Fairies vs Withces is a fantasy strategy board game. It consists of two opposing sides, the fairies and the witches, batteling for victory. The game is based around strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Lore and Rules
1. Tablut
A nordic Talf game, played by the Sami people. Characteristics:
- The structure: two opposing sides with different roles (offensive and defensive). in FvsW, the players simply become opposing sides, staring at equal footing.
- The hierarchy: normal pieces (soldiers) and a king. In FvsW one party includes two different types of pieces: level 1 piece (infantry) and level 2 piece (knight).
A Japanese strategy board game similar to chess. Characteristics:
- In Shogi, a player can claim a piece as its own after they capture it from their opponent. This characteristic is also found in FvsW
The mechanics involve moving around the pieces on the board. The pieces can be moved only vertically and horizontally, not diagonally.
Core Game Loop
Player places a piece -> Waits turn -> Moves piece/Makes capture -> Waits turn -> repeat
The Peaceful Ending
The player manages to place four level 2 pieces in formation in the knight tiles, surrounding the flower.
Condition: They need to capture the opponent's knights, claim them and then place them in the right tiles).
The Chaotic Ending
The player manages to capture all the opponent’s pieces, leaving them unable to continue the game.
Condition: They need to capture the pieces, but they do not need to claim them by placing them on the board.
Concept Art
Prototyping and Player Feedback
- strategic combat game;
- users can surround the flower either by capturing the opponen's pieces;
- or by trading 4 level 1 pieces for a level 2 pieces.
Feedback: Trading is not equally beneficial to capturing.
Solution: elimination of capturing. The game has now fixed number of pieces (4 level 2 and 16 level 1 pieces) split equally among players.
- Wnning conditions settled
- Finalised set of rules
- Only capturing
- No trading
- No blockading
Feedback: Player can take advantage of their own pieces and block their opponent.
Solution: new rule - no more than two pieces next to eachother ( does not apply to infantry tiles).
- Wnning conditions settled
- Finalised set of rules
- Materialised board game and character pieces.
Board
Video Demo
Fairies vs Withces was exhibited and played at Eastern European Comic Con, 2023