{"id":9108,"date":"2021-08-24T08:55:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-24T12:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/?p=9108"},"modified":"2021-08-23T20:56:12","modified_gmt":"2021-08-24T00:56:12","slug":"terror-below","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/2021\/08\/24\/terror-below\/","title":{"rendered":"Terror Below."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The post-apocalyptic game <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3B77ozK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Terror Below<\/a> came out in 2019, from Renegade Game Studios and designer Mike Elliott (Thunderstone Quest), and asks players to fight giant worms that are living below the planet&#8217;s surface, occasionally poking their giant, disgusting heads up to lay eggs and spread rubble across the board. If you like the way co-operative games like Pandemic or the Forbidden series make the board harder to play as the game progresses, but want to try that in a competitive game, Terror Below might be your cup of tea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The board is a 6&#215;6 grid that has five location tiles scattered on it and, at the start of the game, has at least four worm eggs, one in each color, and some rubble strewn across it. Players can move their pawns by playing vehicle cards, with action point values from 2 to 7, to one of the three worm cards currently on the board. You may use action points to move one space, clear one piece of rubble from an adjacent space, pick up all the eggs in a space (which ends your turn immediately), or deliver an egg to a location. Those egg deliveries can earn you bounties, of which there are always four public ones at the top of the board, for victory points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Between each player&#8217;s turn, you check to see if any of the worms on the board have enough vehicle cards played to their spaces to meet the number on the card&#8217;s lower left, which would then trigger a worm attack. Each worm is tied to a target token, numbered 1, 2, and 3, that starts in a space indicated on the worm card but may move as players play vehicle cards or use other powers. When a worm attacks, you put an egg where its target token was, then spread rubble tokens in a defined pattern around that target token, with a maximum of two rubble tokens per space. (Players can&#8217;t move into a space with rubble on it unless they have a card that specifically allows them to do so.) Then you discard that worm card and draw a new one, placing that target token at the new card&#8217;s coordinates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your pawn gets caught in a worm attack, because rubble or an egg lands on the space where it is, you must defend yourself or die \u2013 although you can die three times, so it&#8217;s not that serious. You start the game with one weapon card and one item card, and you can gain new ones every time you collect three rubble tokens. Weapons are more valuable, since you need them to fight off worm attacks. If you can use your weapons to do enough damage to match the number in a heart on the worm card, you defeat it, and get either a matching bounty card or 1 victory point. Items do have their uses as well, but I would rather be caught without an item than without a weapon in this game. (Hats, permanent item cards that give you one small but useful additional power, are the exception. They&#8217;re valuable.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each player also gets three Leader cards, and uses one at a time to gain some small extra power \u2013 but they&#8217;re especially for tracking how often you die in a worm attack. If your Leader is killed, you flip it over and use the next one instead. If all three of your Leaders are killed, and you don&#8217;t deliver any eggs to the Hospital to get to resuscitate one of them, you are out of the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CS3KtszAoVr\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CS3KtszAoVr\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\"> View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CS3KtszAoVr\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Keith Law (@mrkeithlaw)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>Play continues until one player has at least 20 victory points from bounty cards (worth 3-4), other worm kills (1 point each), and various other bonuses available throughout the game.&nbsp; Terror Below also has a solo mode that asks you to complete an objective (deliver eggs to 4 of the 5 location tiles, defeat at least 3 different worm types) before 15 worm attacks are resolved, while also increasing those attacks&#8217; frequency. There&#8217;s a guaranteed attack every turn in solo mode, and on some turns you&#8217;ll have two attacks, as you add one extra vehicle card at random to one of the three worm cards on the board after each turn you take, so if any worm card hits its limit, it attacks too. There are three scenarios, but they&#8217;re each replayable, and two of them present a sufficient challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The strength of Terror Below is the way it takes the Pandemic mechanic of raising the threat level \u2013 here, you&#8217;re spreading rubble, making more of the board impassable until someone clears it \u2013 and puts it into a competitive game. Where it loses me is the vehicle cards, which give too wide a range of action points for each turn, and the rule that says your turn ends when you pick up any egg, which I can understand (it forces you to think about efficient routes) but which ultimately plays as a nuisance. It&#8217;s a solid game, with a good theme, probably one that deserves a wider audience than it received, but I&#8217;m not sure it&#8217;ll stay in my collection for the long term.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The post-apocalyptic game Terror Below came out in 2019, from Renegade Game Studios and designer Mike Elliott (Thunderstone Quest), and asks players to fight giant worms that are living below the planet&#8217;s surface, occasionally poking their giant, disgusting heads up to lay eggs and spread rubble across the board. If you like the way co-operative [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9108"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9108\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9109,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9108\/revisions\/9109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}