Arsenal: Arena Combat – Core Set (2015)

Arsenal: Arena Combat is a 2-6 player customizable card game that uses a hex-map game board, tokens or miniature mechs, counters and 6-sided dice to facilitate play.

In Arsenal, you take on the role of a pilot in a combat mech arena. This arena is represented by a small hex map (the gameboard). You move your Mech around on this map to gain an advantage against your opponent, and then play cards from your hand to attack or defend. You will manage your power levels (the resource used to play cards), and use all manner of tactics to win out against your opponent.

To play Arsenal, each player first chooses a Mech, then they each build a deck from the cards available to that Mech (not all Mechs are created equal). Next you and your opponent(s) shuffle your decks, grab 8 energy cards, a handful of 6-sided dice and damage counters, and put a token on the board that matches your Mech. Then you figure out who's going first and start playing!

- Players take turns moving their Mech around the arena, and playing cards from their hand to represent things like lock-ons, deployable objects, or any number of actions and reactions.
- On your turn, you play attack cards from your hand that represent both your weapons and your ammunition, provided your target is within the attack's effective range.
- When an attack is played, all players have a chance to react to it, by playing their own cards that represent things like taking evasive maneuvers or bracing for impact.
- After everyone has had a chance to react, the attack is resolved: the attacker and defender both roll a number of dice determined by the attack card, range, and other variables. Both players then add up the number of 1's and 6's they rolled.
- The defender must meet or beat the attacker's roll in order to dodge the attack. If they don't, it hits, and their Mech takes damage! Continue until only one Mech (or team) is left standing.

All cards have an energy cost. You have 8 energy to spend on every player's turn, but you also have the option to "burn" any or all of your 8 energy. Doing so could pay off big, but "burned" energy comes back at a much slower rate, leaving you open to counter attack.