"Spicing up GASLIGHT - help please." Topic

I am new to GASLIGHT and want to introduce my gaming group to VSF gaming. They aren't against it, but I want to be sure that the game is fun so that they will be excited to play again.

I think that what will turn them off the most is that the figures are basically a move, scuffle and a shoot number. This gives them a rather vanilla feel. What kind of special abilities can I give them? Is there some other way to make the game a little move complex?

Are there any tips on how Dinosaurs and similar big beasties hold up to European shooting and arty?

I've got, besides standard European troops, several alien races (Lizardmen, RAFM Martians, etc.), a mad scientist's league with robots, weird tech and Dr. Moreau-style beast men, Atlanteans and others. I've been collecting for this game for ten years now. I finally realized I just have to do it.

Don't get carried away on the first game. It flows very very well but ease yourself in. There is a random ability generator for the hero types somewhere towards the start of whichever you have, but I'd leave the troops unmodified until you've played a few games.

Not a GASLIGHT player, but just from a general perspective, I'll echo streetline. It's usually a mistake to try to introduce someone to a game and then try to intro elements that could create bad balance.

If you want spice, I'd focus on providing it in the scenario, not in the units. One thing would be to add something that randomly happens, won't directly hurt anyone, but can play games with your tactics.

Maybe the aliens invading your victorian scene stat out like normals, but they're trying to recover something from a crashed spaceship with a teleporter that's gotten damaged and gone wild. Someone gets randomly teleported every turn.

Make sure each player has a "toy" along with their leader and supporting troops; some wacky, mad science monster (mechanical or biological) that makes it more than "just" a colonial adventure skirmish game. But, as mentioned above, don't go overboard.

Al | Rivets & Steam!

What figures are you using for the 'Dr. Moreau-style beast men'?

Well, I only own Gaslight and Battles by Gaslight (which i believe are outstanding) but only characters have special abilities. I discussed this with Buck years ago. I think that having units with special abilities would be an excellent plus to the rules.

I have used Gaslight to run a Lost worlds/ Darkest Africa style games. I used the League of Darkness vs various European Powers, The Phantom, Tarzan and Lost World elements like Amazons, A Gorilla army (ala Planet of the Apes), Laura Croft, Dinos and more. What I trying to say is that it was the variety of my units that made the game interesting not simply how I rated them. My pygmies worshiped a primitive god. It turned out to be a T-Rex in the Lost world. I had steam walkers, trucks and other vehicles from the Atlantis movie toy range.

I hope that helps a little.

Oh, if you use vehicles or conveyances. Always start them running and check for stalling. otherwise, it could be a long day for them (not moving initially).

Thanks,

John

Good advice, guys, good advice – thanks. Many times I've said that same thing about other games. I will try to put the spice in the scenario and I'll make sure everyone has a cool toy to play with – I'd better finish up the pair of steam tanks before we play.

For beast-men I use mostly assorted mage knight figs – they have goat men, boar men and others gnolls work, as do werewolves.