First off, I picked up Burning Empires at Gencon Indy and have been very impressed so far. I’m really looking forward to running something with it. However…
I’m confused on how to classify scenes. From reading, I see that the same ‘scene’ can be handled as a conflict scene or a building scene or even a color scene. It all depends on how the players want to treat it. My problem is when does a scene stop being one type and becomes another.
So I have some examples on how I think this works, along with some questions.
In a manuevar, my Anvil Lord wants to build a base to launch an attack. He wants to hire some mercs and build some bunkers.
Example #1: The GM and other players have no problem with the Anvil Lord building his base. So no roll is called for. Is this a color scene or a building scene? Can I use a color scene to build a base that may be attacked later? Or do I have to use a building scene that contains no tests?
hmm… as offered by jadarx I would say it is a Color scene, and as such it can be countered by Color.
As a gm I would ask for at least some Resource Rolls (for supplies, and general expenses) or Circles Tests (to get commanders, pilots, controlers, and mechanics). Which would make it a building scene but would give it some structure.
He would have to be mightly poerful to not have any problem putting togwether a base like that without even having to roll for it.
That was going to be my follow-up example. In the first example, I assume the character has more than enough connections to build the base without any problems. However, if he doesn’t have those connections, he will have to make rolls and it obviously becomes a Building scene. I was just curious how to treat a scene where something happens but no rolls occur.
Here’s another question. In a building scene, can you have an opposed roll with another character or does this make it a conflict scene.
Example: My Anvil Lord wants to hire mercs. Another character doesn’t want him to get all the best mercs so he opposes the Anvil Lord’s Circles roll with the intent “If you fail, I hire up all the good mercs and leave you with the fat ones!”.
This doesn’t seem big enough to be a full blow conflict scene.
My name… it’s just going to add to the confusion, it’s Luke. Luke Bailey
That makes thinks a little clearer. So if I want to come into direct conflict with another character, I have to use a conflict scene. Even if it’s just one versus roll?
