I posted a similar topic over on BGG, figured I'd elicit your help here as well. In the Advanced Campaign, when the marines jump from planet to planet, there is a chance that the teleporter will malfunction and the squad will have an Encounter In Hell. These encounters are different from the others for the following reasons:

- There's a "teleporter" spot at each end of the encounter.
- The marines start on one end and have the option of taking their teleporter (which goes back to the planet they came from) or racing to the other side to take the other teleporter (which takes them to the planet they were going to).
- As long as one marine makes it out the other teleporter, the whole squad will start there (similar to a successful "normal" encounter)
- There is no "summoning circle" to destroy, these encounters are all about getting to the other side.
- The Encounter In Hell cards (pictured below) will have everything contained on one card (i.e. no Encounter card and Location card)

Here's what the back of an Encounter In Hell card looks like:

So here's the help I need. Other than the ideas listed above (i.e. a race from one side to the other) I'm not sure how these encounters should play out. One idea suggested was maybe having Spawn "pods", like in the video game Gauntlet, that the marines could destroy, but will spit out a new invader of that type every turn. Another idea that I'm liking more is having "cracks" where invaders crawl out of, but I'm not sure of the mechanics behind that. A certain number appear per turn? Does it get harder the longer the marines dilly-dally in Hell? etc.

If you have any ideas for maps or mechanics, I'd love to hear them.

-shnar

Shnar,

This is an idea I put forth on BGG, but I thought it might bear repeating. (and fleshing-out)

Perhaps certain (most?) edges of the map could be marked with airless terrain pieces. These areas would be understood to be off-limits to the Marines, but Minions would enter here. At the end of each Marine's individual turn, a die could be rolled and a chart consulted, or a Spawn card could be played. Whichever method is chosen, the Invader could then place the Minions on the spaces marked as airless terrain and advance them into the map on his turn as usual. This would give clearly demonstrate that the Minions here are an endless swarm and the map cannot be cleared. If the Marines do not hurry, they may find themselves trapped.

Wether this should be standard for all Encounters in Hell or only on one specific Encounter card, I do not know.

Since it's hell - and according to legend has several realms/layers etc., you might have several different hellish environments (fire, ice, maybe a river of blood) . Also I'm in favor of cards that try test the marines beyond spawning creatures. i.e. Give them tasks to accomplish while defending a position.

I would definately also place some monsters in the enivironment beforehand, you don't want a runner with some adrenaline hypo's to be able to run to the end too easily. Although you could also use th environment, like flame jets, lava, dangerous winds at an abyss or stuff like that.

I think having cracks where invaders can be spawned within line of sight of marines are a pretty good and flavorful way of making it difficult. I wonder if spawning at the edges wouldn't make the big invaders too slow to cause any trouble. You could include a spawn list on each encounter card, with some way of determining what spawns, like a die roll that was mentioned earlier.

And I like the idea to make the marines do different things... who knows, in one hell encounter they might encounter a freaky monsters with acid tentacles that is growing over the portal, blocking it and without any other spawns, or whatever.

Racing to the finish is one way.

Since you are in an alternate realm where laws of physics etc can be different you could make some small scenario's with a puzzle element. Explaining nothing to the marines. They have to figure it out and that gives a bigger feel of 'escaping' rather then racing.

Examples:

1: One big area with many doors, only 1 door is good, the other doors just suck you inside and bing you back to the start position. Marines need to remember which doors they explored.

2: Several small rooms are laid next to eachother without doors. Each time all spawns are killed in the room the marines are, 3 teleporters appear. 1 teleporter is causing you to go back 1 room, 1 teleporter makes you replay same room and 1 teleporter makes you progress 1 room. Marines have to remember which teleporter color in which room is the good one. They have to finish the full sequence of rooms to escape.

3: Strange energy atmosphere, you can not move normally, but when using energy weapons you teleport to the location you attacked (if you throw that range). Marines have to figure out that they need to use this type of weapon to escape before the are rushed by monsters (suggesting melee invader units only, with high respawn)

4: Each turn, invader player get to move all players similar to the 'earthquake' card. There are lots of traps on the floor and death means go back to start.

5: The 3 biggest rooms connected without corridors. The exit teleporter is on the other side (start and exit teleporter are yellow) In between there are 4 teleporters (red and blue) that send marines to limbo or void or whatever, they just disappear when they step on them. Each turn, the invader can move the red and blue teleporters 2-3 squares (or rolls green dice). They are like floating energy balls, when they hit you, you are gone and marines should avoid them. When all marines are caught in limbo, the invader gets 1 frag token and all marines spawn at start location, if atleast 1 marines has reached the teleporter they escape.

6: Weapon malfunctions, The atmosphere in the realm is causing weapons to work differently. The marines learn it by trail and error. Examples on this theme. The bullet from the pistol instead of going in a straight line is now bounching strange towards the target, hitting only the odd squards (1,3,5,7,9) The BFG radius is doubled (sucks when you discover that in a short range attack). The shotgun heals enemies and friends when you shoot them. The chaingun sprays harmless bubbles. Picking up a healing kit gives you frenzy. Maybe in this realm a spider is more fearfull then a cyberdemon.

7: 2 rooms, start and exit, are connected by several corridors. The invader however can change these corridors but always need to leave atleast 1 route open to the exit. The marines solve the puzzle when they split up, something that is against their survival strategy.