Dragon Fight: A Micro-game duel for two players

It's Dragon-against-Dragon in an epic duel for air supremacy! As a dragon rider, it is your job to direct your dragon to victory by outmaneuvering and attacking your opponent mid-flight. But be careful, as your opponent will be doing the same! Each turn riders will secretly order how their dragons move and attack, and upon revealing those orders will simultaneously duke it out. A hit will score one point of damage against your opponent - sometimes more! The first rider to score three points wins the match!

Game Contents:

• 2 dragon tokens (red and green, 1.5" x 1.5" square)
• 12 movement tokens: 6 for each player (6 1.5" squares cut into 8 right triangles). Movement tokens are double-sided; reverse-sides show wounds.
• 8 attack tokens: 4 for each player (1.5" x .75" rectangles)
• Game board: 10" square, divided into a 5 by 5 grid (1.75" squares with a .625" border). The borders of two opposing sides will be color coded red and green to indicate each player. These borders will also serve as the players' scoring areas.

Game Setup:

Each player takes one dragon token along with their dragon's corresponding movement and attack tokens. Place the board equidistant between the players, with each players' color facing them. Players place their dragons in the middle space on their side of the board.

Turn Sequence:

1. At the start of each turn, players will secretly choose one movement token and one attack token, placing them next to their dragon face down (movement tokens will show their wound side).

2. Players simultaneously reveal their movement tokens and resolve them accordingly (see Token Descriptions). If the dragons end up on the same square, they have collided! Each player takes one point of damage, and the turn ends immediately (do not reveal attack tokens). If after moving either dragon has left the game board the game ends immediately (see End of Game).

3. Players simultaneously reveal their attack tokens and resolve them accordingly (see Token Descriptions and Resolving Damage). If either player deals their third point of damage the game ends immediately (see End of Game).

4. Players take back their movement tokens (unless their token was given to their opponent as a wound) and attack tokens and begin a new turn.

Token Descriptions:

Movement tokens: Each token is stamped with an arrow indicating one of the following orders:

1. Move forward one spot
2. Move forward one spot and turn around 180 degrees
3. Move forward and left diagonally one spot and turn left
4. Move forward and right diagonally one spot and turn right
5. Strafe left
6. Strafe right

Attack tokens: Tokens are stamped with symbols, indicating the following:

1. Claw: Do one point of damage to your opponent if their dragon is one or two squares to the immediate left or right of your dragon.

2. Breathe Fire: Do one point of damage to your opponent if their dragon is in the square two spaces in front of your dragon, or in one of the two squares diagonally in front of your dragon. Do two points of damage to your opponent if their dragon is in the square immediately in front of your dragon.

3. Tail Whip: Do one point of damage to your opponent if their dragon is in the space directly behind your dragon, or in one of the two squares diagonally behind your dragon.

4. Wing Buffet: Do one point of damage to your opponent if your opponent's dragon is exactly three squares away from your dragon in any direction.

Resolving Damage:

For each point of damage taken, the player gives one movement token to their opponent. This can be any movement token, including the token used that turn. The opponent flips the token over to show the wound symbol and places it in their scoring area. The player's dragon has been disabled, and may not use that movement token for the rest of the match!

Winning the Game:

You win if:

1. You score three points of damage against your opponent, or
2. Your opponent's dragon flies off of the game board, thus forfeiting the match!

If both dragons score their third point of damage simultaneously, or if both dragons fly off the game board at the same time, then the game ends in a tie. Time for a rematch!

A fast game for two players. If the players move quickly, a short game can finish in 5 minutes and a long game in 10, but if they ponder it can take longer.

== Parts ==

Pieces: There are 12 playing pieces, each half the size of a business card, printed so that they are wider than they are tall. In each set of cards (one set black, one white) are an elephant, a monkey, and four mice. The back of each card has the "Royal" version of the image, used once the piece has reached the opposite side. They should have the name of the card on the top, so that even if one card mostly covers another, you can still see what the card underneath is.

Board: The board is a 5x5 checkerboard, such that the squares are a little bigger than the pieces. Players sit opposite each other, and the row closest to each player is considered his "home row."

== Setup ==

Each player starts with the "Common" (that is, non-Royal) version of these pieces on his home row: the monkey on his left, a mouse in the middle, and the elephant on his right.

== Objective ==

Short game: Move the monkey, the elephant, and at least one mouse to the opponent's home row.

Long game: Move the monkey, the elephant, and at least one mouse to the opponent's home row, where they become "Royal" (i.e you flip the card over to its Royal side), then you bring them back home again.

When a piece reaches its goal, it is still in the game and may continue to move. Even if it moves off the goal, it still counts towards game completion.

== Movement ==

Players alternate turns – moving a single piece -- until one has achieved the objective.

Elephant: The elephant can move one square in any direction. However, he may not move on to the square of the opponent's elephant, nor may he move on to the square of any mouse. If an opponent's mouse moves on his square, he must retreat. (See Retreating, below.)

Monkey: The monkey can move one or two squares in any one direction, but may not combine directions. (That is, he cannot move like a knight in chess.) He may move on to or through a square containing his own elephant, any mouse, or the opposing monkey. If he stops on a square with an opposing mouse, he flings the mouse off the board. However, he is so afraid of the opposing elephant that he can't even move within one square of the beast. (He may move through such a square on a two-square move.) If the opposing elephant moves within one square of him, he immediately retreats. (See Retreating, below.)

Mouse: Mice move one square in any direction, PLUS they may generate an additional mouse which moves one square laterally in either direction from the mouse's original position. If not all the player's mice are on the board, then the extra mouse comes from the ones off the board. If they are all on the board, then he may remove one to put it into the new position. If both adjacent lateral positions represent illegal moves, the player does not get the extra mouse. Mice may not move in the square with the opposing monkey, the friendly elephant, or any friendly mice. A Common mouse generates another Common mouse, a Royal mouse generates another Royal.

A mouse can also be added to the board in any legal position on the player's home row, as the player's move.

== Retreating ==

The elephant must retreat directly away from the invading mouse, if possible, or, if that would be an illegal move, he retreats to any adjacent legal square, at the retreating player's choice. (A 'legal square' is one he could have moved to, on his turn.) If he retreats to a square within one of the opposing monkey, then the monkey immediately retreats.

The monkey must retreat to any adjacent legal square, if possible, at the retreating player's choice. If there are no adjacent squares that are legal, it can move two spaces to a legal square. If that is still impossible, it can move three squares to a legal position (which is always possible). If he retreats to a square with an opposing mouse, the mouse is removed from the board.

A retreat does NOT cost the player his turn — it is a free move.

Tower Builders
A micro game for two players.
Play time: 2 to 5 minutes per game.

Consists of:
One deck of 14 x half business card size cards, as follows:
4 cards valued at 1 floor
4 cards valued at 2 floor
2 cards valued at 5 floor
2 cards valued at 10 floor
2 cards labeled “Collapse”

Preparation:
One player volunteers to shuffle, then deal 1 card to themselves, and to the other player. The deck is placed face down between the players. The player who did not shuffle and deal goes first. On your next game, you should swap.

Turn sequence:
Draw 1 card.

Play one card. You may either play the card you drew, or the card you were already holding, but not both.

When you play a floor valued card, place it on the table, each card above the last, so you can see them all as a tower.

When you play a collapse card, your opponent's entire tower is destroyed. The collapse card and the floor cards for their tower are all discarded.

If there are no more cards, then the next players turn is to play their last card, and then you play your last card. This ends the game.

A note on holding cards:
You may only hold a card for three turns. On the third turn, it must be played, and the new draw becomes the held card. If you are caught holding the card for four or five turns (or longer!), the card must be discarded as your next play by placing it face down on your tower. This takes your turn and you can not play any other card until your next turn. If you get away with this little cheat, by playing the card BEFORE you are caught, then it is too late, and your evil corruption will go unpunished! So, you can cheat, but you have to hope your opponent does not catch you! A face down card does not count towards your points at the end.

A note on discarded cards:
Discarded cards are never brought back into play. Once discarded, that card is removed from play completely, until the game is over and you start again.

Winning:
To win the game, simply have the highest number of floors melded when the game ends.

Players: 2
Time: 5 minutes

The heads of two families that have been enemies for centuries are the mayors of neighboring cities. Instead of resorting to all-out war, each mayor has been sending a series of criminals to do his dirty work, recruiting them from the countryside and pulling them off of his city’s own streets. Most of the riff-raff they send at each other are relatively harmless: peasants, thieves, and the like, and there’s not enough cells in the local prison for all of them. But if a mayor fails to imprison a sellsword or assassin, his career might end...along with his life.

Components:
12x 1.5” by 2” Character Cards (3 peasants, 3 thieves, 3 sellswords, 2 blackmailers, and 1 assassin)

1x Reference Card, detailing the effects of the 5 characters

1x Board (Countryside region in the center and a Prison, City, and City Gate region for each player; the Countryside, Prisons, and Cities are large enough to hold three Character Cards, the City Gates are large enough to hold one Character Card).

Objective:
A player wins if he manages to get his opponent to Admit the Assassin or two Sellswords to her city. He wins if he Arrests the Assassin, or if his opponent has three Character Cards in her Prison. NOTE: All win conditions occur immediately. The turn does not continue to its completion.

Setup:
Determine a starting player in a manner of your choosing. Deal 4 Character Cards to the starting player and 5 Character Cards to the following player. Place the remaining 3 Character Cards facedown in the Countryside.

Gameplay:
Players take turns, beginning with the starting player. The player whose turn it is is the Active Mayor for the duration of his turn. The player whose turn it is not is the Passive Mayor. If a player has no Character Cards in his hand and there are no Character Cards in the Countryside, then he passes his turn, doing nothing.

Turn Sequence:

I. The Active Mayor chooses one:

A. Add a card from the Countryside to his hand. He can only choose this action if there are cards remaining in the Countryside. The Active Mayor’s turn immediately ends. (Skip parts II-V)

B. Place a Character Card from his hand face down onto the Passive Mayor’s City Gate, and declare what character is entering. He must declare the character according to the following rules:

1. He cannot declare the character that he actually placed on the City Gate. (Example: If James placed a Thief on the City Gate, he cannot declare “Thief.”)

2. He must declare a character that is in his hand. (Example: If James placed a Sellsword on the City Gate and has a Sellsword and a Peasant in his hand, he must declare “Peasant,” and he cannot declare “Blackmailer.”)

3. If all Character Cards in his hand match the card he placed on the City Gate, or he has no cards left in his hand, he can declare any character (ignoring rules 1 and 2).

II. The Passive Mayor chooses to Arrest or Admit the character on his City Gate, and announces his decision.

III. The Active Mayor reveals the Character Card he placed on the City Gate and resolves its effects according to the Reference Chart and whether the Passive Mayor announced “Arrest” or “Admit.”

IV. If the Passive Mayor announced “Arrest,” the Character Card on his City Gate is moved to his Prison. If he announced “Admit,” the Character Card is moved to his City.

V. If the Passive Mayor now has 3 Character Cards in his Prison, the Active Mayor wins. Otherwise, proceed to the next turn.

Character Reference Chart:

Assassin: Arrest - Passive Mayor wins. Admit - Active player wins.

Sellsword: Arrest - No effect. Admit - If there is already a Sellsword in Passive Mayor’s city, Active Mayor wins.

Thief: Arrest - No effect. Admit - Active Mayor steals a random card from Passive Mayor’s hand and adds it to his own hand.

Blackmailer: Arrest - No effect. Admit - Active Mayor names a character. Passive Mayor cannot place that character onto his opponent’s City Gate during his next turn. (Example: James is the Active Mayor and names “Assassin.” When it becomes his opponent Rose’s turn, she cannot place an Assassin Character Card onto his City Gate.)

Peasant: Arrest - No effect Admit - No effect

The game can be played with 2-3 players. The pieces include: 13 unique cards, 1 marker card. The cards have different colored backs according to which class they are in. There is only 1 copy of each card.

Brown back (Brutal Races): Kobald(1), Orc(3), Rakshasa(12)

Black back (Undead): Zombie (2), Vampire(5), Lich (9)

Green back (Animals): Possessed Fox (4), Dire Wolf (6), Dire Elephant (8)

Silver back (Constructs): Flesh Golem (7), Iron Golem (11)

Gold back (dragon): Black Dragon (10), Gold Dragon (13)

Setup:
Shuffle all the cards to form the deck. Place the marker card aside. Choose a start player.

On your turn:
1. Look at the top card of the deck
2. Do exactly one of the following:
-Place the card
-Use the card's power
3. Check the Marker.
4. Check if the deck is empty. If so, go into the scoring phase.
5. Otherwise, the player to your right begins his or her turn.

Placing a Card
There is one pile per player, each of which begins the game empty. To place a card, put it face-down on the top of a pile. If you place the card on a pile that after you place it has 2 more cards in it than another pile, take the marker.
Ex: In a 3-player game the piles right now have 3, 4, and 5 cards in them, respectively. Bob looks as the top card, which is the Vampire. He can use its power or place it. He chooses to place it on the pile with 5 cards in it. Because the pile now has 6 cards in it, which is 3 bigger than the pile with 3 in it, he takes the marker. If he had placed it in the pile with 4 in it, he would not have to take the marker.
You may take the marker even if someone already has it!

Using a Card's Power
The power of each card depends on its color. After using a card's power, discard it face-up to the discard.
Brutal Races - The Brutal Races attack everything they meet. Discard two cards from different piles, which may be anywhere in the pile, to the discard face up.
Undead- The undead have the potential to bring the apocalypse. You may only use the power of undead if the other undead is in a pile. End the game, moving immediately to the scoring phase.
Animals - Animals are fierce and reproduce quickly. Place the top two cards of the deck in different piles, without looking at their fronts.
Constructs - Constructs are good for forced labor. Move one card from a pile to another pile, without looking at its front.
Dragons – The intelligence of dragons sets them apart. Look at 3 cards in any piles, without showing them to everyone else.

Scoring
Scoring happens at the end of every round. The scores for each round are added to one another to get the final score for the game.
The start player takes a pile, without looking at the fronts of the cards in it. If the game has only 2 players, the second player gets the remaining pile. If the game is 3-player, the second player chooses one of the 2 remaining piles, and the third player gets the last one.
If you have the marker, you may not choose the pile with the most cards in it! You may still take it if it is the only pile remaining, though.
The sum of the cards in the pile you have is the number of points you have for that round.

Play one round per player. Each player is the start player for one of those rounds.
The person with the most points after the rounds are over wins.

Story / Overview
The temperature of the boiler is a very important part of the train. As the engineer in charge of it, you are in charge to maintain the temperature. But unfortunately, the other engineer in charge of it has different order than you. Try to stick to your order and keep the temperature of the boiler according to your task. It can only go hotter or colder. But watch out, the other engineer will also do the same and try to maintain it according to their task.
It is a game played by 2 players.

Game Contents:
• 4 Heat Up! Cards with no star symbol on the front
• 1 Heat Up! Card that has 1 star symbol on the front
• 1 Heat Up! Card that has 2 star symbol on the front
• 4 Cool Down! Cards with no star symbol on the front
• 1 Cool Down! Card that has 1 star symbol on the front
• 1 Cool Down! Card that has 2 star symbol on the front
• 2 Restore Normal! Cards
• 1 Rule Card that contains rule of the game and the image of the current temperature to be used in game
• All card is in 42.80 × 53.98 mm (1.68 inch x 2.12 inch )

Game Setup:
1. Combine the Heat Up! Card and the Cool Down! Card that has 1 star symbol. Shuffle and then put them face side down.
2. Each player takes one.
3. The one that picked the Heat Up! Card with 1 star symbol will have to make the temperature on the end on “Hot” to win the game.
4. The one that picked the Cool Down! Card with 1 star symbols will have to make the temperature on the end on “Cold” to win the game.
5. Combine the Heat Up! Card and the Cool Down! Card that has 2 star symbols. Shuffle and then put them face side down.
6. Each player takes one.
7. Besides the previous task, the one that picked the Heat Up! Card with 2 star symbols can also win the game by making the temperature on the end to “Hottest”.
8. Beside the previous task, the one that picked the Cool Down! Card with 2 star symbols can also win the game by making the temperature on the end to “Coldest”.
9. Combine all cards and then shuffle them together.
10. Divide the card to 7 cards each. Each player opens the card on their hand and then the game start.

Game Play:
1. The boiler temperature goes like this from lowest to highest :
Coldest->Cold->Normal->Hot->Hottest
2. Heat Up! Cards will change the temperature from “Coldest” to “Cold”, from “Cold” to “Normal”, from “Normal” to “Hot”, or from “Hot” to “Hottest”.
3. Heat Up! Cards will not change the temperature if it has already reached “Hottest”, but it can still be placed on the table and count as a valid move.
4. Cool Down! Cards will change the temperature from “Hottest” to “Hot”, from “Hot” to “Normal”, from “Normal” to “Cold”, or from “Cold” to “Coldest”.
5. Cool Down! Cards will not change the temperature if it has already reached “Coldest”, but it can still be placed on the table and count as a valid move.
6. Restore Normal! Cards will change the current temperature into Normal regardless of the current temperature.
7. Restore Normal! Cards cannot be used when each player has less than 3 cards on their hand. If any player will use it, it is a valid move but it will not affect the current temperature.

Turn Setup and Subsequent:
1. The temperature starts on Normal condition.
The player that has the goal “Hot” has to place their card first. Placed the card on the back side of the information card according to the current temperature.
2. Then the next players place his/her card on the table but before that player place his/her card, the last placed card has to be flipped closed.
3. Each player places their card in turn and they are not allowed to skip any turn.
4. Repeat the process until all cards have been placed on the table.

Winning Condition:
1. After all cards have been placed on the table, check the current temperature.
2. The player that has the same winning condition with the end temperature will win the round. If the current temperature is “Normal” then the game is a draw.
3. Take best out of 3 rounds to determine the winner.

Fences

2-4 Players arrange cards to enclose an area in their chosen color, while attempting to prevent areas from being completed in their opponent's colors.

Card Description

Each of the seven cards in Fences are 2 inches by 3 inches. The cards are double sided, so each side has a unique set of lines in 4 different colors. The lines follow along the edges of a 1inch by 1inch grid, making a U or L shape of varying sizes as they enter and exit the card.

Rules

Your goal in Fences is to arrange cards so the lines of your color connect to enclose an area. When lines of your color connect to each other to enclose an area, the fence is completed, and you take each of the cards into your hand that were used to make that fence. A fence can be completed using 2 or more cards. If completing the fence would get you to a total of 4 cards in your hand, you win.

At the start of the game, each player picks one of the 4 colors that are on the cards, and players choose who will go first. Shuffle the cards into a deck.

On your turn, you play a card from the deck, the table, or from your hand:

• If you have any cards in your hand, you must play one of the cards from your hand. In this way, you could lose your lead as you return cards to the table, unless you complete another fence to get cards back into your hand.

• If there are no cards in your hand, but there are still cards in the deck, you play the top card from the deck.

• If there are no cards in your hand or in the deck, you choose a card that's in play on the table to pick up and play where you want. When choosing a card from the table to pick up, you can't choose the card that was just played by the previous player, unless it is the only card on the table.

When you play a card, you place it on the table connected to another card in play, so at least one of the 1x1 inch squares on both cards are adjacent to each other. You choose which side you want to be face up, and how you want the card to be oriented; horizontally or vertically. No part of the card can overlap another card.

Additional Rules

Other players are allowed to see the number of cards in your hand, but feel free to hide the details on your cards so they don't know exactly what options you have.

Rarely in a 4 player game, you could end up with no cards in your hand, deck, or on the table, as each other player has cards. If this happens, skip your turn so other players can play cards from their hand.

You're not allowed to complete another players fence.

Cards have two playable sides, so you can see the top card of the deck. This information may help you set up a move or help you block the next player from scoring.

You can't look at the other side of cards that are on the table, until you pick up the card to play it. Unless you manage to memorize the details of each card, there can be some luck when choosing which card you want to play from the table, unsure if the other side of the card will have the line shape that you need.

HAMLET
2 Players
<5 minutes

OVERVIEW
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”
Deceit, betrayal and murder run amuck in the Danish Court as Hamlet tries to avenge his father. But vengeance is a messy business, and even if you win the battles, you will not necessarily win the war.

MATERIALS
7x BUSINESS CARD-SIZED ROLE CARDS
• King Claudius defeats Gertrude, Hamlet, Laertes, Ophelia and Polonius.
• Queen Gertrude defeats Hamlet, Laertes, Ophelia, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
• Prince Hamlet defeats Laertes, Polonius, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
• Knight Laertes defeats Ophelia, Polonius, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
• Maiden Ophelia defeats Hamlet, Polonius, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
• Advisor Polonius defeats Gertrude and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
• The Fools Rosencrantz and Guildenstern defeat Claudius.

GAME THEME
Players attempt to psych one another out in a game built on deception, deduction and fortune.

HAMLET has some similar elements to “Pass the Trash” and “Screw Your Neighbor,” where the winner of each round is determined by the roles/value of the card each player locks in.

However the major difference in HAMLET is that the sole survivor at the end of the game determines the overall winner. That means while you may lose all 3 rounds, you can still win the game.

Like I said, vengeance can be tricky.

TURNS
Players can make 1 of 3 moves each round.
The player that goes first in each round may lock, trade or draw.
Players that go second may only lock or draw.

Lock – Locking one’s role means they are keeping their card for the reveal at the end of the round.
Trade – The first player of the round may choose to trade cards with their opponent. The second player of the round will still have the option to lock or draw.
Draw – Trade your current card for a random one in the remaining pool of role cards. Shuffle the role cards after discarding your original role.

ROUNDS
Round 1
Each player chooses 1 random role from the available 7 role cards and looks at it.
Player 1 may lock, trade or draw.
Player 2 may lock or draw their role card.
Each player reveals his or her role cards.
A winner for the round is determined based on each player’s card, and these role cards are removed from the game.

Round 2
Round 2 begins using the remaining 5 role cards. Whoever won round 1 goes first.
Winner of Round 1 may lock, trade or draw a new card.
Loser of Round 1 may lock or draw their role card.
Reveal cards, determine winner for the round and remove these roles from game.

Round 3
Round 3 begins using the remaining 3 role cards. Whoever won round 2 goes first.
Winner of Round 2 may lock, trade or draw a new card.
Loser of Round 2 may lock or draw their role card.
Reveal cards, determine winner for the round and remove these roles from game.

WINNING
After 3 rounds only one role card remains. This unused role card is the sole survivor of Hamlet’s revenge and helps determine the winner of the game.

If the sole survivor is Claudius, Gertrude, Hamlet or Laertes, the player that won the most rounds wins the game.

If the sole survivor is Ophelia, Polonius, or Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, the player that lost the most rounds wins the game.

Triad

An epic 7-minute battle of wits between 2 nuclear superpowers.

One component is a "board" filled with a 5x5 grid of 2” squares. The middle three rows are all ocean. The remaining 2 edge rows (“home rows”) represent either player’s country. On a home row, the center square is that player’s Capitol City, worth 3 points. On either side of the Capitol City are 2 Defense Centers, worth 1 point each. On the 2 outermost squares are 2 Minor Cities, worth 2 points each.

The other components in the game are 2 differently-colored sets of 7 1.5” cards. The cards come in 5 flavors of units, either 1 or 2 of each: ICBM, Aircraft, Fleet, Submarine, Spy. Each unit has rules governing its movement and what it can destroy:

-ICBM: Moves 2 squares per turn, but always towards the enemy country. Once moved, it is considered “launched” and it MUST be moved on subsequent turns. Armed with a simple but powerful nuclear warhead, it detonates as soon as it enters an occupied square, destroying any non-Aircraft unit there. Also, Cities destroyed by ICBM are worth an extra point.

-Aircraft: Moves 1 square diagonally. It is the only unit that can take down a “launched” ICBM. Being airborne, it is invulnerable to ICBMs and Submarine attacks. It carries small nuclear weapons, allowing it destroy anything it overflies except enemy Fleets.

-Submarine: Moves 1 square in any direction while submerged (face down) OR surfaces/submerges (flips over). While submerged, it is invulnerable to everything except ICBMs and Submarine attacks, yet it can only attack when surfaced. Once surfaced, however, its powerful nuclear missiles can defeat any adjacent opponent.

-Fleet: Moves 1 square orthogonally. It can defeat Aircraft, surfaced Submarines, and Defense Centers. Carrying only conventional weaponry, it cannot destroy ICBMs, other Fleets, or Cities.

-Spy: Moves any number of squares in one direction (queen in chess). Its main use is determining the identity of enemy units, but it can also be sacrificed to destroy a Defense Center. Defensively, it is the weakest unit, but an enemy must discard an Ammo card to destroy it
-Defense Center: Not technically a unit since they're part of the "board", but they can be used to destroy adjacent units by expending 1 Ammo, except for ICBMs, which require 2 Ammo. A Defense Center without Ammo is useless, but until it is disabled, it is hard to destroy an adjacent City.

-Cities: They aren’t units and don’t contribute anything to combat, but if you lose 2 or 3 of them, you’ll probably lose the game.

Setup: Each player places their 7 units face down. He then randomly draws 2 units. These units remain face down just behind his 2 Defense Centers, representing those Centers’ Ammo. The remaining 5 units must then be placed face down on the player’s home row.

Game flow: Players alternate turns "using" exactly 1 unit or Defense Center per turn. “Using” a unit just means either moving it or attacking adjacent squares in the case of Submarines and Defense Centers. Units remain face down until they engage an enemy (by attacking or moving into it), upon which both units are turned face up momentarily (similar to Stratego). Anytime a City or Defense Center is destroyed, any unit there is also destroyed. The attacking unit is out of ammo at that point and remains on top of its target until the end of the game to indicate points scored.

The game ends when either player has no more units left to use. Each player then adds up their points. Player with the most points wins.

Major Hooks:

Large replayability due to different force composition: “I didn’t draw a Fleet or a Spy, but I have 2 powerful ICBMs this time!”

Initial unit placement matters: “I’ll use my Fleet to protect my Sub” or “I’ll put 2 Ammo on this Defense Center and use Aircraft to shore up the other side”

Bluffing and keeping the enemy uncertain of your plan is important: “Is my opponent trying to position a Submarine off my coast, or is that a Spy that will cost me big if I attack it?”

Varying point values leads to different strategies: “Do I work hard to take down the Defense Centers so I can get the high-value Capitol, or should I go for the easier Minor Cities?”

Quickly and easily translates into a compelling story of 2 warring superpowers with direct confrontations, subtle conniving, and epic stakes.

Micro Play-Break: Combat

In this game, you are a commander of a small army. Deploy your five unique troops strategically to defeat your foe!

Objective: The first player to defeat all of their opponent’s combat units wins!

Components:
10 Troop cards (2 each - Shieldbearer, Swordsman, Spearman, Archer, Medic) – half-business card sized.
(optional) 2 Battalion cards, with 1-4 written on the sides – half-business card sized.
(optional) Battle board with two 2x3 grids for Troop placement.

Setup:
Each player takes one of each Troop card and one Battalion card (if used). The player who has most recently played a war-based game goes first.

Gameplay:
Gameplay is split into three phases – Deployment, Combat, and Recovery.

In the Deployment phase, commanders will place their 5 Troops face-down in a 2x3 grid (Front Row and Back Row, three columns wide). Commanders should alternate placing one Troop at a time. The Front Row must be filled before filling the Back Row. If both Commanders have 4 or less troops, then only two columns are used.

Troops have different effects based on whether they are played in the Front or Back Row (see table on Troop Effects), so these effects should be taken into account when deploying your Troops. These effects are written on the cards as well, with the Front Row effect on the top of the card and the Bottom Row effect on the bottom of the card.

After both Commanders have deployed their Troops, the Troop cards are flipped face-up and their effects resolved in the Combat phase.

In the Combat phase, Troops will attack one another based on their location in the grid.

Troops:
Swordsman
Front Row: Deals 1 Wound to Front Row enemy Troop in column.
Back Row: Gives one adjacent troop the First Strike effect.

Spearman
Front Row: First Strike – Deals 1 Wound to Front Row enemy Troop in column.
Back Row: Deals 1 Wound to Front Row enemy Troop in column.

Archer
Front Row: Deals 1 Wound to either enemy Troop in column.
Back Row: Deals 1 Wound to Front Row enemy Troop in Column.

Shieldbearer
Front Row: Grants column immunity to Archer and Spearman
Back Row: May sacrifice self to prevent one wound to an adjacent Troop.

Medic
Front or Back Row: At end of Combat, may recover one adjacent Wounded Troop.

Adjacent is defined as any unit one square away in any non-diagonal direction.

Combat is resolved in the following order, with all eligible troops acting simultaneously:
First Strike Troops resolve first (regardless of Row), then
Any unwounded Front Row Troops, then
Any unwounded Back Row Troops.

A Back Row Shieldbearer may be activated at any time if an adjacent Troop would suffer a Wound. A Back Row Swordsman applies his effect at the start of combat.

If a Troop takes a Wound, rotate it 90 degrees in either direction to indicate the wound. A Wounded Troop cannot act this combat. If a Troop takes two Wounds during the Combat phase, then they are immediately removed from the game. After Wounds have been inflicted, the Combat phase ends.

During the Recovery phase, the Medic (if unwounded) may choose one adjacent Troop and heal their wound. Any other Wounded Troops are removed from the game. After the Recovery phase has ended, the cycle will start again at the Deployment phase, with the Commanders placing their remaining Troops.

Endgame: If a commander no longer has any combat Troops (Swordsman, Spearman, Archer), then their army is routed and the opposing player wins! If both players are routed simultaneously, then the player with more remaining Troops is the winner. If both players have the same amount of remaining Troops, then the game ends in a draw.

Gameplay variant – Battalion mode: For longer Play-Breaks, this variant can be used. In the Battalion variant, each commander has 2-4 squads of troops. Gameplay is identical to that of the standard mode, with the following exceptions:

The Battalion card is used, and each Commander rotates the card so that the starting number of squads is facing them.

When a squad has been routed, the routed Commander rotates the card to one number lower, and starts with a fresh squad of 5 Troops.

The victorious Commander may choose to reinforce their current squad with one defeated Troop card. Play then continues.

The game ends once a Commander has had their last squad routed.

Mini Game of Life

• this game is inspired by Conway's Game of Life, 2 players;

Material

• 36 square "Cell" pieces (each one sixths business card)
• 1 "board" with 6*6 squares The cell pieces are two-sided with a red cell on one side and a blue cell on the other. The cells are formed such that they point in one direction.

How to win

You win when all cells of the opponent's color are eliminated

Initial Placement phase

Each player places 3 three cells on the board. This happens in alternating order. More precisely: BRRBRB (with B being player Blue and R player red).

After the placement phase the next phase starts:

Decision phase

The decision phase consists of three identical turns. The players alternate in making their moves in the same pattern as above. In each turn, each player has to choose one of the following options: - move: move one cell, movement is allowed in horizontal or vertical direction - turn: turn the direction of one cell (can point in any direction, horizontal, vertical, diagonal) - raise: when two or more cells point at the same free adjacent field (horizontal, vertical or diagonal) you can put a new cell of your color in this field pointing in the direction of your choice.

After the 3 turns are over the next phase starts:

Growth phase

In this phase all the cells grow or decease. Follow the order for both subjects simultaneously. 1. Dying (loneliness): Each cell without a (vertical or horizontal) neighbour of the same color dies (remove it from the board) 2. Dying (crowding): Each cell with 3 or more neighbors (vertical or horizontal) dies simultaneously. 3. Growing: Place a cell in front of each cell (of the same color). If both players could place a cell at the same field, only the player who has more cells pointing at this field can place a cell. If there is a tie, no cell will be placed 4. Killing: Each cell kills an enemy cell in front of it (in the direction it faces). This does not happen if that cell points in the opposite direction (i.e. if both would kill each other). The killing also happens simultaneously

Repeat the decision and growth phase until the game ends. After each growth phase the alternating pattern switches.

variants

This variant might be quite tricky to play correctly but could lead also to some very fast rounds. In principal the material of this game allows for different sets of rules giving you potentially many games in one.

Common Cold War

A quick 2 player tile laying game about fighting off a mutating strain of common cold.

it would be much easier to explain the rules with simple graphic

Components consist of the seven “business cards” cut into two pieces to create seven 2x1 tiles and seven 2x2 tiles. The tiles are further divided, so each tile is created from 1x1 squares (two squares for 2x1 tile and four for 2x2). On top of each tile there is a graphic representing a vrius (maybe in a cartoon style, to keep the theme lighthearted). Tiles are two sided, representing the cold virus on one side (red) and the antibodies on the other (blue). Each tile has a action symbol on each side (giving each tile 4 symbols). Apart from the color and graphics (slight variation on the same picture, so it is more accessible to those who are colorblind), the tiles are the same on both sides and have exactly the same action symbols.

Gameplay starts by dealing out 7 tiles to each player at random. The disease player (red) starts by placing one tile on the table his side up. The antibodies player (blue) needs to place a tile so it connects fully to at least one of the 1x1 square of the tile present on the table. Once the tile is placed, execute any action symbol that touches the tile already laying on the table. The players alternate turns by placing a tile and following the rules of each action symbol that touches any of the tiles already on the table. Game ends when both players are out of tiles. The player with most tiles of his color present at the table is the winner.

Action symbols are icons that represent the gameplay effects that affect the tiles present on the table. When a new tiles enters the table, it will flip, remove or otherwise affect the tiles it touches. Each tile has 4 symbols, one on each side. They can be any combination from the ones below: Flip - most common symbol, if the side with this symbol touches any tiles on the table, flip those tiles so they show the other colored side. Destroy - remove any tile from the game that touches the side with this symbol. Return - remove the tile and give it to the player whose side is visible (red or blue). Protection - This symbol does not have effect on its own, but when a new tile touches the side with a protection symbol, it does not affect it. Overtake - treat the tiles that are touched by this symbol as they just entered the table, execute each action symbol of this tile that are touching any other tile, including the one you just placed.

Other rules: The 1x1 squares on each tile exist solely, so it is easier for players to distinguish what can be played and where without the need of 1x1 gridded board. Players can place their tiles anywhere as long as their tile is touching at least one 1x1 square with a 1x1 square of a tile on the table. The 1x1 squares need to touch entirely. You can place tiles this way, so they touch more than one 1x1 square of one or more tiles already present on the board. Tiles can not be placed on top of one another, if you cannot fit a tile inside the pattern on the table you need to choose a different tile or different spot on the “board”. If you can’t do any of those, you need to discard one of your tiles in hand. The replayability comes from the emerging pattern on the board and how different tiles will change it during the game. While each game should only take couple minutes, some players might spend extra time trying to decide what and where to play, hence the analogy to cold war - the waiting game. One tile can have more than one of the same action symbol. We can have a tile that is a flipper (flip icon on each side) etc.

The 10x10 grid “board” is an extra. To keep with the theme of fighting off a cold, it could be an old timey handkerchief. It can be used as a board so it limits the amount of space available for gameplay. It can be used as a “container” for the tiles, so the players blindly draw one tile per turn.

GREEDY FIEFS

COMPONENTS

20 color counters:

• 4 cavalry (2 each)
• 4 infantry (2 each)
• 4 archers (2 each)
• 2 heroes (1 each)
• 2 “1/2 build” counters
• 4 cave cards (1 dragon, 1 goblin horde, 1 burrowing horror, & 1 artifact)

Game board 5x5 square grid, featuring:

• 4 caves (1 in each corner square)
• 1 lake (center square)
• 4 villages (1 in each starting area)
• 4 keeps (1 in each starting area)

OBJECTIVE

3 ways to win:
• Occupy opponents starting keep
• Eliminate all opponent’s troops from board
• Force opponent to submit

SETUP

Each player begins with 1 counter of each troop type, including hero.

Board has 4 starting areas, consisting of middle 3 squares along each edge, plus the center square of the second row (creating a triangle of three bottom squares and a single top square containing unique keep and village configuration).

Losing player of previous game, or game’s owner if there no previous game, chooses starting area and distributes his 4 counters between keep and village of chosen starting area. His opponent must place his troops in opposite starting area, but takes first turn.

PHASES

BUILD PHASE

Each occupied village generates 1/2 of a troop build (1 village = 1/2 build, 2 villages = 1 full build, 3 villages = 1 1/2 build, and all 4 villages = 2 full troop builds).

Unspent builds are lost, but 1/2 of build may be retained between turns (flip “1/2 build” counter face up).

Any troop type may be built, but player must have chosen troop in reserve. Chosen troop(s) are held aside in build queue to be placed during the reinforcement phase.

MOVEMENT PHASE

Each troop may move 1 square, including diagonally. Cavalry may move 2 spaces, however they must stop movement if they enter a square occupied by enemy forces. The hero must always remain stacked with other troop types; if the hero is ever alone in a square, he is automatically removed from the board.

If stacks of opposing counters occupy the same square, then conflict resolution must take place after all other movement has been completed. Multiple stacks may be moved into an enemy occupied square temporarily exceeding the stack limit, but after conflict resolution any excess troops must be discarded.

If the player has a hero in a cave square, then he may choose to explore the cave during conflict resolution.

No troops may enter the lake square.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

The players compare opposing stacks. If multiple stacks move into an occupied square (from different squares) they fight separate battles with the defender choosing which stack to resolve conflict with first.

Each troop will inflict 1 kill on an opposing troop, with the following exceptions:

Cavalry: immune to archers
Infantry: immune to cavalry
Archer: immune to infantry
Hero: immune to all, except another hero

All kills are resolved simultaneously, so any troops eliminated still inflict 1 kill. Each player chooses which of his opponent’s forces are lost, subject to the above restrictions.

EXAMPLE:

Red’s stack contains 1 cavalry and 1 archer.
Black’s stack contains the hero and 2 infantry.

Red decides archer kills 1 black infantry. Red cavalry is ineffective against the black hero and second infantry.

Black chooses to kill red cavalry with 1 infantry, but second black infantry is ineffective against red archer, so black hero kills red archer.

Result: Red has no troops remaining, and black controls the square with his hero and 1 infantry.

CAVE RESOLUTION

A hero on a cave may explore. Turn card cave face up. If it is the artifact, the hero may take it.

Artifact grants the hero the ability of First Strike: he may use his kill before any other conflict is resolved, preventing one opposing troop from acting.

If it is a monster, the hero and his stack must fight. Each monster acts as a stack of troops:

Dragon: 2 archers, 1 cavalry
Goblin Horde: 2 infantry, 1 archer
Burrowing Horror: 2 cavalry, 1 infantry

Monster is removed from the board if all 3 “troops” are killed.

KEEPS

A keep grants a free automatic First Strike kill before any other conflict is resolved. This kill may be any troop type other than a hero. A keep attacked by a hero with the artifact loses this free kill.

REINFORCEMENT PHASE

Any troops in the players build queue may now be place on the board. Reinforcements may be placed in any occupied village, occupied keep, or the players starting keep. Remember the stacking limit of 3 non-hero troops.