I’ve been having a lot of fun lately mashing plastic kits together and thinking about rules for my very rules light skirmish game Gaol28. Some commenters on Instagram asked about a more advanced version which presented a good number of challenges, challenges I could think about for hours and hours.
I suppose the biggest issue is that if I expand the rules I’m very likely to lose that core simplicity and that simplicity is one of the major appeals to the rules in my mind. The combat is extremely fast paced with you only needing to make one reference to a very basic table. The table is also designed to be easily remembered, so after a couple of games you shouldn’t need to reference it at all.
If I choose to add in character progression then there isn’t really any wiggle room in the current system, you give a Brawler a +1 and they’re hitting Hunters on a 1. I’ve been considering using a D12 for attack rolls, adjusting the values on the table so they’re statistically similar to the D6 values and then that does give more space to expand. While I think the simplicity is maintained with that option, there isn’t that much more room to expand with a D12.
The Chapel Warband
Another option I’m considering is the use of multiple D6s. So to hit an enemy model you only need to roll a single 6 and the number of dice you get to roll for the attack is based on the types involved like the table before – so a Brawler attacking a Hunter might get 4, when attacking a Skirmisher get 3 and when attacking a fellow Brawler 2. The number of dice can then be further modified: heroes always get an additional die, a more experienced character against a less experienced one could get another die. You’d always get a minimum of 1 die to roll. I think that core mechanic gives lots of wiggle room upwards, but also still makes combat dangerous for even the really experienced as no matter how crappy an enemy is they can still catch you on a 6. I wonder at what point upwards though it becomes almost certain that you’ll roll at least one 6? I know from experience I’ve rolled buckets and not seen a single one, I guess no matter how many dice you roll it’s never a guarantee and I like that.
My twisted and mutated Infirmary warband.
A major concern of mine is that the 5×5 grid I’ve been using doesn’t really say Gaol, so I’m definitely looking to add in terrain rules as these battles should be taking place in cramped rooms and claustrophobic corridors. The issue there is that terrain means line of sight rules for ranged attacks, possible cover, and that puts more strain on whichever combat system I choose, not to mention makes the actual rules themselves longer. Even a simplified solution to terrain and cover can take a lot of explaining.
Character progression is something specifically asked for, and it makes sense as story based games with named characters is kind of part of the 28 brand. Given the constraints I’ve placed on myself (fitting all the rules in a single Instagram post) this also needs to be quick. I like the use of Might values from my universal skirmish game so I’ll probably steal that as a jumping off point. Initially you can pick any Might values for your minis but your warband’s total must be 100. When a mini attacks another one of the modifiers to the attack will be a comparison of their Might values – so if the attacker’s is higher they get +1 (die or +1 to their roll depending on the system), if double they could get +2 and if lower -1 or half -2 etc. This kind of system allows for essentially infinite progression which is ideal but a little more will be needed for making characters a bit more unique – traits like cowardice, stubborn, stinky… they’ll be a little harder to include.
The Solitary are the worst of the worst criminals held within the Gaol.
I also want to add in two more warbands – Seekers and Darklings. Seekers are the people coming into the Gaol looking for loot and should be simple enough to add. I don’t think they’ll be wandering off into the Ether, also I think once hit they wont be coming back from the Ether either as their lack of exposure to the Gaol means they’re much more likely to just die. The actual prisoners only come back because even in death there is no escape for them. The Darklings on the other hand are going to represent the people lost to the darkness, they should be less human and given their exposure to whatever is happening to the Gaol are far less likely to follow the laws of time or physics, I want them to play entirely differently to any other warband.
That’s a lot to think about for now.
Deathzap 
I make simplicity a starting point of a new gaming choice (and cost, as a lover of free games.) adding complexity is a delicate business. I’ve just been making cave scenery and prior to their use I’ve determined +1 to all missile fire in tunnels, where it’s fish in a barrel, and -1 to all combat attacks as the confines of the environment are misjudged. I try hard not to add too many house rules to some simple, elegant rules. Hope you find your balance!