Archon Studio Heroes of Might & Magic III: The Board Game Naval Battles Expansion

All about the product

New scenarios and mission bookThe new mission book features three completely new scenarios inspired by classic PC game missions. These scenarios are based on mechanics introduced in this expansion.The first scenario is a cooperative mission inspired by the Barbarian Breakout mission from the PC game. Designed for 2-4 players. This time, players cannot use the Stronghold faction. If possible, this faction will serve as opponents – get ready for a challenge.The second scenario is a solo mission inspired by the classic Island of Fire. The main objective is to complete a series of tasks within a set time limit. This is also our first solo scenario not tied to any known campaign.The third scenario, Gorlam’s Tentacle Swampland, is a 1v1 mission. The objective is to control as many new locations and mines introduced in this expansion as possible. Since this scenario is focused on 1v1 gameplay, we have added some modifications to make it more interesting.Additional content – short battle scenarios – will be directly related to the new component: Location Tokens.Location TokensRemember the epic battles in Dragon Utopia, Dwarven Treasury, Crypt, or Griffin Conservatory? Everyone who played the PC version fondly remembers these locations where valuable artifacts, resources, and units could be acquired. From the players' perspective, these buildings allowed for economic dynamics or the acquisition of creatures beneficial during the game. These locations also had a significant element of randomness due to the number of battling monsters, but the rewards obtained were still proportional to the efforts made.While exploring the expansion possibilities for mechanics, we realized that this adventure element was missing from our board game, so we decided to include it. As you know, in most map tiles, there is one "blocked location." Players who discover tiles will be able to choose whether to place a token with an additional location, adding another layer of choice and tactical map manipulation. When a location token is placed on a locked location, it becomes traversable, offering a special combat encounter, more difficult than standard combat but with rewards proportional to the difficulty. Each of the 12 battles features a brief scenario for monster layout. The player will start the battle at the specified locations, often surrounded by groups of monsters. With 24 tokens, there are enough to cover large scenarios and ensure adequate randomness, even on maps with up to 24 tiles. Adding these locations, along with the opportunity to win highly valuable rewards, will provide many surprises and be a true game-changer.Neutral Tokens and UnitsTo make the game more diverse, we decided to introduce a new format for neutral units. As a result, there are new cards for these units in the game. These are enhanced unit blocks that can be obtained by defeating them in locations such as the Dwarven Treasury. Additionally, in certain locations, they will appear with a "Packed" token, which doubles their health points and improves their characteristics. You will use them in tougher battles, hidden under location tokens. You can also hire them to strengthen your army.Additional neutral units will have their own deck of cards, which can be prepared before the game, so there’s no need to search for specific units in the common neutral deck during combat.Enhanced Ability CardsThe board game has its own rules – not all mechanics can be transferred directly from the PC version. However, as fans of the PC game, we strive to remain faithful to the core elements. You may recall the statistic cards system enhanced by the Inferno expansion, which grants units additional effects without crown costs. This feature received much positive feedback, prompting us to implement a similar mechanic for ability cards. We also wanted to allow players to upgrade their skills.Depending on the scenario or modification, players will be able to receive an "Empowered" token. This token can be used to acquire ability cards when leveling up. Instead of a standard card, the player can take the enhanced version.Players should remember that each ability has only one enhanced version. Therefore, not everyone will be able to use the token to enhance a specific ability. Only the first player to choose to enhance an ability will receive its enhanced version.