Army of Four

In this post you will make astonishing discoveries, read amazing facts, and form new opinions of some the best (and worst) HeroScape figures. Every now and then, I play a HeroScape free-for-all. All of the figures pair up and duel. For each battle, it is a fight to the death. Only one can emerge victorious, one will have to fall. The only question is… who? Below are the results of the battle between all figures from one each of the following:

Rise of the Valkyrie

Swarm of the Marro

Battle for the Underdark

Orm’s Return

Although to truly test the full capabilities of each figure one should play with them on a flat plain of grass, I went ahead and built a board (see Ruins of the Desert Fortress in HeroScape Boards and Scenarios – coming soon). A figures stats might change due to terrain in a real game, and since some figures abilities depended on shadow and dungeon tiles, I played it as though there were as many players as there were army cards.Below are the complete results of the battle:

Soulborgs

The race of robots was quickly wiped out. Q10 fell under the massive blade of Brunak. Deathwalker 8000 was victorious in his battle with Mimring, but was crushed by Sgt. Drake (Rise). Deathwalker 9000 was speedily dispatched by a ravenous Dünd, while the Zettian Guards fell prey to the fire of the Marro warriors.

Sgt. Drake

Both of these figures fared well, as might be expected. The first (Rise) plowed through a squad of Nagrubs, slew Realin (Rise), murdered Brunak, and finished off with Deathwalker 8000. The other Sgt. Drake (marro) blasted his way threw Erevan Sunshadow, cleaved the head of Tandros Kreel (nicknamed Tangerine Peel. No idea why), killed the Feral Troll, and slaughtered Agent Carr.

Vikings

These figures had almost no impact at all. The Tarn Viking Warriors were dispatched by the Krav Maga Agents; Finn fell prey to the Deepwyrm Drow; and Thorgrim expired under the Nagrubs.

Wizards / Mages / ‘Magic Workers’

Two of the above mentioned squared off early in the battle. With his Fire Blast Special Attack, Erevan Sunshadow managed to defeat Pelloth, although he himself was speedily sent to the grave by Agent Carr. Sonlen Blasted a hole in the head of Realin, and then, to the amazement of all, took down Charos. With this payload of death on his shoulders, he stood by as Su-Bak-Na tore the Krav Maga Agents to pieces and came for him. Although he was confident he could win, Su-Bak-Na proved him wrong. After several attacks, Sonlen died and passed his payload to Su-Bak-Na. Although she was a cleric, with her range of five, Ana Karithon managed to slip into this section. She also managed to slip into the other world when she was confronted by the Izumi Samurai. After running through water, she was finally sliced and diced at the foot of a ladder.

Samurai and Ninjas

The Izumi Samurai spent their entire first confrontation trying to catch up with Ana Karithon. They finally caught her, and you have heard the rest. After that, they climbed the ladder and challenged the Deepwyrm Drow. Although they put up a good fight, The drow somehow manged to outmaneuver them. They soon followed Ana Karithon on the same path.

Shiori had fared no better. She was paired up with Agent Carr at the beginning of the battle, and, well, there isn’t much else to say.

Drow

Pelloth disgraced his name when he speedily fell to Erevan Sunshadow. However, the name of Drow was elevated to third place when the Deepwyrm Drow defeated all in their path. It seemed as though they would take first place, until they were finally beaten by the Marro Stingers.

Dragons

This script really would not be complete without the Dragons. Mimring, despite his somewhat better reputation, managed to kill no one. Othkurik, too, fell in disgrace, though I forget to whom. Charos did much better, but eventually fell to Sonlen.

Marro

The Marro had a spectacular time. They arrived in second and first place. Tor-Kul-Na was, unfortunately, beaten down by Charos. The Marrden Nagrubs got off to a promising beginning with a victory over Thorgrim. However, they were no match for their kin in the form of the Stingers, or for Sgt. Drake (Rise). The Stingers prevailed over a squad of Nagrubs with one set of three; and over some Marro Drudge with the other three. One squad tried their luck against the Deepwyrm Drow, but their weapons proved to much for them, and they fell prey to their own stinger drain. The other squad of stingers went on to kill Dünd. After that, they surprised all by prevailing over Both Sgt. Drakes. Su-Bak-Na proved to be the best. He started off his day by slaughtering an innocent Grimnak.  He went on towards Sonlen, but his progress was impeded by the Krav Maga Agents. Becoming impatient, although his expression never changed, he chomped his way through to Sonlen. A deadly struggle ensued. However, Su-Bak-Na easily managed to stay on top, and, after many poor rolls on the part of Sonlen, and many excellent rolls by Su-Bak-Na, the elf crumpled. Su-Bak-Na went on to defeat the last standing squad: the above mentioned Marro Stingers. After an easy victory, he claimed his title.

There were several other obscure battles, but that about sums up how it ended.

Longest Battle

The longest battle was between the Zettian Guards and The Marro Warriors. Both had two attack die. While the Zettian’s armor blocked all projectiles, their precision was in need of a replacement. Late in the battle, they finally began hitting. Then the Marro Killed one. The remaining Zettian managed to get it down to one 0n one, but, with zero hitting capability, it was soon back up to four on one. In a few more attacks, it became four on none.

There is a lake in northern Scotland known as Loch Ness. This lake, cold, deep, and dark, is said to be the home of a monster. Sounds pretty spooky right? Okay, maybe not. This mystery remains unsolved (in case you didn’t know), so, let’s first look at it assuming there is nothing in the loch, and then look at it assuming there is.

A man is driving by Loch Ness one fine day, and happens to notice an old log floating in the water. He comments that it slightly resembles a long-necked reptile. His passenger, a news-reporter who is faced with the proposition of no job unless he can get a new story soon, seizes on the idle words. Tomorrow’s headline reads: Man Barely Escapes from Encounter with Ferocious Monster at Loch Ness. Okay, it wouldn’t be that long. But the point is, it’s possible isn’t it? Someone makes a remark that sparks someone else’s interest. The someone else tells his friend, his friend tells his friend, his friend tells his brother, his brother tells his aunt, his aunt tells her son, her son tells Jo down the street, and Jo down the street tells Bob, who happens to be a news reporter. By that time, the story has been warped from a harmless tree branch in a lake to a life-and-death struggle between a beast armed with 5-foot long teeth, 9-foot long claws, and eyes the size of UFOs, and a man with a stick. Then people start to look for the terrible ‘Loch Ness Monster.’ As they drive by, guess what they see? A tree branch situated next to a rock and an apple? No! The Loch Ness Monster! You can still hear the screams as they speed away at 90 miles an hour. The Myth grows.

Now, look at it assuming that there is something in the lake. After all, who knows? The reports could be true. If there is a creature in the lake, how did it get there? Probably the same way all the other animals get in lakes (and no, not by evolution). What would this creature be? A long necked Plesiosaur as so many of the reports say? Or possibly a Giant Seal? Whatever it is, the reports seem to agree that it is big.

The reports do have their differences, though. Most seem to indicate that the creature was in the water. Some, however, say it was on land. This would be a problem for creatures with no legs. If these reports are true, they rule out Plesiosaurs and seals as ‘suspects.’ Well, maybe not entirely. Seals have been known to be on land.

There have been many expeditions and so-called sightings on and in the lake, but nothing has been conclusive about anything. A sonar scan showed some odd objects, but no one could tell what they were. Divers have swum through the loch’s waters, only to find nothing. A submarine was even launched, once again, with no results.

So, is or isn’t there a monster living in a lake in Scotland? Who knows?

Thoughts? Leave a comment below.

How many other creatures walk upright on two hooves?

In 1854-1855 a cold winter settled over southern England. On February 9, a layer of snow, two inches thick, covered all of the county of Devon. In the snow was found a trail of hoof prints. They were no ordinary prints left by a cow. It was said that they seemed to have been made by a cloven-hoofed creature walking upright. Indeed, there was but one set of prints, as if they had been made by a one legged animal or an animal that placed one foot directly in front of another. The prints were said to be “4 inches long and 2¾ inches wide.” What animal could have made this mysterious track?

In addition, the trail went on for 100 miles. Over walls (the snow on top was not disturbed), amongst other things, the tracks went. As if this were not enough, the creature that made them must have gone through a six-inch diameter hole. The tracks led up to the side of a barn, went in and out again, and all through a small hole. To complete the baffling footprints, they started in the middle of nowhere. They just… started. They ended mysteriously, too. When dogs were taken out to smell out the trail in clump of brush, it was said that they retreated, “howling mournfully.”

It seemed to most in the county of Devon that the Devil had walked amongst them at night. As if to confirm their suspicions, in places where they crossed ice, the prints seemed to be made by, “fiery hooves.”

So, did Satan decide to take a winter walk in Devon one night? Who knows? Besides, who cares? Well, dumb question, I know. A lot of people would not feel terribly good about that. However, what can we do? And if we could do anything, why should we? God allows it; leave it up to Him.

(Pardon the lack of…

what shall we call it…

Whatyouwereexpectingishness?)

Thoughts? Leave a comment.