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Partial Cover Rules

Posted May 26th, 2010 at 01:39 AM by hextr1p
I've been thinking quite a bit about a system of rules to incorporate into Heroscape to bring to the game some form of partial cover. Obviously over the years there have been many different discussions and incarnations of a partial cover rule set. However none of them seemed to grab my interest enough either because they were too complex, too simple, or too ambiguous in how to determine just how much partially cover a figure had. Basically, the spirit of the game was always lost to me in these rule sets.

The designers of the game early on mentioned that a common mantra to the game was, "Keep It Simple Stupid." However, deep beneath the surface of the simplicity of the rules lies vast and intricate strategies in everything from army building, movement, attacking and defending, unit synergy... and on and on.

In coming up with the basic structure for these partial cover rules, I wanted to use concepts and mechanics which were already in the game so as to make them as accessible as possible. I also wanted to try and keep them as simple as possible without making them TOO basic, allowing for a deeper mechanic outside of, "My figure is adjacent to this wall, so I add 1 defensive die." Nothing wrong with that if that's how you 'roll' (see what I did there?). But like I said, that's just too basic for me.

Why partial cover? Because I want the terrain objects in Heroscape (walls, ruins, evergreens, etc.) to do more than just ALMOST hide a figure. I want them to have more strategic significance during movement and positioning of units, as this would affect both the way the an attacker moves, as well as a defender. I also want to try and give melee units a bit more of a fighting chance as they move across the battlefield, trying to out maneuver ranged units who all too often have things all too easy.

All that said, let's get into things, shall we? Note that these are still a bit rough. However, the basic concept is there for you all to see. As this thread progresses and the rules get fleshed out and finalized, I'll end up making a nice PDF version of the rules, complete with photos to illustrate different situations. You know, just like the official cats do!

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Partial Cover Rules
by Hextr1p

When defending against a normal non-adjacent attack, if the Hit Zone of the defending figure is partially obscured by an adjacent terrain object when the attacker checks for Line of Sight, the defending figure may check for a partial cover bonus.

Small or Medium figures: Counting from the base of the figure, if the terrain object's Height is higher than the Height of the figure, add 2 to that figure's defense dice.

Counting from the base of the figure, if the terrain object's Height is equal to or lower than the Height of the figure, add 1 to that figure's defense dice.

Large or Huge figures: Counting from the base of the figure, if the terrain object's Height is higher than the Height of the figure, add 1 to that figure's defense dice.

Counting from the base of the figure, if the terrain object's Height is equal to or lower than the Height of the figure, add do not add to that figure's defense dice.

EXAMPLE 1: Syvarris checks for Line of Sight against Taelord, who is 5 spaces away. Though Syvarris has Line of Sight on Taelord, the Kyrie Warrior has landed adjacent to a small ruin, and his Hit Zone is partly blocked from the elf of Ullar.

Taelord checks for his Partial Cover bonus.The small ruin has a Height of 6, and Taelord has a Height of 5. Being that the Terrain Object in question has a higher Height than Taelord, he rolls 2 additional defense dice.

EXAMPLE 2: Syvarris checks for Line of Sight against Taelord, who is 5 spaces away. Though Syvarris has Line of Sight on Taelord, the Kyrie Warrior has landed adjacent to an evergreen tree, and his Hit Zone is partly blocked from the elf of Ullar.

Taelord checks for his Partial Cover bonus.The evergreen tree has a Height of 10. However, Taelord has landed 6 levels high, where as the evergreen is on level 1. From Taelord's base, the evergreen has a height of 4, and is therefore is lower than Taelord's height. Taelord adds 1 additional defense dice for his Partial Cover bonus.

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I realize some of the wording needs to be tightened up, but you get the idea.

Thoughts? Concerns? Ice cream?

Post comments below, or...

... DISCUSS HERE!


.H3X.
Posted in Randomness , Insights
Comments 3
Total Comments 3

Comments

Old
chas's Avatar
This could work! You could change "Count from the base of the figure" to "judge the terrain effect of partial cover from the level the figure is on."
Posted May 26th, 2010 at 06:09 AM by chas chas is offline
Old
Pickledpie's Avatar
I like it. It seems like it definitely could work.

However there are a few breaks:

Zombies can't get cover very easily.
Even if, say, a figures hand is behind a castle wall, then that is the same as if they are almost completely behind the wall.
Posted May 26th, 2010 at 05:31 PM by Pickledpie Pickledpie is offline
Old
hextr1p's Avatar
CHAS: Yeah, I do need to tighten up that wording a little bit. I'll see what I can do.

PICKLEDPIE: True about ZoMs. However, I can't really see zombies strategically ducking down behind a wall. That, and they are their own partial cover system already.

And while your second argument is true, the opposite can be said about a figure who is completely hidden behind a castle wall, yet his hand is out in the open. That's the same as if he were completely revealed.

Add to that the somewhat abstract mechanic of a figure being adjacent to a jungle tree, his Hit Zone not at all blocked by said tree, and yet he still gets a defensive bonus. I realize there will be situations where my version of a Partial Cover rule seems a bit far fetched. But the same can be said about situations brought about by several different official rules. So I wouldn't necessarily call what you listed "breaks", but "concerns." They are valid concerns, but they don't tweak the game in a way which heavily skews or breaks the game.

.H3X.
Posted May 26th, 2010 at 06:14 PM by hextr1p hextr1p is offline
 
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