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[INVASION] Hydra's favorite boardgame.
NotoriusBEN
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Registered User regular
Intro C-movie grade voice acting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVIXfU5ToogIn the 1940s a spaceship crashed in the southwestern deserts of the United States of America. Striking a Faustian deal with the alien Ghin, the US used their technology in the escalating Cold War with the Russians. In return, the US would provide a home for the Ghin to live and prosper and to conduct the research needed to find a cure for the bioplague that almost wiped them and their ancient foe from the universe. The Ghin forgot to mention this...
Fast forward 80 years and the US had gotten tired of the Ghin's constant request for 'volunteers' and test subjects. The secret base was destroyed in the Blackest of Black Ops and the aliens decided to set up shop in South America instead.
What would have been the age of the ascending South Americans, didn't happen because the Hydra, the ancient foes from the bioplague, found Earth. In the summer of 2020, the Hydra land assault carriers and troops into major population centers. Earth Defense Forces battle the Hydra for nearly four weeks before the Hydra abruptly, pull back. Ten days later, the Hydra death star launched tons of viral payloads at Earth. Fully one-fifth of the planet died within days to the weaponized plague, and the Hydra have redoubled their land war, now genetically-modified to accept Earth's atmosphere and be resilient to our weaponry. As millions of people die in this full scale invasion, the leaders and coalitions of Earth must turn to Dr. Chronos of the Ghin to effect a slim plan to gain control over the Hydra and end them once and for all.
___________________________
Okay, guys. I bought this massive block of cardboard and it is a sweet game. XCOM the boardgame is pretty sweet as well, but it really requires an app and making snap decisions within a couple seconds. Invasion doesn't have such constraints. Where XCOM is a game of covert high speed low drag operatives and tech personnel, Invasion is about weathering planetary warfare from a relentless foe. You must trade resources and move troops to support other coalitions in order to weather the attacks of the invading Hydra. You need to decide when to expend the resources to proceed with the Chronos project, or to research your own tech to take on later attacks, but keep in mind, that the Assault and Devastation decks are dwindling, every Hydra trooper killed is another step closer to Hydra adaptation and another turn of taking damage from the dreaded Titanomax virus.
There is only one way to win the game. Complete Dr. Chronos's Psychotronic Project. Human ciphers along with Chronos will go to the enemy mothership and reassert mental control over them and kill them.
There are many ways to lose the game.
The capital region of a Coalition sustains three damage markers. The coalition fails.
Your coalition's military industrial complex is reduced to zero. Through a combination of destroyed infrastructure and population, the coalition can no longer conduct a resistance. The coalition fails.
If a coalition fails to complete its part of the Chronos Project when it dies, everyone fails.
Run out of Assault and Devastation cards. The world has suffered too much damage to continue supporting human life. Everyone fails.
Dr Chronos is overrun and captured by Hydra troopers on the ground, everyone fails.
Here is a tutorial video for playing this game. No, you are not hallucinating, it is a 30minute video. Get some Apocalicious Canned Meat and settle in.
Yes, there are 15 steps in each turn, but its really only turning a dial or two or resolving actions. In practice, a lot of this gets taken care of effectively at the same time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhpkIw5PKoUDA RULES BOOK (thank you Phyphor)
http://files.privateerpress.com/level7/invasion/Invasion_Rules.pdf
The game requires 5 players. Who among Penny Arcade think they can lead their coalition and the earth in resistance to the unrelenting Hydra?
I'll have consoles and boards built up as we figure out if there is interest in the game.
Hail Hydra.
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Consoles:
5. Cronos Project - Initiate Psychotronic Broadcast
Cost: 4FOOD 4OIL 4ORE $4m 10MIC. Can only be funded after all other Cronos Project cards
The Event step of this round is the invaders' Annihilation Strike. At the end of this round the game is over. Any surviving coalitions win.
The Dice: they are not fudge dice.
- 3,4,6 are + faced
- 2,5 are = faced
- 1 is - faced
Technology Research Cards:
Tier 0
Tier 1 Cost $2m 1food 1research
- Hybrid Crops: Roll a die when affected by a Crop Decimation event. If you roll a =, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
- Nutritional Advances: Your food upkeep cost during the MIC Damage step is reduced by one.
Tier 2 Cost $1m 2ore 2research
- Hybrid Crops: Roll a die when affected by a Crop Decimation event. If you roll a =, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
- Nutritional Advances: Your food upkeep cost during the MIC Damage step is reduced by one.
- Poison Compensators: You do not reduce your MIC due to the Titanomax virus during the MIC Damage Step
Tier 3 Cost $2m 1food 2research
- Synthetic Food: Roll a die when affected by a Crop Decimation event. If you roll a = or a -, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
- Nutriment Supplements: Your food upkeep cost during the MIC Damage step is reduced by two.
- Poison Compensators: You do not reduce your MIC due to the Titanomax virus during the MIC Damage Step
Tier 4 Cost $1m 1food 1ore 2research
- Synthetic Food: Roll a die when affected by a Crop Decimation event. If you roll a = or a -, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
- Nutriment Supplements: Your food upkeep cost during the MIC Damage step is reduced by two.
- Poison Compensators: You do not reduce your MIC due to the Titanomax virus during the MIC Damage Step
- Decontamination Processes: Increase your MIC 2 points at the end of each Maintenance phase
Tier 5 Cost $3m 1food 1ore 3research
- Synthetic Food: Roll a die when affected by a Crop Decimation event. If you roll a = or a -, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
- Nutriment Supplements: Your food upkeep cost during the MIC Damage step is reduced by two.
- Poison Compensators: You do not reduce your MIC due to the Titanomax virus during the MIC Damage Step
- Cloning: Increase your MIC 4 points at the end of each Maintenance phase
Social Programs
Tier 0
Tier 1 Cost $1m 1food 1research
- Refugee Services: During the MIC Damage step, reduce the number of points you lose due to invader units by one.
- Relocation Programs: You can lower your Terror by one level during each Maintenance phase by spending $1m.
Tier 2 Cost $1m 1food 1oil 1research
- Refugee Services: During the MIC Damage step, reduce the number of points you lose due to invader units by one.
- Relocation Programs: You can lower your Terror by one level during each Maintenance phase by spending $1m.
- Education Campaigns: Roll a die at the end of the Maintenance phase. If you roll a -, lower your Terror by one level.
- Mandatory Counseling: Roll a die when affected by a Paranoia event. If you roll a =, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
Tier 3 Cost $2m 1food 1research
- Extended Aid Networks: During the MIC Damage step, reduce the number of points you lose due to invader units by two.
- Relocation Programs: You can lower your Terror by one level during each Maintenance phase by spending $1m.
- Education Campaigns: Roll a die at the end of the Maintenance phase. If you roll a -, lower your Terror by one level.
- Mandatory Counseling: Roll a die when affected by a Paranoia event. If you roll a =, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
Tier 4 Cost $2m 1food 1oil 2research
- Extended Aid Networks: During the MIC Damage step, reduce the number of points you lose due to invader units by two.
- Relocation Programs: You can lower your Terror by one level during each Maintenance phase by spending $1m.
- Subliminal Messaging: Roll a die at the end of the Maintenance phase. If you roll a = or a -, lower your Terror by one level.
- Distributed Pharmaceuticals: Roll a die when affected by a Paranoia event. If you roll a = or a -, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
Tier 5 Cost $2m 3research
- Extended Aid Networks: During the MIC Damage step, reduce the number of points you lose due to invader units by two.
- Relocation Programs: You can lower your Terror by one level during each Maintenance phase by spending $1m.
- Subliminal Messaging: Roll a die at the end of the Maintenance phase. If you roll a = or a -, lower your Terror by one level.
- Distributed Pharmaceuticals: Roll a die when affected by a Paranoia event. If you roll a = or a -, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
- Reclamation Programs: During each Income step, increase your Food, Fuel, and Minerals by one.
Communications
Tier 0
Tier 1 Cost $1m 1research
- Informational Control: Whenever a Viral Video event requires you to make a roll, you can avoid rolling any number of dice by spending $1m for each die.
- Propaganda: During each Maintenance phase, you can lower your Terror any number of levels by spending $2m for each level.
Tier 2 Cost $2m 1research
- Informational Control: Whenever a Viral Video event requires you to make a roll, you can avoid rolling any number of dice by spending $1m for each die.
- Propaganda: During each Maintenance phase, you can lower your Terror any number of levels by spending $2m for each level.
- Advanced Command and Control: You gain +1 to your Command and Control
Tier 3 Cost $2m 1oil 1research
- Informational Control: Whenever a Viral Video event requires you to make a roll, you can avoid rolling any number of dice by spending $1m for each die.
- Propaganda: During each Maintenance phase, you can lower your Terror any number of levels by spending $2m for each level.
- Mesh Networks: You gain +2 to your Command and Control
Tier 4 Cost $3m 1food 2research
- Informational Control: Whenever a Viral Video event requires you to make a roll, you can avoid rolling any number of dice by spending $1m for each die.
- Propaganda: During each Maintenance phase, you can lower your Terror any number of levels by spending $2m for each level.
- Cognitive Systems: You gain +3 to your Command and Control
Tier 5 Cost $5m 1food 1oil 2ore 3research
- Informational Control: Whenever a Viral Video event requires you to make a roll, you can avoid rolling any number of dice by spending $1m for each die.
- Propaganda: During each Maintenance phase, you can lower your Terror any number of levels by spending $2m for each level.
- AI Integration: You gain +6 to your Command and Control
Military Equipment
Tier 0
Tier 1 Cost $2m 2oil 2ore 2research
- Nano-weave Armor: Your coalition's Power is 1.
Tier 2 Cost $1m 1oil 1ore 1research
- Nano-weave Armor: Your coalition's Power is 1.
- Missile Defenses: Roll a die when targeted by an Orbital Assault or Bombardment event. If you roll a =, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
Tier 3 Cost $4m 3oil 3ore 2research
- Powered Exoskeletons: Your coalition's Power is 2.
- Missile Defenses: Roll a die when targeted by an Orbital Assault or Bombardment event. If you roll a =, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
- Anti-grav Engines: Your coalition units can move 2 spaces during each Movement step.
Tier 4 Cost $2m 1oil 1ore 1research
- Powered Exoskeletons: Your coalition's Power is 2.
- Energy Shielding: Roll a die when targeted by an Orbital Assault or Bombardment event. If you roll a = or a -, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
- Anti-grav Engines: Your coalition units can move 2 spaces during each Movement step.
Tier 5 Cost $5m 4oil 4ore 3research
- Energy Weapons: Your coalition's Power is 3.
- Energy Shielding: Roll a die when targeted by an Orbital Assault or Bombardment event. If you roll a = or a -, you do not suffer the effects of the event.
- Hypersonic Travel: Your coalition units can move 3 spaces during each Movement step.
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looking for 3 more coalition leaders. who would people like to be?
South America
North America
Europe
Africa
or Asia
There are differences in starting boards, income, terror levels and turn order due to funding the Chronos project
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What is the order they need to be completed in?
Also whats with the dead zone areas?
South America (project 1)
North America and Africa (project 2a and 2b), doesnt matter order
Europe (project 3) after both
North America and Asia (project 4a and 4b), doesnt matter order
Final Project (project 5)
Only that country can fund its chronos project, which means it needs resources from everyone to do so. keep in mind, there are about 11 turns worth of assault and devastation cards if everyone is staying alive...
dead zones are what they are... they didnt survive the initial bombardment from the Hydra and are beachheads. Likely places for hydra to show up without dropships, even.
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we technically could play with 3, but 2 people would be playing 2 coalitions, and it'd basically be trading with yourself and that's no fun.
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anyways, lets try to get this stuff together for round one.
first, what coalitions do you want to be?
south america goes first because dr chronos starts there.
we'll say the board it clockwise for turn order.
so south america
north america
europe
asia
africa
so if europe has dr chronos, europe would go first, followed by asia, africa, south america then north america.
im at the airport, atm but ill be shoving a lot of stuff to you guys over the weekend. iknow weekends tend to be downtime, but if yall can check the thread once a day, thatd be super.
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@justiceforpluto
@Void Slayer
@Phyphor
@Hedgethorn
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Who wants south America? You get first pick of mercenaries as well
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Anyways, since I can't find a decent board online. I went ahead and *made* one while I was on the plane yesterday...
is it legible? do the lines and icons make some sense?
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Reserve signup
Writing out the statistics could let us each keep track of the numbers and post them ourselves whenever we change them, to maybe take some of the work off you posting them.
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@Kirindal is South America
@justiceforpluto is North America
@Void Slayer is Europe
@Phyphor is Asia
@Hedgethorn is Africa
Setup:
You have most of your setup taken care of. You just need to deploy your soldiers, you have as many troops as your Current Command and Control value.
-Being the attacker is a BIG DEAL.
-Determine Coalition power. Add up its Power icons(the Power Level on the quote cards in the 2nd post), add 1 for Blaster Mercs attached, and add 1 more for each Warrior Clones card played.
-If more than one Coalition has units in a territory, use the coalition who's Power is highest value. Compare coalition and hydra Power levels, higher one is attacker.
-If Power is tied, count the number of military units (including drop ships) on each side of the contested territory. If more coalition troops, coalition is Attacker, if tied or less than Hydra troops, Hydra is attacker
-Attacker and Defender roles remain throughout the territory conflict, even if defenders have more units.
-The dice have 3 + faces, 2 = faces and 1 - face.
-On a +, remove 1 defender, on a = remove 1 attacker and 1 defender, on a - remove 1 attacker.
Hence, its mathematically superior to be the Attacker.
You can increase your Power and Soldier counts through Military Equipment and Communications tech research.
DEVELOPMENT PHASE
1. Ghin Mercs - Gotta purchase in turn order. Player chooses which Ghin Mercs to buy if any, or as many as they can (bare in mind, you dont get money until *after* you spend on Troops, Research, and Cronos as well). There is no limit to the number of Ghin Mercs that can be attached to a territory. Unattached Mercs can be activated at any time.
2. Unit Deployment - Soldiers deployed to Secure or Liberated Territories is $1m, Overrun Territories cost $2m. the max number of troops in play at any given time is equal to its Command and Control value. You must deploy to your own territories.
3. Research - You can strengthen your coalition with technologies. You only increase a single Tech by 1 each turn, but you can increase as many different Techs as you have funds for
4. Cronos Project - This is the time to fund the Cronos Project. This is the only way to win the game, make sure you can fund it...
5. Income - You collect your coalition's base Money, Food, Oil, and Ore, modified by Terror level, and territory status.
TRADING Each coalition can make *one* trade in the Development Phase, and *one* trade in the Maintenance Phase. You can trade any combination of Money, Resources, MIC, and/or Research points. You can make the trade at any step of the Development Phase (BUT YOU CAN'T TRADE BACKWARDS, ie. trading from North Am's Income step to Asia's Research step) The trade is straight across steps. You can ask or give something for nothing and that's... rather altruistic... most people want something in return...
@Kirindal you control Cronos, you get first pick of Ghin Mercenaries from the Black Market. Let Justice for Pluto know to pick next.
Ghin Black Market
Ghin Researchers $3m Attach this card to one of your territories and place a committed neutral Research token on it. If the territory is Overrun, discard this card and its token.
Rogue Clones $1m Discard this card at any time and roll a die. If you roll a + or =, destroy one invader unit in any of your territories. This card cannot be used to remove drop ships.
The Hydra have renewed the Invasion of Earth.
Drop ships are sighted in the Uzbekistan Alliance (1), Canada (2), and Argentina (3)
Hydra Troops have been sighted (2 Dropship cards drawn). Dominion of Ethiopia, Venezuela, Union of Central European States, Mexican Influence Zone, Uzbekistan Alliance, Bolivia
I'll continue with the next phase when this one is complete so I don't wall of text you all to death.
TL;DR deploy soldiers in response to Hydra threat, spend some money/resources, trade. after all that you get income.
SETUP MAP: Orange Barbs are dropships, squares are troops for the moment...
HYDRA STATUS: Power Level 1
Dr. Cronos starts the game in Argentina.
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http://files.privateerpress.com/level7/invasion/Invasion_Rules.pdf
Can we get an overview of what all the event cards do?
As for Event cards, its a choice between a bad event and a worse event. They attack 5 different ways, Orbital Assault, Bombardment, Crop Decimation, Paranoia, and Viral Videos. Technologies can help protect against them.
When we get to the Event step, You first choose if you want to read the Event card, or make a BLIND CHOICE. A blind choice immediately reduces your Terror Level by 3.
I'll send each of you 1 Event card, *YOU CANNOT DISCUSS THIS WITH OTHER PLAYERS* You'll respond in the thread with choosing the Alpha or Bravo Event.
Cards are randomized so you all don't know who chose what, as best as possible. Alpha Events are resolved first, Bravo Events afterward.
The Ground War text is resolved as the card is resolved. Hydra spawn from the numbered dropship and spread from there. Dropships return, refuel and land elsewhere in the Maintenance phase
Here's the text from an Assault Event.
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Want some help with that drop-ship Phyphor?
You must deploy to your own territories first, but you get to move troops around before the Event and Battle steps in the 2nd Phase.
troops can only move 1 space until you get some Military Equipment reseached to Tier 3
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If you want to put a troop or two in range, sure. If I'm reading this right, we can expect 3-5 troops to pour out of each dropship from events (unless some events dont put them out in all ships?)
I'm probably going to grab the military tech and go for a big assault on the dropship - I think that would be a decent opening strategy, since I should be able to make myself the attacker. If you want to throw in a unit to help, sure. Eventually we could trade some units, so that only one of us has to tech up military
I'll be sure to throw out the relevant rules as we come to them in the Phases. I just don't want to wall of text you guys. I did put Phyphor's link to the rule book in the OP.
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Initial Africa Deployment:
2 units in Dominion of Ethopia
1 unit in Nigerian League
1 unit in Kenyan Federation
Initial deployment: 3 in Uzbekistan, 1 in China, 1 in India. I'll probably buy the clones if they're there when it comes around to me
Also, for people mathing it, the expected cost of getting 1 kill as attacker is 3/5 units, as defender is 5/3 units
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