Empire of the Apes: WAR!

Monsterpocalypse: Big in Japan will bring more radical gargantuan apes from the Congo to the industrialized cities of the world. Today, we’ll look at the new Empire of the Apes monsters and units.

Menace in the Jungle

The Monsterpocalypse arrived in the Congo when a force of invading Martians attempted to overtake the unassuming Empire of the Apes. The warrior apes did not know how the silver and green machines found their way into their secluded empire, nor did they care. They just did what they knew how to do: fight.

The invaders’ crawling attack vehicles were quickly met by a gang of apes wielding scavenged hardware. Laser attacks rained down from Martian flying ships. The Empire showed that it possessed formidable firepower of its own as a platoon of apes shot down wave after wave of Martian invaders with rocket launchers.

Monsterpocalypse: Big in Japan features two dangerous additions to the Empire of the Apes unit line-up. The Frontline Ape boasts a Speed of 6 and dominates the front lines with the Gang ability. The Rocket Ape brings a boosted Explosion blast attack that works well with the Howitzer Ape’s Intensify ability.

Radical Protection

The towering Martian crawler Phobos-7 advanced into the fray, blasting away at the apes. The assault didn’t last long once the Empire’s armored gargantuan ape rushed into the battle, shielding the smaller freedom fighters. Laser blasts to the chest riled the armored ape, who vented his anger on the Martian machine with a devastating one-two punch.

The Armored General Hondo protects his units with Force Field. In alpha form, the general uses Follow Through to combo punch. In ultra form, he Chain Attacks punches into power attacks.

Cold Grip

As the damaged Phobos-7 staggered, the armored ape’s grimace turned into a grin at the sight of another gargantuan ape rampaging through the invading ships in the distance. Originating from the frosted peaks of Mount Kilamanjaro, this ape had snow-white fur and wielded a giant, gleaming ice shard. The great white ape lunged and grappled the Martian crawler from behind. The machine’s green glow faded as the white ape lifted it over his head and smashed it into the ground. Emboldened, the smaller apes rallied to position, knowing more invaders would be sure to come.

White Dajan Riots into battle and his units make a Synchronized Move after he power attacks the enemy. In ultra form, he uses his giant ice shard to make Lightning Attacks.  

Up Next

We’ve previewed most of what the factions in Monsterpocalypse: Big in Japan are going to bring to the table. Next time, we will take a look at the all-new character units. So which units will the characters be based on? Come back to MonsterInsider.net to find out!

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Subterran Uprising: Rising Oppression

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Voltron: Defender of the Universe

Remember when Saturday morning was the time for awesome cartoons? Yes, Saturday morning was sweet—and not just because of all that extra sugar you poured on your already-sugary breakfast cereal. It was because five mecha-lions piloted by a super force of space explorers showed up each week to form Voltron, Defender of the Universe! Now the intergalactic champion protector will make his way into Monsterpocalypse with the Voltron: Defender of the Universe battle miniatures game.

Before its summer release, we’ll periodically take some peeks into what’s inside the two-player Voltron box. We’ll start with one side of the double-sided battle map.

Because Voltron’s battles take place in space, the buildings you’d normally find in a Monsterpocalypse game weren’t appropriate. Instead we created a cosmic starscape full of hazards and benefits that could only be found in space. Of course, if you want to see Voltron and Lo-Tron battling it out over an urban landscape, you can always bring them in to your regular Monsterpocalypse games.

Solar Conflict

The Solar Conflict map pits the Voltron Force and the Galaxy Alliance against Prince Lotor and the Drule Empire right in the midst of a powerful super nova.

Power crystals found throughout the map will give you the opportunity to power up. A successful power up roll will net you a power die for each power crystal space occupied by any of your units or morphers. As the battle rages on you’ll vie for control of the solar amplifier that doubles the power dice gained from a power up roll.

There may be no buildings floating in space, but that doesn’t mean it’s empty! Certain spaces on the map cause extra damage when you throw, smash, body slam, or toss your opponent into them. Active asteroid fields cause 1 damage, while the super nova in the center of the map causes 2 damage. And if a figure ends its activation in an active asteroid field or the super nova, it will take even more damage!

Accessing the fueling station will give your force an edge with a speed boost for all your figures. Although the battle map is a bit smaller than the normal Monsterpocalypse map, the extra speed will go a long way—especially when navigating through those movement-hindering asteroid fields.

Playtest Notes

Playtesting on the Solar Conflict map was super fun. The 13 x 13 gridded battle map meant the action began really quickly, allowing us to get in the testing we needed and still have time for trash talking. (Who am I kidding? We always make time for that!)

While developing the figure interactions with the battle map, we explored many different ideas, including both old and new map elements. In the end, we found a nice balance that would couple some of the classic Monsterpocalypse feel with the experience of a Voltron space battle. We ended up with an awesomely fun map that’s sure to be a top choice for your game table.

Stay Tuned

Next time we’ll take a look at the other side of the map, Cosmic Influx. 

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Series 5 Buildings

Monsterpocalypse: Big in Japan unit boosters will include one of eight new buildings to add to your cities. Three of these new buildings will be based on recognized monuments from Tokyo: the Tokyo Triumph, Tokyo City Center, and the Pacific Eye.

The Tokyo Triumph

The power denying Invaders agenda will appreciate the Tokyo Triumph being a Media Hub. Monsters unfortunate enough to get smashed, tossed, thrown, body slammed, or beat back into this new monument will not appreciate its Spire and Live Wire. The Triumph also has a green ability that will enhance your units’ tactical maneuvering.

Tokyo City Center

While secured, the highly protected and Defense 5 Tokyo City Center will grant players restitution for their losses with City Hall.

City Hall—If you are securing this building, whenever either player gains 1 or more P-Dice for destroying a unit and the other player has 5 or fewer P-Dice, the other player gains +1 P-Die.

The Pacific Eye

Remember those great cinematic scenes where some catastrophic event breaks a ferris wheel free and sends it rolling down the pier? Well now you can be that catastrophic event and relive those great moments! With a higher defense than any other building in Monsterpocalypse: Big in Japan, one of Tokyo’s greatest Attractions, the Pacific Eye won’t be brawled for its 1 energy. It’s the Roller ability that will entice monsters to give the Pacific Eye a whacking.

Roller—If a monster hits this building with a brawl attack, move the building a number of spaces equal to the number of strikes rolled on the A-Dice for that attack and then destroy it. This movement must be in a straight line in a direction chosen by the attacker. Crush or destroy any units or buildings the building moves through. If the building comes in contact with a figure it cannot destroy, the building stops and the figure takes 1 damage. Leave this building’s hazard or rubble tile on the foundation where it was originally placed.

More Non-Limited Buildings

Five of the new buildings in Monsterpocalypse: Big in Japan will not be limited to only one per city. The combinations of abilities you can get from these buildings will help you explore various strategies with your forces.

Defense Contractor: High Security and green Energy Drain makes this building a great addition to your blasting force’s city.

Radio Telescope: With its green Radar, this building nicely combos with the Defense Contractor. It also has a useful action to keep your monster mobile.

Sewage Plant: The Telekinesis action moves units away from the putrid smells radiating from this building.

Oil Company HQ: With its green Amplify, this Superstructure will greatly boost your power dice generation, though not without a cost. It also has the green Unstable ability, making your units a danger to themselves.

Telecom Company: This Media Hub has three green abilities. Logistics will give you that extra boost to combined attacks but is toned down a bit with the Self Destruct blast trigger.

Up Next

Next week we’ll dig into another Monsterpocalypse: Big in Japan faction. There are only two left, so which will it be? Come back to MonsterInsider.net to find out.

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Savage Swarm: Destructive Infestation

Monsterpocalypse: Big in Japan includes more big bugs from the Savage Swarm. This week’s preview will showcase the savage insects’ swarmy and destructive abilities.

Radioactive Origins

Leading paranormal entomology researcher Dr. Alex Woo has recently uncovered what he believes to be the genesis of the oversized onslaught of insects publicly known as the Savage Swarm. DNA analysis of the remains of one of the swarm’s fallen diptera suggest the cause of the super-powered insects’ abnormal growth and mutations is biotech radiation exposure. This find led the doctor and his research team to Tokyo, where a business-sector skyscraper has been quarantined for close to the same length of time that has elapsed since the first Savage Swarm attack.

With the help of international authorities, the research team was granted access to the quarantined building. Inside, the radiation readings were identical to that of Dr. Woo’s DNA analysis and grew stronger once a hidden underground floor of the building was accessed. The hidden floor contained a large laboratory with an extremely high ceiling. This voluminous room was empty, save for one file folder and a metal container with a thick and vibrantly green liquid spilled next to it. On the bottom of the container were etched the initials “S. I.” The label on the file folder put fear in Dr. Woo’s eyes with the words “Project Swarm: Alien Tech Beta.”

According to the file, the subjects of Project Swarm were meant to be controlled by an alien mind-harnessing technology. With the continued destruction wrought by the Savage Swarm, this part of the project clearly has failed.

Stinging Power

The first page in the Project Swarm file was a development report beginning with a bioengineered hymenoptera apocrita, more commonly known as a wasp. The report included these notes:

The subject has taken fairly well to the process thus far. No signs of molecular degeneration. All enhanced siphoning stinger tests proved successful. With the destruction of three weapon-mastery nanochips, more time is required for ganglion redirection.

The first Savage Swarm monster with Flight, Dynastavus, can quickly Charge enemies with her Power Draining stinger. In her ultra form, Dynastavus can Hit & Run while an allied unit makes a Synchronized Move.

Brawny Beetle

Dr. Woo continued to thumb through the Project Swarm file until he reached the last page, which detailed the mutation process of a beetle:

Once the mind-harnessing procedure is perfected, the Coleoptera will most definitely be the unstoppable force it was conceived to become. Even before biomorphic enlargement, it has displayed speed and strength beyond expectations. In the most recent controlled hyper-rampage test, the test subject completely destroyed multiple cinder blocks and doubled its radiated energy levels.

The destructive Xixorax can to wipe out enemy power bases with a Super Rampage then Sprint into a better position (in its alpha form). Ultra Xixorax uses its great speed to Charge in with a powerful brawl Beat Back.

In a Pinch

After he closed the file, Dr. Woo noticed the radiation levels on his meter drastically increase. He heard and then felt a loud rumble, and then a frightening insect with huge pincers burrowed up through the floor. The research team ran for the elevator as the radioactive monstrosity burst through and then continued burrowing up through the ceiling. The researchers made it out of the building to see one of the Shadow Sun’s great Zors surrounded by a threatening number of the Savage Swarm. The pincher bug flanked the Zor as a throng of strangely colored, oversized ants slowly advanced, led by one with a stripe down its back. The stripe on the leader ant began to flicker, and the others quickly ganged up on the biomorphed ninja. Although the Zor made short work of the attacking insects, the rumbling of the ground and the powerful buzzing sound in the air meant the encounter was far from over.

The Vice Pinchers and Dire Ant Warriors make a great assault team. The burrowing Vice Pinchers Flank the enemy as the Dire Ant Warriors Gang up for the kill.

Up Next

Next time we’ll take a look at the new buildings in Monsterpocalypse: Big in Japan. The Tokyo City Center, the Tokyo Triumph, and the Pacific Eye monuments will be highlighted along with five other buildings. What are the other buildings, you ask? Come back to MonsterInsider.net to find out.      

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