Ramming Speed with a chariot?!

A welcome return to further play testing of the Faustus Furius chariot racing rules in the Battleshed last night. With a few more rule tweaks and the addition of optional rules providing a race variation with more 'historical context' - or hard-core racing - the chariots were once again put through their paces.

As a reminder for any new visitors to this blog, Faustus Furious is a 'fast and furious, tongue in cheek approach to chariot racing in the ancient world. Designed for 2-8 participants, it allows players to pit chariots from any culture or period against one another in a no-holds-barred race to fame and glory.' 

Its based on the popular Songs of Blades of Blades and Heroes engine from Ganesha Games and is being developed by Nic Wright over at Irregular Wars. You can play with any suitable miniatures, and scale, you have - or is an excuse to start collecting! Half of all author royalties generated from sales of these rules will be donated to the UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency.

With the latest iteration of the play-test rules myself, Sam Pate of Wee Blokes and fellow gamer Jamie M (with his own set of 28mm chariots! ) lined up for another couple of races of unscrupulous tactics, dastardly deeds an ancient charioteer carnage! And bloody good fun it was too! Especially with multiple players. 

Faustus Furious under-way on my (very early stage) racetrack in development for demo games

There have been a few minor rule tweaks since the last play-test along with the addition of three new options, or devious devices, for contestants in the Optimus Maximus World Cup race - He did what?! (spreading malicious rumours about your opponents), Hooligans (connections with certain disreputable individuals) and Odds of 3-1 (a shady bookmaker in the taberna), all adding to the in-race antics!

Moreover, a new rule variation providing players with the option of a race with a more 'historical context' - or a hard-core mode, Roma Impetus, has been included where four-horse chariots with a single driver are the norm and collisions are permanent and most likely fatal! It certainly ramps up the tension! Between this, the standard game and the Maximus Optimus World Cup there's much scope and flexibility in this ruleset to suit a wide range of audiences from the young and new tabletop gamers to old hands and clubs looking for a fun multiplayer game.

This session was also useful to let me try out the board I'm developing for demo use. Its very much in the earliest stages - the foundations of the track laid and a central section prepared for eventually a scratch-built terrain piece and corner sections to be slotted, adding some eye-candy and - from this play-testing feedback - some functionality. I caught myself planning something electorate at first, along the lines of my Old West town, Obsession, however I've stuck to plan - keep it simple and practical for multiplayer demo purposes. I'll post on this terrain project in more detail once its nearer completion.

Faustus Furious is aiming for a release 'mid 2016' so any-time soon really. I'll of course let my readers know when there are any further updates. In the meantime, go buy some chariots - you know you want to!