gaming environment

contents

game idea

The game of Neo-Combat is about cybervaran combat teams, which have only one object: to kill as many other varans than possible. To achieve this, they have to use their cloaking systems for full potential and then launch a attack against enemy varans. The game is suitable for two or more players.

The game is played in turns, in which all players do their actions. Each player has 1 or more varans and tries to kill other players' varans. The player with most kills when the first players drops out (loses all his varans) is the winner. Alternatively, an extended game for total termination can be played, when the last player with any varans is the winner.

terms

Neo-Combat has following terms associated to it:

• Varan card: a card that represent a varan the player controls. All players start with same number of varans, and their object is to kill all varans of the other players.
• Action card: playing cards used to spot, shoot, hide and otherwise control varans and situations of the game.
• Hand: number of action cards held by each player is his hand. The number of cards is public knowledge, so do not hide them, but the player does not need to reveal their type otherwise.
• Deck: the deck of unplayed (and unrevealed) action cards. All players draw from the same deck. If the deck runs out of cards, the discard pile is shuffled to form a new deck.
• Discard pile: a pile of used cards. Players are not allowed to deliberately investigate the pile.
• First player: the player who starts each phase. The turn of being the first player is advanced clockwise at the start of the each game turn.
• Cloaked varan: a varan which is currently cloaked and not spotted by other varans. The general idea of the varan location is still known to all players, as varan scanning systems detect faint life signs of the cloaked varans. A cloaked varan is is indicated by keeping the varan card upside down on the table. Any action cards played on it are still kept with their faceside up (the wounded varan leaves blood traces etc.)
• Revealed varan: a varan which has been spotted by other varans or whose cloak is not working. The varan card is kept faceside up, and other varans may now target it with gunshots and melee attacks. Note that all other varans can now see the varan, even those of other players!
• Varan action: a varan can do one action each turn, this being usually a shot, a melee strike or a repair action. The varan is turned sideways to indicate that it has done its action this turn.
• Sector: an area in gaming table, where there is one or more varans. There is limitless number of sectors but all are accessable from other sectors in one turn. Only one has a special meaning, and that is the center battlefield.

varan cards

speed

All varans have speed of 1-3, and are moved in that order (lowest first) in the movement phase of the game turn. Any varan can fake a lower speed than its real one, i.e. move earlier.

health

The total health (hit points) of the varan, including some extra from heavy armor. If the accumulated damage ever reaches this level or exceeds it, the varan is immediately killed and removed from the game. Any action cards played on it are returned to discard pile.

extra attibutes

In addition to basic attributes explained above, the varan may have a number of extra attributes, which affect the gameplay. Any of these powers can be used even when the varan is cloaked, but if the player lies about them (uses attributes not available to the varan) the player should be beaten to pulp. Or something.

• Sensors: when the varan uses an appropriate action card, the player may draw a new card, as stated in the action card. This attribute can be used only once per turn.
• Accurate, Tough, Fighter: as Sensors.
• Flamer: the varan has fire-based attacks and can use some special action cards.
• Sniper: the varan may fire some shots as niper shots, not revealing himself.
• Berserk: the varan may attack twice in melee instead of only one attack.
• Firepower: the varan has extra firepower and can fire twice each combat turn.

action cards

type

Action cards are divided into following types:

• Combat card is either a sensor, shot or strike card, and is only used during combat phase, while it is the player's turn.
• Combat defense can only be played on own varan, in response to use of combat card.
• Extra damage card is played immediately after a successful damage is dealt to a varan. The card can be played by any player, and any number of extra damage cards can be played after a successful shot or strike. Duplicates of the same special damage represent more extensive damage.
• Repair card can only be used in repair phase, during player's turn on his own varan
• Special card can be used as indicated in the card. Most are limited to be played on own varan.

No action cards can be played during draw or discard phase. Any damage or continuous effect cards are left at target varan until it repairs the damage or it is killed, when the cards are put to discard pile.

effect

The actual effect of the card depends on its type. Most cards have their effect explained in the card, while shot and strike cards do damage equal to power value of the card.

If the card has notation 'extra card: <attribute>' the player playing the card may immediately draw a new card, if the varan using the card has the appropriate attribute and has not yet used that attribute to gain an extra card this turn.

Some cards (mainly defense cards) are marked as to be removed from the game after being played. As varan armor gets battered, covers blown up and varans become exhausted, it becomes harder to defend against attacks. So, when some defense cards are played (not discarded), they are immediately removed from the game and not returned to discard pile.

game rules

before the game

After that one player shuffles the entire action card deck and deals to each player cards equal to number of varans per player plus four (4) extra cards. So, with 4 varans per player the dealer deals 8 cards to each player.

Then the game is started. The dealer is the first player for the first game turn.

game turn

draw phase

All players draw cards 3 cards from the deck, with one extra card if they have any varans in the center battle field (see below) up to limit of 4 plus current number of varans of the player. So, with 3 varans, the hand size is limited to 7 cards and if player already has 6 cards, he only draws one more. If the deck runs out of cards, the discard pile is shuffled to form a new deck.

movement phase

Each player moves his revealed varans, starting from the slowest ones and from the first player. The first player first moves all his revealed speed 1 varans, then the player after him, and so on, until all players have moved their revealed speed 1 varans. This is then repeated with revealed speed 2 varans and then with revealed speed 3 varans.

After that, the same procedure is repeated with cloaked varans, again starting from the first player. Note that no varan is obligated to move and any varan can be moved before its actual turn, if the player tries to hide its actual speed.

Varans move from sectors to others. There is no limit to sectors, so that a varan can move to any already occupied sector or form a new one. This is indicated by clear enough grouping of the varans. When needed to, some kind of counters or markers can be used to distinguis own varans. The only different and marking sector is the center battlefield, which is, surprisingly, marked as grouping/moving the varan into the center of the playing field. If a player has a varan in the center battlefield at the start of the turn he gains an extra card, as stated in the rules.

Although there is limitless number of sectors, any varan can move from one sector to any other as one move. Varans cannot move 'out of range' and all shooting can be done from any sector to any sector, there is no range limits (but note that melee combat and some sensor cards are limited to same sector)

If a varan is, for reason or another, turned sideways before it has moved, it cannot mode this turn. This effect is done with some special action cards.

combat phase

Starting from the first player, each player in turns can either play some combat action card or pass. If all players have passed consequtively, the combat phase ends.

Main combat action cards are sensor, shot and strike cards. Sensors are used to spot enemy varans so that they can be shot or stroke, shots are used to fire at other varans and strike is used to, well, strike other varans. Each varan can only fire once or strike once, unless it has attribute firepower or berserk, see below.

Sensors can be used against any cloaked varan in range, as defined in the action card. Unless the player of the target varan uses some defense card, the target varan is revealed. The varan doing the spotting is not important, unless the player wants to use sensors-attribute of some of his varans. (Note: you cannot re-spot already revealed varans, in order to get that extra card with sensors)

Shot can be targeted against any revealed varan. Unless the shot is a sniper shot (and the varan has appropriate attibute) the varan firing the shot is revealed. If the firing varan has attribute firepower, the varan can immediately fire a second shot after the first one. The second shot is handled as the first one, and can be targeted against a new target.

Strike can only be targeted against a revealed varan in the same sector as the attacker. The attacking varan is not revealed. If the attacking varan has attribute berserk, the varan can immediately make a second strike after the first one. The target can be a different one.

Any revealed varan is immediately turned faceside up. Any varan which shot or stroke is turned sideways to indicate that it has already done its action.

In addition to combat action cards, players can play all special action cards as usual.

repair phase

Starting from the first player, the player can use repair cards on his damaged or wounded varans. In addition, all varans in sectors not occupied by enemy varans are cloaked, and the varan card is turned upside down to indicate this. Varans with damaged cloaking system or flame damage (which is not repaired in this phase) cannot cloak in any circumstances. Those in the same sector with enemy varans (cloaked or not) cannot cloak, unless the player plays an appropriate action card, which is not countered.

In addition, all sideways turned varans are turned back to indicate that they can fire or do other action normally next turn.

discard phase

At the end of turn, players may discard any extra cards they do not wish to keep. No action cards can be played in this phase.

Finally, the First player turn is advanced one step clockwise, so the new First player is the player in the left-hand side of the current one.

End of Game: If one or more players have dropped from the game because they have no varans left, the game immediately ends, see below. This does not apply during extended game.

killed varans

end of game

If one or more players have dropped from the game, the game ends in the next discard phase. The game is won by the player with active varans and most kills. In a case of tie, the number of surviving varans is used as tie-breaker.

extended game

If players agree, they may play an extended total slaughter game, in which the game continues even when a player drops from the game. The game lasts until only one player has varans left. As this may take some time, it is not recommended in social evenings.

If a dropped player was the First player, the first player indicator is kept on his place and it moves onward to next player in the discard phase as usual.