Amidst all of that, I even found some time to spare for a hobby project I'd been working on. It's likely not something I've mentioned too often here, as I mostly complain about politics/philosophy and promote my blog-hosted fantasy novel, The Rise of Azraea, but I've been playing a tabletop game called Heroclix since December of 2002 (my sister got me the original big-box starter set for my birthday). Of course, I like to tinker and create things, so I've devised countless custom characters (some of which my wife has actually created custom miniatures for) and many custom scenarios. What follows is a set of rules I've been developing for a series of scenarios inspired by the classic Hollywood Action/Horror jump-scare movies. I've specifically created scenario games for Alien and Predator, but there's quite a lot of freedom to do more.
These are guidelines for special scenarios to
be played with Wizkids Heroclix pieces and a set of custom bystander tokens
created by Big Bully Gaming. The scenario rules and included characters are
still being refined, so if you feel something is ‘broken’ or ‘nerfed’, feel no
guilt in making adjustments to your own game.
Special
thanks to Pair-a-Dice games in Athens, TN, for their involvement in play
testing these scenarios, HCRealms.com for their always efficient and updated reference materials, and my wife who voluntarily watched Predator 2 while I was working on this.
SECTION 1: SETTING UP THE GAME
The director places the scenario’s Title Monster on its card, and places the motion detected bystanders anywhere on the map, with each bystander
a minimum of 6 squares from all other bystanders. The director assigns a
different number (1-6) to each of six Plot
Twist characters below. One of the Plot
Twist characters assigned a number must be the scenario’s Title Monster.
The players place their characters in the starting area of
their choice. Each player’s build total is limited by the total number of
players challenging the monster and the desired difficulty of the game. For a
challenging game, each player’s team should be equal to 300pts divided by the
number of players. In other words, 2 players may build to 150pts each, 3
players to 100pts each, 4 players to 75pts each, 6 players to 50pts each, etc. For
a less challenging game, reduce the number of players or raise the build total.
The Halo and Star Trek: The Original Series Heroclix sets are recommended for
force building.
COOPERATIVE SCENARIO PLAY: You don’t have to run faster than the monster,
you only have to run faster than the slowest member of your group! In a
cooperative game, players treat each other’s characters as FRIENDLY by default,
but any player may choose to make an attack targeting another player’s
character, even if it is considered friendly. Once such an attack is declared,
the targeted character’s force becomes hostile to the attacking character’s
force for the rest of the game.
COMPETITIVE SCENARIO PLAY:
In a competitive scenario, the ultimate goal is to eliminate all other forces –
including the other players’ forces! Players may agree to focus their efforts
on dealing with the monster, but for all purposes except movement, their
soldiers will still be hostile to one another regardless of any agreements to
the contrary.
- Players’ can choose to allow opposing characters to automatically break away from their own characters.
- Players’ characters cannot use SUPPORT to heal opposing players’ characters.
- Players’ characters cannot use DEFEND, ENHANCEMENT, or EMPOWER to replace or modify opposing characters’ combat values.
- Players’ characters cannot use LEADERSHIP to remove action tokens from opposing players’ characters.
- Players’ characters cannot use MASTERMIND to transfer damage to opposing players’ characters.
SECTION 2: SUSPENSE AND PLOT TWISTS
The uncertainty of a classic jump-scare horror movie is
captured by the use of Motion Detected
and Plot Twist bystanders
cooperating with the scenario’s title monster. Motion Detected bystanders represent disturbances which might
indicate the presence of the Title
Monster, while Plot Twist
bystanders represent distractions or environmental hazards that may be
encountered while searching for the Title
Monster.
The director begins the game with six Motion Detected bystanders. When a Motion Detected bystander would be dealt damage, replace it with the
Plot Twist character corresponding
to the number printed on the back of the Motion
Detected bystander token. This is not a trait, ability, or power of the pieces
being played, and cannot be countered or ignored by any other game effect. When the Title Monster is not on the map friendly Motion Detected bystanders and Plot Twist bystanders have:
POWER: Remove this character from the map and place the scenario’s Title Monster in its square (Protected: Outwit).
PLOT TWIST BYSTANDERS
The
basic rules provided above are intended to work with nearly any iconic jump-scare
horror monster one might design at home, but I have specifically intended them
for use with two scenarios.
SECTION 3: SUGGESTED SCENARIOS
NOSTROMO NIGHTMARE
SCENARIO GAME The ship’s crewmembers (the Players’ Forces) must use their
motion trackers to search for a vicious xenomorph (played by 001
Kane’s Son) that is running loose aboard the ship. Unfortunately, the
ship is noisy, with a lot of things besides
the xenomorph setting off the motion trackers. Players must investigate the
various signals popping up around the ship and find the xenomorph by process of
elimination.
Director’s Goal: Have the xenomorph pick off the crewmen
until none are left.
- Victory conditions: Eliminate all opposing characters from the map.
Players’ Goal: Find and destroy 001 Kane’s Son before it kills you, or survive long enough to be
rescued.
- This scenario is played according to the Cooperative Play rules described above.
- Victory conditions: Players must work together to KO 001 Kane’s Son or survive for a predetermined length of time. If playing to a time limit, it is strongly recommended that game ‘time’ be tracked in number of xenomorph turns (e.g., survive 20 rounds with the xenomorph and you win) rather than in minutes/seconds, as in the latter scenario players may ‘wind out the clock’ to avoid their fates. If you must set a conventional time limit for the game, the recommended limit is 1hr 57min, and players should have popcorn prepared before the time starts. Any prizes awarded after the game should be awarded to all survivors.
JUNGLE HUNT SCENARIO GAME Opposing factions (the Players’ Forces) fight for control of
a strategic point, only to become prey for a mysterious, third party. They must
use their motion trackers to search for the attacker (009 The Predator). Unfortunately, the jungle is alive with
activity, and their foe has the ability to seemingly disappear into thin air.
Players must survive their predator and each other.
Director’s Goal: Stock the Predator’s trophy cabinet with new
skulls.
- Victory conditions: Accrue more points than either of the opposing factions.
Players’ Goal: Defeat the opposing player(s) and either find
and defeat the Predator before it kills you, or survive long enough to escape
to da choppah.
- This scenario is played according to the Competitive Play rules described above.
- Victory conditions: Defeat opposing players and either KO the Predator or survive for a predetermined length of time. If playing to a time limit, it is strongly recommended that game ‘time’ be tracked in number of Predator turns (e.g., survive 10 rounds with the Predator and you win) rather than in minutes/seconds, as in the latter scenario players may ‘wind out the clock’ to avoid their fates. If you must set a conventional time limit for the game, the recommended limit is 1hr 47min, and players should have popcorn prepared before the time starts.
SECTION 5: TITLE MONSTERS
ALIEN
001
KANE’S SON is
considered UNIQUE and uses the stats
and powers described below. The director should track Kane’s Son’s current click number using a d12 or a standard
Heroclix Dial. Note: 001 Kane’s Son
begins play on click 10, and heals upward over the course of the game.
PREDATOR
009 THE
PREDATOR is considered UNIQUE
and uses the stats and powers described below. The director should track The Predator’s current click number
using a d12 or a standard Heroclix Dial. Note: The Predator (The Great Hunt)
begins play on click #1, but must unlock many of its more creative weapons by
defeating enemies.
009a THE PREDATOR (THE GREAT HUNT)
009b THE PREDATOR (THE FINAL DUEL)
Of course, you might have noticed that blogspot doesn't provide a great platform for posting these, so be sure to check out the PDF I have uploaded here for a nice, easy-to-print version.
Have fun!
