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[CID] Mechanics
The Basic Mechanics of CID: Coppers In Disguise are little changed from the History Farce games that preceded them.
Well that’s not quite true: CID introduces a new concept to the very simple 1d6 roll off system that was devised way back in the Winter of 2011 and became a key part of the Whore’s Blade Wargames System.
CID is the first game where spending one of the two Virtues or Resource points allows you to re-roll dice rolls involving an associated statistic.
Ego: Represents a Copper’s determination to get shit done regardless of the outcome. It is tied to the Bad Cop Statistics of Instinct, Sleaze and Violence.
Discipline: Represents a Copper’s discretion and ability to keep a clear head and stick to the rules. It is tied to the Good Cop Statistics of Brains, Humanity and Grit.
Clichés can refuel these Virtues as can the Super as a reward for good play. Save up enough Virtues and you can attempt to learn new tricks and get new gear as described in Experience and Equipment.
[CID] Clichés
Clichés have their own Chapter: Why? Because they are what gives Coppers distinct thematic advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore when they come into play these Clichés refuel the Copper’s Virtues.
Virtues can be spent on Re-rolls and invested in Advancements to the Character and Equipment. This allows Players to have a bit of fun with the whims of fate in a manner that suits the over dramatic action of the genre.
[CID] Character Creation
With the History Farce system at it’s core CID: Coppers In Disguise has a relatively straight-forward Character Creation system for both new players and those who’ve dabbled in the mess of Georgian England.
Having said this the very team orientated nature of the setting has forced a more Co-Operative Character Creation Process in which Players are required to work together to establish their place in the Team. It is very likely that some Coppers will begin play at a more effective ability level than others but this is balanced out by extra Flex and the Drawbacks of more Clichés.
Clichés are kind of like ready made Merit-Flaw (or Strength-Weakness) packages that also contribute Virtue points when they help or hinder.
In addition the system has been further enhanced with the division of Statistics into Good Cop and Bad Cop with mechanical bonuses available to those who emphasise one over the other with a direct impact on the spendable Virtue Points that provide a heroic edge for Player Characters.
[CID] Background
The Background Chapter of CID: Coppers In Disguise contains a brief history of both the real British Police Forces and the development of British Detective Drama to its modern levels of over saturation and self parody.
Furthermore there is an extensive list of recommended viewing to give those without a grounding in the British Detective Genre an idea of what Coppers are like in the world of CID. Whether you want to play it straight in the vein of Inspector Morse or Vera or go batshit insane like Luther or Midsomer Murders this chapter gives you what you need to know to get started.
[CID] Trailer
[CID] What is CID?
CID: Coppers In Disguise is the first of the Random Insane Side Project games that aim to take Tabletop Roleplaying to very odd (if not unique) places. With the basic mechanics of the History Farce system powering them they shall endeavour to emulate some rather strange genres.
My British fans will be very aware that the majority of our Television Dramas are based around Police Detectives. The format is cheap and can be relied on to succeed even if the show is so full of clichés that nobody takes it seriously. CID: Coppers In Disguise casts your Gaming Group as a bunch of maladjusted plain clothes Coppers working out how to solve the case whilst keeping their noses clean and hoping against hope that what little personal life they have doesn’t come crashing down around them.
American fans of course have the novelty of playing a Police Officer who isn’t a trigger happy knuckle dragger weighed down by unnecessary heavy weaponry. Hell most characters don’t even have guns: Imagine that!
[WBH] Final Touches
Just to let you all know we now have a cover (thanks Brad) and I am putting the final touches to this incredibly silly parody of Superheroine clichés in Tabletop Battle/Roleplaying Game form.
Whore’s Blade Heroics should be out within the week.
A free piece of advice for those writing complex gaming systems: Write your summary sheets first :S
[WBH] Conventions and Priority
Rather than crush everything into the Movement Chapter I have decided to put the core mechanics and priority phase together.
The terminology I use remains consistent…
Dice: A single 6 sided die.
X Dice: X being the number of dice rolled.
1/2 Dice: Roll a 6 sided dice and divide the result by 2 rounding up. For lazy people 1-2= 1, 3-4= 2, 5-6= 3.
Roll Off: The basis of the game. Both players roll a dice (with appropriate modifiers) and the one who scores the highest wins!
Challenge: A Roll Off between two Warriors modified by each ones relevant Statistic, Proficiency, Weapon and/ or Other Factors. For example a Spotting Challenge is Aggression versus Grit meaning the Spotter rolls a dice + Aggression against the Hiding Warriors dice + Grit with both applying Proficiencies and Weapons as Appropriate.
Test: A roll where the modifier of one party is not determined by Statistics but rather by circumstances as appropriate to the situation.
Margin of Success: The difference between the winning roll and the losing roll.
Margin of Failure: As above but in reverse.
Exceptional Margin: A Margin of Success or Failure of 5 or greater.
Save: A Roll off between the Players to determine if a Warrior suffers Burn Out or Death.
Pace: A Pace is a basic measure of distance. It defaults at 1 Inch=1 Pace but you can use any measure you deem appropriate provided you have the consent of your opponent.
Warrior: A general term for a member of a Superteam whether a Character or Goon.
Priority has been altered to a roll off rather than Priority going to the Superteam with the Highest Courage in order to fit in with some of the more interesting Powers. Not sure this will continue in future games but here it works.
[WBH] Goons
Some Superladies have very ordinary hired help.
These “Goons” whether they are trained animals, thugs, zombies or special forces soldiers are not as combat effective as Superladies or even allies but they are cheap enough to field in large numbers.
Goons are not going to be much of a threat on their own but in force of numbers they can at least slow down a determined opponent.
Be advised also that Goons are not just for Villainesses. Heroines and Anti Heroines have been known to work with the Police, Neighbourhood Watch and even petty Criminal Gangs to achieve their ends.
Kittiwake Classics 