"Who is that?" you might say.
The answer is: Some guy!
So, many moons ago, my best friend and fellow Brikwarrior David and I started scheming to make a system for running big interstellar Brikwars campaigns. At the time I only had rudimentary Photoshop skills, and did not really understand things like game balance and math. Now, however, I have a rudimentary understnding of these things, and so I have returned with a-vengeance to conquer this challenge and make a big 'ol campaign system.
As you all know, campaigns have long been a staple of the Brikwars universe, but were generally of the "series of battles" variety. There is, however, another variety in the wargaming world: Campaign Metagames! I have invented something of the latter sort. This system(and it is a system; a tool to be used and customized) is the product of many years of daydreaming, an about a month of flim-flammering.
This "metagame" is not for everyone, but it is surely for someone(hopefully several someones). Either way, I'd love for you to take a look at it and tell me what you think. Obviously, since I do not have any rights to publish Brikwars content(beyond the anarchic fiat of a Stubby Shrug), this is free and forever will be free - especially since I stole Mike's art and slapped it all over my
The Brikwars Galactic Campaign System(BGCS for short) is what it it says it is - a system for running galactic-level campaigns of Brikwars battles. In short, it's a civ-lite(VERY lite) strategy game where all the battles are resolved with Brikwars(or microspace for space battles). Fleet move around, carrying armies to invade planets, and said planets have strategic importance because they generate resources - and possibly form supply lines for the war effort. There is a very simple logistics system(wouldn't be war without logistics), and the bookkeeping is...beyond a single game of Brikwars, but I would view it as reasonably lightweight and doable for anyone interested in learning the system.
BGCS runs off of a nested hex-flower map system. Hex flowers are just hex-grid maps that, instead of being square, are composed of rings of hexagons around a central hexagon. This type of map is reasonably easy to work with for random generation and coordinate notation, as you can just reference each ring and the position of each hex in the ring. blah blah blah, boring game design things; but there it is.
Each hex in the galactic map contains another galaxy-sized(in terms of the hex flower used) map representing a Star System. These Star Systems contain the planets players build their civilizations on, and are the layer at which fleet movements take place. Spaceship fleets are, of course, a central part of the game -- because why wouldn't they be? We all know we liked those space battles in Star Wars.
Within the hexes of a Star System one finds a lot of empty space, as well as a number of Planets. Planets have various sized, which just determines the size of Hex Flower used to represent them. The backbone of player economies will be on these planets. Players build Emplacements in the different hexes on their planets, and can even unlock some to use in space by way of purchasing Technologies.
Speaking of which, there is a Technology Pyramid that can be filled in with various technologikal advancements while playing(or at setup, if you dump your starting points into them!). These technologies are used to customize your faction - we all know the Assyrian Star Empire and whatever the hell Falk is doing these days are quite different - and you can build your metagame faction to give you an edge in the overall campaign.
Beyond those systems, there are structured rounds, turns, and a very loose and open option to either resolve every battle(unlikely) or to resolve on specific battles and either avoid some with diplomacy(lame) or simulate them with a few dice rolls(acceptable). There is also a set of additional rules that I have been toying with, including Decisive Actions that are like a Heroic Feat for the campaign level that hinges on you actually winning a battle.
The biggest achievement I have accomplished here(or gigantic hassle I have invented - we shall see) is the introduction of a "fog of war" element. You take System Booklets from a common supply for each System you enter with your Fleets. If they are not in the common supply, they must be in someone else's posession! And so a Star System becomes contested for all to see! You pin contested systems on a bulletin board, or place them on a common table for everyone to see. Contested systems also become resource-locked and do no generate resources, and they block supply lines for war! WHAT FUN! You will have no idea, when play starts, of where each other player's home system is - or even which systems they control. Scouting missions and exploratory movements will be necessary, and you always have to watch your back.
Here's the Google Drive Folder Link
The above link has a comment-able Google Doc for the rules - I definitely value feedback! - and a folder with PDFs of everything needed to play. Of note, you will need upwards of 180 sheets of paper at present. To run a Galactic campaign, you need 60 booklets - one for each system. These only take three sheets of paper, but that still comes out to 180 sheets of paper. I am working on a two-up arranged document that will cut that number in half. Unfortunately it is not done yet! But the game is playable if you have a laser printer and want to commit to that many booklets.
Anyway, take a look at it and let me know what you think. The booklet system is a little hard to manage over the internet, unfortunately, but there are ways to do this for the determined. It is also possible to add further layers of nested hex maps, so an intergalactic gigantic Brikwars campaign spanning the entire forum is not out of the question...