Hero Academy Catch-All

I'll have to try these out. I need all the help I can get.

Looks like Hero Academy is coming to Steam. Just got this email..

Hero Academy is Coming to Steam!
IMAGE(http://gallery.mailchimp.com/b6896bca5de420860e7f4c200/images/HA_header.2.jpg)

Robot Entertainment has announced that Hero Academy is coming to Steam on August 8, 2012. Players who purchase the game on Steam will unlock an exclusive new heroic team featuring the mercenaries from Valve’s wildly popular Team Fortress 2. Additionally, each heroic expansion team purchased in Hero Academy on Steam will unlock a unique cosmetic item in Team Fortress 2. Check out the first look at the TF2 team in the teaser video below, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more updates in the coming weeks!

Watch the teaser trailer for the TF2 team in Hero Academy!

Hero Academy Features:

Cross-Platform Multiplayer Gaming – Challenge friends on Steam or iOS to asynchronous one-on-one battles via online multiplayer. Play a heated bout in twenty minutes or across a full day, whenever you have a few moments. Play all of your Hero Academy matches at your desk, on your iPad, or on the go with your iPhone!

Exclusive TF2 team – The Steam version of Hero Academy includes the Council starter team and an exclusive new team featuring characters, upgrades, and abilities from Team Fortress 2! You can only unlock this team via Steam, but once unlocked you can use them anywhere that you play Hero Academy.

Team Fortress 2 unlockable items – Each expansion team purchased in Hero Academy on Steam will unlock a unique cosmeticitem in Team Fortress 2.

SQUEEEEEEE

Wow. That's pretty amazing.

That's great news. I often find my turns take longer than I'd like for a portable device. Of course, they'll probably charge $10, with most things unlocked and other incentives. Maybe they'll still keep it ftp?

Anything that you've already purchased on iOS will automatically work on the PC version as long as you log into the PC version with your existing Hero Academy account.

Sweet!

NO FREAKING WAY!

I can't wait to see how the Team Fortress team plays out. Seems like too many characters in one team though. Hopefully it will fit some how.

I think this announcement just made me a lifetime Robot fan.

I'm concerned. I've bought all of the teams on the iOS version ($7) and the colorization pack ($1). How much is this going to be? Any more than $1.99 and they run the risk of alienating their core fan base who has done exactly what I've done, and helped them get to this point.

Also, if you buy the teams in the PC version, you do get extras for TF2. What about those of us who have everything from the iOS version?

Honestly, the team looks cool, but depending on the price, I may be dropping this entirely.

athros wrote:

I'm concerned. I've bought all of the teams on the iOS version ($7) and the colorization pack ($1). How much is this going to be? Any more than $1.99 and they run the risk of alienating their core fan base who has done exactly what I've done, and helped them get to this point.

Also, if you buy the teams in the PC version, you do get extras for TF2. What about those of us who have everything from the iOS version?

Honestly, the team looks cool, but depending on the price, I may be dropping this entirely.

Really? I figure worst case they price the Steam version too high and I stick with what I have. I guess that sucks that there's a new team I don't get to use but that's not that big of a deal.

Good game, SixteenBlue! I'm not quite sure how I eked out the win. I really wish there was a replay function.

Aristophan wrote:

Good game, SixteenBlue! I'm not quite sure how I eked out the win. I really wish there was a replay function.

Yeah, that would be awesome.

Crockpot wrote:

Seems like too many characters in one team though. Hopefully it will fit some how.

I'm guessing that 5 classes will be playable, Medic will either be the healing item or scroll, another class as their attack spell and I don't know what else they would do for the remaining classes.

Hi! After some light encouragement in the general iPad games thread, I picked this up along with Outwitters. I've sent GC friend requests to a bunch of people I've seen around talking about this, but I'm sure I missed a bunch. If you want to friend me for either game, hit up "n3croyeti"....seriously, who took my nickname?!?!

Okay, f*ck the Tribe.

LiquidMantis wrote:

Okay, f*ck the Tribe.

Haha, not the first time I've heard this.

LiquidMantis wrote:

Okay, f*ck the Tribe.

Hehe. Not the first time I've seen this here on GWJ!

necroyeti wrote:

Hi! After some light encouragement in the general iPad games thread, I picked this up along with Outwitters. I've sent GC friend requests to a bunch of people I've seen around talking about this, but I'm sure I missed a bunch. If you want to friend me for either game, hit up "n3croyeti"....seriously, who took my nickname?!?!

Done. I just picked up Outwitters and am looking to give it a shot.

necroyeti wrote:

If you want to friend me for either game, hit up "n3croyeti"....seriously, who took my nickname?!?!

I hear that. I had to drop my 'y'.

LiquidMantis wrote:

Okay, f*ck the Tribe.

Yup. Actually, I say "eff the race my opponent is playing as" usually. I'm really bad at this game because I don't plan ahead

shoptroll wrote:
LiquidMantis wrote:

Okay, f*ck the Tribe.

Yup. Actually, I say "eff the race my opponent is playing as" usually. I'm really bad at this game because I don't plan ahead :(

But you keep beating me!

m0nk3yboy wrote:

But you keep beating me! :lol:

I thought that was only once?

I somehow pulled off a win against the Tribe but man they hit hard.

I haven't actually lost to tribes yet in 3 or 4 games, but I'm thinking johnvanjim may be putting an end to that in our current game.

I just sent out a bunch of new game requests. Feel free to send one my way if I missed you.

LiquidMantis wrote:

I somehow pulled off a win against the Tribe but man they hit hard.

I thought I had you in that game. Nice win.

Thanks. You definitely had me on my heels. After the first couple of turns I was already hearing my bell toll. I may have to buy the Tribe just see what their mechanics are because they seem really nasty.

I think the spike shield damage reflection is a % of the attacker's current HP or something. I swear I saw the damage on that go down as one of my units took damage.

I've just stopped stomping Tribe units when I get the opportunity. It's rarely worth the trouble.

What really irks me is that they get two super units and it is an incredibly annoying unit to deal with (right behind the NE Wraith) especially if they get one in the opening hand.

Wow, thanks for all that, Athros.

shoptroll wrote:

I think the spike shield damage reflection is a % of the attacker's current HP or something. I swear I saw the damage on that go down as one of my units took damage.

I've just stopped stomping Tribe units when I get the opportunity. It's rarely worth the trouble.

What really irks me is that they get two super units and it is an incredibly annoying unit to deal with (right behind the NE Wraith) especially if they get one in the opening hand.

My first exposure to the Tribe as an opponent was a first hand that had BOTH of the Super Units in it. I think I was dead before I could figure out what was happening.

You always remember your first F the Tribe moment.

Thanks for the info Athros, awesome source.

LiquidMantis wrote:

Thanks. You definitely had me on my heels. After the first couple of turns I was already hearing my bell toll. I may have to buy the Tribe just see what their mechanics are because they seem really nasty.

Movement, odd damage dealing, reflected damage, and RAGE.

  • Movement
  • Typhoon moves enemy units either 2 tiles forward, or 2 tiles backward, depending on what row the wave is on.
  • Chieftan: Charge 4 clear squares in a row to attack a unit. No AoE on the charge
  • Odd damage dealing.
  • Axeman: Deal +100 damage to targets over 50% health (over 25% for crystals)
  • Warrior: Insta-kill anything below 50% health (25% for crystals)
  • Reflected damage: Spiked shield reflects damage back to the attacker, whether it's ranged or melee, which really sucks for the AoE units, because it reflects based on each unit hit, down to 100 health.
  • RAGE
  • Racial: Stomp a unit, every unit on the board gains rage. The next unit to attack/heal does so at +75%
  • Meat: Heal a unit and give that unit +175% damage on the next attack. Can be combined with RAGE.
  • Shaman chain heal is crazy.

So, let's break down the Tribe's weaknesses.

  • Next to no resistances. Warrior has a 20% Phys. Resist, Witch has a 10% Magic resist, and there is no way, other than special squares for them to gain resistances.
  • Medium health - Chieftain has 1000 health, everything else has 800. Spiked Shield only gives +10% health, and it's the only thing that gives them a permanent health bonus. With no resistances, or ability to gain more, they needed the health.
  • Nothing with a 300 Attack - CL has Archers and the Ninja, DE has the Impaler (and Wraith after some corpses), DW have the Gunner and Annihilator, which means with a sword, they go up to 450 Damage. The best that the Tribe can do is the Axeman with 400 attack (provided no resistances, above 50% health, and a sword on the Axeman) - so, the Axeman needs a Warrior to finish the job on the high health units (Paladins, Knights, anything with 10%+ resistances)
  • No remote res other than the Shaman chain, which can res. multiple units.

So, best ways to take them out.

  • Like the Dwarves and the Paladin, kill Shamans fast. Without Shamans, there is no resurrection, which means you can kill and not stomp without worry.
  • Be ready for odd movement. Typhoon and the Chieftain can seriously change the game in wacky ways. A fully upgraded Chieftain (Spiked Shield and Weapon) can be a nightmare, but he's nothing compared to a fully loaded VM (So many resistances and awesome self healing), or a weapon upgraded Archer (450 from range 3. Typhoon will break up your formations, giving opportunities for units to be killed. Remember Crystals will stop the movement, and unless they kill everything they move, it's possible they can put you in a better position (Which happens to me all the time when I play Dwarves )
  • If you're going to stomp units, be ready for a Meat +Rage attack. Seriously. It's a +225% attack. The attacker will likely kill what it's aiming for. Stomping might be another matter. I've had it go both ways.
  • Deny the defense squares if you can. It's the only way the Tribe can get resistances.
  • Watch your health. 50% is the sweet spot for the Warrior and Axeman. Generally, at 50% health, it's 2 AP for the warrior to kill and stomp. If there are units in a row with less than 50% health, one warrior can do 2 in a turn.

These are some of the weaknesses. I've never really had a problem playing against the Tribe. Players tend to go hyper aggressive with them, which is good if it can be sustained, otherwise, it strings a lot of units out to be slaughtered.

EDIT: Also, ArtNJ (one of the top in the HA League) has finished, well, 90% on the Council, his guides for each Faction. The links are below. They're good good reading.

ArtNJ on RE Forums wrote:

Faction Guides:
Dark Elves: http://www.robotentertainment.com/fo... (done)
Council: http://www.robotentertainment.com/fo... (90% done)
Dwarves: http://www.robotentertainment.com/fo... (done)
Tribe: http://www.robotentertainment.com/fo... (done)

m0nk3yboy wrote:
shoptroll wrote:

I think the spike shield damage reflection is a % of the attacker's current HP or something. I swear I saw the damage on that go down as one of my units took damage.

I've just stopped stomping Tribe units when I get the opportunity. It's rarely worth the trouble.

What really irks me is that they get two super units and it is an incredibly annoying unit to deal with (right behind the NE Wraith) especially if they get one in the opening hand.

My first exposure to the Tribe as an opponent was a first hand that had BOTH of the Super Units in it. I think I was dead before I could figure out what was happening.

You always remember your first F the Tribe moment.

Thanks for the info Athros, awesome source.

Spiked shield is 1/3 of the damage dealt. So, on a Warrior, being dealt Physical damage, the reflected damage will be a lot less than on a Chieftain with no resistances.

On the Chieftain: 1100 Health at the max with a Spiked Shield, no resistances. A Gunner/Archer/Impaler will 3 shot one with a weapon, 4 shot without. Because people go super hyper aggressive with them (All the time. Seriously, it's an epidemic. My first couple of games, I did it too.), if you survive the initial onslaught, they usually have zero support, and are so far ahead of the crowd, Shamans have to come out of hiding to res him. When that happens. Rub your hands with glee and kack the Shaman. Usually, you'll be able to kack the Chieftain as well since the Shamans healing is so little.

As to both in the opening hand...that blows. I know how to deal with it has the Dwarves, but it requires the Tribe to go first (so you know they have it) and the DW to have a Paladin and an Engineer + a shield for the Paladin.