source: www.youthwork-practice.com | 2000 Games, Devotions, Themes, Ideas and more for Youth Work
only for private using

The skirmish in 2 PACt Land

The title is just a play on words! It is based on the role play game for PC, “Heroes”! Several weeks of work were put into this program and it was a complete success but very complex!

Prologue

Grassy squares, the snow-tipped peak of the Kamasutra Pass, the large waterfall and the unusual variety of parrot species are the natural beauties in 2 PACt Land. The nature has drawn people to the area over the years.

However, jealousy, greed and obsession with power always resulted in war and destruction. Then came the times in which the newly found land was covered with fire and ash until one day, the people were forced to turn their backs on the land and look for food elsewhere.

However, these times are now long gone and a new era seems to be braking. Under the supervision of the guards of the realm, the Blue Helmets, the former residents (or rather, their heirs) have been called back to 2 PACt Land to inhabit the land once again and let the land bloom as in previous times.

Surprisingly, all of the folk have decided to take up the invitation and, under the guidance of the duke and his army, have moved back into 2PACt Land without being aware of the existence of the other folk in the land.

Which folks have appeared at the moment?

The Abklemmers (A) and the Blaumacher (B) have settled to the west of the large mountain range which separates the land into two halves. The Clan der Stemmer (C) and the Drückeberger (D) are on the east side of the mountains.

After a long journey, all four folks find a castle tower inside ruin walls in a land which they only know from stories and legends. The lack of food and materials and the curiosity about the surroundings make the residents go and discover the new, old land.

The duke goes along with his followers on the tour of discovery. Each new piece of land has its characteristics, poses a challenge, has its own inhabitants or has other surprises waiting for the heroes.

Story (game plan)

In the years to come the folks explore their piece of land. They come across sources of raw materials with which they can build their own castle and other buildings. They find allies and discover other features in the new land.

Each group of folk explores the land up to the natural borders but may not overstep the borders. The passes in the mountains are protected by a large number of Blue Helmets who want to avoid that the contact with the other folks takes place. However, one day the folks find their way over the river and a battle flares up between the A and B and the C and D folks. These folks quickly realise that they were originally one folk and that the real enemy is behind the mountains. Once peace falls over the two sides of the mountains, the Blue Helmets receive orders to return to the headquarters and just a few of them remain at the border posts. It is assumed that the folks have forgotten their old enemies and that there is no more danger of a new battle.

The wrong assumption:
The united folk storm the mountains and force their way into the enemy land to bring it under their control.

The skirmish now begins in 2 PACt Land and at the end of the eternal battle there can only be one winner.

Detailed descriptions

The heroes

The game begins with the return of the Duke and his followers to the land of his forefathers – 2 PACt Land. After a long journey they find a ruined castle tower within the derelict walls which they only know from tales and legends. The lack of food and raw materials and the curiosity of the surroundings mean that they go and discover the new, old land.

The duke therefore goes on a discovery tour with his subjects. Each new piece of land has its own features, its own riddles, its own residents or other surprises awaiting the heroes.

The concept of a hero

The movements and actions of the duke in the game are represented by a game figure, the so called hero. The “Duke” hero figure therefore does not only represent the Duke, but also the respective troops. The hero can be moved freely according to the given card. If he enters the square with an enemy figure, it results in a battle. If there are buildings within the square, the heroes can request that people to produce for the Duke in the future. If the building belongs to another castle lord, the building can of course be captured by keeping it.

Calculation of time

The playing time is divided into years. This is nothing new! But be careful! A year is also divided into a day and a night. The heroes rest during the night but to become active during the day and get up to no good.

The night

In the night the players can collect time for their heroes from the game leader. Each hero receives 11 x time per night, heroes with horse shoes even receive 14 x time. (Note: Time is one unit of time). The time account of the hero is noted as 11 or 14 on the hero sheet by one of the game leaders. Time which is not used from the previous day is lost! Carpe diem!!

The day

The day must be used for trading which means spending time: moving, learning, fighting... The trade is determined by the respective movements on the card.

Action>	Time
Movement per square	2 Time
Discovery per square	2 Time
Training (only possible with one level)	3 Time
Joining the battle (attack)	1 Time
Occupying a building	4 Time
Crossing the bridge or a pass	1 Time + pass question

Ability points and fighting strength

The characteristics of a hero are described with ability points in five different categories. The strength of a hero is determined by the table below. In order to gain strength, further ability points must be collected which means that training must be undertaken in the respective buildings. In a battle, fighting strengths are converted for the “battle game” at the beginning. The construction of a forge increases the fighting strength of all heroes among the followers by one point.

Fighting strength	Kindness	Luck	Courage	Skill	Knowledge
0 (+1)	Less than 2 ability points
1 (+1)	2 ability points in two different categories
2 (+1)	4 ability points in at least three different categories
3 (+1)	2	1	1	1	1
4 (+1)	2	2	2	1	1
5 (+1)	2	2	2	2	2
6 (+1)	2	2	2	2	3

Battles between heroes

The stronger person has the advantage on the battle square. This means that preparations must be made for a serious situation. This is done by training the heroes so they can enter the fight with the highest possible fighting strength points. However, this is no guarantee for a successful slaughter.

The attacker has the advantage of selecting a moment to surprise the opponent. This is honoured in the game by permitting the attacker to select the battle game. The games are allocated to a certain number of players. If one of the two teams does not have sufficient numbers of players a different battle game must be selected. The attacker is also required to inform the game leader about the selected game and if the battle square has not been set up for the game, the attacking team must coordinate with the game leaders to set up the area. The successful hero is allowed to give himself a good pat on the shoulder and enjoy his new-found fame. The defeated heroes must flee and rest their tired bones after the battle. This makes them start to lose faith in their own abilities.

To put it clearly: the loser is sent back to the nearest building occupied by his followers where he must sit out of the game for 4 time units. The loser also loses one ability point of his own choice which he must surrender to the winner of the battle. If a hero loses in his own land (defined by the rivers and mountains) he is sent back to the castle and remains there for 8 x time units before being able to take part in the events once again.

Occupying buildings

Heroes would not be heroes if they did not help their kingdom achieve new wealth by incorporating abandoned or new buildings into its own production. An abandoned building is discovered and taken over by the hero discovering the corresponding square and solving any tasks which are given.

The new building can be taken over when it is occupied by a hero for 4 time units without the hero being attacked. If he manages this, occupation has been successful and the flag is changed. The effects which the building had on the former owner of the building are lost and on now valid for the new owner unless he already owns such the building, then nothing changes for him.

If enemy troops take over the headquarters of the Special Forces hero and the respective supplies, the hero figure is also taken over by the occupier. In order to underline this loss, three players from the group which has been stolen from must join the opposing team. These players are chosen by the occupier. The team can protect itself against this by constructing several mills and wells.

Buildings in Vierstrom land

”I am surprised by the beauty of Vierstrom land. My father always told me about its indescribable beauty but I could not even imagine it before returning to the land inhabited by our forefathers. It encourages us all to construct buildings in order to profit from the wealth of our new, old home. On the way to the old castle tower we found tracks which suggest that some people already live in the area.”

General guidelines:

Each building can be constructed as many times as you like. However, the additional buildings do not have the same effect; they solely serve as prevention against losses due to occupation.
Each building is built as a miniature model made of cardboard, paper and other materials. The building which is represented should be able to be identified which means that the function of the building should be recognisable.
A building is only completed once technical services have approved it as suitable for the respective use.
A maximum of two buildings may be constructed on one square. Buildings which existed before the occupation of a square do not count.
All buildings must be constructed outside of the castle square.
The requirements in the building descriptions stipulate which resources are square must have in order to be able to construct the respective building on it. If the group of followers has a horse and cart it is free from any spatial restrictions which means that the stipulated resources or buildings must only be available or occupied in the discovered area.

Buildings

Training buildings:
Monastery (kindness), Harem (luck), Free fall tower (courage), Castle tavern (skill) and Library (knowledge)
Military buildings:
Castle walls, moat, castle gate and battering ram
Other buildings:
Forge, blacksmiths, mill, well, monument and horse and cart

Training buildings

Monastery
Requirements: Forest and quarry Effect: Allows development of the kindness characteristic
Harem
Requirements: Plenty of women Effect: Enables the development of the luck characteristic
Free fall tower
Requirements: Forest or quarry Effect: Allows development of the courage characteristic
Castle tavern
Requirements: Brewery or distillery Effect: Allows development of the skill characteristic
Library
Requirements: An enlightenment or discovery of a book Effect: Allows development of the knowledge characteristic
The function of all education buildings:
In order to progress in a specific skill, the hero spends 3 x time in an educational building. If there is a monument, the education time reduces to 2 x time. After completion of the educational time, the hero is credited with the respective skill point on the character sheet and is obliged to remove himself from the educational institute field.

Military buildings

Castle walls
Requirements: Quarry
Effect: In connection with a castle gate, a castle wall avoids unwelcome guests entering and avoids simple occupation.
Castle gate
Requirements: Woods and quarry
Effect: In connection with a castle wall, a castle gate avoids unwelcome guests entering and avoids simple occupation.
Moat and drawbridge
Requirements: Woods, quarry and castle gate
Effect: Stops the first attacking hero with 8 x time until he advances to the castle gate. (The wannabe invaders have to find a way of crossing the moat with the drawbridge up first!)
Battering ram
Requirements: Woods and forge
Effect: The battering ram destroys castle gates and therefore allows simple access to the castles in the world (without having to flirt).
Function: - The ram is built in the forge and must therefore be picked up there as well
- Must be transported by a hero whose movement slows down by 1 x time per field
- Carrying the battering ram does not have an influence upon the fighting strength of the hero if he happens to get caught up in a fight during transport
- A castle gate is destroyed as soon as a hero reaches it with the battering ram
Comments: Is not counted with the restriction of the building per field.

Other buildings

Forgery
Requirements: Mine
Effect: Gives the hero an extra strength point and permits the construction of a battering ram.
Blacksmiths for horse shoes
Requirements: Mine
Effect: The heroes can get horse shoes for their horses here and therefore receive 3 x extra time. Apart from for heroes, this also applies to horse carts.
Function: In order to gain horse shoes, a hero or horse cart must give up 3 x time at the blacksmith’s building.
Mill
Requirements: Woods or quarry
Effect: Allows provisions for a second hero. It is clearly marked on the hero’s character sheet which building is providing for him. This is significant for the occupation of a building.
Well
Requirements: Quarry
Effect: Allows provisions for a third hero. It is clearly marked on the hero’s character sheet which building is providing for him. This is significant for the occupation of a building.
Horse and cart
Requirements: Woods
Effect: Permits the transport of raw materials and specific objects.
Function: - The transport of permanently produced goods (e.g. from mines, woods) takes place just with the existence of a horse and cart.
- The transport of special items must be controlled. The horse and cart moves like the heroes with 2 x time per field.
Monument
Requirements: Quarry
Effect: Shortens the education time in all educational buildings from 3 x time to 2 x time.

Catalogue of games

Name of game	How does it work?	Number of players per team	Advantages due to strengths
Eating competition	What is on offer in the kitchen is split into two halves; the one who eats it the fastest wins.	Equal teams of 2-5	+ kindness: something to drink + strength: each player in the team may eat a mouthful for each point difference
Tea bag throwing competition	Take a tea bag, place it in your mouth and toss the tea bag through the air with your mouth using a shot put movement. Each player has three attempts with the same teabag. The comparison between the second and third furthest attempts of both teams is decisive.	3 Players	+ strength: one more attempt each
Blowing football	Apart from two goals at the ends, a table is covered with paper. A piece of cotton wool is placed in the middle and the first to blow 10 goals is the winner.	3 Players	+ courage: one goal head start + strength: one goal head start per point difference
Catch fours	Everyone knows this game. The losing team is the team which is first to lose six players (= 6 lives): take turns to sit out.	4 Players	+ skill: can choose whether to enter a team of three + strength: one extra life per point difference
Hand tapping game	1 tap = pass the tap on 2 taps = change direction Error = take hand away the losing team is the team with no more hands on the table.	3 Players	+ Knowledge: one extra player + Strength: each strength point, the team may be replace two hands on the table.
Test of strength	Heavy classes are held at arm's length (at shoulder height). Player who holds the position the longest wins.	2-4 Players	+ Kindness: maybe remove one mouthful of water from the glass. However, this must be refills at the end. + strength: remove one mouthful of water
Darts	Simply darts! Which team is first to score exactly 237 points. Excess attempts will be fully deducted.	2-3 Players	+ skill: 193 instead of 237 points + strength: 30 points less for the stronger one with each point difference
Tip kick	Simply tip kick. 6 minutes game time	2 Players	+ strength: one goal head start
Catching a tennis ball with a bucket	Player1 stands with a tennis ball approx 40m away from player 2. This player must catch the ball with a smooth bucket. Each player has 5 attempts. Swap over jobs.	2-4 Players	+ luck: 6 instead of 5 attempts + strength: 2:0 wins
Key word -> singing	The game leader gives the players words. Example: moon. The player who is first to sing a song with moon in it wins a point. E.g. Don’t fight the moonlight... the team which is first to win 12 points wins.	5 Players	+ knowledge: must only contribute to 10 words + strength: one player in the team throws clever words into the game
Word association game	Tea pot -> pot hole -> hole-in-one... anyone who gets stuck or hesitates longer than 10 seconds is out The losing team is the team with no more players left.	4-5 Players	+ knowledge: this team may say „pass“ once + strength: this team may always start off and prompt three times
Screaming game	6 players scream a word and the 7th player must try to understand it. Difficulty: the other group stands between them and screams as loud as possible. Each player “may” be the 7th player once. The one who guesses the most words wins.	Approx 7 Players	+ strength: 2 extra attempts
Cross country bocce	Throw a rolling object towards a target. The object which is third furthest away from the target wins. The first to win 6 rounds wins the game.	4 Players	+ strength: may be first to choose the objects
Building a snowman	Build a snowman against the clock. The minimum height is set depending on the amount of snow, 3 balls, “coat buttons”, “nose”, “eyes” and head wear are a must. The first to finish wins the game.	4-6 Players Adapt the requirements to suit the age of the players	+ strength: the team may have one extra player
Balloon shaving competition	Cover a balloon with shaving cream. If it bursts -> you lose. Otherwise the teams time will be compared	2 Players	+ strength: time difference is 5% per strength point
Taboo	Simply taboo. 10 minutes and the most words win.	5 Players	+ strength: one additional player

more informations: more informations (Standard tasks and Field catalogue)