Guardians: Opening moves walkthrough

Subject: Re: Guardians: Opening moves walkthrough (long)
From: casmith@ksu.ksu.edu (Charles A Smith)
Date: 1995/09/04

Skeksis@Buffnet.net (Skeksis) writes:

In article (42aigr$t62@fox.ksu.ksu.edu) casmith@ksu.ksu.edu (Charles A Smith) writes:

Just picked up a couple of starters of this new CCG. The card design and artwork is absolutley fantastic. Finally a card game with a wargaming feel to it.

Chuck

Can you give me some idea what this one is about? How does it play? I have not seen it in any local stores so I have no info to go on.

Thanks

Skeksis

Okay, here it is....

Here's an overview of Guardians. Please note this is a simplification of the gaming sequence, meant more to give those who have not seen the rules and cards a feel for the game. I hope it's okay with the netrep for me to do this. I present this information to generate enthusiasm for the game. Please don't ask me for any additional information about game play at this point. It's all in the rule book.

Imagine a battleground composed of three wide and four deep squares between you and your opponent. The first horizontal row of three spaces directly in front of you contain three linked cards that compose your Stronghold. The one I have arranged before me at the moment is "Sabu Amantek Stronghold." The left and rightmost cards show sandy cliffs against a pale blue sky. (+3 Vitality to defending Creatures; +2 to your ranged attacks). The center card shows what appears to be a blue rock dome set amid sandy rock outcroppings (+4 Vitality to defending Creatures; +2 to your ranged attacks). The next horizontal row of three are disputed lands in your realm (currently empty of any cards). The back two rows of three form your opponent's disputed lands and Stronghold, mirrors of your own.

Behind your Stronghold sits a single card, your Guardian. The one I have before me is Thak, Steady Hand. Thak has vitality 27; a base draw of 3; power stones of 6, and magic potential of 5. (a few other stats are left out to simplify the matter)

You begin the game by drawing 12 cards. I shuffled and dealt myself the following cards (deck equals one starter and two boosters).

1. Terrain Card/Spires: a series of dark rock arches framing a golden light (no flying into, out of, or over)
2. Terrain Card/Woods: a closeup of a tree before a golden sky (no ranged attack)
3. A Beer Bribery card: three mugs of the brew, one spilled, set before a keg and dragon tap
4. A Standard Bearer Shield Card: with a bull motif (When defending, add 3 strength to all your ranged attacks during combat)
5. A standard Shield card: Angel wings, gold cup, trumpets and swords with a white linen cloth in the background.
6. Male Titan: Magnificent figure holding a spear and wearing a red cape. (Large, 17 Vitality, bonus vs. Mortals, weakness vs. The Babes, cannot receive magic channeling, may change size at will with some penalty to Vitality)
7. Vampire Hunters: two comical dudes, one with a stake and mallet, the other holding a cross. (Medium size, 8 Vitality, bonus vs. Elementals, weakness vs. The Babes, cannot rec. magic channeling, significant bonus vs. Undead)
8. Archer: Warrior cast in a golden glow, about to fire an arrow (Medium size, 6 Vitality, weakness vs. Gold, cannot rec. magic channeling, 3 pt. ranged attack)
9. Greedy Fiend: Old man with rotting teeth and a hostile glare grasping a money bag. (Medium size, 1 Vitality, weakness vs. Gold, cannot rec. magic channeling, cannot bribe anyone else unless he is bribed first)
10. Idiot Fiend: a well-muscled woodsman, in a not-to-bright posture. Medium size, 6 Vitality, cannot rec. magic channeling, can conduct a fear attack against Fairies, bonus vs. Fairies
11. Demon Horde of Kabod: a creepy-looking demon astride a rock. (Medium size, 6 Vitality, bonus vs. Externals, weakness vs. The Babes, cannot rec. magic channeling, can heal other demons)
12. Sorcerer: dark face partially hidden by a ram's skull cap, holding flaming cards. (Medium size, 8 Vitality, weakness vs. Gold, can rec. magic channeling, can release an area wide fireball)

You then form an army of no more than 30 vitality points (all characters in your hand except the Titan and Idiot Fiend). You place the standard shield over the stack and then set the army, shield side up, on one of your Fortress cards. The remaining cards in your hand are divided into the Storage Depot and the Creature Pen.

After your opponent has done likewise, you both turn over the top card of your draw deck to determine who moves first. You move first, deciding to go straight ahead to take control of the middle square of a disputed land in your realm. You have to stop and place your Spires terrain card in the space, under your army. Your opponent performs the same movement and places a Woods terrain card. Both your armies glare at each other across the boundaries of your realms......

On the next turn, the two armies could clash, triggering a combat. Each player picks up the army to form a combat hand. Each chooses one card and simultaneously reveals them opposed to each other. At that moment you can choose to add your archer as a ranged attack. After figuring in other modifiers, high vitality wins (for the moment). You keep paring cards until one of you runs out of characters. The remaining player can then adds additional characters remaining in his or her as secondary attacks in any of the primary attacks.

Once combat is finished, remove the dead characters and count vitality. The side with the highest vitality wins the square; the loser retreats if possible.

Since you have a beer card in your hand, you might have been able to bribe one his characters, forcing it back into the Creature Pen.

How do you win? Control all six disputed lands OR destroy six shields OR destroy your opponent's Guardian.

That should give you all a general feel for the game. I love the art and card design. I *think* play balance is good but only time will tell. I *think* the tiny little game manual is complete (the use of color does help).

I am providing this information without the permission of the publisher, so I hope it's proper for me to do so.

Anyway, buy it; play it; trade cards with me. 8^)**

Chuck Smith
casmith@ksu.ksu.edu

Subject: Re: Guardians: Opening moves walkthrough (long)
From: jschlick@netcom.com (Jennifer Schlickbernd)
Date: 1995/09/05

Speaking of the rules, they seem contradictory to me regarding the draw phase. In phase I, Draw, it says to draw the appropriate number of cards, using the first one as your Up-Card. Then, in phase II, it says to draw your Up-Card again. ?????

Subject: Re: Guardians: Opening moves walkthrough (long)
From: lilzero@astral.magic.ca (LittleZero)
Date: 1995/09/05

You don't really "draw" your up-card. You just flip it over and compare it to your opponent's Up-Card. It isn't in your hand, but it is recommended that you put the card beside your deck as there are some effects which allow you to bypass the up-card when drawing. The Up-Card doesn't actually go into your "hand" until the next Phase 1.

Subject: Re: Guardians: Opening moves walkthrough (long)
From: locjlb@telerama.lm.com
Date: 1995/09/05

You can place multiple Shields of armies at this time, the limit is thirty points per Stronghold space. A stack can be placed without a Shield, but then it cannot move...

After your opponent has done likewise, you both turn over the top card of your draw deck to determine who moves first. You move first, deciding to go straight ahead to take control of the middle square of a disputed land in your realm. You have to stop and place your Spires terrain card in the space, under your army. Your opponent performs the same movement and places a Woods terrain card. Both your armies glare at each other across the boundaries of your realms......

One correction: Terrain is placed after ALL Shields have moved for the turn, not immediately after moving.

Great to see the review. only some minor corrections to add--but that's why I'm the "IcePick"

Subject: Re: Guardians: Opening moves walkthrough (long)
From: SED <75430.760@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 1995/09/06

Another thing the book NEVER states is that at the start you put down your 3 stronghold cards in your stronghold spaces. This may be obvious, but it never actually says to do this. It mentions in the terms in the back of the book that that's where the cards go, but doesn't say when to place them. You'd think the startup sequence would say 1) Choose a Guardian, 2) Choose a Stronghold and place the 3 stronghold cards in front of you in the strong- hold spaces, etc..

By the way, on the stronghold Kha-somthing - the one with +2 vitality and no flying creatures can enter - does the "No flying creatures can enter" part also apply to the left and right sides? I believe those two cards just say +2.

Subject: Re: Guardians: Opening moves walkthrough (long)
From: clamjack@aol.com (Clamjack)
Date: 1995/09/06

Making a note now for the Unlimited rule book. Would it help if we replaced the purple cards on the set up diagram with actual stronghold cards (I can hear the art department groan from here)?

While I'm here, the special text on the center stronghold space only applies to that space, not your whole stronghold.

Luke

Subject: Re: Guardians: Opening moves walkthrough (long)
From: casmith@ksu.ksu.edu (Charles A Smith)
Date: 1995/09/06

The Up-Card is usually (one of the Guardians allows you to keep the Up-Card up as long as you want) the first card you take in your draw. Then when you are ready to begin moving your stacks you turn over the top card for as an up-card. I think this is right.

EDITOR'S NOTE: NO, TES LET DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. YOU DISCARD THE UP-CARD, NOT KEEP IT.

Subject: Re: Guardians: Opening moves walkthrough (long)
From: billj@postoffice.ptd.net (William Jordan)
Date: 1995/09/06

The book doesn't state this very clearly. If you are drawing 3 cards, you would take the up-card from the previous round, and two other cards from the top of your deck. If you have the guardian, Tes Let, you could choose to discard you up-card from the previous round, and pull three all new cards from the top of your deck.

Send email at cjburke@io.com.

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