Neuroshima Hex! 3.0: Mephisto
Neuroshima Hex! 3.0: Mephisto Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Special Rules
Mephisto HQ
Attacks that normally don't inflict any wounds on HQs (e.g. Sniper, Air Strike, Mine, Grenade, Hole, etc.) do not wound Mephisto HQ.
Vegas Control Takeover doesn't work on Mephisto HQ.
Sharrash Explosive doesn't hurt Mephisto HQ, but Paralysis affects it normally.
All these effects operate normally against the rest of Mephisto army tiles.
Mephisto Modules
If Scoper or Agitator (or Vegas HQ) takes over a Mephisto Module, it will affect all tiles of the respective Outpost or Vegas player.
Taking over the Muzzle Module has no effect.
If a Vegas player takes over a Probe Module, that player may activate up to 2 Implants taken over by the same player each turn (if he has taken over 2 Implants).
Implants
If placing the Implant tile on the board fills it up, the Battle starts immediately – there is no time to activate that last Implant.
Scoper does not work on Implants.
If an Implant is taken over by Control Takeover, the Vegas player may normally activate it (even during the same turn the Implant was taken over) according to the principle that in his turn a player may activate one of his Implants. If Incubator is the acquired Implant and there is already a marker on it, the Implant is taken over with this marker. If there is no marker, the Vegas player may normally (using the ability to activate 1 Implant per turn) place one of the available Incubator markers there.
Using the Drill on an Incubator with a marker moves it with that marker.
Acid Thrower usage and the detonation of Sharrash Explosives are considered simultaneously.
Army Description
The main advantages of this army are numerous Modules that function even when not connected to the HQ, and a completely new type of tiles – the Implants.
The main disadvantage of this army is having solely one tile able to attack the enemy and, what's more, requiring placing additional tiles on the board in order to accelerate and strengthen its attacks. Moreover, Mephisto doesn't have any ranged attacks.
Tactical Advice
From the beginning of the game, it pays to hold the Mephisto HQ close to the opponent's HQ, yet not near the edges of the board.
On the other hand, the best place for Mephisto's Implants and Modules is on the edges of the board, away from the enemy's HQ. This way, he will have to decide whether to dedicate his efforts towards destroying the Implants and Modules (thereby not injuring the Mephisto HQ), or to focus on attacking the HQ, allowing Mephisto to strengthen significantly.
New Rules and Tiles
Mephisto HQ
Mephisto HQ is the only tile in this army that has the ability to attack enemy units (including the HQs).
When caught in a Net, Mephisto HQ operates normally. However its Initiative is reduced by 1 for each Net thrown on it.
In other cases, it is treated as any other HQ (e.g. its Toughness is 20, other HQs can't wound it, attacks that don't normally wound HQs do not inflict any damage, etc.).
Mephisto Modules
Mephisto Modules don't have to be attached to the HQ in order to operate – they just have to be placed anywhere on the board (except Toughener, which works like a regular module).
Implants
Implants are a new type of unit, each depicting additional actions a player can perform during his turn.
Once per turn, a player may activate one of the Implants already placed on the board (and belonging to his army).
Exception to this rule: Probe Module. Each Probe Module on the board allows one additional Implant to be activated. No Implant can be activated more than once during a turn.
Implant tiles placed on the board don't have to be adjacent to the HQ in order to be ready for activation.
Implants caught in a Net cannot be activated.
Components
Box contents as printed: 35 Mephisto army tiles, 2 Mephisto HQ markers, 2 Quill markers, 4 Implant markers, 2 Wound markers, a replacement tile, rulebook.
Tile Reference
The number printed after each tile name is its tile count in the set (the sheet's legend reads "X - Tile count"). The 35 tiles total the box count.
Mephisto HQ
HQ – 1 tile
During Initiative phase 1, it attacks in three directions. One of its sides is protected by armor.
Special feature: Rotation. Once per turn, one Mephisto unit (HQ included) may be rotated in any direction.
Modules
Probe – 2 tiles
Each Probe tile on the board allows the player to activate one additional Implant on each of his turns (each Implant can still only be activated once per turn).
Muzzle – 1 tile
If this tile is on the board, Mephisto HQ makes Melee attacks in all six directions (not only in its basic 3). All three additional attacks are made with the same strength and in the same Initiative phase as the basic ones.
Claw – 4 tiles
If this tile is on the board, it increases the strength of Melee Attacks by 1. Additionally, it has armor on one side.
Accelerator – 3 tiles
If this tile is on the board, it increases the Initiative value by 1. Additionally, it has armor on one side.
Toughener – 2 tiles
All connected friendly units (apart from the HQ) gain 1 additional Toughness point (when such unit gets a wound, it is not destroyed - a Wound marker is placed instead). If such unit becomes nonadjacent to the Toughener, or if the Toughener is caught in a Net, it immediately loses the additional Toughness point (and if it was still alive on the board only because of Toughener, it is destroyed immediately).
Implants
Jaws – 2 tiles
Activation of this Implant immediately starts a Battle, which is resolved according to the standard rules.
Incubator – 3 tiles
Activation of this Implant allows the player to pick an available Incubator marker, which is then placed on the Incubator tile. The marker returns to the available pool after the end of the next Battle (and thus it can be used again on the next activation).
Each Incubator tile may only have one Incubator marker on it at a time.
The available Incubator markers are as follows:
- Accelerator – Increases the Initiative value by 2.
- Claw – Increases the strength of Melee Attacks by 2.
- Net – Adds a Net to all active attack directions of the HQ (basic 3 and – when the Muzzle Module is on the board – all 6). Quills also acquire Net properties through this marker.
- Acid Thrower – At the beginning of the next Battle (before all Initiative phases), the player may Detonate one of their non-HQ units. The chosen unit is destroyed, and all adjacent friendly and enemy units (HQs as well*) receive 1 wound. The exploding unit cannot be saved (e.g. with the Toughener). Units caught in a Net cannot be chosen to detonate with Acid Thrower usage.
* according to the rules for Clown in Neuroshima Hex 3.0
Transmitter – 1 tile
Activation of this Implant allows any two adjacent friendly units (HQ included) to Castle, changing their places without rotating. Units caught in a Net (apart from Mephisto HQ) cannot Castle.
Tail – 2 tiles
Activation of this Implant allows any friendly unit (HQ included) to Push Back an adjacent enemy unit.
Tentacles – 2 tiles
Activation of this Implant allows any friendly unit (HQ included) to Grab one of the enemy units, which is one space from the friendly unit and move it adjacent to the friendly unit. The grabbed unit may only move exactly 1 hex. The enemy chooses where it will be moved if there is more than one unoccupied hex adjacent to the grabbing unit. The grabbed unit may turn in any direction after being grabbed.
Mephisto units caught in a Net (apart from the HQ) cannot grab enemy units.
Units caught in a Net cannot be grabbed.
Limbs – 2 tiles
Activation of this Implant allows any friendly unit (HQ included) to Move to an adjacent, unoccupied hex and/or turn in any direction, if there is such a possibility.
Drill – 1 tile
Activation of this Implant allows any friendly unit (HQ included) to be moved to any unoccupied hex (hexes with Foundation tiles are treated as occupied hexes).
Castling – 2 tiles
Two of the player's adjacent units (including the HQ) can switch places, but they cannot change their facing. Units caught in a Net cannot Castle (with the exception of Mephisto HQ).
Battle – 3 tiles
A Battle begins. After Battle, the player's turn ends. Not useable if any player drew their last tile.
Move – 2 tiles
Move a unit to an adjacent, unoccupied hex and/or turn it in any direction desired.
Left Quill – 1 tile and Right Quill – 1 tile
Activation of this Implant allows the player to place a Quill marker (each Quill allows the usage of its matching Quill marker – the left or the right one) on any enemy unit (HQ included) that is not adjacent to Mephisto HQ.
The placed marker indicates that this unit is in range of Mephisto HQ's attack. During the next Battle, it will be attacked by the Mephisto HQ, with the same strength and in the same Initiative phase as its normal attack.
The Quill is not an extra attack - if a Quill marker is on an enemy unit that is already being attacked by Mephisto HQ's normal Melee Attack, it is not attacked twice. The Quill marker returns to the player after the Battle.
The Quill marker returns to the player's hand:
- after the attack is made during the Battle; or
- if the unit with the marker is moved to a different hex; or
- if the Quill Implant is caught in a Net, taken over, or destroyed.
Once placed, the marker cannot be moved until it returns to player's hand.
Armor doesn't protect against the Quill.
Example of Quill usage: During a Battle, Mephisto HQ attacks with strength 2 in the Initiative phase 1. Thanks to the right Quill, this attack also reaches the Brawler - the unit receives 2 wounds and therefore is removed from the board. Hegemony HQ also receives ONLY 2 wounds - it is within range of Mephisto HQ's normal attack, so the presence of a Quill marker does not increase the number of inflicted wounds.
After the attacks both Quill markers return to the player.