By Fred Manzo
Escape from Hades
FAQ, Errata and Clarifications
Version 1.01 February 19th, 2020
Please feel free to ask any question you have concerning “Escape from Hades,” either in this articles comment section or on the “Escape from Hades” Boardgamegeek home page (linked below) from which the original questions and answers were obtained. I’ll try to answer each question as soon as possible.
I want to thank everyone who took the time to contribute to the creation of this page. – Fred
Section 2.1 – Mapsheets:
Q: Do people treat the numbered hexes (without a real border) as an actual hex or just an indicator of how the two sides are connected and the only real hexes have a solid white boundary? The rules seem to indicate they are “real” hexes, but the graphic design screams that they are just there to help you connect the solid outline hexes (which is how I chose to play). Ultimately, it probably doesn’t matter that much.
A: (Clarification): The numbered hexes are highlighted to show they are the same hex. A counter in one hex is also in the other. They are one location as that’s where the maps overlap when they wrap around the cylinder. Otherwise, they are just like any other hex.
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Section 4.0 – Combat Resolution:
Q: In my current game, Princess Emily was attacked and the combat result was +1 in favor of the bad guys. I looked through the rules but couldn’t see what anything specific so I’m assuming she was eliminated from the game and is a casualty?
A: (Clarification) Yes. She’s eliminated. Her counter has only an “Emily” side and a “Closed Hatch” side. So it’s a one-step counter. One hit would normally send her counter to its damaged side if she had one, but she doesn’t.
I’d base this on section 14.1 Scoring “- 1/2 VP if Emily is removed from play or left behind on Hades.” And section 4.0 Combat Resolution: “+1, the defender is depleted,” plus “when a fresh unit is depleted, it is flipped over to its depleted side,” and “when a Unit is Destroyed, it is removed from play. SHL losses are permanent (return the counter to the box)…”
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Section 5.6 – Nasty Surprise Step:
Q: If a Nasty Surprise card states to place certain units (i.e. Soldiers) on each Guard Tower, what should I do if I don’t have enough of those units left to place? Should I just pull a random unit for the remainder?
A: You place what you can of what’s specified, and fill in the rest as best you can.
Same thing if it’s during the Reinforcement Step and the cup is empty – you place what you can, as accurately as you can.
Section 5.6 – Nasty Surprise Step:
Q: Card NS-06 states: “One new Nastian Guard unit appears on each fully operational defensive complex on the Purgatory Level, expending 7MPs.” (emphasis mine)
I could find no reference to a defensive complex in the rules. What does that mean exactly? Is it any Complex that has any Surface Installation on it? Or does the word defensive limit it to weapons like the railgun?
A; Defensive Installations” are those that can not fire at the SHL Vittles. So any operational SI that is a Radar Dome, or a Troop or Flight Elevator that is not capable of offensive fire is, therefore, a “Defensive Installation” and sometimes release its extra troops.
If a fully operational Surface Installation is not capable of hitting the Vittles it gets to release reinforcements, under the theory that well-working “Defensive Installations,” such as a Flight Elevator (which has already done all it can for the Nastian cause) would have an incentive to release troops to the fight. The rule was included to provide players with an incentive to damage even those fully operational Surface installations that are incapable of firing on the Vittles.
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Section 5.6 – Nasty Surprise Step:
Q: Nasty Surprise card NS-10 says to ram a damaged fighter into the Vittles with a +4 hit rating. Can this still happen if the Vittles had previously moved out of the system? Is the kamikaze fighter willing to fly out of the system to hit the Vittles?
A: That is a very good question and one I never thought about before. But as I once heard Jim Dunnigan say “you may think your design is fine, but once 5,000 pairs of eyes look it over they’ll find problems you would have sworn weren’t there.”
So to answer your question I’d say “no. The fighter can’t effect an out-of-system SHL Vittles.” And I’d base it on section 7.2 “When the Vittles is ‘Out-System,’ it cannot be attacked but it also cannot itself attack…”
Section 6.1 – Entering Complexes:
Q: Are SHL units that are in complex hex on Purgatory map considered to occupy the destroyed S.I. when a Nasty Surprise card can upgrade the destroyed S.I. to fully operational? Or must the unit be on the Inferno map?
If the SHL unit must be on the Inferno map, would the SHL unit in complex hex on Purgatory map leave and re-enter the complex hex in order to destroy the S.I. again?
A: Cards such as NS-12 states “The highest numbered Destroyed SI not occupied by SHL-friendly forces is upgraded to fully operational status.”
To be clear we should have used the word “Complex” not the words “S.I.” Because if an SHL force was on the Purgatory level when the Nasty Surprise fixed the surface installation the SI would be immediately fixed, then immediately destroyed by its support room on Purgatory being enemy occupied. So the Nasty Surprise card would be self canceled. Therefore, the entire complex has to be free of any enemy forces for the Nasty Surprise to take effect.
Any SHL friendly unit on the Purgatory support hex automatically destroys its Surface Installation (it’s just shooting up a few computer terminals) so the hypothetical unit on the Purgatory deck wouldn’t have to leave and come back to destroy the Surface Installation.
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Section 6.1 – Entering Complexes:
Q: If a Nastian occupies the S.I. on Inferno, would the S.I. be destroyed if SHL unit enters complex on Purgatory? Or would the Nastian need to be defeated first before the S.I. is destroyed? I assume the S.I. is destroyed since the rules don’t make any mention otherwise.
A: Just entering the Complex’s Purgatory support hex destroys the SI. Fighting any Nastian on its Inferno deck is unnecessary for this destruction to happen. The reason it would work this way in this universe is that first, the support hex is full of unarmored parts of the SI machinery. Shooting up its targeting computer or pulling out some of its wiring is a minor undertaking in the general scheme of things and second, the Nastian combat unit on the surface is probably outside the dome. It would only be in the way if it was stuffed inside a working Railgun turret when an attack was underway. So its ability to react fast enough to stop forces on the other deck from ripping out wiring would be severely limited.
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Section 6.7 – HQ Request:
Q: If the HQ Request action is successful and 3 new units come in, can those units then immediately activate during the current SHL phase or are they considered ‘done’ and have to wait until the next turn to activate?
A: (Clarification): Moving units as reinforcements from the Vittles to the Hades is their one and only action for that turn. As for what is brought down that’s up to the Player. If you want it’s ok to bring in 3 HQs at once but that’s it for them for this turn.
That is, reinforcements are activated and are marked done when they arrive.
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Section 6.9 – Dante’s Lab:
Q: (Clarification): How does Dante occupy his Lab on the Vittles? Does he have to be evacuated back to the Vittles on one turn and then the following turn he can use the Lab?
A: Yes. In other words, say he’s on Hades, he has to be evacuated to the Vittles. Section 12.7 Dante’s Lab states “Professor Dante may occupy this module space if he is aboard the Vittles……(While aboard the Vittles, Dante can be activated to move to the Living Quarters and Bridge, which might be a good idea if the lab is on the chopping block.”
So Dante can easily get to his lab by evacuation from Hades directly there. But that’s it for this activation. He can then leave the lab by his next activation back to the Vittles Bridge. Once in the Bridge area he is again eligible to be sent back to Hades’ surface. If you read the evacuation/reinforcement section 6.7 carefully you’ll note that it doesn’t actually mention what status the units evacuating or reinforcing must be in, so you can move already activated units to or from the Vittles by activating an HQ and performing an evac/reinforcement action by the HQ. This is a great move late in the game (E.G., The last unit on Purgatory may race to the surface with one activation and an HQ on the surface who hasn’t yet activated can then activate and move them both to the safety of the Vittles bridge.)
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Section 7.2 – Parting Shots:
Q: May the Vittles skedaddle our of system if parting shots happen to eliminate the last warp engine? Or would the ship stay in-system?
A: It’s happening “simultaneous” with the movement, not before, so I would say it still warps out of the system. Of course, it will need to repair at least one warp drive to warp back in.
Section 10.6 – Flight Elevators
Q: Would a fighter be spawned in the case it was the fighter elevator? I presume it would, but just curious.
A; (Clarification): Yes, that was what I attempted to convey in the sentence: “The moment it first becomes fully-operational, the Flight Elevator adds its only fighter to the Combat Oribatal Patrol box.” Sorry if that was confusing
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Section 11.00 – Bridge Computer
Q: When the bridge computer is hacked via a science action (6.9), is one locked door opened as well as one trap disarmed and removed? Or would it be either/or instead of one of each?
A: (Clarification): It’s either. See sections 6.9 and 11.00 for details.
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Section 11.00 – The Circles of Hades
Q: What happens to the Loot if the pro-SHL unit carrying it is killed? Is the Loot destroyed and gone forever, or is it able to be picked up by any pro-SHL or Nastian unit that passes through the hex?
A Treasures, that is, the contents of the Loot Cellar and the Golden Idol, are never targeted or destroyed as they are valued by both sides. They may be carried by any SHL or Nastian force. If that force is attacked and eliminated the treasure is left unharmed in the targeted hex. If a treasure is recaptured it will be carried around by the counter that recaptured it freely. SHL captured treasures can also be freely carried and even teleported with their guardian unit to the Vittles. (They are lightweight). See rule 11.0 The Circles of Hades, under its Golden Idol Shrine and the Loot Cellar section.
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Section 12.6 – The Electric Warfare room:
Q: if the Electronic Warfare room is destroyed in the middle of the SI attack phase, do the newly repaired SIs get to also attack in that phase? What about if the fighters destroy it in the previous sub-phase?
A: The effect is immediate. As per section 12.6: “Immediately when the EW module is destroyed, the lowest-numbered damaged Railgun, Missile Battery, and Laser SI are repaired to fully operational status.” Now, that sentence should read “Immediately when the EW module is destroyed, the lowest-numbered damaged Railgun, Missile Battery, and Laser Surface Installations that are completely empty of all enemy units on either of their levels are repaired to fully operational status.” The SI only attack once per turn, unless a Random Event is involved, so they attack in the same phase as the fighters do. So if a fighter destroys the EW module some SI may immediately come on line and fire later in the same phase. See section 5.0 the Nastian Phase, Orbital Combat Step.
Game Resources:
“Escape from Hades” BGG page
“Escape from Hades” Home page
