Arcs

2024

Dive into Arcs, an immersive board game where players vie for dominance in a dark yet quirky universe. Engage in thrilling battles, gather scarce resources, or master diplomatic intrigue in this captivating strategy game.

120
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Welcome to the world of Arcs, a captivating strategy board game that transports you into the heart of an ancient civilization. The game beckons you into a realm where the balance between strategy and luck determines the fate of your empire.

Set amidst the grandeur of a bygone era, Arcs challenges players with the task of building and growing a civilization. The game unfolds in a beautiful, elaborate board adorned with intricate illustrations and symbols that represent various resources and actions within the game.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Arcs is a popular board game that comes with a wide variety of components. As a player, it’s vital to understand how each one functions and interacts with the game as a whole:

1. Game Board

The game board is the main playing area for Arcs. It’s divided into various spaces, each representing different territories that players can conquer and control. The game board also includes special regions where players can gain additional resources or bonuses.

2. Player Tokens

Each player receives a set of player tokens in a distinct color. These tokens are used to mark a player’s presence on the game board, representing their current control over a territory. The more territories a player controls, the more resources they can gather.

3. Resource Cards

Resource cards in Arcs represent different types of resources that players can collect and use. These resources are necessary for building structures, upgrading capabilities, and making strategic moves. The types of resource cards include wood, stone, and gold.

4. Structure Cards

Structure cards represent different types of buildings players can build using their resources. Each structure offers different advantages and abilities. For example, a ‘Fortress’ provides extra defense, while a ‘Marketplace’ increases resource generation.

5. Action Cards

Action cards provide players with one-time or continuous effects that can change the course of the game. These cards can be used for offense, defense, or strategic maneuvering. Some action cards include ‘Assault’, ‘Reinforce’, and ‘Trade’.

6. Dice

The dice in Arcs are used to determine the outcome of battles and other random events. Players roll the dice to decide the success of an attack, the amount of resources gained, and more.

7. Player Guides

The player guides provide a quick reference for the game’s rules and mechanics. They also include a list of what actions a player can take during their turn, and the effects of various cards and structures.

Understanding these components and how they interact is key to mastering the game of Arcs. With strategic use of resources, clever placement of structures, and timely play of action cards, players can gain the upper hand and secure victory.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Arcs is an exciting board game with a touch of strategy, and proper setup is crucial for a successful game. Here’s a detailed guide to setting up the game.

Step 1: Setting Up the Board

Place the game board in the center of the playing area where everyone can reach it. The board is double-sided, choose the side that is appropriate for the number of players.

Step 2: Determine Player Roles

Each player chooses a color and takes the corresponding player pieces. These include a set of markers, arc segments, and a scoring disc. Each player places their scoring disc on the ‘0’ space of the scoring track on the board.

Step 3: Initial Resources

Each player should receive an initial set of resources as stated in the game rules. This usually includes a certain number of resource cards, which are randomly drawn from the deck.

Step 4: Random Elements

Shuffle the terrain tiles and place them in a draw pile face down. Each player draws a certain number of terrain tiles and places them face up in front of them. The number of tiles drawn depends on the number of players.

Step 5: Placing the Arcs

Each player places their initial arcs on the game board as per the rules. The placement of arcs is a strategic decision as it can impact the future course of the game.

Step 6: Setting up the Resource Deck

Shuffle the resource cards and place them in a draw pile next to the game board. Reveal the top five cards and place them face up next to the draw pile.

Step 7: Starting the Game

After all the setup steps are completed, the youngest player goes first. The game then proceeds in a clockwise direction.

The game of Arcs is a game of strategy, planning, and a bit of luck with the draw of the resource cards and terrain tiles. A well thought out setup and a good understanding of the game rules can lead to a more enjoyable game experience.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In the board game ‘Arcs’, a player’s turn is divided into several sequential stages. Each stage presents different options for actions and strategic choices. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

1. Resource Gathering:

At the beginning of your turn, you are allowed to gather resources from the territories you control. The type and amount of resources you receive depend on the specific territories under your control.

Strategic Choice: You can choose to focus on territories rich in specific resources to build a resource-focused strategy.

2. Action Phase:

After gathering resources, you can perform actions. You can do as many actions as you want, as long as you have the necessary resources. Actions include building structures, creating units, research, trade, and movement.

Building Structures: You may choose to build structures on your territories. Structures can provide various benefits, such as increasing resource production or providing defense.
Creating Units: You can create units to explore, attack, or defend territories. The type of units you can create depends on your current research level.
Research: You can invest resources into research to unlock new units, structures, and abilities.
Trade: You can choose to trade resources with other players. This can be a strategic choice to gain resources you lack or to build alliances.
Movement: You can choose to move your units across the board. This can be used for exploration, attack, or retreat.

3. Combat:

If your units are in the same territory as enemy units at the end of your movement phase, combat occurs. The outcome of combat relies on the type and number of units, as well as any bonuses from structures or research.

Strategic Choice: You can choose to initiate combat to take control of enemy territories and resources, or you can try to avoid combat to focus on building and research.

4. End of Turn:

At the end of your turn, you may have to discard down to the maximum hand size if you have too many resource cards. Then, the next player takes their turn.

Strategic Choice: You can choose to use up your resources to avoid discarding, or you can choose to keep certain resources for future turns, even if it means discarding others.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Arcs’ is a strategic board game that ends when one of two conditions is met:

First Condition: When one player has successfully completed the construction of five arcs. The game concludes immediately after the completion of the fifth arc, even if there are other actions the player could have taken.
Second Condition: When all the tiles in the supply have been drawn and placed. Once the last tile has been drafted and placed on the board, the game ends after the current round is completed, ensuring that all players have had an equal number of turns.

Before proceeding to final scoring, players must undertake the following actions:

Tile Count: Players must count the number of tiles each has placed on the board. This count does not include any tiles that were not used during the game.
Complete Arcs: Players should confirm the number of completely constructed arcs. An arc is considered complete if it is fully enclosed and contains no gaps.
Special Tiles: Players must account for any special tiles that were placed on the board. These special tiles have different symbols and provide bonus points as per the game rules.

The final scoring is carried out as follows:

Each player receives one point for every tile they have placed on the board.
For each complete arc, players gain points equal to the number of tiles that make up the arc.
Points from special tiles are added to the player’s score as indicated by the respective tile’s symbol.

The player with the highest total score is declared the winner. In the case of a tie, the player who completed the most arcs wins. If there is still a tie, the player who used the most special tiles wins. If a tie still persists, the player who went first in the game is the winner.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Arcs is a strategy-based board game that demands players to have a keen sense of strategy and precision. While the basic rules are pretty straightforward, there are certain special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that need to be taken into consideration.

1. Rare Rules:

Double Arc Rule: If a player manages to form a double arc, that is, two arcs intersecting at the same point, the player gets an additional turn. This rule is rare as forming a double arc requires a high level of strategic planning and positioning.
Triple Arc Rule: In the unlikely event that a player forms a triple arc, the game ends immediately with that player being declared the winner, regardless of the current scores. This is an exceptionally rare rule as it requires perfect alignment and positioning of arcs.

2. Special Rules:

Forced Move Rule: If a player cannot make a valid move during their turn, they are forced to remove one of their arcs from the board. The removed arc can be placed back in any subsequent turn.
Equal Score Rule: If the game ends with players having equal scores, the player who has used fewer arcs to reach that score is declared the winner. If the number of arcs is also the same, the game is declared a draw.

3. Rule Clarifications:

An arc cannot be placed if it passes through another arc or intersects with any part of another arc.
If a player forms multiple arcs in a single turn, they only get one additional turn, not multiple.
A player can choose to pass their turn, but they are then forced to remove one of their arcs from the board.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies

Plan Ahead: Don’t just focus on the current turn. Try to anticipate the moves of your opponents and plan your strategy accordingly.
Resource Management: Be careful about how you manage your resources. It’s important to balance the use of resources to maximize your gains.
Control the Center: Try to control the center of the board as it can give you strategic advantage over your opponents.

Beginner Tips

Learn the Rules: Before starting the game, make sure you understand all the rules. If you don’t, ask someone who does.
Try Different Strategies: Don’t stick to one strategy. Experiment with different strategies to see which one works best for you.
Practice: The more you play, the better you’ll get. Practice as much as you can.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not planning ahead. This can lead to a loss of valuable resources and opportunities.
Ignoring your opponents. Keep an eye on their moves and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Not taking advantage of opportunities. If an opportunity presents itself, don’t hesitate to take it.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay

Keep Track of Your Resources: Always keep a close eye on your resources. You never know when you might need them.
Use Your Actions Wisely: Make sure each action you take contributes to your overall strategy.
Stay Focused: Don’t let distractions take your focus away from the game.