Quick Reference (v1.0)
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Classic Setup
- Two players.
- Battlefield: 4 columns x 2 ranks (front/back).
- Initial draw: 12 cards each (Classic default).
- Deploy alternately until all 8 slots are filled and 4 cards remain in hand.
- Classic initiative: P2 deploys first, P1 attacks first.
Turn Lifecycle (7 Phases)
- Start Turn
- Attack Phase
- Attack Resolution
- Cleanup Phase
- Reinforcement Phase
- Draw Phase
- End Turn
Attack Path & Boundary Order
- Attacker source: Rank 0 (front) card in your chosen attacking column.
- Targeting: Choose a defending column.
- Target chain: Front card -> back card -> player.
- Carryover: Damage can continue after destruction.
- Boundary order: Shield -> Weapon -> Clamp.
Suit Timing (Canonical)
| Suit | When It Applies | Effect |
|---|
| ♦ Diamond | Card -> Card boundary | Reduces carryover before the next card. |
| ♣ Club (attacker) | First eligible Card -> Card boundary after first destruction | Doubles carryover once per attack. |
| ♥ Heart | Card -> Player boundary | If the last destroyed card before player is Heart, reduce final player damage. |
| ♠ Spade (attacker) | Card -> Player boundary | Doubles damage that reaches the player. |
Hearts do not stack. Clubs apply at most once per attack.
Classic Special Cards
- Ace: Front-rank Ace is destroyable only by a direct Ace attack (Classic Aces).
- Jack: Destroys Jack.
- Queen: Destroys Jack or Queen.
- King: Destroys Jack, Queen, or King.
Pass & Draw Rules
- More than 3 consecutive passes = forfeit.
- More than 5 total passes by one player = forfeit.
- Draw until hand size reaches 4 or deck is empty.
- Empty deck alone is not an automatic loss.
Use this page at the table. Use Rules v1.0 Summary for fuller explanations and Suits & Strategy for mastery patterns.