Post by Finarvyn on Dec 7, 2019 18:57:14 GMT -6
I sent my Blackmoor D&D characters into a strange mist that caused them to wind up on Barsoom. They are struggling to learn the language and have encountered some Barsoomian monsters. Then they arrived at Zodanga and wanted to see the Jeddack. I told them they had to do well at the "great games" and that might attract the attention of someone higher up the administrative food chain.
So I had them play a game of Jetan.
What I told them is this:
• Jetan is played on a 10x10 board. Pieces have different names and different movement than our chess, but we are going to simplify and use our chess board and pieces.
• Maximum move for any piece is 3 squares.
• Movement through a square does not cause battle, but ending on a square does.
• The game ends when (1) a princess is captured, or (2) if a Chief defeats a Chief.
How I ran the pieces is as follows:
Pawn = Padwan. Can move one square in any direction, except cannot move diagonally backwards. HD = 1, AC = 11, damage = 1d6+1.
Rook = Dwar. Can move up to 3 squares on any row or column. HD = 5, AC = 13, 2 attacks per round, damage = 1d6+1.
Knight = Warrior on Thoat. Can move as regular chess knight. HD = 3, AC = 10, damage = 2d6+2.
Bishop = Flyer. Can move up to 3 squares diagonally. HD = HD = 3, AC = 13, damage = 1d6+2.
Queen = Princess. Can move up to 3 squares in any one direction. Cannot attack or be attacked, but can be captured.
King = Chieftain. Can move one square in any direction. HD = 9, AC = 13, 2 attacks per round, damage = 2d6+2.
How I arrived at my numbers:
I started with a Google search to find out the point value of each piece. That became my HD number. I assumed that pieces at Hero (L4) and above would get two attacks. (I probably should have given the Chieftain 3 attacks, but it worked out pretty well as is.) I figured that Barsoomians don't wear much armor, but I gave a dex bonus to the AC for the Dwar and Chieftain. Also an AC bonus for the Flyer. Then bigger damage to the Chieftain and the Thoat rider.
In the first couple of turns I used a "hit equals 1 HD" method so that I could avoid tracking too much data. I switched this to "2 hits equal one HD" after a bit because the pieces were getting slaughtered too quickly.
When a PC fought a piece I let the PC roll regular attack numbers. When a piece fought a piece I used a chart that I designed to determine quickly which one got eliminated. Basically, it takes the piece's value and compares it to the other piece's value and generates a percent for each to die. One die roll and done. I will post more about combat later, if anyone is interested.
How the adventure session went:
Basically, I tried to keep the game as chess-like as possible but give the characters control of one side so they could strategize on how to beat my guys. I set up the board and let their minis replace whichever pieces they wanted, but they had to move like the piece they replaced. One character took the place of a rook, two took the roles of bishops, and one a knight. It was interesting because they are so used to having characters assist one another, but on the chessboard each piece had to fight alone. That really caused them to rethink strategy. I was worried for several days that they would think that playing chess instead of having a regular D&D battle would be lame, but they really got into it and looked at the scenario more like a puzzle challenge than a slogfest battle. The party was winning big at first, then their first character (their tank) went down and was removed from the playing field. They got more tentative after that. At one point I had threatened their queen and it came down to where a single die roll could have caused them to lose, but they lucked out and stayed in play. Eventually they managed to remove all of the pieces from my side except for the Princess, and I ruled that the Princess couldn't attack and thus the party won the game.
So I had them play a game of Jetan.
What I told them is this:
• Jetan is played on a 10x10 board. Pieces have different names and different movement than our chess, but we are going to simplify and use our chess board and pieces.
• Maximum move for any piece is 3 squares.
• Movement through a square does not cause battle, but ending on a square does.
• The game ends when (1) a princess is captured, or (2) if a Chief defeats a Chief.
How I ran the pieces is as follows:
Pawn = Padwan. Can move one square in any direction, except cannot move diagonally backwards. HD = 1, AC = 11, damage = 1d6+1.
Rook = Dwar. Can move up to 3 squares on any row or column. HD = 5, AC = 13, 2 attacks per round, damage = 1d6+1.
Knight = Warrior on Thoat. Can move as regular chess knight. HD = 3, AC = 10, damage = 2d6+2.
Bishop = Flyer. Can move up to 3 squares diagonally. HD = HD = 3, AC = 13, damage = 1d6+2.
Queen = Princess. Can move up to 3 squares in any one direction. Cannot attack or be attacked, but can be captured.
King = Chieftain. Can move one square in any direction. HD = 9, AC = 13, 2 attacks per round, damage = 2d6+2.
How I arrived at my numbers:
I started with a Google search to find out the point value of each piece. That became my HD number. I assumed that pieces at Hero (L4) and above would get two attacks. (I probably should have given the Chieftain 3 attacks, but it worked out pretty well as is.) I figured that Barsoomians don't wear much armor, but I gave a dex bonus to the AC for the Dwar and Chieftain. Also an AC bonus for the Flyer. Then bigger damage to the Chieftain and the Thoat rider.
In the first couple of turns I used a "hit equals 1 HD" method so that I could avoid tracking too much data. I switched this to "2 hits equal one HD" after a bit because the pieces were getting slaughtered too quickly.
When a PC fought a piece I let the PC roll regular attack numbers. When a piece fought a piece I used a chart that I designed to determine quickly which one got eliminated. Basically, it takes the piece's value and compares it to the other piece's value and generates a percent for each to die. One die roll and done. I will post more about combat later, if anyone is interested.
How the adventure session went:
Basically, I tried to keep the game as chess-like as possible but give the characters control of one side so they could strategize on how to beat my guys. I set up the board and let their minis replace whichever pieces they wanted, but they had to move like the piece they replaced. One character took the place of a rook, two took the roles of bishops, and one a knight. It was interesting because they are so used to having characters assist one another, but on the chessboard each piece had to fight alone. That really caused them to rethink strategy. I was worried for several days that they would think that playing chess instead of having a regular D&D battle would be lame, but they really got into it and looked at the scenario more like a puzzle challenge than a slogfest battle. The party was winning big at first, then their first character (their tank) went down and was removed from the playing field. They got more tentative after that. At one point I had threatened their queen and it came down to where a single die roll could have caused them to lose, but they lucked out and stayed in play. Eventually they managed to remove all of the pieces from my side except for the Princess, and I ruled that the Princess couldn't attack and thus the party won the game.
