My faithful readers know that I make goals and objectives for each year. I typically try to stay close to what those goals say as I navigate all the twists and turns that happen over the year. They are guidelines to help keep me "On Track" because a lot of new, shiny stuff comes out that can derail me from what I am trying to do.
If you squint and look sideways, you can see that picking up the new G.I. Joe: Rumble at the Rift boxed set for Heroscape was on my Goal list. Honest! Right there it says that I will be picking up a new wargame! Heroscape is a wargame..... maybe.... I guess we are going to find out!
This is a recent colab from Avalon Hill (Hasbro) and Renegade Studios. This was not even on my radar when 2026 started and I was watching Gundam: Assemble and Wizards of Morcar in this category more than anything else. However, I foolishly watched a review by Ash on Guerilla Miniature Games and.... well..... I ended up buying way too much G.I. Joe.
I justified it because:
1. It is small game that I can play in a small space. Right? Right? I am not sure.
2. I can use it to draw in future wargamers with a simple Dudes on a Board style game
3. I love G.I. Joe and I have wanted some minis to paint that could fit into my collection for a long time
4. I can use them in Model-vs-Model skirmish games, maybe even some I am making!
5. I have the RPG! I can use them for that! Right! Right!
Ultimately, the truth is that I was weak and I caved when I saw some of my old favorites available to purchase and go pew-pew with! The nostalgia was strong. I know nothing about Heroscape except that it is a kinda wargame/board game hybrid that is NOT Heroquest.
Are you ready to fight for freedom wherever there is trouble? Do you know and that's half the battle? Can the world oppose the deadliest of foes? Let's find out.....
Things I Liked
First off, you can get this game one of two ways. You can pay to get it in regular unpainted plastic OR you can pay a bit more for factory pre-paints. The exception is Serpentor (which I got for free because I ordered too much stuff) who is only pre-painted. Generally, Heroscape is always pre-painted. You can see a sample of the Pre-paint up above and..... it's not bad. It is three colors and a base. Everything seems to go where it is supposed to go. I think I could paint it better with some washes and some highlighting BUT if I was a noob painter I probably could not. Therefore, it could be good for non-painters to get started. However, I am glad I got the unpainted version so I can do it myself for the rest.
As far as I can tell, this is the full rules for Heroscape in this box. This is not an abridged or shortened version. The game also comes with a few scenarios to represent the Rumble at the Rift.
The interlocking hex maps are pretty cool, and I could see them being useful for other games IF you get enough of them together. The rules also use height changes to slow characters as they move, and you do get some minor bonus for attacking from higher ground.
The advanced game has an "Opportunity" attack mechanic. When you leave a square adjacent to an enemy, they can attack you. This means you can come and go in melee, but there is a cost to trying to leave before the foe is finished. The idea of being "adjacent" to an enemy comes into play a lot in the rules.
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| Trouble Bubble Sighted! |
Things I Do Not Like
Proprietary dice. Boo! They are similar but not exactly like Heroquest dice. How do I replace these when they get worn or I lose them? They have three skulls, two shields, and a blank face. There is also a standard d20. Skulls for attacks and shields for defense.
The movement rates of the characters maybe too large for the size of board they provide. For example, the board lay-out for Mission 2 is 14 hexes across, but Scarlet can move 6 per turn! That means she can cover the whole board provided in two turns. However, I also get the impression that you are suppose to use other Heroscape sets to make a bigger board overall. Some players also move farther than their range! Of course, changing heights can slow you down too.
This game uses a hex based map with levels, but then uses True Line-of-Sight for targeting? You do gain a +1 attack dice if you are attacking from the high ground. I look forward to the Revenge of the Sith version of Heroscape!
Despite my joking they do say that LOS is drawn from behind the model's head, therefore creating a subtle combat arc. No measuring angles here, nice. In addition, each unit has a "hit zone" that you have to be able to see to target. Sadly, this zone is pretty much any part of the model that is not gear.... i.e. hands, feet, etc. Therefore, you can target Duke's hand as he is pointing. Instead, they should probably just have highighted their torsos. That said, the base sizes may limit this.
Meh and Other Uncertainties
The advanced rules add a lot of detail beyond the basics! For example, they specify where you draw LOS from, how many stacks tall they are for hiding, order markers, special rules per models, squads, wounds, points, etc. It is practically an entirely different game than the basic one. The entire rulebook is 9 pages (4 Basic and 5 Master), but it packs a surprising amount into that space.
Each model has a star-shaped card that covers everything you need to play the model. It is even used in game by placing the activation token on the cards to dictate the activation in the game. It is theoretically possible to have more cards in a force than activation markers, this would force you to prioritize who is doing what... in theory. In practice, your best units would probably hog those, but I can see situations where you would have to decide who and what order. Choices, choices, choices.
There are special items called Glyphs that you can place on the board. These are essentially "power-ups" that models can collect. There are also two walls that are specified to be Height 7, so units with a height below that can use them to block LOS, bigger can not. All GI Joes are smaller than 7.
Each model gets special rules that they can use to affect the game play. For Example, Cobra Commander can move freely up to two spaces away from an opponent that injures him and does not kill him. All the units seem to have some sort of "special" gotcha rule.
These nuances, special rules on each figure, and points system means that you could probably spend a decent amount of time and ink talking about combinations and "gameplay" tactics for such a simple game. That alone could make this a very long-lived game. Players can debate which units work best together, if something needs a nerf or is broken, and all the other chit-chat that games like D&D, Warhammer, and Battletech use to keep people engaged even if they are not playing.
Final Thoughts
The game easily covers the 4Ms in basic ways. Movement has some detail with adjacent squares and elevation changes. Melee and Missile is treated exactly the same, but has some nuance due to being able to move away freely, obstruction, and wounds to avoid instant death. Morale is very basic with either being active or destroyed. However, units with higher wounds can "stay" in a fight longer.
In the advanced game, they add nuance with very few words. These nuances add a surprising amount of subtlety to a relatively simple and straightforward game. Things like activation order, LOS vs Target Zone rules, Adjacent rules are all good ways to force meaningful choices in an organic and simple way. These rules are an exercise in KISS and all the "rules" come on the units you buy.
Tournament ready? No. Good enough for mutual friends tossing dice? Yes. Siblings who always compete against each other to be the best? Probably not.
I think I learned a lot as a designer from reading these rules. I came into this review expecting to laugh the rules part of the game off but found myself impressed with the had managed to pull off in just a few pages.
Until next time!
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