11 Things to Know Before Jumping Into Hex Gambit PvP
Hex Gambit: Respawned offers players quirky and competitive turn-based tactics in both solo and competitive modes. Perhaps you’re the type that would rather skip the campaign and jump head first into online battles? Well, luckily for you, Captains and maps will unlock just as quickly playing online as they do in single player! Before you bounce into battle, here’s a few pointers to get you up to speed.
Nothing Is Out Of Reach
Hex Gambit features a movement mechanic called crowdsurfing, allowing minions to hop over each other as they cross the board. That means ‘safety’ is hard to come by, and crowds of minions become shortcuts. If there’s a space you need to reach, there’s probably a way to get there in a single turn. Whether it’s worth the cost… that’s up to you.
You Can Undo!
Each player can use three undos per turn. So if something doesn’t work out like you expected, hit X on your controller (Left Shift on PC) and try it again!
Respect the Pillar Tap
Remember that Hex Gambit is a battle SPORT. Dealing damage doesn’t win battles, Victory Points do, and there are two ways to earn them. Defeating an enemy will net you 1 VP, but you’ll gain them more efficiently by getting any minion next to an enemy pillar and using the last move in their arsenal: Pillar Tap.
It costs one Action Point to Pillar Tap and gain a VP. Clearing an enemy, on the other hand, will cost you two Action Points or more.
Tappin’ Tactics
Parking your minion next to an enemy pillar creates a problem your opponent can’t ignore. The best pillar pushes will come from healthier or Inspired units, which will take a few turns for your opponent to remove. Don’t send a unit that will be wiped out for 1 AP, unless they’re meant as a crafty distraction. And take care that YOU don’t ignore a minion parked at your own pillar for too long. Every turn they linger adds up…
Check Your Enemies
Some attacks can be used every turn, and some have cooldowns. The ones with cooldowns are the most dangerous, but they have to charge before they can be used.
Select an enemy unit to see which of its moves are cooling down. Check their action icons for the lightning bolt ‘charging’ symbol and a number - that number ticks over at the end of their turns, so if it says 1 you’re safe for now.
Take Those Toggle Spaces
Some maps have gray Toggle Spaces, which either team can control by simply stepping over them. These grant a variety of useful bonuses, from team heals to free laser attacks. Aside from the pillar-moving variety, these bonuses only trigger if you control the toggler at the start of your turn.
Remember, you don’t need to stay standing on togglers to maintain control! You can walk across them, Dash across them, even Swat minions across them. Just don’t leave them in enemy hands for too long, because their advantages add up over time.
Action Economics
Many of the moves in Hex Gambit can be ‘used’ or ‘used well’. For example: the Soldier’s Stab hits outward across two spaces, so it can be used to strike one target at a distance, or hit two targets lined up. Look for opportunities to maximize the damage for each AP you spend, and try to deny your opponent those opportunities.
Don’t Forget Your Freebies
There are a handful of moves in Hex Gambit that you can use for ZERO Action Points, and they’re easy to forget. The Runner’s Scratch is a free move that deals 1 HP damage, which is occasionally enough to finish an enemy off. The Defender’s freebie is Blockade, which creates an indestructible barrier to block things like crowdsurfs and Soldier’s Stabs. Last is the Pacifist’s Pacify, which prevents a target from taking any actions for a turn.
Swat Yourself
A lot of new players think it’s weird that they can target their own minions with the Brute’s Swat, the Defender’s Back Off, and the Punk’s Roll - but don’t neglect this invaluable maneuvering tool. These moves deal NO friendly fire damage, and can be used to nudge your minions to spaces they couldn’t reach before.
Don’t Be Intimidated
If the opposing team has a Motivator, you’re going to have to contend with the Intimidated status. Intimidated minions have a red halo, and take double damage the next time they’re hit. The Intimidate attack affects all minions surrounding a Motivator, so try not to form clusters of units in a circle, or a Motivator will hop in the middle and tag them all.
If you have your own Motivator, you can override Intimidate with Inspire. It can also be cleared by some of the Captains’ Gambits.
Punk + Motivator = BOOM
Speaking of Intimidation, Bjorgolf and Lolli’s minion loadouts have the perfect followup attack for that ‘double damage’ status. The Punk’s Split Strike is a move that deals damage equal to half a unit’s health (rounded up). And if you double half their health… why, that’s all their health, innit?
Keep these tips and tricks in mind for a vital edge that will raise you above the competition, and make you a PvP champion!