[Rules Development] Turn Phases

Zhu Bajie

Member
BLOOD works on a familiar I-go you-go system, the active player, being the player whose turn it is, and the passive player (or players) whose turn comes next. Each turn follows the same basic order, although special rules may force some actions to occur out of sequence, the 8 phases of a turn are as follows:

1. Orders
2. Maneuvers
3. Firing
4. Fighting
5. Reserve Maneuvers
6. Magick
7. Discipline
8. Pass Active Status

1. Orders
The active player declares the intended action of each unit.

2. Maneuvers
The active player moves the units which have orders to move, charge, or reform.

3. Firing
The active players units which have been given orders to fire do so.

4. Fighting
All troops (both the active and passive player) in hand to hand combat resolve combat.

5. Reserve Maneuvers
The active player units more than 4" away from an enemy and who hasn't fired may make a reserve maneuver.

6. Magick
The active player may cast any spells as appropriate.

7. Discipline
The active player may attempt to rally routing troops.

8. Pass Active Status
The next player becomes the active player and begins their turn.

The starting player should be the one whose Army Leader has the highest Inititive/speed, in the case of a draw, the highest Leadership/Discipline

Within each phase, all actions are taken in strict Inititive/speed order, those with the highest value first, and those with the lowest value last. Where units have equal scores, the player may decide on which takes precedent.



"Orders" may appear to be unfamiliar to some BRR adherents, but it's a good place to make Feud tests (to test if units feel animosity towards each other_ and other psychology tests. Placing it here gives room to develop a more comprehensive orders system down the line. Otherwise it can be used as a simple statement of intent.
 

Adam

Member
I really like the idea of the orders phase, it's a good way of making players think more carefully about shooting - rather than just using a firing phase to use everything to fire at one target until it's gone, then moving on to the next target with the units that haven't fired.

I'm looking forward to seeing these rules develop and giving them a go.
 

Thantsants

Member
Orders phase is a great idea.

What about placing orders counters face down next to each unit during that phase and only revealing them as actions are performed in initiative order? Could lead to some interesting situations...
 

Erny

Member
Yep orders is a good idea, they can be ignored if people want I guess, to give a more retro feel.

Fantasy warlord came with orders cards, I hand wrote two sets and cut them out, made sorted boxes for them but we never used them. Could be an interesting optional I guess.

I think in the movement phase we should give the option of a march move, which is just your regular double move. I know quite a few people don't like the march preferring the tactical options of the reserve move. But no reason we can't have both, its how we used to play. If you march that's your turn done. If you do only a single move or no move at all you can then either perform a ranged attack or reserve move.

I never quite knew if wisards could cast spells and use the reserve (or march) move.

Are you suggesting units are activated in initiative order? So dwarven mercenaries would have to go after their human employers? I sort of like that idea, perhaps characters can hold their actions to move at the same time as the unit they lead. Or just the initiative order for attacks that we all know so well?

Wining any scouting phase could give bonuses to initiative rather than auto first turn.
 

Thantsants

Member
I think it was only routing and receiving wounds in combat that stopped wizards casting?

Could troop types like skirmishers, scouts and foresters automatically move first ahead of regular troops with a higher initiative.

Characters with high initiative could choose when to move or should we use their initiative to activate the whole unit they are commanding - kind of makes sense that a well led unit could get the drop on those that are a bit slower on the uptake? Would that go for the area of influence exerted by the general too?

Personally I prefer the reserve move but giving the option to choose between that and a march move could make for some interesting tactical decisions.
 

Erny

Member
Marches or reserves was how we always played it, before 4th and marches came out. In effect it just started because we knew we would be doing a double using the reserve move so did it all in one move . Anything we wanted to leave to react to combats or keep out of the way of shooting retained it's reserve. It isn't a big thing actually but would please both schools of thought and give another all important difference.

We always just let wizards cast no mater what, except when routing, nice to know we were probably right.
 
Sounds all well and good to me. Of the few skirmishes I've played so far, reserve moves did basically become marches, since measuring out two seperate moves for each unit every turn became a drag quickly. an 'orders' phase makes all kinds of sense, too.
 

Just John

Moderator
When you say develop a more comprehensive order system do you mean Old School with written orders and having to send them via messenger, who are represented on the board and who sometimes get delayed/intercepted?
 

Zhu Bajie

Member
Just John":1vv1u3my said:
When you say develop a more comprehensive order system do you mean Old School with written orders and having to send them via messenger, who are represented on the board and who sometimes get delayed/intercepted?

I was just leaving a blank! But that sounds amazing. Fancy writing it up?

I'm now thinking BLOOD could be built out of "optional subsystems". The rules could be there for messengers, counters, or just shouting "waargh". So you can make the game how you want, but with the same foundational structure, like a toolkit.
 

Thantsants

Member
What like multiple options on how to play each phase - sounds interesting...

Might have to nick the idea about sending messages and messengers not getting through - there's a good scenario brewing there. 8-)
 

Erny

Member
Zhu Bajie":1o5gavnn said:
Just John":1o5gavnn said:
When you say develop a more comprehensive order system do you mean Old School with written orders and having to send them via messenger, who are represented on the board and who sometimes get delayed/intercepted?

I was just leaving a blank! But that sounds amazing. Fancy writing it up?

I'm now thinking BLOOD could be built out of "optional subsystems". The rules could be there for messengers, counters, or just shouting "waargh". So you can make the game how you want, but with the same foundational structure, like a toolkit.

Truth be told I think thats almost how they explained 3rd ed. I've certainly been thinking we can add more than the basics and let people pick and choose the rest. However we do need to get the basics down first. I don't think we are to far from being able to get a maybe 3 to 4 page basic basic rules set out for the fanzine. But I'll start a new post.
 

Just John

Moderator
I'll have a go at putting something simple together. Its nothing original - Old School historical gamers have been using it for years (as opposed to us illiterate Old Skool kids). I like the idea of a basic framework for the rules with optional add ons.

I think Erny is right though, the most important thing is to get the basics done first, then we can start adding on bits.
 
Okay, messengers and the like are WAY before my time... is there some kind of generic pattern of behaviour for troops left without orders? Sounds like it could get needlessly complicated...
 

Zhu Bajie

Member
GavinBranson":6zdi2xi6 said:
Okay, messengers and the like are WAY before my time... is there some kind of generic pattern of behaviour for troops left without orders? Sounds like it could get needlessly complicated...

I remember being shamelessly mocked for playing warhammer because "it doesn't even have orders, wha! ha ha ha!" by the beardy Napoleonic players at my local wargaming group - it wasn't considered a proper wargame. In many ways they are right, it is a scaled up skirmish game. The maneuvers go a long way towards getting the game more in-line with a historicals wargame, and an orders system even more so. Much of the psychology rules are about the effects of leadership, and might have been seen by BRR as a more fun replacement for traditional orders, but that's speculation on my part.

The idea is to present a few options on orders. You don't have to use a messenger system, but you can do if you'd like to.

Heck you could even have options for random charge distances in the Movement phase if you wanted to.

Hmm. Higher initiative should probably give the choice of when to activate. That might need playtesting a bit.
 
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