Super Bogue's Customs: Presenting the Villagers

[Super Bogue]

Originally Posted by Scytale

I really like the concept of pseudo-squads, especially in the world of D&D figures where the figures were not originally designed to look like a squad. You have done some interesting stuff with these guys.


Minotaurs

They're a nice-looking group. Thunderhoof not only has a great name, but he's well-designed to do what he's supposed to do. One Shield Defense is a big help that should keep him around a while. A player would need to be careful with him still, though, as his loss is a huge blow. Range squads will be a real problem if he gets too close.

I suggest one rewording on Henchmen Command: instead of "small or medium Minotaur figures" use "Common Minotaur Heroes". With just your set of figures your wording works fine. But if you ever make a Minotaur squad or want to use someone else's Minotaur squad creation, it won't mix well. With Common Minotaur Heroes you could even command large ones if you ever choose to make any.

I like both henchmen and think they are about right points-wise. However, I doubt I would choose to take Thugs outside of a dungeon crawl or similar scenario. Manglers are just much more generally useful. I would suggest giving the Thugs some sort of anti-range defensive ability like Evasive, which would make them useful to add into a Minotaur army as an anti-range force.

I love Mug as an ability, but I don't think it works quite right yet as worded. The problem is that "an adjacent space" is not really a defined term. Or rather, if there is a definition it does not include height. If the space is 1 hex lower, is it still adjacent? How about 5 hexes lower? Or 20? Adjacency with figures is determined with height, but there is no such concept with spaces. You could easily remedy this with "same-level adjacent", or "not more than 2 hexes higher or lower than the defending figure's base". Stranger but kinda fun would be to make the Thugs Uncommon (and keep their Life at 1) and have them take the glyphs. One other wording quibble with Mug: you do not have to specify "Unique or Uncommon", as all Uncommons are treated as Uniques.


Githzerai

Breaking a Unique Squad into multiple Unique Heroes that bond as a pseudo-squad is brilliant.

Slight wording issue with Telepathic Link: "taking that Raziel's turn" should be "taking a turn with Raziel". In Concussion Orb I would prefer "one other figure" instead of "another figure".

Slay Mind Flayers is limited in usefulness, but that's fine. It's not worded quite clearly though. Attacking a Mind Flayer gives a Gith a second attack, but does the second attack have to target a Mind Flayer again? It should clarify either way. Also, can Raziel use his special attack as either or both of these attacks?

Close Combatant is a cool ability.

Gang Fighter is a little confusing to me. If Shamai is engaged to two enemy figures and a friendly figure is engaged to each of them, does Shamai get +2/+2? What if one friendly figure is engaged to both of the enemy figures Shamai is engaged with? "Shamai adds one attack die and one defense die for every friendly figured engaged with an enemy figure that Shamai is also engaged with, to a maximum of 3 dice for Gang Fighter." would be clearer.

It's hard for me to get a handle on their point costs. Raziel feels undercosted to me, but compares decently to Heirloom. I suspect Shamai is a bit cheap, especially with bonding added in. Playtesting should give you an idea of that, though.


Overall, good work on these!

Thanks for the great feedback. I have updated Thunderhoof, the Minotaur Thug, and Raziel with your suggestions.

As for the question about Gang Fighter in the situation you described Shamai would only get +1/1 since there is only one other figure engaged with his opponents. At least that is how I would read it and play it out.

[Super Bogue]

Originally Posted by iceman3317

If you don't mind,did you take the pictures for the Lion Knights and Ram Thralls yourself? Because I can't find any good pictures for them and I wouldn't mind making some of my own figures out of them. Of course I would not copy you though I just love them so much.

I do use my own pictures for each card. I use GIMP and follow the instructions that dok gave about GIMP. Here are the pics for the Lion Knights and Ram Thralls

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[Super Bogue]

I finished the Griffin for the Empire of Akklyannie.

First the squads:
Griffin Spearmen

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Griffin Fusiliers

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Griffin Templars

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Demon Hunters

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Griffin Executioners

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Praetorian Guards

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Now for the heroes.
Griffin Cleric

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Griffin Chaplain

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Griffin Exorist

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Abel

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Severian

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Tarkhyn

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Thurbard

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Melkion

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This page has the hi-res pdfs.

[Super Bogue]

This two should have been included with the last post, but it took me a bit to work out how the crew and the cannon would interact.

Griffin Cannon

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Griffin Cannon Crew

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Let me know what you think about these guys. I would imagine on a small or crowded map that you could target another player's starting zone right off the bat with these guys which would be a problem.

[Scytale]

I like what you're trying to do with the cannon crew, but there are some wording issues with them the way it is. The way Reposition Cannon is currently worded, the three crewmen could go different directions than the cannon when moving, and in fact you could move those three crewmen and any Griffon Cannon on the map (not necessarily the one they start adjacent to). Adjacency with a Cannon is also a strange thing since it doesn't have a height, but I suppose the same problem is true for attacking it in melee. I would recommend changing the power to act more like Carry, where the chosen adjacent cannon is placed adjacent to all three figures after movement.

There is a minor problem with Fire Cannon in "a clear sight shot is determined from the Griffon Cannon used". The Cannon does not have a point to draw line-of-sight from (green dot on hit zone). Also, you should add "adjacent to the same Griffon Cannon"; as it's worded they could each be adjacent to a different one and still use the special attack.

It's also a bit curious if two players with cannons face off against each other since there's no ownership of destructible objects. You could run your crewmen up to an enemy cannon and fire it off, for better or worse.

Speaking of, what is your expectation for "drafting" cannons? They do not have a cost (or ownership) and it is not stated on the crewmen's card that they start with one. Are the crewmen only useful if there are Griffon Cannons on the map? Can Griffon Cannons be added into your army? If so, are there restrictions on how many, and do they consume starting zone spots?

As for balance, I do see your concern about bombing starting zone spaces. It does depend somewhat on my previous questions about drafting cannons; if you can race to a cannon placed in the middle of the map and get a shot off it can be devastating. Even if they start in one's starting zone, it still seems possible to bomb a starting zone on turn one. You could minimize this by not allowing the cannon to fire on a turn it is moved. Even then it's possible it could fire on a really small map, but that is something you'll just have to accept I think, sort of like the Zelrig bomb.

I do like what you are doing with these guys, though it is tough to get it worded correctly. Some cannons hid behind a bunch of Air Elementals and/or Iron Golems could be a real pain for a melee army.

[Super Bogue]

Originally Posted by Scytale

I like what you're trying to do with the cannon crew, but there are some wording issues with them the way it is. The way Reposition Cannon is currently worded, the three crewmen could go different directions than the cannon when moving, and in fact you could move those three crewmen and any Griffon Cannon on the map (not necessarily the one they start adjacent to). Adjacency with a Cannon is also a strange thing since it doesn't have a height, but I suppose the same problem is true for attacking it in melee. I would recommend changing the power to act more like Carry, where the chosen adjacent cannon is placed adjacent to all three figures after movement.

I have reworded Reposition Cannon to be more like Carry. I don't know why I didn't think of that in the first place.

There is a minor problem with Fire Cannon in "a clear sight shot is determined from the Griffon Cannon used". The Cannon does not have a point to draw line-of-sight from (green dot on hit zone). Also, you should add "adjacent to the same Griffon Cannon"; as it's worded they could each be adjacent to a different one and still use the special attack.

I'm not sure where you are suggesting I add "adjacent to the same Griffin Cannon". As far as for the Cannon not having a green dot to use for line of sight you are right technically, but it is something that I would assume that the logic of the players at the table would take care of. Cannon don't typically fire out of their wheels or back. The fact that it is a cannon tells you where it can shot from...it's mouth.

It's also a bit curious if two players with cannons face off against each other since there's no ownership of destructible objects. You could run your crewmen up to an enemy cannon and fire it off, for better or worse.

Control of a cannon could easily switch sides. I believe that history bears that out. Also since a cannon is an imanimate object I couldn't assign it to one general.

Speaking of, what is your expectation for "drafting" cannons? They do not have a cost (or ownership) and it is not stated on the crewmen's card that they start with one. Are the crewmen only useful if there are Griffon Cannons on the map? Can Griffon Cannons be added into your army? If so, are there restrictions on how many, and do they consume starting zone spots?

Right now I only have one cannon and crew, so I only plan to use them in a scenario setting. Right now Miniatures Market still has 74 of these for $12, so I will probably grab a couple more in the future. At this point these are not units that we would draft at my table for a free-for-all game. If we used them for a siege scenario that cannon's placement would have to be determined by the map.

As for balance, I do see your concern about bombing starting zone spaces. It does depend somewhat on my previous questions about drafting cannons; if you can race to a cannon placed in the middle of the map and get a shot off it can be devastating. Even if they start in one's starting zone, it still seems possible to bomb a starting zone on turn one. You could minimize this by not allowing the cannon to fire on a turn it is moved. Even then it's possible it could fire on a really small map, but that is something you'll just have to accept I think, sort of like the Zelrig bomb.

I do like what you are doing with these guys, though it is tough to get it worded correctly. Some cannons hid behind a bunch of Air Elementals and/or Iron Golems could be a real pain for a melee army.

Thanks for the feedback.

[Scytale]

Originally Posted by Super Bogue

I'm not sure where you are suggesting I add "adjacent to the same Griffin Cannon".

Sorry I wasn't clear. Fire Cannon Special Attack currently says:

"If three Griffon Cannon Crew are unengaged and adjacent to a Griffon Cannon then instead of attacking normally ..."

This works fine if there is only one Griffon Cannon on the map. If there were more than one, you could technically use Fire Cannon Special Attack if you had three Griffon Cannon Crew adjacent to three different Griffon Cannons. I suggest rewording to:

"If three Griffon Cannon Crew are unengaged and adjacent to the same Griffon Cannon then instead of attacking normally ..."

[Super Bogue]

Originally Posted by Scytale

Sorry I wasn't clear. Fire Cannon Special Attack currently says:

"If three Griffon Cannon Crew are unengaged and adjacent to a Griffon Cannon then instead of attacking normally ..."

This works fine if there is only one Griffon Cannon on the map. If there were more than one, you could technically use Fire Cannon Special Attack if you had three Griffon Cannon Crew adjacent to three different Griffon Cannons. I suggest rewording to:

"If three Griffon Cannon Crew are unengaged and adjacent to the same Griffon Cannon then instead of attacking normally ..."

That's it. Thanks, the correction has been made.

[Super Bogue]

It is about time that I start putting out my next custom wave. This one is D5 - Einar's Emipre. It will feature 4 dinosaur behemoths, a pseudo squad of Minotaurs, a pseudo squad of Githzerai, and some animal companions.

I have previously posted the Minotaurs and the Githzerai.

Here are the behemoths.
First the Bloodspike Behemoth

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Next the Macetail Behemoth

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The Trihorn Behemoth

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The Sharptooth Behemoth

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And last the Feymire Crocdile

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Hi-res pdf

[Super Bogue]

D5 - Einar's Empire

Pack #1 T-Rex and Minotaurs
This pack includes the Sharptooth Behemoth and two Minotaur common heroes.

Sharptooth Behemoth

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This is a King type figure that can Chomp and destroy.

• The figure is the Fiendish Tyrannosaur from Giants of Legend. The Miniatures Market has 13 for $7.25 a piece. The figure is fairly easy to remove from its base and fits nicely on a large peanut base. The figure looks great although you could certainly give it a paint job if you are not fond of the bright red skin.
• When I decided to make customs for the D&D dinosaur miniatures I knew this one would be my favorite. Chomp was a must have ability for the Sharptooth. It reminds me of Jurassic Park and how the lawyer met his end. Roar could use a bit more play testing and perhaps a clause that does not affect figures with the Fearless personality. He has 5 base attack so that he is also a threat to large and huge heroes. His 9 life and 4 defense should help him survive a couple rounds of ranged assault.
• By himself the Sharptooth Behemoth is an imtimidating figure that your opponent must plan against. I would use to tear through your opponent's ranks after the initial battle has been joined. Once he has caused sufficient havok I could live with letting him fall.

Minotaur Mangler

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This is one of Thunderhoof's henchmen who specializes in dealing with squad figures.

• The figure is the Minotaur Mangler from Lords of Madness. Auggies has a bunch of these for $1.49. It is a really good looking figure. The size is perfect for a medium figure.
• Earlier I posted my thoughts about a minotaur squad that had both Cleave and Barge Into Battle. The Mangler carries the spirit of that squad except he has Charging Assault instead of Barge Into Battle. His 4 attack should ensure that Cleave is effective.
• Depending on what your opponent's army looks like determines how many of the Manglers that you will use instead of Thugs with Thunderhoof. In most cases I would assume that Manglers would be used more. For 30 points you get a figure that can rush in and whack to squad figures.

Minotaur Thug

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The Thug is the hero harasser of Thunderhoof's henchmen.

• The figure is the Minotaur Thug from Legendary Evils. This one can also be found at Auggies for $1.49. Another good looking figure although I wish the sword were held away from its body.
• The Thug has gone through the most changes of any of minotaur figures. Mug is an exclusive ability to him. I think the wording is clear. Basically if he wounds a hero you roll the 20-sided die. A roll of 7 or higher and the hero has to drop all his Treasure Glyphs on empty adjacent spaces. I'm sure there is some rule lawyering that could be done with it, but the idea is that the Thug can make a hero lose his treasures. I added Evasion 3 on Scytale's suggestion to give it some staying power against ranged attacks.
• In a dungeon crawl the Thug would be a major pain. In a tournament type battle it would be better to go with the Mangler.

Next will be the Trihorn, Bloodspike, and Macetail behemoths.

[Super Bogue]

D5 - Einar's Empire

Pack #2 Behemoths
This pack includes a Bloodspike Behemoth, a Macetail Behemoth, and a Trihorn Behemoth.

Bloodspike Behemoth

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A bloodspike behemoth is cheap uncommon hero with a special attack.

• The figure is the Bloodspike Behemoth from Savage Encounters. Auggie's has a bunch for $2.99. The figure is easy to remove from its base due to its small feet. It fits well a large single base.
• When I was designing the card before I got the figure I thought the figure would be a little larger. With that in mind I made Tail Sweep Special Attack like Jotun's Wild Swing Special Attack. But once I got the figure I knew I had to downgrade the specail attack. Now it is more like Gurie-Oni's Tetsubo Special Attack. I also thought about giving in some special power relating to the spikes on its back, but nothing really formed with that.
• A Bloodspike Behemoth works well following after a Trihorn Behemoth to clear out squad figures that are trying to prevent that Trihorn from charging again.

Macetail Behemoth

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A macetail behemoth is a living tank.

• The figure is the Macetail Behemoth from Desert of Desolation. This is the hardest behemoth figure to find. I had to get mine from eBay, but I got it in a lot of 3 other figures for $15. You could find the figure by itself for about $6. The figure is fairly easy to remove from its base and fits with little over hang on a large double base.
• An an ankylosaurus has to have crazy defense hence the base of 7. I also gave it Tough Hide to give it an extra boost against special attacks. Tail Club helps it smash medium and small figures.
• A Macetail Behemoth is great for parking on a glyph (hopefully Valda for the sake of the other behemoths). With its Tail Club is can smash smaller figure that try to harass it or with its high defense and life it can just stand there and take it.

Trihorn Behemoth

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A Trihorn Behemoth is a battering ram.

• The figure is the Trihorn Behemoth from Lords of Madness. Auggie's has a ton for $1.49. The figure is incredibly hard to remove from its base. One of the foot feet took me about fifteen minutes to free up. Once removed it fits with little overhang on a large double base.
• This is a figure that I was always tempted to mod. The orcs have many mounted champions, but none of the champions are archers. So my thought was to get the Orc Archer from Lords of Madness and mod him to sit on the back of the Trihorn. But I've never modded a figure before so I'm still reluctant to try that. Instead the Trihorn Behemoth became else. Trihorn Charge is Charging Assault and Galloping Charge wrapped into one ability. Knockback also adds the mental image of a triceratops charging across a field, ramming into something, and tossing it into the air.
• A trihorn behemoth is the shock troop of the behemoths. It needs some help to keep charging, but as long as it can keep charging there will be carnage on the battlefield.

I also added Blackhorn to the minotaurs.

[Super Bogue]

D5 - Einar's Empire

Pack #3 Heroes of Nastralund
This pack includes Thunderhoof, Blackhorn, Raziel, Khadlai, and Shamai.

Thunderhoof

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Thunderhoof is the boss of the minotaur gang.

• This figure is the Minotaur Warrior from Demonweb. Alter Reality has a few for $4.95. It is a really good looking figure. Its mail and shield look great.
• Originally I had planned to create a unique squad with the minotaurs, but after playing a few games with the elf wizards I decided to try something of a pseudo-squad with the minotaurs. Thunderhoof is the leader with his Henchmen Bonding. One Shield Defense keeps him around to order his henchmen. Perhaps I will create another common minotaur hero to go with the Mangler and Thung, but nothing concrete right now.
• Thunderhoof leads his gang into battle. Whacks some punk and holds tight while the Manglers and Thugs clean up the rest.

Blackhorn

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A fierce gladiator with special attack.

• The figure is the Savage Minotaur from Savage Encounters. For awhile Auggies had a bunch, but now this is a hard to find figure. You should be able to find it for around $4. It is easy to remove from its base and fits perfectly on a large single base.
• I got this figure because it looks so good, but I had no idea what to do with it. Then I saw Doc's Minotaur Pit Fighter. After seeing his card I knew that I couldn't come up with anything better than that, so with his permission I have adopted it. The mental image of Blackhorn slashing with his axe and then tossing a chump with his horns is great.
• I altered the price to 120 so that way with Spartacus, Crixus and Retarius you would have a 500 point all Gladiator hero army.

Razeil

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The leader of the Githzerai monks.

• This figure is the Githzerai Mind Mage from Legendary Evils. Auggie's has over 70 from $2.79.The Githzerai monks fit the scale and style of Heroscape. I'm surprised that they were not used in an official wave.
• My first thought with the Githzerai monks was to make a unique or common squad from them. Later I decided on a pseudo squad to give them more depth and variety. Raziel is the leader with his Telepathic Link special power. He also has a ranged version of Gurei-Oni's Tetsubo Special Attack. Like all the Githzerai Monks he has Slay Mind Flayers.
• When using Raziel a player needs to be careful to not expose him to too much danger. He lacks the survivability to last for long in a fight, but he needs to get close enough to make use of his Concussion Orb Special Attack.

Khadlai

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The striker of the Githzerai.

• The figure is the Githzerai Zerth from Dangerous Delves. Auggie's has over 40 for $2.19. Another good looking monk figure.
• Githzerai use different kinds of psychic abilities and magic. Khadlai uses Teleportation to get close in on an opponent. Once he is engaged he then is protected by Close Combatant.
• His attack power isn't higher than the other monks but his value is in his threat range and then protection after being engaged. He is great for targetting a cheerleader who doesn't have any Order Markers on his Army Card.

Shamai

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The ganer fighter of the Githzerai monks.

• This figure is the Githzerai Cenobite from Legendary Evils. Auggie's has over 50 for $2.99. The figure has a very concentrated look.
• Shamai's strength is in joining a fight. Gang Fighter allows him to increase his attack and defense based on how many friendly figures are also engaged with his opponent.
• Naturally he follows Khadlai into a fight. Once there he brings a fierce punch.