The Hills Rise Wild! (2000) Board Game

The Hills Rise Wild! is a board game released in 2000, designed by Dennis Detwiller and published by Pagan Publishing. The game falls into the categories of Adventure, Fighting, Horror, Miniatures, and Wargame, offering players a thrilling and immersive gaming experience. With a playing time of 180 minutes and recommended for players aged 12 and above, The Hills Rise Wild! challenges players to survive in a world filled with horror and danger.

Game Components of The Hills Rise Wild!

Several sheets of cardboard counters, including 24 characters, their corpses, and various items.

18 heavier stock terrain tiles for the modular board layout.

6 double-sided faction sheets with unique stats for each character.

A manual, a deck of cards, a tape measure, and a 20-sided die.

Cardstock standies for characters with individually drawn artwork and key stats printed on them.

How To Setup The Hills Rise Wild!

To set up the game, players lay out the modular board in a 4×4 grid using the terrain tiles. The Old Whately Mansion is placed in one of the four middle tiles, and home tiles for each faction are placed at the corners of the board. Cards are placed face down on the shacks and mansion spaces. Each player starts their faction on their home tile.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Game Objective: Each player must find the Great Whately Seal, use it to unlock the mansion, retrieve the Necronomicon, and return to their summoning circle to summon their Elder God.

Movement: Characters move using a tape measure, with each character having a specific movement rate.

Combat: Combat involves rolling a D20, adding the weapon rating, and subtracting the opponent’s defense rating. Critical hits use the Brutal Damage Table.

Card Mechanics: Cards are drawn from shacks and the mansion, containing items, traps, and encounters. Some cards are essential for progressing in the game.

Special Abilities: Each character has a unique special ability that can be used once per game, and some have additional always-available abilities.

Player Experience

The Hills Rise Wild offers a dynamic and humorous experience, blending elements of board games and miniatures combat. The game is known for its dark humor, with cards and damage descriptions written in a hillbilly style. The modular board and random card placement ensure high replayability. However, the game can be fiddly due to the numerous counters and tables involved.

Pros

High Replayability: Different board layouts and card selections ensure each game is unique.

Unique Characters: Each character has distinct stats and abilities, adding variety to gameplay.

Humorous Theme: The game’s dark humor and hillbilly-themed cards and encounters add a comedic element.

Award-Winning Artwork: The game won the 2000 Origins Award for Best Graphic Presentation.

Cons

Fiddly Mechanics: The game involves many counters, tables, and rules, which can be overwhelming for some players.

Out of Print: The game has been out of print for a long time, though copies can still be found.

Optional Rules: The numerous optional rules can make the game more complex than intended.

Personal Thoughts on The Hills Rise Wild!

The Hills Rise Wild is ideal for fans of Lovecraftian horror and those who enjoy a mix of strategy and humor in their games. It is particularly suited for players who appreciate miniatures skirmish games with a unique, tongue-in-cheek atmosphere. However, due to its complexity and the need for careful management of numerous components, it may not be the best fit for casual or new gamers.

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