A brilliant game for 2

Air, Land & Sea is a brilliant little 2-player game. It uses only 18 cards, yet it manages to deliver fun and tactical gameplay. You’d think it is not possible to design something compelling with so few components, but they pulled it off. We originally played this as a free Print and Play, but decided during our last FLGS visit to buy a copy. At checkout we were informed that there is a new version – 🐰Critters At War🐹 – so we got that one instead. It’s the same game, just with a bit of a re-theme.

In the game there are three theatres of war: Air, Land and Sea – as the name also implies. 😁 You will be fighting to have at least 2 out of 3 under your control each round.
There are 18 cards: 6 for each theatre of war💥 ranging in strength from 1 to 6.

Each round you and your opponent will get 6 cards and you never know exactly what they have as the remaining six cards go back to the box unseen. Each turn you will play one card – either face up or face down. Face up cards have to be put into their matching theatre and each will have an ability and their strength value. Face down cards can be played anywhere and are always 2 strength each. The round ends when all of the cards are played or someone withdraws. If no one withdrew then you check which theatre is controlled by whom – adding up the strength values on each side – and whoever controls more theatres wins the round. Withdrawing might seem bad as your opponent wins by default, but sometimes it can be beneficial if you know you will lose – if you withdraw early enough your opponent gets fewer victory points.

The game ends when someone wins by getting 12 VPs, with a normal win bringing you 6 points.🤜🤛

The fun comes from the ability of the cards and knowing what order to play them in. 🧐 For example you could flip up facedown cards, uncovering powerful cards or you could sabotage the big cards of your rival. 😏 There are many clever effects which you should know after a few rounds.