Unpub 3View: Economy of Force

As we approach Unpub 3 we’re featuring many of the games being presented at the big event. Today we're taking a deeper look at Economy of Force,designed by Mick Sullivan.

Economy of Force is a fast-playing, boardless, luckless, tactical skirmish game.  Players will build their own armies by mixing and matching unit hex tiles from four distinct factions.  Then, in a contest reminiscent of Hive mixed with Heroclix, these forces and players will battle to an exciting finish!

Let's find out more about the creation and development of Economy of Force through the answers of Mick Sullivan.

What was your inspiration for Economy of Force? I used to play a certain large-scale, time-consuming, wargame that involved buying and painting huge piles of figures and throwing loads of dice across the room. After a particular session, my main opponent complained about the drawbacks of the game, most notably the large amount of chance inherent in a dice-based combat system. I wanted an army-building game at the opposite end of the spectrum: something inexpensive, with a short play time, a small footprint, and no randomness. Economy of Force has been designed with the overarching goal of “fifteen minutes, fifteen inches, fifteen bucks.”

What is your favorite part of Economy of Force? I enjoy assembling armies from mixed factions, allowing combinations that would normally be unavailable.

To your knowledge, What do other people find most interesting about Economy of Force? People tend to enjoy the strategic, puzzle-like elements of the game. It’s not simply a situation of choosing a target and attacking blindly. Rather, the goal is to outmaneuver your opponent and strike where it’s most effective.

What has been the most challenging part of designing Economy of Force? Each unit type has a unique ability, and the toughest part of the design process has been to properly balance those powers.

What advice would you give to players attempting Economy of Force for the first time? In your first game, don’t forget that your Commander is a usable unit – and your most powerful. Many novice players tend to treat the Commander as a stationary base, rather than a mobile and deadly field headquarters.

What has surprised you most in play-tests of Economy of Force? I’m often surprised by the value a player puts on a particular unit based on his strategy at a given time. In some cases, a powerful unit is deemed expendable because a weaker unit is needed. A lot of the fun in the game comes from reading your opponent... and I seem to be terrible at that!

People who like___________ will like Economy of Force. Why?  Economy of Force plays like a cross between Hive and Summoner Wars.

What do you hope to accomplish at Unpub 3?  I’m hoping to get some more exposure for Economy of Force, and to tweak any balance issues before seeking publication or self-publishing.

Check out the Economy of Force page on Unpub.net!

Find out more about the 64 other games coming to Unpub 3!