Introductory Ruleset

[RichardD]

I've been writing and tweaking some rules for introductory games of HS. I don't like the Basic rules (all of the flavour and a lot of the tactics are eradicated from the game), so they are based on the Master rules. the scenario I used for the first demo games was a "king of the hill" layout, with pre-chosen armies from the Master Set, with no flyers or double-space bases. Apart from omitting rules for those guys, the rules below are "as published" by Hasbro - no house rules or tweaks.

Any suggested changes or tweaks to my wording?

__________________

Heroscape Rules

Heroscape is played in a series of rounds, each round split up into a planning phase and a series of player actions.

We’re using the Master Game rules, with one or two omissions because of the scenario (we’re not using the large dragon or T-rex, for example, so there’s no need to worry about how the big critters move). The Airborne Elite start on the board, and Sgt Drake cannot use his Grapple anywhere on the island in the middle of the board.

Round Overview

Each player secretly places his 4 Order Markers on any Army Cards (the X is used as a bluff or decoy). Players may put more than one Marker on a Card, which allows that unit to move and fight more than once.

Roll the 20-sided dice (d20) to see who starts each round (“initiative”).

Each player has 3 actions in a round. Each action is:
a) Reveal your next Order Marker.
b) Move any or all of the figures shown on the card.
c) Attack with any or all of the figures shown on the card.

Each player then executes his 1st action, starting with Player 1, moving first then attacking with any figures on the Card with the “1” Order Marker. When everyone has used their first Order, players take their 2nd action starting with Player 1 and using the figures on the Army Card with their “2” Order Marker. The third action is done in the same way. When everyone has had three rounds, players re-assign their Order Markers and then roll again for initiative.


Game End: The game ends when any unit has made it to the top of the mountain and is still there at the end of the 3rd action. Or when there’s only one side left alive.


Rules Summary:

Movement:
1) Each figure has a number of “movement points” shown on the Army Card.
2) Moving one hex costs one movement point.
3) When entering a water hex the figure must stop moving.
4) When moving upwards to a higher level, count each vertical level as one extra hex.
5) A figure can move up more than one level in a step, so long as it is less than the figure’s height.
6) When moving down, it costs just one movement point.
• If a figure moves down a number of levels less than its height, the figure takes no damage.
• If a figure moves down a number of levels equal to or greater than its height the figure rolls an attack die and takes any damage shown.
• If a figure drops down a number of levels equal to its height plus 10 levels the figure rolls two attack dice and takes any damage shown.
• A figure takes no damage if it falls into a water hex, whatever the height.
7) Figures can move through a hex with a friendly figure who is not "engaged", but not through a hex with an enemy figure or a friend who is engaged.
Figures can never end a move on the same hex as any other figure.
9) Figures can't move onto hexes where the figure doesn't physically fit.
10) Once a figure has been moved, it must not be touched by any player until it receives another order or is removed as a casualty.


Engagement:
1) A figure is “engaged” if it is adjacent to an enemy figure. They are considered to be fighting hand-to-hand.
2) Figures are not considered adjacent if the number of steps between the two is at least as high as the height value of the lower figure.
3) Figures are not adjacent if separated by ruins equal or greater than the height of either figure.
4) If an engaged figure moves away ("disengages"), every adjacent enemy figure may roll one attack die. No defence die is rolled. If the engaged figure only moves around the enemy, and remains adjacent throughout, no dice are rolled.
5) An engaged figure can only attack figures adjacent to it. It cannot attack anyone at a range of greater than 1.



Attacking:
1) First check to see that the figure can see its target. To check Line of Sight:
• Look for the green dot (Target Point) on the attacker's Army Card.
• Look for the red area (Hit Zone) on the target's Army Card.
• Get behind the attacker to see if its Target Point can see any part of the target's Hit Zone.
• The attacker's facing does not matter.
2) Check that the attack is "in range", by counting the hexes from the attacker to the defender. The hex that the attacker is standing on is not counted; the hex that the defender is standing on is counted.
3) If Line of Sight crosses off the map the distance is measured by counting the hexes along the edge of the map.
4) Add one dice to any attack or defence rolls for a figure on a higher level.
5) Add two dice to any attack or defence rolls for the higher figure if it's 10 or more levels higher.
6) Special attacks (shown on the Army Cards) never get any extra dice.
7) Roll the dice. Each skull counts as a wound, unless it is negated by a shield.
Squad figures are destroyed if they take a single wound. Heroes are destroyed once they have taken as many wounds as they have life points.

[LilNewbie]

Nice quick start rules and it fits nicely on a single page. You might want to clarify in the initiative step that the highest roller wins initiative.

Also, for consistency, you might want to change the wording on

"2) Figures are not considered adjacent if the number of steps between the two is at least as high as the height value of the lower figure. "

To:

"2) Figures are considered adjacent if the number of steps between the two is less than the height value of the lower figure."


Good job. Very useful for new players.

Newb.

[daevablacc]

Originally Posted by RichardD

Round Overview

Each player secretly places his 4 Order Markers on any Army Cards (the X is used as a bluff or decoy). Players may put more than one Marker on a Card, which allows that unit to move and fight more than once.

Roll the 20-sided dice (d20) to see who starts each round (“initiative”).

EACH PLAYER GETS 3 TURNS PER ROUND

Each player has 3 actions in a TURN. Each action is:
a) Reveal your next Order Marker.
b) Move any or all of the figures shown on the card.
c) Attack with any or all of the figures shown on the card.

Each player then executes his 1st action, starting with Player 1, moving first then attacking with any figures on the Card with the “1” Order Marker. When everyone has used their first Order, players take their 2nd action starting with Player 1 and using the figures on the Army Card with their “2” Order Marker. The third action is done in the same way. When everyone has had three TURNS, players re-assign their Order Markers and then roll again for initiative.

Very nice. I would like to point out that you have referred to turns as rounds which could cause confusion. I have bolded my correrections in the above quote. Very good idea. I'll definitely have to print your rules off for new players. Excellent work.

[RichardD]

Thanks for that catch. I've changed it to:
2) Figures at different heights are still considered to be adjacent if the number of steps between the two is less than the height value of the lower figure.
3) Figures are not adjacent if separated by ruins at least as tall as either figure.

I realise that the rule about ruin heights is slightly different to the rules as published, but when using the ruins in the MS the effect is identical. I hope

[SyvarrisX]

Nice rules. Very simple. I wonder if HEX is here yet.

[RichardD]

Thanks for the help. I don't think that it'll improve by my staring at it any longer

Here's the corrected document:

Heroscape Rules


Heroscape is played in a series of rounds, each round split up into a planning phase and a series of player actions.

We’re using the Master Game rules, with one or two omissions because of the scenario (we’re not using the large dragon or T-rex, for example, so there’s no need to worry about how the big critters move). The Airborne Elite start on the board, and Sgt Drake cannot use his Grapple anywhere on the island in the middle of the board.



Round Overview

Each player secretly places his 4 Order Markers on any Army Cards (the X is used as a bluff or decoy). Players may put more than one Marker on a Card, which allows that unit to move and fight more than once.

Roll the 20-sided dice (d20) to see who starts each round (“initiative”).

Each player has 3 turns in a round. Each turn is:
a) Reveal your next Order Marker.
b) Move any or all of the figures shown on the card.
c) Attack with any or all of the figures shown on the card.

Each player then executes his 1st turn, starting with Player 1, moving first then attacking with any figures on the Card with the “1” Order Marker. When everyone has used their first Order, players take their 2nd turn starting with Player 1 and using the figures on the Army Card with their “2” Order Marker. The third turn is done in the same way. When everyone has had three turns, players re-assign their Order Markers and then roll again for initiative.


Game End: The game ends when any unit has made it to the top of the mountain and is still there at the end of a complete round (the 3rd turn). Or when there’s only one side left alive.




Rules Summary:

Movement:
1) Each figure has a number of “movement points” shown on the Army Card.
2) Moving one hex costs one movement point.
3) When entering a water hex the figure must stop moving.
4) When moving upwards to a higher level, count each vertical level as one extra hex.
5) A figure can move up more than one level in a step, so long as it is less than the figure’s height.
6) When moving down, it costs just one movement point.
• If a figure moves down a number of levels less than its height, the figure takes no damage.
• If a figure moves down a number of levels equal to or greater than its height the figure rolls an attack die and takes any damage shown.
• If a figure drops down a number of levels equal to its height plus 10 levels the figure rolls two attack dice and takes any damage shown.
• A figure takes no damage if it falls into a water hex, whatever the height.
7) Figures can move through a hex with a friendly figure who is not "engaged", but not through a hex with an enemy figure or a friend who is engaged.
Figures can never end a move on the same hex as any other figure.
9) Figures can't move onto hexes where the figure doesn't physically fit.
10) Once a figure has been moved, it must not be touched by any player until it receives another order or is removed as a casualty.


Engagement:
1) A figure is “engaged” if it is adjacent to an enemy figure. They are considered to be fighting hand-to-hand.
2) Figures at different heights are still considered to be adjacent if the number of steps between the two is less than the height value of the lower figure.
3) Figures are not adjacent if separated by ruins at least as tall as either figure.
4) If an engaged figure moves away ("disengages"), every adjacent enemy figure may roll one attack die. No defence die is rolled. If the engaged figure only moves around the enemy, and remains adjacent throughout, no dice are rolled.
5) An engaged figure can only attack figures adjacent to it. It cannot attack anyone at a range of greater than 1.



Attacking:
1) First check to see that the figure can see its target. To check Line of Sight:
• Look for the green dot (Target Point) on the attacker's Army Card.
• Look for the red area (Hit Zone) on the target's Army Card.
• Get behind the attacker to see if its Target Point can see any part of the target's Hit Zone.
• The attacker's facing does not matter.
2) Check that the attack is "in range", by counting the hexes from the attacker to the defender. The hex that the attacker is standing on is not counted; the hex that the defender is standing on is counted.
3) If Line of Sight crosses off the map the distance is measured by counting the hexes along the edge of the map.
4) Add one dice to any attack or defence rolls for a figure on a higher level.
5) Add two dice to any attack or defence rolls for the higher figure if it's 10 or more levels higher.
6) Special attacks (shown on the Army Cards) never get any extra dice.
7) Roll the dice. Each skull counts as a wound, unless it is negated by a shield.
Squad figures are destroyed if they take a single wound. Heroes are destroyed once they have taken as many wounds as they have life points.

[CornPuff]

One more rule:
Figures with a range of 1 can only attack adjacent figures

Nice list!