Finally got round to testing the 7TV rules for Cinematic Skirmish games. The rules have been around for a while and the second edition was revised this year. I had played a lot of hero and villain games during Covid lockdowns using the Perilous Tales solo ruleset and it looked like 7TV would be a good step to take to play with others using all the figures I'd painted in recent years. So I backed the Kickstarter and have since also backed the Kickstarter for the 80s Genre Guide, expected Feb/March next year.
7TV uses profile cards providing 100+ generic characters for a range of genres including spy, action, fantasy, thriller, and horror. Profiles can be generated too but the idea is to spend more time playing and less time creating cards! The concept is that players are making a TV episode, so characters are stars, co-stars or extras, activation and special actions are done using "plot points" that your cast earns each turn, and the episode is moved along by event cards happening in three acts.
For this first game, we didn't use Props or the special abilities on the character cards. The game isn't too complicated but there is a lot to learn initially. I acted as gamesmaster for Andy and Stuart to play the game.
Our scenario was Indiana Jones trying to beat the Nazis to the Holy Grail. The good guys cast comprised:
The baddies were:
Both casts cost 28 points, and started at opposite edges of a 2x2 feet area with six objective tokens along the central line of a ruined Egyptian temple.
Stuart brought on Indy and friends first, keeping to cover and using Henry Jones Sr ranged weapon to pick off Andy's cultist archers early on.
Marion and Brady picked up a couple of objective markers with Brady getting poisoned as a result. Andy had better luck at the top of playing area and was able to revive one of his archers, and found the Holy Grail.
Indiana lasso-ed the Nazi capturing him and reducing Andy's plot points for the next round.
A Skeleton then made a surprise cameo, creating a bit of uncertainty and then hilarity as it bolted through several figures knocking them over.
The skeleton did benefit Andy by killing Salah, the only loss to Stuart's cast. The Nazi managed to escape and started running towards the top edge of the mat. In his final turn, Andy drew a blast Script Card setting three of Stuart's characters on fire. Stuart extinguished Indy and Marion, leaving the already poisoned Marcus Brody to take his chances... he survived. However, another bullseye from Dr Jones Sr saw the Nazi shot in the back and taken out in the last turn of the game, giving a Minor Victory to Stuart overall.
By the end, we were getting familiar with the rules and where to find things in the book when we needed them. Next time we will play with Props, and the Special Ability and Special Effects available to the characters, which will provide even more variety (and mayhem) and perhaps balance up teams more effectively.
The key thing we learned was (obvious in retrospect) to play it like a TV episode! An extra isn't really going to do much damage to a star so you really need to lead with your stars and co-stars and engage their counterparts, and let the extras fight it out when you have the opportunity and plot points.
With larger casts, I think this will work well with two players a side looking after a few characters each.
