Locust Range

By Billtog, in Gears of War: The Board Game

A lot of AI cards don't specify the range of an attack, and the Locust card itself doesn't say so. For instance, #16 the Otherwise clause could have a Boomer 6 or more areas away attacking a COG figure. How do I determine how far a Locust can attack? Do I go with the corresponding weapon card or what?

Billtog said:

A lot of AI cards don't specify the range of an attack, and the Locust card itself doesn't say so. For instance, #16 the Otherwise clause could have a Boomer 6 or more areas away attacking a COG figure. How do I determine how far a Locust can attack? Do I go with the corresponding weapon card or what?

Unfortunately for the COGs, Locust have infinite range unless stated. They have notorious aim.

Yep, LOS and AI cards are the only limiters. If AI card poses no limit and there is LOS, Locust can shoot from even 10+ areas away. Although 5 areas away is the longest shot I've seen so far. But when it's a Theron Guard doing the attacking, you can go down pretty hard.

Dam said:

Yep, LOS and AI cards are the only limiters. If AI card poses no limit and there is LOS, Locust can shoot from even 10+ areas away. Although 5 areas away is the longest shot I've seen so far. But when it's a Theron Guard doing the attacking, you can go down pretty hard.

8 or 9 areas last game we've played - and that was 2 boomers. Didn't drop any of us, but it was nasty...

It is not fair for the locust to be able to shoot so far (specially since dom only has 1 space distance for his shotgun)...my friends and I determine range based by the weapon they carry. But do as you wish.

samruiz123 said:

It is not fair for the locust to be able to shoot so far (specially since dom only has 1 space distance for his shotgun)...my friends and I determine range based by the weapon they carry. But do as you wish.

When you play it this way, do you ignore limitations on range on the AI cards?

No, When the AI card stipulates a certain range, then we use that specified range. We use the 'weapon range' rule only for those AI cards that do not specify range. The first time we decided on this rule was when a Boomer had a 5 space range to a COG! we thought, no way, impossible for a boomshot grenade to travel that far! (maybe a bullet from the sniper rifle, but not a grenade) ...therefore, the new rule was born.

What about wretches ? We played them without range. Only melee attack. Was it right ?

willmanx said:

What about wretches ? We played them without range. Only melee attack. Was it right ?

Wretch AI cards only have them attack figure in the same area, thus simulating the fact that Wretches don't have any ranged attack. Firefight is one of the AI cards that makes all Locust possible attack, but only the gun-Locusts attack from range, the second part attack only takes place in the same area again.

Obviously, that was not a clever question ! thanks a lot for your time :)