The Great Plastic War

[Ranger900]

Hello all who are reading this, and thanks for looking in on my admittedly not entirely descriptive from the topic idea.

The Great Plastic War would be a light stat strategy game based on the Armymen toys that were (and still are) just about everywhere in North America. The idea would be that each player starts as a bucket of sapient Armymen (think Toy Story) in a room. These Armymen are able to harvest plastic objects scattered throughout the room to create more of themselves along with vehicles and special troopers, and as time goes on plastic points can be fully melted down, moved (by teams of Armymen or by the mysterious humans), and replaced with new objects in different places. Leading to a regularly changing strategic environment for the various armies to battle over for supremacy of the room.

But the other Armymen are not the only dangers, for they lurk around every corner for the diminutive soldiers. Base scattering winds, bugs, and who knows what else can sweep through the room and change things even further.

Hopeful # of players to start
This game would aim to start if we can get 3 or more players. More players can result in more rooms being opened up.

Mechanics

The Mechanics to this game would be relatively simple, as each army has an effectively identical selection of units. Each turn players would send in orders for what they want to do during the 'night' phase, well the 'day' phase is used for random events and the collection of resources. Superweapons can be potentially found among the things set up around the room (heat beam magnifying glass for example)

Orders
Each player can send as many Army orders as they want, but each unit can only be used once per turn, and if you send me a hundred different single unit orders I will be displeased.

Each player gets one basebuilding order, that includes any buildings they want to build that turn (and a general idea as to where you want them built, but it can only be within your own territory)

Units
The average unit description will look like this
Name (Amount of Plastic to produce)
M(Movement): X Tiles per turn, assume there is a regular square grid with each square being the size of the base squares (units can move diagonal), S(Strength/Average Damage dealt during attack): X, T(Toughness/Health points): X, Notes: Special unit notes

Infantry Team - Rifle (5 Plastic)
M:1, S:1, T:10
Infantry Team- MG (15 Plastic)
M:1, S:5, T:3 Notes: Can Fire at Aircraft/Helicopters
Infantry Team- RPG/Bazooka/Whathave you for Anti-tank (25 Plastic)
M:1, S:3 to Infantry, 15 to Tank, T:3
Tank (50 Plastic)
M:1, S:5, T:15
Heavy Tank (100 Plastic)
M:1, S:10, T:30
Halftrack/APC (30 Plastic) Notes: Can Transport 3 Infantry Teams
M:2, S:3, T:5
Plane (Fighter) (200 Plastic)
R:4, S:10, T:10 Notes: Can only operate within 4 tiles of a base, an airfield and instead runs Automatic Air Patrols with a 80% chance to intercept the first helicopter in said range, and a 60% chance to intercept fighters
Helicopter (Ground attack) (150 Plastic)
M:3, S:15, T:10
Helicopter (Transport) (150 Plastic) Notes: Can transport 1 Infantry Team
M:3, S:1, T:5
Harvester
R:6, S:0, T:2 Notes: Operates within 6 tiles of a plastic processor, harvests 50 plastic per turn

Combat
Combat is going to be relatively simple, all units on a tile may attack any units in a tile immediately around them (except when ontop of something, see below) and if units from two armies end up in the same tile they will automatically fight eachother (unless orders specifically say they are working together).

During combat, each team involved rolls using their listed strength as their Mean roll, with a 2.5 positive minus standard deviation. So it is possible to hit above or below their listed strength in any combat. Damage is assigned based on preferred targeting, with Infantry targeting other infantry first (exception is AT which targets tanks first), Tanks target other tanks first, and the Helicopter targets tanks first.

Passing over and under objects
Some items, as described in the Map, can be passed over or under. Passing under objects is simple, and does not slow down progress at all, though there are many dangers under The Bed and The Dresser. Being underneath something does provide protection from aircraft, and in the case of The Bed and The Dresser, some protection from random events.

Passing over objects drastically slows down movement (except for movement by air) but confers major fighting bonuses to anyone holding the top of the object, and gives units ontop of the object the ability to fire up to two squares away (or rounded to three squares if this would leave the range midway through a square) away, instead of the usual one square.

Base Building
Being this is more of a focused strategy game then a wider reaching GSG, their will be basebuilding. Currently planned buildings include but are not limited to

Infantry Mold Caster (10 Plastic) - Allows production of basic rifle infantry
Infantry Mold Caster Plus (50 Plastic) - Also allows production of MG and AT infantry
Plastic Processor (50 Plastic) - Buildings that send out harvesters to collect plastic from objects scattered throughout the room. The Harvesters can be targeted as a method of cutting of logistics.
Tank Mold Caster (50 Plastic) - Allows the construction of Tanks and Halftrack/APCs
Tank Mold Caster Plus(100 Plastic) - Also allows the construction of Heavy tanks
Air Mold Caster (200 Plastic)- Allows production of Helicopters
Air Mold Caster Plus (200 Plastic)- Also allows Production of Planes
Airbase(50 Plastic) - Allows planes to base here for air patrols.

Defensive Structures cannot attack, they only factor in when the tile they are built in is attacked.
Watchtower (25 Plastic)- Basic defensive structure, used to secure forward bases
S:5, T:10
Pillbox (100 Plastic) - Stronger defensive structure, used to deter heavy enemy assaults on an area.
S:20, T:40
Anti Air (75 Plastic)
S:10, T:5

Resource Points
Resource points are organized currently into two different types, Large(Yellow) and Small(Blue). Small Resource points have on average, 300-500 plastic, well Large Resource Points have 2000-3000 plastic. Harvesters will automatically go for the closest resource points


(IRC channel if you have questions)
http://www.coldfront.net/tiramisu/
/join #TGPW

 

[alexander23]

ohhh i am interested...glory to the Cream Army!!!!!!!

 

[05060403]

Count me in.

 

[Deaghaidh]

Clever.

I'd suggest other environmental hazards, such as:

The dog. Effectively a Kaiju, invincible, eats/tramples soldiers and structures indiscriminately. Likewise the cat, who does less trample damage but is stealthy and has a horrible hairball attack.

Under the Bed, a Mordor style nightmare battlefield.

Under the dresser, even worse, a hellish dimension from which few eacape

Furniture in general as harrowing mountains, hard to climb but with massive high ground bonus.

 

[Ranger900]

The Dog/Cat idea is definitely going in the game (Along with a few other dangers that I'm not putting here yet to avoid spoiling the surprise of their arrival)

Same with Furniture, though the Under the Bed and Dresser ideas were not something I thought of before, but I wish I did They'll be going into the game as well.

Also if we get enough players/game goes long enough, the Garden may come into play (along with rooms like the Kitchen and the Basement)

 

[BlackBishop]

Think I'll give this a shot... maybe head to my local dollar store and buy a tub of the plastic toys to prepare.... Though strictly for research purposes!

 

[BlackBishop]

Colonel Hertz

Ptsd suffering commander of a box of Army Men slated for recall, due to the overwhelming number of broken pieces and melted units from exposure to a heating grate in the factory.

Dubbed Refund Company, Hertz and his rejects control the shag carpet sampler jungle in the corner of the bedroom.

 

[Deaghaidh]

I think both sides should worship The Hands, the inscrutable, capricious, often sticky force which compels them to fight forever.

 

[BlackBishop]

I think both sides should worship The Hands, the inscrutable, capricious, often sticky force which compels them to fight forever.

The horror.... The horror!

 

[Ranger900]

Nah, the Great Plastic War happens without the Humans realising the full extent of it. They may have bought the Army Men, but there is a reason all the actions happen during the 'Night' phase.

 

[alexander23]

Colonel Herrera

Commander of the nicnamed: Kitsune Force (or the fox army). Colonel Herrera was the only commander to survive of the great SandBox campaign. The hellish sand with no end, the deadly traps, the never ending sun drove him to become ruthless, bloodthirsty and clever in his ways of fighting.. All the men in his forces are veterans of the SandBox and follow the man that allowed them to escape with their live from it unconditionally.

 

[jacob-Lundgren]

Sounds awesome, good luck.

 

[05060403]

Seeing how everyone else who is participating is posting their leader character I guess I have no choice but do the same.

Karl Österman is the veteran of Cold Offensive in which he and his army pushed the enemy to their last bastion. Most of his men were tired and the long supply routes made ammunition and fuel invaluable. The lack of those supply proved to be fatal, because from that point forward the 7th Company "Winter's scythe" kept loosing battles. after that failed campaign Karl made an oath to avenge his fallen soldiers and defeat everyone who stood in front of his men.

 

[Deaghaidh]

Nah, the Great Plastic War happens without the Humans realising the full extent of it. They may have bought the Army Men, but there is a reason all the actions happen during the 'Night' phase.

Well, the humans being unaware doesn't mean the soldiers are unaware. Even if they aren't conscious during the day, how do they explain waking up in different places?

Also, if all fighting happens at night, how will we abuse the magnifying glass?

My character will be a Green Helicopter pilot. His name is Lt Gary Blevins, but he insists on being called Viridian Thunder.

 

[Ranger900]

....You have seen the holes in my plan. Regardless though what I more meant is the Soldiers are moving themselves (Again, think Toy story, or the Armymen Playstation games)

Also need to pick a different colour then Green, cause Blackbishop beat you to it.

 

[BlackBishop]

I was kind of hoping to be a mish mash of the broken and discarded toys of various colours, if at all possible. Perhaps Deag can travel up the wall trim to the shag carpet sampler jungle in order to dispatch the insane Col Hertz... Just how far up the wall trim? Pretty far, Chief.

 

[Thandros]

Definitely sounds like this might be interesting to get involved in. Also Need leader Character.

Roman Zharkov is a veteran of many battles. So Many he has actually lost count. Leading red army forces for longer than he can remember which isn't particularly long but regardless he is an extremely capable commander who believes that all Army men should be equal but that other commanders prevent him from achieving this. One of only a handful of men ever to survive a campaign in the Freezer nothing holds any more fear for Zharkov after that nightmare campaign in a frozen wasteland.

 

[Deaghaidh]

....You have seen the holes in my plan. Regardless though what I more meant is the Soldiers are moving themselves (Again, think Toy story, or the Armymen Playstation games)

Also need to pick a different colour then Green, cause Blackbishop beat you to it.

I thought more than one player could be in each army, so I figured I'd be air cav for Team Green

 

[AzagalTheGreat]

Ill claim a orange soldier faction

 

[Ranger900]

Okay well unfortunately I wasn't able to make the map as nice as I would have liked, I atleast managed to get a map. Until I can find a better solution we'll use this autoCAD one.

Red-Top Left = Thandros/Zharkov
BrownGrey-Bottom Left = Alex/Herrera
Dirty Orange-Bottom Center = DG/Unknown
Grey-Top Center = 05060403/Österman
Green-Bottom Right = Deag/Blevins
Green-Top Right = Bishop/Hertz

Yellow items = Major plastic points
Blue Items = Minor plastic points
The Dresser, The Kids Chair, and The Bed can be passed under or over, the Half-Wall and Counter can only be passed over.

Edit: For Reference, here is the Grid version of the map

Spoiler