Using master set squads as common squads.

[Chriszman]

We decided to try using some of the Master set Squads as common since everyone we play with has multiple master sets. I was wondering if anyone else has done this, and if you modified them at all. Here is what we did:

Tarn Viking warriors: We gave them Viking Champion bonding. This got Finn, Thorgrim, and Eldgrim more involved in our games because no one used to use them much.

Izumi Samurai: We have used them with and without Samurai Hero Bonding, I think it worked well either way.

Airbourne Elite: When we used them as common, we took away the drop, we felt that air dropping multiple squads would be too much of an advantage. We also used bonding with Sgt. Drake.

Marro Warriors: We haven't tried this squad yet, but you would probably have to modify the water clone a little bit.

Zettian Guards: we have not played with them yet. Two options I thought of were, move any four, and attack with any two. Or, give them Deathwalker 9000 Bonding.

If anyone else has tried this, or has Ideas on how to make these squads work better as common, please give your input.

Chris

[insomnimaniac]

Welcome to HScapers Chriszman,
I have not done this, but think you are on the right track in understanding that if they are common, you'd have to lessen their abilities. Question for you, how do you tell the difference between a common squad vs. a unique squad?

once again, welcome.

[Aldin]

Welcome to the boards, Chriszman!

On behalf of our squad modifying and idea generating community I extend to you a laurel and a hearty handshake.

As a new member, you can begin your journey on the path to the fellowship, praise and respect of your Heroscapers peers by checking out this announcement: http://heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?t=6970

This has been tried in many different ways, some of which you have mentioned. The Marro Warriors are pretty good without modification. Making them common would probably make them significantly overpowerful. I'm surprised you don't find Viking bonding for the Tarn is similarly "too good". AE is interesting - without the drop they are awfully weak until they get to height - I could see it, especially if you remove the grenades and make the squad cheaper. Of course then they aren't really the AE, but they are serviceable soldiers.

~Aldin, who thinks common Zettians is quite a good idea

[Raudulfr Shieldcrusher]

Originally Posted by Chriszman

Zettian Guards: we have not played with them yet. Two options I thought of were, move any four, and attack with any two. Or, give them Deathwalker 9000 Bonding.

Chris

This one has me interested. How about:

Zettian Guards

Species - Soulborg
Type - Common Squad
Class - Guards
Personality - Precise
Size - Medium
Height - 5

Life - 1
Move - 4
Range - 6
Attack - 2
Defense - 6

Points - 90

Zettian Movement
You may move up to 4 Zettian Guards that you control each turn. However, you may attack with only 2 Zettian Guards.

Zettian Targeting
When attacking, if your second Zettian Guard attacks the same figure as the first Zettian Guard, add one attack die to the second Zettian Guard's attack.

[Agent Minivann]

I think that the Marro Warrior water clone would either have to be something like 17 and 13 in water, or else each squad you draft has to be cloned from the starting 4. That way you still get them, but you have to sacrifice some offense to get them all. The caveat is if they go down early your opponent has essentially killed more than just the 4 Marro Warriors on the board.

[Elstree]

I've played with common Tarn Vikings and common Zettian Guards. I think both can be made common with no changes.

If you give the Tarn any kind of bonding, you've basically recreated the Knights, but with Berserker Charge. Even if you upped the cost to 70 points they'd be a better pick than the Knights. I think they probably work better without bonding.

Making the Zettians common and giving them Deathwalker Bonding fixes several units at once. The idea of an all-soulborg themed army seems pretty cool. You'd have to up the point cost of the Zettians though.

And while we're at it, what about making all the Deathwalkers into Common Heroes? After all, they only have 1 life each!

[Chriszman]

Thanks for all the great responses!

Marro Warriors: I like the idea of increasing the dice roll number to make it harder to bring them back. Do you think you should get to roll for all that are still living, or a max of 4. It might be too easy if you roll for all that are living.

Zettian Guards: Raudulfr Shieldcrusher posted some new stats for then as a common squad. He lowered their range by one, and increased the points by 20. Might be better to go with one or the other. I was thinking decrease the range, they can still get their range back to 8 by standing adjacent to the deathwalker 9000.

Tarn Vikings: Instead of the bonding, what about if you roll for the beserker charge and get it, you can move a different four, but still only attack with four.

Keep the ideas coming! I plan on making cards for them after we figure out what will work best, and I will post them.

[blitz]

We often use Tarns, Krav Maga, Zettians, and Izumi as commons. We also allow Marro Warriors as commons for 75 points. None of the abilities change.

Airborne = We also formerly used AE as a common by removing the drop and letting them bond with any unit with a "soldier" trait. But we eventually just built a "Marine" custom with similar abilities.

Zettians = As commons, played by the book. Move and attack with up to four figures just like the rules say. The attack bonus carries over from one figure to the next, but does not increase per figure.

[tigre77]

My group has always played with all the unique squads in heroscape as commons. I keep modifing their stats trying to balance the times they get played, their performance in battle and if they win or lose.

The way we use them is like this:

Zettian Guards: They stay the same

Izumi Samurai: They stay the same

Tarn Viking Warriors: They cost only 45 points. If you ever get to use the berserker charge you can move any four tarn vikings you control.

Krav Maga Agents:They cost 130 points

Airborne Elite:They cost 130 points and you have to roll for the drop for each squad you have.

Marro Warriors:They cost 80 points, you have to keep the dead marros on each card and when you activate a marro card you have to choose which card to use, so you can only attack and clone with the number of units alive in the card you choose.

[justjohn]

I made these a while back. Not exactly the most balanced (they need some work, and I've never gotten around to fixing them).

http://www.heroscapers.com/community...563&highlight=

[DeadEye]

It may work.....Just make sure you leave out the marro, the krav, and the airborne.....cause with multiple of them they could be unstopable

DeadEye

[1moreheroscaper]

Ever since the 1st Expansion Wave came out, there has been murmurs and ideas of commonizing the Master Set squads. A lot of great ideas, but no one set variation for all of the squads have been embraced by the community. Sometimes, it seems, having validation from the community makes the variation appear to be balanced enough for fun-competitive play.

I created some cards and variations last summer. Here's the link to the gallery: http://www.heroscapers.com/oldgaller....php?album=270


I didn't fill in the numbers of the point values of the Tarns and AE--they are still white. The Allied Infantry cost is 100. The Tarn Variant cost is 60. I believe the unique status is still important for figures like Ne-Gok-Sa...this way a player gambles when they field alot of these variant squads.