Player Record Sheets are the Bomb!

[beetle496]

This item I barely noticed: ”six vehicle record sheets”. I presumed it was like the old days, where we made copies.

When I opened my DA box, I literally asked out loud: ”What are these?”

I was a bit puzzled. Not something I was expecting. Okay, player mats. Shows people where to put down their cards. Seems like I should only have four though? Where is yellow and green? I did notice 10 BP (red) and 25 BP (blue). I made a mental note, that this was something to come back to…

I am not too ashamed to admit it took me two days for the significant of “six” to sink in. In my defense, I was focussed on primer and base coat for the core twelve minis. And trying to locate the paint I had purchased twenty months ago. And then a run to Hobby Town to pick up a few more things…

Only once the base coats were down did I relax a bit, and come back to look at the rest of the DA components a bit more closely. I immediately noticed how the twelve beautiful player mats were matching the twelve lovely figures which I had been spending some time with. Very nice! And kind of obvious in hind sight!

But I was still feeling a little anxious about all the cards. I have not broken the seal on any of them. It seems like a lot. Especially since I was hoping to attract players new to the genre.

Then it hit me: Cards? We don't need no stinkin’ cards!

The player mats aren’t showing where the cards go — the player mats are the cards!

This is genius! I show up on ‘open game night’ at my FLGS with my miniatures and these mats. I will have a pair of strangers duking it out in minutes. The prettiest game! The most fun game!

Three questions though:

1. Can anyone point me to where on this forum (or the KS updates) where these were first described?
2. Why not 25 BP on one side and 10 BP on the other?
3. Is there a reason why (for example) Hammer should not fight Goblin?

The Player Record Sheets are so great! But I am going to need another set…

[JimTullis]

Pretty sure the answer to question 2 is that they just weren't thinking about it. Several small design flaws have crept in. Such as why is the Crew Rules sheet so HUGE. Dropped Weapons sheet can fit in a rulebook right way round, Crew Rules, not so much.

[beetle496]

Originally Posted by JimTullis

Pretty sure the answer to question 2 is that they just weren't thinking about it.

That is probably all it is.

Several small design flaws have crept in.

My first nit pick was, Why the custom form shape for each miniature hole? Sled-sized rectangles would have given so much more flexibility! I ended up taking a photo, so it was not a puzzle each time to put the minis away.

[HeatDeath]

The more form fitting the spot in the tray is, the less the minis will bounce around in transit and the less likely they are to be injured.

[beetle496]

Granted, the boxes get thrown around. I think I saw something on KS about a piece arriving separated, and a question about what glue to use? So even with choices maximized for shipping (choices that minimized flexibility) some minimal damage happened.

The figures, thank goodness, are not particularly fragile. The inner contain walls are thin flexible plastic. I am confident if each where a hole similar to the ones provided for the cards and sleds, they would have been fine.

But I guess it does not matter. The minis will mostly live in a Matchbox travel box!

[beetle496]

Originally Posted by beetle496

Sled-sized rectangles would have given so much more flexibility!

I retract this idea, since I looked a little closer and none of the four DA mini boxes actually have all that much space to spare. Plus, I am starting to have less trouble figuring out where each car goes.

[beetle496]

I am still loving the Player Record Sheets, but having finally started to sort out the cards, I am finding that many of the weapons/accessories/etc. are not from the core game. I find this very disappointing. Is this not an admission from the developers that they could not build twelve interesting cars without resorting to the expansions?

[kjamma4]

Originally Posted by beetle496

Is this not an admission from the developers that they could not build twelve interesting cars without resorting to the expansions?

Consumer: Hey, where are these cards from? I don't have those.

SJG: Those are from an expansion.

Consumer: Hey, I need to buy those expansions.

SJG: Thank$

Marketing 101

[HeatDeath]

Originally Posted by kjamma4

Consumer: Hey, where are these cards from? I don't have those.

SJG: Those are from an expansion.

Consumer: Hey, I need to buy those expansions.

SJG: Thank$

Marketing 101

Came here for this comment. Was not disappointed.

It's not any kind of "admission" of inadequacy on the part of the Core set weapons selection.

It's an advertisement for the expansions. And an excellent one at that.

Regarding interesting vehicle types doable with the Core set, right off the top of my head:

• Big gun in the front
• Big gun in the back
• Big guns out the sides

Multiplied by

• Shred
• Slug
• Rockets
• Flamethrowers

Multiplied by

• Armor all around
• Armor front back
• Armor sides

Multiplied by

• Buff acceleration
• Buff braking
• Buff targeting
• Buff colliding

Multiplied by

• Armored Beer Refrigerator

I end up at somewhere in the general neighborhood of 200 distinct families of builds, with another 3-4 variations on each.

[I am honestly a little surprised lasers didn't make it into the Core set, but there are a couple of them on the record sheets, so it's still good.]

[HeatDeath]

The expansions, btw, add laser, shock, and melee weapons, extremely fine grained structural armor options, maneuvering/control buffs, and a whole ton of other miscellaneous stuff.

Oh, and I didn't even talk about crew abilities yet.

The number of even high-level classifications of different build family permutations must be well into the 4-5 digits.