Cityfight 2024
Cityfight2024 is my reworking of the original 1979 SPI Cityfight game to make it lots easier to play and focussing almost exclusively on the double-blind detection mechanism. In Cityfight each player has their own map, and there's a "battleships" type mechanism to call out which areas you are looking into, and a dice roll to determine what you see. The game should be played fast so it's a pretty intense experience as people suddenly shoot at you, at close range, out of nowhere and you have to try and work out how to respond. The main changes I made to the SPI version were:
- Moving from hexes to squares;
- Removing the need to pre-plan actions; and
- Massively simplifying the combat system.
For me the soul of Cityfight is in that double-blind experience, and appreciating the problems of situational awareness in urban and the short engagement ranges. Anything which gets in the way of that should go.
I've run Cityfight2024 in two different modes:
- As a physical game, with two maps and teams in the same room (they need to be able to shout out to each other), but sitting back to back; and
- As an on-line game, where I set up the map on Google Slides, gave each team their own copy, and had both teams in a Zoom call to speak to each other (with time outs or text messages for in-team messaging).
One player has played in both types of game and actually found the on-line experience better as everyone was very focussed and there was less chatter, crisper instructions and as GM I probably picked up the cognitive load on some of the mechanics.
Again I hope to get the game out on print'n'play in due course, but here are some of the files and related documents to give you a better idea of the game:
- Cityfight2024 Flyer
- Cityfight2024 Players Guide
- Cityfight2024 QRS
- Cityfight2024 Map (note for intro games I often only use a portion of it so people get to contact faster)
- Cityfight2024 VCOW Onside report - online version (designer notes effectively)
- Cityfight2024 COW Onside report - physical version (designer notes effectively)
- Cityfight2024 Powerpoint for online play
The rules aren't missing, everything needed is in the QRS and Player's Guide (at least when it's being facilitated!). Play time is intended to be 1-2 hours for two teams of 1-2 people.
And here are some pics of both versions of the game:
And here's my reworking of the classic SPI Cityfight cover for Cityfight2024!
