Podracing revisited

For a while now I've been trying to hunt down my old Star Wars Podracer Micro Machines but to no avail. I thought they were somewhere at my parents' house, but I've recently been coming to terms with the idea that they were lost forever and I'd never get to  play any podracing games with them again.

But then, out of the blue, my parents presented me with an additional and unexpected birthday present last weekend. Somehow, against all odds, my father had managed to source unopened packs of all the podracers I used to have. Needless to say I was blown away by the thought and effort that went into this gift! 

8 podracers ready to be ripped from their packaging and put through their paces!

So now I can turn my attention to playing podracing again! I was going to use some rules I picked up at least 10 years ago at SALUTE, but looking at them again I'm not too sure. Instead, I'm looking at the Machinas rules from Two Hour Wargames. Although intended for post-apocalypse death races, I think they could be adjusted for podracing with a little effort. So I set about drafting these modifications and have come up with the following areas of change:

Vehicle Types:

The range of vehicles in Machinas obviously doesn't include podracers! So I've started off by replacing this with three categories of racer: Light, Medium and Heavy. Each has different modifiers during the race and can carry a different weight of modifications. 

Upgrades:

Again, most of what is needed for the post-apocalyptic wasteland doesn't apply to Star Wars, so I have done away with the decks as they stand and started to work on some setting-specific lists of upgrades to choose from instead. 

Heat and Boosting:

Generally the rules for Machinas are good as they stand, but I wanted to add something to reflect heat management and the key decision about when to boost the Podracer. I also think this will add an extra layer of decision making to the game, which I would enjoy. 

At the moment, my draft version of the rules requires the player to decide the extent of the boost applied that turn and deal with any repercussions and control issues. Then, at the end of the turn, a check is made for heat damage and the pods can reduce their heat levels. 

Rules are also included for determining how the Non-Player racers apply boost during a turn. This section was essential for retaining the solo play capability of the rules and for allowing multiple players to compete against game controlled racers.

Course and Events:

The final major change is in the courses. The tracks cover a range of terrain and each section of the course can have a particular hazard associated with it that needs to be negotiated when the pack moves into it. In addition, different environments have different random events to cover their unique dangers. 

So that's as far as I have got right now. I've drafted a working document, but just need the chance to play a few games and see how it works out. I think the combination of extra decision making and theme will make this an interesting variant for Machinas, even if I do say so myself! More news will follow after testing and I'll make a PDF version available for anyone who is interested. 

Machinas: A second look

A while back, I posted briefly about the PDF copy of Machinas that I received. Today, the postman brought a packet from THW containing a hard copy of the rules and three decks from the Indigogo level I pledged at. As a result, I thought I'd better post my first impressions pretty sharpish, as I am quite excited about this game.

The Rulebook

The rules are in standard THW format, meaning comb-bound A4 (sorry, I mean Legal or Letter, or whatever) size with card cover and back. Included is a glossy game record chart and 6 card car markers. First up, Ed at THW is genuine in his desire for feedback and a couple of points I mentioned led to clarifications in the rules. So kudos for that. Aside from that, not much has changed in them since my last post, so you can refer to that for more detail because in honesty I just want to talk about the cards right now!

Deck 1

This is the 'core' deck for the game. 66 glossy cards of good print quality covering cars, weapons, skills, and others to record game information. Here's a breakdown:

12 double sides stats cards

4 cars (all sedans)

18 cards to track the number of bonus dice drivers have left

4 defensive measures cards

8 signature cards representing special driver skills

9 car feature cards showing special upgrades

11 weapons cards including shooting and bashing weapons

I'm quite pleased with how the deck looks, feels and what it contains. It has a good mix of cards reflecting the options outlined in the rulebook. Although I would consider the cards a 'must have', it is possible to play the game without them, so you don't need to feel limited by what is contained if you want more of a specific card than is included. Perhaps dedicating 18 cards to just tracking a number could be called a little excessive, but I feel that they will be welcome when I'm actually playing the game. Also the cars are all the same, but ultimately they are just markers, so you if you wanted the 'green car' to be a pick-up instead of a sedan, that's fine. The rules for different cars are all in the book. 

Deck 2

This deck is the first of two available at the higher pledge levels. At present I don't know if the contents will be made available outside of the Indigogo campaign, but I have expressed to Ed the opinion that I really think they should be! A big part of what I like about this game is the decks. Being able to open up the new ones and find a whole load of stuff not in the rule book is just ace. Missiles, flamethrowers, heavy armour? Yes please! One minor point before I look at the contents is that the core deck has a slightly different sheen and colour saturation to the others. But given that the cards are for reference and not being shuffled and drawn from a lot, I don't consider this to be a big deal. 

So, 54 cards in this deck. The breakdown is as follows:

12 double sides stats cards

4 cars (two sedans, one SUV, one pick-up truck)

14 cards to track the number of bonus dice drivers have left

4 defensive measures cards

6 signature cards representing special driver skills

8 car feature cards showing special upgrades

6 weapons cards including shooting and bashing weapons

This deck greatly expands upon the options in the core deck and it also highlights one of the strengths of the game: if the rules can be fitted on a card, it can be printed as an expansion. No need to flick through extra books to find the details you want, it is all there in front of you while you are playing. I'm not sure the deck needed two more sedans, but that said, it is fair to say that they are a good 'all round vehicle' as presented in the rules, so it makes sense that there are a couple more for larger games. 

Deck 3

Looking at the cars, I think I might have got these decks the wrong way round. The cars in the other deck were numbered 9-12 and these are 5-8, so apologies for any confusion resulting from me putting the decks back in the wrong boxes... The preamble is the same to the deck above, so I'll crack straight on with the contents. 

54 cards again, the breakdown being:

12 double sides stats cards

4 cars (one each of pick-up, SUV, sports car, big rig)

12 cards to track the number of bonus dice drivers have left

6 defensive measures cards

6 signature cards representing special driver skills

8 car feature cards showing special upgrades

6 weapons cards including shooting and bashing weapons

I like this deck a lot. Two 'number tracking', cards are dropped in favour of two more defensive measures and more variety in the cars. The good things I mention for the deck above still stand but with a couple of small tweaks which make me prefer the card distribution. 

The Verdict

I have to say I am very happy with my three decks. I'll be the first to say that I am a picky person in my comments, and I think this is because I make no secret of loving THW products and fear appearing like a company sock puppet! 

Of course, I have not commented on how the game plays, but I will need to get a few more games under my belt before I feel happy to do so. However, from my first game before I got the cards I'd say the rules are robust and easy to follow. 

Personally I think this is a brave move from a small company. It would have been easy to just publish the rules as though they were another book like their others, but the decision to create the decks and have all you need to know on the cards is excellent. I doubt it comes cheap, so I can understand the decision to go down the crowd funding route. I'm pleased I backed it to the level I did for the product I received. 

I should also mention that there is nothing stopping players from substituting in model cars instead of using the cards, something miniatures games players may be inclined to do. 

I'm very much hoping that more decks will be made available. I'd like the option maybe to buy smaller packs of cards, perhaps without the 'tracking' cards as I feel there are plenty in the current three decks. Perhaps they could be offered as a separate option? But as it stands there is a lot of variation and options in what is available, enough to keep players entertained for a long time.

So in conclusion... Ah, forget it, I'm off to play some games... All I want to say is great job THW!

Machinas: First Look

A couple of days ago, I received the rules PDF for Machinas, the new post-apocalyptic racing game from Two Hour Wargames, which was recently successfully funded on Indigogo. The decks of cards and hardcopy of the rules should be back from the printer soon and ready for shipping, but in the meantime I was keen to give it a go using the counters provided in the PDF.

So what is it?
If you think 'Mad Max' you are pretty much there. Death races in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, with cars bashing and shooting each other, as well as vying for first place in the race. The rules cover organised races in an arena, a bit like Roman chariots, but also 'ungoverned' races in the wasteland.

Each car and driver is made up of 3 stats: Savvy (general racing ability), Tech (shooting and vehicle control) and Speed (which is pretty much what it says it is). Added to this are different weapons and equipment, the option for drawbacks which reduce the points value of your car and specific driver skills (or ineptitudes!). This all gives a good amount of customisation options. Although the information is in the rules, the game does come with a deck (or more depending on how you pledged), so you can layout all the information for the cars in front of you. You can also choose from a range of vehicles, from motorbikes all the way up to big rigs.

Rules PDF, printed cars, reference sheets. Let's race!

How does it play?
A unique aspect of this game, which I like very much, is the concept of the pack. Cars are tracked by cards, which show their relative positions in the pack. The pack itself is tracked with a marker to show where everyone is on the course. This means all the cars are in the thick of it at all times. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about this, but when I thought about it, I realised it was basically just like the kinds of films it could emulate. The cars are usually racing in a fairly tight group unless they are destroyed, in which case no one cares about them any more. Films don't concern themselves with inept stragglers, it is the skilled racers in the main pack who are of interest. And the game reflects this.

My test race in progress

The first phase in a typical turn is about positioning. Players decide if they will attempt to overtake or not. Chosing not to allows you to draft and gain a bonus die for future use. These dice are very useful as they add to what you are allowed to roll for skill checks. You start with a certain amount, usually 9, and managing this resource is an important part of the game.

Once the passing choices have been made, random events are diced for and can be good or bad depending on the result.

After events, the passing phase takes place. Cars involved roll a number of dice based on their Savvy skill, plus or minus modifiers for the type of vehicle, how many bonus dice are being used and a few other factors. If the winner is the car trying to overtake, they can either do so, or take the opportunity to shoot at or bash their opponent, which can result in damage or outright destruction!

Once all cars that wish to do so have tried to overtake, the pack marker is moved to the next section of the track and the process repeats itself.

Is there more to it than just the races?
Yes, there are also campaign rules where you can your make your way from low level races to the glory of the big arenas. This covers things like developing drivers, scrounging equipment from defeated opponents and making repairs to your vehicle. All of this is covered in rules which get the job done in a simple and effective way. There are also rules for chases and how to use the Machinas rules in other THW game systems. There are also some solid NPC rules so it is simple to set yourself up racing against the game system.

Are you going to be your usual pedantic self about the rules?
Yes, sorry. I just can't help it. By and large the rules are solid and make sense. The turn structure is simple and clearly described. On the other hand there are a few typos, most of which affect the reference sheet. Nothing too major. A couple of the rules could do with some clearer explanation, but nothing that a simple FAQ won't clear up. There are a couple of oddities in there. You need to successfully make a pass check before you decide to pass, shoot or ram. I imagine this represents the maneuvering required to bring your guns to bear, but the result is that a heavily weaponised big rig may not get a chance to even fire against a nippy sports car. Something else I noticed is that, due to a hefty negative modifier on the loss of control chart, the same big rig is more likely to flip and become a wreck. I'd have thought that part of the point of a massive, heavy vehicle, was that it just keeps on going no matter what. But more games need to be played to see how this kind of thing plays out. I'm not a great fan of house rules, but it would be a simple thing to correct if I felt it needed it.

Is this your new favourite racing game then?
It is a bit early to say. I don't feel I am doing it justice until a have played some more games and seen the decks of cards as well. Then I will be in a position to review it properly. My initial impression is that it is a fairly light game. There are some interesting decisions to be made about how you manage your pool of bonus dice and when you should try and pass other cards, but I personally would love more technical racing options and a greater choice in customising cars. But I'm the kind of guy who would really want at least twice the number of options presented in the rules, so that isn't a massive criticism by any means. I am sure if demand is high enough then more will be produced (or fans will come up with their own).

Okay, wind this up now... Do you like it?
Yes, I do. Despite some of the early observations above, I had good fun racing my car in the wastelands. I kept on wanting just one more turn and half way through the race I realised that yes, there was certainly some strategy involved and my neglect of that fact was why I was at the end of pack. Whoops! I'm looking forward to the decks arriving and will write about the 'whole package' once I have some more games under my belt to make a full and fair assessment.

Oh, and how did your race end?

Badly. I worked my way to the front of the pack and tried to overtake the sportscar in the lead, which promptly dumped a box of nails on me and caused me to lose control and wreck my car.

See, I said that management of the bonus dice pool for when you really need them is an important part of the game!

An inglorious end. But I'll be back for more.