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DemonBall
DemonBall
DemonBall is a blood sport of the shattered remains of America. Born in the warehouses of New Jersey,
brainchild of the Organization. The game was designed as a moneymaker for the Organization, run in abandoned
warehouses and steam tunnels. The game has slowly developed a cult following in Org held areas and even by
some Mutant warlords. Spoken about only in whispers, but never in public, DemonBall has even received some
backing from the corporate suits. It is run during times of truce under the jurisdiction of a mutant warlord
or Org Cappo who sets the rules for their particular league, as there are no 'official' rules. DemonBall is a
natural extension of Americans, even Mutant Americans desire to compete via proxy through their sports heroes,
and gamble on the outcome.
Most leagues are sponsored by a Benefactor (usually an Org Cappo) who allows teams from different factions to
compete under strict regulations to increase rivalries and to profit from the gambling. All factions involved
agree to the restrictions for a cut of the profits. Factions form teams, put them through rigorous training, and
send them on to these loosely organized city leagues scattered through out East Coast and the Midwest. In some cases
single tournaments are run instead of leagues. Thus removing the need for a constant influx of players for a team
that looses several if not all of its players.
The game is played in an arena, which is often constructed like a maze. Teams enter through a goal, then attempt
to grab the DemonBall located in the center of the arena and move it out one of the goals. Some games allow teams
to exit through any goal, while other leagues will have a designated scoring goal that will change constantly during
the match. Other than those basics pretty much anything goes, though limits on team weapons and size are usually
enforced to keep things balanced for entertainment purposes.
The DemonBall itself is heavy (-3" to movement for any turn the ball is in a player's possession), and must emit
a loud noise or bright light (any model in possession of the ball may not use Stealth or Ranger advantages).
While the shape and form of the ball is left up to the arena (everything from smooth spheres to skulls to statuettes
is used), it must meet the above requirements. While the DemonBall is too heavy to actually be thrown, it may be passed
between players in base to base contact (players still lose 3ö of movement for possessing the DemonBall, even for only
part of the turn).
A DemonBall team can be made up of 4-10 players. The armament of the team is dependent on who is running the league.
Some leagues require teams to consist solely of basic front line troops with no heavy weapons (this would be ShockForce
trooper type and no weapons above xk3, point values of 275 - 400). While other leagues allow a star player (Elite with
point values of 375 - 500) to lead the basic players or a super star (Character, with point values of 500 +) to lead the
teams. Some of the leagues that have star/super star players in them allow heavier weapons (nothing larger than a xk4).
A DemonBall match will consist of 2-8 teams competing against each other, depending on the size and set up of the arena.
Shock Force Rule Additions
Break/Morale test will not be made in DemonBall when half a team is killed,
like in the standard game. However, if the team leader goes down then the
rest of the team will still be treated as out of command for the rest of
the game. Note that mental test for Horror Attacks, Suppression Attacks,
and various Arena Events must still be made.
Arenas may also have events associated with them.
Random event cards can be shuffled into the initiative deck, and their
effects occur when they are drawn. You must decided what types of events
and how many to put into the event deck (but do not add more events than
1/2 the number of teams competing rounded down).
Some examples of events are listed below, but feel free to create your own.
Just keep the following guideline in mind, events should not completely
disable a team, nor should they play too large a role in determining the
winner. Events can be recycled back into the event deck after they have
been played.
Arena Events
Smoke Bomb/Steam Vent - The next team activated is covered in smoke or
steam. The range on their weapons is reduced to 1/2 till their next
activation. Either a smoke or steam cloud can be made with a cotton ball or
the card itself can be used to denote the effected team.
Hidden Traps - The next team activated triggers an arena trap consisting of nets or
cages. The team must pass a mental test (by rolling 10 or more) or become
entrapped. Entrapped teams may fire and reserve fire as normal, but may not
move. Entrapped teams may clear a trap by passing a mental test on their
next activation, after which they can move normally. You may wish to roll
separately for each player and entrap only players from the team that fail.
Free team members may use their activation to attempt and free an entrapped
team member by moving into base to base contact with the entrapped model
and passing a mental test. Traps can be denote by the appropriate model
(net or cage) or the card itself.
Stink Bomb - The next team activated must pass a mental test or move their
maximum movement away (any direction) from their current position. All
their actions may be taken normally as long as they move the required
distance.
Lapse in Security - Members of the crowd have managed to sneak in weapons
and a gun battle breaks out. Each team must pass a mental test or lose any
reserve fire markers they have as they duck for cover.
Slippery When Wet - Some guts, blood or other body fluid left over from a
previous match has made a section of the arena slippery. The next team
activated loses 3" from their move for this turn only.
Shift in Maze - A section of wall or walls move. Which ones can be
determined randomly, by predetermined arrangement, or by GM discretion (I
recommend blocking off the closest rout to the DemonBall for the next team
activated).
Goal Change - Denotes the current scoring goal has changed. The new goal
can be determine randomly or be the goal of the next team activated. A good
way to denote only one scoring goal is to have the entrances closed off
(with movable wall sections or gates) as teams are activated in the second
turn, with the last team activated having the active/scoring goal till this
event is drawn.
Fumble - The team with the ball fumbles it, and it bounces 1d6" in a random
direction (can bounce off or over walls if desired). If no one has gain
possession of the ball yet then it is launched from its stand 2d6" in a
random direction.
Optional Rules
Ringers: - Teams may add up to 2 players from different types of trooper squads available
to their faction. So a team of Org Delinquents could have two Thugs as ringers for their team with this option.
Substitute Players: - Teams may find they can't or don't want to max out the tweaks of their
cheap troopers so that they can field all their allowed points at once. Instead they can purchase Substitute
Players (-10 pt flaw, doesn't count toward tweak limit) to fill out their allowed point total for the team.
Substitute players must be legal trooper players, and only come into play to replace players lost in a prior
activation. So if a team of Broodlings that started with 6 players and then lost two players in the last turn (bringing
their total players down to 4), then they can bring two substitute players into play at their starting goal on the
team's activation for this turn (increasing their team total back up to 6). The number of substitute players on a team are
limited by the overall totals points allowed for any team (thus in a 500 point league, the Broodling team may be able to
field 12 players, with no more than 6 in play at any one time). Substitute players must start out from the team's assigned
starting goal and are considered out of Control Radius(ShockForce rules) until they are within CR of their team leader.
Special thanks to Phillip Hartzog - The creator of DemonBall.
Drop him a note if you like at - phillip@asheboro.com
Want to see a couple of pictures from previous DemonBall matches? Click Here -
DemonBall Pictures
Here is some action reports from my prior DemonBall leagues.
Chi Town Season 1
Chi Town Season 2
Chi Town Season 3
