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Best Two Player Scenarios?

Started by Alyster Wick, June 09, 2015, 04:51:56 AM

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Alyster Wick

I've been slowly working to build up participants in games of Inquisitor. I've come to the conclusion that I need to be able to pull off some one on one games as schedules are messy, but it's a challenge to GM or write a scenario that is GM-less. I wanted to throw it out to the hive mind, does anyone have any preferred scenarios for two players? Preferably good intro scenarios?

greenstuff_gav

alot of my scenarios are self-running; all you need is someone to keep track of whose turn it is
it's generally easy to run something objective-based; Place X number of objective s across the board and players get points for doing Y with them, where Y is interact, destroy or carrying

Malifaux has some good examples; you draw 6 "Schemes" and players pick 2; these are your objectives for the game; i liked how they weren't always even contrary
this inspired Plot Cards in The Eramus Affair, something that players forgot about!

i found the Secrets and Lies campaign pack recently and that had a load of "loose" scenarios in; will have to see about getting it scanned!
i make no apologies, i warned you my ability to roll ones was infectious...

Build Your Imagination

MarcoSkoll

One I've used a few times is to take six numbered counters, put them face down, then shuffle them into buildings around the board. Roll a D6, then both players have to secure the real deal. Throw in an initiative or sagacity test (I've often used Int/2 - 10 as the modifier) that the character has to pass before the player can check the token, add some simple rules for how the tokens can be carried (if at all), write some narrative about what the tokens represent (tomes of knowledge, possible entrances to underground tunnels, etc) and you're ready to go.

As the GM doesn't know which token is which any more than the players, it's perfectly feasible for them to get involved in the game. It's also a fairly simple scenario which can be approached many ways - bluffs, double bluffs, feints, threats and bribery are just as common as outright brute force, so there's fair RPing options for players.
S.Sgt Silva Birgen: "Good evening, we're here from the Adeptus Defenestratus."
Captain L. Rollin: "Nonsense. Never heard of it."
Birgen: "Pick a window. I'll demonstrate".

GW's =I= articles

Alyster Wick

Thanks for the suggestions! Marco, yours is nice and simple, I'll definitely keep it in my back pocket.

I have a game scheduled for this coming Monday, I'm going to use a modified version of the first Eramus mission. There will be between 6 and 8 data stations, you pass an SG test and roll a d6 to see how many points you get from researching the slate (with a +1 for every full ten points you pass your SG test by, up to a max of +4). Players keep a secret tally of how many points they have, not revealing them until the end of the game. At the end of the game, the player with the most points wins.

Additional Rules: You can re-test for more points at any location, but you can only score once per location. Your score does not drop if you retest and get fewer points. Individual characters who take the SG test are considered to be the ones holding the information. If they are taken out of action at the end of the game their points are lost.

Players may opt to "give" points to another player. They are considered to be verbally passing information over to them. Information can be transmitted at one point per action and the receiving player must pass an SG test to understand and retain the knowledge. This is considered to be "back up" points, meaning that no new information points are generated, but a second character now has the information in the case that the character who performed the original research is taken out of action. A character may attempt to barter information with an enemy using the same mechanic and applying the points to a given research station.

An enemy character may attempt to intimidate or torture a character having information. To intimidate, the enemy takes a Leadership test and applies the percentage by which they pass as a negative modifier to a nerve test taken by the character they are intimidating. An enemy character may also attempt to torture information out of a subject based on the circumstances using the same mechanic ( replacing Leadership w/ Strength and Nerve w/ Toughness). A character receiving information must always pass an SG test to retain it, regardless of the circumstance. When a character transmits information to an enemy, that enemy gets a +1 bonus to their overall information score (no need to parse it out to a specific site) per action of the transmitting player. An individual player can transmit no more than 5 bonus points overall to an enemy team.

I may revise some of that, the torture/intimidation mechanics get a little wonky, but I like the options they present! The other thing to consider is how to end the darn scenario. Generally games I play reach a natural conclusion as folks are taken out and characters have either escaped or are captured by the other side. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

MarcoSkoll

I'd perhaps simplify things a bit from that.

I'd say that once it's acquired, the information can only be passed between characters, whether wilfully or under duress, and never "copied". While you can make multiple copies at the terminals (but, as before, a player can only benefit from the best result they have from each terminal), the terminals imprint any downloaded data with anti-replication protocols as a security measure to avert major data leaks.

That simplifies any fuss with handing over data and should be easier for new/rusty players.

As far as ending a scenario, well... make it so that players can only count information that they get off table. That way the characters have a solid reason to retreat and the game should make its own end.
S.Sgt Silva Birgen: "Good evening, we're here from the Adeptus Defenestratus."
Captain L. Rollin: "Nonsense. Never heard of it."
Birgen: "Pick a window. I'll demonstrate".

GW's =I= articles

Alyster Wick

Quote from: MarcoSkoll on June 11, 2015, 06:19:07 PM
I'd perhaps simplify things a bit from that.

I'd say that once it's acquired, the information can only be passed between characters, whether wilfully or under duress, and never "copied". While you can make multiple copies at the terminals (but, as before, a player can only benefit from the best result they have from each terminal), the terminals imprint any downloaded data with anti-replication protocols as a security measure to avert major data leaks.

That simplifies any fuss with handing over data and should be easier for new/rusty players.

As far as ending a scenario, well... make it so that players can only count information that they get off table. That way the characters have a solid reason to retreat and the game should make its own end.

All brilliant. Each player will get a certain number of blank data slates which they can distribute between their group before the game begins. Once the SG test is taken, the slate will be assigned a point value and that will be that. It makes things so much easier (and much more fun). It makes bartering so much easier (and stick-ups that much more dramatic).

The whole "only info taken off the table counts" dynamic is great too. It gives a good incentive for folks to leave and a natural end to the game. My main concern now is to resist the temptation to throw in additional NPCs just because I have the models... (plus I like to give players something to fight with if they end up getting along too well).

The grand plan will be to run this scenario a few times w/ different players. They'll be investigating the Data Tomb of a recently deceased (assassinated) Inquisitor and the winner (w/ most data points) will get to choose the plot thread to follow (I have three or four). I'll do a proper write up for the scenario and post it here.

Alyster Wick

Thanks for the input! Played the game today, went great, posting a battle report soon. Here's the final language I used.

Overview:
Lord Inquisitor Bolivar has been murdered, throwing the power structure of the Hadronian Conclave in upheaval. His top acolytes see this as an opportunity to seize power for themselves and a frantic battle has begun to succeed their master. While the elite fight over the grand prize, however, his lesser servants are left to make a quick throne in whatever manner they can. The result has been a huge boon in the black data market.   

Mission:
You have gotten coordinates from one of Bolivar's old informants that allegedly point to a secret Data Tomb on the outskirts of Arcada's Russet Crown. Move quickly to download whatever intelligence you can before someone else beats you to it!

Goals:
Distribute 12 data slates among your retinue and search the data tomb for access points. Download data from as many locations as you can and leave the table with your prize. It takes one action to download from an access point. On a successful SG test you have been successful! Roll a d6 and add +1 for every full ten points you passed your SG test by.
The game will end when only one team has active, non-captured models on the board. Once a slate has been removed from your original table edge you will count your points towards your victory total. When the game ends any free model on the table will count the points of the data slates they have or the points of data from models they capture. You may make multiple attempts to download at each terminal but you may only count one slate from each terminal when calculating your score. Slates cannot be erased once they have data on them.