CHESS-SCAPE : an alternate format for HS

[Johngee]

I've had discussions at local tournaments (MD-PA-NJ-NY) and read in various threads here on HeroScapers that a lot tournament organizers are looking for new and different formats to suggest to their local group in order to make the games more interesting and fun. Since my grandsons only recently learned to play "Chess" and I have been playing it with them, this old classic has been on my mind lately. Is "Chess" adaptable to "HeroScape?" Of course the movement restrictions of the Bishops (diagonal) and Rooks (orthogonal) would be awkward when tried on a hexagonal map. But imho: *ANY* character set can be adapted to the basic HeroScape mechanics of the five attributes, and then they can be used on the three dimensional Battlefiels of Valhalla.

One customizing criteria would be to take the 16 Chess figures and turn them into HeroScape units. This is not a problem for me when I consider that the individual "Chess" pieces do NOT represent individual, solitary characters on the imaginary battlefield, but rather companies or regiments of warriors (i.e. "units"), much like the little wooden blocks in the board game "RISK" are said to represent entire armies. One simple set of statistics might be these:

The King (and his trusted advisors and personal body guards) = Life: 1, Move: 4, Range: 1, Attack: 2, Defense: 3.
The Queen's company of highly trained and well armored elite = Life: 1, Move: 6, Range: 1, Attack: 5, Defense: 4.
2x Bishop companies (I have assigned them to archery duty) = Life: 1, Move: 3, Range: 5, Attack: 2, Defense: 1.
2x Kight companies (I see these as being light, agile cavalry) = Life: 1, Move: 8, Range: 1, Attack: 3, Defense: 2.
2x Rook/Castle companies (these are the reserve forces of mostly engineers, logisticians and craftsmen who are responsible to build and maintain fortifications, bridges, and obstacles (both mobile and static) = Life: 1, Move: 2, Range: 3, Attack: 2, Defense: 4.
8x Pawn companies are the conscripted front line infantry = Life: 1, Move: 3, Range: 1, Attack: 2, Defense: 2.

These numbers are only a rudimentary suggestion and should be adjusted and the justification for doing so debated by a committee of experts until a consensus can be reached before any "official" Stat Cards are published for competitve play within the larger gaming community.
An alternative to using Chess pieces and custom statisics would be to simply use standard HeroScape characters and their respective stat cards in a Chess-like army. Thus the new format is to challenge players to come up with a set of sixteen (16) figures that resembles the traditional pieces found in a "Chess" match. Any unique hero can easily fit the role of King or Queen, but complications arise when drafting two-thirds (2/3) of a three figure squad or one-half (1/2) of a four figure squad to be the Bishops, Knights, and Rooks. You may need a calculator to determine what portion of the point value to add to your accumulating total. For the eight ( Pawns a player may choose two of the four figure squads or two and two-thirds of any three figure squad. I would suggest the restriction that all Pawns must have a range of one and any figure with a Range greater than one can only be in the second tier figures (K, Q, B, K, & R).

As an experimentation, I decided to try building several armies under these condidtions and came up with several. I started with 500 +/- 5% as the base line total Army size that I would strive to achieve. Using partial squads I found myself adding up wacky numbers and thought that the plus or minus five percent (an extra 25 points) enabled me to finalize that Armies that I felt worthy of a competitive trial on the game board.
Here below are the 14 alternate builds that I thought of. They are HS General specific (characters are limited to either Aquilla, Einar, Jandar, Ullar, Utgar, or Vydar), but they don't need to be. That would be up to the event organizer. So what do ya think? I would like to hear some feedback regarding the feasibility of this format to spice-up the already best skirmish level light war-game that I've ever played.

UTGAR #1. (Orks & Soulborgs )
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1x King = DeathWalker-9000 1 @ 140
1x Queen = Deathwalker-8000 1 @ 130 (or Grimnak or Krug 1 @ 120*)
2x Bishops = Zettian Guards 2 @ 70
2x Knights = 2x Swog Riders 2 @ 50
2x Rooks = 2x Dumutef Guards 2 @ 50
8x Pawns = 2x Deathreaver Sqd.'s 8 @ 80 (or 2x Blade Orks Sqd's.)
TOTAL: 16 figures on 6 different cards at 520 (or 510*) points.
　
UTGAR #2. (Marro)
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1x King = Ne-Gok-Sa M.Warlord 1 @ 90 pts.
1x Queen = Kee-Mo-Shi M.Warwitch 1 @ 130 "
2x Bishops = 2/3 Marro Stinger Sqd. 2 @ 40 "
2x Knights = 2/3 Marro Grok Riders 2 @ 87 "
2x Rooks = 1/2 Marro Warrior Sqd. 2 @ 25 "
8x Pawns = 2+2/3 Marro Drone Sqd. 8 @ 133 "
TOTAL: 16 figures on 6 different cards at 505 points.
　
UTGAR #3. (Kyrie & Minnions)
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1x King = Taelord Kyrie Warrior 1 @ 180
1x Queen = Runa Kyrie Warrior 1 @ 120 (Brunak Trolticor 1 @ 110*)
2x Bishops = 1/2 Heavy Grut Ork Sqd. 2 @ 35
2x Knights = 2/3 Minions of Utgar Sqd. 2 @ 72
2x Rooks = 1/2 Marro Warriors Sqd. 2 @ 25
8x Pawns = 2x Blade Ork Squads 8 @ 80 (or 2x Deathreavers)
TOTAL: 16 figures on 6 different cards at 512 (or 502*) points
　
UTGAR #4. (Un-Dead)
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1x King = Cyprien Essenwien V. 1 @ 150
1x Queen = Sonya Essenwein V. 1 @ 45
2x Bishops = 2/3 Shades of Bleakwood 2 @ 67
2x Knights = 2/3 Minions of Utgar Squad 2 @ 72
2x Rooks = 1/2 Heavy Grut Ork Squad 2 @ 35
8x Pawns = +2/3 Zombies of M. Squads 8 @ 140
TOTAL: 16 figures on 6 differnt cards at 509 points
　
JANDAR #1. (Kyrie & Knights)
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1x King = Concan Kyrie Warrior 1 @ 80 pts. (or Finn, or Thorgrim)
1x Queen = Raelin Kyrie W.(SotM) 1 @ 120 "
2x Bishops = 1/2 Tarn Viking Squad 2 @ 25 "
2x Knights = 2/3 Templar Knights Sqd. 2 @ 80 "
2x Rooks = 2/3 Omnicron Sniper Sqd. 2 @ 66 "
8x Pawns = 2x Knights of Westron Sqd. 8 @ 140 "
TOTAL: 16x Figures on 6 different cards @ 511 points
　
JANDAR #2. (Kyrie & Knights)
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1x King = Sgt.Drake Alexander(SotM) 1 @ 170 pts.
1x Queen = Raelin Kyrie W.(RotV) 1 @ 80 "
2x Bishops = 1/2 Airborne Elite Squad 2 @ 55 "
2x Knights = 1/2 4th Mass Line Sqd. 2 @ 35 "
2x Rooks = 2/3 Omnicron Sniper Sqd. 2 @ 66 "
8x Pawns = 2x Tarn Viking Warrior Sqd. 8 @ 100 "
TOTAL: 16x Figures on 6 different cards @ 506 points
　
EINAR #1. (Samurai & Kyrie)
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1x King = Kaemon Awa 1 @ 120 pts.
1x Queen = Empress Kiova 1 @ 90 "
2x Bishops = 2/3 Tagawa Samurai Squad 2 @ 80 "
2x Knights = 2/3 Einar Imperium K.W. Sqd. 2 @ 80 "
2x Rooks = 2/3 Tagawa Samurai Archer Sqd 2 @ 44 "
8x Pawns = 2x Ashigaru Yari Squads 8 @ 80 "
TOTAL: 16x Figures on 6 different cards @ 494 points
　
EINAR #2. (Romans & Kyrie)
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1x King = Marcus Decimus Gallus 1 @ 100 pts.
1x Queen = Valguard Warlord 1 @ 110 "
2x Bishops = 2/3 Ninja No.Wind Sqd. 2 @ 73 "
2x Knights = 2/3 Einar Imperium Sqd. 2 @ 94 "
2x Rooks = 2/3 Roman Archer Sqd. 2 @ 37 "
8x Pawns = 2x Roman Legionaire Sqd. 8 @ 100 "
TOTAL: 16x Figures on 6 different cards @ 514 points
　
ULLAR #1. (Vipers and Elves)
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1x King = Venoc Warlord 1 @ 120 pts.
1x Queen = Morsbane Elf Wizard 1 @ 100 " (or Syvarris or Jorhdawn)
2x Bishops = 2/3 Armoc Vipers Squad 2 @ 44 "
2x Knights = 2/3 Elite Onyx Viper Sqd. 2 @ 66 "
2x Rooks = 2/3 Aubrien Archer Sqd. 2 @ 47 "
8x Pawns = 2+2/3 Warriors of Ashra Sqd. 8 @ 134 "
TOTAL: 16x Figures on 6 different cards @ 511 points
　
ULLAR #2. (Elves)
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1x King = Syvarris Elf Archer 1 @ 100 " (or Jorhdawn)
1x Queen = Morsbane Elf Wizard 1 @ 100 " (or Jorhdawn)
2x Bishops = #1- Arkmer Elf Wizard 1 @ 50 "
#2- Emiroon Elf Wizard 1 @ 80 "
2x Knights = 2/3 Warriors of Ashra Sqd. 2 @ 33 "
2x Rooks = 2/3 Aubrien Archer Squad 2 @ 47 "
8x Pawns = 2+2/3 Venoc Warrior Sqd. 8 @ 107 "
TOTAL: 16x Figures on 7 different cards @ 517 points
　
VYDAR #1. (Agents and Gorillinators)
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1x King = Major Q-9 1 @ 180 pts.
1x Queen = Ontonashi Ninja 1 @ 10 "
2x Bishops = 1/2 Blastatron Sqd. 2 @ 30 "
2x Knights = 2/3 Nakita Agent Sqd. 2 @ 80 "
2x Rooks = 2/3 Gorillinator Sqd. 2 @ 60 "
8x Pawns = 2x Gladiatron Squads 8 @ 160 "
TOTAL: 16x Figures on 6 different cards @ 520 points
　
VYDAR #2. (Agents and Soulborgs)
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1x King = Agent Carr 1 @ 100 pts.
1x Queen = Major X-17 1 @ 100 "
2x Bishops = 1/2 Blastatron Sqd. 2 @ 30 "
2x Knights = 2/3 Krav Maga Agent Sqd. 2 @ 67 "
2x Rooks = 2/3 MicroCorp Agent Sqd. 2 @ 67 "
8x Pawns = 2x Gladiatron Squads 8 @ 160 "
TOTAL: 16x Figures on 6 differnt cards @ 524 points
　
AQUILLA #1. (Dwarves and Beasts)
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1x King = Migdol Ironwill 1 @ 110 pts.
1x Queen = Darrack Ambershard 1 @ 60 "
2x Bishops = 2/3 Mohican Tribe Sqd. 2 @ 47 "
2x Knights = 2/3 Quasatch Hunters Sqd. 2 @ 67 "
2x Rooks = 2/3 Granite Guardian Sqd. 2 @ 67 "
8x Pawns = 2x Axgrinder Squads 8 @ 140 "
TOTAL: 16x Figures on 6 differnt cards @ 491 points
　
AQUILLA #2. (Braves and Bugs)
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1x King = Braveheart 1 @ 50 pts.
1x Queen = Sujoah 1 @ 185 "
2x Bishops = 2/3 Mohican Tribe Sqd. 2 @ 47 "
2x Knights = 2/3 Quasatch Hunters Sqd. 2 @ 67 "
2x Rooks = 2/3 Granite Guardian Sqd. 2 @ 67 "
8x Pawns = 2+2/3 Fyorlag Spider Sqd. 8 @ 107 "
TOTAL: 16x Figures on 6 differnt cards @ 523 points

[flameslayer93]

I have a custom for the Queen:

Queen Chessy....1 Life
Plastic..............7 Move
Unique Hero.......1 Range
Queen..............7 Attack
Large 7............0 Defense
Aquilla..............45 points
Valient

Capture the Flag:
When Chessy destroys a figure on a glyph, place Chessy onto the Glyph.

Disengage...

Save the Queen:
When attacked add the defense of up to 2 adjacent knights you control to Chessy's defense.

[ranoobu]

hm.. nevermind

[kolakoski]

Chess has the same pieces on both sides, no flyers except for the knights, and be all melee (and no bonding). A Chess'scape set might look like this (making the Bishops the flyers (thematically) . . .

King Kato Katsuro - At last, a place for him! And alliterative!

Queen Kee-Mo-Shi - who else?

Bishops Raelin RotV & Kelda - Kyrie are cleric-like figures and fly, so they get the knight movement, rather than calling them knights.

Knights Hawthorne & Denrick - Real knights don't fly.

Rooks Spartacus & Alastair - Harder hitters than bishops/knights as in chess.

Pawns Marro Drones - thematically perfect, but the new Goblins might be a better choice.

[Tai-Pan]

What about this makes it ChessScape and not just HeroScape with specific armies?

[kolakoski]

Because of the fact that each player's army is identical to the other's, and the roles of the units, and the scenario (whoever looses their King looses the game).

[yamissflash]

Originally Posted by flameslayer93

Capture the Flag:
When Chessy destroys a figure on a glyph, place Chessy onto the Glyph.

That is a very clever power.

[yamissflash]

Originally Posted by Tai-Pan

What about this makes it ChessScape and not just HeroScape with specific armies?

Nothing really. But its fun anyway!

Edit sorry for double post.