I would like the option to restrict a counter to appearing only once on the map at a time.
Currently in practice, Player can pull infinite copies of Counter A from the palette.
In my mind, Player would pull a copy of Counter A from the palette and place it on the map, at which point the palette’s copy of Counter A would be automatically grayed out until that piece is deleted (returned to tray).
This would probably best be used as an optional counter trait in a prototype, so that other pieces such as markers would be replicable.
For extra credit, allow the module author to specify the maximum amount of counter copies that can be in play. For example, 10 infantry A chits, 5 infantry B chits, etc.
This obviously would allow actual boardgame counter limitations (which some games enforce) to be applied by the mod author without inconveniencing the players.
And, of course, if this is already possible, I’d love to hear how.
Put all of your unlimited pull markers into one palette, all of your units and limited pull counters into a second palette. When you have finished development, hide the unit palette so that module players do not see it.
When you create your scenario setup, pull all of the units and counters for that scenario, including the limited multi-pull units (1-off, 5-off, whatever).
Where do you put them all?
Presumably most of the units will have starting locations on the map or in a force pool, reinforcement track etc. If they don’t have a place to go, then create a new Map window, or Chart Map window, suitably named with a nice background and put them in there. It may make sense to make multiple new windows to hold the counters you need, but the principle remains the same - Any counter that you want to limit the number available, must be created by you as part of the scenario setup.
My philosophy is that no Unit can be deleted once a scenario starts. It always exists somewhere - On the map, in a forcepool, in an eliminated units box, on a reinforcement track. If a place does not exist in the game, then I create a Graveyard map. All Units then have somewhere to go when they die, and appropriate ‘Send To Location’ traits to send them there.
Well, the pull-limit thingy has been requested every 6 months for the last couple of years and no developer has jumped in to do it yet because a) it’s a difficult design problem that does not fit easily with the current structures and b) there is a perfectly good alternative. One day perhaps…
I can certainly wait, but I’ll be very happy when we have this.
F&E has a few ship types who are limited to 1-3 in service (depending). The ‘at start’ or ‘reinforcement’ models don’t work here, because not only do they not start the game in play, but their construction is entirely at player discretion.
You could make a map board and call it the “Construction Yard” and have them start there, then Send-to-Location them onto the main board when they’ve been “built.”
At Starts / Reinforcement holding boxes can work here if you combine the
counters in question with a counting module GP, Static GP, Map applied
keystroke after placement and STL trait.
The theory goes that every time you place one of these counters on to the
map board, using a trigger sequence the counting GP increases its value by
1, checks to see if the counting GP has exceeded the Static GP and if it
has, applies the Map key to reduce the counting GP by 1 (set back to
previous value) and then uses the STL trait to send back to previous
location the newly placed Ship immediately (i.e back to At start stack
pool).
Thus never exceeding what is allowed
The Static GP can be a variable defined in Preferences if needed, should it
need to change for different scenarios/games
I suppose it’s time to add another feather to my VASSAL cap and start including graveyards in my mods… thanks for the push.
