Failure is an Option

Back in Issue 2 of Spellcaster Magazine, I included an article called ‘Frostgrave Mech War’, which used the basic Frostgrave mechanics, but converted them for use with big stompy robots. I even included a scenario. Since then, I have dabbled with the rules off-and-on. I created new weapons systems and a bunch of new mechs. Last night, with my wife out, and the kids in bed, I decided to break everything out and have a play.

I devised a quick scenario which had four mechs and two tanks from my Firehawks Legion attacking a small base guarded by a pair of mechs. Those mechs would soon be reinforced by a motorized infantry company.

The game started well enough. In the initial clash three mechs were destroyed, and the scenario seemed to be playing fine. But… the longer I played, the more I rolled the dice, the more I realized that I didn’t have a good handle on my own rules. I had introduced so many new variables that I no longer intuitively understood the mathematics behind what was happening. Without this understanding, my actions became increasingly random.

I ended the game halfway through and paused for thought. I realized that the original scenario I had written was very limited. It only includes two types of mechs with very specific objectives. I had thus been able to balance that scenario through simple trial-and-error. With all the new weapons and mechs I had created, trial-and-error wasn’t going to cut it. As a game designer, I should really understand the probability behind any action I take, if not exactly, then at least generally. Also, I realized that the rules didn’t have the correct feel to me. What makes sense for Frostgrave, what felt right in rolling dice in that game, just no longer felt right for a mech game.

Thankfully, I was really just working on this game for my own amusement, not for work. So, for the moment, I have decided to just give up on it. I think, if I want to do a mech game, I need to discard most of the Frostgrave mechanics and start from the ground up. That is more time and commitment than I want to give it right now.

Oh well, I guess it is back to Battletech.

By-the-by, that super awesome hexed game mat is by Cigar Box Battles and is highly recommended.