2023 Day 16: Never Going Home
Never Going Home is a game I bought because of the sheer volume of recommendation, and I think the hype is justified.
It’s the great war. It’s bad enough the generals haven’t worked out how to deal with opposing machine guns so men etc are dying in vast numbers. Now someone opened a gateway to another dimension and there are monstrous predators on the loose who don’t follow any rules of war at all. All your officers are gone - taken, hiding or with their own agenda - so it’s just you normal grunts who are left to make a difference. But it’s war and you might die - but there will always be another to take your place.
Cover of Never Going Home
NGH mechanics start simple: roll a number of d6 equal to your skill, try to get enough 5s and 6s. Use your attributes to modify the roll. Looking at the examples, I think if you left it to just this alone you would fail quite a lot (or at least not gain enough successes) and you are probably tempted to use the playing cards in your hand. But beware because using these cards represents burying memories and you will need them for other things (like combat initiative).
To be honest, I find the card mechanics fascinating. The book gives the standard uses for the playing cards. I found them a little confusing, but I think that you would soon pick up how they work in play. And there is a lot of flexibility: you draw them for missions, and draw more on resolution which can be used to advance your abilities. Just be aware of what their use means. You can use them like any Bennie, but the ST can give more or less as suits their style, or the mood of the story. It’s also clear from the example stories that the ST is encouraged to get inventive with using cards them to represent elements of the mission, visual reminders of loss or risk.
Botond was a lieutenant of the Austria-Hungarian army, but he has now been demoted to a private by the Germans and ordered to Ypres. Without his own unit nearby he is no longer loyal to the war and will take any opportunity for Austrian independence. Failing that he’ll settle for survival and taking out German officers. (This is mostly inspired by the blurb on the Austria-Hungarian army in the book.)
When choosing attributes, it’s worth noting that you die or become unplayable if one of attributes is reduced to 0. (You also become an Other if you get too much corruption.) So min-maxing is pretty suicidal here.
- Brawn 2
- Smarts 4
- Guts 4
Gender, sexuality, personal history: Cis Male, but probably went to officer training before he had a chance to explore anything. I think things like parents, siblings, wider family and friends would all come out as he lost memories (to increase the emotional weight).
Trained skills:
- Ranged 2
- Communication 0
- Whisper 1
You have the option of spending a couple of the three cards you start with on another trained skill and I think I would do that here to represent his experience (and disillusionment). This is a risk, but probably not a fatal one.
- Transport 0
Because I took Whisper 1, I can take a Whisper Path. I think he has studied old magic and with the door open he has started to cast it. This is Old Ways (Smarts) and they don’t cost a card to cast (but require more successes). And he’ll start with The Hart’s Hooves which will give more speed and can give him extra actions if he gets good enough.
All soldiers have basic soldiering equipment, including a gun and ammunition. Everything else is situationally dependent.
Character sheet for Botond, part 1
Character sheet for Botond, part 2
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/283637/Never-Going-Home