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     Moloch 

Moloch is a Skynet expy that was responsible for taking over the world’s nuclear arsenal and bringing down the human civilization. However, due to the lack of intellectual flexibility, it has lost the edge it held at the beginning of the war. Moloch uses a balanced mix of powerful and resilient melee, ranged, and purely defensive units, but sacrifices speed and initiative for it.

Their HQ provides bonuses to ranged combat damage.


Provides examples of:

  • A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Continuing the Skynet parallel, Moloch was originally a military defense computer. Then it rebelled.
  • Big Bad: The cause of the world being in its present state and the main antagonist.
  • Creative Sterility: For all its military might, Moloch lacks the ability to think flexibly, allowing humans to outsmart and adapt to its tactics. This is the main reason why its progress following the bombs has been so slow.
  • Death from Above: Moloch can call an Air Strike during a battle.
  • Faction Calculus: Out of the four default factions, Moloch takes the Powerhouse role. It's typical strategy revolves around digging it's HQ in a corner behind a defense grid, and using it's vast army with high firepower to take control over the board.
  • Incredibly Durable Enemies: Blockers. They don't even do anything other than sponge damage.
  • Magnetic Weapons: One of the Moloch's units is the Gauss Cannon, capable of One-Hit Polykill.
  • Mind Hive: Moloch is a collective entity that consists of numerous artificial brains.
  • Playing with Syringes: Moloch performed a number of experiments on captured humans, resulting in a wide range of mutants that eventually united under Borgo’s banner.
  • Mighty Glacier: Most Moloch units, especially the Juggernaut.
  • Organic Technology: Some Moloch units have distinctly organic-looking parts. The backstory mentions that Moloch performed experiments on humans, so it is possible that some units have organic components.

     The Outpost 

The Outpost is the last surviving members of the US Army and the scientific establishment fighting guerrilla warfare against Moloch. Heavily relying on ranged combat and mobility, they have a high number of “move” tiles, high initiative scores, and a very powerful HQ bonus, but their units are fragile and few in number, and they lack a unit that can net (disable) enemies.

Their HQ provides a second attack per battle.


Provides examples of:

  • A Lighter Shade of Grey: In a setting where even the “good” factions aren’t that cuddly, these guys come across as the only “heroic” faction. See Flat Character.
  • Flat Character: We know what they are and what they do but that is it. Despite being one of the most important factions, The Outpost gets the least amount of characterisation among the human factions.
  • Faction Calculus: Out of the four default factions, Outpost are the Cannons. Their main strategy relies on heavy use of movement to escape enemy attacks and position their forces for devastating opportunitistic strikes, made possible by their HQ ability to double the firepower of adjacent units.
  • Fragile Speedster: They have the highest number of move abilities, but they don’t have a single unit with more than one health point.
  • Glass Cannon: They can dish out a lot of hurt when they attack. But they don’t have a single unit with more than one health point. Especially applies to the Annihilators.
  • La Résistance: Fighting a guerilla war against Moloch.
  • One-Man Army: Outpost's Mobile Armor, a serious contender for the most powerful non-HQ unit in the entire game, including every expansion. It has two powerful attacks, and uses each of them twice per battle, starting at high initiative. While it's as fragile as every other Outpost unit, it's Mobility more then compensates for it. Apart from mowing down tons of enemy units, it can be used as a direct siege weapon against the enemy HQ, dealing 4+ damage to it just by itself.
  • The Remnant: Of the US military

     Borgo 

Following the nuclear war, Moloch experimented on captured humans, modifying them for improved combat abilities before releasing them to the wasteland. These mutants eventually united under the leadership of a mutant named Borgo and are seeking their own fortunes in the wasteland. Their army relies on fast, multi-directional melee attacks and powerful specialist units, but, outside of those very few specialists, it has no ranged attacks and limited ability to damage HQs.

Their HQ provides +1 initiative to all nearby units.


Provides examples of:

  • Cyborg: One of the factions that make most uses out of cybernetics.
  • The Dreaded: Borgo Net Fighters. While not the most generally powerful units in the game, they have an incredibly scary ability to disable their target with a net, leaving it immobile, useless and defenseless, while also dealing 3 damage to it at the later round of combat. They are not too hard to counterplay, but any strategy against Borgo must immediately prioritize defending the HQ against Borgo Net Fighters at all costs and acting with rational fear of them.
  • Egopolis: The faction is called Borgo, named after its leader Borgo.
  • Faction Calculus: Out of the four default factions, Borgo, despite being the most straightforward army, takes the Subversive role. They sacrifice ranged attacks and damage-dealing power for the ability to kill enemy units faster than they can react and for powerful specialists - Assassins and Borgo Net Fighters. Their default strategy relies on simultaneously surrounding enemy HQ with attackers, while also maintaining control over the board using their multi-directional units buffed by their HQ in the center.
  • Fragile Speedster: Their base initiative is some of the highest in the game and can become higher with the HQ bonus and plenty of +1 initiative modules. For Borgo, the best way to defend against an attack is to attack first.
  • The Gunslinger: The role of Borgo Assassins. Notably, they are the only two units with ranged attacks in the entire army.
  • Visionary Villain: Borgo (from whom the faction is named after) is implied to be this.
  • We Have Reserves: What few modules they have are limited to health, initiative and melee attack bonuses. Borgo compensates for it with plenty of foot soldiers to throw against the enemy.

     The Hegemony (Alt: “The Southern Hegemony") 

The Hegemony is a coalition of raider gangs who have managed to carve out a section of the Southern United States. The culture of the Hegemony favors strength and physical prowess and the gangs that make up the Hegemony are constantly fighting each other for dominance or raiding settlements outside their borders. Unsurprisingly, their army favors melee combat. Moreover, Hegemony's forces are proficient with the use of nets, have excellent support modules, and are generally versatile. Their downside, however, is the poor quality of their basic units.

Their HQ provides bonuses to melee combat damage.


Provides examples of:

  • Chainsaw Good: The Guard, one of their units, attacks with a chainsaw. This trope is practically invoked, since its attack has a unique sound effect.
  • Expy: In a broad sense, they are very similar to the gangs from the Mad Max movies.
  • Faction Calculus: Out of the four default factions, Hegemony takes the Balanced role. Their strategy often revolves around getting their base close to the opponent's and using their HQ bonus to make highly damaging melee attacks against the enemy HQ, but Hegemony can swith their tactics to be more defensive and controlling with nets or to be highly mobile with the Transport module.
  • The Federation: One of the rare examples of an evil Federation.
  • Gladiator Games: When they aren’t warring or pillaging, they hold gladiatorial matches. Sure enough, their top unit is actually called a Gladiator and its armor resembles that worn by Roman gladiators. It probably contributes to their mastery of net weapons.
  • Net Gun: Hegemony loves them. Hegemony Net Fighters use them, and Net Master wields an especially heavy variety. It should be noted that nets, of all things, are the most powerful 'default' type of attack in Neuroshima Hex, making it's target unable to attack, use abilities, or even move in any way. Throwing a net on an enemy HQ is often completely backbreaking.
  • Rape, Pillage, and Burn
  • Post-Apunkalyptic Armor: They aren’t the only faction with this but they indulge in it most obviously.
  • The Social Darwinist: Their code is pretty much this.
  • The Spartan Way: And they make a point of living by it.
  • Support Party Member: For a bunch of brutal gangers with constant infighting, they have a surprising advantage: amazing support units (AKA modules). Highlights include Transport, one of the best units in the game, giving Mobility to everything around it, the Boss, boosting damage AND initiative, and the Quartermaster, allowing units to swap melee and ranged attacks.
  • Sword and Gun: The weapons, and the combat role, of the Universal Soldier.
  • We ARE Struggling Together: In what might be a subversion, their constant internal warfare does not seem to impact their ability to form a coherent fighting force as a whole. As far as the Hegemony is concerned, it makes them better.
  • While Rome Burns: They don’t care much about fighting Moloch.

     New York 

New York survived the nukes and emerged as a powerful city-state, proclaiming itself the successor to the United States government. It is one of the few places in the United States where one can lead a safe, peaceful life. However, as a price of ensuring peace, New York has become a Police State. Naturally, most of their units are based on police and SWAT units. Their army is a collection of specialized, varied units balanced between ranged and melee, but has low initiative scores and mobility. It's tactics are surprisingly similiar to Moloch's, although New York trades heavy multi-directional firepower for more diverse abilities and direct HQ damage.

Their HQ provides an extra health point to any units nearby.


Provides examples of:

  • A Commander Is You: New York is a Unit Specialist faction with elements of The Turtle. It's units often have different special abilities, and it's HQ provides a powerful bonus, equally useful for a defensive strategy from a corner, and for a controlling strategy from the center. It's main weaknesses are low initiative and mobility. New York's typical strategy places roughly equal importance on defending, board control, and attacking, although starting from the center empathizes control, and from a corner - defense.
  • Badass Normal: Their rarer units might be military personnel equipped with advanced weapons, but their basic units are regular cops and militia brawlers who take on paramilitaries, robots, mutants and more.
  • Big Applesauce: New York has survived the nuclear war and is one of the safest and most prosperous places to live.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: New York's spy units can make use of modules and HQs belonging to rival players.
  • Cold Sniper: The Sharpshooters, able to shoot targets behind the obstructions of line of sight.
  • Jack of All Stats: New York has even coverage of melee and ranged attacks for both units and modules. It puts roughly equal priority on defense, offense, and board control. It has a single net unit and two top tier units - a Pusher with fair durability and good ability but lackluster attack power, and a Rocket Launcher with amazing, flexible ranged power but no defense. New York’s army is as universal as one can get.
  • Missile Lock-On: The Rocket Launcher, the rockets of which can even fly around the target or perform 180 degree turns.
  • Oppressive States of America: New York is the only political entity that has declared itself the successor to the pre-war government of United States.
  • Police State
  • Shield Bash: The Pusher's speciality.
  • Shotguns Are Just Better: Shotgun deals 3 damage at close range and 2 at medium, vastly overperforming compared to most other ranged weaponry.

     The Neojungle 

Emerging from the Southern United States, the Neojungle is a collection of mutated plants and organisms that are seemingly guided by a malign intelligence, slowly but gradually expanding across the land. Their army is exclusively melee and they have the lowest average initiative in the game. However, it is one of the only two factions with poison ability.

Their HQ has a unique ability called “Motherland” that spreads the benefits of all active modules across every unit connected to the HQ (including connected via a chain of units/modules).


Provides examples of:

     SMART 

SMART was once part of Moloch’s forces. However, following a battle with human forces, it lost connection to the greater Moloch network and retreated into the Neojungle. When it finally emerged, it was neither Moloch nor Neojungle but an entity that has elements of both. SMART is a faction based on heavy artillery and uses almost no melee combat, very weak in individual units, but able to easily assemble them into machines of death and direct their fire with the help of it's base ability.

Their HQ provides Mobility to any units around it.


Provides examples of:

  • A Commander Is You: SMART is the Technical/Ranger Faction. It's units, and even modules (support units), are generally weak and fragile, but it's power lies in powerful synergy between the modules, weapons, and the HQ ability. Unusually for an 'artillery' faction, it hates hiding the base in the corner - it wants to use the HQ as a cover for it's weapons and to utilize it's ability to the fullest extent. To capitalize on the former, it starts at the middle ring of the board and places it's main death machine directly behind it. To push the latter, it starts at the center and spins an entire web of units across the whole map.
  • A.I. Is a Crapshoot: SMART are machines that rebelled against other machines. SMART’s separation from the Moloch network and its journey into the Neojungle has caused it to disregard Moloch’s orders. What its current agenda is, no one knows.
  • Big Creepy-Crawlies: The Twister, SMART's top tier unit and it's only melee powerhouse. Good for crowd control and HQ damage.
  • Death Is a Slap on the Wrist: SMART’s Bio-droid is the only unit in the game that can be redrawn once killed.
  • Fragile Speedster: Fairly fragile units but they can move around a lot when near an HQ.
  • Magnetic Weapons: Faction description says SMART uses them extensively. Indeed, it's army contains a whopping three Gauss Cannons, with the same One-Hit Polykill ability as the Moloch's version, but trading off health for initiative.
  • Organic Technology: The bio-droids and, in fact, most of its technology.
  • Shrouded in Myth: Nobody knows what happened to SMART in the Neojungle or what its new directives or goals are.
    • Nothing Is Scarier: SMART is in posession of two Terror actions, presumably reflecting it's unknown nature (and repulsive appearance).
  • Support Party Member: SMART has a lot of modules, and they are all rather weak. However, with it's HQ ability, they are almost guaranteed to work well.
  • Utility Party Member: Transporters. They don't give you any attacks or bonuses... but they are very resilient, have Mobility, and can have other units deployed on top of them, giving you the ability to 'reserve' tiles for later.

     Vegas 

Like New York, Vegas survived the nuclear apocalypse, becoming one of the last centres of civilization where people can enjoy a high standard of living…provided they can afford it. Vegas’ does not have a strong army but its ability to modify machinery and manipulate people makes up for it.

Their HQ enables it to take over enemy units and they have numerous modules that replicate that effect.


Provides examples of:

  • The Cracker: Implied in the faction description where it is stated Vegas’ skill comes from its human manipulation and machine programming abilities. Presumably, they use crackers to take over machines to fight for them.
  • Crapsaccharine World: Life is good in Vegas…as long as you can pay for it.
  • Manipulative Bastard: One of their biggest strengths.
  • Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: And if you change sides for Vegas, it is more than happy to share.
  • Truce Zone: The faction description states that the city is a haven for villains who flock there for money-making opportunity. In game, this is reflected by the units of different factions who will happily fight together under Vegas’ banner (and payroll).
  • Wretched Hive

     Steel Police 

Steel police is wandering group of “law-and-order fanatics” clad in power armor and powered by physical and mental augmentations. The officers of the Steel Police move in to eliminate anything that their programming identifies as a threat or crime with extreme prejudice. Their army is balanced between melee and ranged, though slightly biased towards ranged combat due to the abundance of ranged-combat boosting modules.

Their HQ can disable an enemy unit or module at the cost of one health. An additional module allows for the ability to be used at no cost.


Provides examples of:

  • Bio-Augmentation
  • Brainwashed and Crazy: The faction description refers to Steel Police officers having a "programming" by which they judge threats and determine if law has been broken, which might suggest this trope being in action.
  • Cast from Hit Points: The ability to disable enemy units and the Executioner’s teleport attack cost the HQ one health point each. As mentioned above, the loss from the former can be mitigated with the right module.
  • Deflector Shields: Steel Police Judges are the only units in the game with a shield that has no upper damage limit and can deflect attacks back to the hex facing the shield.
  • Police Brutality: They just appear out of nowhere and respond to any crime with a “roar of explosions and gunfire”.
  • Police State: They don’t have a defined territory but anywhere they enforce seems to become this very quickly.
  • Powered Armor: Only faction that explicitly uses them.
  • Teleportation: Seems to be how they “appear out of nowhere”. In the game, this is reflected by the ability to swap one of their units can be swapped with another one from the deck. The description specifically refers to this as “Transporter”. In addition, their top unit, the Executioner, can do this to an enemy unit at the cost of one health from the HP.

     The Doomsday Machine 

The Doomsday Machine is an automated pre-war security system that guards secret bunkers across the wasteland, destroying any intruder it deems a threat. What it guards and to what end is not known. Their army is exclusively ranged and in addition to attack units, they have units that can redirect and spread the attacks of friendly units.

Their HQ allows for the rotation of a single units or module in the field per turn.


Provides examples of:

  • A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Averted. As far as anyone can tell, the Doomsday Machine is just an automaton following its original programming. But with a name like that, this is hardly a source of comfort.
  • Bullet Hell: The redirection drones take the attack of one of the attack robots and redirect and/or split the fire. With the smart use of these drones, attack robots (especially gauss cannons), positioning and support modules, it is possible to create a veritable Bullet Hell across the map that kills every other unit in a single combat round.
  • Cycle of Hurting: Through clever placement of drones and Gauss Cannons (and a bit of luck), Doomsday Machine players can effectively create an infinite firing loop that can take out even a full-health HQ in a single round of battle. Unsurprisingly, achieving this is very difficult but extremely satisfying.
  • One-Hit Polykill: The essence of their strategy is to use support drones to redirect and spread the attack of a single unit across the whole map to take out multiple units.
  • Shrouded in Myth: Its name implies its purpose but nothing else. Virtually nothing is known about its mission, parameters or why it is active.

     Sharrash 

Sharrash is a well organized community of hyper-intelligent rats and mutated humans that live under the ruined cities. Their sole interests lie with protecting their nests and destroying any intruders. Their army is generally weak and their strength comes from preventing enemy attacks or evading them.

Their HQ has the “underground” ability that allows it to swap locations with any module. With an additional module, the HQ’s ability to swap places can be extended to any unit.


Provides examples of:

  • Booby Trap: Their specialty. Their bombs go off before initiatives and it is a great way to prevent attacks.
  • "Get Back Here!" Boss: While other factions such as the Outpost may have plenty of mobility cards, Sharrash is the only faction whose HQ can move at will. Although the HQ is limited to swapping locations with an adjacent module, this ability can nevertheless make attacking it a very frustrating affair.
  • Mutants: A small number of mutated humans accompany them. For all intents and purposes, they are part of the “family”.
  • The Needs of the Many: Every single member of the swarm will gladly give themselves up if it means protecting their nests.
  • Poisoned Weapons: They don’t have net warriors to disable their targets. Instead, they have a unit that attacks its target with an added poison effect that prevents them from attacking that combat round (but they can still use other abilities).
  • Rodents of Unusual Size: They have normal sized rats in swarms, rats big enough to carry mortar guns and a rat that seems to be about the size of a bear.
  • Swarm of Rats: Their basic unit.
  • You Dirty Rat!: They live in sewers, use poison attacks and traps but their motives are probably the noblest ones in the game: They just want to protect their nests.

     Dancer 

Dancer is the result of a secret genetic experiment that was released when Moloch attacked the base they were held. It (they?) consists of a trio of beings, each with their own form of attacks and abilities. They can’t build units or bases but have the ability to move, swap places (“Dance”) and attack outside a combat round. They each have 10 health points, making their total HP 30 but if one of the dancers go down, they all do.

The individual dancers consist of Blue (Melee attacks and +1 Ranged Damage to the dancer receiving it), Red (Ranged attacks, +1 Melee Damage to the dancer receiving it) and Yellow (Single ranged attack, two disable effects, +1 initiative to connected dancers from two sides and the ability to heal itself or an adjacent dancer).

In addition to the “Dance”, Dancer is the only faction able to free itself from net (disable) and Vegas’ takeover abilities. They also have the ability to perform a combat or healing action without a combat round being declared.


Provides examples of:

  • Ascended Fanon: The Dancer originated as a unofficial expansion on BoardGameGeek. The developers liked it so much that they gave it an official release for both app and tabletop versions.
  • Blue-and-Orange Morality: They are explicitly referred to as being “mad” with no control on their instincts or powers.
  • "Get Back Here!" Boss: So you cornered one of the dancers with low health. It is only a matter of time before combat round happens and you can kill it, ending the trio. But wait, it’s their turn. And they dance. Suddenly the dancer with the low health is out of your reach and instead you have one with full health and higher initiative than your units. And then combat round happens. Enjoy watching the slaughter.
  • Shared Life-Meter: Each Dancer has ten health points and these are not shared. However, if one dies, all die.
  • The Trividual: Implied

     Mississippi 

The Mississippi region was heavily polluted by the Moloch factories in the area. The locals, a coalition of mutants and humans, gradually adapted to such harsh existence, incorporating the many toxins in the region into their guerrilla war against Moloch. Their armies favor ranged and melee evenly but are not suited for direct combat. Instead, their strength comes from the ability to apply poison to their enemies and hampering, disabling, blocking and redirecting enemy attacks.

Their HQ has the ability to push a nearby enemy unit back per turn.


Provides examples of:

  • Dual Wielding: Guards dual-wield their guns and Mutants dual wield their knives.
  • La Résistance: These guys are just a bunch of local resistance fighters.
  • Master Poisoner: Their speciality as a faction.
  • Mutants: Their melee units are Mutants, although their artwork does not show any obvious mutations.
  • Gas Mask Mooks: All their units wear gasmasks. Justified in that by 2050, Mississippi seems to be a poisonous Death World.
  • Poisoned Weapons: They have a module that can give any connected unit the ability to apply a damage-over-time poison on their targets. They have two units specialised to apply the same poison and another module that prevents its targets attacking similar to the Sharrash poison.
  • Post-Apunkalyptic Armor: Quite a few of them sport these.

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