Game Features

We're doing this because we're busy. We've got families and jobs and other worthless timesuck hobbies, but we still want the human contact. We can see in the chart below, when we were younger, we had plenty of time for this nonsense, but no money for games:

Now that we're all impossibly rich, we don't have the time or geography to meet once a week for eight hours of ruthlessly trash-talking close friends, destroying egos, and not trusting Andy.

That's where Sengoku comes in. Daimyos, samurai, alliances, and ninjas clash during Japan's feudal period with absolutely 0% Tom Cruise. We can play using the Vassal Engine, which means you take your turn on your own time. When you fight, you'll schedule an hour or so with your opponent. Hopefully, we can knock out at least one turn (game month) per week.

As Alan recently asked, "Is this a game you're inventing?" Inventing is a strong word; I'm stealing proven mechanics from other games to make a larger work. Those mechanics include:

Simultaneous Movement (Diplomacy, Game of Thrones): Everyone will mark where their armies move, and when all the orders are in for that turn, we'll execute the orders. This will cut down on wait time.

Tactical Combat: For relatively equal forces (less than 2:1), we'll use Ancient Battles Deluxe, which plays like the Total War games, has a moderate learning curve, and takes no longer than 90 minutes to play through a battle (assuming you've already learned the game).

Abstract Combat: When the forces are more than 2:1, we'll use a simple table and roll dice. For these quick combats, we'll use a rock/paper/scissors system to determine losses.

General Experience/Levels: Your generals will gain experience for win/loss/draws and advance over four ranks. New generals can be purchased, and each successive rank allows the general to control larger forces.

Diplomatic Options (Empires in Arms): The way to keep players from being eliminated involves the enforced peace/surrender options. If you're taking a beating in a war, you can throw your hands up and surrender, allowing your opponent to take some territory, troops, money, etc. This ends the war, but it also prevents that opponent from fighting you for, let's say, 18 months.

Neutral Powers (Empires in Arms, Game of Thrones): At game's start, there will be some neutral clans/rebels to fight. Other clans will be played by a player you're not allied to.