I'd been looking at 7TV as a skirmish engine for many years, and managed to pick up the fantasy variant recently.
It has the advantage that it is designed around tropes and themes; not just the usual fayre of D&D and Lord of the Rings. My preference is more toward the Sword and Sorcery tropes of Howard, Lovecraft, Lieber, Ashton Smith and Moorcock, anyway, so the system has a lot to offer the nerds of early literature in this regard..
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| A classic...and no hobbits. |
It also gives a great platform for the hordes of sword and sorcery miniatures that I have managed to amass, then do nothing with.
The rules for 7TV are built around the premise that you are 'directing' an 80s movie. Now, set that alongside the narrative that a good set of rules and good scenario give (and the absolute lack of narrative, that a bad set of rules, and poor scenario, does not), and you can immediately see why this ruleset ticks all the boxes. The best games roll along like good movies, the action then is unpredictable, and the characters are jumping out of the game.
I also managed to type into various AIs: 'give me a trilogy scenario for 7TV with a sword and sorcery trope' and I obtained some fantastic stuff. I get that it's not really AI per se, and all the engine does is garner (steal) ideas and original content from hundreds of websites, to thereby create a story, but it saves me having to do it! More from the AI later...
So this was a playtest of the rules, more than anything. There are some fiddly bits, and the systems aren't always intuitive, but the nature of the game means that you very quickly 'grok' it.
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There is a a Director's guide for rules, a producers guide for settings etc., and it references a fictional movie production company called Minerva, as the basis for stealing movie tropes from the 60s through 80s; much of the available scenario sets (in VHS Video boxes, which is a nice touch) are beautifully put together, citing 80s fantasy movie outlines (Conan, Krull, Sinbad etc.). The whole thing for this new edition, was designed by University writing course students, and it shows (in a good way). Who wouldn't want assignments based on watching 80s sword and sorcery movies, for instance?
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| It's a well stocked box... |
The turn sequence operates around three phases:
- Initiative - with plot points awarded, the action economy
- Trilogy card draw - there are cards for acts 1 ( mainly engagement advantages), act 2 (combat heats up) and act 3/Finale (the coup de grace actions). This is effectively the turn sequence bonuses, and number of turns rolled into one.
- Action Phase - where stuff happens - each character has two actions per plot point, and you have to manage these VERY carefully. Each character or group has hit points, though there is tactical nuance in using 'stuns' and effects, to handicap the opposition. Spells, 'hard stares', intimidation, and feints can all be used thereby, subtly and effectively, and very in keeping with the genre. You can also 'steal the scene', but that can be very dangerous.
An excellent game, once you get used to how things work.
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| The village outside the borderlands wall |
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| The Evil Wizard Boden Cukrooch, with Patch, his pet Minotaur, has summoned an Earth elemental and the undead prince from the churchyard |
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| 'Now listen..I want a nice clean fight!' |
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| The good guys (or so the prologue says); Zonan the barbarian, Ulstar the dwarf, Bryan the Cleric, Pete the Paladin and Jemima the apprentice sorceress |
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| 'Sic'em Patch!' |
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| Zonan gets bonuses and heads for the magic item -- the horn of Agrilkskskks or something, that gives him wild defensive bonuses. |
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| Jemima hits Boden with a wall of thorns |
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| The elemental goes for a flank, but the paladin (who is a little slow) sees it |
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| Fireballs n magics n fogs n stuff |
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| Ulstar gets in first digs, blattering himself, more than the elemental |
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| Zonan's character card - a lot of the rules mechanisms, and the complexities of the moving parts, get summarised here |
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| Effects can slow or de-stabilise - the effects of spells or unique talents |
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| Zap! |
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| Undead on the move |
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| The Cleric handles the healing, but Patch takes a distinct dislike to Jemima |
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| Zonan, clearly having had enough of Bodan's vile sorcery, steps in to sort him out |
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| As the undead creature of purest malignant evil considers a career in politics |
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| 'Ho there vile undead thing....Pete the Paladin is here!' |
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| The Earth Elemental 'earthquakes' Ulstar |
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| ...and moves in toward the Paladin |
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| Nearing the finale, the music heats up |
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| ZOnan kills Boden, and moves in for Patch. Both sides were due to have their casts 'axed' and thus end the game, though both passed morale rolls and were allowed to continue |
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| 'Come and 'ave a go if ye think yer hard enuf!' |
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| Paladin goes down...but will recover |
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| Victory...at great cost... |
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| Zonan and Pete go to the pub - a hard fight... |
More to come from these - very good for a two player game.
I asked AI to give me a scenario based trilogy based on Moorcockian Sword and Sorcery (amongst others); it looks like scenarios aren't a problem - here's an interesting excerpt:
Scenario: The Quest for the Black Sword
This campaign is
an Episode for 7TV: Fantasy, suitable for two or
more players. It draws inspiration from the Elric Saga, where a fragile
anti-hero must wield a cursed weapon to survive.
Production brief
Logline: In a
decaying, ancient world, a fragile outcast from a fallen empire seeks a
powerful, soul-stealing sword to sustain his strength. However, other
factions—of Law, Chaos, and lesser powers—also covet the blade for their own
dark purposes.
Mood: Melancholy,
grim, and action-packed, with a sense of cosmic dread.
Casts:
·
The Sorcerous Outcast: An albino
noble with a small retinue of loyal followers and sorcerers.
·
The Lords of Chaos: A rival cast
of reavers, demon-worshippers, and monstrous creatures dedicated to Chaos.
·
The Agents of Law: A cast of
honorable (or fanatical) champions and warriors seeking to prevent the sword
from falling into the wrong hands.
·
The Young Kingdoms: A third-party
cast representing a new, rising power that sees an opportunity for conquest
amid the chaos.
Game elements
·
Location: The ruins of a crumbling,
labyrinthine fortress or citadel. The battlefield should have multiple levels
and strange, decaying arcane devices.
·
Props: The goal is the runesword.
This McGuffin starts the game placed on a central altar. Place
several other Prop tokens around the board representing
ancient scrolls, vials of strange potions, or other lost artifacts.
·
Trilogy Deck: Use the standard 7TV:
Fantasy deck, but create some custom cards.
o
Act I - Gathering Rumors: "The
Prophecy of the Black Sword" or "Signs of Chaos." Focus on
movement and scouting.
o
Act II - Deadly Embrace: "The
Soul Stealer Awakens" or "Demonic Pact." Introduce more combat
and magical effects.
o
Act III - The Final Reckoning: "The
Cosmic Balance Tilts" or "Eternal Champion's Burden." This is
the climax where the sword can be claimed and its power unleashed.
Scenario special rules
·
The Runesword: The player who first controls
the runesword gains a powerful advantage, such as a bonus to combat rolls and a
"Soul-Draining" special effect that allows them to heal by slaying
enemy models. However, wielding the sword comes with a price.
·
The Curse of the Sword: The
wielder's Plot Point generation is reduced, representing the
energy drain of the blade. At the end of every turn, they must roll a die. On a
failure, they suffer a random negative effect, such as a loss of Strength or
the inability to activate on their next turn.
·
Cosmic Balance: The two opposing cosmic forces,
Law and Chaos, can't simply be "defeated." If a cast dedicated to Law
or Chaos is completely wiped out, they reappear in a Resurgent state.
The controlling player can bring back a new cast of weaker Extras at half their
original ratings value for free in a random location on the board. This
reflects the endless, cosmic nature of their conflict.
·
Mysterious Encounters: At the start
of Act II, trigger a random Encounter (using the 7TV:
Fantasy Encounter Guide) where a bizarre creature or spirit appears to
steal a Prop or attack the closest cast.
Example Casts
The Sorcerous Outcast Cast (The Eternal Champion)
·
Star: The Albino Prince, a gifted
sorcerer and warrior but physically weak without the sword.
·
Co-Star: The Faithful Companion, a loyal
but cynical warrior who protects the Prince.
·
Extras: A handful of elite, decadent
guards from the ancient city, armed with strange, archaic weapons.