"How do you handle command control?" Topic

In multiplayer games do you have some players that tend to be more "controlling" than others?

In games where there are more than one player on each side, we usually have small conferences so that everyone has a say, and to make sure there is a strategy we all understand. There are also games where commands are drawn out of a hat and one person is designated as the overall commander.

Several systems like Memnoir 44 and Command and Colors have good rules to enhance multi-player games.

@Bashytubits,

Now that's what I call mind control--priceless!

OK, I'm really not into the whole cats thing, but that is very good :)

I pack all the concepts of "command and control" into the officer figures. Each officer figure has an ability point rated 1 to 5. There are usually twenty five officer figures on a side when I am doing Army sized games.

Each unit of the army has a value for move, charge, stand, rally and fire. An officer is allowed to add his ability to any ONE value in a turn. Thus an officer rated 3 can add his ability to a unit with a movement of 2 to make it a five, and the unit can move that turn if he rolls a 1 to a 5. No value can be raised to six and a die roll of a six is always a fail regardless of modification. An officer who adds it to charge gets to throw down more attack cards on an enemy unit.

That's the general rule.

In multi-player games I let the players do what they wish. It is always productive of far more hilarious results than I could ever put in the design.

I think if you have an open structure then more control will inevitably centre on a dominant or more experienced player. It's more fun to see what happens when each just focuses on their own sector.

Multi player games usually degenerate into poor individual games. Unless you have experienced gamers who are prepared to act in the way required, such as defend this area and in no circumstances attack. What you get is anarchy and hence of no interest. If you have able players then typicaly the more expert take on the higher command levels as they are better able to plan and cope with the complexities and timeing needed from higher level commanders.

I felt that just looking at it. Had one foster who delighted in jumping up onto my chest upon my arrival home. Loved the lil girl, but darn did it hurt.

We must alwways just remember….theyyyy loooove us.

I'm with Otto on the player friction element of multi-player games. Who needs command control rules when you have players like those!?