Engineers of Valhalla Brainstorming Thread

[wriggz]

Wow this moved fast.

I hope you guys consider looking at terrain crate since those products are in production and require minimal painting.

Love to see the aotp stuff used.

I've had success with recycling pit trap as quicksand and a -1 defense hit for acid field since neither are too punishing.

I would also like to suggest making traps part of your scope. I have some trap cards in my epic glyph tread and terrain crate has a set of traps out. Seems like a cool expansion idea.

Epic Treasure Glyphs https://www.heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?t=35074

https://www.meeplemart.com/terrain-crate-dungeon-traps.aspx

 

[Muskie]

I really like the idea of "zero" level quicksand. I also always wondered why it was all over the island in gilligan's Island!

I also wondered why they came up with special rules for snow (that didn't have to be used), but never came up with rules for the other tiles. As someone who spends lots of time on the sand dunes in Michigan, walking is sand is tiring and difficult.

 

[Muskie]

Re: Interactive Terrain Brainstorming thread

So I have been working with the Obelisk on Thingiverse:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3646449

I see them with a d20 power when you are next to them.

If a unique hero starts their turn next to a Obelisk and does not leave engagement with the Obelisk during their movement, they roll a D20 and apply the following affect before they attack:

1-5 nothing happens
6-8 -1 defense until you leave the obelisk (bummer)
9-11 counterstrike against normal ranged attacks (it is magical)
12-14 +1 attack until you leave the obelisk
15-17 +1 defense until you leave the obelisk
18-20 teleport to another Obelisk (not sure how to choose if there is more than one more on the board).


this is what I was thinking. You could do less powers that are more powerful, with it harder to get. I like board touchstones that can be chaotic. Kind of a hero support (unless you roll under 8, obelisks can be tricky). They could come in a 2 or 4 pack for the board, depending on board size.

Massive rethink to make things simpler!! The Obelisk radiates energy that disrupts special powers. If you are sitting on one of the six hexes surrounding the Obelisk, you cannot use any special power (offensive, defensive or Braxas stuff). after revealing an order maker on a figure, if you finish your move adjacent to the Obelisk, before attacking, you may roll a d20. On a roll of 19 or 20, you may activate the power of the Obelisk and move one of your opponent's figures that is 4 of less spaces from you and place them adjacent to you on the same level (if possible).

I thought about not allowing people to attack with special powers, but decided to make the obelisk a zone of negation instead of a shield. You have a small chance of pulling someone to you and taking away their special defense, but it is only 10%, so not too powerful. It does make range 1 special attacks reposition to be adjacent and not be in the zone.

 

[Muskie]

Coming back to this now that I have some time in my schedule.

 

[Shiftrex]

Would be cool to see this moving again

 

[Muskie]

two ideas I am working on

1) an Obelisk that has a power within two hexes. making it like a glyph with limited range. Thinking that you could decide the power before the game (like a turned up glyph). Something like a defense +1 or Thorian power within two of the obelisk.

2) Bamboo. I have built hexes with 7 bamboo strands. they are cheap and easy to make. Thinking that you could do something like jungle defense and also allow small or medium to pass through. You can make a hedge row with them.

 

[S1R_ART0R1US]

two ideas I am working on

1) an Obelisk that has a power within two hexes. making it like a glyph with limited range. Thinking that you could decide the power before the game (like a turned up glyph). Something like a defense +1 or Thorian power within two of the obelisk.

2) Bamboo. I have built hexes with 7 bamboo strands. they are cheap and easy to make. Thinking that you could do something like jungle defense and also allow small or medium to pass through. You can make a hedge row with them.

Really like the Bamboo idea Muskie. Would be happy to play test if you want to share a map.

 

[Shiftrex]

The bamboo is very interesting! Einar has a lot of eastern units but we lack any terrain for them, would be on board to test as well!

With the Obelisks, it sounds like an interesting idea. If it has a flat part or a space underneath you could literally load certain glyphs onto it/place certain glyphs under it. Rules for the terrain can just dictate what glyphs you use. I think that one has some potential as well.

 

[SchismaticSounds]

Thinking that you could do something like jungle defense and also allow small or medium to pass through. You can make a hedge row with them.

I’ve made some Bamboo and played with i before. Ran into the questionable issue whether a figure should get the jungle like defense boost. It seems okay when a figure is shooting through the bamboo at a target, but when it’s from the side, it doesn’t make sense since the bamboo doesn’t stick out like jungle.
The allowance of small figures moving through is a fun idea.

 

[Muskie]

So here is what I am thinking for a terrain idea call the Monolith. I think that permanent glyphs can sway a game too much, and some glyphs are just unplayable (+4 range, for example). the Monolith will be assigned a glyph at the beginning of the game, and anyone in the six hexes surrounding the glyph get that power. That way it makes the monolith a focus point without passing a power to the entire army. Opposing forces can both have the power if they are both adjacent. It could be revealed before the game starts, like in tournaments, or only upon stepping into the aura. You could transport a whole squad at the end of a round!

The second thought I had is that you could make the monolith destructible. Not sure that anyone would want to take the time to destroy it, but it could take it out of the game. I have not explored that yet.

thoughts are this terrain addition?

 

[Muskie]

My second addition for the the day is bamboo. bamboo has two qualities. If a person is adjacent to it and is being targeted from a nonadjacent figure, all small, medium and large figures get +1 defense if the line of site passes through the bamboo (so different than jungle). Also, small and medium figures can pass through (but not stop in) a bamboo tile. Large or Huge must go around. These types are cheap and easy to make.

Thoughts!

 

[Shiftrex]

Definitely think that the monolith should be destructible, that's in many games is a great theme to pursue. I like the idea of it being "imprinted" with a glyph essentially. I'm curious as how how some of it works though... say like Lodin, no matter how many figures I get in the aura I'm still getting just the flat +1 or am I making lodin better by putting more figures in the aura?

I think it'd be helpful to either do a breakdown and show all the glyph interactions that can be used with the monolith or even just make 3-4 basic modes for the monolith.

The Bamboo is a great idea, it looks awesome on the board and it makes LOS matter which is brilliant. We NEED more stuff that references this. Heroscape is an incredibly simple game and this rule implements some psuedo cover that the game sorely needs to make a player care about how they turn their figures so they get the bonus. Great additions, would love to see some testing.

If we could get some OHS or TTS assets we could set right on it and get something rolling.

@lefton4ya, @Flash_19, @coachmuskie, @Tornado @S1R_ART0R1US

What do you guys think?

 

[S1R_ART0R1US]

I like the bamboo a lot - where’s it from? I think I can make it hit my board soon.

 

[TREX]

My second addition for the the day is bamboo. bamboo has two qualities. If a person is adjacent to it and is being targeted from a nonadjacent figure, all small, medium and large figures get +1 defense if the line of site passes through the bamboo (so different than jungle). Also, small and medium figures can pass through (but not stop in) a bamboo tile. Large or Huge must go around. These types are cheap and easy to make.

Thoughts!

I like this idea of making the bamboo “area terrain”. In a matter of speaking, it’s even more thematic than the official jungle trees. I like how you are incorporating the extra defense. Very cool. Get those ideas out and have fun guys. Life’s too short to tie things up in red tape.

 

[Muskie]

My second addition for the the day is bamboo. bamboo has two qualities. If a person is adjacent to it and is being targeted from a nonadjacent figure, all small, medium and large figures get +1 defense if the line of site passes through the bamboo (so different than jungle). Also, small and medium figures can pass through (but not stop in) a bamboo tile. Large or Huge must go around. These types are cheap and easy to make.

Thoughts!

I like this idea of making the bamboo “area terrain”. In a matter of speaking, it’s even more thematic than the official jungle trees. I like how you are incorporating the extra defense. Very cool. Get those ideas out and have fun guys. Life’s too short to tie things up in red tape.

I plan on playtesting it this weekend!

 

[TREX]

My second addition for the the day is bamboo. bamboo has two qualities. If a person is adjacent to it and is being targeted from a nonadjacent figure, all small, medium and large figures get +1 defense if the line of site passes through the bamboo (so different than jungle). Also, small and medium figures can pass through (but not stop in) a bamboo tile. Large or Huge must go around. These types are cheap and easy to make.

Thoughts!

I like this idea of making the bamboo “area terrain”. In a matter of speaking, it’s even more thematic than the official jungle trees. I like how you are incorporating the extra defense. Very cool. Get those ideas out and have fun guys. Life’s too short to tie things up in red tape.

I plan on playtesting it this weekend!

If I’m being honest, this terrain could really only break a map with similar ideas/ placements as the official jungle brush. As long as the large and huge figures have a decent way to pass around it then they could still move around decently. The only shenanigans I can see is having areas closed off by it, or having it so thick that smaller figures could literally run back and forth through it while trying to be engaged by a large melee figure.( think chasing someone around a kitchen table round and round or back and forth). I know the bamboo can be purchased but it may be a good idea to get out a single base with hole inserts put together for 3D printing so folks don’t have to use up all their single hex bases. Where did you pick up the bamboo again. Could I get a link? It would make great cover terrain for my gridless scape and other wargames. I intend to put my gridless stuff back on here once the pdf is updated and formatted. I’m also going to get my other threads back up with updated things including a personal terrain thread with 3D file links, and downloadable print files for the cards. It’s been in the works for awhile with low priority status.

 

[Leaf_It]

You'd think that Large and Huge would have an easier time moving through bamboo, since they could literally smash the bamboo by just falling over onto it.

Neat ideas regardless. I like that the Bamboo doesn't really block line of sight. (maybe a Zombie head could be hidden, but not much else.)

 

[TREX]

You'd think that Large and Huge would have an easier time moving through bamboo, since they could literally smash the bamboo by just falling over onto it.

Neat ideas regardless. I like that the Bamboo doesn't really block line of sight. (maybe a Zombie head could be hidden, but not much else.)

Agreed here on theme. I take it that his idea is that the smaller characters are slipping through. It may be a theme fail for big figures to not go through but possibly make them use one extra movement space to get through or something. At that point it still doesn’t overcomplicate things. You could still let them have the cover as well with how it works.

 

[mac122]

You'd think that Large and Huge would have an easier time moving through bamboo, since they could literally smash the bamboo by just falling over onto it.

Neat ideas regardless. I like that the Bamboo doesn't really block line of sight. (maybe a Zombie head could be hidden, but not much else.)

Agreed here on theme. I take it that his idea is that the smaller characters are slipping through. It may be a theme fail for big figures to not go through but possibly make them use one extra movement space to get through or something. At that point it still doesn’t overcomplicate things. You could still let them have the cover as well with how it works.

Agreed.

Still offers quite a benefit for smaller figures, especially against double-space figures.

 

[TREX]

You'd think that Large and Huge would have an easier time moving through bamboo, since they could literally smash the bamboo by just falling over onto it.

Neat ideas regardless. I like that the Bamboo doesn't really block line of sight. (maybe a Zombie head could be hidden, but not much else.)

Agreed here on theme. I take it that his idea is that the smaller characters are slipping through. It may be a theme fail for big figures to not go through but possibly make them use one extra movement space to get through or something. At that point it still doesn’t overcomplicate things. You could still let them have the cover as well with how it works.

Agreed.

Still offers quite a benefit for smaller figures, especially against double-space figures.

I really like the idea here. @Muskie, how big in diameter in mm are the bamboo stalks and how many do you recommend placing in each tile? I haven’t been on my laptop 3D modeling too much lately but making a single hex tile with inserts for the bamboo shoots seems like an easy file to make from a regular file already created. When I get around to it, I think I will need some bamboo for my Star Wars legion table as well. I love the aesthetics of them. I’ll be putting together my files for my shadow syndicate for legion along with a certain mandalorian riding a rancor to print and can whip it together then.

 

[SchismaticSounds]

I agree that the movement kiting from small-med figures could be a nuisance. If you want to go that way, then maybe make them destructible c3g style. Otherwise I'm not sure it's necessary.

Another wacky thing you can use them for thematically is platforms for the monks stealth leap, though they are a bit higher than 12 high.

 

[Knox]

Small figures should be able to move through bamboo as difficult terrain. I also could see bamboo as destructible if it wouldn't fall over (if you were able to attach it to a 3D printed base rather than the full terrain). Perhaps 1 life, 4 defense and huge figures get +1 attack against it?

 

[Targanth]

There seem to be quite a few options available for the effects of the bamboo. Perhaps the EoV can develop more than one single effect, something like the snow / heavy snow / ice / slippery ice rules for the snow and ice tiles. A map design could/would specify the effect designed for that specific map.

 

[Muskie]

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and input. I will look at the ideas and see if I can come up with a tile that is ready to test. I will also put instructions on how to make them (I did post it on the facebook page since pictures are easier there).

 

[S1R_ART0R1US]

I made some of these bamboo tiles as well and found it pretty easy. It was ~$15 for a pack of ~100 of them on Amazon. I used a drill and IIRC a 1/16" drill bit to make four holes in each hex. I bent the end into an L. I could pass them through and the fit is snug - no glue needed to keep them up.

For rules, I was thinking the opposite of what was here. Large/Huge can move through (big steps), but small medium can't move through it and have no visible hit zones through it. Thought it would be a good way to provide pathing that doesn't inhibit the big double hex guys as much.