The New York City Gang Of Four

[kolakoski]

Well met!

For tomorrow's game, based on comments from others in the Pre-SoV Workshop and my custom thread, this is the version of Ravenwolf we'll be using.

Valeros, Human Fighter
Pathfinder's Iconic Heroes Evolved

RAVENWOLF
General: Einar
Human, Unique Hero, Rogue, Disciplined, Medium 5
Life 5, Move 5, Range 5, Attack 3, Defense 3

DISGRACED WARLORD
If there is at least 1 Warlord in your army and 1 is destroyed, Ravenwolf becomes a Warlord, in addition to his current Class.

GOING FOR THE THROAT
When Ravenwolf attacks an adjacent figure, the defending figure rolls one less defense die. If Ravenwolf inflicts a wound, add 5 to the roll for Battle Frenzy.

BATTLE FRENZY
After attacking with Ravenwolf, roll the 20-sided die. If you roll a 16 or higher, you may attack again with Ravenwolf.

ONE SHIELD DEFENSE
When rolling defense dice, if Ravenwolf rolls at least one shield, the most wounds Ravenwolf can take from this attack is one.

POINTS: 115

P.S.: Received the figure today!

[Taeblewalker]

Have fun tomorrow guys.

[chas]

Thanks Taeblewalker! We sure did.

We played two games on Thrasher Darkrai's battlefield. His Pod Snake Draft went smoothly, using 3 pods per player (total of 12 this time), and we each got two per game. For the second game, our first choice had to be one of the four that hadn't been played, so they all got into it. Note that the Pods are identified by number from Thrasher's list upthread.

Game One

Thrasher Darkrai: Pods 1, 8
Kolakoski: 7, 11
Chas: 4, 6
Sherman Davies: 10, 12

This game was a bit lopsided, because two players went right at each other, where the other two spent a lot of time sidling over to their side of the board after only a bit of skirmishing. This was Sherman Davies' diplomacy to me, who was sitting opposite him, and I agreed to it. Although I did take one shot at him before disengaging to make it look good!

By the time we got over to the battle, the other two armies there were whittled down quite a bit. I had made a temporary alliance with Kolakoski, who shared my side of the board, and so declared I was coming to his rescue, while SD did the same for Thrasher.


***


Game Two

Thrasher Darkrai: Pods 3, 11
Kolakoski: 7, 9
Chas: 2, 12
Sherman Davies: 5, 8

(Edit) For this game, I allied with Kolakoski, who shared my side of the battlefield after we all changed seating from Game One after a food break, for almost the whole long game. We both felt that we had disadvantagious match ups against our direct enemies. For me, Thrasher Darkrai had counterdrafted me by bringing in all Unique Squads, which cancelled my Zelrig's Majestic Fire. So although I'd suggested we stay out of the territory between our walled in start zones, i sent him over there with his permission to aid my pal! On my front I made a desperate charge with my first squad of Dreadguls, which actually resulted in my taking out his Krav Maga in melee! But then he brought his Varkaanians up and massacred my army in my start zone. I soon had only the dragon left, but he lasted until the final Turn Nine (or was it Ten)? In fact, all four of us lasted to the end, and bringing up our reserves to the battle, we wailed away, all against all, until the dust cleared. This made it fun for all four of us, and a real nail biter!

This was a very long, devious game where we had different temporary alliances for each couple of turns later on, depending on the point costs each player had left (partial card scoring), since it was about points left on the map after 10 turns, rather than earning points we killed. I'll be detailing this game further later on, as it turned into one of the best games we've ever played in the 17 years of our group's existance (we've been playing seperatly on our own sbefore that since Heroscape game first came out in 2004)!

In the meantime, here is a post about the new and exciting Wall Set TD used for the very first time, which I just wrote on the AOA Hints thread:

***

New Unofficial Age Of Annihilation Style Walls

This week we played for the first time with Thrasher Darkrai's 3D printed unofficial AOA Wall set, which is very similar to what the new Official Walls will be like. They were much easier to build with than the old castle walls, with all their panel pieces, whether walls or open gates, just sliding in and out vertically. They do stack, but have no floor pieces to allow inhabitants in the upper stories you can make, which we did not have in TD's first map using them. We've now tried four different games on two dates with them (see my signature thread for details and eventually photos including these walls). Eventually perhaps we'll be combining them with the older castle pieces! We did not use my own Illusory Wall rules yet with them, which we've tried out using the old castle walls.

Like what will be coming officially, they are flat sections, although 3D. During one of the two games I even forgot where one of the doorways was, because I was sitting perpendicular to that section, until one of my opponents came through it! D'oh! (That doesn't happpen with the old more distinctive castle gateways).

These were four player games with start zones in the corners of the new map. Two large sections of walls were positioned between two of these on one side of the battlefield.

TD will be posting photos here including these walls!

***

I'm leaving this great map up, and on Saturday K. and I will be Scaping for the third time this week. It will be another playtest for his Rogue couple of warriors, who he's preparing for consideration by the SOV judges. You can track his progress on his Pre SOV thread.

[chas]

Just a note about a few thoughts on a future General Wars game pending the March 1 Renegade Games' Age of Annihilation Offering. Long ago we played General Wars: The Battle For Utgar's Wellspring, which was one of my monthly custom scenarios using ScaperDad's and my cards for the Generals Themselves, who appeared on the game board with proxy minis! Each player played one General and various cards in his/her faction!

1. The newly announced terrain of Wellspring Water hexes should fit perfectly into such a scenario--although we don't know how they work yet. These will be included in the new Battle Box: Battle For the Wellspring set.

2. It appears that the new Renegade AOA will introduce 2-3 new Heroscape Generals, as the previous design work for the old failed Haslab offering did. So I'll eventually need to make up cards for them. I had done this for Valkrill, who ScaperDad had not done, since it came out after his great custom cards and minis, which were the basis for my scenario. This will take a while, since I'll want to see how the new Generals fit in with the final versions of their back stories and which cards enter their factions.

3. So I now plan to go back to this scenario after we have the new Renegage AOA Wave 1 in hand. I'm looking forward to designing a new version, modifying it with the Wellspring Water, new Generals, and all the other new stuff we'll have this year for our game, including new character cards and their minis, terrain types, scenario map ideas, and etc.

4. You can see the scenario on my Custom Scenarios Thread here, if you'd like to try it out in its original version:

https://www.heroscapers.com/communit...ad.php?t=62932


Heroscape Lives!

[chas]

Three Playtest Games vs Kolakoski's Two New PreSOV Customs

Today K. and I held three more playtest games on Kevin's great map, making a third day of Scaping this week; which is probably a weekly record. I ran successively a Knight Army, a Roman Army, and an Orc Army of 600 Points each against various armies containing K.'s two custom figures Reika The Wolf and Ravenwolf. They are now a married couple, somewhat like the Eisenweins, benefitting each other with newly revised powers.

I won two of the games, and Kolakoski got new information to further revise his figures. He thinks Reika is closer to finished now than Ravenwolf.

Here are the armies we used, all built be Kolakoski.

THE FIVE PLAYTEST ARMIES

1. Two Armies Containing The New Customs
(Played by Kolakoski)

Played in Games One and Two:

115 Rudlolph Ravenwolf
115 Rieka Ravenwolf
120 Blade Gruts x3
100 Ornak
140 DW 9000
10 Isamu
600 Points, 17 Spaces

Played in Game Three:

115 Rudolph Ravenwolf
115 Reika Ravenwolf
140 Phantom Knights
75 Kha
60 Elaria The Pale
70 Nottingham Brigands x2
25 Beakface Rogue
600 Points, 13 Spaces

2. Opponent Armies Against The Customs
(Played by Chas)

Played In Game One:
210 Knights of Weston x3
185 Nilfheim
105 Sir Gilbert
100 Sir Denrick
600 Pts, 16 Sp

Played In Game Two
200 Romans x4
100 Marcus Decimus Gallus
120 Mogrim Forgehammer
50 Me-Burq-Sa
130 Deathcommander Mark 3
600 Pts, 21 Sp

Played In Game Three
210 Heavy Gruts x3
120 Kaemon Awa
120 Grimnak
100 Tornak
50 Nerak The Glacial Swog Rider
600 Pts, 19 Sp

[chas]

Kolakoski Scape: "The Dirty Dozen Freeze" on Wed. March 13.

This scenario for our next monthly game can be found upthread on Post #1871, and looks to be part of the continually innovative trend we follow in designing custom scenarios! Its new wrinkle is that each army is limited to 12 hexes! So army construction should be quite interesting. We post these scenarios and maps so others can try them out, and so we can replay them some time. Most of mine are posted together conveniently in the Customs site section Maps and Scenarios.

***

Heroscape Reborn!

We've been having a new site discussion about the screen grab of photos of the three new Renegade Games Age of Annihilation boxes! These the new format of a Two Player Battle Box: Battle For the Wellspring, a new Master Set featuring Evil Raelin mounted on her manticore and the new Dryan Faction Dragon among the 20 figures to be featured, and a new groundbreaking Heroscape Terrain Set, a format we Scapers have been requesting for many, many years!

We'll learn more about them on March 1 on youtube, when these first offerings, retail rather than crowdfunded, become available for Preorder! A recent post on another thread noted that despite some rumors, Renegade has not made that many changes in the character cards first previewed in the old Haslab offering. Our gane her at the NYCG4 has of course been playtesting them here for over a year now as part of my own Heroscape Age of Annihilation Revival Project!

Besides new components and rules for them, there should be more official scenarios coming out. I remember that the old Haslab offering, on which the Renegade retail project is based, was talking about a campaign!

[kolakoski]

Well met!

Originally Posted by chas

Kolakoski Scape: "The Dirty Dozen Freeze" on Wed. March 13.

This scenario for our next monthly game can be found upthread on Post #1871, . . .

Tentative revised customs to be tested in this context may be found here. To avoid having to hunt for post #1871, I'm posting the scenario below (fixed link to Map):

The Dirty Dozen Freeze!

Map. Mt. Thaelink's Saddle V.2 by Nomad. Replace Power Glyphs with Brandar’s Chests. Expand Start Zones as necessary.

Blizzard Conditions. Heavy Snow and Slippery Ice rules in effect.

Armies. Team game. 600 points/player, filling no more than 12 spaces. Classic, C3V, SoV, Renegade, AoA allowed; no Marvel.

Victory Conditions. After ten Rounds the game ends, and Victory Points (VPs) are awarded as follows:

1 VP to the team that destroyed the most points (partial card scoring).

1 VP for possession of each Brandar's Chest.

[chas]

Looks great, K.! He's been sending me drafts of his army, since I supply the figures for his builds these days. I find his new 12 hex Army Building rule very interesting. You could still fit a Squad in there as well as mostly Heroes! (We're always exploring new concepts for Heroscape in our games).

***

With Renegade Con only two days away now, I've shared some thoughts about buying the new products here in the Age of Annihilation section, which I was very active in when it was first set up, along with Anitar and others. Since I don't do social media, this is where I do most of my talking online (also on boardgamegeek). Check it out and add your own thoughts here:

https://www.heroscapers.com/communit...16#post2617716

[kolakoski]

Well met!

Originally Posted by chas

Looks great, K.! He's been sending me drafts of his army, since I supply the figures for his builds these days. I find his new 12 hex Army Building rule very interesting. You could still fit a Squad in there as well as mostly Heroes! (We're always exploring new concepts for Heroscape in our games).

I've been making so many edits to the customs (and my armiy(ies)), and may very well make more before game day, that chas has requested that I wait until the day before to send him my army(ies).

[kolakoski]

Well met!

Note:

Armies. Team game. 600 points/player, filling no more than 12 spaces. Classic, C3V, SoV, Renegade, AoA allowed; no Marvel.

[chas]

If we are using AOA, then the new question arises, how to treat the Swarm of the Marro Heroes Sgt. Drake and Shiori, Evil Raelin, and the two new Valkyries. Although Anitar and I had made versions of them, should we use those as we have been, or substitute their now revealed official cards?

I'd say that we should use the new ones, and anyone choosing them for their armies should make hand written new cards and bring them to use, as I doubt we'll be able to copy the new ones.

[kolakoski]

Well met!

Originally Posted by chas

If we are using AOA, then the new question arises, how to treat the Swarm of the Marro Heroes Sgt. Drake and Shiori, Evil Raelin, and the two new Valkyries. Although Anitar and I had made versions of them, should we use those as we have been, or substitute their now revealed official cards?

I'd say that we should use the new ones, and anyone choosing them for their armies should make hand written new for them to use, as I doubt we'll be able to copy the new ones.

Sounds like a plan.

I will undoubtedly be running 2 armies (per game), as we will have 5 players (3 players per side). Now that it has become apparent that Renegade's Pirates are for all intents and purposes identical to AoA's, one of my additional armies will contain mostly Pirates and whatever the latest version of Captain Xue is.