Ideas for using Open War Cards

[Trout]

I really like the ruse cards in the Open War deck and would love to find ways to use them. I tried an open game to see how it would go, but quickly realized that despite having the lower wound count, the advantage the ruse would give me would be much too significant, so I ended up not using it. It seems clear that wounds are a poor way to gauge power. Points, although imperfect, are better than wounds. So, thinking through it, I realized you should only get a ruse when you are x points below your enemy. Then I realized this is functionally identical to saying you can buy a ruse card with x points.

 

So, for those who have the Open War Deck, what do you think of the idea of allowing people to purchase a random ruse using points? How many points would a ruse be worth? My first guess is about 120 points.

 

Sudden death cards, on the other hand, should be strictly for situations where you are out-pointed by double. So, in a 1500 point, you would buy a sudden death card for 750.

[Aginor]

Definitely going to use points instead of wounds.

As for the points for a ruse....
Depends on the army size I guess. for 2K I think 120 might be a little bit on the low side.

[Trout]

10 minutes ago, Aginor said:

Definitely going to use points instead of wounds.

As for the points for a ruse....
Depends on the army size I guess. for 2K I think 120 might be a little bit on the low side.

Good point. Army size is definitely relevant. So, maybe 10%?

1500 = 150

2000 = 200

2500 = 250

[nuttyknatty]

I love the Open War cards - but I'll probably only use them in Points battles. And the Ruse and Sudden Death cards do pose a problem if both armies are similarly pointed (which in my case, is how I always tend to play). So for that reason, I'll probably not use them much.

On a slightly different note, I plan to use the Objective, Deployment and Twist cards like this:

Deal 3 Deployment - opponent gets to burn one, I get to burn one, we play the one that's left. Same with Objective and Twist cards. Keeps things random, but allows a little management and avoids the odd mismatch (e.g a no wizard force getting Storm of Magic).

[Trout]

9 minutes ago, The Nameless One said:

I love the Open War cards - but I'll probably only use them in Points battles. And the Ruse and Sudden Death cards do pose a problem if both armies are similarly pointed (which in my case, is how I always tend to play). So for that reason, I'll probably not use them much.

On a slightly different note, I plan to use the Objective, Deployment and Twist cards like this:

Deal 3 Deployment - opponent gets to burn one, I get to burn one, we play the one that's left. Same with Objective and Twist cards. Keeps things random, but allows a little management and avoids the odd mismatch (e.g a no wizard force getting Storm of Magic).

Love this idea.

 

But I do want to find a way to use the ruse cards.

[nuttyknatty]

What about "If you lose two Priority rolls consequently you get a Ruse card"?

Might be fun?

[Trout]

18 minutes ago, The Nameless One said:

What about "If you lose two Priority rolls consequently you get a Ruse card"?

Might be fun?

I may be mistaken as I have only read a few of them, but I think some of them are used during setup (allowing you to save some units for an ambush and the like), and others rely on you setting a trap (burning a piece of scenery or something like that), so it's really something you want to have up your sleeve from the start.

[nuttyknatty]

Ah, that's true. 

Hmmm, maybe the points differential is the best way. 250 perhaps? Seeing as in the Azy App we now have the option of building 750/1250/1750/2250 lists?

[GammaMage]

What if you gave both players (in a similarly costed game) a ruse card? I'm just thinking of how fun the Blood Bowl cards are, which seem a lot like ruses, and usually both players get a few of them.

[Trout]

51 minutes ago, GammaMage said:

What if you gave both players (in a similarly costed game) a ruse card? I'm just thinking of how fun the Blood Bowl cards are, which seem a lot like ruses, and usually both players get a few of them.

Not a bad idea. So, both have tricks up their sleeve.

[Carnelian]

I like the idea of having them be worth around 100 points each

Not all of them will always be super useful so it's a bit of a gamble.

Alternatively make them 10% but you get to chose from 3

[Sadysaneto]

ill just use deploy, objectives and twists

[Trout]

48 minutes ago, Sadysaneto said:

ill just use deploy, objectives and twists

Yeah, I could see using those from time to time also, but the battleplans in the books are better.

[Wraith01]

I'll be using the Open War cards and playing more Open Play games. I just bought the Daughters of Kain set and will be testing them out, on their own, against a 2000 point Khorne list.  My sister is interested in joining in with a Death army, but hasn't bought anything yet. That way we get to use the new cards. 

As for how we will be using them, we'll just follow the instructions. Maybe replace wounds with points for simplicity... though the Warscroll builder counts both options at the same time. 

[Silchas_Ruin]

Looking forward to some games where we just use the cards as in the book.  If those games end up being with points, stuff like giving each a ruse card as mentioned above sounds fun.

For other uses of the deck I been considering adding them to normal matched play. Depending how much random you want you can again do stuff like giving each a ruse card. The sudden death cards I would make into secret missions that give extra victory points instead of a win.

Will have to actually try some games, but I think finding ways to spice up matched play games is where my Open War cards will end up seeing most use.

[Wraith01]

16 minutes ago, Silchas_Ruin said:

Looking forward to some games where we just use the cards as in the book.  If those games end up being with points, stuff like giving each a ruse card as mentioned above sounds fun.

For other uses of the deck I been considering adding them to normal matched play. Depending how much random you want you can again do stuff like giving each a ruse card. The sudden death cards I would make into secret missions that give extra victory points instead of a win.

Will have to actually try some games, but I think finding ways to spice up matched play games is where my Open War cards will end up seeing most use.

I really like that secret missions idea!

[Artobans Ghost]

3 hours ago, Silchas_Ruin said:

Looking forward to some games where we just use the cards as in the book.  If those games end up being with points, stuff like giving each a ruse card as mentioned above sounds fun.

For other uses of the deck I been considering adding them to normal matched play. Depending how much random you want you can again do stuff like giving each a ruse card. The sudden death cards I would make into secret missions that give extra victory points instead of a win.

Will have to actually try some games, but I think finding ways to spice up matched play games is where my Open War cards will end up seeing most use.

This doesn't have anything to do with the thread but I just noticed your name. I gonna guess that's from Steven Eriksons The Fall of the Malazan Empire. I've read them all and I have to say they were my favorite series ever. 

?

I have to say I'm gonna grab these cards. I think they are a brilliant addition. 

[Greyshadow]

Really enjoyed reading everyones responses. I really like the idea of using Open War Cards as a tool kit for designing narrative scenarios, rather than drawing them at least completely at random.