Mechs vs. Minions (2016)

Overview
How to Play
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About the Game

Mechs vs Minions is a cooperative tabletop campaign for 2-4 players. Set in the world of Runeterra, players take on the roles of four intrepid Yordles: Corki, Tristana, Heimerdinger, and Ziggs, who must join forces and pilot their newly-crafted mechs against an army of marauding minions. With modular boards, programmatic command lines, and a story-driven campaign, each mission will be unique, putting your teamwork, programming, and piloting skills to the test.

There are ten missions in total, and each individual mission will take about 60-90 minutes. The box includes five game boards, four command lines (one for each player), four painted mech miniatures, ability and damage decks, a sand timer, a bomb-like-power source miniature, 6 metal trackers, 4 acrylic shards, 4 dice, and 100 minion miniatures. There also appears to be some large object trying to get out of that sealed box…

Mechs vs Minions board game | Source: merch.riotgames.com

How to Play Mechs vs Minions

On paper, Mechs vs Minions might come off as a complex game, but in reality, it’s just a fun but potentially chaotic game that gets tougher as you advance.

Your sole mission is to move the mechs strategically around the board, transport and drop off items, and, of course, overcome obstacles– all while surviving the wrath of unforgiving minions along the way.

And although MvM is a programming board game, you’ll be glad to learn its programming aspect is relatively light.

To embark on the campaign, you (and the other players) will draft command cards, placing them in a sequence on your ‘command line’ as your mechs execute all the actions a step at a time.

MVM’s command cards come in four main categories:

Fire
Electric
Computery
Metal

Each of these cards determines whether the mechs move, turn, or attack.

After completing a mission, you’ll receive a codename that guides you on which envelope to open next. Perhaps even more impressively, each envelope comes with schematic cards, character-specific cards that you can choose to prepare for the incoming mission.

Be warned, though, that you’ll also have to pick damage cards that add a much-needed sense of unpredictability to the game. And while your mech can get severely damaged, you’ll be glad to learn that player elimination isn’t part of the game. Instead, all players that start the game must either complete the mission or lose and restart as a team.

How to Play Mechs vs. Minions | Source: merch.riotgames.com

Mechs vs Minions Review

“…MvM’s progressive campaigns not only spice it up but also add a much-needed intrigue.

And while the game might come off as complex and unwelcoming for first-timers, things become a lot more interesting as the mechs get inevitably stronger as the game progresses.

If you don’t mind taking up an unpredictable, action-packed adventure in the League of Legends universe, then Mechs vs. Minions might just be your ideal programming board game!”

Shane Dayton, assortedmeeples.com

“Mechs vs Minions is everything a board game should be: a pleasure to look at and handle, mechanically gripping, easy to understand, thematically inviting and never frustrating or boring. Every element has clearly been made with care and results in a standout experience on the tabletop – regardless of your feelings or interest in League of Legends.”

tabletopgaming.co.uk

“Simply put, Mechs vs. Minions is a fantastic gaming experience and one of the best cooperative board games I’ve ever played. Everything looks great on the table and the guys over at Riot Games found a way to make a different type of programming that works extremely well as a co-op game. This is already my favorite programming board game and I’m looking forward to finishing the last couple of missions.”

Ronny Alexander, coopboardgames.com

The content of this article is originally from Board Game Geek and assortedmeeples.com. For more information and a better understanding of the game, you can watch the videos below.