Monsterpocalypse (Heading to your way this fall)

[Lord Pyre]

Originally Posted by EyeOfSauron

This is gonna sound bad (but its not meant to): if you liken Heroscape to checkers, Monsterpocalypse would be chess...

I wouldn't say it's that much better. Yeah, it's fun smooshing monsters through buildings, and the mechanics are great, but it doesn't have the versatility of 'Scape. Monpoc, there's one way to play. If you don't like it, tough.

While 'Scape, you can have all sorts of victory conditions, or story-driven scenarios.

[Mythic]

Originally Posted by Lord Pyre

I wouldn't say it's that much better. Yeah, it's fun smooshing monsters through buildings, and the mechanics are great, but it doesn't have the versatility of 'Scape. Monpoc, there's one way to play. If you don't like it, tough.

While 'Scape, you can have all sorts of victory conditions, or story-driven scenarios.

Totally agreed. I meant the comment strictly from a "game mechanics" stand-point. For versatility of theme, scenario, genre, etc there is no comparison, Heroscape wins hands down.

But from a game-play standpoint, I would argue MonPoc is much more strategically rich....and it is not obvious until you play many games with different factions against really good opponents. By the way, there are different modes of play (brawling vs. blasting vs. win by attrition, etc.)

Once you start playing MonPoc a lot the theme really is secondary to the gameiness in MonPoc, whereas Heroscape (to my thinking) is always more about the theme. Don't get me wrong...you can have some really strategic, well played HS games.

Just a humble opinion.

[Land-based AE]

So I ordered a couple of starter boxes to give it a go. How important are the strategy guides? Are they just nice to have or are they a necessity in order to figure out what your units do? Like they are in AT-43.

[Gabbi]

Originally Posted by Chardar

Does anyone have a picture of the Ares Mothership figure next to a heroscape figure? I'm considering it for a custom but don't know anything about the scale. Any other comparison shots of the "UFOs" would be appreciated. Thanks.

here it is:

[Chardar]

Thanks alot. Not quite big enough for what I need but I'll definately keep it in mind.

[Kahrma]

Originally Posted by Land-based AE

So I ordered a couple of starter boxes to give it a go. How important are the strategy guides? Are they just nice to have or are they a necessity in order to figure out what your units do? Like they are in AT-43.

The strategy guides are nice, but definitely not required. If I remember correctly, each one comes with a map - one of the best reasons to bite, IMHO. They also come with a reference sheet, which lists all of the abilities up to that wave by faction - helpful, but your starter set (assuming it's a "Now" starter) probably comes with a more current reference sheet.

There's some basic strategy ideas, some sample armies, alternate battle formats, and some interesting fluff/backstory. I was always eager to tear into them - 'cause they also had preview sketches of the upcoming wave.

Unfortunately, Privateer Press has moved away from producing the strategy guides. There are three so far - one for each of the first 3 waves. They didn't make one for "Now" (wave 4), and to my knowledge don't plan to produce one for "Big in Tokyo" (wave 5 - coming in April).

[Boromir_and_kermit]

I'm thinking of offloading all mine... great game, but no time. I have a case of each of the releases (both monster and unit) all lined up beautifully in my games room by faction... teasing me, taunting me.

It is a very good game, but for me not good enough to keep shelling out for the releases. My OCD means that I either have to sell everything I have or continue to buy it.

Convince me to keep it!
Cheers,
Ben.

[Mythic]

Originally Posted by Boromir_and_kermit

It is a very good game, but for me not good enough to keep shelling out for the releases. My OCD means that I either have to sell everything I have or continue to buy it.

Convince me to keep it!
Cheers,
Ben.

Hear ya on the OCD. To be honest, the game has become more fun for me as I've continued to collect. PP has thought ahead a bit and as each new wave comes out, new synergies are revealed that makes it fun to "go back" and use the older sets with the new sets.

For example, the new Empire of the Apes monsters work really well with the Terrasaur units.

It seems to me you may want to get out while the gettin's good.

[Boromir_and_kermit]

Glad you're enjoying it still.

Not sure whether to ditch my series 4 and keep series 1-3 as a complete set as such, continue to collect or ditch the lot...

Its been an internal argument for the past couple of months actually.

Cheers,
Ben.

[TnT2]

Yeah, I think I'm having the same internal argument. Of course, the biggest issue I have is finding players and playing it enough.

The game is _just_ complicated enough that you need to play it regularly to form a reasonable strategy. Using your synergies (and defending against your opponent's) is a critical component of the game.

So, mine sits on the shelf. Waiting. Debating.

Right now, I've got all 6 factions from waves 1-3 and I keep thinking, I'll just keep two, no three, no four... factions. And the debate continues...

[Land-based AE]

I just finished reading the basic rules last night and played one game against myself. The basic game for Monpoc reminds me a lot of the basic game for Heroscape, there's a little strategy but really its just a lot of dice rolling.

I have two of the wave 4 starters and the monsters I have are the big beetle looking thing and the mole creature with the buzz saw for a hand. Perhaps some day I'll remember there names. Of course, I used to say that about all the Heroscape characters as well and now, no problem.

Anyway, as I was playing last night, I was also reading through the advanced rules and decided it was time for beetle boy to body slam mole thing into the newspaper building. That was pretty cool and resulted in the death of mole thing's alpha form.

Does anyone out there ever change their monster to its other form (aside from the presence of healing options) or do you guys just run the alpha until it dies and then the ultra?

I haven't played the advanced yet but the beetle, with 5 range and seven dice (plus 4 bonus) is pretty nasty.

I'll be excited to read the advanced rules so I can figure out combined attacks and make the units more useful because right now, I was just using them for holding power locations and trying to fight each other.

To the folks out there. Are any of the units really helpful in attacking monsters or is it simply combined attacks or stay away? And the fire elemental thing that comes in the stater set, is this the most useless unit ever or does he pick up in the advanced game? I just wasn't seeing much use in his 3 range, 1 attack, 1 defense.

The mini mechagodzilla is pretty decent though for a 1-dice summoned unit.

Overall a good time. But I agree with the other posters, the crowd of people playing this game, at least in my area, (i.e., the entire state of Minnesota) is pretty sparse. I think I was spoiled by the size of the Heroscape community.

[Kahrma]

Originally Posted by Land-based AE

Does anyone out there ever change their monster to its other form (aside from the presence of healing options) or do you guys just run the alpha until it dies and then the ultra?

We tend to "flex" quite often around here. Switching to your Ultra/Mega form often nets you increased damage potential, depending on the monster. I'll often "flex" up to use the Ultra/Mega's stats and abilities, and then flex back down to my Alpha form if I think I'm likely to take damage. In tournament play, losing a form is a pretty big deal - If one form is down to one or two health, we'll sometimes flex to the other form.

Originally Posted by Land-based AE

To the folks out there. Are any of the units really helpful in attacking monsters or is it simply combined attacks or stay away? And the fire elemental thing that comes in the stater set, is this the most useless unit ever or does he pick up in the advanced game? I just wasn't seeing much use in his 3 range, 1 attack, 1 defense.

Units that have the potential to throw at least 2 boost dice each are great for making combined attacks against an enemy monster. Three units throwing 3 A-dice and 6 B-dice will hit a 6 defense monster most of the time.

The fire elemental has the "ignite" ability - which allows you to spend an action dice to flip an adjacent rubble tile over to its "hazard" side (fire, radiation, chemical spill, etc.). If there's a monster standing on that tile, that's an instant 1 damage in most cases! About the cheapest way to damage an enemy monster.

Originally Posted by Land-based AE

Overall a good time. But I agree with the other posters, the crowd of people playing this game, at least in my area, (i.e., the entire state of Minnesota) is pretty sparse. I think I was spoiled by the size of the Heroscape community.

We're lucky here in KC - still a decent-size group of regulars at our events.