Introduction

Subjugation is a two-player turn-based strategy board game set in a medieval-style world. There are three different unit types and an array of secret traps to employ against the enemy. With a quick set-up and easy rules, the simplicity makes it accessible while the possibilities make it challenging.

This blog will be a place for our production team to discuss and develop the game over the next several weeks. We will be discussing rule changes and other concepts relating to the design. By 10 March 2011, we should have a finished prototype fully built, thoroughly play tested, and ready to be presented to the rest of our Game Play Theory and Mechanics class.

One-Sentence Marketing:
Subjugation is a game of medieval strategy and conquest which locks two players into an intense battle of wits.

Hook:
Master or be mastered in Subjugation!

Essentially, Subjugation is a strategy game that combines the simple movement rules of Chess or Checkers with hidden elements, in the form of secret traps, similar to Battleship. It will also feature a folding board that stores all the pieces needed to play the game to minimize setup time.

Gameplay
After the set-up and pre-planning stages are complete, the battle can commence. Each player can move up to 3 units on their turn. Each unit has a set distance it can travel and a defined range it can attack within. A unit can attack only one enemy unit within range during the attacking player’s turn, whether it was moved or not. As players alternate turns, they must anticipate the movements of the enemy and stay mindful of the location and range of every unit on the field of battle. Since a unit rarely moves within range of an enemy without attacking, each turn will only last long enough to move 3 units. Since there is no damage to keep track of, each turn can take anywhere from a few seconds to more than a minute.

The flow of alternating turns will only be interrupted if a unit is placed on a space where a secret trap has been laid. The player who set the trap will immediately inform their opponent of the effects on that unit.

At the beginning of every turn reinforcements are provided to replace fallen units. The type of unit available is determined by the roll of two custom six-sided dice. No more than one or two new units will be introduced at the start of each turn near the main gates or on an available space on the wall. Only archers can be placed on the wall and the spaces will be limited.

Victory Conditions
Each castle will have weak points that need to be attacked in order to destroy the enemy defenses. These can only be attacked by melee units that are within range. Weak points act as stationary units on the field in designated spaces. Once all the weak points have been destroyed, the opposing player has achieved victory.



This is most of what we have so far. On Tuesday, after Vision Document presentations, we should have a paper prototype to start play testing on.