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Old August 9th, 2010, 08:49 AM
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Heroscape Factions: Thematic Unit Groupings

This thread is based heavily on IAmBatman’s Some Action in the Faction Section with his permission, as he is not planning on updating that thread with new units. (Note: For those interested, I have started a similar factions thread for the C3G.)


I’m grateful for the chance to inherit (and mess with ) IAmBatman’s work on faction in Heroscape. As you’ll see, I’ve kept much of his voice, while adding some new thoughts and disagreeing with him at times. I hope you’ll enjoy what I’ve brought—and value, with me, how much work he put into laying this foundation. Read on:

Quote:
Originally Posted by IAmBatman
I'm not sure if there's been a thread like this before, but I don't think I've run into one quite like it, so please do bear with, and I apologize if too much of this feels like rehash.

With the future of Heroscape, to put it gently, somewhat unknown, I’ve been thinking a lot about what we’ve got and what we think we’re definitely getting, and what kinds of things we all want. This has lead me to thinking about Factions, and I thought I’d put some of these thoughts down to share with all of you.

This is going to be one of those really longwinded posts that gets incredibly deconstructionist, so if you’re not interested in that type of thing, bail now! If you’re still with me, it’s about time we define our terms a bit.

I’ve based most of my thoughts on what a Faction “should be” or “could be” on what could probably be considered the closest to “complete” Faction in the game – the Samurai. Basically, when I say “Faction” I mean a group of units in Heroscape that fit together both Thematically and Synergistically. They’re smaller than the divisions between Generals and quite a bit more homogenous. The best way to demonstrate what I’m really talking about here, though, is to talk about what makes a Faction “complete” or not. After all, that’s what all of us “Faction-heads” want, right? Completeness?

A Faction that is complete to OCD type levels would, IMO (and with no particular logic to back this up) include the following “parts”:

A general, a flagbearer, minimum of three unique heroes, minimum of one unique squad [or other "special unit" development, see below], minimum of one ranged “bread and butter” type common squad, minimum of one front line “lockdown” type melee squad, cavalry/shocktroop.

Most of these are probably self-explanatory, but in the name of this particular mental exercise, let me break these categories down and explain a bit.
Spoiler Alert!


So now that we know what Factions are, and what the “ideal OCD complete” Faction would involve, let’s see how many complete Factions we have, what’s close, what isn’t really a Faction at all, and basically how everything else shakes up.
COMPLETE FACTIONS

Japanese Dynasty [ ]
Spoiler Alert!


Marro/Marrdens
Spoiler Alert!


Orc and Beast
Spoiler Alert!


(NEAR) COMPLETE FACTIONS

Deathborgs
Spoiler Alert!


Elven Fantasy []
Spoiler Alert!


MELEE FACTIONS (these factions are fairly complete, most notably lacking ranged units)

Drow and Arachnids (new!) (still a developing faction really, but also a melee faction, for now)
Spoiler Alert!


Dwarves
Spoiler Alert!


Gladiators
Spoiler Alert!


Valiant Knights (renamed!)
Spoiler Alert!


Vipers [with a stretch ]
Spoiler Alert!


Undead
Spoiler Alert!


RANGED FACTIONS (these factions focus on ranged firepower—and perhaps like to draft Deathreavers )

Agents (Now with Primadons!)
Spoiler Alert!


American Soldiers (Marvel)
Spoiler Alert!


Cronborgs
Spoiler Alert!



DEVELOPING FACTIONS

Dragonkind (new!)
Spoiler Alert!


Guard Duty [] []
Spoiler Alert!


Imperial Soldiers (renamed/reconceived)

Spoiler Alert!


Kyrie (newly added)
Spoiler Alert!


Tronborgs
Spoiler Alert!


Warriors of the Old Frontier (renamed/reconceived)
Spoiler Alert!


Wolves
Spoiler Alert!


FACTION BUDS (interestingly, these all seem to be melee factions in the works (with some slight exceptions)--we'll see if these remain that way or not)

These are Factions that could be, maybe should be, but really aren’t quite there yet. Sometimes they’re only one army, sometimes two, but they always seem to represent a theme that has some potential for expansion.

Elementals (melee?)
Spoiler Alert!


Highlanders (melee)
Spoiler Alert!


(Tarn) Vikings (melee)
Spoiler Alert!


Creepy Crawlies (non-Drow version) (melee)
Spoiler Alert!


Monks (melee)
Spoiler Alert!


Warforged (new!) (melee)
Spoiler Alert!


FACTION SEEDS (still have a long way to go, but the units we have really resonate theme and faction potential)
Spoiler Alert!


SUB FACTIONS
Just as an area of further discussion, there’s the thought that some categories could be broken down further. Maybe I’m deconstructing a bit too much with some of these though as I’m not sure many of these categories are really expandable within themselves. The ones I find most interesting are those that seem to point to some type of Political/Tribal/Special loyalties, like Weston/Templar, Izumi/Kozuke/Tagawa, or Armoc/Venoc.

Spoiler Alert!


UBER FACTIONS (Previously Faction Fusion)
If going small doesn’t work, why not go big? I mean really big!
Some Factions just seem more complete together than apart. I put the Marro-Marrdens as a single Faction, just because they don’t seem to exist as separate at all. But this category lists some Factions that do all right apart and offer even more synergy (and at least decent thematics) together. Many of these were put together into larger Factions at the bequest of posters in this thread.
[I’ve left this here, though, as you can see, I’ve also included much of this in the parts above as well. I think my sense of faction is generally more expansive than IAmBatman’s was. I wanted to leave this here as a note of the differences in the ways of conceiving these factions—and because some of these are beyond what I have included as well; they are even too uber for me .]

Spoiler Alert!


FALSE FACTIONS
They seem like they could be Factions, but they’re only fooling ya. Here’s why.

Spoiler Alert!


In this update, though, I have attempted to fit some Dragons and Monsters into “Left Handed Factions” and “Advanced Rules Factions” I’m exploring for later updates to this post.

UNFACTIONABLE
Spoiler Alert!


PREDICTED FACTIONS

Aquilla Kyrie/Vydar Kyrie – No reason to think either of these two are coming any time soon, but I think all of us “completists” feel it’s only a matter of time.

Quote:
Originally Posted by IAmBatman
COMING SOON (well, eventually [well, maybe not at all ]): “Left-Handed” or “Horizontal” Factions. “Advanced Faction” criteria (think gravity defiers, Huge units, and special attacks). And some more Faction Predictions (if you guys help me think of any).

Thanks for all the attention/buzz/excitement/feedback. I’m really pumped this little “project” has gone over better than I could’ve imagined.
Until the next update, what do you guys think? -“Bruce”

I’ve left a lot of IAmBatman’s work here, in part because I like the way his ideas and mine agree and don’t agree, creating a kind of dialog here that is informing. I’ve also left it because the core of the work is still very much his. I loved this thread from the first time I saw it and am glad to have inherited it, so to speak. I hope you’ll share your thoughts and help us all rough out the unofficial factions of Heroscape. --Mmirg

Last edited by 1Mmirg; April 11th, 2011 at 11:21 AM. Reason: More changes--thanks for your suggestions and thoughts
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  #2  
Old August 9th, 2010, 09:02 AM
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Re: Heroscape Factions: Thematic Unit Groupings

Looking good! I'm happy to pass the torch.
I think you make good points about the likelihood that the Drow are the "new Marro" in terms of factions.

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Old August 9th, 2010, 10:12 AM
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Re: Heroscape Factions: Thematic Unit Groupings

Thanks for taking the mantle. I suggest looking at some more suggested changes in the last thread, but it looks like you captured most of them. One thing I still suggest (take it or leave it) is changing the requirement of a Unique Squad to allow an Unique Squad or (Un)Common Hero.
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Old August 9th, 2010, 10:16 AM
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Re: Heroscape Factions: Thematic Unit Groupings

Thanks, IAB. This was a lot of fun.

I went back through and made several changes (like having forgot Concan as a Kyrie) and added in general markers for the factions. I at least find it interesting to think about how some factions cross general lines effectively--and some don't.

Anything else I've missed? Or mistakes you see? Is there another D&D related faction I should consider (perhaps a bud)?

(I've got Dragonkind, Drow/Arachnids, Elementals, Warforged. D&D has added nicely to existing factions as well, such as the Dwarves and the Wolves.)

EDIT: Thanks for the suggestion, lefton4ya. I need to see what else I've missed. I think I made the changes I saw, but I will go back and read the last thread again soon. For now, I'm using the Uncommons as Unique heroes, but I like the idea. Some factions just don't do Unique squads it seems--and the game has generally left these behind. In my next edit, I'll reconsider this--thanks! (Now I'm off to work...)
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Old August 9th, 2010, 10:34 AM
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Re: Heroscape Factions: Thematic Unit Groupings

So far so good. I'll take a closer look when I have time.

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Old August 9th, 2010, 10:41 AM
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Re: Heroscape Factions: Thematic Unit Groupings

Interestingly, I think uncommons are actually stand ins for common squads these days!

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Old August 9th, 2010, 04:14 PM
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Re: Heroscape Factions: Thematic Unit Groupings

Well, I went for it. I've modified the unique squad status to included un/common heroes--and see this as a "special development" section of a faction, i.e. a faction has developed to the point that some kind of specialized unit has been added. Maybe it's too broad, but I don't think we'll be seeing (many?) more unique squads and I do feel like un/common heroes are a way that the designers are fleshing out factions in intriguing ways.

Made a few other minor changes, but I think we definitely have some very developed factions available now, with several interesting ones budding (even one, Dragons, that for a while seemed impossible--sort of like the Giants seem now--just a random group with the same type). Who knows what will come?
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Old August 9th, 2010, 04:24 PM
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Re: Heroscape Factions: Thematic Unit Groupings

Yeah, DnD brought about a unexpected factioning for the dragons, didn't it?
I like the idea of a "Specialist" category that bridges unique squads and uncommon heroes.

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Old August 13th, 2010, 02:38 PM
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Re: Heroscape Factions: Thematic Unit Groupings

I've moved around a few Factions (such as boosting Kyries up to Developing and the Orc/Beast and Japanese to Complete) and made a few other small changes.

I'm trying to decide if I should add in "Adventurers" to the False Faction section. Seems like unless a Party Leader (or DM figure, a la the 1980s cartoon series) is created that the Adventurers are a group (like the Monster Mishmash, which, could have some kind of Overlord added, I suppose) that is not really a faction currently, though they feel like a cohesive group.

Anything else all you eagle eyed Scapers see that I've missed or done wrong, etc.? Anything you'd like to see added?
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Old August 13th, 2010, 03:07 PM
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Re: Heroscape Factions: Thematic Unit Groupings

3 small things. I'd put Phantom Knights in the Undead faction. The Mohicans, while native americans have a more colonial feel to them than an "old west" feel. I'd put them with 4th Mass and co. over the cowboys. And uuhhh...I forgot the 3rd thing...

EDIT: O, oh I remember, now! Theracus is little weak to "shock" anyone and there's only one of him so he can't exactly be "troops." And if he constitutes a shocktroop unit, then Ulginsh probably fits there as well (even hough he's already a General-type of unit). Oh and I'd argue that Emiroon works as a flagbearer of sorts, too (or maybe he AND Ulginesh count as a single General).

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Last edited by The B.I.V.; August 13th, 2010 at 03:16 PM.
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Old August 13th, 2010, 06:36 PM
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Re: Heroscape Factions: Thematic Unit Groupings

I really like these ideas of yours.

I'm really enjoying the few small factions that you placed in like the venocs and the romans.

Ever since the first wave came out they had the gruts come in, the venocs, the sniper soulbourgs, just the only question I have is why they had not added anything else for the romans? There so many things they can add for them yet they don't do it.

Why is that?

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Old August 13th, 2010, 07:17 PM
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Re: Heroscape Factions: Thematic Unit Groupings

This thread made me think about something Utgar never really got into, but the new general might very well do!

Evil humans. So far (with the exceptions of Isamu and Sir Hawthorne), we've had humans leaning towards good, empire-oriented, mercenary, natural/spiritual, and a few random misfits, but no large force of 'evil' humans. A small army of raiiders or thieves or dark knights would be cool, or bounty hunters that chose one unique hero at the beginning of the game and they rolled extra attack against that figure.

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