More details about Arcs

While the action selection of 🛸Arcs is a substantial element of the game (which is why we dedicated a post to it), there are of course lots of things going on which you need those ever-so-important actions for. So let’s dive deeper! 🤿

As you learn to play you use symmetrical factions, but later you can each pick a Leader and a Lore card. 😉 Lore cards lend you a unique ability, and Leaders have both a positive and a negative effect. The asymmetry changes the way you play in a big way (not as much as with factions in Root, but still).

With the actions you can move around the map, build new ships, starports and cities. Cities are essential so you can tax them for the planet’s resources. You can also place your agents on Guild cards that you can then acquire with another action, that give you even more additional abilities or actions. There are of course also battles between players. ⚔️

Battles are resolved by dice rolls. 🎲 Attacking is a huge advantage, as you get to make all the decisions of what units are damaged or destroyed. You can also pick what dice you choose: safe or more risky-but-powerful options. Unfortunately there is no way to mitigate these rolls so it can get pretty random. 😶

3 of the ambitions that can score you points require you to own the most of a specific resource type 📦, so resources play an important role. They could also be discarded for bonus actions! The other 2 ambitions are about destroying or capturing the most opposing units. 👉Depending on what is declared, players might have to adjust their strategy on the fly. 

Even though originally the game was marketed for 3-4 players, you can actually play 2p. This only involves some small rule that influences the scoring of ambitions. The game is very cutthroat, especially with 2p. If you cannot get initiative for multiple rounds, you can really get left in the dust. Card draw and combat dice randomness also has influence on the game, yet it is undeniably fun to play, and is also surprisingly quick! 😊