Post by whiteumbrella on Jul 23, 2015 22:44:22 GMT -5
The idea of an independent zombie "faction" for the Resident Evil set seems to work well, mechanically, I think its time to expand upon it. In this way, its possible to play a "Solo" game of AvP, or use the rules to add an additional antagonist to any game. First off, here's some basic rules for an "Independent" faction (chosen because I plan to make it so you can be up against a frenzied hive of Aliens, stalked by a focused Predator, or even face off against a Marine extermination squad). The core design philosophy I will be working with, is to make them a competitive "third wheel" for the Contact scenario.
STARTING CARDS: Each Independent faction has very specific starting cards, most of which will be used to simulate how a live player would operate that faction. Aliens, for example, would start with their version of a breeding chamber, a Queen perhaps, and its crew of underlings. They will also have their own special, distinct Starting Locations.
FACTION DECKS: Independent faction cards are not mixed in as part of your regular 40-card deck. They have their own special deck, the [name pending] Deck. This deck may include Items, Characters, or Tactics that the faction will use in an effort to win. Basic [name pending] Deck construction varies according to the specific faction, but will always include five Location cards, including whatever hub is used for the scenario being played. Each player will have their own [name pending] Deck, which means they can become incredibly potent if used in large scenarios.
DURING GAMEPLAY: Independent factions have a major disadvantage over live players (aside from being run according to a simulation): they declare actions before anyone else. This allows the live players to react and change tactics as needed. Independent factions function during the Movement, Upkeep, and sometimes during the Combat rounds. Specifics for how they act vary according to the faction being used.
WINNING: Independent factions do not play to survive, they play to win. Each faction has rules that help it emulate how it would win through all of its available Victory conditions (an Independent Predator, for example, will constantly move to seek opposing prey, but if it fails, it can always find something to hunt for honor in the meantime...)
Okay, so that's the basics of it. Now, onto the guys named in the thread title!
FRENZIED ALIEN HIVE
As the name suggests, something has riled up this group of Aliens, and they are actively seeking to eliminate the issue. This Independent faction functions through expanding its workforce, and expanding its Hive. If you happen to go looking where you shouldn't....well, they'll just eliminate you, too.
STARTING CARDS: As always, Starting cards do NOT count towards deck construction or limitations.
Locations set up in the following diagram: [Hive Chamber] [Egg Pit] [Hive Chamber].
The following cards at the [Egg Pit]: [Frenzied Queen], [Chestburster Swarm], [Frenzied Defenders] [Cocooned Colonists]. Swarm and Defenders each start with one token, plus an additional token per live player in the game.
After all that, each player plays the top card of their [name pending] Deck at the [Egg Pit]; any Locations that would be played are instead shuffled back into their owner's Deck; they do not play a new card.
What that means: Basic start-up for an Alien player, with starting characters based on the number of live players in the game. [Chestburster Swarm] replaces the Chestburst token section on a breeding chamber. [Frenzied Defenders] replaces the Alien Warrior token section on a breeding chamber. [Cocooned Colonists] is to replicate how a real person would be searching for, and capturing, Supporting Characters (more on this later).
DECK CONSTRUCTION: The Frenzied Alien Hive has a very straightforward deck construction. It contains four Locations with the Hive resource (They've been busy at work) and whatever hub is used for the scenario (typically Operations). Then it needs to include seven character cards, all of which must have the Alien species and Independent faction. It also needs to include three Tactic cards, for a total of fifteen cards. If you desire more, you add them in four card increments, of one Hive Location, two character cards, and one Tactic card. You can have up to two copies of each non-Unique character in the deck, one copy of each non-Distinct Location card, two copies of each Distinct Location card, and up to two copies of each non-Unique Tactic card.
DURING THE GAME: Like all Independent factions, Frenzied Hive Aliens operate before all live players. Like all Alien players, they act after other Independent factions. Please note, that while each player owns and operates their own cards for an Independent faction, they all work together and are treated as if one overarching "player" was responsible for them.
MOVEMENT ROUND: Frenzied Aliens move according to the following schema:
1. If there are any opposing characters present, don't move.
2. If there are opposing character present at an adjacent Location, move to one of them:
2.1. Most Supporting Characters present. If tied:
2.2. Least Main Characters present. If tied:
2.3. Random qualifying Location.
3. If no opposing characters present at an adjacent Location:
3.1. If at a Hive Location other than [Egg Pit], move to [Egg Pit].
3.2. If any opposing characters at a Hive Location, move to that Location.
3.3. If at [Egg Pit] and there are tokens on [Hive Defenders], remain at [Egg Pit]. Otherwise:
3.4. If no opposing characters at a Hive Location, move to random non-Hive Location adjacent to a Hive Location.
4. If at a non-Hive Location without opposing characters at any adjacent Location, don't move.
The above breaks down into the following, effectively: Engage enemies at present location; move to nearby Location to engage enemies there; move to breeding chamber to "restock" groups; engage enemies present within the Hive; move outwards to expand the Hive. While not always the most effective strategy, it is designed to (hopefully) cover all possibilities.
UPKEEP ROUND: Frenzied Aliens perform the following actions, in order, during the Mature Aliens step of the Upkeep Round:
1. If any tokens are on [Hive Defenders] and an Alien Horde with less tokens than its Horde number is present, move enough tokens (if possible) to put it at its Horde number (assign each token randomly if more than one card meets the criteria).
2. If any tokens are on [Hive Defenders], randomly choose that many Alien Hordes to gain a token. A Horde is not eligible for new tokens if ts current number of tokens is at least twice its Horde number.
3. Mature any tokens from [Chestburster Swarm] to [Hive Defenders].
4. Mature any tokens from [Cocooned Colonists] to [Chestburster Swarm].
5. Place one token on [Cocooned Colonists]. Place another token there if [Frenzied Queen] is alive, and not bound, at [Egg Pit].
6. If enough Alien characters are present at a non-Hive Location, rotate all Aliens present to start hiving the Location. If at least 4 workers are alive at the end of the Search round, the Location gains the Hive resource (just like with a real player). Workers are calculated as such:
Each character card is worth 1 worker. Every two tokens on a single card is worth 1 worker. Special gain text may apply
This set of steps serves to do the following: Replace lost tokens on weakened Hordes, then invigorate any Hordes present if possible. Following that is normal maturation cycle. The tokens on [Cocooned Colonists] replicates the idea of using a few Aliens Warriors or Chestbursters to scrounge up new hosts. You get a bonus if the Queen is alive, because she can always find a Cocooned Victim in her off-time. Also, hiving. 'Cause, you know, Aliens.
COMBAT ROUND: Okay, so Frenzied Aliens are really strait-forward during the combat round. Each one attacks a random character with the lowest current Power. That's it. But they're also Feral, which means that in addition to not using Items (like all good Aliens), and not being controllable by anybody, they gain a free attack (as printed in their game text) against each character that declares an attack against them, to a limit of one + the number of Group tokens on the character card. Range restrictions apply: An Alien will respond with its Close-Combat attack (they all have one) against any character declaring a Close-Combat or Short Range attack against them. They cannot jump Locations to attack someone making a Long Range attack, so Pulse and Sniper Rifles are still safe..ish... Also note that as free attacks, they resolve as they are declared, meaning that yes, your squishy little Marine can be shredded as he's lining up a Shotgun blast to a Xeno face...
So, those are the rules, both in general, and for the Frenzied Alien Hive. Any comments, concerns, or glaring issues I completely missed? Please, do tell.
STARTING CARDS: Each Independent faction has very specific starting cards, most of which will be used to simulate how a live player would operate that faction. Aliens, for example, would start with their version of a breeding chamber, a Queen perhaps, and its crew of underlings. They will also have their own special, distinct Starting Locations.
FACTION DECKS: Independent faction cards are not mixed in as part of your regular 40-card deck. They have their own special deck, the [name pending] Deck. This deck may include Items, Characters, or Tactics that the faction will use in an effort to win. Basic [name pending] Deck construction varies according to the specific faction, but will always include five Location cards, including whatever hub is used for the scenario being played. Each player will have their own [name pending] Deck, which means they can become incredibly potent if used in large scenarios.
DURING GAMEPLAY: Independent factions have a major disadvantage over live players (aside from being run according to a simulation): they declare actions before anyone else. This allows the live players to react and change tactics as needed. Independent factions function during the Movement, Upkeep, and sometimes during the Combat rounds. Specifics for how they act vary according to the faction being used.
WINNING: Independent factions do not play to survive, they play to win. Each faction has rules that help it emulate how it would win through all of its available Victory conditions (an Independent Predator, for example, will constantly move to seek opposing prey, but if it fails, it can always find something to hunt for honor in the meantime...)
Okay, so that's the basics of it. Now, onto the guys named in the thread title!
FRENZIED ALIEN HIVE
As the name suggests, something has riled up this group of Aliens, and they are actively seeking to eliminate the issue. This Independent faction functions through expanding its workforce, and expanding its Hive. If you happen to go looking where you shouldn't....well, they'll just eliminate you, too.
STARTING CARDS: As always, Starting cards do NOT count towards deck construction or limitations.
Locations set up in the following diagram: [Hive Chamber] [Egg Pit] [Hive Chamber].
The following cards at the [Egg Pit]: [Frenzied Queen], [Chestburster Swarm], [Frenzied Defenders] [Cocooned Colonists]. Swarm and Defenders each start with one token, plus an additional token per live player in the game.
After all that, each player plays the top card of their [name pending] Deck at the [Egg Pit]; any Locations that would be played are instead shuffled back into their owner's Deck; they do not play a new card.
What that means: Basic start-up for an Alien player, with starting characters based on the number of live players in the game. [Chestburster Swarm] replaces the Chestburst token section on a breeding chamber. [Frenzied Defenders] replaces the Alien Warrior token section on a breeding chamber. [Cocooned Colonists] is to replicate how a real person would be searching for, and capturing, Supporting Characters (more on this later).
DECK CONSTRUCTION: The Frenzied Alien Hive has a very straightforward deck construction. It contains four Locations with the Hive resource (They've been busy at work) and whatever hub is used for the scenario (typically Operations). Then it needs to include seven character cards, all of which must have the Alien species and Independent faction. It also needs to include three Tactic cards, for a total of fifteen cards. If you desire more, you add them in four card increments, of one Hive Location, two character cards, and one Tactic card. You can have up to two copies of each non-Unique character in the deck, one copy of each non-Distinct Location card, two copies of each Distinct Location card, and up to two copies of each non-Unique Tactic card.
DURING THE GAME: Like all Independent factions, Frenzied Hive Aliens operate before all live players. Like all Alien players, they act after other Independent factions. Please note, that while each player owns and operates their own cards for an Independent faction, they all work together and are treated as if one overarching "player" was responsible for them.
MOVEMENT ROUND: Frenzied Aliens move according to the following schema:
1. If there are any opposing characters present, don't move.
2. If there are opposing character present at an adjacent Location, move to one of them:
2.1. Most Supporting Characters present. If tied:
2.2. Least Main Characters present. If tied:
2.3. Random qualifying Location.
3. If no opposing characters present at an adjacent Location:
3.1. If at a Hive Location other than [Egg Pit], move to [Egg Pit].
3.2. If any opposing characters at a Hive Location, move to that Location.
3.3. If at [Egg Pit] and there are tokens on [Hive Defenders], remain at [Egg Pit]. Otherwise:
3.4. If no opposing characters at a Hive Location, move to random non-Hive Location adjacent to a Hive Location.
4. If at a non-Hive Location without opposing characters at any adjacent Location, don't move.
The above breaks down into the following, effectively: Engage enemies at present location; move to nearby Location to engage enemies there; move to breeding chamber to "restock" groups; engage enemies present within the Hive; move outwards to expand the Hive. While not always the most effective strategy, it is designed to (hopefully) cover all possibilities.
UPKEEP ROUND: Frenzied Aliens perform the following actions, in order, during the Mature Aliens step of the Upkeep Round:
1. If any tokens are on [Hive Defenders] and an Alien Horde with less tokens than its Horde number is present, move enough tokens (if possible) to put it at its Horde number (assign each token randomly if more than one card meets the criteria).
2. If any tokens are on [Hive Defenders], randomly choose that many Alien Hordes to gain a token. A Horde is not eligible for new tokens if ts current number of tokens is at least twice its Horde number.
3. Mature any tokens from [Chestburster Swarm] to [Hive Defenders].
4. Mature any tokens from [Cocooned Colonists] to [Chestburster Swarm].
5. Place one token on [Cocooned Colonists]. Place another token there if [Frenzied Queen] is alive, and not bound, at [Egg Pit].
6. If enough Alien characters are present at a non-Hive Location, rotate all Aliens present to start hiving the Location. If at least 4 workers are alive at the end of the Search round, the Location gains the Hive resource (just like with a real player). Workers are calculated as such:
Each character card is worth 1 worker. Every two tokens on a single card is worth 1 worker. Special gain text may apply
This set of steps serves to do the following: Replace lost tokens on weakened Hordes, then invigorate any Hordes present if possible. Following that is normal maturation cycle. The tokens on [Cocooned Colonists] replicates the idea of using a few Aliens Warriors or Chestbursters to scrounge up new hosts. You get a bonus if the Queen is alive, because she can always find a Cocooned Victim in her off-time. Also, hiving. 'Cause, you know, Aliens.
COMBAT ROUND: Okay, so Frenzied Aliens are really strait-forward during the combat round. Each one attacks a random character with the lowest current Power. That's it. But they're also Feral, which means that in addition to not using Items (like all good Aliens), and not being controllable by anybody, they gain a free attack (as printed in their game text) against each character that declares an attack against them, to a limit of one + the number of Group tokens on the character card. Range restrictions apply: An Alien will respond with its Close-Combat attack (they all have one) against any character declaring a Close-Combat or Short Range attack against them. They cannot jump Locations to attack someone making a Long Range attack, so Pulse and Sniper Rifles are still safe..ish... Also note that as free attacks, they resolve as they are declared, meaning that yes, your squishy little Marine can be shredded as he's lining up a Shotgun blast to a Xeno face...
So, those are the rules, both in general, and for the Frenzied Alien Hive. Any comments, concerns, or glaring issues I completely missed? Please, do tell.
