CROM Scenario Mechanics

This week we take a look at other ways to play and win in Conan: Rise of Monsters.

In the standard game, battles are fought and scored at the end with Victory Points (VP). By default, defeating an enemy unit or driving it off the map earns 1 VP. It may seem strange that all units are worth 1 VP regardless of power, but it balances well thanks to each unit also only providing one Destiny token for the pool.

Scenarios add several wrinkles, providing VP for occupying certain ground or for performing specific actions. Scenarios can also increase or decrease the VP value of certain units or all, forcing new tactics to win. Quests are compatible with scenarios, adding more ways to score VP and pushing the variety of game play even farther.

Another element scenarios add are encounters. Encounters are marked on the map with tokens, and the first unit to reach the token rolls a Sigil die to see what happens. Generally on a Sword result the encounter is a minor negative: a trap, an accident, or an attack by the local flora and fauna. On a Shield the unit gains a positive benefit, such as a boost to a statistic or the recovery of a Wound. On a Sigil the side gains a major benefit: Fate Cards, Destiny tokens, or even a Victory Point!

Overall the encounters are positive, which draws both sides into conflict wherever one is placed, but neither side knows quite what they’re going to get. This, like many things in Conan: Rise of Monsters, requires a calculated risk. But never forget…

“It is only the promise of death that makes life worth living.”
-Robert E. Howard