Hit-points 'Scape: Turning the strategy up and the luck down

[rouby44]

If you are interested in playing a version of Heroscape where actual strategy rather than luck prevails, please read on.

Though broken units are a major flaw with official Heroscape, the more fundamental problem to making game play more strategic is the all-or-nothing nature of the wound system; a squad figure has 1 life - after defending, he is either completely unscathed or completely destroyed. A system that allows for partial wounds is needed.

Another problem is that there needs to be finer gradients between attack and defense values. Increasing one's attack or defense by just a single die is a rather big deal. There needs to be a way to make smaller adjustments, 1/4 of an attack die, or 3/4 of a defense die, for instance. Having these more finely tuned attack and defense values makes it possible to create units and special powers with more variety and overall balance.

My first step in creating a completely new system of game play was to address these two problems. I started with the Sisyphus damage tables and converted the wound system of tracking damage into a hit-points based system where 1 wound or 1 life = 20 HP. In my system, squad figures usually have 20 HP. I took the Sisyphus average-damage table and converted it to the 20-HP system - see below.

My next step was to address the second problem - the need for finer-grain attack and defense values. To do so, I first inserted columns and rows between each attack and defense value from the Sisyphus table. I doubled all of the original values (e.g., 3 attack became 6 attack) and inserted new, "in-between" values in the columns and rows I had created.

I actually ended up doing this a second time so that all of the original attack and defense values ended up being multiplied by 4. So for example, an attack value of 3 in official 'Scape became an attack value of 12 in the HP-20 system. An attack value of 14 in my system would be like having 3.5 attack (14/4 = 3.5) in official 'Scape. See below:

Now I have a base damage table that allows for partial damaging of squad figures and a much finer-grained calculation of damage in general. At this point, I needed to reintroduce variance into the equation - a slight, variable increase or decrease to the base damage to determine the actual damage inflicted each attack.

In the Sisyphus tables, the variance of damage inflicted increases as the number of dice being rolled increases, and I modeled this same effect in my system via the d4, d6, or d8 variance dice (see below). Though calculating damage is about to get a little complex, I've created a damage calculator in MS Excel that handles all of this instantaneously; nothing has to be done with real dice or added up manually, so it's not tedious.

• When attacking (normally or with a special attack) or defending, base damage is modified via variance dice.
• If the attack number is <=7, both players use a d4 variance die.
• If the attack number is 8-11, both players use a d6 variance die.
• If the attack number is >=12, both players use a d8 variance die.
• Higher variance die rolls are desirable when rolling a variance die offensively (higher rolls add damage).
• Lower variance die rolls are desirable when rolling a variance die defensively (lower rolls decrease damage).

What I've described above is the fundamental contribution of this post. It creates a way for every attack to inflict some damage because "partial wounds" are now possible. It also reduces the overall variance of damage inflicted, so the game is less dicey or luck-based, if you will. On top of that, it allows for customizing units' attack and defense values to be something in between the official values. If you have no interest in playing with custom units or rules, but simply want a less luck-based game, using the system I described above would do it for you.

There are several other aspects of my version of Heroscape that I do not have the time to detail here, but I have described them in a Rule Book that my friends and I use. I've also created a damage calculator, army calculator, and entirely re-designed all units, which is all contained in one MS Excel File.

Other significant aspects of my system include:

-Changes to rules governing order markers that force one to use a diversity of units each round rather than dumping all order markers on one or two powerful units.

Spoiler Alert!

• Players use three numbered turn markers: 1, 2, 3.
• Players also use one “any time” turn marker, T, and one turn bluff marker, TX.
•Players may not place more than one numbered order marker on any army card.**
•**You may forfeit the T turn marker to place all numbered turn markers on one army card.

-The addition of a "react" attribute to all units and "reaction markers" that may be used to respond to an opponent's move phase, attack phase, or the newly-created reaction phase. Essentially, the React attribute is similar to the Move attribute, but is smaller and allows units to move by their reaction number when a reaction marker is revealed on their army card. There are several new special powers that take advantage of reaction markers as well (e.g., "Reaction Strike").

Spoiler Alert!

• Players use three markers that are a different color from their turn markers as reaction markers.
• Reaction markers are not numbered. One of the three reaction markers is an RX (reaction bluff marker).
• Reaction markers are placed in between rounds on particular units’ army cards.
• Any unit with an unrevealed reaction marker may reveal one reaction marker per turn and react at these times:
o After an opponent’s move phase (powers that are used "after moving and before attacking" are considered part of the move phase).
o After an opponent’s attack phase
o After an opponent’s reaction phase

• When a reaction marker is revealed on an army card, the unit associated with that army card may move a number of spaces equal to the card’s reaction number along with any powers affecting the reaction number factored in.
• When a reaction marker is revealed on an army card that enables turn bonding, all figures that could take a turn if a turn marker was revealed on that army card are eligible to react.

-The addition of a new category of special power called "Actions." Actions may be used during your turn, before your move phase begins, by any unit that will not take a turn during your turn. Actions are essentially a specific thing that a unit may do on your turn other than moving and attacking. For example, Kumiko has a sneaking action:

A(1): Sneak
Kumiko may move up to 4 spaces if she ends her action phase at least 4 spaces from all enemy figures who have clear sight of her.

So here, if Kumiko doesn't receive an order marker, she may perform the Sneak action before you activate some other unit with an order marker. She may do this once per round (the number inside the parentheses in the title of the action).

Spoiler Alert!

• Actions are a category of special power. Actions are indicated on army cards with the following format:
A([number]): [Action Name]
[number] indicates the number of times that action may be performed each round.

• At the beginning of a round, place a number of action tokens on each army card that you control according to the number of actions that unit may perform each round; whenever a unit you control performs an action, remove one action token from that unit’s army card.
• Any units with an action special power may use any and all actions before your move phase when those units are not receiving a turn during your turn.

-The addition of attack and defense bonus dice that increase offense or defense for various positional or tactical advantages other than height (e.g. Overwhelm: When the defending figure is engaged by at least two other enemy figures than the attacker, the attacker receives one d6 attack bonus die).

Spoiler Alert!

• Attack bonus dice apply to normal attacks only.
• An attack bonus die is the value of rolling d4, d6, d8, or d10 added to the attack’s base damage.
•Attack bonus dice may be gained via the following tactics.

o Overwhelm (d4)
When the defending figure is engaged by at least two other enemy figures than the attacker, the attacker receives one attack bonus die (d6).

o Momentum Strike (d6)
When the attacker began his turn unengaged and 3 or more levels above an adjacent defender, he receives one attack bonus die (d6).

o Ambush (d8 )
When an attacker begins his turn unengaged on a shadow tile, he receives one attack bonus die (d8 ).

o Surround (d10)
When all spaces adjacent to the defending figure are occupied by enemy figures or impassable terrain, the attacker receives one attack bonus die. At least two enemy figures must be engaged with the defender to receive surround attack bonus.

• Defense bonus dice apply when defending against normal and special attacks.
• A defense bonus die is d4, d6, d8, or 2d4 base damage blocked.

o Cover (d6)
When defending against non-adjacent attacks, defending figures whose size is small, medium, or large receive a defense bonus die if at least one hex adjacent to them is impassable due to being occupied by the following terrain obstacles and that obstacle obstructs at least 1% of their hit zone*:
• RotV ruins
• SotM hives
• BftU crags
• RttFF trees
• TT glaciers
• FotA wall/column pieces

o Hidden (d
When a defender was unengaged on a shadow tile at the beginning of an attacker’s turn, he receives one defense bonus die (d6).

o Underbrush (2d4)
When defending against a non-adjacent attack, a defender receives two defense bonus dice if adjacent to jungle terrain (2d4).

-The addition of status effects that temporarily affect figures, such as strength/weaken, blind, poison, bleed, burn, quickness, agility, etc.

Spoiler Alert!

• Various units may have special powers that allow them to place status effects on friendly or enemy figures.
• Status effects take effect as they are defined, usually at the beginning of a phase or end of your turn. Each time a status takes effect, this is referred to as a tick.
• Status effects are visually indicated by placing colored rubber bands on the affected figure. Each rubber band represents one tick of the status.
• Figures may never receive more than three ticks of a particular status effect type.

• Beneficial status effects

o Strength (blue band; does not stack)
 Figures that are strengthened add 2 to their attack and defense.
 Tick: Each time a figure attacks normally or is attacked.

o Quickness (dark green band; stacks)
 Figures with quickness add 1 to their move number for each tick of quickness they currently have.
 Tick: Each time a figure initiates a move phase.

o Agility (teal band; stacks)
 Figures with agility add 1 to their react number for each tick of agility they currently have.
 Tick: Each time a figure reacts.

o Regenerate (white band)
 Figures with regenerate are healed for a number of hit points equal to their treatment number.
 Tick: One tick at the end of your turn.


• Harmful status effects

o Poison / Bleed / Burn (light green or white-red band)
 Figures that are poisoned, bleeding, or burning receive 4 damage each tick.
 All ticks of poison, bleed, and burn status may be removed if a figure treats; no HP is restored when a figure treats with poison, bleed, or burn status.
 Burn status may be cured if the burning figure moves onto a water or swamp water space.
 Tick: At the end of your turn.

o Ensnare (yellow band; stacks)
 Figures that are ensnared move and react one fewer space for each tick of ensnare they currently have.
 Tick: Each time a figure initiates a move phase (not reacts).

o Stun (brown band)
 Figures that are stunned may not react.
 No figure may receive more than 1 tick of stun status at a time.
 Tick: Each time a figure attempts to react.

o Blind (black band)
 Figures that are blinded may not make normal, non-adjacent attacks.
 Tick: At the end of your turn.

o Terrify / Weaken (pink band)
 Figures that are terrified / weakened reduce their attack number and defense number by 2.
 Tick: At the end of your turn.

-The ability for all units to restore damage by "treating" themselves and a new attribute, treat, that relates to how much each unit can heal.

Spoiler Alert!

• Instead of attacking, an unengaged figure may move up to 3 spaces. If the figure is unengaged at the end of this move, that figure may treat itself and restore an amount of hit points equal to its treatment number or remove all negative status effects.

-Minor tweaks to the way that falling damage, lava damage, disengagement damage, etc., are calculated.

-My version of Heroscape can be played by placing order markers at the beginning of the round as one would expect, but my friend and I have found that the game is so strategic and balanced, that playing without order markers is more fun. Instead of trying to foresee how the game will flow and plan ahead, the skill is more about trying to envision your best possible move, attack, action, or reaction every step of the way in real time.

Conclusion
If anyone would like further detail or clarification than my MS Word and Excel files provide, I'll be happy to Skype or play a game over Skype.

I won't be responding to anyone's criticisms if they aren't constructive.

[ollie]

So, you don't like Heroscape and you don't like people. OK. I'm not sure this is the site you're looking for.

[TREX]

I like chess and scape, but why would you say 95% aren't intelligent enough to get it. I don't understand why you needed to add that. The negative Conclusion won't get you anyone to play with I would assume. It is however a cool idea. I also like to keep my board games interesting.

[rouby44]

Originally Posted by ollie

So, you don't like Heroscape and you don't like people. OK. I'm not sure this is the site you're looking for.

I haven't been active on this site in years, but all I can remember is having great ideas being attacked by people with the intellect of a 5-year-old who couldn't comprehend them, so excuse my cynicism.

I'm just putting this out there on the off chance that someone who is tired of a child's game might enjoy it. I could care less whether anyone does or not.

[quozl]

It looks interesting.

[IAmBatman]

Just an fyi, I'm keeping an eye on this thread and will lock it if it devolves into a flame war. Don't get me wrong, dude's asking for it, but it's better to just ignore it and let it die a natural death.