Space Hulk: Heroscape Style.

[orgsbane]

Since you seem to be playing just fine order markers, I went ahead a changed the rules up a bit. And yeah, I agree about the over powerdness of the Genestealers. a 90 point disavantaged should never come that close.

[Confred]

Untested, updated map

Some tiles have spaces in them because I haven't properly shaped the pieces yet, the small gaps should be considered connected.

Edit: I wouldn't chalk the Genestealers as overpowered yet. High powered sure, but 410points of them only took out 215 points.

Edit2: The map has a flub in it. At about center there is a green 1-hex that's not a blue starting zone. That tile is an optional space. I originally had a much larger ravine. I wondered if that was too large of a run so I added that one tile to see how it looked. I'm not sure.
For the picture I forgot to hide it.

[orgsbane]

Originally Posted by Confred

I wouldn't chalk the Genestealers as overpowered yet. High powered sure, but 410points of them only took out 215 points.

True, that came incredibly close to knocking another 200+ points. (But of course I still haven't played it yet)

[Confred]

PLAY TEST 3
Map: #26, without the mentioned green-tile bridge
Red: Marine x1, Sentry x1 (500)
Blue: Genestealers x3 (615)

Boy! Rolling these large dice counts is invigorating. This scenario is menacing. The Blip have a wonderfully scary feel to them.
Edit: I like that the figures feel both bad ass and fragile due to circumstance.

Updated Blip Movement to more clearly express what happens.
: There are three figures on the Army Card and thus you move and attack with three figures. A blip may count as one of those three. So you can move with 3 blips, 2 'stealers and 1 blip, etc. Once a blip is spotted, it replaces itself with up to 6 'stealers. These recently placed figures move as if one figure for that movement - only a total of 7 spaces are moved. Even if you completely surround an enemy figure, only 3 'stealers can attack.

I had gross underestimated the 3-hex start zone in the upper left. My sentry got swarmed when it dropped Overwatch and lost initiative. As powerful as Overwatch is, it was satisfying to see it fail through engagement, wasting the valuable X order marker that could have been used by the Marine.
The Marine paid his own toll after first jamming at the initial charge. But it was too little too late.
Round 2: Kill one, jam on the other
Round 3: Kill one, two, three - out of targets; dead before the next turn

Xenos win with 3 of 9 Genestealers remaining on Round 3, turn 2 (1x,1s,2x)

EDIT: PLAY TEST 4
Red: Marine x1, Sentry x1, Flamer x1 (770)
Blue: Genestealers x3 (615)
I was reckless with the Marine to draw out guys to flame up. It worked. Marine died. Flamer got down to 1. Sentry down to 4. These armies are so close that not having their points be the same seems to win it for the one with more.
The Flamer bbq'd everything and Xenos eventually ran out of guys.
With that said, the Flamer didn't feel right. I'll sleep on it. And do some play tests with the figures against C3G superheroes for point adjustments.

Flamer Versions:
4 + 1 : Effective, but lackluster, didn't feel right
2 + 2 : Too "weak"
1 + 3 : These weapons can melt tanks, tanks designed to withstand. Everything gets annihilated in cleansing fire. I like this version because of the reduced variance. The flames are hot and made of a substance like liquid that sticks and keeps burning, capable of burning even under water. (I have no desire to make this a damage-over-time effect)
Toyed with range 3, but it wouldn't be thematically correct: The flamers have surprising range.
Edit: I woke up shortly after touching the bed, rolling fire in my head:
FLAMER SPECIAL ATTACK
Range 4 Special. Attack 2 + Special.
Choose 4 tiles in a straight line from this Space Marine. All figures and destructible objects on those tiles are affected by this Space Marine's Flamer Special Attack. Roll 2 attack dice once for all affected figures and objects. Add 1 automatic skull to whatever is rolled and then count all skulls twice. Affected figures roll defense dice separately.

The flamer is easily 320, which is fine because these guys are equivalent to angels, universe class warriors.

Edit: Also, the Broodlord as is would only get drafted if it cost less. Overall, the power is unnecessarily wonky. Version 2:

Wraith Walk no longer enables figures to move through objects: I can think of a different Tyranid for that power

[orgsbane]

Originally Posted by Confred

The flamer is easily 320, which is fine because these guys are equivalent to angels, universe class warriors.

In all the books yes, but in Warhammer 40k game they are far from it. Which is why I love what your doing with the cards! I'll finally be able to playtest today. Against myself. I just can't wait any longer. I'll be doing it on your newest map, it looks pretty sweet!

[orgsbane]

I have just finished my first playtest! It was myself vs orgsbane. Exciting, I know. 1 Squad Marine and 1 Sentry vs 3 Squads of Genestealers

Here is the map. The pillar in the middle is a papercraft printout by AliasQTip. it is meant to represent the structural support for this area of the space hulk. the Space Marines mission is to plant explosives on it (Move next to it) and get out of there!(Get back to the start zone).



The Sentry sticks back, while the Squad Marine charges towards the Pillar. The Sentry Overwatch allows him to mow down 2 Genestealers, but a third engages and wounds him.

The Squad Marine wishes I had chosen a Flamer instead..


But he uses up 2 more order markers and mows down 3!


The 2 out of 3 of the surviving Genestealer back off, looking to ambush. the other is stil pounding on the Sentry, who is apparently in some sort of daze, and has not done anything for a few rounds.

The Space Marine plants the explosives after shredding a Genestealer, but not before taking some wounds.


The 2 remaining Genestealer are now ganging up on the Sentry, but still he survives. The Squad Marine makes his way back and blows a Genestealer off the Sentry, but is too late. The Sentry died. Although only one space away from the start zone, he loses initiative and the last Genestealers pounces on him!


And then gets owned.


Space Marines win, with 2 life left!

Kaboom!





I think that the Genestealers probably had a great chance a winning, exept for 2 things. 1, they had no element of surprise. 2, I seriuosly under estimated the Bolter Special attact. It was awesome.

[orgsbane]

All in all, I think that these two figures are quite balanced with the Genestealers. I would still like to playtest against someone other than myself, as a big part of the Genestealers is bluffing. And the map built surprisingly well, there was one spot in the upper left the didn't quite fit. I never did figure out what is was. That questionable middle piece you talked about worked just fine.

[Confred]

The pictures look great! And thanks! for the compliment on the map, I'm fond of it. I like how the top half is particularly infested with Tyranid start zones. I have several things that must be done this afternoon, but I intend on scouring the map to check against pieces not fitting right.

Bolter is CARNAGE! It feel just feels.. Right!

Edit: If you keep playing, you'll see how surprising the Genestealers can get . Tip: When a blip is spotted at an inopportune time for the Xenos player, place 0 figures and use the figure saved for a more nasty ambush down the road.

Edit: And unless you play with them tonight, I'll test all the other figures and their combinations so everything will be tightship for others.

Edit: I've been thinking about Points this morning at work and I've decided that eventually those will be ironed out. For now ballpark is good enough. What matters now are the values and powers themselves and how they interact with others.

[orgsbane]

That, is a great idea. I cannot wait to play as Genestealers against somebody!! And that just made me want to more.

[orgsbane]

For me, the piece that did not fit was the water that is closest to the top left corner. And I won't be playing again tonight, I put off too much stuff this morning

[Confred]

ps: I placed the "yellow" hexes purposely. I imagined scenarios where these were "well lit" areas - And you can imagine what that means for all the other areas

[orgsbane]

Hehe. Thats quite a good idea

Edit: And the rest are dark deathtraps. Definitely could see some sorta range limiter. Perhaps not for shooting range, but for when the blips are forced into Genestealers. Maybe lower their range by 2 for deciding when blips enter their range