Heroscape 2 Prediction Thread

['Scaper94]

Originally Posted by capsocrates

I expect we'll get something like the Castle Panic Deluxe experience. If we're lucky, it will be less than $400.

I'm financially preparing for at least $350. If it's $200-$250 I'll be pleasantly surprised, and I'll be shocked if it's less than $200. Remembering their goal of accessibility, a higher price point means a less accessible experience and a less successful haslab campaign. I don't envy the team in charge of balancing the budget on this one.

[Tai-Pan]

My wife wasn't too happy with my amazing bargain of $200 for basically 1,5 copies of everything for Memoir 44. I am thinking HeroScape will be out of reach....

Unless I can convince her it's the perfect gift!!

[caps]

Originally Posted by Tai-Pan

My wife wasn't too happy with my amazing bargain of $200 for basically 1,5 copies of everything for Memoir 44. I am thinking HeroScape will be out of reach....

Unless I can convince her it's the perfect gift!!

It *will* be Christmas shopping time by the time the campaign starts hammering our bank accounts.

[chas]

Tai-Pan,

Memoir 44? Shoot me a PM and we'll set up a date and time to play it on Boardgame Arena!

[GaryLASQ]

I'm starting to see the name "Age of Annihilation" as our first overarching annual theme. So, 2023 we get HS:AoA. For this same time next year (2024) it will be something else... HS-???

With sets like SotM and BftU in mind, I'm thinking we will get, for 2023, five Faction Sets. I'm still not quite sure what the options will be for assortment/packaging, but I think the term "faction set" will enter into our HS lexicon. And each faction set will have some campaign scenarios, just like SotM and BftU. (Hmm, would each FS start out as a Haslab project?)

Heroscape: Age of Annihilation (2023)
- The Dawnraider Syndicate Faction Set (Feb?)
- The Ironclad Collective Faction Set (Apr?)
- The Dryan Lifeborne Order Faction Set (Jun?)
- The Clockwork Combine Faction Set (Aug?)
- The Nemesis War Brood Faction Set (Oct?)

Heroscape: ??? (2024)
- Faction Set 1
- Faction Set 2
- Faction Set 3
- Faction Set 4
- Faction Set 5

If we get faction sets, will they basically always be master sets, with a reasonable number of copies of commons/uncommons based on point-cost and SPs? Will they have enough terrain/commons/uncommons, so that purchasing 1 to 4 of any faction set will satisfy 90% of us? Will faction sets pretty much replace all other types of sets we've seen in the past? OR, will a faction set be one big box, with smaller boxes inside that can also be purchased separately later on, like if/when it gets a retail release? We'll soon find out.

Also, I'm predicting we get some *gasp* cardboard terrain (one side water, other side sandy-beach) with the Dawnraider Syndicate faction set, that looks a lot like (exactly like shape/size-wise?) the cardboard terrain that came with MtG:AotP. Perhaps, if HS:AoA is successful, it will trigger a revival of MtG:AotP, with the idea of some cross-compatibility in mind for the success of both systems.

[Myriadite]

To add another topic, what units do you predict to be the most expensive points-wise?

I would guess this order:

1. Sonlen 2.0
2. Queen Maladrix
3. Xenithrax the Soulweaver
4. Zed Nesbitt's dirigible
5. The Lich Lord
6. Hellforge Mandukor
7. Manticore-mounted Raelin
8. Grut on War Mammoth

I am probably missing some ordinary looking unit with a Kato or Spartacus ability and cost.

[Blue Trails]

Originally Posted by Myriadite

To add another topic, what units do you predict to be the most expensive points-wise?

I would guess this order:

1. Sonlen 2.0
2. Queen Maladrix
3. Xenithrax the Soulweaver
4. Zed Nesbitt's dirigible
5. The Lich Lord
6. Hellforge Mandukor
7. Manticore-mounted Raelin
8. Grut on War Mammoth

I am probably missing some ordinary looking unit with a Kato or Spartacus ability and cost.

Those are good rankings. I would add Halushia, Scion of the Wild, Q10 3.0, and Drake 3.0 somewhere and crown the list with whatever is in the second image of this post.

[caps]

Here is *my* prediction for the crowdfunding campaign...

To start with

• Rise of the Valkyrie gave us 16 army cards for 30 figures as well as a boatload of terrain for an MSRP of $40 in 2004
• Swarm of the Marro gave us 10* army cards for 24 figures (18 common figures and 7 unique figures) as well as a decent amount of terrain for an MSRP of $40 in 2007
• Battle for the Underdark gave us 8 army cards for 10 figures as well as a small amount of terrain for an MSRP of $30 in 2010

*not counting duplicate cards for commons

In total, all three master sets gave us 34 army cards and 64 figures (including 18 common figures) for an MSRP of $110.

So far we've counted at least *43 army cards* (34 heroes and 9 squads). We're guessing the number of figures will be in the ballpark of the 70s (thanks to @Anitar for posting those numbers in the discord). So just in terms of figures alone, we are getting more figures and cards than all three of the Classic master sets combined. Wow!

Now, how about terrain? Well, the previews have shown us

• some very large ruins (upgrades on the ruins in RotV, perhaps?)
• twisted and unique trees that could take the place of the Road to the Forgotten Forest evergreen trees (RttFF set had an MSRP of $20 in 2005)
• jungle trees that look like drop-in replacements for the Ticalla Jungle trees and bushes (TJ had an MSRP of $20 in 2008 )
• castle wall pieces that look like an upgraded version of the Fortress of the Archkyrie (FotA had an MSRP of $30 in 2006)

So let's say we're getting comparable terrain sets in the crowdfunding campaign. In 2004-2008 these terrain sets cost a combined $70. If we combine that with the master sets, we're looking at $180 in MSRP value to get comparable sets back in the day.

But, this is not 2004. This is not 2010. Our dollar bills are not worth what they were back then. The price of plastic has gone way up. And I have a hunch that we haven't seen all the terrain that will be in this set.

Which brings me to my prediction. I predict that we will get an amount of terrain that is comparable to something like, in equation form:

(1xRotV + 1xSotM + 1xBftU + 1xRttFF + 1xFotA +1xTJ + ???)/(2 or 3)

And I predict that it will cost $300-$400. I just can't fathom a lower price. However, given the quantity of stuff we'll get, it will still be a steal at that price. EDITed to add that @Leaf_It pointed out there are stretch goals we haven't seen yet that will add even more without raising the price.

This would imply that this campaign will be primarily be for people who already love the game and would feel comfortable spending that much on it over the course of a year. But they're going to get it all in one go.

Therefore I have a follow-on prediction: there will be a starter set released in November/December 2023 or possibly as late as 2024 that is somewhere between the price of the Arena of the Planeswalker sets and the old master sets; I'm guessing $40-$100. It will be much smaller, but it will be an entry point, a "gateway drug" to this wonderful game.

--

I believe from comments that they've made that we'll also get "Seasons" of new content (starting in 2024, I'm guessing) which will be packs of unique figures, packs of common figures, and new types of terrain.

--

EDIT: I think we also must have misunderstood what they meant about accessibility and $400 being too much. I'm guessing they were saying that a RotV sized set would be $400 painted?

--

Thanks to @GaryLASQ for all the MSRP prices and release dates.

[Myriadite]

Your crowdfunding prediction sounds very believable and well thought out.

Originally Posted by boromir96

FWIW the RotV cover only shows like half the units included.

A worthy point to consider!

Originally Posted by Tai-Pan

My wife wasn't too happy with my amazing bargain of $200 for basically 1,5 copies of everything for Memoir 44. I am thinking HeroScape will be out of reach....

Unless I can convince her it's the perfect gift!!

Show her Allthingsheroscape prices and then say it is an investment! The ROTV master set has gone up 375%.

Originally Posted by Blue Trails

Those are good rankings. I would add Halushia, Scion of the Wild, Q10 3.0, and Drake 3.0 somewhere and crown the list with whatever is in the second image of this post.

Very good contenders. Surely that last one is just Encarmine messing with us, right?

[chas]

A New Type of Scenario?

No one has lately mentioned that any new box will have to also include rules, basic game components like order and wound markers, dice, glyphs (?), etc. Here's my wish for new scenarios, which I'd hope will also be included. I had more expected there to be both a simple cheaper Basic Introductory set along with the big All The New Stuff one in today's offering. But now assuming with everyone else that we will only be initially getting the big box, and that it will include all of most of the new characters revealed so far, here are some thoughts about scenarios with new characters and terrain they might put on offer, stimulated by yesterdays box cover art reveal, showing all against all in a big Good vs Evil fight.

With all the new characters and factions to introduce, I wonder if perhaps they will introduce "historical" Age of Annihilation scenarios, which have specific factions for opposing armies. Clockwork Animals vs Cyborgs. Nature Mages vs Bugs. Etc. Perhaps even with canned armies to begin with. These could be used to introduce the new characters in sections, while also giving samples of how to set up the new terrain. Of course, scenarios with the new and old terrain used in set ups could be also varied with other armies by point cost as well.

It would be fun to see the original planetary combats outlined in our recent reveals, such as the pairs I mention above, with one faction fighting its original "real life" opponent, and then some mixed on Valhalla itself with open set ups by army point cost, as usual.

Just a few random thoughts and my own wishes, rather than predictions as such. Once we see this afternoon what exactly is on offer, the next speculations will start a whole new round of possibilities with what we will then have specifically to work with! Or some of the scenario specifics may even be shown in the new presentation, if they have been already designed.

Good luck to us all in reacting positively to the Haslab show today!

[GaryLASQ]

Originally Posted by chas

A New Type of Scenario?

No one has lately mentioned that any new box will have to also include rules, basic game components like order and wound markers, dice, glyphs (?), etc.

I did just recently (above) mention that I think we will probably continue to get campaign scenarios in each set (that I'm calling a "Faction Set") like we did in SotM and BftU.

I'm thinking about maybe hosting an event where players can bring their own "campaign scenario concepts" so that scenario creators can playtest each others concepts.

And then maybe a follow-up event a month later for a tournament that features the same campaign scenarios in their "released" form. Not sure how it would work since I just came up with the idea.

[jcustar07]

Can someone compare all of this to the content that was in the Heroquest campaign? It is our best example.