Car Wars: Interest Check/Experiences with

[RedMax]

I have always been interested in this game. I think it came to my attention because at one point it was overlapped with Champions and called Champions: Autoduel.

I'm maybe not the right person to run the game, but I probably could get there.

Questions:

Has anyone played this? I am especially interested in whether anyone was able to make a campaign around this. Like, Car Wars as part of a larger storyline? Did your characters and vehicles advance? What was it like? Would it work PbP?

PS: I have played the Champions vehicle rules, I've played X-Wing, I've played Dawn Patrol, I've even played Battle Cattle. I'm imagining that this game will leave them all behind. 😉

Edited May 21, 2023 by RedMax (see edit history)

[Malkavian Grin]

So I've played Car Wars a number of times. First was at a local game-con where a friend of mine ran the game as an arena combat just to show off the rules. Last person alive won. He used hot wheels and set the board to scale with props we had to drive around and through. It was really cool!

After that, a few of us really wanted to play it again. So we did it like any other RPG. Our stats were just on our cars. I believe the RP was either freeform or very rules lite. I don't have those notes anymore, but essentially we created people with a little background and personality and possibly a simple dice pool mechanic using 3 stats (physical, mental, social)? I'm rather foggy on that portion of it. I do remember we had action outside of the vehicles which involved us rolling.... something... where I was firing a pistol at some gangers that were trying to steal our ride or break into a place we were in or something. I remember it was very simple math.

Anyways, the scenario was an area near us got nuked for military potential, and years later we're trying to eek out an existence neaby-ish (the same state). We got approached by a guy--Justin Time--who was looking to set up some kind of battle arena business or something. But that took money and so he wanted us to help deliver some goods he got his hands on to the next state over (probably 200 miles). Along the way we ended up in a few car battles. Didn't really RP a ton in that next session, and then we never did get around to playing again, sadly. That also means we never got around to advancing--but I can't imagine why you wouldn't be able to use some kind of resource points to get bigger and better gear? The system may just need a little........elbow grease. (ka-chow!)

It's got some really neat driving mechanics. I think they are somewhere in the middle of cinematic and simulation, leaning a bit toward the latter.

Do I think this could work as an RPG? Absolutely! You need to pair the out-of-the-car RP portions with some kind of rolling mechanic but otherwise it can play out like any other game. I see it functioning best as a kind of Mad Max style thing, where you get missions to take care of for people; don't focus on big grandeur where you're saving the world. (Or at least that's my opinion on what it's trying to go for).

I hope some of that helps, and feel free to ask more :)

[RedMax]

1 hour ago, Malkavian Grin said:

So I've played Car Wars a number of times. First was at a local game-con where a friend of mine ran the game as an arena combat just to show off the rules. Last person alive won. He used hot wheels and set the board to scale with props we had to drive around and through. It was really cool!

After that, a few of us really wanted to play it again. So we did it like any other RPG. Our stats were just on our cars. I believe the RP was either freeform or very rules lite. I don't have those notes anymore, but essentially we created people with a little background and personality and possibly a simple dice pool mechanic using 3 stats (physical, mental, social)? I'm rather foggy on that portion of it. I do remember we had action outside of the vehicles which involved us rolling.... something... where I was firing a pistol at some gangers that were trying to steal our ride or break into a place we were in or something. I remember it was very simple math.

Anyways, the scenario was an area near us got nuked for military potential, and years later we're trying to eek out an existence neaby-ish (the same state). We got approached by a guy--Justin Time--who was looking to set up some kind of battle arena business or something. But that took money and so he wanted us to help deliver some goods he got his hands on to the next state over (probably 200 miles). Along the way we ended up in a few car battles. Didn't really RP a ton in that next session, and then we never did get around to playing again, sadly. That also means we never got around to advancing--but I can't imagine why you wouldn't be able to use some kind of resource points to get bigger and better gear? The system may just need a little........elbow grease. (ka-chow!)

It's got some really neat driving mechanics. I think they are somewhere in the middle of cinematic and simulation, leaning a bit toward the latter.

Do I think this could work as an RPG? Absolutely! You need to pair the out-of-the-car RP portions with some kind of rolling mechanic but otherwise it can play out like any other game. I see it functioning best as a kind of Mad Max style thing, where you get missions to take care of for people; don't focus on big grandeur where you're saving the world. (Or at least that's my opinion on what it's trying to go for).

I hope some of that helps, and feel free to ask more 🙂

Yes, this helps a lot!! This is the kind of response I hoped for, but better than I hoped for.

Indeed, what I am hoping for is a way to make the human characters a separate but interlocking part. I think, for me, I'd do that in Hero 5e just because that's my go-to, and also because Hero and Car Wars did overlap in the past so there's a synergy there. (Then again, perhaps there's more synergy with a Steve Jackson game like GURPS--I don't know enough yet to figure that--hence this thread!)

Part 2: How would we run the game online? I see this as a good play-by-post game. But what would be the best way to host the Car Wars themselves? Is there an app on this site or would we have to make an interactive battlemap elsewehere?

Jeepers, Malkavian. You really are an inspirational character! 🙂

Edited May 22, 2023 by RedMax (see edit history)

[Malkavian Grin]

D'aww thanks :3

I don't know what Hero 5e is. If I recall correctly, our stats were rolled in d6s, just like how the cars do when you make a maneuver. It was more or less the same engine (har har) but with stats that were for Humans instead of cars. I think it was a 1-5 scale with 2 being average people. You had to hit like target number 6 or 7 to be successful or something (and if something's "hard" then you increase the target number). I think we did additive. It's been almost two decades since then...

The PbP portion of it would be no issue; run as normal. But the car combat...well...That's going to be tricky since you have to use a special key graphic they made that tells you how to do maneuvers; the sharper the angle the harder it is. So, you really do need to use a visual guide and something that doesn't require snap-to grids.

Honestly, I'd suggest aggie.io which is what I use for Star Wars mapping. It's like photoshop but with only a few tools. You could add a background layer for the area where you can and can't, add obstacles on other layers (so they could move if they get hit), put the cars on their own layer, etc. The great thing is nobody has to have a login. Not even the GM. You just need the link.

[hakootoko]

I played GURPS Autoduel once, ages ago. I don't recall anything about it except it was GURPS, plus we got to design our own vehicles.

 

I didn't know SJ had licensed Hero to make an Autoduel supplement as well.

[RedMax]

I think the trick to making Car Wars work as a campaign is to have a scenario like Malkavian suggested. This Justin Time fellow could be a crime lord in a post-apocalyptic world. He's setting up the Car Wars arena to make money from admission but also for the betting aspect. Meanwhile, the PC's could have to deal with the side missions that Justin Time sends them on.

I picture the scenario a little like how the pod races were in Phantom Menace.

17 hours ago, Malkavian Grin said:

 

Anyways, the scenario was an area near us got nuked for military potential, and years later we're trying to eek out an existence neaby-ish (the same state). We got approached by a guy--Justin Time--who was looking to set up some kind of battle arena business or something. But that took money and so he wanted us to help deliver some goods he got his hands on to the next state over (probably 200 miles). Along the way we ended up in a few car battles. Didn't really RP a ton in that next session, and then we never did get around to playing again, sadly. That also means we never got around to advancing--but I can't imagine why you wouldn't be able to use some kind of resource points to get bigger and better gear? The system may just need a little........elbow grease. (ka-chow!)

It's got some really neat driving mechanics. I think they are somewhere in the middle of cinematic and simulation, leaning a bit toward the latter.

Do I think this could work as an RPG? Absolutely! You need to pair the out-of-the-car RP portions with some kind of rolling mechanic but otherwise it can play out like any other game. I see it functioning best as a kind of Mad Max style thing, where you get missions to take care of for people; don't focus on big grandeur where you're saving the world. (Or at least that's my opinion on what it's trying to go for).

I hope some of that helps, and feel free to ask more 🙂

 

[Malkavian Grin]

3 hours ago, RedMax said:

I think the trick to making Car Wars work as a campaign is to have a scenario like Malkavian suggested. This Justin Time fellow could be a crime lord in a post-apocalyptic world. He's setting up the Car Wars arena to make money from admission but also for the betting aspect. Meanwhile, the PC's could have to deal with the side missions that Justin Time sends them on.

I picture the scenario a little like how the pod races were in Phantom Menace.

I think in this kind of post-apocalyptic setting, you kind of need to drive the game with personal stories. Sort of "sword & sorcery" style where the PCs aren't "the good guys" necessarily. They're just out here trying to make a dollar. That could lead to some moral quandaries in-character (which can be lots of fun).

I had another idea too; There's a game on Steam I saw someone play for about an hour which has this exact same feeling to it. It's called Death Roads: Tournament and I believe the premise is to get from one side of the country to the other in like a Wacky Races (old cartoon) kind of way. You are literally racing other people, but will be ambushed along the way by bandits and other folk trying to just get in your way (as well as the other racers!). You could adapt this idea to Car Wars by putting people on teams (or even going all-out and turning it into a PvP solo-ish kind of experience, but I caution against this aspect; most people can't do PvP without feelings getting hurt [I'm one of them]).

[cailano]

Car Wars is a game I had a lot of fun with back in the 1980s. It had an RPG associated with it called Autoduel, but I've never played it. Car Wars was just a wargame we played, kind of like Battletech.

 

[leons1701]

Funny you should mention Battletech, as spiritually, the games are quite similar, being fairly detailed skirmish miniatures games based around vehicles. And they both spawned RPG's as well. I've played Car Wars and GURPS Autoduel, I could also swear I have that Champions/HERO supplement somewhere though I know I never actually used it. Car Wars RPG's almost always end up being set fairly early in the timeline when everything is the biggest mess since that's when you can most easily get the Mad Max/Road Warrior type action or in their own post apocalyptic setting. I find the style of game you usually get moderately interesting, prolonged campaigns usually take on a lot of western vibes and a good bit of scrambling to keep in money/parts/what have your to keep running and doing more jobs.

[prophane]

Is there any hope to make this game happen? I would LOVE to play in this. I used to run Car Wars games and campaigns way way back, both as stand alone Car Wars and with GUPRS and Autoduel.

One of my favorite settings/ types of games!

[RedMax]

 

20 hours ago, prophane said:

Is there any hope to make this game happen? I would LOVE to play in this. I used to run Car Wars games and campaigns way way back, both as stand alone Car Wars and with GUPRS and Autoduel.

One of my favorite settings/ types of games!

 

I'm still up for it. I might be able to throw this in with my 5e Hero plans...although if someone else wants to run it sooner, I would bless that and join as well!

Edited June 24, 2023 by RedMax (see edit history)

[prophane]

Ahh, not familiar with the Hero 5e. I think I played some Hero way back in the 80s/90s maybe, but it's been FOREVER.

If you ever decide to go GURPS with that CarWars game, though, let me know.

[RedMax]

8 hours ago, prophane said:

Ahh, not familiar with the Hero 5e. I think I played some Hero way back in the 80s/90s maybe, but it's been FOREVER.

If you ever decide to go GURPS with that CarWars game, though, let me know.

I'd be up for a GURPS version, as a player. If someone has the gumption to run it in GURPS, you have my backing. 🙂

[prophane]

I'd do it but currently running too much as it is: 3 gurps games here, another pbp elsewhere plus running 3 live gurps games in addition to playing in 2 live games.

I could squeeze time in to play the right game but not enough time/ brain power to plan and run another at this time.

Edited June 25, 2023 by prophane (see edit history)

[RedMax]

31 minutes ago, prophane said:

I'd do it but currently running too much as it is: 3 gurps games here, another pbp elsewhere plus running 3 live gurps games in addition to playing in 2 live games.

I could squeeze time in to play the right game but not enough time/ brain power to plan and run another at this time.

I'm in the same boat. I could play but I'm at my limit for GMing.

Arguably past my limit LOL

Edited June 25, 2023 by RedMax (see edit history)