Assault on Doomrock (2014) Board Game

Assault on Doomrock is a cooperative board game that was released in in 2014. It is designed for 1-4 players and has a runtime of about 150 minutes. The game is set in a fantasy world where players must work together to defeat the evil forces threatening the land of Harrows.

Game Components of Assault on Doomrock

Card decks: Numerous decks for locations, items, abilities, and AI cards.

Hero cards: Each hero has unique and comedic traits.

Dice: Used for activating abilities during combat.

Cardboard discs: Represent heroes and monsters on the battle field.

Tokens: For tracking time units, health, and other game states.

No board: The game relies entirely on cards for its setup and gameplay.

How To Setup Assault on Doomrock

To set up Assault on Doomrock, players start by randomizing a deck of nine location cards, which represent different wilderness, mountain, or town areas. Three of these locations are face-up at the beginning of the game. Each player selects a hero and receives the corresponding hero card and starting equipment. The game also involves setting up the various card decks and distributing time units and other necessary tokens.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Adventure Phase: Players explore randomly generated locations, visiting shops, gathering gear, and leveling up. Time units are spent wisely to avoid entering combat unprepared.

Location Encounters: Players encounter various effects, positive or negative, in three available areas.

Resource Management: Managing time units to optimize exploration and preparation.

Combat Phase: Combat is dice-based but abstracted from traditional movement mechanics.

Dice Rolling: Players roll dice and assign them to ability cards.

Ability Activation: Abilities are activated based on the dice values.

AI Card System: Enemies activate based on AI cards, which can move and attack players.

Objective: Reach the Mountain of Doomrock before the end of the third quest setting and defeat the final combat encounter.

Player Experience

Playing Assault on Doomrock involves a balanced mix of strategic planning and cooperative teamwork. The game is split into distinct adventure and combat phases, each requiring different strategies. During the adventure phase, players must prioritize gathering resources, armor, and money to ensure they are well-prepared for combat. The combat phase is simplified yet engaging, focusing on dice management and ability activation rather than complex movement rules.

Pros

Humorous Fantasy Setting: The game has a comedic twist on traditional fantasy elements.

Randomized Setup: Ensures high replayability with millions of possible variations.

Cooperative Gameplay: Encourages teamwork and strategic planning.

Simplified Combat Mechanics: Abstracts unnecessary complexity, focusing on dice and ability management.

Cons

Combat Imbalance: Enemies often gain the upper hand due to AI card mechanics.

Frustrating Dice Relyance: Players may have their turns stripped due to AI actions or dice rolls.

Long Playtime: Games can extend to two hours, potentially dragging on.

Personal Thoughts on Assault on Doomrock

Assault on Doomrock is perfect for players who enjoy cooperative games with a dash of humor and a focus on strategic teamwork. While it may have some balancing issues in combat, the game’s unique mechanics and high replayability make it a solid choice for those looking for a fun, yet challenging, fantasy adventure. However, it may not be the best fit for players seeking deep, complex combat mechanics or those who prefer shorter play sessions.

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