A Little More Than Just a Tiny Evil in Mechs vs. Minions

Prepare to meet a new foe with special abilities and sensibilities in another exciting Mechs vs. Minions mission.
As I tore into the first sealed envelope in my copy, I was so excited to find out what was inside! Mechs vs. Minions does an excellent job of building up enthusiasm for the next mission. Some envelopes clearly contain a single mission briefing, yet others have obvious packets of new cards. Follow along to discover what sort of challenge awaited me!
Spoiler Alert
The previous missions have been pretty straightforward with nothing major to spoil. However, be warned that this post goes into detail regarding some new concepts introduced in Operation: Tiny Evil. I recommend leaving the surprise for yourself if you plan to play. This one has a lot of new components. Read on only if you’re not bothered by spoilers!
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)
I was intrigued by the idea that I could open up the large box marked with a “Do Not Open” warning. Sure enough, this mission looked like it was going to be a lot of fun!
As usual, I chose to include all 4 mechs. This certainly complicated the play area, yet I made it all work. Mostly.
Another Command Line
To my delight, this mission introduced the boss and a component I hadn’t expected: Another command line. The boss begins with basic commands in every slot. These must be activated in sequence, just like what happens with a mech. However, the final part of the boss’s turn involves choosing 1 of 2 drawn command cards to place in its matching slot.
Everything is bad in its own way, yet I had the ability to plan ahead and have some control over the boss. It’s important to diversify, though. On the turn after the boss has 3 command cards of the same color, the mechs lose.
It’s a very elegant way to introduce a concept that could be clunky and complex. The added choice of which card to use also adds a strategic element, rather than completely randomizing the option. The only caveat is that good shuffling is a necessity here! I spent a few more minutes mixing up the new cards, just to be sure I wasn’t about to lose too early.
The Big Bad Mech
Watch out! This mission instructed me to open up the sealed box with someone special inside. Once again, the component quality is simply amazing… Even for the box!
Not only did I have to contend with this boss, but the area was teeming with minions. Their added damage can be problematic, yet they offer plenty of opportunities.
The more defeated minions, the more team gears. Useful schematics usually requite 2+ team gears to trigger.
I found it hilarious that the boss was just a minion who stole a mech. Rather classic, but also very difficult.
Nonstop Action
With the way this mission played out, I had to have a plan in mind for every mech. It was important to knock out the minions for team gears, but the boss was the main target.
Command cards often contain attacks or movement. To focus on a single area can be disastrous.
It all boils down to a diverse command line, which is easier in theory! Managing everything for all 4 mechs takes a good deal of concentration, though it’s a lot of fun.
The other piece of the puzzle involved the oil slicks. Those were simply nightmares for precise movement.
Shiny Rune Shields
It all seemed relatively straightforward until I learned about the boss’s shields. Also, can I mention again how beautiful these components are? Ooo, shiny metal coins!
Each shield begins in its activated state. A mech must step onto a rune in the play area to turn off a shield of the same color. At that point, the boss can be damaged!
But don’t get too excited. 1 point of damage reactivates the shield, and damage must also match the shield type.
As usual, this wasn’t necessarily an onslaught of pure combat and offense, but an intriguing sort of puzzle.
Damage Overload
I had an excellent plan! Heimerdinger hung out in an area where he could constantly deactivate most of the shields.
Everyone else, particularly Tristana, was poised to slowly whittle away the boss. It all looked really good, actually!
Of course, continuous damage didn’t help. I made the most of some glitches, yet it was crippling when some level 3 abilities were wiped out. Repairs were rather rare.
The boss started with 10 health. Near the end, I whittled that value down to just 2. Alas, the command line was pretty disastrous and things looked dire…
Session Overview
Play Number: 7
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game (Cooperative)
Play Details: Operation: Tiny Evil (Mission 3)
Required Play Space: 52″ x 34″
Setup Time: 10 Minutes
Play Time: 1 Hour & 20 Minutes
Outcome: Loss
I got lucky with the boss’s command line and made it to the maximum number of turns. Sadly, my mechs were too damaged to put together a cohesive plan. Just another round might have been enough! But not this time.
%
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
How has your experience been with Mechs vs. Minions? It feels like each mission is a challenging sort of puzzle that takes a few tries to master. Want to guess how many times it will take me to take out this boss? That might be a little while. Ha ha! I’m still having a blast with this solo board game, though. Now to regroup and plan a little better!
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