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Scythe: Gear Up for Battle
I’m here to tell you all about the thrilling game of Scythe and how you can dominate the battlefield. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!
Scythe is a game that takes place in a mysterious world where factions are vying for power and resources. Each faction has their own unique abilities and goals, and it’s up to you to lead your faction to victory.
The game is played on a beautiful, hand-drawn map divided into hexes. Your goal is to control and conquer territories, gather resources, and build your empire. But be careful – there are rival factions out there who will stop at nothing to claim what is rightfully yours.
As the game progresses, you’ll have the opportunity to build and upgrade various structures, recruit powerful heroes, and unleash devastating combat abilities. Your decision-making skills will be put to the test as you strategize and plan your moves to outmaneuver your opponents and seize control of key areas.
Speaking of opponents, Scythe can be played with up to seven players, making it the perfect game for a group gathering or game night with friends. The more players there are, the more intense and strategic the game becomes. It’s a true test of tactical thinking and cunning.
One of the most exciting aspects of Scythe is the mech combat. Each faction has its own unique mech, a giant war machine that can turn the tide of battle. These mechs can be upgraded and customized with powerful weapons and abilities, giving you an edge over your rivals. Imagine the thrill of leading your army into battle, crushing your enemies beneath the weight of your unstoppable war machine.
But Scythe isn’t just about brute force. It also rewards clever resource management and careful planning. Gathering resources and using them wisely is crucial to your success. Balancing economic growth with military might is the key to winning the game.
In conclusion, Scythe is a game that combines thrilling combat, strategic decision-making, and immersive world-building. It offers a unique and engaging experience that will keep you coming back for more. So gather your friends, prepare your troops, and gear up for an all-out war on the Scythe battlefield. Victory is within your grasp – are you ready to seize it?
Hey there! I want to tell you about a really cool version of Scythe called the All Out War variant. It’s like a huge war that happens after the regular game ends. In this variant, all the players fight each other to dominate Eastern Europa. The game is split into two halves. The first half is the normal game, which decides how the second half will start. And the winner of the second half is the overall winner of the game!
The regular game is just the beginning. It sets the stage for the big war that comes next. The factions that come in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place get special bonuses to help them in the war.
The reason for this variant is that playing regular Scythe sometimes feels like you’re getting ready for a huge war, but it never actually happens. It’s like you’re building up for a war that never comes. Well, this variant lets you actually fight that war!
Faction Components
In Scythe, there are 100 divisions, each represented by a 10mm wooden cube. A division is a versatile combat unit consisting of around 10,000 soldiers. Divisions enter the game during the All Out War stage, which follows the standard game.
In the standard game, divisions serve as the primary combat unit for your faction, ready to be mobilized in significant numbers. The cubes symbolize a limited pool of one million soldiers. Divisions function as combat units and follow the rules that apply to such units. They can engage in battles, be transported by mechs and airships, and are your go-to units to establish control over large territories in Eastern Europa.
Although divisions act similarly to other units, they have a few unique traits:
- Groups of divisions can move together as a “corps.” A corps can have any number of divisions in one territory. When a corps moves to another territory, all divisions in the corps must move together to the same destination. To determine the size of the corps, simply pick up a handful of wooden blocks and drop them into the destination. Moving divisions as a corps counts as one move. If you only want to move one division to another territory, that also counts as one move.
- Divisions always move one territory at a time unless they are carried by a mech or airship.
- When I play the game, I can’t move my divisions across lakes or rivers unless I have a mech or airship to carry them. This means I have to follow the normal rules for carrying workers: either move one territory and then be carried, or be carried and then move one territory.
- Just like other units, my divisions have to stop when they enter a territory that has enemy units.
- Whenever I move my divisions, I always make sure to leave at least one behind if it would leave the territory empty of my structures or other divisions.
- Unlike characters or mechs, my divisions can’t use abilities on their own. So things like Riverwalk are off-limits for them.
- Divisions and Combat: When fighting in warfare, divisions come into play. These divisions not only enhance the strategy but also provide an advantage. With the presence of at least 5 divisions in combat, a faction is granted an extra combat card. Moreover, if the combat consists of multiple rounds, the faction is entitled to a free combat card at the beginning of each round. This gives you an edge in battle and allows for greater tactical flexibility.
What Happens After the Scythe Game Ends?
Once the regular Scythe game is over and a winner has been declared, a new phase called the Mobilization Phase begins. During this phase, there are several steps that need to be taken in a specific order. Let’s explore what happens next:
When we start playing this game, we need to make sure that each faction has the same number of wooden cubes. These cubes are like soldiers or units in our army. We put them in a container next to our faction. This container is called the Recruitment Pool because it is where we get new soldiers from.
At the beginning of the game, we give some bonus cubes to the factions that come in first, second, and third place. The first-place faction gets 15 bonus cubes, which go into an area called the Deployment Pool near their Faction Mat. The second-place faction gets 10 bonus cubes, also placed in the Deployment Pool. And the third-place faction gets 5 bonus cubes, which are also put in the Deployment Pool.
As you dive deeper into the world of scoring categories, you’ll discover ways to give each side an extra boost. Here’s how it works:
– The side with the highest popularity, or tied for the highest, earns 5 bonus divisions. These divisions are placed immediately in the Deployment Pool.
– The side that controls the most resources, or is tied for the most, also receives 5 bonus divisions. These divisions are also placed in the Deployment Pool right away.
– If your faction managed to capture the Factory, congratulations! You’ll earn an additional 5 bonus divisions, which will be added to the Deployment Pool.
– For every recruit token your faction collects, you’ll earn 3 divisions. These divisions are placed immediately in the Deployment Pool, giving you a valuable advantage.
– The number of divisions you control is important too. For each territory your faction holds, you’ll receive 1 division. These divisions will be placed directly in each controlled territory.
By considering these scoring categories, you can strategically increase your divisions and fortify your position on the battlefield. It’s all about making the most of every opportunity and maximizing your chances of success. So, go ahead and seize these bonuses to gain the upper hand in the game!
If any group puts their troops next to another group’s main base, they have to give up their territory. The group that owns the base gets to pick the same number of territories from the other group’s base and exchange them. But they can’t pick a territory that’s next to another group’s base. Take all the resources, workers, and popularity markers off the board and put them back in the box. Return all the factory cards to the box too.
Time for Battle: All Out War Phase
After preparing for battle during the Mobilization Phase, it’s time for the real deal – the All Out War Phase. This is where the excitement ramps up as each faction takes its turn in a fierce battle for victory.
During this intense phase, we still rely on coins and power to fuel our strategies and tactics. However, resources and popularity take a backseat as we prioritize our military might.
Aim for the Top: Object of the Game
In the game, All Out War, my goal is to control 25 points of territory by the end of my turn. Here’s how territorial points are determined:
– The factory is worth 3 territorial points.
– Each village is worth 2 territorial points.
– Every other non-lake territory is worth 1 territorial point.
Once I reach 25 territorial points at the end of my turn, I win the game. Optionally, if I also win the standard pre-All Out War game, I can consider myself a co-winner. The ultimate goal is to win both the standard and All Out War segments for a complete victory.
In the midst of All Out War, something extraordinary can happen. A faction may find itself surrendering, granting a hefty reward to the conqueror. It’s quite simple really: a faction surrenders when an opposing faction seizes control of a neighboring territory that isn’t a lake and is right next to the surrendering faction’s Home Base.
When a faction surrenders, several things occur:
- The faction that surrenders removes all of its Characters, mechs, and airship from the board.
- All of the surrendered faction’s coins, power, and combat cards are handed over to the victorious faction.
- The victorious faction gains control of all the surrendered faction’s deployed divisions on the game board (but not the surrendered faction’s Recruitment Pool). These deployed divisions become fully and completely owned by the conquering faction, as if they were already part of their own forces.
Note: When a faction’s Home Base is located very close to another faction’s Home Base, it is recommended that both factions engage in negotiations to establish a border truce for specific territories.
The Game Turn
On my turn, I can choose to take one of the actions from the top row. I can either bolster my forces by purchasing power or combat cards, move my combat units and engage in battles, or produce new divisions by purchasing and deploying them. The trade and factory actions are not available in All Out War, and neither are any of the actions in the bottom row.
But why is it like this, you wonder? Well, it’s because now is the time for all-out war. We’ve gathered our resources and mobilized our forces. War is the main focus now. It’s like an economy that’s fully geared towards war, using everything it had collected before the conflict even started.
Hey there! Let’s talk about All out War and the interesting choices you have during the game!
In All Out War, there’s a rule that you can’t take the same action twice in a row. So, you have to be strategic and mix things up!
When it’s your faction’s turn to take action, you have a few options. You can:
Bolster Action: Supercharging Your Progress
Hey there! I want to share something pretty cool with you – the bolster action. It’s a game-changer! You probably already know what this action is all about, but let me explain it to you just in case.
The bolster action is a nifty move that can supercharge your progress. It’s similar to what you already know from the standard game, but with a twist that makes it even more awesome.
Imagine this: when you decide to gain some power, just a simple press of a button or with a flick of your wrist, you’ll receive not just the regular power boost, but a whopping double dose of it! Yes, you read that right – two times the power you would normally get. That’s like hitting the turbo button and zooming past your opponents.
This boost can work wonders for you. Think about the possibilities! With this extra jolt of power, you can achieve things faster and achieve even greater things. It’s like having a secret weapon up your sleeve that gives you the edge over everyone else.
So, what are you waiting for? Give the bolster action a try and witness firsthand how it can take your progress to a whole new level. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!
I’m on the Move!
When it’s time to make a move in the game, things work a bit differently than usual. Let me explain:
Now, in this game, you can have a group of divisions called a “corps.” A corps can be made up of any number of divisions in one territory. And guess what? When you move a corps, it’s treated as a single unit! How cool is that?
But here’s the catch – all divisions in a corps must move together to the same place. So, when you’re moving a corps, you pick them all up at once and drop them into their new destination. Easy peasy!
When it comes to moving divisions in the game, there are a few important things to keep in mind. First of all, a move is counted as one when divisions within a corps move together. Similarly, if you only want to move one division into a different territory, that also counts as one move. So, whether you’re moving a whole corps or just one division, it all adds up to one move.
Now, let’s talk about how divisions move. Normally, divisions can only move one territory at a time. However, if they’re carried by a mech or airship, things can get more interesting. Divisions can either move and then be carried, or be carried and then move. The choice is yours! But here’s the catch: if carried divisions are unloaded in an enemy-held territory, they must stop. They can’t be unloaded into enemy territory and then continue moving.
Speaking of airships, they have their own rules when it comes to carrying divisions. Each airship can carry up to 10 divisions, making them a valuable asset for moving large groups of divisions efficiently.
When I control my mech, I can carry up to 5 divisions. But here’s the thing: when I drop off those divisions, they stay in the territory where my mech ends its movement. So, if I move my mech into an enemy-occupied territory, both my mech and the divisions have to stop right there.
Now, divisions can’t just move all willy-nilly across lakes or rivers. Unless they’re being carried by a mech or airship, that is. And when they are, the usual rules for carried pieces apply. They can move and then be carried, or they can be carried and then move.
Here’s the deal with moving divisions: whenever I move them, I always have to leave at least one division behind. Why? Well, if I didn’t, the territory I just moved from would end up empty, with none of my structures or divisions there.
Now, it’s important to note that divisions aren’t characters or mechs. That means they can’t use character or mech abilities by themselves. So, no Riverwalk for them, unfortunately.
When everything is done moving, if my divisions are in a territory that has an enemy structure but no enemy units, I can destroy that structure and put it in my casualty pile. Destroyed structures don’t do anything anymore, like if I destroy a mine, it won’t work as a tunnel for my faction.
Time to Take Action!
Welcome, commander! Today, I’ll walk you through an essential aspect of the game called All Out War – the produce action. This action is all about creating new divisions to strengthen your forces and conquer the battlefield.
Let’s dive in and explore how it works. Pay close attention!
Produce Action
During the game, you’ll come across the produce action. Picture this: the produce action is like a magic spell that only creates new divisions for you. Forget about all those confusing symbols on the Game Mat. Instead, focus on the following:
- Pay 10 coins
- Gain 5 divisions
Here’s how it works. To perform a produce action, you need to spend 10 coins. In return for your investment, you’ll receive 5 fresh divisions from the recruitment pool. However, if there aren’t enough divisions available, don’t worry. The produce action will recruit every single remaining division.
Got it so far? Excellent!
Now, when you deploy your newly acquired divisions, you have the freedom to place them strategically. You can choose to concentrate your forces in a single territory or spread them across multiple territories that you control. The choice is yours!
Count Territorial Points
Okay, now that we’ve covered the produce action, let’s move on to another crucial aspect of the game – counting territorial points.
When you control territories on the battlefield, those territories are worth something called territorial points. These points are like pieces of a puzzle that contribute to your overall strategy.
As you conquer and hold territories, make sure to keep track of the territorial points they provide. The more territories you control, the higher your territorial point score will be. And trust me, every point counts in this intense war!
All right, commander! I’ve given you the knowledge you need to succeed. Take this newfound understanding and unleash your strategic brilliance on the battlefield. Good luck!
In the game, after I take my turn, I count up the points for my faction’s territories and let everyone know the total. If my faction has 25 or more points, we win! It’s exciting to see if we can reach that goal.
But sometimes, all the factions agree that none of us can reach 25 points. When that happens, the war ends in a stalemate. It’s a draw for all sides, and nobody wins.
To keep track of the points, we appoint someone to be the points keeper. They have a piece of paper with everyone’s total points listed. Whenever a territory changes hands, the points keeper updates the totals. But just to be sure, we can ask for spot checks to make sure everything is correct.
Fighting in All Out War
When I enter the battlefield in All Out War, the fighting can go on for multiple rounds until I decide to retreat. And let me tell you, once units are destroyed, they’re gone for good.
In order to keep track of the cost of war and prevent reuse, any units or structures that I lose in the battle are placed in a special area called the “casualty area” on the table.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. If I manage to destroy any enemy mechs or airships, I get to collect them as trophies for my faction. It’s a sweet victory that shows everyone who really rules the battlefield.
The Power of Divisions
Divisions are the bread and butter of control in Eastern Europa. They play a crucial role in establishing dominance over territories and are essential in combat. But that’s not all.
When the fighting starts, divisions also act as a sponge, absorbing hits in a long and drawn-out war of attrition. They keep my forces in the battle and provide me with a continuous stream of power.
Now, here’s an interesting fact. At the beginning of each combat round, including the first one, if I still have at least 5 divisions fighting, I get to draw a combat card. Talk about an advantage!
When I’m fighting over control of a lake, the divisions carried by my mechs are right there on the front lines.
My Mechs
If my mech defeats an enemy mech and forces it to retreat to its Home Base, that enemy mech doesn’t simply retreat – it’s permanently destroyed. No chance for them to come back and fight another day!
What happens to those destroyed mechs, you ask? Well, instead of being returned to my Faction Mat, they become my war trophies. I proudly display them to show off my victories. And don’t worry – even though a mech is destroyed, I can still use all of its abilities. They don’t just disappear!
Airships
Now, let’s talk about airships. They play an important role in All Out War. They can bombard enemy divisions from the skies, drop my divisions behind enemy lines to launch surprise attacks, and even engage in ship-to-ship combat.
Bombard: When I’m done moving my airship, if it’s in a territory with enemy divisions, I can spend 5 power to destroy up to 3 of them. But I can’t destroy the last enemy division in a territory with a bombardment.
Blitz drop: After I finish moving my airship, if it’s carrying divisions, I can choose to drop some or all of them to launch an attack. If I want, I can also use a bombardment to weaken the enemy before doing this action.
Ship combat: When you finish moving, if your airship is in the same territory as an enemy airship, you have the option to engage in ship-to-ship combat. This follows the regular rules for mech versus mech combat. Remember that only airships can participate in ship-to-ship combat – no other forces are allowed.
In ship-to-ship combat, when one side loses, their airship is sent back to their Home Base.
If the loser’s power was at least 5 lower than their opponent’s, their ship is permanantly destroyed.
If the loser’s ship had any divisions on board, all divisions are also destroyed.
Changes to Combat Rules
In All Out War, combat resolution remains mostly the same when it comes to power and combat cards. However, now combat in a territory can last multiple rounds. Each round is completed and the entire combat over the territory is resolved before moving on to the next combat.
Combat rounds: In the game All Out War, I learned that combat is not over after just one round. Instead, it continues in a territory until one side is completely wiped out or the attacker decides to retreat back to where they came from.
Defender advantage: I found out that when the attacking force doesn’t have any mechs, the defender has the upper hand. They automatically win any ties in the combat results.
But wait! There’s an exception to this rule. If the attacker has a mech fighting in the combat, they have a chance to win ties like usual.
Attrition: After each combat round, I discovered something interesting. The side that lost the round loses one division. And get this—even if the attacking side wins the round, they still lose one division. It’s a bit of a bummer for everyone involved.
Combat cards (for divisions): When you engage in combat in All Out War, there are special rules regarding the use of the power dial and combat cards. The power dial and combat cards are used as usual, but if you have any divisions remaining in the combat round, you can also tuck an extra combat card behind the power dial.
Additionally, at the beginning of each combat round (including the first one), if you have at least 5 divisions left in the battle, you get to draw one combat card.
Just like in the regular rules, at the end of each combat round, the losing side gets to gain a combat card if they used at least one combat card or spent one power on the power dial during that combat round.
Let me tell you something fascinating: When we engage in All Out War, we enter a world of strategic combat where winning a battle doesn’t immediately grant us control of the territory. No, my friend, it’s not that simple. We must fight multiple rounds and completely obliterate our enemy to claim that piece of land as our own. It’s like a prolonged struggle for dominance!
Here’s an interesting twist: Picture this. Both sides, yours and the enemy’s, may still have divisions (also called forces) present during the fight, making the situation even more complicated. In this scenario, the losing side of each combat round will have to forfeit a number of divisions in the contested territory. The actual number of divisions lost will be determined by the difference between the total power of the two sides, plus a bonus division lost by the losing side, and another bonus division lost by the attacker due to attrition.
What Happens to Mechs in Combat?
In combat, mechs are a unique asset. Unlike regular divisions, they are never taken as a casualty when a division is lost. Instead, mechs stay in combat until all divisions are gone. They are only destroyed if they lose a combat round without any friendly divisions left at the beginning of that round. It’s important to note that only one mech can be destroyed in each combat round.
So, when is a force considered “destroyed” in combat? Here are the conditions:
- If a side has no mechs participating in the combat and loses its last division, regardless of whether it won or lost the current round.
- If a side starts a combat round with only one mech and loses that round, it is considered “destroyed.” However, the winner of the combat still gains or maintains control of the territory. Stars, which were used in All Out War, are no longer gained in combat.
Loser: If you’re the loser in the combat round and you used at least one power, you get to draw a combat card (this happens after each combat round).
Trophies: Whenever mechs or airships are destroyed, the faction that destroyed them keeps them as trophies to show off their achievements.
Complete Destruction: If both sides are destroyed in the final combat round, nobody is considered the winner or loser. Instead, the territory they fought over becomes empty, and any faction can capture it on their turn. This is the only way a territory can be left without any divisions.