Do you like the idea of Modes with their 'universal' and quick setups?
Do you like Capture the Flag (CtF) Mode, but find it can be over sooner than you'd like?
Do you like the use of skills in Objective Mode, but want a more tangible reason for completing the objectives?
Do you want combat to play the role of deterrence (as opposed to the primary objective, as in Deathmatch)?
Then try this mode! A hybrid of CtF and Objective modes, Advanced Capture the Flag Mode is a race to capture your flags and return them home. However, unlike normal CtF mode where flags are in plain sight and can be simply picked up, your opponent has created obstacles that must be overcome first in order to obtain the flags.
ADVANCED CAPTURE THE FLAG MODE
As with other modes, complete steps 1-7 of game Setup, found on pp. 8-9 of the Revised Rules. The Rush & Go variant may be used.
MODE-SPECIFIC SETUP
a. Command Points
During the Refresh Tokens step of each turn, each player resets his CP pool equal to the number of Heroes he currently has alive on the map.
- Players start with 3 CP, but as your Heroes die, you'll have less & less CP, making it more difficult to be flexible and use Counterattacks, Overwatch, buffer randomness, and of course bringing in Reinforcements.
b. Action Circles
On each Action circle, place one random Equipment Crate Token (or Secret Door Tokens if agreed upon).
- Be sure to exclude the CP Crate Tokens for Action circles!
c. Objective Circles
Each Objective circle on the map will contain 3 tokens in a stack: a random CP Crate Token, a Flag, and a Primary Objective token on top.
1. Randomize all Crate Tokens depicting CP and place one face-down on each Objective circle.
- These are not intended to obscure the skill of the objective circle during setup
2. Starting with the player who won the Setup Roll, players take turns placing their own Flags on Objective circles (on top of the existing crate token), one at a time, until all Objective circles have one flag on them each.
- It may be wise to locate the Flags you place near your own entrance(s), so that you may defend easily and the opponent must travel farther to obtain them. Also, be aware of your opponent's available skills on his characters - if none of them contain a skill that is on the map, this should be a prime location to place your flag. On the contrary, it is good to choose a team that has all skills present for the particular map, to remain as flexible as possible in your strategy
3. Finally, each player takes the Primary Objective Tokens of his opponent , and places one on each Objective circle containing his own Flag , the larger Skill corresponding to the skill printed on the map. Secondary Objective Tokens are not used in this mode. Since there are two tokens for each skill, players may choose which one to use. Players may place these tokens simultaneously.
- Example: Castle Ksiaz - you've decided to claim the Sneak objective near your entrance by placing your flag on it (on top of the random CP Crate token). Although this Sneak objective is technically a Secondary objective, it is considered to be Primary for this game/mode. Your opponent has 2 Primary Objective tokens with the Sneak skill as the larger icon - you choose the one that has the Sangfroid skill also, since none of your opponent's characters have this skill, making it possibly harder for him to accomplish, once you kill his one & only character that has the Sneak skill this game.
When players are done placing Objective tokens, each Objective circle should have a stack of 3 tokens on it: a face-down CP Crate Token, 1 player's Flag, and a Primary Objective token belonging to the other player.
SPECIAL RULES
To win, players must capture the opponent's flags and carry them to their entrance. However, in order to capture a flag, an objective must first be completed.
Follow the process of accomplishing objectives as in Objective Mode, with the following rules:
- Players may only attempt to accomplish their own objectives
- A single character must complete both halves in order to accomplish
- When an objective is completed, the character gains the flag underneath it automatically (does not need to spend an Action to pick it up), and the CP from the Crate underneath. Remove the Objective Token from the game.
- Each Objective can be accomplished only once.
Once Flags are obtained, they are treated exactly as they are in CtF mode.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
A player immediately wins when he has planted two of his opponent's flag tokens on his own entry point(s).
Anything that requires skills to be used IN ADDITION to other objectives is good in my book
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