(TFT) Keeping TFT alive and played

["Kirk Woller" <kwoller@satx.rr.com>]

Definitely, my only intention is to keep TFT alive and played so that others
can enjoy this great game.  Definitely read the rules carefully, though, and
use them to your advantage as best you can, regardless of what you play and
how you play it (GMed, every man for himself, side versus side, whatever).
A good game simulation will not only tolerate this but encourage it.  The
best play comes from clever solutions to problems and that usually only
comes about through both the players and the GM pushing each other's limits.
Ultimately the GM has to decide on how "tough" to be, but this shouldn't be
based on issues in the tactical design.

I'll be going to the BoardGameGeek gaming convention in a few weeks and we
all have a good time when someone discovers a player who can really play the
rules fairly and properly, but excellently, regardless of the game.  This
sets everybody on fire and raises the level of competition and enjoyment.
And ultimately, games that aren't fun or are flawed in some way don't get
much play.  Anyone here who plays Euros knows there have been fantastic
leaps in game design related to the fundamental engines (push your luck,
empire building, etc.) and the tightness of the rules.  Some games are
almost so good now that you almost don't have to have rules, the game is
self-explanatory.  I compare that to my wargames from the 60s.  Lots of
detailed rules, but not really *that* much fun.

I think making TFT easily visible and available to anyone who comes across
the DCG or TFT or brainiac website would really make sense.  I don't think
anyone would have a problem giving anyone their due if they want to actually
protect their rights to a game.  I think the game system will snag good
players like it did all of us.  I think it has aged very well; I can think
of no other system with its clean lines and feel good thoroughness.  And I
really think that this could encourage NEW players to pick up on some of the
new adventures and allow all of the imaginative play that comes from the
advanced rules and world data inherent in TFT.  TFT is a work of genius,
IMO, and shouldn't be left to rot in a can.

Perhaps a compilation of suggested house rules for people who are new to the
system, and maybe a reason why, would keep the rules pure but give everyone
a chance to contribute what they think tweaks the game properly.  As an
example, the following are things we typically play with along with the
reason why.  

	Death at -ST instead of 0:  A 3/ST (original) saving roll is made
immediately when a character goes to 0 or less modified by the difference
between their current ST and 0.  For instance, Xavier Onassis has an
original ST of 10 and is hit to result in a ST of -2.  A roll of 8 (10-2) or
less would need to be made to bring the character to a ST of 1 and still
alive but unconscious, otherwise he is kaput and dies from a mortal wound.
This rule expands the unconsciousness area from 1 (the difference between 0
and 1) to a range equal to their original strength.  This allows characters
who take the field to perhaps save a non-mortally wounded buddy.  This also
allows either side, but usually the PCs, to possibly interrogate foes.
Otherwise it is just too hard to capture a living foe without killing them
first.

	Charge attack doubling only allowed if move at least 3 hexes in a
"straight" line.  Pole weapons are just a little too strong in TFT, IMO.

	A 4/IQ roll to resist the Sleep spell.  The sleep spell is pretty
dangerous and it doesn't matter how smart or powerful the target is, it is
always successful (and takes the character out of the combat and if the PCs
don't take the field, dead) if the spell is cast successfully.

	
And off the top of my head, that is it!  Our group has looked at some other
changes over the last three decades but have usually dismissed them as being
someone's pet peeve rather than an actual play enhancer or balancer.  Things
like "I think Elves should be extra resistant to spells" or "Hobbits should
be treated as invisible since they are so small" aren't reasons to mess up a
good game ;).  Other rules have tended toward GURPS style play (like partial
armoring of body parts) or from someone who doesn't really understand the
math or bell curve behind the character creation or basic 3 dice roll.  And
agreed, the characters in the game really start to top out at around 50
points (but a good campaign and GM make this rather rare).  And yes,
sometimes it does seem that a wizard fatigued only (not injured) to ST 1
shouldn't die from an insect bite (or maybe he should because he really is
weak from casting spells, do any of us know the real affect of casting
spells? read some LOTR and see how Gandalf felt in the Mines of Moria).  

I would love to see everyone pitch in with their favorite tweak of TFT and
the reason for doing so.  And maybe there is such a list compiled somewhere
that I haven't seen lately.  But perhaps we can ferret out the "good" from
the "bad" and make this list available along with the TFT rules as
suggestions only, and hopefully increase the number of people who can *find*
TFT and actually play TFT currently and in the future, and support the
efforts to provide *new* adventures to this great game.  :-)

-Kirk
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