Lava: Just a Hop, Skip, and Jump Away in Mechs vs. Minions
Experience the thrill of running from a burning danger with the comical Yordles of Mechs vs. Minions.
Almost there! I was ready to dive into the penultimate mission from my Mechs vs. Minions campaign. After a rare struggle with the previous mission, I was excited to get back on track with something enjoyable. The little bits of comedy always make each booklet a little more interesting. Back to my amazing correspondence class!
Spoiler Alert
Be forewarned! This entry covers Operation: Tempest’s Heart. It may not necessarily be filled with spoilers, but it turned out to be one of my favorite missions. Save the surprise for yourself, if you like!
Game Overview
Game Name: Mechs vs. Minions
Publication Year: 2016
Designers: Cantrell, Ernst, Librande, Saraswat, and Tiras
Artists: Danny Beck and Tysen Henderson
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game (Cooperative)
What a group! It was a good thing they had their sights on the other side of the play area. Pay no attention to that burning wall of lava in the background!
This setup reminded me of a previous mission, only with much higher stakes. Instant defeat?! I had to plan well.
Into the Danger Zone
The tiles were laid out sideways, and the mechs had to travel from one side to the other. Not so hard, right?
Wrong! With spiked walls, lava, and the usual minions, there was no easy path to reach the safe zone. Repair pads would help with damage… But I couldn’t rely on them.
As everyone got off to a good start from the right side of the board, I thought it all looked pretty good.
Corki, Heimerdinger, and Ziggs were already nearly to the third tile when I spotted some trouble. Tristana! Her movement was extremely limited and the lava was near…
An Exciting and Hilarious Interlude
The lava started flowing immediately, so it was important to get everyone moving quickly. With Tristana moving so slowly, the lava was nearly upon her in a few turns. Just one touch from the lava would spell instant defeat! She was mostly on track, but a stray minion always snuck in to deal her some unnecessary damage.
I figured she could pull out of it. I prioritized movement cards for her during the draft. But she was still just a step ahead of the lava, and it was about to speed up. What to do?! So I did the most sensible thing I could think of. Go, Corki, go!
He was on track to follow the others to the safe zone. However, Corki had an opportunity to turn around. Off he went! I figured if Tristana couldn’t get through the mess, he would just tow her right on out of there. Theoretically.
Lava Wall Woes
Tristana kept just ahead of the lava, but not everyone escaped its terribleness! The minions were powerless to run from it, which was oddly useful.
Although I wasn’t directly responsible for these minion deaths, they still counted towards the team gears. Not too bad! Thanks, lava? But not really.
There was no stopping it. What’s worse, it sped up every time it consumed a repair pad! That’s not concerning.
Brave Tristana kept ahead of it by a single space each round, while Corki had some trouble on his hands!
The Final Rush
Both Corki and Tristana needed to either reach the safe zone or get right next to it if they were to survive this round. I knew this was it! I had to win, or risk losing.
Tristana had a little trouble getting into position. Luckily, it was like Heimerdinger knew this was coming!
He had extra movement in place to tow Tristana directly into position. Ziggs just kind of rotated in place because he accomplished his goal. No sense going back for the others!
That left Corki. He went last, and there was no one to aid him. There was only one choice for him, and it was risky.
A Leap of Faith
There was no turning back. The lava would stop him and do damage with every move, but Corki had many commands that gave him movement. He could do it!
It would all come down to a little luck with the damage cards. Then again, diving into lava required a lot of luck!
The first space reordered his command line in a way that made no difference. So far, so good! Next, I had to hold my breath. Could he make it to safety?
The damage card made him move left, but the boulder blocked his progress. With a little oomph, Corki made it!
Session Overview
Play Number: 19
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game (Cooperative)
Play Details: Operation: Tempest’s Heart (Mission 9)
Required Play Space: 52″ x 34″
Setup Time: 10 Minutes
Play Time: 1 Hour
Outcome: Win
Victory! Corki’s Afterburner definitely helped him out, even though I didn’t use it as well as I could have. With barely a moment to spare, the mission was labeled a success. Only one more challenge to go!
%
20 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
8
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
10
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
8
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
6
Continue the Conversation
Have you experienced interesting and tense moments in Mechs vs. Minions? Does the lava wall have a mind of its own? Ha! I thoroughly enjoyed this mission, particularly since the rescue of Tristana completely backfired. Everyone made it, though, and the final mission is just a sealed envelope away! I think I know who will show up one last time…
0 Comments