2010 BGG rank #11467

Forlorn: Hope

1–2 players 40 min Ages 13+ 2.1/5 complexity 5.6/10 rating

About this game

Forlorn is a game of tactical combat between a squad of human Space Marines and a nearly unlimited horde of vicious alien Xenos aboard the claustrophobic space station, Hope. The Marine player utilizes a limited number of Action Points to command the Forlorn Squad, hoping that luck and a timely rush of adrenaline will help them to complete their desparate mission with at least a few survivors. The Xeno player has no such worries, as the single-minded horde relentlessly presses in from all sides, fearlessly confronting the human's advantage in firepower, proving that quantity has a quality all its own. This low-complexity, quick-playing game includes two shipboard maps and rules for two-player and solitaire play. Tight, tense, and gripping gameplay will have players making whatever sacrifice is called for in this ultimate battle for survival aboard a contested space station. Can you lead Forlorn Squad on the missions necessary for humanity to survive? Or will the Xenos prove too numerous to stop their relentless destruction? Play Forlorn: Hope and find out.

What it feels like

Grid Movement Action Points Science Fiction Fighting Wargame

Game intelligence

Learn the game

80% knowledge coverage

Setup

1. Set up the map and Marine units according to the chosen Operation's instructions. 2. For Operation #3: do NOT set up Xenos adjacent to each other at start. 3. Remove the following 5 Xeno Mutation Cards from the deck: GOOEY, CORROSIVE VAPORS, LIGHTNING REFLEXES, PSYCHIC, CRAFTY. These are not used in solitaire play. 4. Shuffle the remaining Mutation Card deck. Draw 4 cards for Solo Op #1, or 5 cards for Solo Op #2. For standard Operations, draw the number specified by that Operation. 5. Do NOT look at the drawn cards — they are hidden until played. Place them face-down near the map as the XENO DECK. 6. Place corpse counters, spawn vents, and any other Operation-specific tokens per the Operation's rules. 7. Each Xeno spawns on a random access vent. Avoid stacking Xenos on vents if free, unblocked vents are still available.

Turn flow

Each game turn consists of a Marine Phase and a Xeno Phase. XENO PHASE: 1. At the start of the Xeno Phase, roll a die to potentially draw a Xeno Mutation Card (4–6 = draw the top card of the Xeno Deck face-up; 1–3 = no card drawn). Skip this roll if there are no Xeno units currently on the map. If the number of turns REMAINING equals the number of cards left in the Xeno Deck, automatically draw one card per turn without rolling. 2. Activate each Xeno unit according to the Xeno Movement rules. 3. At the END of the Xeno Phase, roll for Corpse Bursting (one die per eligible corpse counter out of LOS of any Marine). 4. Resolve any lingering Mutation Card effects that trigger at end of Xeno Phase (e.g., Explosive, Razor, Blood, Bounding). MARINE PHASE: Players activate their Marine units, taking actions such as moving, shooting, opening doors, and performing other Operation-specific actions per the base game rules.

Scoring and victory

The winner is determined by completing the Operation's objective. The Marine player wins by achieving the mission goal; the Xenos win if they prevent the Marines from succeeding (e.g., by overwhelming them or preventing objective completion before the turn counter runs out). Scoring sources: Operation objective completion, Marine survival

Source: Rulebook

Rules to know

The most useful rules for getting a first game right.

Movement

Xenos always move toward the closest Marine when activated.

When a Xeno is activated, it moves toward the closest Marine unit on the map. This is the default movement behavior for all Xeno types unless a specific rule or card effect overrides it.

Movement

If a Xeno cannot reach an adjacent space to the closest Marine due to blocking Xenos, roll a die to determine alternate movement.

When a Xeno is activated and cannot get adjacent to the closest Marine because all adjacent spaces it could reach are occupied by other Xenos, roll a die. On a 4–6: if the Xeno can get adjacent to the SECOND closest Marine, it moves there instead. On a 1–3 (or if it also cannot reach the second closest Marine): the Xeno moves toward the closest Marine as usual, even if it cannot become adjacent.

Special

Xeno Rush spawns a random Warrior or Blaster; roll a die to determine type (4–6 = Blaster, 1–3 = Warrior).

The Xeno Rush rule is active in solitaire play. When a Xeno Rush spawn is triggered in the upcoming Spawn Phase, roll a die: 1–3 = spawn a Warrior; 4–6 = spawn a Blaster. If only one Xeno type is available, skip the die roll and simply spawn the available type.

Special

A Xeno Drone/Hatchling that cannot reach a Marine may move into a corpse counter out of LOS and convert into a Warrior or Blaster.

When a Xeno Drone or Hatchling is activated and cannot get adjacent to any Marine this activation, but CAN move into a square containing a corpse counter that is OUT OF LINE OF SIGHT (LOS) of all Marine units, the Xeno will move into that square and convert. Roll a die: 1–3 = convert to Warrior; 4–6 = convert to Blaster. If only one type is available, skip the roll and use the available type. The newly converted Xeno cannot be activated during the current turn.

Special

At the end of each Xeno Phase, roll for each corpse counter out of LOS of Marines; on 4–6 it hatches into a Xeno Hatchling.

At the END of each Xeno Phase, roll one die for EACH corpse counter that is currently OUT OF LINE OF SIGHT (LOS) of all Marine units. On a 4–6: replace the corpse counter with a Xeno Hatchling. On a 1–3: nothing happens. The newly hatched Xeno cannot be activated during the current turn. Exception: If only TWO turns remain in the game, do not roll — all corpse counters are automatically replaced with Hatchlings, regardless of LOS to Marines.

Special

When only 2 turns remain, all corpse counters become Hatchlings automatically, ignoring LOS.

When there are only TWO turns remaining in the game (the turn counter is on the second-to-last position), the normal Corpse Bursting die roll is skipped entirely. All corpse counters on the map are replaced with Xeno Hatchlings, regardless of whether they are in or out of LOS of any Marine unit. These newly hatched Xenos cannot be activated this turn.

Setup

Each newly spawned Xeno spawns on a random access vent; avoid stacking if free vents are available.

When any Xeno unit is spawned (through normal spawning, Xeno Rush, or card effects), it is placed on a randomly determined access vent. If free, unblocked vents are still available, stacking multiple Xenos on the same vent should be avoided.

Restriction

Newly spawned, hatched, or converted Xenos cannot be activated during the same turn they arrive.

Any Xeno that enters play during the current turn — whether through spawning at a vent, hatching from a corpse counter (Corpse Bursting), or converting from a Drone/Hatchling via Corpse Eating — cannot be activated for the remainder of that same turn.

Common questions and edge cases

A Xeno is blocked from reaching the closest Marine and I roll a 4–6, but it also cannot get adjacent to the second closest Marine. What happens?

The Xeno moves toward the closest Marine as usual, even though it cannot become adjacent. The roll only redirects the Xeno to the second closest Marine if it can actually reach adjacency with them.

A corpse counter is in LOS of a Marine. Does it roll for Corpse Bursting at end of Xeno Phase?

No. Only corpse counters that are OUT OF LOS of ALL Marine units roll for Corpse Bursting. Corpse counters visible to any Marine are safe from bursting.

A Xeno Drone moves into a corpse counter square during its activation. Does the corpse counter also roll for bursting at end of phase?

No. Once a Drone eats a corpse counter (Corpse Eating), the counter is consumed and replaced by the converted Xeno. There is no remaining corpse counter to roll for at end of phase.

A corpse counter bursts into a Hatchling at the end of the Xeno Phase. Can I activate it immediately?

No. Any Xeno that hatches from a corpse counter during the current turn cannot be activated until the next turn.

There are 3 turns remaining and 3 cards in the Xeno Deck. Do I still roll a die to draw a card?

No. When the number of turns remaining equals the number of cards in the Xeno Deck, the die roll is skipped entirely. One card is automatically drawn and played at the start of each Xeno Phase from this point forward.

There are no Xeno units on the map at the start of the Xeno Phase. Do I roll to draw a Mutation Card?

No. The die roll for drawing a Mutation Card is skipped entirely if there are no Xeno units on the map at the start of the Xeno Phase.

Can multiple Mutation Cards be in effect at the same time?

Yes. Any number of Mutation Cards can be simultaneously in effect. Each waits for its own first opportunity to trigger, independently of the others.

In Operation #1, I roll 2d3+1 and get a total of 3 Drones. What happens?

3 is the minimum result of 2d3+1 (rolling 1+1+1). Per the special rule for Op #1, if only 3 Drones spawn, an additional Warrior is also spawned on a random vent that same phase.

During Operation #3, a random spawn roll points to vent 6. What happens?

Spawning on vent 6 is not allowed in Operation #3. Re-roll or select a different vent for this spawn.

There are exactly 2 turns remaining. Do I roll for Corpse Bursting as normal?

No. With only 2 turns remaining, all corpse counters on the map — regardless of LOS to Marines — are automatically replaced with Xeno Hatchlings. No die roll is made. These newly hatched Xenos cannot be activated this turn.

The EXPLOSIVE card is in effect, but at the end of the Xeno Phase no Xeno has a Marine adjacent. What happens?

The card stays in effect and carries over to the next turn. It will trigger and be discarded at the end of the first Xeno Phase in which at least one Xeno has a Marine adjacent.

The VORPAL card is in effect but all Xeno attacks this turn hit. Does it get discarded?

No. VORPAL is only used and discarded when a Xeno melee attack misses. If no miss occurs this turn, the card stays in effect and waits for the next Xeno melee miss.