SDE Monsters 04 - Dragons 01

The last batch of monsters to appear in the basic boxed set of Super Dungeon Explore are the Dragonkin, led by the fearsome Dungeon Boss, Starfire. Here they are -

I'll start with two types of Drake Denizens - Hatchlings and Whelps. The game comes with two of each. I've painted one of each type differently with orange highlights and pink highlights. The Hatchlings and the Wyrmlings (see below) have two Wounds each and this helps me to identify which one has suffered a Wound.

Even the smallest of drakes can be a serious threat in numbers. Quick footed, sharp toothed and very hungry, Hatchlings swarm over anything at their height and have made more than one quick meal of a wounded Hero.
Still too young to earn their wings, Whelps must settle for chasing down their prey to make a meal. This quickly weeds out the weakest of the clutch and ensures that only the strongest will survive.

Hatchlings have rather poor stats although they do have 2 Wounds and 2 Actions per turn. Their one and only Ability is Swarm, which costs 1 Action. This gives them a +1 red die bonus to their Attack roll if the target is suffering Knockdown. You may think this is not a very useful ability but read below about Whelps.

Whelps have better stats than Hatchlings but they only have 1 Wound and 1 Action per Turn. Their Attack dice aren't too bad with 2 blue dice and 1 red die. Here's where it gets interesting for the Dragons. If the Whelp causes a Wound it automatically inflicts Knockdown. So the trick is to attack first with the Whelps then follow up with the Hatchlings.

I've left the best to last. The two Wyrmlings who come with this set are also Drake Denizens and are the best of the young Drakes. However, the star of the show is unquestionably Starfire the Dragon Dungeon Boss. He's big, powerful and a real challenge for the Heroes to defeat. He is also the best sculpted figure in the set, in my humble opinion.

Wyrmlings have so far managed to not be eaten by kin or Kobold and are nearing maturity. They wheel around the caverns and their mountain hunting grounds, on newly spouted wings, feeding on foolish trespassers.
Whilst Dragons are not uncommon on Crystalia, none inspire the terror of Starfire. From his volcanic mountain within the Dragonback Peaks he brings fire and destruction across the length and breadth of the realm. Vast herds are consumed by his appetites and entire treasures are claimed by his greed.

Wyrmlings are nasty little critters with 2 Wounds, 2 Actions per Turn and decent stats including 2 blue dice and 1 red die for Attack. They come with 3 useful abilities - Fly, Knockdown and Immune to Knockdown. Finally, they have two Special Attacks they can employ - Dive Bomb, costing 2 Actions which as well as wounding a target also Pacifies them (this prevents the target from using any Special Attack); and secondly, Swarm, costing just 1 action, which adds a +1 red die bonus to the Wyrmling's Attack roll if the target is suffering Knockdown.

Starfire comes with a frightening array of stats. Movement 6, Actions 4, Wounds 8 (yes, 8!), Attack 1 automatic hit plus 2 red dice and 1 green die (ouch!), Armour 1 blue die, 1 red die and 1 green die (that's tough), Willpower and Dexterity both have 2 red dice. His 3 Abilities are Fly, Immune to Fire and Immune to Knockdown. Finally, he has 2 Special Attacks, both costing 2 Actions. First up is  Dragon Breath which Sprays out in a cone for 5 squares and naturally sets any target on fire. That can seriously hurt a party of Heroes if they stand within that cone of fire. Secondly, Starfire can do a Tail Sweep which hits every model within 2 squares of any one of the four sides of Starfire. This causes Knockdown in addition to its Wound effect.
The first time I encountered Starfire in a game he wiped the floor with my Heroes. Since then, my Heroes have managed to defeat him. The key to defeating him is to make sure you destroy every Spawning Point on the board before he appears. Do that and the Heroes' chances of victory are greatly increased. Otherwise, Starfire gets to activate twice in a Turn and if you are a Hero, you do not want that to happen! Also, choose your Heroes wisely. There is one particular Hero who has been a major pain in the ass for not just Starfire, but also Rex and Reg. Sorry, Simon, but I'm going to tease you again. I'll tell you who that Hero is when I do my February Monthly Musings in just over a week's time. See if you can guess who he or she is.

Finally, here is a group shot of all the Dragons. Starfire is a such an impressive figure, isn't he? Now I have a confession to make - I love dragons! I have quite a few figures of them in my collection and a few are a lot larger than Starfire. No matter, I still love this figure. He has been beautifully and cleverly sculpted. I say "cleverly" because the way he is crouching over that rocky outcrop greatly reduces his footprint, reducing the amount of space he takes up on the board. His wings point upward, which also helps reduce his footprint, making it easier to fit other figures around him. Clever design! I also like the fact that Starfire has not been sculpted as a Chibi character but as a realistic looking dragon. You could use Starfire in practically any fantasy game and he wouldn't look out of place. How cool is that?