So, how would you make this game? What system? what mechanics would be important and how would they best be handled?
RPGPundit
CONFESSION: I've never seen it.
REALISATION: I'm the best person in the world to write it.
The game basically already exists. Games Workshop created it, it's called Mordenheim.
Though to do it more about the story and less about the actual gang wars. I'd use Warhammer or Dark Heresy as the base. Using the character selection system from Dark Heresy. Each class represents one of the gangs both in terms of what's unique about each game and also to show progression within the gang.
I can't think of another system that would handle that level of grit as well.
My first instinct would be to just use WFRP.
WFRP makes sense to me...
I read the book before I saw the movie and the book is a good deal more grim... but colorful.
It is basically a Necromunda/Mordheim type of lawless situation... similar to post-apocalypse or Westerns.
Common weapons are brickbats, clubs, hand axes, and kitchen knives... as well as personalized stuff like Hell-Cat Maggie's claws.
The gangs don't differ much except for maybe their political patrons and gang 'colors'... plug uglies in top hat/helmets... dead rabbits with a dead rabbit standards...
You'd want a system for gauging your position in the gang as well as your gang's standing with other gangs and the city bosses who pull strings behind the scenes.
I might want some sort of subgame for running rat vs. dog vs. man with boot arena fights... and various kinds of gambling.
I would use something simple like Over the Edge.
Regards,
David R
WFRP sounds like a good choice to me. That or I'd pick some random system I like which would serve it's purpose and strike me as mechanically interesting at the time.
Wushu or Exalted would be great for this!:p:D
But seriously it would seem to me that asystem utilizing a wound system would be good. I mean if you were to use something like D20 modern it seems like a large pool of HP would break the suspension of belief so to speak. While I would embrace a "Die Hard" style of play. It seems to me that a well placed hatchet could and should have powerful reprecussions (sp?). I think that, that would be best represented by a wound system. Does WFRP use wounds? I'm not familiar with the system.
Quote from: Ronin;303618Wushu or Exalted would be great for this!:p:D
But seriously it would seem to me that asystem utilizing a wound system would be good. I mean if you were to use something like D20 modern it seems like a large pool of HP would break the suspension of belief so to speak. While I would embrace a "Die Hard" style of play. It seems to me that a well placed hatchet could and should have powerful reprecussions (sp?). I think that, that would be best represented by a wound system. Does WFRP use wounds? I'm not familiar with the system.
WFRP has a simple yet descriptive crit system and is pretty gritty. With the right GM it would server very well for a deep wounds system.
WFRP, True20, or a stripped down version of SR4.
I'd use TFT with modified talents and no magic of course.
I've always wanted to run an 1800's CoC game with Gangs of New York elements.
Quote from: Xanther;303630I'd use TFT with modified talents and no magic of course.
I've always wanted to run an 1800's CoC game with Gangs of New York elements.
Pardon my ignorance but TFT? Whats that?
Quote from: Ronin;303631Pardon my ignorance but TFT? Whats that?
TFT = Two Fisted Tales from Precis Intermedia. Easily the BEST systems for classic pulp gaming.
TFT would be good. I think the violence of GoNY could easily be simulated with WoD. Not a bad system at all for grisly hand to hand combat.
We often abbreviate it as 2FT.
RPGPundit
Using 2FT would avoid any confusion with The Fantasy Trip...
"I've always wanted to run an 1800's CoC game with Gangs of New York elements."
That would be cool... Cthullhu By Gaslight would have useful reference. Maybe there are ghouls lurking under Four Corners making off with the casualties of the gang wars.
Just to put a penny on the rails of this thread, let me suggest Greg Stolze's Reign, particularly using the Company rules. Utilising the Company rules, the gang itself is given stats that can then be played gang-vs-gang, while the roleplaying of the players' characters can affect those stats in play. The rules for both individual characters and companies work together very smoothly.
Another option along the same lines that preceded Reign's Company rules by some years is Paul Elliott's (Mithras) rules for Warlords of Alexander, an adaptation of the Basic Roleplaying system, where he casts the nature of the great houses in terms of the standard characteristics: Strength, Constitution, Intelligence, etc.
I really think that's the key to portraying Gangs of New York in game terms -- pairing stats for individuals with stats for the gangs themselves.
!i!
Regin, completely forgot about that. Yes that would also be an excellent idea, it's also got a good level of grit as well.
Reign would be cool in my book too. Especially if you want to go from small time punks to big time crooks :D
Quote from: KrakaJak;303931Reign would be cool in my book too. Especially if you want to go from small time punks to big time crooks :D
That's definitely one of the pluses of the system -- not only does it provide for roleplay within the gang (and a pretty cool system of advanced combat options), but it would allow you to track the waxing and waning fortunes of your gang as well.
!i!
Quote from: KrakaJak;303660TFT = Two Fisted Tales from Precis Intermedia. Easily the BEST systems for classic pulp gaming.
TFT would be good. I think the violence of GoNY could easily be simulated with WoD. Not a bad system at all for grisly hand to hand combat.
I read that as "
The
Fantasy
Trip".
Guess I was paying attention to a certain Mr. Jackson before I even knew who the hell he was.
- Ed C.
I'll add to the people supporting Reign as a suggestion. Sounds like a worthy reason to unshelf my copy if the premise interests some players.
Quote from: Koltar;304009I read that as "The Fantasy Trip".
Guess I was paying attention to a certain Mr. Jackson before I even knew who the hell he was.
- Ed C.
Me too.
That aside, there's at least two miniatures skirmish games dealing precisely with this, one's called Bhoys, I can't recall the name of the other, might be worth looking at those too though.
Quote from: Balbinus;304642Me too.
Me three.