Attention, Hogwarts students! Here we have a preview of "Harry Potter Miniatures Adventure Game Wizarding Duels" in which we will explain in more detail what we can find on the game board: The Map, the different overlays pieces (Terrain and Challenges), arrival zones, magical nexus...
THE MAP
The first thing you will notice as soon as you see a Wizarding Duels map is that now the Spaces will no longer be square, they will be Hexagonal.
This is a very important change that makes it easier to position our Group and to get an idea at a glance of the movements we will make with our Models and the range of the Spells they will cast.
All Models move 3 Spaces with a movement action (with a few exceptions) and all Spells and abilities have been revised and balanced in this Version to fit this new format.
The Map is divided in two halves that we will join putting in the same Space two Magic Nexus that share a color. These Magic Nexus are represented with a star and in the same Map there can be stars of different colors, this means that there will not be only one way to place the two halves of the map, each map will have as many ways to be placed as the number of colors in the Magic Nexus it has.
One half of the Map is considered the Opponent's Zone and the other half our Zone. These two Zones are used to place the Models at the start of the game (Each player deploys his Group in his zone) and also some of the Quest cards, with which we score, refer to the Zones, such as controlling two Challenge Overlays in the Opponent's Zone.
Within the Maps we can distinguish different Spaces before starting a game:
Open terrain (thin white line).
These are Spaces without any special rules, the Models can move freely between them.
Arrival Spaces
These are marked Spaces indicating the Spaces where we can place our Models at the start of the game. Once the game has started, when all the Models are already on the Game Table, the Arrival Spaces are considered as Open Terrain. Some Quest cards refer to the Arrival Spaces.
Terrain Spaces
In Wizarding Duels we can find different Terrain Spaces that will add special rules to take into account if we want to pass through them with our Models.
The Terrain Spaces available are:
-Difficult Terrain (white points at the vertices of the space)
Forest and thick undergrowth; hedges and fences; streams and fords; thick snow, loose rocks and debris; etc.
Miniatures can enter a Space of Difficult Terrain, but entering that Space requires spending 2 of the Model's movement. Difficult Terrain does not block line of sight.
-Impassable Terrain (thick solid white line)
Deep water; high rocky outcrops; towers or stone pillars; cars in the middle of the road and other inaccessible areas.
No Model can move through or over an Impassable Terrain Space, nor be placed on such a Space. No Markers can be placed on Impassable Terrain. Impassable Terrain blocks Line of Sight.
-Obscuring Terrain (black gradient)
Alleyways in the shadows, Closets to hide in, Secret places, anywhere where it is difficult to detect you is a good hiding place.
A Model that is in an Obscuring Terrain will have enhanced defense.
-Dangerous Terrain (red gradient)
Lava or fire pits, Swords, Spades or other objects that can harm you.
If we move one of our Models through Dangerous Terrain, it will receive Impacts.
OVERLAYS
Now that you are familiar with the elements that we can find on the Map, we are going to tell you about the elements that we can place on the Map to modify it. These elements are hexagonal, occupy a whole Space and we call them "Overlays".
An Overlay must be placed in Open Terrain. There are two types, Terrains and Challenges.
Before placing the Models on the Game Board the 6 Challenge Overlays will be placed and each player can place a Terrain Overlay if they want.
Terrain Overlays simply add Terrain Spaces to the Game Board, with the same Terrain rules we have seen before.
Challenge Overlays represent relics and powerful artifacts with no effect on the game, but players who control them will be able to score many of their Quest cards (which is the way to win the game).
PLACING THE MODELS IN THE GAME BOARD
After placing the Overlays, it is time to place the Models on the Game Board.
The maximum number of Models you can include in your Group is 6 and they will be placed alternately, one player places one of his Models on an Arrival Space in his Zone, and then the other Player will place one of his Models.
This process will be repeated until all the Models of the two Groups are placed.
After placing the Models and the Overlays we would have the table ready to start playing.
For now, we say goodbye, soon we will talk about the different types of cards and their function in Wizarding Duels.
Stay tuned, in the next few days we will be writing more articles going deeper into the different mechanics and strategies of Harry Potter Miniatures Adventure Game.
