Terror Below Solo Rules

Welcome to the solo variant of the thrilling board game Terror Below! In this mode, you can challenge your strategic thinking and test your luck as you face off against fierce underground monsters. Get ready for excitement, danger, and high stakes!

To begin, set up the game according to the standard rules, but without any other players. The objective remains the same – survive and gather the most points by eliminating monsters and completing various missions.

Now, here’s how the solo variant works. You will control two characters, each with their own special abilities. You can switch between these characters during your turn, allowing you to take advantage of their unique strengths and adapt to different situations.

As you explore the game board, use your characters’ abilities strategically to defeat monsters and complete missions. Keep an eye on your health and resource levels, as they will directly impact your chances of success. It’s a delicate balance of risk and reward.

During the monster phase, the underground creatures will attack you relentlessly. Roll the dice to determine their movements and actions. But don’t worry, your characters’ special abilities and items can give you an edge in these intense encounters.

As the tension builds, you will face tough decisions and unpredictable challenges. Will you risk everything to take down a powerful monster? Or will you focus on completing missions and gathering resources to strengthen your position?

Remember, it’s not only about surviving the monsters; it’s about outsmarting them and emerging as the ultimate victor. Use your cunning and strategic thinking to navigate the treacherous underground and come out on top.

In this solo variant of Terror Below, you are the hero of your story. It’s up to you to make the right choices, take calculated risks, and defeat the monsters lurking beneath the surface. Are you ready to face the terror? Good luck!

I grip the rusted metal of my vehicle, feeling the pain from my bandaged hand. Slowly, I manage to lift myself to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest.

As the ground trembles once again, I brace my boots against the torn and sweltering concrete. Broken and dilapidated buildings surround me, their jagged edges silhouetted against the fiery glow of the setting sun.

Suddenly, a blinding explosion of sand and rock obscures my vision. Through my slitted eyes and the spaces between my fingertips, I catch a glimpse of the monolithic destructive force that looms above the desert.

The grotesque Worm emits a piercing screech, sending a shiver down my spine. Its undulating centipede arms sway rhythmically.

Pink saliva drips from its mandibles, which twitch around the grim circle of spikes that form its horrifying mouth. I gather my courage and take a deep breath. This time, everything depends on me.

Imagine being alone in the desert, surrounded by these mysterious creatures. It’s a real survival test, where you have to be quick and clever to stay alive. In the Solo game, you’ll find yourself in a race against time, trying to complete your mission before the Worms wreak havoc and force the military to evacuate.

What’s the Goal?

Your mission is simple: choose a Scenario and complete the Objective before 15 Worm Attacks overwhelm you or your squad is wiped out.

Each time a Worm Attack occurs, you’ll remove the Worm card and place it in a discard pile. But here’s the twist: when this pile reaches 15 Worm cards, the game ends right then and there, and you lose.

(Don’t worry, the Starter Worm cards don’t count toward this number).

Let’s Get Started

So you want to play the game? Great! Here’s how you set up the game board:

First, decide whether you want to play on the Canyon or Desert side of the board. Then, follow the instructions in the Standard Setup section on page 4. Easy peasy!

But wait, since you’re playing solo, there are a few changes you need to make:

1. You only need one squad of characters because there is no second player.
2. Take out the 3 Queen cards from the Worm deck and put them back in the box. Then, shuffle the Worm deck like you usually would.
3. Remove any “Not for Solo” cards from the Character, Item, and Weapon decks. They won’t be useful to you in this game.

Now that your game board is ready, it’s time to place your pawn on your chosen starting location. Exciting, right? Oh, and don’t forget to pick a Scenario to play (check out the Solo Scenarios section for more info).

Solo Rules Are Different

Playing solo comes with a few special rules, so listen up:

Rule number one: the Terror Turn. This is a twist just for you! Remember to keep an eye on the Solo Player Aid card for a quick reminder of this rule.

Hey there! I’ve got some exciting news for you about a big change in the game – the Terror Turn. So, get ready to face some new challenges!

Now, the Worms have their own special turn that happens right after you finish your turn. It’s like they have a turn of their own, y’know?

But wait, there’s more! If a Worm reaches their Card Limit during the Terror Turn (even before rolling the dice), brace yourself for an immediate Attack. And guess what? That Worm will be replaced with a shiny new Worm card. Talk about a quick turnover!

The Terror Turn has two important steps:

Step 1: Roll The Blue Die.

Hey there! Here’s what you need to do:

First, roll the Blue coordinate die. This die has numbers that indicate which Worm gets affected by the roll. The numbers are divided into three sets: 1-2, 3-4, and 5-6. Once you roll the die, check the indicated set and take note of the corresponding Worm.

Next, draw a Vehicle card from the deck and place it face up under the Worm that was rolled. Now it’s time to deal with the card. Look at the bottom of the card and find the Distraction arrows. These arrows are important because you need to resolve their effects right away. Don’t worry about any other information on the card for now.

Now it’s time for some action!

Roll the Red Die and see what happens. This die determines the outcome of an Attack. So let’s see what fate has in store for us!

Time to talk about Locations.

Now, in this new version, Locations can be destroyed by Worm Attacks. Whenever a Worm Attacks, Rubble is always added to the Location. Sadly, this means that Locations are no longer safe from Worm Attacks. You should always be prepared to fight back if you happen to get caught in a Worm’s attack pattern.

If a Location ever has 2 Rubble, it gets destroyed. If there’s a Target token on a Location when a Worm attacks, it gets destroyed too. To destroy a Location, just get rid of all the Rubble on that Location and take out the Location tile from play.

A destroyed Location can’t get any more deliveries. For the rest of the game, if there are Bounties in the Bounty Line that match a destroyed Location, throw them away and fill the line with new Bounties.

Only One Egg Per Space

If there are two or more Eggs on the same space for any reason, throw away all the Eggs on that space. But, don’t worry, you can still carry multiple Eggs with you.

Solo Scenarios

Special Delivery (difficulty )

“Hey Merl, those eggs are our way out of here!” I cocked my shotgun and gave Merl a playful wink from the driver’s window of an old eighteen wheeler.

“I’ve heard that those fancy government folks are willing to pay big bucks for some fresh Worm omelettes. Or who knows what they do with them. The important thing is, we need to find them, and we need to find them all.”

Merl adjusted his ballcap and spat. His spit sizzled on the cracked desert road. “I don’t know about that, Pam…”

“Get in the truck, Merl!” I snapped, revving the engine. A cloud of dust burst from the shiny chrome exhaust pipe above my head. “It’s time for an egg hunt.”

Goal of the Game

The goal is to deliver bounties to 4 out of the 5 locations.

Special Rule

Once you finish a bounty at a location, remove all bounties for that location from the bounty line and discard them for the rest of the game.

(Sometimes, you may need to hunt worms to make space on the bounty line. It would be helpful to carry a Suspicious Briefcase).

Total Extermination (difficulty )

I noticed that her knuckles were rough and even those rough spots had more rough spots. I always wondered why her hands were always so battered, but I never had the courage to ask. I glanced down at my own shaky, pale fingers as I held a gun for the first time.

Natasha wore a worn-out .45 under her belt and grasped the semi-automatic rifle like an old friend searching for comfort. “It’s hot today. And it’s about to get even hotter.” She glanced at her messy step-brother who had clay all over his smock and a messy bun on top of his head.

Despite her usual disappointment, she had no other choices. “The men in suits want us to bring them some samples of those creatures for testing. It doesn’t matter if they’re alive or dead. We’ll take your car. We can use your pottery to gather up the leftover pieces.”

Her eyes grew fierce when she heard the screeching noise in the distance. Her tanned arm flexed like a snake swallowing its prey. The words flowed out of her mouth. “It’s time to start hunting.”

Goal of the Game

Your objective is to complete Hunt Bounties for 3 different types of Worms. When you finish a Bounty, you get to keep the Worm standee as a trophy.

Special Rule

Once you claim a standee for a specific Worm type, all Bounties of that type are removed from the Bounty Line and discarded for the remainder of the game.

“Any Worm” Bounties allow you to Hunt any type of Worm, so make sure to claim the correct Worm standee after completing the Bounty.

Scramble (difficulty )

“You must be crazy! Can’t you see what’s going on outside? Nobody’s gonna venture into the desert playing cowboy, rounding up those things!” Will hurriedly closed the side windows, almost knocking over a display of hard candies as he retreated behind the counter.

He straightened his flannel shirt and looked at the strange woman in a power-suit, who seemed unfazed by the fact that gigantic worms had just emerged from the desert sands, threatening humanity.

“My employer is very interested in acquiring some specimens. If you can’t help me with my search, I will, however, need supplies.” Selia was well aware that the military would soon quarantine the area, despite their unnecessary conversation.

There was no time for bargaining. She took out a thick roll of bills from her pocket. It fell heavily onto the cash register, causing the metal to rattle. “This should be enough. If you continue to help me, your compensation will be significantly higher.”

Will stared in astonishment at the stack of bills, totaling in the thousands. The setting sun cast a greedy pink glow into his eyes through the store window. “Yes, ma’am!” he stammered. “What are we waiting for?”

How to Play the Game

The goal of the game is to complete Bounties and earn points. Your task is to accumulate 20 points before time runs out. Keep an eye on the clock!

Important Rule

Be careful not to let 3 or more Locations get destroyed, or you will lose the game.

A More Challenging Experience

For those brave Worm hunters who want an extra challenge, you can try these advanced variations. If you succeed, you’ll earn a higher score.

1. When setting up the game, shuffle the Queens into the Worm deck.
2. When setting up the game, you can choose to return up to 2 members of your Squad to the box.

Keeping Score

Once you’ve overcome the challenges of the Solo version of Terror Below, it’s important to track your victories. Make a note of the date, the Scenario, and your score based on the following guidelines:

• I’ll count all the VP I scored during the game (completed Bounties and bonus VP).
• If I had fewer than 15 Worm Attacks, I’ll gain an additional VP for each one.
• If I shuffled the Queens into the Worm deck, I’ll gain 3 VP.
• For each Squad Member I didn’t take with me at the start, I’ll gain 3 VP.
• If I end the game wearing a Hat, I’ll gain 1 VP.