AoA Terrain Discussion

[chief]

Updated Post Renegade Con 3/4
Wellspring Water: If a hero lands on a Wellspring tile they may roll the D20. 1-2 take two wounds, 12-20 heal 1 wound.
Laur Jungle: Same rules as Ticalla Jungle but just taller/bigger molds.
Laur Ruins: No special rules

In anticipation of Friday's RenegadeCon announcements, I am starting this thread to discuss anything and all-terrain related to AoA. I couldn't find a similar thread and didn't want to clog up the units section either. If there is a better place for this thread please let me know!

My pre-release thoughts are that the new castle and jungle should be cool, assuming the plan is still for those to be released. I would imagine any rules for them will be similar to what already exists.

I'm pretty excited about the Wellspring Water. If I had to guess, the Wellsprings will somehow mimic their use in the HS lore which was increased strength/power as well as the Valkyrie's means of summoning soldiers into Valhalla.

Wellspring Water Rule Speculation, a list of possiblites:
A figure must end its movement when stepping onto a wellspring water space.

If a figure is standing on one or more wellspring water, add 1 to that figure's attack and defense values.

If a figure is standing on a wellspring water at the end of a round, you may remove 1 wound from that figure.

If a unique hero is standing on a wellspring water at the end of a round, roll the D20.
1-16 you may place a previously destroyed common figure that you control onto a empty space that is adjacent to the unique hero.
17-19 you may place up to two previously destroyed common/uncommon figures that you control onto a empty space that is adjacent to the unique hero.
20 you may place up to three previously destroyed common/uncommon figures OR one unique hero that you control onto a empty space that is adjacent to the unique hero.

[Master Roshi]

I believe the leaks revealed that the trees would be released in the first wave, so it's possible that we won't get the walls until later as the next terrain expansion.
I think that the trees should just function the same as the ones from the Ticalla expansion.
As for the wellspring water, I hope it isn't anything too OP, because it would be nice to see them used in tournament maps to revitalize the meta

[MegaSilver]

Originally Posted by Master Roshi

I believe the leaks revealed that the trees would be released in the first wave, so it's possible that we won't get the walls until later as the next terrain expansion.
I think that the trees should just function the same as the ones from the Ticalla expansion.
As for the wellspring water, I hope it isn't anything too OP, because it would be nice to see them used in tournament maps to revitalize the meta

What? We already know the walls are in the master set due to the GTM article.

[Myriadite]

Oh yeah, it did say that. It makes sense to include some line of sight obstacles.

Regarding the jungle set, the article says that it includes Laur jungle trees, Laur underbrush pieces, and maps to help players create different battlefields. That sounds like no tiles will be involved, which is not ideal for customers who are only interested in the terrain for other games. Based on the initial AoA reveal, I expect Master Roshi's Ticalla prediction is spot on.

[ThrasherDarkrai]

I feel like we already knew the Jungle bushes and trees would work identically to the Ticalla bushes and trees, since Avalon Hill expressed a desire to make the Jungle terrain more widely available compared to how matters are now. It's also worth noting that Renegade's Master Set will likely have the exact same terrain as the Avalon Hill crowdfund minus the trees (which are going to be sold separately), since the tile counts for Renegade's Master Set (per the GTM article) and the AoA Crowdfund are the exact same IIRC.

[nyys]

Originally Posted by chief

Wellspring Water Rule Speculation, a list of possibilities:

I'd be surprised if there was a +1(ability) rule for the Wellspring water, unless it's going to be a rare piece of terrain. For example, if there are 10 Wellspring water tiles in the master set, that would be a lot of +1A/+1D/Healing all around a map potentially. If it's more like 3 Wellspring tiles in the box, then I'd lean more towards some sort of healing power (probably with a die roll) being most likely.

I forgot how fun speculating was

[boromir96]

Originally Posted by nyys

I'd be surprised if there was a +1(ability) rule for the Wellspring water, unless it's going to be a rare piece of terrain. For example, if there are 10 Wellspring water tiles in the master set, that would be a lot of +1A/+1D/Healing all around a map potentially. If it's more like 3 Wellspring tiles in the box, then I'd lean more towards some sort of healing power (probably with a die roll) being most likely.

I forgot how fun speculating was

FWIW it’s already been confirmed that This new terrain has its own magical properties and 7 are included and can be added to any terrain et up from any to be used with all up to 4 players with the addition of a Master Set and sports four brand new scenarios to support hours of gameplay.

[Master Roshi]

Originally Posted by MegaSilver

What? We already know the walls are in the master set due to the GTM article.

I see, that's good. The walls are really cool so I'm glad we're getting them early on

[nyys]

Originally Posted by boromir96

FWIW it’s already been confirmed that This new terrain has its own magical properties and 7 are included and can be added to any terrain et up from any to be used with all up to 4 players with the addition of a Master Set and sports four brand new scenarios to support hours of gameplay.

In that case I would think a +1A/D power would be out the window. I lean towards some sort of healing or maybe teleportation

[Myriadite]

The wellspring water would have been a fun community design contest.

[chief]

Updated main post. I think map building will be interesting considering the wellspring water power is optional. If a new player buys just the battle box and jungle set, those maps are going to be small and close quarters with so much jungle!

[chas]

I've made up my own Wellspring Water hexes--7 of them to start with, like the first Battle Box. I just put Gold Star stickers on sparkly water. I'll be featuring them in my April Custom Scenario: "AOA Tag Team Match," which already exists in draft form, (we'll be mixing AOA with Classic/VC, as we have been since Anitar made AOA cards) along with my rules for Illusory Walls and some Palm Trees and Bushes. For what emerges, see my signature thread next month for the scenario, as our Age of Annihilation Revival Project continues into the Renegade Era.

The first thing that strikes me is that there are two basic ways to use Wellspring Water:

1. Put it all together to make a central Wellspring people can fight over.

2. Spread the WW hexes out all over the map, so people can heal their wounded Hero figures and then get them back to the front lines.

My scenario will probably mix these two: perhaps three together in the center, with the rest scattered about. Keep in mind that this game like most of ours in the NYCG4 will be on a large casual multiplayer map for 4-5 people.