AgentX-127's Hive Cavern VS File and PDF p4

[zanter]

I GOTTA MAKE ONE LIKE THAT! (runs of to make one like that)

[AgentX-127]

Scenario Title: Descent into the Hive Cavern
Played on Map: Hive Cavern
Number Of Players: Two, Three, or Four Players. This scenario works best played as two teams.
Glyphs: The Glyphs of Brandar and Ulaniva are required for this scenario. Their positions are fixed as described below and shall be marked on the Hive Cavern map file (coming soon.)
Other Glyphs may be placed to suit the players' taste. Optimum Glyph placements will be indicated on the map file.



Scenario Background:
A new Marro Hive has been discovered, this one hidden underground in the bowels of a long forgotten sewage system of an ancient civilization. Hordes of the newly hatched Marro spawn have begun to emerge from their underground breeding pit, mercilessly razing the small farming villages of the region.

The greatest warriors of Valhalla have joined forces to oppose Utgar's evil plans, and now the Heroes have vowed to seek out and destroy the super-breeding Hive now lying deep beneath the eastern farmlands of Elswin. Time is running short, however, because the new Hive is thriving in a supreme environment rich with raw organic materials that have accumulated in the ancient tunnels. Feeding on the centuries deep layers of sticky sludge, the new Hive has grown quickly, becoming huge and robust. This "Super-Hive" is now producing Marro clones, drones, and other disgusting Hive-Spawn at an ever increasing, exponential rate. The statisticians predict that if the Marro Hive is not destroyed on this very day, it will produce an overwhelming army, capable of decisively taking all of Elswin for Utgar.

The task will not be easy. A fearsome Marro Hivelord guards the entrance to the subterranean lair, accompanied by a gibbering swarm of vicious, yet tasty, (to a Hivelord, at least,) Nagrubs.
The Heroes must overcome the Giant and his Rider before they will be able to gain entrance to the mysterious stairway.
Then the Heroes must then descend to the bottom of the Winding Staircase into the dank, treacherous Hive cavern, where they will have to hack and slash their way through the hordes of Hive-Spawn, and make their way through the hellish sludge to the subterranean Marro command center, the dark heart of the Hive-Nest. There, the Marro Super-Hive awaits, commanding its nearly endless swarm of deadly progeny.

Special Scenario Rules:
Armies
• Pre-Configured armies:
....o This scenario was inspired by, and specifically created for the default armies of The Swarm of the Marro Master Set.
....o 2 players: Use all of the SotM cards, dividing them so that one player controls all of the Utgar units and the other player receives all of the other Generals' Heroes, resulting in 2 armies totaling 630 points each.
....o 3 players: One player controls the Utgar army as above, while the other two players split the Heroes into two armies as they wish.
....o 4 players: As above, but split both armies.
• Drafting armies:
....o Before drafting, choose one player to control the Hive. That player is given the Hive card, and then gets the first draft pick.
....o 2 Players: Draft armies using 600 points each.
....o 3 players: Each player on the Heroes' Team drafts an army of 300 points; the Marro Hive player drafts 600 points.
....o 4 players: First, divide into 2 teams, with one player choosing the Hive. Each player may then draft up to 300 points.



Starting Zones
• There are three starting zones on this map. On the Aboveground level of the map, the starting zone for all of the Heroes is on the grass tiles located behind the ruins, while the Marro player begins with his Hivelord and the Nagrubs on the grass tiles behind the line of evergreen trees. In the Underground level, the Marro player may start his remaining Marro squad figures on any of the swamp water spaces within 2 spaces of the Marro Hive.

The Drop
• The Airborne Elite can only drop on hexes on the Aboveground level of the map.

Flying and other Special Movement Powers
• Flying, falling, and other special movement powers may not be used to pass any of the outside edges of the map. Flying, falling, and any other special movement powers may not be used to move from the Aboveground level to the Underground level of the map, or vice-versa.
• All units must descend/ascend between levels using only the ladders or the Freight Elevator (see below.) Units may not fly, or use any other special movement powers to move onto or off the staircase wall-walk tiles and ladders. Normal movement only.
• Once a figure has passed the Glyph of Brandar control point, all special movement powers may function within the Underground level as normal, but may not be used to pass to the Aboveground level.

Terrain
• Sludge
....o All swamp water tiles represent the sticky sludge which has accumulated in the ancient sewage system. Figures moving through these sludge spaces must spend 2 movement points, with the exception of species originally from the planet Marr which treat the sludge as normal swamp water.

• Winding Staircase
....o All special movement powers are restricted from use on the Winding Staircase, as noted above. The Staircase is defined as the 7 hex region containing the helical staircase construction, including the ladders and the landing space.
....o Additionally, the 2 road tile spaces that are bounded by battlements on the Aboveground level are also considered part of the Staircase. Those 2 spaces are further designated for special use in conjunction with the Freight Elevator Control as described below.




Miscellaneous
• Marro Super-Growth
....o The ancient sewage system provides an especially fertile environment for the Marro regeneration. This means that the Hive will get a bonus of +1/per opponent to all rolls for Marro Rebirth. (This means, for instance, that when facing 2 opponents, the Hive gets +2 to Rebirth rolls.)

• Freight Elevator
...o How do you get a Q10 down a ladder? You use the Freight Elevator, of course!
...o Place the Glyph of Brandar 1 space beyond the landing space of the ladder, on the lower level.
...o Any figure that ends its turn while standing on the Brandar Glyph may perform a special summoning known as "Activating the Freight Elevator."
...o Only a figure on the two road spaces at the top of the staircase may be summoned by this method.
...o Place the summoned figure on the ladder landing space at the very bottom of the winding staircase.
...o A figure may only be summoned if the landing space is empty (not occupied by any other figure or blocked by any other figure,) and if the summoned figure is a 2 space figure there must be also be one empty space on the same level adjacent to the landing space.

• Treasury Door
...o The following special rules are applied to the Castle Door to create the Treasury Door.
...o The Castle Door card begins under the control of the Marro Hive player and cannot be transferred to any other player.
...o Due to centuries of deterioration in the constantly damp environment, the Castle Door begins the game with 4 wound markers placed on it.
...o Place the Glyph of Ulaniva (Unique +1) on the space directly beneath the closed Door.
...o Castle Door Control Space #4 is not functional, and the Door may not be opened by any means. The only way to release the Glyph of Ulaniva is to destroy the Door.
...o Alternate Treasure: Players may agree to select the Glyph of Thorian for placement beneath the Treasury Door. This option is best suited for 2 players, and not recommended with 3 players (as the 2 player Heroes team already has an advantage.)

Victory Conditions
• The player controlling the (non-Utgar) Heroes declares victory upon successfully destroying the Marro Hive.
• The player controlling the Marro Hive wins if the Hive survives until the end of the 12th round.
• The player controlling the Marro Hive wins if all the opposing units are destroyed.
• Time Extension: Players may agree to continue playing after 12 rounds, however the Marro Super-Growth bonus increases by 1 for each round played after the 12th.

[Hex_Enduction_Hour]

Whoah Agent, that is a wicked scenario.
The freight elevator is an excellent idea.

Those poor heroes.
Agent, it appears you've played the scenario. Do you think the heroes really have a chance to win?

[ThrasherDarkrai]

Originally Posted by Hex_Enduction_Hour

Whoah Agent, that is a wicked scenario.
The freight elevator is an excellent idea.

Those poor heroes.
Agent, it appears you've played the scenario. Do you think the heroes really have a chance to win?

Agreed with HeH here. That is wicked!
Also, that pic should be my new avi. HAIL THE STINGERS!

[Bixby]

Great set up and story. The Freight Elevator mechanism is a super touch.
This Scenario and map go very well together. Big kudos. Keep it up!!!

[Nadom]

That's awesome. Very well-thought out and looks like a blast to play. I might just be overlooking it, but is there a download anywhere? I would love to play this but want it in its original form.

[zanter]

Still sweet!

[Dr. Weirdscaper]

GENTLEMEN...

Nice work.

You get the Gold Star this week that is literally worth its weight in gold.
Now, here is a key to the only working phone in Bonanza.

[noobnats9]

wow! awsome map man i wish i could build something like that.

[fraz the gr8]

Can you post a VS file for this soon please

[AgentX-127]

Here it is: The building instructions for the Hive Cavern!

Hive Cavern Map Building PDF file
Set Requirements: 1 FotA (Castle), 1 RttFF (Trees and Bridge), 1 RotV Master Set, and 1 SotM Master Set

Also available, the Virtualscape file: Hive Cavern Virtualscape File




Now, some notes on building this:

I used some unconventional materials to build this map.
First, many people already know about these small spring steel paper clips:
These help to tie the 24 hex plates that form the upper level together. Just clip the edges together and then squeeze the little wire thingys together to remove them so they don't hang down in an unsightly manner.

Next, I use the Landlocker magnets to hold the Castles walls securely to the bottom levels, and to hold the upper level down to the Castle Wallwalk tiles that support the whole top level. (I used 2 sets of Landlockers on this map.)

Then there is a final twist...literally!
The top level incorporates an unconventional slope that is created by overlapping two of the 24 hex plates.
The overlapping plates are shown in the building instructions. One of the plates "dips" beneath the other.

Then the tiles that cover that section create a gentle slope that works its way around the upper level of the board, so that you end up with the road hexes laying on top of tiles that are on the same level when viewed as a contiguous whole.
Difficult to describe, I know. I will try to take some pictures of this later.

You can build the map without the twist, it sort of happened by accident but then I thought it was cool because it creates a slope which happens to negate a perceived height advantage on the road section of the upper level of the map.
It amused me to use this to trick my brother!

[AgentX-127]

Originally Posted by Hex_Enduction_Hour

Agent, it appears you've played the scenario. Do you think the heroes really have a chance to win?

I just noticed your question. ( You edited that in, didn't you?)
The short answer is, "Yes! Definitely. It's all about resource management."

I have some pictures from one of the games we played.
I intended to do a full battle report, but I don't think that'll happen, so here are summaries with a few highlights:

Test Game 1: 2 players. (No Pics)
The Heroes were stopped before even getting to the top of the staircase.
I blame: Bad order marker management (on my part, ) and underestimating the power of Tor-Kul-Na.
(Or maybe it was the player I underestimated... )

Test Game 2: 3 players. (See the pics below)
This one went downhill for the Heroes right from the start.
On Raelin's first turn, she tried to grab a Glyph:

Sonlen's dragon tries but fails to heal Raelin:

I really hate getting Stomped!



Did I mention that I hate getting Stomped?
Only 2 Heroes survived the encounter with Tor-Kul-Na to get to the staircase.
Unfortunately they were Sgt. Drake, with 4 wounds on him, and that 60 point character who's only good every third turn :P
There she is, hiding behind that battlement throwing darts at a giant:

She tried to get to the Hive, but got stopped cold:

And I think you've already seen this one:


Test Game 3: 3 players. (No Pics)
This time we used Drake against Tor-Kul-Na, and kept Q10 and Sonlen alive. That was key, because if you can get Q10 to the lower level, you have a very good chance of killing the Hive.
We did it!
It was great!
(Even though it took a 37 year old college professor and 43 year old computer programmer to beat a 15 year old high school student!)

Once we got down there with Q10, he and Sonlen were able to quickly mow down almost all of the Stingers and Drudge.
I'm think I will revise the rules so that the Marro Hive player may take a second "Rebirth" roll each turn, (but only in the 3 player game.)