Noob impressions of this game compared to HQ

[Village]

Yeah it's a permanent ability. I keep it simple and say he can heal so long as killed marine is within 2 squares - but you could say max 1 per turn or something.

Another homebrew rule we tried was for the alien player. We set the game length to 12 turns max, so there will be 12 alien events but instead of it being a random draw we give the alien agency to choose which alien event card to play each round (discard after use). To set the 12 cards we allow the alien player to choose 6 and the other six are randomly dealt from the remaining pile. This way the alien gets some strategic choices on timing when a genestealer attacks or when the suicide android appears etc. Too often otherwise a good event comes up when that miniature type is absent from the board. I find it helps balance the game towards the alien. I have a double set of cards, so I chose 6 genestealer events and got a couple of nice ones in the random selection (my suicide android took out 2 marines). Ensuring plenty of genestealer presence in the game was one of the main reasons for coming up with this rule and really punishes slow marines that get left behind.

(Note: We also play with Marine squad size of 8 - this makes for a higher body count and more points potential for the aliens. The marines also tend to get in each others way if they bunch up in corridors so tend to divide into sub-groups which also makes for more encounters). Yesterday's game (missions 2) saw the Imperial Fists lose 7 marines and the Ultramarines lose 5 (Blood Angels were sitting it out). The Ultramarines achieve both mission goals and the alien player also got top rank thanks to the carnage. Kids loved it.

[Kurgan]

[The post above me was spam, but it has now been removed... please ignore my snark!]

[Village]

Is that directed at me? Sorry, I'm not sure what spam you are talking about.

[StratosVX]

Not you Village, the post Kurgan is referring to was deleted.

[Village]

Ah ok, thanks. That explains it. I was totally confused there.

[Kurgan]

@Village. Yeah, sorry I can't resist responding to those sometimes... Your post wasn't anything close to spam!

[Kurgan]

Hey thanks... someday I'd like to revisit it and play some more on Twitch with fans!

[Bareheaded Warrior]

Whilst I’ve never played Space Crusade (so am not even a noob), as we somehow missed it back in the day, probably too busy playing HeroQuest, I have recently downloaded a copy of the rulebook with the intention of doing a compare and contrast with HeroQuest rules.

As Space Crusade and HQ were a MB-GW collaboration and both were an “RPG in a box” / “RPG lite boardgame” style of game they are widely regarded as “sister” games, and as Space Crusade was released after HeroQuest, perhaps there is something that we can learn about HeroQuest rules from Space Crusade rules.

#The following may need to be fact checked by people with more experience of Space Crusade than myself!

1. Movement

SC allows diagonal movement, but HQ doesn’t, however in this case I think the difference in rules can be explained by another difference in the games. SC has no concept of furniture, whereas HQ does, and if you accept as I do that the purpose of furniture in HQ is to effectively change the shape of rooms, that are otherwise fixed in shape, then preventing diagonal movement in HQ makes sense within the context of that game, allowing diagonal movement makes sense in the context of SC where furniture doesn’t exist.

2. Line of Sight rules

"Line of Sight between any two miniatures is found by tracing a straight line from the centre of one square to the other. If the line passes through a square containing another miniature, a closed door or wall, the line of sight is blocked. Line of sight may not be traced between two miniatures that are diagonally adjacent. Miniatures only block line of sight for the purposes of firing, they do not block line of sight for the purposes of seeing if a Blip token needs to be revealed."

Several pieces of interest here, as these rules clearly state the following whereas the HQ equivalent is less clear…
a) The LOS is traced from centre of one square to the centre of the other square
b) You cannot use missile weapons on a target that is in a diagonally adjacent square (one of the two eternal crossbow questions in HQ)
c) The distinction between LOS for missile weapons (and similar spells) and “seeing” is clearly stated “Miniatures only block line of sight for the purposes of firing, they do not block line of sight for the purposes of seeing”. This distinction is made but is often missed in the original versions of the game but is changed or lost in the US remake and beyond.

Granted there are the rules for SC and NOT HQ but nonetheless as SC was released after HQ where aspects are not clear in HQ but are clear in SC there must be a temptation to consider the later release as a clarification of the earlier…perhaps not from a strict rule lawyer point of view but certainly from the POV of clarifying the original rules through the application of house rules.

3. Hand-to-Hand Combat

Essentially in SC both the attacker and target roll a number of hit dice, the one with the highest number of hits, inflicts the difference in hits to their opponent. If both roll the same, then it is a draw and neither lose life points.

Interesting as this allows for combat to be simultaneous, party in the combat can be the one hit.

Could this be applied to HQ?

Couple of options spring to mind here…
1) Both roll their attack dice, the one with the most skulls, is the winner and the difference in skulls is used as the basis to defend against. If both players roll the same, then it is a draw and neither needs to defend.
2) Or alternatively, both roll their attack dice, the one with the most skulls, is the winner and the loser must defend against the total number of skulls rolled.
You could also handle a draw differently, under option 2 and give the win to the attacker, the one who initiated the combat, in the case of a draw.

4. Special Weapon Properties: Split Attacks

Assault Cannon – “split” - may split the number of “attack dice” between multiple targets – this seems to “map” to one interpretation of the Polar War bear attack

5. Special Weapon Properties: Blast Attacks

Missile Launcher – “must fire at a square rather than a miniature, although the target square may contain a miniature. Affects miniatures on adjacent squares (includes diagonals). The blast will not affect miniatures on the far side of a wall or closed door."

This particular property isn’t present in HQ, at least not in the base game, but I have applied it to spell effects like Ball of Flame (and other things – list) as I feel those spells need another dimension. If the only variable is the amount of damage, then there isn’t room, without duplication to fit many spells, if you add in this blast effect property then it allows for a broader spectrum of missile attack spells, some with an area effect but low damage, and other with a higher damage but only against a single figure.

6. Special Weapon Properties: Pass Thru Attacks

Plasma Gun – “fires at all miniatures in a straight line, which may be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. Any Marines caught in the line must also be attacked. The line of fire will be blocked as soon as it hits a wall or a closed door” – this is like the Lightning Bolt spell in HQ although that is limited to six squares

7. Reinforcement Tokens & Event Cards

Are these the equivalent to the oft-discussed Dungeon Deck / Evil Wizard Deck? Appears to be an interesting source but sadly I don't have enough information about the Event Cards...

"Reinforcement Tokens

The Alien player starts the game with a number of reinforcement tokens. The exact number will depend on the mission being played. The Alien player may play up to 6 reinforcement tokens at the end of his turn. However, if there are no Blip tokens or alien miniatures on the board the alien player MUST us six reinforcement tokens or as many as he has available."