Which is the most fun/balanced way to play the scenarios of LNOE?

[jcgonzmo]

I bought LNOE + Growing Hunger to play with my girlfriend. We love the feel of the game, but we feel the game is unbalanced. For example:
1) Defend the manor - She rapes me with the zombies
2) Defend the Townsfolk - I run aroung collecting Townsfolk and she does not kill even one of my heroes. All in heroes favor.
3) Burn it to the ground - I got my first gas tank when 6 turns were left and my second tank when 4 turns were left. Never even had a chance. I cant control how search items appear.
4) Escape in the truck - The only one we felt it was balanced and fun. This game was awesome. Drama until the last turn!
5) Die Zombie Die - Dull
6) Zombie Apocalypse - The same as defend the manor.

I have not play the Web Scenarios or Plague Carriers yet. However, I feel I need some input. Are this scenarios always like this, or can I add a tweak to make them more fun? The search scenarios seems boring. They seem like 50/50 scenarios, if the cards appear you win, if not you lose. Defend the Manor and Zombie Apocalypse seem like a zombie rape fest. Do you guys have any advice? Maybe using certain board sets for search scenarios, or special rules?

MOD EDIT: Shortened subject to replies work.

[mqstout]

Defend the Manor House I have found to be THE most balanced scenario; the closest to 50/50 win of any of them, and never decided until the last turn.

[jcgonzmo]

(08-16-2013 05:13 PM)mqstout Wrote:  Defend the Manor House I have found to be THE most balanced scenario; the closest to 50/50 win of any of them, and never decided until the last turn.

Should I play them with the Growing Hunger tiles and cards, or only with the base set?
I play with everything mixed together (except Survival of the Fittest cards; I only use those when the scenario calls for it.)

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(08-16-2013 05:14 PM)jcgonzmo Wrote:  

(08-16-2013 05:13 PM)mqstout Wrote:  Defend the Manor House I have found to be THE most balanced scenario; the closest to 50/50 win of any of them, and never decided until the last turn.

Should I play them with the Growing Hunger tiles and cards, or only with the base set?
I play with everything mixed together (except Survival of the Fittest cards; I only use those when the scenario calls for it.)

How do you select the tiles?

[fitzgrimm]

I own every thing for LNOE and I use everything mixed together and find that it is still balanced. What I found was that at first on some scenarios one side just stomps the other at first but after playing a few times you develop strategies for each side that help and slowly the wins become 50/50.

[mqstout]

Randomly selected, according to the rules.

[LabRat]

(08-16-2013 04:59 PM)jcgonzmo Wrote:  I bought LNOE + Growing Hunger to play with my girlfriend. We love the feel of the game, but we feel the game is unbalanced. For example:
1) Defend the manor - She rapes me with the zombies
2) Defend the Townsfolk - I run aroung collecting Townsfolk and she does not kill even one of my heroes. All in heroes favor.
3) Burn it to the ground - I got my first gas tank when 6 turns were left and my second tank when 4 turns were left. Never even had a chance. I cant control how search items appear.
4) Escape in the truck - The only one we felt it was balanced and fun. This game was awesome. Drama until the last turn!
5) Die Zombie Die - Dull
6) Zombie Apocalypse - The same as defend the manor.

I have not play the Web Scenarios or Plague Carriers yet. However, I feel I need some input. Are this scenarios always like this, or can I add a tweak to make them more fun? The search scenarios seems boring. They seem like 50/50 scenarios, if the cards appear you win, if not you lose. Defend the Manor and Zombie Apocalypse seem like a zombie rape fest. Do you guys have any advice? Maybe using certain board sets for search scenarios, or special rules?

In general, using the Growing Hunger dot rules helps with the balance, but needs to be playtested. Personally, I haven't tried tweaking the scenarios, I like the extra challenge of playing the 'weaker' side.

Specifically:

1) Defend the manor
Have you tried Hero Starting Cards? Or Free Search?

2) Defend the Townsfolk
I'm thinking Grave Dead, or Zombies Autospawn here.

3) Burn it to the ground - I got my first gas tank when 6 turns were left and my second tank when 4 turns were left. Never even had a chance. I cant control how search items appear.
Have you tried playing this more than once? There are enough Just What I Needed cards to help with the search items. It's all about Searching as much as you can. Try using the other options to thin out the Hero Deck, like Jake Cartwright's ability, Flashlights, Keys, the Supermarket. Avoid Pickups unless you absolutely need it.

5) Die Zombie Die - Dull
Yes, this is dull.

6) Zombie Apocalypse
Same, try Hero Starting Cards or Free Search Markers.

[ForestRunner]

It can be daunting for new players. As already suggested, I'd hang in there and things will develop. Mistakes will occur - both strategically and with the rules - that's inevitable and all part of the learning process.

I love the different scenario objectives, be it search and/or destroy and/or escape. The different "balances" I also find critical - if all scenarios were a 50/50 chance to win, it would get boring after a while. For me, the mix of scenarios forms the beauty of this game... and of course the replayability factor is only limited by imagination. That said, I'm also a wargamer, so asymmetrical objectives and playing style is something I'm used to and in fact thrive on with my gaming.

FYI - Die Zombies Die on it's own may be "dull", but it is intended as the introductory scenario to get players on their way with game mechanics - so to that end, mission accomplished. With availability of what is in expansions and other optional rules, the playing style of this scenario can be altered and spiced up quite dramatically.

[yokoz]

I bought LNOE + Growing Hunger to play with my girlfriend. We love the feel of the game, but we feel the game is unbalanced. For example:
1) Defend the manor - She rapes me with the zombies
2) Defend the Townsfolk - I run aroung collecting Townsfolk and she does not kill even one of my heroes. All in heroes favor.
3) Burn it to the ground - I got my first gas tank when 6 turns were left and my second tank when 4 turns were left. Never even had a chance. I cant control how search items appear.
4) Escape in the truck - The only one we felt it was balanced and fun. This game was awesome. Drama until the last turn!
5) Die Zombie Die - Dull
6) Zombie Apocalypse - The same as defend the manor.

You can always use the dots system to balance the unbalanced scenarios. "Die, Zombies! Die!" is just dull i can't agree more. Reduce the time limit to make it more of a challenge for heroes. Too much time to kill 15 zombies. Or if you lay your hands on "Survival of the fittest" include Zombies with grave weapons for it to balance it out. Just some suggestions.

[Spidey NZ]

You can add variations, to help with balance spikes. I like to use exploration tokens, even going as far as putting one in the middle of the cornfield or right on the morgue spawning pit, if anyone is daring enough to go in there. you can always add a starting card to heroes. I Have timber peak, growing hunger and all the supplement cards. i have even started balancing the decks, by subbing out cards that are not working well.

I have found the game types most of my gamers enjoy are.

Plague Carriers
Escape in the truck
Burn it to the ground
Radio for help (timber peak) or can play the variation 'We have to go back.'

[Achtung Panzer]

(09-11-2013 10:29 PM)Spidey NZ Wrote:  I have found the game types most of my gamers enjoy are.

Plague Carriers
Escape in the truck
Burn it to the ground
Radio for help (timber peak) or can play the variation 'We have to go back.'

Good list ;-)

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(09-11-2013 10:29 PM)Spidey NZ Wrote:  I like to use exploration tokens, even going as far as putting one in... the morgue spawning pit, if anyone is daring enough to go in there.

I like that idea alot!