Monsterpocalypse Now - Lots of Previews

Malebolgia · October 7, 2009

Tritons

When I was a kid, my family use to go snorkeling (for those of you who do not know, it’s like scuba diving in shallower water—but since you are just holding your breath, you cannot stay down very long). While on the water’s surface you cannot see down to the deep ocean floor, and it never ceased to amaze me what a different world exists below the water, even just 20 feet below the surface. There is some wacky stuff living down there! Just think about an octopus or some of those bottom-dwelling fish like halibut or anglerfish. Heck, while totally delicious when drenched in butter, lobsters and crabs look pretty scary as well. Combine all that deep-sea horror with some technology inspired by Atlantean myth and you have the Tritons.
One of the elements I really like about the Tritons is the concept of Mechanical units working alongside Nature-based monsters and units. The Tritons are a race of aquatic humanoids who have made the deepest crevices of the Bermuda triangle their home. Working in harmony with their bottom-dwelling neighbors, they have harnessed previously unseen beasts of the deep to assist them in their invasion of earth’s shorelines.
Some of the fun in designing the monsters and Nature units for the Tritons was thinking about the creatures they were based on and then working those ideas into the Monsterpocalypse system.
The Steel Shell Crab of the Tritons is a Nature unit themed after the oh-so-tasty crabs you may have seen on the beach or on the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch. We gave the guy Defense 4, a hefty brawl attack, Burrow, Dig In, and—because he has that mighty right claw—Reach. That beefy claw is what allows him to turn the tables on those crab fishing boats.

The octopus is a freaking amazing creature. I once saw one open a jar to get to a tasty morsel inside. Krakenoctus is inspired by the giant octopuses and squids out of seafaring lore as well as the totally awesome kaiju movies of yesteryear that featured tentacle-bearing monsters. Ultra Krakenoctus has the best ability combo yet, at least from a story point of view. First he pulls a unit over to him using his long tentacles (Tow). Then he bites the head/turret/cockpit off the unit (Munch on the brawl) and chucks the carcass of the unit toward an enemy (Fling on the brawl). Finally, he slaps his opponent with his other tentacle (Following Fire on the brawl). When I picture this multi-armed, squid-headed beast picking up units, biting the heads off like he was pulling a pin on a grenade, and then chucking them across the battlefield—well, the sadistic part of me giggles just a little bit.

The mechanized vehicles of the Tritons stand out as well. The Nautilus Blaster is an artillery piece the Tritons use to defend their positions against other monsters. This nautilus shell–inspired aquatic blaster cannon is slow, with only Speed 3, but it’s usually Towed into position by the Spadefin Skimmer. The Nautilus Blaster also features Long Range with a boost die, Armor Piercing, and red Power Gorge. Needless to say, if you are utilizing blast attack strategies you want this guy helping you out whether those blasts are coming from your units or your monster—some extra Power Gorge never hurt anyone.

Another nice bit of support comes from the Spiral Relay. This is supposed to be a command ship of sorts, coordinating the units and monsters in a cohesive ground strategy. To represent this, the Relay rocks out with Hover and Speed 6 along with two red abilities: Sprint and Synchronized Move on the blast. These two abilities give the monsters and units in your army a big boost in mobility if you can coordinate the movements of your monster with the position of your Spiral Relay (which is not always as easy as it sounds when your opponent is tossing your monster around the map).
The new Triton units will definitely provide some serious temptation for the Martian Menace players, as those red effects can work straight into their armies. My plans include running some Spiral Relays and Nautilus Blasters along with Phobos, as his blast can really benefit from the Synchronized Move and Power Gorge abilities. While running some Saucers and Power Pods, the new monsters will always be a welcome addition.
To take down these fish-people, your opponent is going to need more than a 6-foot pole and a spool of 20-pound line. Turn the tables on him with this faction; it doesn’t always have to be the fish that gets fried! Lords of Cthul might be tasty tossed in some corn meal and deep fried, or plank-grilled Planet Eater stuffed with lemons and dill might make a tasty dinner for your gaming feast. When you play the Tritons properly, your opponent will be the one stuck on the hook.