Goblin Evolution

From the Heralding forum on the Bel Boards, courtesy of Guy Leslo Jans. Should move quickly, and could be made awesome with a Bard announcing the Ages and appropriate lore added to it.

Goblin Evolution
This game is almost like an RPG in that if you live, you get "bonuses" towards fighting. I've made twists to the original concept.

The Age of Chaos
In the dark days of old, when the gods rained fire upon the land and goblins were first created there was only chaos. There were no tribes, there was no loyalty, there were only individuals. Murder and pillage were common and only the strongest survived.

• ROUND 1 - WARFARE DEVELOPED: One hit kills, single blue, free for all.
  
• ROUND 2 - SHIELDS DEVELOPED: Add 1 hit shields only for first half of players to die in previous round. That's the 'evolution' they decide to pick up because their original way of fighting was inferior
  
• ROUND 3 - TECHNOLOGY SPREADS: 1 hit shields available for all players (Fighters don't have to use a shield)
  
• ROUND 4 - TOUGHNESS DEVELOPED: Normal death-by-hits for first half of players to die in previous round.
  

The Age of the Clan
Many centuries after the development of weapons and warfare, some goblins began to see wisdom in the benefit of forming raiding parties and combining their individual might to take on foes. Eventually the goblins in these parties began to cement and make permanent their alliances, forming the precursors of the Clan.

• ROUND 5 - RAIDING PARTIES DEVELOPED: Half of fighters form in teams of 2 or 3. Normal shields available and normal death-by-hits for all fighters. (Shields still don't have to be used).
  
• ROUND 6 - CLANS DEVELOP: All fighters in teams of 2 or 3.
  

The Age of Warfare
It wasn't long after goblins successfully grouped together to defeat their enemies that their enemies began innovating new ways to kill their opponents.

• ROUND 7 - MELEE EXPANDED: (All fighters grouped in teams of 2-3.) First half of fighters killed in previous round may use any weapon/weapon combo they choose except for archery. Javelins are allowed - not reusable. New weapons (except for florentine) break shields and kill in one hit
  
• ROUND 8 - TECHNOLOGY SPREADS: All fighters may use any weapon/weapon combo they choose except for archery. Javelins are allowed - not reusable. New weapons (except for florentine) break shields and kill in one hit
  
• ROUND 9 - SHIELDS EXPANDED: First half of fighters killed in previous round may use normal strength/rules shields
  
• ROUND 10 - TECHNOLOGY SPREADS: All fighters may use normal strength/rules shields
  
• ROUND 11 - TOUGHNESS EXPANDED: First half of fighters killed in previous round get normal death-by-hits
  

The Age of the Tribe
The natural evolution of groups of goblins murdering and pillaging other groups of goblins was the formation of larger groups of goblins for a common defense. The by now familial raiding parties banded together into larger tribes for practicality and began to develop unique technologies and characteristics based on their location and enemies

• ROUND 12 - SPECIALIZATION DEVELOPED: Divide fighters into 4 teams. One team uses only reds, one team uses only spears, one team uses only florentine, and one team uses sword and board. Javelins allowed; no archery. All weapons, shields, and hits are normal. If not enough weapons of each type, remaining fighters must go sword and board or florentine.
  
• ROUND 13 - COMBINED ARMS DEVELOPED: First half of fighters killed in previous round may use any weapon style they choose. Javelins allowed; no archery. Each team MUST have at least one red, one spear, one florentine, and one sword and board.
  
• ROUND 14 - COMBINED ARMS SPREADS: All teams must use at least one red, one spear, one florentine, and one sword and board. Javelins allowed; no archery.
  
• ROUND 15 - ARCHERY DEVELOPED: 1-2 fighters on each team from the first half of fighters killed in previous round may choose archery. Arrows kill and break shields in 1 hit. Each archer is only allowed number of arrows equal to half the number of fighters on the field. Arrows are not reusable. If archers are present but not loaning their gear, repeat ROUND 14 until they are killed and become an archer. If no archers are present, skip ROUND 15
  
• ROUND 16 - ARCHERY SPREADS: 1-2 fighters on all teams may choose archery. Arrows kill and break shields in 1 hit. Each archer is only allowed number of arrows equal to half the number of fighters on the field. Arrows are not reusable. If no archers are present, skip ROUND 16
  
• ROUND 17 - ARMOR DEVELOPED: First half of fighters killed in previous round may wear any real armor of their choice. All weapons, shields, armor, and hits act as normal.
  
• ROUND 18 - ARMOR SPREADS: All fighters may wear any real armor of their choice. All weapons, shields, armor, and hits act as normal.
  

The Age of Monsters
While the goblins had been busy fighting amongst themselves for their petty warlords, other monstrous races descended upon their ancestral homelands slaughtering and enslaving all in their path of pillage. Huge, monstrous Trolls and strong, fierce Orcs were the first of many vicious beasts to wreak their havoc.

• ROUND 19 - TROLLS AND ORCS INVADE: Divide into 4 teams: 2 goblin, 1 orc and 1 troll (allied). Trolls get double hits for each target area, regardless of type of weapon used. Orcs do double damage to target area regardless of weapon type used or armor/shield on target. Goblins have normal rules. Goblins teams must fight each other as well as the trolls and orcs. Round ends when all goblins are dead or one goblin team is left standing.
  
• ROUND 20 - GOBLIN KING UNITES THE TRIBES: Divide into 3 teams: 1 goblin, 1 orc, 1 troll. Trolls get double hits for each target area, regardless of type of weapon used. Orcs do double damage to target area regardless of weapon type used or armor/shield on target. Goblins have normal rules. 1 player on the goblin team is the King. He is fully armored, has unbreakable shield, and is immune to projectiles. He can resurrect dead goblins to simulate rallying reinforcements to the battle. Battle continues if the King is killed. Round ends when all goblins or all trolls/orcs are dead.
  

This game can be modified as needed. Could even change it up so that we don't go through the ages, but instead divide into a number of teams, start out at "round 1" and let the winner pick a technology/advancement for him/his team and go until people get tired.

interesting. wonder if we can do it.