15. Chapter Fifteen

Team Play (Optional)

Team play is an option where a small group of players run and control a larger group of characters. There are several ways this can be handled.

Classically every player runs one character in a role playing game, but this is convention only. There is nothing that says you can’t run one, two or a bunch of characters at the same time. It isn’t really all that much harder to run two characters than it is to run one.

In several games I have played we had two or more characters available to us, but we only used one of them at a time, during a single adventure/session. This can be useful with games that have mortality rates, you just swap to your alternate character. This is better than fudging the arrival of a complete stranger.

Running multiple characters also works well when you have only 2 or 3 players, it gives them a much more viable group and prevents the GM having to scale down everything to suit the numbers they have playing.

In a game like FC, where there are 8 different character archetypes, but you only have 4 players, you can allow them to run 2 characters each. But if you have 5 players that doesn’t work as well, and you are still short of the 8 that would be ideal.

There are two options I am suggesting to handle this:

Spare Character Pool:

Where each player has one primary character they run, and any extra characters that may be needed, or wanted, are placed in a pool and are available to any player to act with at anytime. When a player wants to act, if they want to use one of the pool characters, they just do it.

Shared Character Pool:

This is a full extension of the pool idea. Players do NOT have a fixed character, they all share all the characters. When a player wants to act they simply select a character they wish to do it with and do it. AW mechanics actually lend themselves to this style of play.

You can include some controls, such as the same player cannot control two characters in a row (although they can suggest what another does). This can be prone to dominant players taking control, but there are some systems you can put in place to handle this, and that you would probably do anyway.

In the first case the pool characters sheet is simply left in the centre of the table when not being used, which means the last person to use it puts it back, relinquishes the sheet to show they are finished with it. When a player wants to act, and if they wish to do so with a pool character, they simply take control of the sheet and do what they do, then return the sheet to the centre.

Another option would be to give everyone a copy of the pool characters, but then someone needs to be responsible for updating those sheets and keeping everyone uptodate.

If you find you have trouble controller who acts with pool characters, for eg one player tends to hog one of the sheets, you could bring in a rotation rule. Have a token that represents access to the pool and only the player with the token can take control of the pool character at any one time. Once they have used the token they pass it to the player on their left. Nothing stops any player from suggesting actions, but only the token controller can act in the voice of the pool character.

TEAM Rules.

The characters are a Team, trained as an elite unit, to work together, to know each other. It makes sense that they should be able to do things as a Team that will give them advantages over opponents who have no capacity to do so. Practise and training have their advantages, or should.

The following rules deal with Team Moves and the Team Playbook.

The Team Playbook is used to cover all the abilities, scores and Moves that relate to the Team as a whole. In one sense you could add all the base Moves to the Team sheet, as all members get them, but that would just fill space.

Things that are on the Team Playbook are their Performance Ratings (as a Team), their Team Rating in comparison with the other Teams, their Loans and Borrowings, and their Team Moves (see later).

Using Hx as Bonds.

As an obvious extension of the Team idea you can use the Hx rating between players as a Team Bonding level. The Bonding value can be applied to the Team Moves where applicable, generally using your Hx value toward the Caller of the Move.

TEAM MOVES.

Teams will gain Team Moves as a start, and as an advancement option. Team Moves are actions that require the participation of more than one person, upto the entire Team. Those involved in the Team Move will act together, at the same time, gaining specific benefits, and sometimes negatives, toward achieving some result. Team Moves are considered one Move, the entire Team acting at the same time, without interruption. Each member can only act once however, unless noted.

Team Moves are inherently tricky and attract a modifier based on the Move. This will be shown in the title, in brackets, and is applied to all members who involve themselves in the Move.

An example, and starting, Team Move is:

Cover Me! (-1)

Type: ranged support.

Members: 2 to 8

Benefit: Hold points generated.

Negatives: -1 Forward for each responder, 1 Ammo for each -1 not used.

Effect: one person has called for cover fire to support their next action. Those members of the Team that elect to answer the call will each generate a -1 Forward, as a pool.

The responders may elect to perform an Inflict Damage Move (or other acceptable ranged support) to support the Caller. They may use a -1 Forward from the pool generated, optional. A 7-9 will generate 1 Hold, a 10+ will generate 2 Hold.

Hold points can be used by the Caller to generate the following:

• Gain +1 Forward, upto +2.
• Generate an extra move.
• Ignore an Ammo use requirement.

Hold the Line (-1)

The team puts down co-ordinated fire

Flanking Move (-1)

The team seeks to remove the enemy's defensive benefits

Withdrawal (-1)

Team does an organised withdrawal

Incoming (-1)

Warn and assist everyone to find cover.

Medic! (-1)

Help the healer to get to someone.

Crossing the Street (-1)

Enter the Room (-2)

The Team Sheet

The Team Sheet is used to record those facts that the Team, as a whole, have gained. This can be Team Moves, equipment, borrowings, loans, stashes, and ratings and reviews