Tactical Briefing: The Grid System
This is an authoritative summary of Phalanx Duel v1.1.0. No luck. No RNG. Just geometric consequence.
1. The Battlefield
The game is played on a 4x2 grid. Every column is a lane. Every slot is a tactical decision.
- Front Rank: The first line of contact.
- Back Rank: The reserve line / secondary shield.
- The Player: The final target behind the lines.
2. Suit Roles (The Combat Engine)
Suits are not decoration. They define the role of the card in the cascade.
♥ HEARTS
Shield: Player. Reduces damage directed at the Player LP. The final line of defense.
♦ DIAMONDS
Shield: Formation. Reduces damage carryover from the Front Rank to the Back Rank.
♣ CLUBS
Weapon: Impact. Doubles the carryover damage hitting the Back Rank defender.
♠ SPADES
Weapon: Reach. Doubles the final damage hitting the Player LP.
3. The Cascade
Damage flows front-to-back in a deterministic sequence:
- Front Contact: Attacker hits Front Defender.
- Suit Check: Diamonds or Clubs modify carryover.
- Back Contact: Remaining damage hits Back Defender.
- Final Breach: Remaining damage hits Player LP (modified by Spades/Hearts).
4. Special Eligibility
- Aces: A front-rank Ace can only be destroyed by an Ace attack. If the attacker is not an Ace, the Ace survives but only absorbs 1 point of damage; the rest of the attack overflows to the next target.
- Face Cards: Can only be destroyed by face cards of equal or higher rank (J < Q < K). If the attacker is ineligible, the Face Card survives and halts all carryover damage.
- Suit Shields: Diamond and Heart shields are Boundary Effects. They only trigger if the card providing the shield is destroyed during the resolution.
- Hearts Do Not Stack: Only the final destroyed card before damage hits the player can provide a Heart shield.