Gundam War Collectible Card Game

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Gundam War
Image:Gw logo.gif
Designer Kentaro Kawashima
Publisher Bandai
Players 2 (may be adjusted to multiplayer play)
Age range 12 and up
Setup time < 3 minutes
Playing time ~ 15 minutes
Random chance Some
Skills required Card playing
Arithmetic
Simple text reading skills

BoardGameGeek entry

Gundam War: Mobile Suit Gundam the Card Game also known simply as Gundam War is a collectible card game based on the Gundam anime series produced by Bandai. Players can simulate battles in the anime series. The game is designed for 2 players, though there may be different fan-created multiplayer rules. This game is sometimes confused with the Gundam M.S. War Trading Card Game, since both are published by Bandai and are based on the Gundam series.

Contents

[edit] History

Gundam War is a collectible card game based on the Gundam anime series. It was first released in Japan in February 1999, and later a Traditional Chinese version and an English version was released in early 2005. The English version of the game was discontinued after three sets. The Japanese version of the game still continues to be released, with over 45 sets to date.

[edit] Gameplay

Each player starts with a deck, called the "Nation Pile", which has exactly 50 cards. Players take turns drawing from their Nation Pile at the beginning of their turn, except the very first turn of the game. They battle against each other with Unit cards that they control, with excess damage sending proportionate numbers of cards, along with any discarded cards, to the "Discard Pile". When a player has depleted his/her Nation, s/he has lost the game. There are six different colors of cards, representing different factions of various series, and five different types of cards.

[edit] Colors and Factions

In the Japanese card game, the following are the six colors and their related factions.

Blue: This color is generally effective at quick production, defense, and recovery. (Similar to White in Magic: the Gathering) This color includes many of the protagonists and their respective factions from Universal Century, which includes:

Green: This color is known for damaging effects from Command cards, and low-cost Units. (Similar to Red in Magic: the Gathering) The factions included in this color include, but are not limited to:

Black: This color is known for effects that affect all cards on the field, direct removal of cards, and large-scale effects at a cost. (Similar to Black in Magic: the Gathering) The factions include in this color include:

Red: Particularly specializing in negation of the opponent's card effects, (Similar to Blue in Magic: the Gathering) the factions included in this color are:

Brown: This color is known for effects that affect the Discard Pile and Junkyard. The factions include in this color include

White: This color is known for their heavy-cost Unit cards and the high number of Command cards. The factions include in this color include:

Purple: This color is used for all the cards that have no specific factions. This type of card can be played, regardless of current color generation. Some of the most powerful cards in the game belong to this color. Purple cards are similar to Artifact cards in Magic: the Gathering. The factions include in this color also now include:

Also, there is a new "Dual Card". This type of card has two specific colors as its cost. They represent moves involving more than one force in the animations.

[edit] Unit cards

Unit cards are the representations of the Mobile Suits, Mobile Armors, Cruisers, and Colonies in the anime series. They are the main ways to battle and deal damage to the opponent's Nation, as they are the only type of cards that can enter into the Battle Area. Only one Unit card can be played per turn.

[edit] Character cards

Character cards are the representations of the characters in the anime series. They are set onto a Unit and bring extra effects and battle modifications to the Set-On Unit, through there are characters that can be set onto other types of cards. Only one Character card can be played per turn, and no two characters with the same name can be in play by either player at any one time.

[edit] Command cards

Command cards are cards that carry out effects, usually depicting scenes in the anime series. Commands go to the Junkyard after their resolution. There is no limit to the Command cards that can be played per turn, providing the text on the card permits it.

This type of card is similar to Instant and Sorcery cards in the Magic: the Gathering game.

[edit] Operation cards

Operation cards remain in play, usually affecting the game state, or capable of activating an effect at any time. They also depict their respective event or battle in the anime series. Only one Operation card can be played per turn.

This type of card is similar to Enchantment in the Magic: the Gathering game.

[edit] Generation cards

This type of card produces a "Nation Power" (similar to Mana in many other card games) that one can use to play other cards. There are two types of this card: "Basic G" cards and "Special G" cards. Generation cards usually depict resources, soldiers, and supporters in the anime series.

Basic Generation cards usually have effects of "Producing a NP for certain color", and one can have any amount of it in a deck, while Special Generation cards have diverse effects and a maximum of 6 special Generation of the same name can be put into a deck.

This is similar to Land cards in Magic: the Gathering.

[edit] Basic Rules and Setup

  1. A deck must have exactly 50 cards
  2. The two players in this game are addressed as "You" and "Your Opponent" in rules and card text
  3. The two players take turns (explained in follow section) when playing cards
  4. A player with 0 cards left in the deck loses the game

[edit] Turn Order

Each turn is divided into 4 phases and steps. The turn follows this order:

  • Re-roll Phase: This phase would re-roll all cards that had been rolled (or, "used") during the previous turn
  • Draw Phase: The turn player draws a card from the Nation Pile
  • Disposition Phase/Assign Phase: The turn player can play Units, Characters, Operations, Gsneration, and Command cards (depending on the Timing) at this phase.
  • Battle Phase: The phase where the actual battle occurs. It is further divided into four steps, as following:
    • Attack Step: The turn player can bring (sortie) his/her Units into the Battle Area in a Squad (detachment)
    • Defense Step: The defending player (non-Turn player) can bring (sortie) his/her Units into the Battle Area to defend the attacking Unit
    • Damage Calculation/Resolution Step: During this step, damage is calculated and resolved. Both Squads calculate total Squad attack Damage and subtract it from the opposing total Squad Defense (from the number on the Units) in the order of the individual Units' sortie. (This is referred to as "Battle"). A Unit with 0 Defense remaining is destroyed and sent to the Junkyard. If there is no Unit to defend an attack in a Battle Area, the damages is inflicted on the defending side's Nation Pile.
    • Return Step: Units that are not destroyed in the battle return to the Station/Disposition Area rolled.
  • End Phase: At this time, all damage incurred by existing units resets, effects that designate "end of turn", "duration of the turn" etc., are carried out, and players must discard cards from hand until they have 6 cards. The next player begins his/her turn.

[edit] Field

The playing field is divided into two areas: The Station/Disposition Area and the Battle Area. The Battle Area is further divided into three different areas (formerly only Earth and Space):

  • Earth Area - On the left side of the Battle Area of the player going first
  • Space Area - On the right side of the Battle Area
  • Ring Area - A special Battle Area on the left side of the Earth Area. Only MF unit can open a ring area (the defending unit may not necessary be an MF unit) and only one unit from each side can be sent here.

At the top center of the fields (usually dividing battle areas, differing via player preference) is the Nation Pile, and next to is is the Discard Pile (also where Card Costs go), and Junkyard and Hangar being on the outer wings of the Station Area. The Hangar, like the hand, are not specifically part of the "field", but still a space in the game reserved for specific effects. Some cards may be "removed from play". They are not counted from play and cannot come back onto the game until this game has finished.

[edit] Common Terminology

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[edit] References

 This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2007)

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