Time-Lapse Video Session Report
Heroscape: Battle for the Underdark
Scenario Two: Drow Ambush

The recent release of the Heroscape: Battle for the Underdark, which combines Heroscape with the Dungeons & Dragons setting and Miniatures, has encouraged my son, Harrison, and me to dust off our battle dice and turn markers and duke it out atop plastic hexes once more.

We had played through the first scenario in the included campaign Sunday night. Harrison overcame a slow start and eventually claimed an easy win after he got the idea that you have to pile abuse on a troll to overtake its rate of regeneration.

The early frames of this time-lapse video feature teardown from that session and setup for the second scenario — in which his three surviving heroes from the first dungeon chamber are ambushed by dark elves.

It should be noted that neither of us are employing much in the way of advanced tactics as we ease our way back into the game. It’s very much a “rush to the middle and fight” situation.

Optimally, with his superior range capabilities, he could make the enemy come to him and plink away at his adversaries as they crossed the table.

Similarly, I could have maneuvered to take better advantage of shadows for the dark elves’ “Hide in Shadow” ability, as well as using the stalagmites for cover from the aforementioned range attacks.

As it was, He moved his warrior up to claim the light source, supported by his priestess, while I swarmed forward with my trio of drow warriors.

I did make sure to stick to shadow and dungeon tiles to get the at least something out of their abilities, and got a couple of early licks in on the priestess before moving my troll up behind cover to hopefully finish off a couple of his heroes.

Unfortunately, I began rolling horribly, often generating only one or two skulls, even when rolling as many as five dice (when the blood frenzied troll hit the already wounded priestess).

Taking advantage of my misfortune, Harrison finished off the drow, largely behind the fire-slinging of his mage — and my troll had to be satisfied with smashing the priestess before being butchered by the broadsword wielding fighter.

Harrison’s dwarf, who won his freedom from the drow during the confusion of this ambush, discovered a defensive talisman in the waning moments. Then, the boy elected to use his one-use resurrection vial to make sure he’d have his priestess available for the upcoming third scenario.

We’re enjoying getting back into Heroscape with this new iteration. I’m appreciating the story-based campaign setup as well as the fact that this set eliminates my least favorite aspect of Heroscape — the generic, mish-mash theme.

As it is, this feels a bit like Heroquest (another of our favorites) but with the added tactical depth and arguably superior components of Heroscape. I hope WOTC has a winner on its hands here, and I suspect it may succeed in being a gateway game between Heroscape and the D&D Roleplaying franchise.