well, well, well, if it isn't #RPGBlogCarnival. For march the topic is really tough for me so I don't have much to say. Just play #BladesInTheDark, #BandOfBlades and then mix these ideas into your #OSR and #NSR. Enjoy!
https://vdonnutvalley.bearblog.dev/blades-for-osr-rpg-blog-carnival/
Final del sabroso "aperitivo" de #BandofBlades que dirigió con precisión quirúrgica @tatxu.bsky.social, en el que nos mostró a @regik.bsky.social, @kaoticaeris.bsky.social, @d4niello.bsky.social y a mi de lo que es capaz este Forged in the Dark de gran escala. Exigente pero muy satisfactorio. #rol
@herrold Band of Blades, a descendant of Blades in the Dark, has an entire strategic level role devoted to maintaining arms and material for the army as a whole, which you are playing. Long-term projects can even develop entirely new forms of weapon or defense, as well as concentrate on maintaining the quality of arms available.
Much like Ironsworn, you can have complications that arise from partial successes that you interpret to mean a failure of equipment.
B.O.B. generally shifts the focus of such things to the wider scope of the whole army, which makes it less tedious to deal with...because that portion of the game is specifically segmented for that sort of thing.
https://evilhat.com/product/band-of-blades/
(cont)
@auguryignored Two immediately come to mind.
Band of Blades has it very intricately embedded in the game loop with long-term research, and it does so surprisingly well. It's an important part of gameplay as the protagonists are part of an army on the losing end of a fight, marching effectively a forced retreat. And they have to improve their weaponry, create new alchemic support, and simultaneously figure out more about what's going on.
https://evilhat.com/product/band-of-blades/
While most of the Forged in the Dark ( #FitD ) lineage involves a long-term research/construction system, Band of Blades really integrates it into the course of play in a way that is intimate and almost a necessity.
(cont)
@btravern One could, and I would argue that is a war game mechanic that has an excellent position within the luddic space. The obvious derivative of this is to make character ownership not a one-to-one relationship anymore; you have a group of characters under your control/command, and they are "your character." This also gives you significantly more flexibility when it comes to signaling dangerous gameplay experiences in terms of potential death.
I would definitely suggest looking at Band of Blades to see a fine example of that in action.
@konahart I'm afraid we're going to need a fair amount more information than that to help out much. In particular, which specific instantiation of the rules are you using?
For example, in Blades in the Dark, you would probably do it with a combination of Sway, Consort, and Flashbacks, blended together in a lovely smoothie.
Conversely, if I'm playing Starforged it's generally going to be a Gather Information or Compel move – and still might involve throwing down a flashback just for the joy of it all.
If we go all the way back to Apocalypse World, then what you want is to read a charged situation (Read a Stitch), which lets you ask the MC questions directly.
If we fast-forward to Band of Blades there are a ton of examples of how to use Research.
So you're going to have to be more explicit and specific.
(Honestly, sitting around doing research is not really the mode for playing PbtA games. At least not modern ones. It's less intrusive and more effective to get into the meat, get into the play, and then use flashbacks to deal with HAVING researched the thing that's currently opposing you.)
We finished my first campaign of @evilhatofficial's Band of Blades, a TTRPG about a company of mercenaries on a fighting withdrawal from an army of the undead. I've been eager to try troupe-play for decades, and this game let us be the command structure, the specialists, or rookies, exchanging characters as the need arose. The mechanics for logistics and morale kept the tension high, especially on that final run toward safety. We barely made it. #TTRPG #BandOfBlades #ForgedInTheDark #FitD
@taichara Have you seen Band of Blades (https://offguardgames.itch.io/band-of-blades)? While the mechanical lineage comes through FitD, it is surprisingly crunchy on the strategic management of warfare side of things. But sadly – no solo rules, or I might be playing it even this very moment.
(A lot of FitD games can be played solo with just a little bit of automated GM – but this is not one of them. There's enough going on that you really want four people at the table, minimum. Otherwise it's fantastic.)
Band of Blades, Missions from Sunstrider Camp
“Better to have steel to hand and find no trouble than find yourself in trouble with no steel to hand.” Joe Abercrombie, Red Country
Having a whiteboard where I game online is a huge help; taking pictures of said whiteboard after every game is a huge help. The primary mission was taking the Legionnaires behind enemy lines.
#TTRPG #BandOfBlades #MilitaryFantasy #Fantasy
http://githyankidiaspora.com/2023/12/08/band-of-blades-missions-from-sunstrider-camp/
Band of Blades, Plainsgrove Pilgrimmage and the Kingfisher Knight
"Wolves or watch-dogs, it was hard to say from which the sheep had most to fear." Arthur Conan Doyle, The White Company The above quote was inspired by a brief discussion about just robbing the local Druids of their cannon. There were chuckles all around and then it was tossed out as a bad idea.
Band of Blades, Chaos Among The Oaks & Recon to Plainsworth
“Nevertheless, four hours after dawn they began dying for their cause.” Glen Cook, The Black Company I posted the missions for the coming week in our FB group and in the comments my friends began posting in character. So, that was cool.
http://githyankidiaspora.com/2023/10/27/band-of-blades-chaos-among-the-oaks-recon-to-plainsworth/
In tonight's Band of Blades session the group dropped a tower on the Order of the Black Oak's moot and stole their war banner, earning a rookie a fine nickname.
"Yer not Rook. Now you're Banner."
The recon mission came back safe despite the Quartermaster refusing to give the mission horses.
Band of Blades, first mission
Picker began to turn back to her companions — when the man began speaking. 'Very well, permit me, if you will, on this night. To break your hearts once more. This is the story of the Chain of Dogs. Of Coltaine of the Crow Clan, newly come Fist to the 7th Army.. Memories of Ice Forged in the Dark games have lots of moving parts.
http://githyankidiaspora.com/2023/10/19/band-of-blades-first-mission/
#RPGaDAY2023
[31] Obviously, there is no such thing as a favourite RPG OF ALL TIMES, because people change.
But I nominate #BandOfBlades . I don’t know if I’ll ever play it again – but I’ll probably annoy everyone for the next decades by talking about how awesome it is. ^^
Having said this, there are some more complex #ttrpgs I would like to (re) explore:
#Runequest 3rd ed. (not Glorantha) In theory, I like the system. As an archaeologist by training, I‘m fascinated how RQ reflects 19th/20th century concepts of pre-modern societies
#BandOfBlades I even have a complex game-lovin group who wants me to run it for them: alas, I‘m truly intimidated by the rules
#Gurps …bc it has been a while I met old auntie GURPS 
Is she doing fine?
@Bartimaeus Bei uns hat's (meiner Meinung nach) vier Sitzungen gebraucht, bis das Ganze lief. Wobei sich eine Szene, von der unser GM immer noch schwärmt, schon davor ereignet hat. #BandOfBlades
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8T-c4_sTGU&list=PLJdf5CrImXUmVgMJ3fY53cdKaWfo66rXQ&index=28
#RPGaDAY2023
[23] Coolest looking RPG book … so, today is #MörkBorg day, right? I never played it nor am I especially interested, but it’s the first to come to mind. Great #coffeetable RPG.
But actually … most RPG books I own are beautiful. If they were not; I wouldn’t have bought a physical copy.
#Spire #Agon #BitD #BandOfBlades Engel
@awinnef Bei Wicked Ones werden sie das flexible Magiesystem so viel mehr lieben ;-)
- #Spire
- #HotSpringsIsland
- Eine West Marches-Kampagne probieren
- #BandOfBlades
- #SwordsAndWizardry #YoonSuin
- #KoenigreichDerDornen für #SavageHeXXen
- #LegendsOfTheFiveRings ggf. aber mit #SavageWorlds
- #Dolmenwood vermutlich mit #SwordsAndWizardry, weil es mein Retroklon daheim ist.
- GDQ Kampagne
- #Deadlands
- #EyesOfTheStoneThief entweder mit #SwordsAndWizardry oder #SavageWorlds :D
My #RPGaDay #RPGaDay2023 catchup continues - 3 first game bought this year.
It was #BandOfBlades , #FitD game. I was enhancing my own Warhammer Fantasy #FitD #hack and found out that Band of Blades had some kind of corruption mechanic as well, so I wanted to check it out.
Seems like an interesting game overall. Maybe I should test it out some day :)
#RPGaDAY2023
[8] Not my favourite char of all times, but one that really surprised me:
She was the bandit queen from #BandOfBlades , the antagonist of a special mission, but we recruited her and someone had to play her.
I volunteered unenthusiastically, but then it clicked. The char just WORKED, though it was very much out of my comfort zone. She was more of a comic relief character, and I’m usually not a big fan of those.
I’m still fascinated, because I don’t know what made her different.
