Ariel and Sasha Experience ... Even More Masterer Heroscape!

Sasha: Good morning!
Ariel: Ughhh ... what? Is it morning already?
Sasha: Yeah, but actually more like, almost afternoon. Why are you sleeping on the floor in the game r -- whoa. Look at that Heroscape map!
Ariel: I was up soooo late last night building it.
Sasha: It's huge! It looks great!
Ariel: Thanks ... it was exhausting, but once I got started I didn't want to go to bed until I finished.
Sasha: Wow. How late did you stay up?
Ariel: I don't know. Like, at least 10:30.
Sasha: Uh ... that's over 12 hours ago.
Ariel: Only 12?! After building that board, I figured I was going to need maybe 14 or 16 hours of sleep.
Sasha: That would be a lot even for you.
Ariel: You weren't there to see how hard this was!
Sasha: Well, here I am now. But you didn't put the figures on the board like the last couple of times. Did you give up because you were too tired?
Ariel: No. This scenario in the Master Set says you build your own army by getting rid of boats or something. So I had to wait for you.
Sasha: Getting rid of ... what?
Ariel: Look, right here. "Derafting."
Sasha: That's "Drafting." You added an extra "e."
Ariel: I told you I was tired!
Sasha: So did you figure out how we're supposed to do that?
Ariel: No, because I couldn't find any boats, so I figured we'd look for them in the morning.
Sasha: Well, now we don't need to. Let me see what the rules say.
Ariel: The book's over there.
Sasha: Hmm. Mm-hmm ... okay. So basically, we roll the 20-sided die. Whoever gets higher picks one army card to be in their army. Then the other person picks one army card, and we keep going back and forth until all the cards have been picked or we reach the point limit for the scenario. Is there a point limit?
Ariel: It says 400 points, which sounded like a lot of boats to get rid of to me, which is another reason I went to bed.
Sasha: All right, well, I don't think the cards we played with before even add up to 400 points per side, so it sounds like we'll have to be learning how some of these figures that came in the Master Set work. Do we want to include the ones from the smaller box too?
Ariel: OMG, no. That would be so many figures to pick from! Plus, we put that box away and I don't want to open it up and unpack all the bits again. 
Sasha: Here, then. Roll the 20-sider and let's get going.
Ariel: Ooh, I get a 16!
Sasha: 5 for me, so you pick first.
Ariel: Um, duh, I'm picking this gigantic one here. Xeni ... omg, his name is too long. I'm just going to call him X-tra Viney because there are too many extra letters in his first name and his last name is something to do with vines.
Sasha: "Xenithrax the Vineweaver." Yeah, Extra Viney is a lot easier. Holy crap! He's 200 points all by himself! That's half your total points.
Ariel: Yeah, I figure that will let me finish picking quicker and rest a little while you finish picking yours.
Sasha: All right, I'm picking this squad of pirates, since we haven't played with any squads yet. Knaves of the Silver Scimitar.
Ariel: Does it make sense that they're pirates and also that they're knavey? I thought pirates and the knavey were enemies.
Sasha: You pick your next army while I read their card and see if it says anything about that.
Ariel: I'm totally picking this other huge one, Raelin the Kyrie Warrior. She's only 100 points but she's almost as big as Extra Viney, which seems like a bargain to me. Plus they can both fly, and I think Flying is a pretty bad-ass power after the way your owly guy used it last game.
Sasha: Nothing about pirates and the navy on my Silver Scimitars card. My next pick is this Dwarf pirate, Dorim the Bulkhead Brawler. He's got a Chain Axe, which sounds pretty cool to me. Him plus the Knaves makes 165 points, so I've still got a lot left.
Ariel: Are you doing all pirates?
Sasha: I'm not saying, because if I am you might pick some of the pirate cards on purpose just so I can't take them.
Ariel: No, because there's another killer-looking chick with Flying, Lovey Attack the Kyrie Warrior. She's also got dots over one of her A's, which has to mean she's extra-killer.
Sasha: I think it means you say the second A a different way, but I don't know how, so I'll go on to picking my next card, which is Admiral EJ-1M. He's 170 points, so that uses up a good chunk of what I've got left.
Ariel: 170! That's almost as much as Extra Viney! But he looks so tiny next to Extra Viney. I'm going to call him Extra Tiny.
Sasha: I mean, his card says he's a Large figure, and he's bigger than your Lovey Attack chick.
Ariel: Not when you include her wings. They make her taller than him.
Sasha: Whatever. Do you have any points left?
Ariel: I have 20, but there aren't any cards that say 20 points. So I guess I'm done.
Sasha: I have 65 points left, so the only card I can afford is this Misaerx the Kyrie Warrior.
Ariel: Missa what?
Sasha: I'm not sure how you say it.
Ariel: I'm calling her "Missy," because I'm hoping she misses a lot when she attacks.
Sasha: So where do our figures go for this scenario?
Ariel: The booklet has these two areas marked with brown and with navy. You have to go in the navy part, because your dudes are Knavey.
Sasha: Does it say that?
Ariel: No, but it makes sense, doesn't it?
Sasha: I'm looking it up in the book. Oops. We were supposed to place each of our figures when we picked them. Since you went first that means you were supposed to place Extra Viney somewhere right then. So if you want me to be in the navy area, you can just put him in the brown area.
Ariel: I'm putting him right here so he's close to that big tall area in the middle. The scenario said after 4 turns, whoever controls more of those spaces wins so I want him to get there quick.
Sasha: All right. I'll put my Knaves here. 
Ariel: Raelin's gonna go here. Dang, Extra Viney is so big, it's hard to make her fit next to him!
Sasha: I'll put Dorim here, I guess.
Ariel: Okay, here's Lovey Attack then. 
Sasha: All right. I'm putting my Admiral here and Missy here.
Ariel: Ooh, Missy's right up front! Isn't she a cheap card too? She's gonna get waxed hard right away.
Sasha: Maybe. Did you read the rules for these glyph things on the board? I did, and I think they look pretty important. Especially since Extra Viney has his own glyphs he can put down.
Ariel: No. I guess I'd better. Can I have that scenario book they're in?
Sasha: Here you go.
Ariel: Hmm. Wait, what? This one says it makes a big wind that keeps people from flying! That would totally suck for me!
Sasha: Kind of, yeah.
Ariel: And you put your Missy gal where she could fly right to it!
Sasha: That's true.
Ariel: I hate this! She's going down. You better hope you win initiative or she's doomed.
Sasha: We'll see.
Ariel: Ooh, my vine glyphs are pretty cool, though. They make anybody stepping on them weaker ... and if you move off of one they might hurt you. Sweet!
Sasha: There's also a glyph that lets you move three of your guys for free, one that gives you the ability to disengage without getting a leaving engagement attack, and this Massive Curse one that makes every figure have a 1 in 20 chance of being destroyed.
Ariel: Who's going to be dumb enough to step on that one?
Sasha: I guess you'd have to be desperate or have a very specific strategy. Anyway, ready to place order markers?
Ariel: Sure. Done.
Sasha: Done.
Ariel: My initiative roll is ... BLAH! Not the 1!
Sasha: I roll a 7, so I go first, but I have a special power for Admiral EJ --
Ariel: You mean Extra Tiny.
Sasha: Admiral EJ, and it lets me move any order markers I want from him to any pirate or captain figure I control, after initiative has been rolled.
Ariel: Dang. That's fire.
Sasha: Yep. So I'll move these markers here and here ... and then it's Missy's turn, so I move her here to turn on that windy glyph.
Ariel: She's so dead.
Sasha: Your turn. Who's your number 1?
Ariel: Duh, Extra Viney. It sucks he can't fly right now, but he'll move to right here, and then he'll put down a Vine glyph right over here to block your way up to the middle spaces, and then he'll use this Erupting Earth Special Attack.
Sasha: That sounds pretty wicked.
Ariel: It's 4 dice at up to 5 range, plus if there are figures adjacent to the target I can attack some of them too.
Sasha: Yikes. 
Ariel: Anyway, he's erupting all over Missy with ... 4 skulls!
Sasha: Oof. She's above you, so she gets to roll an extra defense die, but this is not looking good.
Ariel: Whoa! Look at that roll! You totally blew it!
Sasha: Major oof. I was hoping for at least 1 shield. She only has 4 life. So she's toast. But I do get to put her figure on another hero card to give them her Life Drain special power.
Ariel: What's that do?
Sasha: If I destroy a figure, I get to heal up by 1 wound marker.
Ariel: Well, that's not happening because Extra Viney and Raelin both have tons of life. No way are you killing them.
Sasha: You may be right. Anyway, I'm putting her on Dorim's card, and my next marker is on the Knaves. They let me take a free turn with a Pirate or Captain Hero I control, so I'm going to move Dorim up to here.
Ariel: Into the jaws of death!
Sasha: We'll see. Then I get my regular turn with the Knaves, so I'm going to scatter them to keep them from getting erupted to death next time Extra Viney goes. They don't have range, so that's it for my 2nd turn.
Ariel: Number 2 is Raelin for me. She can fly too, so she goes here. Watch out, because she's got a terrifying aura, and any of your guys within 4 spaces of her lose a defense die.
Sasha: Swell. Is that it for her?
Ariel: Yeah. She doesn't have any range either ... none of my guys do except Extra Viney's Special Attack.
Sasha: All right, number 3 for me is the Knaves again.  Dorim is going to move here with his free turn. Then the Knaves are going to move here ... here ... here ... and here, which puts the last guy on that glyph of sudden movement, so I get to move three figures 5 spaces each. This guy goes here, this guy goes there, and Admiral EJ goes here.
Ariel: Extra Tiny.
Sasha: Now I can attack Extra Viney with these two Knaves. They've got First Assault, which gives them an extra attack die if they didn't start off being adjacent to you. Plus they're higher up than Extra Viney --
Ariel: What??? No way! His head's still like twice as high as they are!
Sasha: Yeah, but you count elevation by the base of the figure, not its head.
Ariel: That's dumb.
Sasha: Maybe, but it means each of my guys gets 5 attack dice on you.
Ariel: Yikes!
Sasha: First dude rolls 2 skulls.
Ariel: I only have 3 defense dice! That sucks, look how big I am! I ought to have 5 or 6 easy!
Sasha: I mean, I notice you have a crap-ton of Life.
Ariel: That's true. I roll 1 shield, so I take 1 wound and I still have 7 left.
Sasha: This guy's up next. Oof. 1 skull.
Ariel: No sweat! I get a shield and I'm safe. Nyah!
Sasha: Here's the moment of truth. Is your number 3 on Extra Viney or Lovey Attack?
Ariel: I put my bluff marker on EV. That kinda sucks. But Lovey can still fly over here and attack down at your knavey guy with an extra attack die for being up high. 3 skulls!
Sasha: I only have 2 defense dice, so he's dead.
Ariel: He's extra dead, because she also has Deadly Strike, which means all her skulls count twice. That's 6 skulls!
Sasha: I guess he's twice as dead then?
Ariel: Maybe even 6 times as dead, since all it takes is 1 to kill your guy and you might not even roll any shields.
Sasha: You're not going to make me roll just to see how dead he is, are you?
Ariel: I guess not.
Sasha: Order markers, then.
Ariel: Done. No, wait! Okay, now I'm done.
Sasha: My initiative roll is 16.
Ariel: I roll 14.
Sasha: Okay, moving these 3 order markers from the Admiral to the Knaves. And the Knaves are my number 1, so I'm taking a turn with Dorim, who moves over here and attacks Lovey for 2 skulls, except that my Chain Axe lets me re-roll 1 die that wasn't a skull ... Yes! 3 skulls total.
Ariel: Lovey Attack rolls ... 3 skulls! Noo! Not only do I take all those wounds, I wasted all those skulls! Now she's only got 1 life left!
Sasha: Time for some Knaving! Since Dorim attacked an enemy figure this turn, he gets to give everybody 1 extra space of movement with his Charge! ability. That means this guy can get up next to Extra Viney. This chick is already next to all 3 of your guys ... and this slowpoke over here has to climb up the last part of the hill and can't get next to anybody. First, the chick Knave is trying to kill Lovey. Rats, only 1 skull.
Ariel: Whew! I get a shield, so she's safe.
Sasha: Next, this guy attacks Extra Viney. He gets an extra die from First Assault ... 4 skulls!
Ariel: Boo! Viney gets an extra die from being higher up, though. Bleh, only 1 shield. He's still got half his life left, though, and it's his turn, and he's pissed! He's gonna Erupting Earth your two guys here and here.
Sasha: I don't think he can, though, because they're not adjacent.
Ariel: They're right next door to each other!
Sasha: Yeah, but they only have a height of 4, and one of them is 4 spaces higher than the other. That means not adjacent, so if one of them was yours, neither of them would be able to attack the other. So you can't vine them both.
Ariel: Grr. And let me guess, now the no-backsies rule means I can't use my normal attack instead, right?
Sasha: Well ... the no backsies rule says you have to make sure you consider height advantage, special powers, and glyphs ... but I guess technically the rules for being adjacent aren't any of those. Go ahead and use your regular attack.
Ariel: Yes! 6 dice, plus I'm higher up than that dude at the bottom of the hill, so ... foo. Only 2 skulls on 7 dice.
Sasha: Yeah, but your Terrifying Aura from Raelin cuts my defense down by 1, meaning I only get to roll 1 die, so 2 skulls kills me no matter what.
Ariel: Yes!
Sasha: Number 2 for me is the Knaves again. Dorim is going to move here and Chain Axe Extra Viney.
Ariel: Do your worst!
Sasha: 4 skulls, plus I get to re-roll the 1 die that isn't a skull ... 5 skulls!
Ariel: No, I really meant your worst. That was your best! This is going to hurt no matter what ... nooo! I didn't get even 1 shield! Extra Viney is dead!
Sasha: Sweet. Now the Knaves get to go. First guy moves here and attacks Lovey. 3 skulls.
Ariel: You're doing that thing again where you're rolling way too many skulls!
Sasha: Sorry.
Ariel: I only get 2 shields and I only had 1 life left. She's dead. And she was my number 2, so you get to go again!
Sasha: Knaves on number 3. Dorim moves up to Raelin. Chain Axe! Well, only 1 skull this time.
Ariel: I get a shield, so she's safe for now.
Sasha: Knaves' turn! This guy moves here ... 1 skull.
Ariel: 2 shields.
Sasha: Last Knave ... 1 skull.
Ariel: No shields! Boooo!
Sasha: Your turn.
Ariel: My number 3 was Extra Viney.
Sasha: Yaasssss .... order markers!
Ariel: There. I roll 14 for initiative this time.
Sasha: Only 13 for me. You go first. But I get to move some order markers off the Admiral.
Ariel: (Extra Tiny.) 
Sasha: Okay, ready.
Ariel: Raelin is going to have her tiger munch on some Knaves. Boo, only 1 skull.
Sasha: Well, I only get to roll 1 die because of your Terrifying Aura. Dead.
Ariel: So there!
Sasha: Knaves go -- well, Knave, since only one is left. She gives Dorim a turn, and he rolls 4 dice against Raelin ... 2 skulls, even after re-rolling a die.
Ariel: 2 shields!
Sasha: Last Knave ... 1 skull
Ariel: Grr. No shields. I still have 4 life left, though, and I'm killifying that Knave! 2 skulls! Dead! In your face!
Sasha: Rats. I made a bad gamble and put my second marker on the Knaves too, so I lose their turn.
Ariel: Yeah! Raelin's tiger is going to make a mess of mister Chain Axe. 2 skulls!
Sasha: Dorim has 3 defense, minus 1 for your aura ... 1 shield.
Ariel: Eat it!
Sasha: My number 3 is the Admiral, though. He's going to move over here and use his Boarding Party Special Attack. It starts off with 2 dice but gets 1 extra because you're adjacent to one of my Pirates. Only 1 skull, though.
Ariel: 1 shield. Obviously I'm putting my order markers on Raelin and you're putting yours on Extra Tiny, so my initiative roll is ... 6.
Sasha: Mine's 7.
Ariel: Dang. So close.
Sasha: First up is Dorim. 3 skulls.
Ariel: You're doing that thing again.
Sasha: Sorry, I can't help it. 
Ariel: Only 1 shield, so I get another 2 wounds.
Sasha: Your turn. 
Ariel: Sigh. Only 1 skull on Dorim.
Sasha: No shields. He's number 2 too, so he attacks you again. 1 skull.
Ariel: Hey, wait. What turn is it?
Sasha: Turn 4.
Ariel: Oh! So if Raelin lives and I can keep your admiral off the hill, I win!
Sasha: Sure, if and if. Are you rolling your defense dice?
Ariel: Yes, and I got a shield! How many life does Extra Tiny have?
Sasha: Only 3.
Ariel: Yes! And how many defense?
Sasha: 6.
Ariel: Oh. Not so "Yes." Dang it. I can move here and the only way you could get up the hill is by going through that Vine glyph that's still there, which might kill you if I can do at least 2 wounds to you. But 6 dice! That's going to make it really hard.
Sasha: Plus you'll get a Leaving Engagement attack from Dorim if you move away from him.
Ariel: Foozers. It's a gamble either way. Heck, I'm going to try it. Boom!
Sasha: Skull.
Ariel: Dang. I still have 1 life left, though! 4 dice on Extra Tiny! 2 skulls! Come on, come on, miss it!
Sasha: I roll 1 shield, so he's still alive. He climbs up to here ...
Ariel: Come on Vines! Nope. It's a shield.
Sasha: I'll attack you with my normal attack now, for 4 dice. 2 skulls.
Ariel: Augh! No shields, I'm dead.
Sasha: That's 2 out of 3 games for me! The champion!!
Ariel: Congratulations, I guess. You need to stop rolling so good, though. It's getting really annoying!
Sasha: I'll give it a try next game, I promise.
Ariel: You do not!
Sasha: Sure, I do. But it's not like there's really anything I can do about how I'm rolling.
Ariel: Well ... as long as you're trying, anyway.
Sasha and Ariel: Later, everybody!