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13:35, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Warhammer 40k skirmish pbp.

Posted by billiam
billiam
member, 88 posts
Tue 8 May 2018
at 04:13
  • msg #1

Warhammer 40k skirmish pbp

Anyone ever try to play by post any low point 40k matches? I have no desire to do a large point game but something low might be fun.

Any thoughts? Also anyone ever do tactical play for deathwatch of any of the other 40k RPGs?
GreyGriffin
member, 195 posts
Portal Expat
Game System Polyglot
Tue 8 May 2018
at 05:04
  • msg #2

Warhammer 40k skirmish pbp

I think the main problem with minis and skirmish games is the presentation - how do you present the tabletop and measure on it turn by turn?
GhostShipBlue
member, 103 posts
Punk rock joy!
Molotovs in stemware.
Tue 8 May 2018
at 05:59
  • msg #3

Warhammer 40k skirmish pbp

In reply to GreyGriffin (msg # 2):

I've run and played the Deathwatch RPG pretty effectively here. A small game should be a workable thing.

Games can have multiple maps and maps can be replaced as needed. Easiest thing to do would be make everyone GMs and build the maps with squares or hexes to adjudicate movement and range. I've found this faster and easier than measuring inches but we'll get to that in a minute.

I don't know 40K mini rules since 2nd edition or something so I'll skip specifics - but the core principles remain, I'm sure.

So, we have our map. Everyone is going to need an image editor that handles layers. GIMP is free and available for pretty much every platform. Background layer is the actual map with some texture and color to set the tone. Add one layer for terrain. add a layer for the grid (hex would probably be best). Add separate layers for each side's forces. Add a last layer for templates.

Agree on a repository of terrain and markers (simple text labels could work for units).

Email or file share so that everyone has a copy of the game file. Then decide on point sizes and terrain in a thread dedicated to game set up.

Post your army list in another thread - the game thread. I'd say an agreed upon post date and time as a way to keep things fair. Post your army at noon Greenwich time a day or two before the first move. Every hour you're late the opponent gets a free point boost - say 10%?

That way it disincentivises waiting for your opponent to post, seeing her army list then taking time to optimize your army against the army they revealed on time. If you're want a chance to optimize, everyone gets some set amount of time to make changes - 12, 24 hours?

Once armies are set each player sets places terrain in their copy of the file on the terrain layer. To avoid overlapping placement and a bunch of uploads and updates, I'd suggest have defined quarters of the board. Assign each player diagonal quarters and they have to place at least one (two?) pieces of terrain in each of their quarters. Export the file to a flat jpg. Each player upload a copy to the a different game map, then everyone update their copy of the file with the appropriate terrain and deploy your "models" into the appropriate layer, export a jpg and replace the terrain map. Someone combine the two maps and export a jpg, upload it to the Main Game Map.

Rolls, damage and trash talking are handled in the game thread, and away you go. As each phase (or turn, I suspect) goes by, update your maps, export the jpg, and upload to your map, and combine into the Main map.

Bit long in the setup and not as efficient as VASSAL but workable. Why not just use VASSAL and email turns?
This message was last edited by the user at 06:05, Tue 08 May 2018.
jdtucker
member, 50 posts
Tue 8 May 2018
at 11:33
  • msg #4

Warhammer 40k skirmish pbp

I played a Necromunder game league on this site a couple of years ago but i be forgotten what it was called.  Simple gangs against each other is easier than 40k figures and on a grid.  Perhaps you  can find it or a Blood Bowl League.
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