Narrativist Wargaming

[Ben Morgan]

A couple of days ago, my brother and I were thinking along almost the very same lines for a similar premise: a mob war.

Each player would be in charge of not a single character, but an organized crime faction.

There would have to be some kind of currency, that would govern not only the general influence of the faction, but also allow you to bring in specific characters (which, if simple enough in and of themselves, could be generated on-the-fly) and play them (at least part-time) like regular RPG characters.

Like Amiel, I would also want to keep a Narrativist bent to the whole affair.

No hard & fast mechanics yet, just a few basic ideas. I'll keep working on it. Later...

[contracycle]

The matrix game principle I posted a little while ago works quite well in this regard, IMO.  In fact there is a tendency for RPG-like character identification which was not an intent for which the mechanics were conceived.

[Mithras]

So what are the qualities of a war story that we find engaging?  

Well straight away I see the possibilities of dramatic storylines developing before the battle and being played out during the fight. The relationship of the commander with his aides and advisors, his relationship with his unit commanders. Their relationships with their men. The rivalries of the units. All this can be sketched out in a relationship map (of course) and the strengths of relationships under pressure mapped.

Now apply the pressure - battle.

Loyalties, rivalries, old scores, grudges, competition, honour and duty, sacrifice. The battlefield is a boiling arena for the clashing personalities of an army.

I think this is a grand idea!

[amiel]

Well straight away I see the possibilities of dramatic storylines developing before the battle and being played out during the fight. The relationship of the commander with his aides and advisors, his relationship with his unit commanders. Their relationships with their men. The rivalries of the units. All this can be sketched out in a relationship map (of course) and the strengths of relationships under pressure mapped.

Now apply the pressure - battle.

Loyalties, rivalries, old scores, grudges, competition, honour and duty, sacrifice. The battlefield is a boiling arena for the clashing personalities of an army.

Thank you, my god, thank you. Sometimes when I'm talking, I wonder if I'm communicating.
Thank you again to everyone else...I'll see what I can do with what I've got so far. I think just going over this has made it a lot more clear to me what it is I'm wanting to do.