如何玩 Arcs 棋盤遊戲：完整新手指南

Have you just picked up Arcs and are wondering how to play this epic space opera board game?

你來對地方了

How to play Arcs board game might seem intimidating at first glance. I get it. When I first unboxed my copy, I was overwhelmed by the components, cards, and different colored dice.

But don’t worry.

在這份全面的指南中，身為專業桌遊製造商, I’ll break down everything you need to know about playing Arcs – from basic setup to advanced strategies that’ll give you an edge in your first few games.

讓我們深入瞭解。

What Is Arcs?

Arcs Board Game is created by Leder Games (the same folks behind Root and Oath). It’s designed for 2-4 players and typically plays in 60-120 minutes (though expect longer times for your first few games).

In Arcs, you’re navigating the dying days of a galactic empire by becoming an admiral, diplomat, or wealthy magnate with one last chance to seize power.

The game is known for its:

Fast-paced gameplay
Brutal combat mechanics
Clever action card system
通往勝利的多條路徑

What makes Arcs unique is its chapter-based structure and ambition system. Rather than playing for a set number of rounds, you’re aiming to score 33 points through winning different ambitions across multiple chapters.

How to Play Arcs Board Game

Game Setup: Getting Started

Setting up Arcs properly is crucial for a smooth experience. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

1. Choose a Setup Card

First, select a setup card that matches your player count (2, 3, or 4 players).

Each setup card determines:

Which clusters are removed from play
Where each player’s starting pieces are placed
Initial resources available

For your first game, I recommend using the “Homelands” setup, which gives each player their own section of the map.

2. Prepare the Map

The map consists of 6 clusters, each containing:

1 gate
3 different planets
4-5 building slots

Based on your setup card, you’ll remove certain clusters by flipping them over. Then place each player’s pieces according to the setup card instructions:

Ships (typically 3 for first player, 2 for others)
1 city or starport on designated planets

3. Prepare the Decks

Shuffle these decks separately:

Action cards (dealt to players)
Court deck (draw initial cards face up)
If using expansions: Leaders and Lore cards

4. Deal Starting Hands

Each player receives 6 action cards from the action deck.

That’s it! You’re ready to begin.

Core Game Mechanics

Now let’s dive into how the game actually plays.

Action Cards: The Heart of Arcs

Action cards are the engine driving everything you do in Arcs. Each card has:

A number (1-7)
A suit (Administration, Aggression, Construction, or Mobilization)
Action pips (1-4) showing how many actions you can take
Available actions based on the suit

Here’s what each suit allows you to do:

Administration:

Tax (collect resources from cities)
Influence (place agents on court cards)
Repair (fix damaged ships or buildings)

Aggression:

Battle (attack other players)
Move (relocate your ships)
Secure (take cards from the court)
Repair

Construction:

Build (place cities, starports, or ships)
Repair
Move

Mobilization:

Move
Influence

The lower the card number, the more action pips it has. For example, a 1 or 2 card typically has 4 action pips, while a 6 might only have 1-2 pips.

Turn Structure and Initiative

Each round, players take turns in this order:

The player with initiative leads by playing a card face up
Other players follow by:
- Surpassing (playing a higher card of the same suit for full actions)
- Copying (playing a card face down to take one action of the lead suit)
- Pivoting (playing a different suit face up to take one action)

The initiative is incredibly important in Arcs. Having it means you can:

Use all the action pips on your card
Declare ambitions
Control what actions other players can take that round

You can seize the initiative by:

Discarding an additional action card
Playing a 7 (in 4-player games)
Using certain court card effects

Ambitions and Scoring

Ambitions are how you score points in Arcs. Each corresponds to a number on action cards:

Tycoon (2): Most Fuel and Material icons
Tyrant (3): Most Captives
Warlord (4): Most Trophies
Keeper (5): Most Relic icons
Empath (6): Most Psionic icons

When you declare an ambition:

Place a zero marker on your ambition track
At the end of the chapter, players score based on their ranking
Points increase each chapter (first chapter: 1-3-5 points, second chapter: 3-5-7, etc.)

The game ends when a player reaches 33 points, or after 5 chapters.

Resources and Their Powers

Resources are incredibly valuable in Arcs, especially for winning ambitions. There are five types:

Weapons

Weapons Resource: Spend action pips for battle actions

策略: Great for aggressive play styles focused on collecting trophies

Psionic

Ability: Take any 1 action from the lead card
策略: The ultimate flex resource, allowing you to adapt to any situation

Relic

Ability: Take a secure action
策略: Crucial for grabbing important court cards

Fuel

Ability: Take a move action
策略: Essential for positioning your fleet and controlling critical areas

Material

Ability: Take either a build or repair action
策略: Perfect for expanding your board presence with new cities and starports

Pro Tip: Creating combos between resources can lead to powerful turns. For example, using a Psionic to influence a court card, then using a Relic to secure it immediately.

Combat System Explained

Combat in Arcs is attacker-favored and dice-based. When you battle:

Collect dice equal to the number of ships you have in the system
Choose which type of dice to roll:
- Skirmish (blue): Safe but limited damage
- Assault (red): High damage but riskier
- Raid (orange): For attacking buildings and stealing resources

Understanding the Dice

Let’s break down each dice type:

Skirmish Dice:

50% chance of doing 1 ship hit
0% chance of self-damage
Best for safe, controlled attacks

Assault Dice:

83.5% chance of doing at least 1 ship hit
33% chance of doing 2 ship hits
50% chance of dealing self-damage
Best for maximizing ship damage

Raid Dice:

50% chance of rolling keys (needed to steal resources and cards)
50% chance of building hits
50% chance of self-damage
Best for targeting buildings and stealing resources

Bottom line? The attacker always decides where hits are assigned, making offense generally stronger than defense in Arcs.

The Court Cards System

The court is where you can acquire powerful guild cards that provide:

Additional resources for ambitions
Special abilities
One-time powerful effects

To get court cards:

Use influence actions to place agents on cards
Use secure actions to take cards where you have the most agents
Defend your agents from other players

There are 31 total court cards: 25 Guild cards and 6 Vox cards.

Some of the most valuable guild cards include:

Mining Interest (Material): Allows build actions to gain Material resources
Admin Union (Material): Lets you draw an Administration card into your hand
Silver-Tongues (Psionic): Lets you steal a Guild card or resource
Loyal Empaths (Psionic): Lets you spend any resource as Psionics

Pro Tip: Court cards can completely change your strategy. Don’t underestimate their power, especially when competing for specific ambitions.

Strategic Tips for Beginners

After playing Arcs multiple times, I’ve discovered some key strategies that can help beginners:

1. Understand Catapult Movement

Catapult movement allows you to move through multiple gates in a single action – but only if:

You’re starting from your own starport
You control the gates (have more fresh ships than any other player)

This dramatically shrinks the board and can give you a huge mobility advantage.

2. Be Selective About Building Cities

Each player has 5 cities on their board. Building your 4th and 5th cities gives you +2 or +5 extra points per won ambition, respectively.

But cities can also be:

Taxed by opponents to gain resources
Raided to steal resources and cards
Destroyed to trigger outrage (forcing you to discard resources)

3. Master Initiative Control

Knowing when to lead, when to copy, and when to seize initiative is crucial. Sometimes passing initiative is the right move if you need specific actions that aren’t available in your hand.

4. Start with the Base Game

Before adding Leaders and Lore cards, play the base game 1-2 times. The recommended progression is:

Base game
Leaders and Lore expansion
Campaign mode

Moving Beyond the Base Game

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can enhance your Arcs experience with:

Leaders and Lore Cards

These add asymmetrical abilities to each player:

Leaders: Provide different starting setups and special abilities
Lore: Add additional actions or strong passive abilities

The combinations create vastly different play experiences and can help mitigate poor card draws.

Campaign Mode

The campaign expansion offers a connected narrative where your choices carry forward between games. This is the most complex way to play Arcs but offers the richest storytelling experience.

Common Questions About Playing Arcs

Is Arcs Hard to Learn?

Yes, Arcs has a learning curve. The actions themselves are simple, but understanding how to chain them into effective strategies takes time. Expect your first game to take longer while everyone learns.

How Long Does an Arcs Game Take?

The box says 60-120 minutes, but:

2 players: 60-90 minutes
3 players: 90-120 minutes
4 players: 120-180 minutes (especially for new players)

Is Arcs Good for 2 Players?

Yes, but it’s notably more brutal with just 2 players. The game doesn’t forgive mistakes, and it’s easier to completely dominate an opponent. If that sounds too intense, consider starting with 3-4 players.

總結

學習 how to play Arcs board game takes some time, but the strategic depth makes it incredibly rewarding. The combination of card-driven actions, area control, and ambition scoring creates a space opera experience unlike any other board game.

Remember that Arcs is intentionally brutal and rewards aggressive play. Don’t be afraid to take risks, attack your opponents, and seize opportunities when they arise. That’s what makes the game so exciting.

Whether you’re battling for control of gates, securing powerful guild cards, or racing to build cities in strategic locations, every decision in Arcs feels meaningful and impactful.

Ready to explore the galaxy and claim your power? Now you know exactly how to play Arcs board game. Your space opera awaits!