A Lego Strategy Wargame
game design: Zach Chandler
contributors: Zach Chandler, Elijah Chandler, David Felch, Donovan Metz, Andrew Felch, Michael Metz
contact: [email protected]
LEGO and MINIFIGURE are registered trademark of the LEGO Group. All of the original content in Builder Wars is made available to the public under a Creative Commons license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- Overview
- Principles
- How to Play
- Materials
- Build Phase
- Hit Points
- Weapons, Shields, and Equipment
- Hero Names
- Speed
- Attack Damage
- Base Building
- Defenses
- The Lineup
- Battle Phase
- Movement I
- Attack
- Resolving Attack Outcomes
- Movement II
- Finishing the Game
- Appendix
Builder Wars is a turn-based, strategy wargame that uses Lego bricks and minifigs as game pieces. It requires 1 game master, and 2-4 players. The game scenario, playability, fairness, and game flow are the responsibility of the game master (GM). The players follow the rules, invent things, and have fun!
- Games should be fun. If the rules of the game are preventing the players from having fun, the the GM should change the rules.
- Games should be fair. There is no special power or ability that can be granted to one player that cannot be granted or made available to all players.
- This game is a beta playtest experience for everyone involved. This means that there will be grey areas, and the GM will have to make stuff up. All players must agree not to fault the GM for adjudication during the game.
- New ideas are welcome. During gameplay, anyone that has an idea to make the game better is encouraged to share that idea, which is acknowledged and scribbled down by the GM for later review.
- Keep it simple. Better to start out simple and add complexity later.
There are 2 major phases of game play in Builder Wars: 1) the Build Phase, followed by 2) the Battle Phase. The GM guides the players through all phases, is responsible for game flow (if it’s going too slow, change it up!). The GM has to be impartial and keep things moving. The battlefield is whatever available space you have on the floor of your bedroom. (8’x8’ was used for Game Zero.) If all players are grownups, you may opt to not have a GM. In the case of young players, the GM should be a parent.
- 20+ lego minifigs
- 20 4x6 flat lego pieces
- 20 small cone pieces
- 2 large baseplates
- 200 2x2 bricks
- 192 1-dot studs
- 2 rulers, or tape measure
- 1 Builder Wars Battle Sheet (or just a blank piece of paper)
- 1 pencil
- painters tape (masking tape)
Duration: ~1 hour
In the Build Phase, each player selects their army from available Lego minifigs. The baseline number of minifigs (aka “heroes”) per side is 10, so for a 2 person game you should have around 20 minifigs. It is ideal if there any many more than this to chose from, and mix and match pieces, components, weapons and gear.
The primary game mechanic of Builder Wars is hit points (HP). The number of HP that a given minifig hero has determines how much damage he or she can withstand before shuffling off the mortal coil.
Each player is allocated 96 total HP at the beginning of the game, to be divided amongst all their heroes.
A player can give 6HP to 12 heroes, or give more or less to some than others. HP allocation is the next step in army building, once the heroes have been assembled from parts.
One HP is designated by a 1-dot “stud” lego piece. The lego piece (normally a 4x4 or 4x6 plate) that serves as a base to steady the minifig is also the HP counter. A baseplate 4 dots wide is best for playing on carpets, since 2-dot wide baseplates are tippy (half your heroes will be flopped over in a not very dignified way for most of the battle!). Any flat lego piece (“plate” type) will do, but 4x6 is the current default because it is small enough to be maneuverable, yet hold a sufficient amount of hit points (see below), and forces a HP constraint on how heavy duty a given hero can be. Q: Can I have 1 hero with all 96 hit points? GM: Let’s try it, and see how it plays out!
There are no extraneous cards or paperwork to keep track of HP since it’s visible to everyone just using Lego. A hero with 8HP will have 8 studs on his baseplate when he is at full health. If he gets hit by an arrow for 1HP damage, the player removes a stud, leaving him with 7. When there are no studs remaining, that hero is dead … or “defeated”, or whatever term you care to use. ahem.
pro tip: The regular round lego studs (that have that little lip on them) are best. The smooth round pieces are harder to get on and off, so avoid those.
The build phase is a great opportunity for the players to express themselves creatively and come up with original combinations. Chainsaw in one hand, and laser rifle in the other? Sure! Can Magneto use Mjolnir? Why not? It can be an alternative universe Mjolnir where you don’t have to be all that worthy ... Everything should be fair game during the Build Phase. A lot of the character of the heroes will come from the weapons and equipment the players choose. Can a banana be a weapon? Of course! It might be a special “deadly banana”. The GM works all that out, guided by the ideas of the players.
Hero weapons are judged by the GM based on the appearance of what the players have built out of the available Lego pieces. Particularly awesome or clever builds should be lauded and acknowledged as particularly dangerous looking. GM then assigns an Damage Rating (DR) for each weapon, and Shield Rating (SR) for shields. Special weapon abilities have to be paid for with HP from the player’s total HP pool.
All minifigs have 2 hands (except for rare exceptions) and can thusly have either 2 weapons (1 in each hand), a weapon and shield, 2 shields, or one of the above with a special battle effect item like a hypnostaff (from the Ninjago snake bad guys). Each player makes this loadout decision for each hero. 2 weapons is a popular choice because it affords 2 attacks per turn.
- Melee weapons do 1-5 damage (1 = small dagger, 5 = lightsaber, vorpal sword, or magically endowed baguette).
- Ranged weapons do 1-3 damage (1 = bow&arrow; 3 = sniper rifle). Often lighter dmg weapons will have longer range. Range is measured in inches. Close up ranged weapons (i.e. shotgun) = 4” range, long distance ranged weapons (i.e. rifle or crossbow) = 12”. GM arbitrarily assigns weapon ranges, with an eye toward game balance.
- Two-handed weapons do up to 10 damage, but the hero must dedicate 2 hands to wielding it.
- Shields prevent 1HP from each incoming attack. So, a hero holding 2 shields would subtract 2HP of damage from each and every incoming attack before it did any damage to his/her HP, which makes 2 shields very effective against all but the most powerful ranged attacks. Heros with shields can block for other heroes, if they are in the direct line of fire of the incoming attack. If the player pays 2HP from their HP Pool, they can upgrade to a Super Shield that blocks 2HP from each incoming attack. Super Shields also have to be made of special pieces, or otherwise look awesome in order to qualify.
- Fire weapons do an extra 1HP of burn damage during the next turn after being hit, in addition to their normal damage. GM should designate who has a fire weapon in their notes, and generally there is some kind of visual component to the lego pieces involved (fire, or a red clear piece on weapon). cost: 2HP. Ultra Fire weapons do 2HP fire damage the next turn after being hit, and 1HP fire damage 2 rounds after being hit (stackable). cost: 4HP
- Ice weapons cut the victims movement in half during the next turn after being hit, in addition to their normal damage. GM should designate who has an ice weapon in their notes, and generally there is some kind of visual component to the lego pieces involved (clear blue piece on weapon). cost: 2HP. Ultra Ice weapons freeze the victim completely such that they cannot attack or move at all for 1 turn, and during the player's next turn their movement is cut in half. Cost: 4HP.
- Lightning can only be applied to melee weapons. +1 damage to powered up attacks, which can exceed the normal maximum (5+1=6). Cooldown: 1 turn (can only be powered up every other turn). cost: 2HP. Ultra Lightning (Plasma) weapons do +2 damage, which can exceed the normal maximum (7AR for 1-handed, 12 for 2-handed). Cost: 4HP.
- Hypno weapons induce a stun effect on their victim, such that they skip their next normal turn. Hypno weapons can only be used every other turn.
cost: 2HP. - Cleave weapons can do either their full damage to a single target, or half-damage (rounded down) to all nearby enemies. cost: 3HP.
- Necro can raise zombies from falled heroes. See appendix.
Once heroes have been outfitted, they have to have their own original names for the Battle Phase so we can create the batting order and refer to each hero easily. The names should be descriptive, but if you can work in originality or silliness, that’s an added bonus. For the sake of saving time, the GM comes up with the names, but if the players have ideas or strong feelings about a particular hero, use those instead. If you are stuck for names, go watch a wuxia movie, and come back and try again. Example names from the inaugural Game Zero: “Lightning Bat”, “Magneto Firehammer”, “Green Ninja Hackfest” … you get the idea.
After the players have both made their HP assignments, the GM assigns Speed values to each hero. There is an inverse relationship between HP and Speed. One way to think about higher HP is that that hero is encumbered with armor. The armor may or may not be visible in the minifig build, but the GM should make heavier units slower as a general rule to keep the game balanced.
The Speed rating of each hero determines how many inches he or she may move each turn. Speed can be a big advantage.
Speed = (20 minus HP value), so the baseline Speed rating for a totally unencumbered character (with only 2HP) is 18.
Subtract 1 for each additional HP, so a hero with 4HP has a Speed of 16, while an armored hero with 10HP has a speed of 10, and heavily armored tank hero with 12HP has a speed of 8.
Before the battle can begin, each hero needs an Attack Rating (AR). AR is a little arbitrary, and the GM should use his or her discretion. Using the range of possible damage that a given weapon type can inflict (1-3 for ranged, 1-5 for melee) the GM makes a determination based on what the players build looks like. Plasma sword with cool-looking gizmos hanging off it? That would be a 5 (duh). Once a first pass based on looks is done, then add up the total damage for each side to make sure it’s not lopsided. Adjust AR up or down, for one or both sides, to make it a more even match.
Each player gets 100 2x2 Lego bricks. You can use any bricks you want for base building really, but 2x2 keeps it simple, allows for easy removal of bricks that have been destroyed by siege, and their removal creates enough space for a minifig to pass through (which is the point).
How a player builds their base depends on the genre of gameplay. Preventing a rescue might require a different type of base than repelling an all out assault. Each player designs their base in secret, and does not reveal their base to the other player until the battle begins (use a cardboard screen, or towel, or something to hide bases from each other until the GM begins the Battle Phase). Showmanship for the reveal is highly encouraged.
A unit that is close enough to do damage to a segment of wall (touching, for melee; inside max range for missile weapons) can damage it, just like damaging an opponent. Once the HP of the brick is exhausted, it is removed from the game. Heroes cannot jump, fly or otherwise move past a brick until it is destroyed. Once a wall is breached, a hero can enter a base, steal a flag, rescue a captive, plant a bomb, or whatever the particular mission the GM has chosen.
Each castle can have stationary defenses, in addition to heroes held back for guard duty. Canons have higher damage and longer range but can only damage 1 target per turn. Mortars do less damage, and have lesser range, but do splash damage to all enemy units in a 3” radius. Canon: AR=2, range 8” Mortar: AR=1 (splash), range 6”
Players are welcome to create elaborate looking defenses with Lego, but in terms of game mechanics their function will all be the same. Unless it’s different. Up to the GM.
Through playtesting it was discovered that it can take quite a few turns to move a cadre of heroes across the battlefield. The GM may decide to allow players the Vehicle Option. Players take advantage of the Vehicle Option by first, during the build phase, building a single vehicle suitable for holding however many heroes they want. It can look like anything, even a scorpion! 
Players can decide, at the beginning of the battle phase, to put some or all of their heroes inside the vehicle. At the beginning of a player's turn the player can optionally move the vehicle up to 24 inches. This will constitute the player's entire turn. All heroes in the vehicle will move together with the vehicle. This is a great way to move a bunch of heroes around the map quickly!
A hero that ends its turn inside the vehicle can move with the vehicle in a future turn. Heroes with ranged attacks can attack without moving outside the vehicle. Melee heroes can attack enemies while remaining in the vehicle (so that they can travel with the vehicle on a future turn) if they can reach the enemy with their weapon while positioned inside their vehicle.
During the build phase, the vehicle may be equipped with a siege weapon, which allows long range destruction of building materials, 10 damage from up to 24 inches away. To use the siege weapon there must be at least one living hero in the vehicle, and the entire player's move must be dedicated to using the siege weapon (i.e. no other moving or attacking).
Create a list of both armies that includes: Hero name, Shield (Y/N), Speed, AR Melee, AR Range (with ranges in inches). Shorthand for special attacks next to the DR for that attack (F,I, and a spiral shape for Hypno).
You will refer to the Lineup constantly during the Battle Phase.
Duration: ~2 hours
In the Battle Phase, the gathered forces go to war! Huzzah!
The GM posits a scenario. Maybe it’s a skirmish and there are no bases; or Capture the Flag from the enemy base; or Escape from an ambush. Whatever the scenario, the GM sets it up, and using the masking tape delineates where players will place their bases, and any other major terrain features (river, bridges, mountains, canyon, etc.). Before battle begins, the GM has to clearly define the criteria for winning (“Definition of Win” or DoW). In a Capture the Flag scenario, each side has to have a “flag” of some kind, and the DoW is to carry the enemy flag into one’s own territory.
Initiative is determined by ro-sham-bo. The winning player goes first.
Battle has 4 steps:
- Movement I
- Attack
- Resolve attack outcomes
- Movement II
Throughout the game the GM reads from the lineup, and cycles through, top to bottom, then back to the top again. etc. It is the responsibility of each player to remember which hero they moved last time. (If they forget that is not the GM’s fault.) You will get into a rhythm, and this gets easier and faster as the game evolves.
Early in the battle, it doesn’t matter that much who goes first. It starts to matter with first contact. At first you can have a bunch of heroes move before the other side goes next. Up to the GM how to handle that.
Each hero can move up to the maximum allowed by their Speed rating, which is the number of inches they can move on the battlefield. The player measures with a ruler or tape measure, and moves his hero. For the sake of consistency, measurement and placement should be done from the same point of the mini-fig base. For example, a hero with a speed of 6 moves 6 inches. If the hero is moving forward, measurement of 6 inches is from the front edge of the hero's base. So the front edge of the hero's base gets placed six inches from the point of measurement.
The hero can move in any direction allowed by the terrain. The hero does not have to move at all. If you don’t use up the maximum distance allowed by your speed rating, then the remainder is available in the Movement II step. When that hero is done, the GM reads out the next name on the Lineup.
When a hero comes close enough to an opponent’s piece, he or she calls out “Contact!” … then the GM gets out a ruler (in the case of ranged weapons) and determines whether contact is actually made. For melee, the pieces have to be touching.
When a hero attacks another game piece, the requisite number of HP is immediately subtracted from the opponent’s hero by taking off studs from that that hero’s baseplate. If that hero reaches zero HP, he or she is removed from the game. If the target was a brick, it is immediately removed from the game. Allow for some time for players to act out how awesome what just happened was! GM should check in with players to make sure that there are no hard feelings, and that the level of fun is still high.
The GM should also apply tokens of some kind to denote states other than loss of HP (i.e. fire damage, ice damage, or hypno).
If a player is successfully attacked, it immediately becomes his or her turn, and the GM calls their next hero in the Lineup (unless it was a ranged attack, in which case the attacking player gets to finish the Movement II step).
If the hero that attacked has any speed left, he or she may use the remainder after attacking, ONLY if their attack was a ranged attack. Once engaged in melee, one cannot break out of it that easily!
How do you know when a game of Builder Wars is over? Who knows? We’ll tell you when we finish one! LOL
#Appendix: Special Powers and Optional Rules Alright, you got me. All the rules are pretty much optional in Builder Wars (see Principle #1). However, it made sense to keep some of the longer winded new stuff in its own section to keep the core rules lean and easy to read.
Necro is a powerful addition to the game. It costs 3HP to add Necro power to an item, and it has to be the only function that that item can do (i.e. you can't add Necro to a weapon, you have to dedicate a hand to it). The necro item, often a staff, has to have some kind of gruesome element to the physical build (a disembodied minifig head topped with a green fang was used for the very first Necrostaff). Here's how Necro works:
- If there is a dead hero that has fallen in combat, and he or she is in range of the Necromancer (9" normally) then the Necromancer can raise him/her as a zombie
- zombies only have 2HP
- zombies can only do 2HP damage
- zombies drop whatever weapons or shields they carried when they were alive
- zombies are slow. Speed is 6" max.
- necromancers can control all movement and attacks of zombies so long as they are within 12". Zombies that are outside this range wander off in random directions, and attack random heroes from either side.
- there is no limit to how many zombies a Necromancer can raise
- zombies can only be raised once. If they are killed again, they are removed from the game.
The opposite of "decapitation" is "encapitation", whereby a hero on the board gets an extra head during the build phase, normally lodged directly on top of his first head (like a hat!). When that hero reaches zero HP (which would normally result in death) he or she loses their first head, and the second head takes its place. At this point the hero gets ALL their HP back, like a reserve tank! Cost: 5HP (under review, might need to be more). The first hero playtested with Encapitation was Encaptain America, by Eli.
The dreaded Death Engine (DE) is a fearsome (and drastic!) battlefield weapon that should be carefully considered before use. A Death Engine is a 2-handed device, thus if a hero caries one he or she cannot carry anything else. The Death Engine has a very long cooldown period (can only be used once every five turns). When activated, a Death Engine kills ALL heroes in a 6" radius, except for the bearer. This includes allies. There is no way to mitigate, or otherwise prevent, this loss of life. The engine trumps all other special powers that might seek to stop its horrifying effects. The best defense against a DE is to spread out and use ranged weapons. It is not enough to want to have a DE, the player has to qualify in the Build Phase by putting together something mechanical and sinister-looking. Extra bricks may be required. Gizmos encouraged. Cost: 6HP