In an attempt to better record and report battles, I have developed a system to track the flow of dice in a game of MonPoc. Note that this is not a notation system that will allow for a complete recreation of any particular game; instead it is designed to track dice flow and serve as a reminder to the participants for better battle reports. Positioning in MonPoc is at least as important as dice management; but tracking the movement of each individual piece in MonPoc is too time consuming to execute on a clock. I have tested this dice notation system with a standard 45 minute game clock and found that it did not significantly impact the speed of the game for me or my opponent. With that preamble out of the way, let’s begin.
Game Setup
NameA (A) vs NameC (C)
A: MonsterX & MonsterY (MX & MY)
C: MonsterK & MonsterZ (MK & MZ)
A wins the opening roll
A first on MapName
Number of Action dice start.
Names are the names of the players and are shortened to a single letter to indicate which player is being referred to. I recommend first or last initials, or, if preferred M for me and O for opponent. Monsters are represented by two letters, so that there is no ambiguity on which monster is being referred to. For example, a team of Zor-Maxim and Zor-Magna would likely have ZX, ZG as the monster shorthand, while either one paired distinctly with Defender X would probably be ZM. Record who won the opening roll, who is going first, and what map is being played on. Also, due to concerns about how tournament rules may change from causal rules, note how many Action Dice the starting player begins the game with in their Unit pool. Current variants being 10, Push3, and 5/5.
Example:
Gearbox (G) vs BoxyMD (B)
G: Armodax & Sky Sentinel (AD, SS)
B: Krakenoctus & King Kondo (KO, KK)
G wins the roll
G first on Carnage Corners
Push3 start
Unit turns
A U#: #u, Action Name, #a, +#p (notes)
X/Y/Z vs MK # #dmg
The first letter is the initial of the player taking the turn. The capital U indicates that it’s a unit turn, and the number after the uppercase U indicates how many action dice the turn begins with. The number before the lower-case u is the number of action dice spent on Spawning units this turn. Each Action is called out by full name when used by the player. The number before the lower-case a is the number of action dice spent on Attacking with units this turn. The number between the plus sign and the lower-case p is the number of power dice earned by units this turn. If the units attack a monster, track the number of dice rolled in the attack in the following fashion: X action dice, Y boost dice, Z power dice. Also track which monster is attacked, what the target defense # was, and how much damage the attack deals. Anything noteworthy is tracked in parentheses after the full entry.
Examples:
B U7: 3u, Tectonic Shift, 3a, +0p
3/9/3 vs AD 7 1dmg
In this turn BoxyMD took a unit turn with 7 action dice starting in the unit pool. 3 action dice were spent on spawns, a monster was Tectonic Shifted by a secured Mt. Terra. Then 3 action dice were spent by an Elite Assault Ape and two Grunt Assault Apes with 3 power dice added by Power Hitter to attack Gearbox’s Armodax, needing a 7 to hit and dealing 1 damage. Zero Power dice were earned during this unit turn
G U10, 5u, 4a, +1p
3/9/0 vs KO 8 miss 1C&C miss (spotter)
In this turn Gearbox took a unit turn with 10 action dice starting in the unit pool. 5 action dice were spent on spawns and 4 dice on making attacks with units. One die was used in an attack that destroyed a unit; garnering 1 power die. 3 dice were used to attack the enemy Krakenoctus with an Elite Strike fighter and two Grunt Strike Fighters, needing an 8 due to Spotter. There was a miss, a reroll from Command and Control, and another miss.
Note that if no monster was attacked during the unit turn, then only spawns, actions, attacks and power dice need be tracked and that this can be done on a single line.
Monster turns
A M#, #+#p, -#N, Action Name, #s
MX attack MK X/Y/Z # #dmg +#p, #s (notes)
MY attack MK X/Y/Z # miss, #s (notes)
The first letter is the initial of the player taking the turn. The capital M indicates that it’s a monster turn; followed by the number of action dice in the monster pool. The first number after the number of action dice is the number of power dice the player begins the turn with in their power pool, followed by the number of power dice they power up for. So, if the player begins with 2 power dice and powers up for 5, it is indicated with 2+5p. The number between the minus sign and the N is the number of power dice lost by the opponent due to negative zones or other special rules. Actions are called out by name. The number of steps used for initial positioning are indicated by the number before the lower-case s.
Every monster attack is tracked. In the format of MonsterX attacks MonsterK using this attack (Power attacks are capitalized) rolling X action dice, Y boost dice, and Z power dice. Track the hit or miss, the amount of damage done, and the number of power dice harvested. Finally, note any steps after the attack and any noteworthy points (Such as health remaining on target monster) in parentheses.
Example:
B M7: 3+5p, Tectonic shift, 1s
KO Throws SS 1/5/6 9 4dmg +2p 1s (SS@5)
KK Body Slam SS 2/4/4 9 miss 1C&C 5dmg +5p (SS dies)
In this turn BoxyMD took a monster turn with 7 action dice starting in the monster pool. With 3 power dice in the power pool the player powered up for 5 more. There were no negative zones claimed by the player during power up. One action die was spent on stepping and one was spent on Tectonic Shift. Then Krakenoctus (in Hyper) threw Sky Sentinel with 1 action die, 5 boost dice and 6 power dice (needing to hit a 9) onto a Downtown Highrise for 4 damage (since Krakenoctus’s throws deal Super Damage in hyper mode). This generated 2 power dice. King Kondo then stepped into position and attempted to Body Slam Sky Sentinel with 2 action dice, 4 boost dice, and 4 power dice, needing to hit a 9. After missing, Command and Control was used to reroll. The attack hit and the body slam dealt 5 damage by crashing Sky Sentinel into a Tokyo Triumph and a Shadow Sun Industries building. Sky Sentinel was destroyed and 5 power dice were harvested from the attack.
Game End
GAME
MX: #
MY: #
When the game ends, record the health of all monsters still in play. If it ends in concession, note who conceded and record the health of their remaining monsters as well.
Example:
GAME (G Concedes)
KO: 4
KK: 11
AD: 7
In this example, with 7 health left on Armodax, Gearbox conceded to BoxyMD who had 4 health on Krakenoctus and a full health King Kondo.
Final thoughts
This system is meant as a baseline notation. It can, and likely will, evolve. We as a community may decide that it lacks necessary info or preserves unneeded data. For now, however, I’m publishing this for community use. I look forward to many discussions about how useful this notation is, whether it is helpful for outlining game trends in Monsterpocalypse, and how it can be improved. I hope you try using this notation system in a game or two to see if you find it useful or clunky. Finally, I wish you good luck in the Monsterpocalypse!
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- Category: General
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MonpOCTOBER 2
MonpOCTOBER 2 begins Oct 2 - https://www.facebook.com/events/427218024561533/
www.twitch.tv/RikersIron -Watch LIVE Here
All Monsterpocalypse, all month in October. Celebrating MONSTERPOCALYPSE by privateer press, were crushing the schedule and replacing it with Kaiju mecha madness all month! We'll be starting off with our LED'd Gorghadra to face off vs Finbogg in November!
Join us, paint with us, show off your before and after work on discord; https://discord.gg/Tdd5JJC. Paint along with us your own monPoc all month to be entered into the draw happening in December during the Mega Swag treasure box giveaway!
If you wish to get a jump, you can begin showing before and after images starting September 1st (must be in the Creationship Fleet discord in #crewmen-wip channel, its easier to find and track from than the public monpoc)
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Special thanks to Monpoc community member John Macek for creating the Monpoc List Builder!!! We have added this very useful tool to the main menu and encourage you to test the tool and provide your bugs, feedback and additional requested functionality in the forums. Also, thank Mark for his awesome effort!! :)
_CommanderDoug
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Aspiring Monpoc Kaiju painters!! Check out the cool painting contest hosted by Riker's iron and win a starter set!! Rules after the hop: Facebook link. Good luck!
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- Written by Doug Jacobs
- Category: General
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We didn't know that the Monsterpocalypse was already upon us.
We didn't know that the UFO reports were real, that the abductions had a purpose, that we were about to be invaded. We didn't know that the shadows held gateways to other worlds, that entities in those worlds whispered madness, that there were some worshipping the whispers. We didn't know that the comets were coming, that they were from stars beyond, that they carried only destruction in their depths.
We didn't know that there were megafauna hidden in the depths of the amazon, that monsters already walked the earth, that those who would find them would guide them towards our civilization. We didn't know about the biotech experiments happening in our very own cities, that they bore fruit, that humans could be transformed into giants. We didn't know that our leaders knew, that they bound together secretly, that they would make monsters of their own.
And then, we all knew.
The comets fell to earth, disgorging towering cosmically infused creatures intent on destroying all in their path; the Planet Eaters. The invasion began soon after, with nuclear powered flying saucers and tripod striders decimating entire cities; the Martian Menace. The worshipers sensed their time had come, and made a bargain, giving their bodies over to the whispers in exchange for unimaginable power, not realizing that in so doing they sacrificed all that they were to the Lords of Cthul.
But this destruction was met in kind by those trying to protect. Humans transformed by biotech rose up to walk as giants to defend the Shadow Sun Syndicate. From the depths of the jungle came monsters to defend the earth; the Terrasaurs. Out of their secret bases rose an army of soldiers piloting their own metal monsters, with the unwieldy name of Global United Advanced Research & Defense.
They fight on, endlessly. All of them.
To claim our civilization they fight each other, never once noticing that they level the very cities over and within which they are fighting. Thousands die in every conflict between these titans. Entire city blocks are flattened by their bodies being smashed and thrown about. Buildings and monuments demolished for the sake of an advantage in their fight to the death.
And even amongst all this daily carnage, rumors spread. Of rumblings in the deep ocean. Of earthquakes with no cause but a steady pattern. Of escaped experiments. Of other intelligences in the wilds. Of private armies. Of elements bent into the shape of spirits.
We didn't know that the Monsterpocalypse was upon us. We do now. What we still don't know is: Whether any of us will actually survive it.
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- Written by Jeff Mitchell
- Category: General
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Android mobile users delight! With the influx of new interest in Monsterpocalypse, I'll bet there are many people that don't know we (Dragon's Tear Tavern) developed a mobile application with the Monsterpocalypse dice calculator in it!
We proudly present: DTT Mobile for all of your gaming needs (click article to see screenshot).
(sorry Apple users, we don't make money on Dragon's Tear Tavern and can't afford the annual Apple licencing to develop this for your platform - blame Apple for barriers to entry :)
_CommanderDoug
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Kaiju that you need to assemble and paint? New(ish) rules set? Cardboard buildings? This is not your father's Monsterpocalypse!!!!!
Having loved this game for so long, collected (*ahem*) all of the possible army possibilities of the original series, played in many on-line Vassal games, and run several Monpoc tournaments (Tuesday Night Terror!!), I would welcome anything that would breath life back into this great game!
Excitement -
- No more blind packs!! Buy what you need to build the army that you want! Ebay was my best friend in gen 1, but now I can visit my comic book store again!
- Bigger miniatures! Wait, isn't that an oxymoron? MOAR detail in the scuplts does get my Mantacon buzzing! One of the things I LOVED to do, was mod my Kaiju, units and buildings. Looking forward to being able to do that again!
- Streamlined rules - I have always said that thinning down the rules would get more people into playing! This is their opportunity to hit the MASS market if they do it right. Honestly, I sometimes couldn't keep up with the possibilities and combinations outside of my own monster and army.
- Opportunity for a wider base of players - dont mess this up Privateer Press!
Reservations -
- Fool me once, shame on you! Fool me twice, and I'm out hundereds of more dollars! I certainly feel PP has a black eye for not finishing the series and for closing it's doors on Monpoc. Riddled with dissapontment, poor communication, and a sense of abandonment, I don't feel I can trust PP.
- I have backed the "Bones" series of Kickstarters and now have over 600 miniatures! I have painted 7. While I love to paint, I simply cannot find the time. Will paint be mandatory for tournament play (like it s for other miniature games)? I do have a rattle can - what is the definition of "painted"anyway?
- Cardboard buildings? Really? Cardboard? Psshhhh
- Streamlined rules (point-counter point) - If they mess with the rules too much, I will miss the "chess on crack" feeling I got everytime I played.
- Slow to release factions - I'm REALLY hoping that this will not be as slow as before. I want to play, what I want to play, and it's not in the first set.
Privateer Presses announcement and Youtube video.
What are YOU looking forward to? What are YOU afraid of in this next release? Let's have a discussion and leave your comments below (registration required to comment)!
_Commander Doug (Mantacon)
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