NEO-HUNT 2Neo-Hunt 2 is a round-based, multi-phase board/card game for 3-6 players (in theory, 2-8). Each player controls one varan, and her aim is to kill as many trooper units and varans as possible before troopers run out. A very rough estimation of gaming time is half to one hour. All cards and gaming board tiles are listed in separate card listing. Also see Neo-Hunt 3, the latest Neo-Hunt board game.
Neo-Hunt 2 has 4 different kind of cards: varan cards (double-sided), varan action cards, trooper cards and special cards. The game also have 7 sector tiles, 6 different color varan pieces and 10 different kind trooper pieces with corresponding color chits. In addition, some counters are needed to mark cover and armor damage and wounds.
Shuffle sector tiles (hexagons) and assemble a filled circle from them, so that each side-sector has 2 or 3 exits while center sector does not have two walls next to each other. Shuffle trooper cards and deal 11 (short game), 17 or all (long game) cards to form a trooper deck.
Each player selects color and takes corresponding varan playing piece and action cards. Shuffle varans and give random one to each player. All varans start with no damage or wounds, in Hidden state, so do not put varan piece on the board.
Deal one trooper card to each player, who puts it front of her, face-down, without looking at it. Players then select starting sector for each trooper, in player's varan number order (smallest first), putting trooper piece to that sector and corresponding color chit on top of trooper card.
Play then starts with first round, with all players filling up their hand with special cards. Game continues from round to round until troopers run out.
At the end of any round, if all troopers are killed and trooper deck is exhausted, the game ends. The player with most kills is the winner, and gets to choose varan for the next game. If tied, the one with surviving varan, and if still tied, tied victory and no one gets to select a varan to next game.
When a varan or trooper attacks, it must first select target(s) for the attack. Trooper cannot fire at face-down varans, varan cannot Assault targets in different sector, and troopers and varans can only shoot at targets in same or adjacent sector, with no intervening wall. Varans can shoot other varans or troopers, while troopers only shoot varans.
After target(s) is selected, the attack deals certain amount of damage. First, deal damage to any cover the target might have. Then any exceeding damage is dealt to armor of the target, and if still damage is left, it causes wounds to target. If wounds reach target health, target is killed (or destroyed). If cover changes during turn, do not remove any exceeding cover damage. Any cover damage is removed at the start of the target's next action.
Example: Cloaked varan (cover 1) with 3 armor and 4 health with no prior damage or wounds is hit with 2 damage. First point goes to cover, next to armor. This same varan is then hit with 3 points of damage. First 2 goes to armor, and remaining causes one wound. If varan is hit again this turn, they cause direct wounds.
When a varan or trooper takes damage equal to its health, the unit is killed (or destroyed). The unit who initiated the attack gets the kill, and if it was a player, the killed card is put next to her. If varan was killed by a trooper, varan is just discarded.
No kill is awarded from suicide, and varans cannot shoot at themselves (so Grenade is the only way to deal damage to itself). If player getting the kill (or kills) has any troopers, one of them is moved to under other player's directions per kill done. Target player getting the varan is chosen by the player who just made kill, but the trooper is then selected by the receiver.
Each game round has several phases which are always done in certain order. Each player acts in each phase, instead of taking turns and others waiting.
Each player draws special cards from deck to make hand total 3 special cards. If there is any dispute of order (deck is running out), immediately shuffle discard pile into remaining deck.
Each player select an action card and puts it onto board, face-down. After all players have put an action card on table, they are all turned face-up and players cannot change nor play special cards anymore.
After all actions are revealed, they are handled varan-by-varan. Each action has priority (big number printed to card), and varans act in that order, lowest number first. If several varans have same priority for their action, the one acting is selected by the player who just did her varan's action.
If there are several possible varans starting the phase, starting varan is selected by the one of them having least wounds, and if tied, least kills, and if still tied, varan with lowest number.
When varan performs its action, the action card is removed so that everyone knows that action is now done. The player then selects next player to move, if there is several possible (more than one varan with same priority).
Troopers are handled player-by-player, starting from the player who is selected by the player who moved her varan last in previous phase. Each player handles all troopers under her directions, from lowest number to highest and then face-down in any order, and then selects next player to move all troopers.
Any trooper able to shoot varan (see attack rules) does so. Turn the trooper face-up (if not already) and perform shooting. The priority of the shooting is the following, and if there are several targets with same priority, the player directing the trooper gets to choose, which target is fired at.
If trooper has no varans to shoot at, it can move to any adjacent sector providing there is no wall in the way, if directing player so chooses. However, trooper cannot move to sector with 3 (or more) troopers on it already.
Finally, after all players have handled all troopers, reinforcement arrive: add new troopers from trooper deck, so that final number of troopers on board is equal to 6, or if there is already 6 or more troopers, add one trooper, up to maximum of 10 troopers on board. See trooper rules to determine who gets to be the director for the new trooper. New trooper must enter the board into a sideline sector, not into the center tile, and the must be less than 3 troopers in target sector.
Each player controls one varan, a cyberenhanced killing machine with superior armor, weapons and cloaking technology. Each varan is resembled with varan piece on board (unless Hidden) and with varan card next to player. This varan card has all statistics of the varan, and any damage or wounds caused to varan are marked next or top of it.
There is 4 different visiblity statuses for the varan, linked to varan card:
Varan visibility status usually changes only when it performs its action. Some special cards also change it other times, as does some troopers. Note that unless varan is Hidden, varan piece is always on board to show where the varan is.
Each varan has values for common statistics:
In addition to above basic statistics each varan has, some varans have special powers:
As stated earlier, any varan taking as many wounds as it has health is killed, destroyed, dead. Remove the varan piece from the game, discard all special cards and give varan card to killer.
However, this is not the end for the player. Discard one kill (no matter, what), if you have any, and take a new random varan. At the start of the next turn, put this varan to Hidden status and re-enter game with new varan.
In Neo-Hunt combat arena, groups of soldiers and robots wander around, trying to survive and kill all varans. All these are called as troopers. The main objective of the game is to kill as many troopers as possible.
Unlike Varan card, trooper card is one-sided. As long as it is face-down, nothing is known from trooper. However, if trooper is shot at, it shoots or there is a varan (face-up or face-down) in same sector, turn the trooper face-up. There is no other way to know trooper type. If varan shoots at troopers, it must divide damage before turning troopers face-up. Until trooper is turned face-up, they all act alike and have no special scanner powers.
There is 10 distinct trooper pieces. When a new trooper is added to game, select one piece and take corresponding color chit on put it on a top of trooper card, so that each player knows which trooper piece represents which trooper card. When trooper is killed, color chit and trooper piece is discarded and availabe for re-use.
At the start of the game, all trooper cards are shuffled, and then ecertain amount of them (11, 17 or all) are taken from the entire pile, forming the trooper deck for the game. From this deck, troopers are added to the game until the deck is exhausted. Discarded troopers are never put back to the deck.
Troopers have similar values than varans, although they are usually more limited than varan statistics. In addition, some troopers have special powers described in their card.
Each trooper is directed by some player. This player decides where does trooper wander and whom does it shoot, if it has any choice. If a player directing one or more troopers gets a kill, one of the troopers is moved to target player chosen by the killer. The target player then selects one trooper of her choice from the player.
When a new trooper comes into play, the player with lowest total of kills get this trooper under her directions. If tied, the player with least troopers, and if still tied, with most wounds, and if still tied, lowest varan number.
Each player has three (3) special cards in her hand, of which one can be played each turn. At the start of the each turn, each player with less than 3 special cards draws her hand to 3 special cards. Players are not allowed to trade special cards.
Each special card has two uses, and when played, player chooses, which one of the two is used. Each effect states when it is played. If special card affects damage just being dealt, it does not change who gets the kill.
When game starts, all special cards are shuffled together and special card deck is formed from them. Players then draw cards from that deck during draw phase. If this deck runs out, shuffle discard deck to form a new deck.
Most special cards have extra defination of where or what the card does. Here is brief list of these:
Service: card is left next to target, where it stays until
either removed in Service action or stated by the card. Note that
varan in Service action can only remove one (1) card, and only if
it does not repair its armor
Extra Damage: modifies damage just being dealt
Action: replaces normal action of the varan. The action is
not counted as the original anymore, so if you use Grenade no one
cannot use card that targets varan who performed Max Fire.
Action Modifier: played when action is performed
[NEO-HUNT 2 and NEO-TROOPS © Kalle Marjola 1998-2001.
All rights reserved. Last modification
24.05.2001] |