"Negative" abilities

[gregx999]

Reading about The Beer Ogre's Steam Hulks in a different thread, it got me thinking about "negative" abilities and why there aren't very many in the SoBH games. (Stubborn, Slow, Greedy, etc.)

For example, if those Steam Hulks had an ability like one of my three ideas below, they might not be so overpowering (and might even be more fun to play):

Unreliable Weapon
Whenever the figure performs a ranged attack, a natural roll of "1" means the figure's ranged weapon has broken, jammed, or ran out of ammo and can not be used for the rest of the game.

Dangerous Weapon
Whenever the figure performs a ranged attack, on a natural roll of "1" something bad happens. Roll a further d6:
1-3 The weapon has broken, jammed, or ran out of ammo and can not be used for the rest of the game.
4-6 The weapon explodes and the figure is removed from play as a casualty.

Very Dangerous Weapon
Whenever the figure performs a ranged attack, on a natural roll of "1" something bad happens. Roll a further d6:
1-2 The weapon has broken, jammed, or ran out of ammo and can not be used for the rest of the game.
3-4 The weapon explodes and the figure is removed from play as a casualty.
5-6 The weapon explodes violently. The figure is removed from play as a casualty and any other figure (friendly or enemy) within 1 base width (base of the exploding figure) suffers an immediate ranged attack of C:2.


How would you cost these though? Would large negative point values work in the standard equation of how a figure's points are calculated?

I'm sure there could be a ton of these negative abilities (or "flaws"). I have ideas for things like: Impetuous, Stupid, Animosity, Hated (by friends), Mutinous, Blind Rage, and a few more I can't think of at the moment.

Greg

[popedale]

Those with ranged weapons already have a 1/6 chance of losing their ranged attacks for the rest of the game when they roll a 1. It has hosed me a few times - making it more prevelant would simply make me avoid those models or using that SA to lower the point cost. Also, I think that adding too many flaws (penalty SAs) would push into the min/maxing aspect that SBH generally avoids.

However, I say you still write them up even with my naysaying Brainstorming and idea sharing are never a bad idea.

[gregx999]

Doh! You're right - I forgot that rolling a 1 already meant no more ammo.

Anyone hazard to guess what a points value might be for the other two abilities? Maybe -2 for Dangerous and -4 for Very Dangerous?

[covultures]

as a general rule id price it at half whatever you think it would be worth. in game you will likely minimize the impact of negative flaws.