they increase their Piloting Skills they will become more immune to Disables.
I have settled on the idea of having 6 Skill Levels of GEV Aces and having this # also represent the # or less they must roll on a D6 anytime they suffer a possible Disable to avoid the Disable. If they roll above their Pilot Skill, they suffer the Disable. It's simple, easy to remember and adds a nice RPG element to them I think works well in the game. I would say, each Scenario a GEV Pilot survives, they automatically advance to the next Skill Level of GEV pilot.
GEV Pilots start at Level 0 which is the official GEV and use the Disable rules as normal. (They make no GEV Ace D6 rolls yet since they are not yet a Ace).
As soon as they survive their first Scenario, they become a Level 1 GEV Ace, ect. ect, up to maxing out at Level 6. This would mean such Ace of Aces automatically avoid all Disables and no normal GEV D6 roll or GEV Ace D6 roll is ever needed by them.

Thus, for GEV Aces Levels 1-5:
* When Disabled by attacks or terrain, roll on their Pilot Skill and if successful they ignore the Disable.
To keep track of a Disable result, use any one of the Ability Tokens which have a Disable result side.
This is placed under the Unit Token.
* For Disable Recovery Rolls, if failed, they make another roll to recover using their Pilot Skill and if successful they recover.

And as a added GEV Ace benefit they * Cannot be Rammed unless they are Disabled.

Another fun thing that can be done is you can set their Ace level wherever you want for a particular Scenario. Like the GEV Escort Scenario and then give the opposing side more units to compensate. You could also have for example, a Level 6 GEV Ace up against a group of lesser skilled Pilots. How about a one on one battle of Level 6 GEV Aces? If it sounds boring, it isn't...at least not to me.

I have other ideas for them, but this is a good, solid, workable base to begin from.
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Last edited by Tim Kauffman; 05-22-2019 at 12:07 PM.
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Old 05-21-2019, 11:11 PM   #5
chicagoviking
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Default Re: Experimenting with a campaign mode

Thanks for the ideas, Tim! I like the concept of GEV pilots getting better as they survive scenarios.

Tonight I played 4 more games, just kinda making up the scenarios as I went along.

Final results, now that this cruel war is over:

Remaining Combine forces:
None. They were completely destroyed.

Remaining Paneuro forces:
1 Mobile Howitzer
1 Missile Tank
6 Infantry

Tomorrow I will start a new campaign, incorporating the fine suggestions I've received here.
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Old 05-22-2019, 04:41 AM   #6
Bowser
 
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Location: Genoa, NE
Default Re: Experimenting with a campaign mode

I will enjoy reading about that. This is a great thread!

Bowser
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Old 05-22-2019, 08:47 AM   #7
TheAmishStig
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Lancaster, PA
Default Re: Experimenting with a campaign mode

My question: How do you balance who is going second? Player A's first offensive is against a fresh opponent...while player B's first offensive is against whatever is left, which unless you're always leading with a pair of "[Ogre] Attacking" scenarios is going to put Player A at a huge disadvantage.

I almost wonder if you'd be better off going with more of a PvE setup [don't swap until after the whole sequence of scenarios is complete, instead of the back-and-forth...or treat them as two separate 'instances' of the world].

That way you could do, for example, Operation Newspaper -> [Pick an Ogre] Attacking -> Raid -> Breakthrough, with only slight modifications to the Attacker setup each time.

- Run Newspaper as normal; any attacking units that survive go into a pool.

- Modify [Ogre] Attacking's victory conditions, so that varying numbers of units also go into the pool based on how the Ogre does. A Total Victory, for example, might award the full allocation for Raid, with the option of swapping for Heavies (one of the variations), while a Total Defeat would mean the Combine player gets nothing additional.

- Play Raid as normal, the Attacker gets the pool rather than the as-written allocation.

- Play Breakthrough as normal, the Attacker gets the survivors from Raid rather than the as-written allocation.

At that point, you're telling the story of a unit smuggled behind enemy lines, who after completing their mission meet up with another task force that snuck in while an Ogre was keeping an entire section of the front busy...combining forces, but end up having to force their way out once both jobs are done. The Defender getting their starting allocation every time shows that it's a single unit meeting an entire military, so you'll want to switch sides and do it again after finishing so that both players get a crack at both roles.
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Old 05-22-2019, 12:13 PM   #8
Tim Kauffman
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Pennsylvania
Default Re: Experimenting with a campaign mode

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheAmishStig View Post
That way you could do, for example, Operation Newspaper -> [Pick an Ogre] Attacking -> Raid -> Breakthrough, with only slight modifications to the Attacker setup each time.

- Run Newspaper as normal; any attacking units that survive go into a pool.

- Modify [Ogre] Attacking's victory conditions, so that varying numbers of units also go into the pool based on how the Ogre does. A Total Victory, for example, might award the full allocation for Raid, with the option of swapping for Heavies (one of the variations), while a Total Defeat would mean the Combine player gets nothing additional.

- Play Raid as normal, the Attacker gets the pool rather than the as-written allocation.

- Play Breakthrough as normal, the Attacker gets the survivors from Raid rather than the as-written allocation.

At that point, you're telling the story of a unit smuggled behind enemy lines, who after completing their mission meet up with another task force that snuck in while an Ogre was keeping an entire section of the front busy...combining forces, but end up having to force their way out once both jobs are done. The Defender getting their starting allocation every time shows that it's a single unit meeting an entire military, so you'll want to switch sides and do it again after finishing so that both players get a crack at both roles.
Nice! This would be a awesome addition to the STEAM game as a Campaign!
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Old 05-22-2019, 04:27 PM   #9
chicagoviking
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Default Re: Experimenting with a campaign mode

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheAmishStig View Post
At that point, you're telling the story of a unit smuggled behind enemy lines, who after completing their mission meet up with another task force that snuck in while an Ogre was keeping an entire section of the front busy...combining forces, but end up having to force their way out once both jobs are done. The Defender getting their starting allocation every time shows that it's a single unit meeting an entire military, so you'll want to switch sides and do it again after finishing so that both players get a crack at both roles.
I do like the story this creates. Thanks for the suggestions.
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Old 05-22-2019, 06:45 PM   #10
Tim Kauffman
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Pennsylvania
Default Re: Experimenting with a campaign mode

Quote:
Originally Posted by chicagoviking View Post
Thanks for the ideas, Tim! I like the concept of GEV pilots getting better as they survive scenarios.

Tonight I played 4 more games, just kinda making up the scenarios as I went along.

Final results, now that this cruel war is over:

Remaining Combine forces:
None. They were completely destroyed.

Remaining Paneuro forces:
1 Mobile Howitzer
1 Missile Tank
6 Infantry

Tomorrow I will start a new campaign, incorporating the fine suggestions I've received here.
You're Welcome. Thanks for sharing your solo adventures in The LAST WAR.
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