New Heroscape Base Size

If you haven't heard already, there's an uproar over the new 1 inch bases for Wave D2. You can see the opinions of the Heroscapers community here.

Basically, WotC cut off 2 mm of plastic off the bases. The official reason is to make the miniatures viable to other miniature gamers. Other reasons that are suspected, but not officially stated by WotC is that the new bases will obviously save cost. However, some HSers, especially anti-D&D people, seem to think this is Wizards way of saying that they are using Heroscape as a D&D skirmish game.

Personally, this change means nothing to me. I plan to rebase all of my figures onto Privateer Press bases eventually anyways. I do not see this as Wizards trying to make Heroscape into D&D. I support the D&D Heroscape line, the figures are great and so are the new abilities. I can't wait until August comes around.

The Hunger Games

Recently I read a book by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games is set in a future after a global catastrophe (I think it was a flood...). Anyways, an oppressive government known as the Capitol has taken control of North America, now called Panem. The situation is equivalent to the prerevolutionary France. The Capitol city is spoiled with riches, while the outlying 12 Districts under its control suffer and starve. 74 years ago, when the 13 Distrcits launched civil war on the Capitol they were defeated. District 13, the leader, was completely destroyed. This also led to the start of the Hunger Games. The Capitol requires aboy and girl from each District between ages 12 and 18 go to an arena, where its last one standing.

Short review: The book was good, had a 'To Be Continued' ending that really killed the ending.

Long review: The book is of medium length, 374 pages (I kept telling my English teacher I was on page 375, wow was she confused). The author builds a great mental picture of the suffering these people live in through Katniss, a girl from District 12. The book had some great combat scene potential, but that was squandered by the author trying to make it for teens. I didn't really like the romance between the two kids from District 12, Peeta and Katniss. Katniss was playing the love story to keep people sponsoring them. Unknown to her, Peeta really was in love. I guess that might be in there so girls like it... Meh.

So my point for posting this is this: how can you build a campaign setting from this? Or maybe just an adventure? Obviously, the government would be easy to replicate into a fantasy setting. The Games part, would have to be modified. Because the story is set in the future they have things such as hovercrafts to take the corpses out of the arena. Also, the audience watches with cameras because the arena is something like 5 miles diameter. They also show with a projector in the sky which competitors were killed.

So I'm thinking if you wanted to contain the whole thing to the city, you could have a walled city where poverty runs rampant, that surrounds a rich city on the inside. The Capitol would have a Roman Colosseum inside? Maybe entering the Hunger Games would be under different terms. Like criminals have to fight in the arena. Maybe breaking the cities strict customs would lead you to the Games. Customs that the PCs wouldn't know about.

Balor Heroscape Card- not quite done

I finally got my lazy butt to make some cards. The first up is the Balor card. You will notice it has no points, because I still haven't playtested it. The little symbol on the bottom with the wing in it means Flying. A good way to save space.

In other news, I have written the plot and the first encounter for my Level 3-4 D&D4E: Clan Wars. This adventure stars a city terrorized by creatures of the night and its the PCs job to get to the bottom of it.

Obsidian Guard lava bases done

Sorry, still no pics. I'm just kinda posting updates right now.

Anyways, I just completed the lava bases for 3 Obsidian Guards and 3 MK Magestone Guardians.

In othr news, I finished my War Troll and based it on a Heroscape base! Next up is... finishing Su-Bak-Na. Then some goblins, knights, and ninja for my bro. Sigh... so much to do...

D&D Obsidian Guard Stats

Obsidian Guard Level 6 Artillery
Medium elemental humanoid (fire) XP 250
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +5; low-light vision
HP 68; Bloodied 34
AC 18; Fortification 18, Reflex 9, Will 10
Immune disease, petrification, poison Resist 10 fire Vulnerable 10 water
Speed 5
[m] Slam (standard; at-will) * Fire
+13 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage plus 1d8 fire damage, and the target gains vulnerable 5 fire and is marked until the end of the obsidian guard's next turn.
[r] Lava Throw (standard; at-will) * Fire
Ranged 5; +13 vs. AC; 1d6 + 2 fire damage plus 5 ongoing fire damage (save ends).
[c] Eruption (standard; recharge on d6 roll of 6) * Fire
Close burst 2; +11 vs. AC; 2d6 + 3 fire damage.
Alignment Unaligned Languages Primordial
Str 18 (+5) Dex 12 (+3) Wis 14 (+4)
Con 18 (+6) Int 6 (+1) Cha 7 (+1)

My favorite thing about stats for D&D is that you don't have to playtest! I picked them because I was painting the sand on their bases and decided to whip up some stats for them.

Got my figs from Auggies!

I finally got them and to my incredible surprise, I found not 1 but 3 HSDND Master Sets! 1 of which I gave to my brother. The other two I kept for myself. I also got my 27 DDM figures. I got:
Blackroot Treant x1
Animated Statue x2
Kobold Sorcerer x1 (the most expensive one by far to my surprise!)
Wrackspawn x7
Orc Terrorblade x7
Cerebrilith x1
Royal Guard x8

All for $50, not bad. I plan on repainting the wrackspawns first, so expect to see those by February.

Heroscape Slaad Spawn and Shadow Hulk Stats

Slaad Spawn
Utgar
Slaad
Common Squad (4)
Minions
Wild
Life 1
Move 4
Range 1
Attack 2
Defense 5
Points TBD
Special Powers:
Teleportation- Instead of moving a Slaad Spawn normally, you may choose any empty space that is on the same level and within 3 spaces of a Slaad Spawn. Place the Slaad Spawn on the chosen space. When a Slaad Spawn starts to teleport, if hit is engaged it will not take any leaving engagement attacks.

Chaos to the End- When a Slaad Spawn is destroyed, roll 4 attack dice. Roll defense for all figures adjacent to the space previously occupied by the Slaad Spawn.

Shadow Hulk
Utgar
Hulk
Uncommon Hero
Abberation
Ferocious
Huge 12
Life 8
Move 5
Range 3
Attack 5
Defense 6
Points Tbd 200
Special Powers:
Clouded Mind Defense- Confused figures cannot attack a Shadow Hulk.

Confusing Gaze- Instead of taking a turn with a Shadow Hulk, you may
roll the 20-sided die. If the figure is a squad figure and you roll a
7 or higher place a blue Confused Marker on that figure's base. If the
figure is a hero figure and you roll a 16 or higher, place a Confused
Marker on that figure's base. Figures with confused markers on their
base roll two less defense dice. At the end of a round, remove all
Confused Markers.

I'm also working on some stats for Necrons in Heroscape. So if anyone reading this happens to play a Necron army in 40K, stay tuned.

Balor Heroscape Stats

Balor
Utgar
Demon
Unique Hero
Greater Demon
Terrifying
Large 8
Life- 7
Move- 7
Range- 3
Attack- 5
Defense- 6
Points- TBD
Special Powers:
Flaming Whip Special Attack- Range 3. Attack 4. If Balor's Flaming Whip Special Attack causes a wound, place the wounded figure one space closer to Balor.

Flying
Immolation- At the end of each round, roll one attack die for each figure adjacent to Balor. If you roll a skull, that figure takes a wound. Figures with the Lava Resistant Special Power are not affected by Immolation.

I'm finally getting around to my to-do list over the holidays, stay tuned for more updates including some playtest results!

Air Archon Heroscape Stats

I made some stats for my Air Archon Zephyrhaunt figure. Still needs to be playtested, then I'll make the card.

Air Archon Zephyrhaunt
Aquilla
Elementar
Common Squad
Archon
Wild (may change based on playtesting)
Medium 6
Life 1
Move 6
Range 1
Attack 4
Defense 4
Points (TBD)
Special Powers:
Cyclone Fling Special Attack- Range 3. Attack 3. When an Air Archon Zephyrhaunt attacks with its Cyclone Fling Special Attack, it may attack 2 additional times. It cannot attack the same figure more than once. If the Cyclone Fling Special Attack causes a wound, move the figure 2 spaces from the Air Archon. Figures may not move up more than 3 hexes high when pushed.

Flying

In order to make it feel like I'm playing the same unit, I created a conversion for DnD to Heroscape.

Marro Squid

I painted this like a week ago. Its the DnD Roper from the Against the Giants set. I got the mini for my birthday and immediately knew I would paint it into a Marro someday. That someday was last week. All I did was put a black base coat on, then used Apple Barrel: Barn Red. Last I mixed white and FolkArt: Teddy Bear Tan for the top tan color.

I like how this one came out. Unfortunately, this is gonna use up my last DW9K base (the extra big one).

In other news, I cut the Balor off its base and stuck it on a 2 hex base. I also rebased 2 other DnD minis: the Yuan-Ti Swiftscale and Orc Raider.

Some new DnD minis

I got a pack of DnD minis on Wednesday. Only got 5 for $24, never buying an actual pack again... especially when I basically got a $15 value (actually pretty good for a blind purchase). I got:

Air Archon Zephyrhaunt
Balor
Doomdreamer
Slaad Spawn
War Troll

The air archon will go to Aquilla's elemental faction. The rest will go to Utgar. My favorite out of this whole pack and also the only nonrandom mini in the pack. It fits perfectly as a giant mutant kyrie for Utgar. Unfortunately, its also the one that needs to be rebased. This guy rides a 3 inch base. The one I was very unimpressed with was the troll. Even the studio paintjob is bad. I'm in the process of painting him right now. The other three are average, will paint those eventually...

In other news... I have been painting a lot lately but I'm gonna restrain myself to one a day, if that.