Multiplayer Random Turn Order

In my current Mordheim campaign, we were having a problem in larger games (5+ players) with people always just picking on the players that came in late or deployed last.

So, I decided to employ the "Deadlands" initiative order.

How does this work you ask?! What the Heck is "Deadlands"?

Deadlands was an old Weird West game with ghouls, monsters, angry Native Americans and creepy German Mad Scientists.

The multiplayer initiative system for that game was great, so I "borrowed" it for LARGE games of Mordheim.

The way it works is you take a standard deck of playing cards, and deal out 1 card to each individual warband.

Then you call out cards starting with Aces and going all the way down to 2's. Then the cards determine the order and the players never know who's going first.

Also, in case of a tie, we once had 3 fives dealt out. Then you use the "English" system of suit order. Spades, Diamonds, Hearts, and Clubs.

It works for us and it adds a heck of a lot to the larger games.

-Dr R.

That is interesting. Thanks for the idea

How were the teams "picked on" on the first turn? didn't everyone start like ~30" apart?

Sorry AShton, I don't understand your questions.

We just used the "Chaos in the Streets" multiplayer rules plus these turn order "initiative" rules.

BTW- I hadn't noticed the post earlier about using cards for turn order.

Sorry to Admin if this is a "double post".

-Dr R>

No prob, I'll rephrase. You said:

dr_Remulack wrote:

In my current Mordheim campaign, we were having a problem in larger games (5+ players) with people always just picking on the players that came in late or deployed last.

How were people picking on them during the first turn? (because after the first turn, you knew the order, and they could pick on whoever... right?)

dr_Remulack wrote:

Sorry to Admin if this is a "double post".

-Dr R>

This wasn't a double post, as this is something entirely different (although also using cards), so don't worry about it... Tom won't ban you... I don't think

Oh okay, now I understand.

Here is an illustrative example.

We have 4 warbands playing:

Possessed (Dr. R.), Orcs (Ashton), Dave (Dwarf Treasure Hunters), and Bob (Marienburgers)

4 cards are dealt, in secret to each player.

Aces are called. If someone has an Ace, they say, "Ace!" and reveal their card.

Otherwise, Kings are called. Then Queens and so on.

Here is a real life example.

Marienburgers are rated 350 and are defending a Wizards Mansion. Cards are dealt.

Possessed have an Ace. They move closer to the mansion while hugging cover.

Cards are called until we get to Jacks. Orcs have a Jack, they go next and hide in cover for this turn.

Cards are called until we get to fives, Marienburgers reveal a a five of clubs. However, Treasure Hunters have a five of spades. There fore they get to go before the Marienburgers. The dwarfs fire a few crossbow bolts and a few of their warriors move to closer cover.

The Marienburgers go next and shoot back at the dwarfs scoring 2 hits and taking a henchman out of action.

Next turn cards are dealt again. This time the Dwarfs go first, with a Queen, and they move to better cover.

The Marienburgers go next with a ten and they take a better shooting position outside of the mansion and shoot several Orcs that have little cover from this new shooting position. One of the Orc's is stunned by Longbow shots from marksmen.

The Possessed have the next turn with an 8, they decide to have a veteran mutant with sprint, hooves, and leap run up and take a stunned Orc out of action. Thus finishing the job started by the Marienburgers.

The Orcs go last and two Orcs counter charge the Mutant, unfortunately for him those Orcs both had Strike to Injure and Mighty Blow. So that Mutant went out of combat as quick as he came in.

2 Orc Arrer boys move to a shooting position and fire back at the Marienburgers' marksmen. However, Orcs are not the best archers in Mordheim and they missed completely.

The Following turn, Gork smiles on the ORcs and they are dealt an Ace of Spades, nothing beats an Ace of Spades in turn order.

The Orcs go first and choose to ignore the Possessed warband for now and proceed to charge the Marienburgers' position.

Several Marksmen fall to the Orcs and the Arrer boyz shoot at Marienburgers' in the windows. HUZZAH, 1 stunned Marienburger fell out of a window and took D3 S6 hits. Good bye.

The Possessed go next with a Jack of diamonds and they charge the Orcs in the back and take both Arrer boyz OOA.


Many Turns later-

The Marienburgers voluntarily rout because a highly experienced Possessed got inside the mansion. The Orcs routed because of casualties and low leadership.

The Possessed had to voluntarily rout as they had too many casualties from Dwarf Treasure hunter crossbow fire.

The Dwarfs won, but just because they got to the party late and everyone else had already danced without them.

In the end, the Orcs lost an Arrer boy and the Orc leader lost an eye to Marienburger crossbows.

The possessed Mutant with hooves, sprint, and leap got 2 leg injuries and was "retired".

The dwarfs became VERY rich and bought several henchman and hired a troll slayer.

All in all a good game, and because you never know who's going next it makes things ALL the more interesting.

-Dr R.

Oh! I get it. You deal another set of cards every turn. I kindof like that... definitely adds randomity to a random game.

I'd like to try this, as well as that other randomity thread with cards. (basically where each hero and henchmen group gets a card)

I would HIGHLY advise against dealing random cards to each hero and henchmen group.

That will seriously S-L-O-W down your game(s).

That is only worth doing in VERY complex games with few fighters.

Could you imagine if you were playing that way against a Skaven warband with 16 members?

It would be mind numbing after the 2nd or 3rd turn, depending on your attention span and your constitution.

dr_Remulack wrote:

That will seriously S-L-O-W down your game(s).

I disagree (if you haven't yet, read the other thread).

It actually keeps everyone playing, instead of waiting for 8 minutes for a friend to finish his turn, it keep everyone playing at practically the same time, and since it's only one model, the cards go really quick:

"8 of Hearts" Skaven hero moves, shoots. (30 seconds max)
"jack of diamonds" Merc captain charges and CC attacks
"3 of spades' Possesed get's to charge and CC

It's really pretty quick, and I think it'll keep everyone attentive... obviously, you can't do this with noobies, as it can get confusing, but with experience player, it should be pretty easy (I think I could do it, and I've only played 4 games in the last 6 years .

That is a GREAT IDEA not just for multi-player games, but, at the other end of the spectrun, solo games.

Your explanation of the mechanics was a fine piece of battle reporting [time to break out the pop corn ]. AN EXCELLENT POST! BRAVO!

I like your idea Remulack.

However we used to solve the problem by just making 2 teams and having all the players from each team move/shoot etc... at the same time.

You can thus reduce any game, with any number of players to a "A team vs B team" scenario with only 2 alternating turns. A little bit like in multiplayer WHFB battles where all generals from one team move their regiments simultaneously.

But as I said, I like your cards idea, as it is more unpredictable.

This does sound like an h’excellent idea.
Me and my circle of Mordheimers are having a chaos on the streets type thing soon (trying to play a whole campaign in one day, never gonna happen!) and I think we will have to give this a go.
I was thinking maybe adding the card “score” to the warband leaders initiative, using just one card per warband/per turn that is.
Hmm…

PLease by ALL means use the card turn order/ initiative system.

Just please give credit to the Deadlands game.

Heck some of you "cross the pond"-ers may actually like it.

Here's a link to Deadlands in case you've never heard of it.

http://www.smithandrobards.com/product_info.php?products_id=13

They also made some FANTASTIC miniatures. (I even use a few in Necromunda)

http://www.nobleknight.com/imagepage.asp?image=PEG1507.jpg&name=Devil%20Bats

http://www.nobleknight.com/imagepage.asp?image=PEG1218.jpeg&name=Pyro%20Master

Thanks a lot for the Deadlands lead. I had never heard of Great White Games and Savage Worlds before. I just had a look at the Rulebook and I like the feel of it. When I find the time I'll have a closer look at the Savage Worlds system. So far it does look good to me.