Light Speed: Arena
Light Speed: Arena Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 6 sponsored asteroid tiles
- 32 spaceship tiles
- 4 faction base tiles
- 4 corner tiles
Faction base tiles have a normal side and an "Unleashed" side (used for faction powers, see Faction Powers).
Note: Unboxing for the first time? Some of the components are stored beneath the plastic tray!
1. Game Setup
1.1 Find a flat empty surface about 75 cm x 75 cm large (30 inches x 30 inches): This is going to be your arena. You can use the provided corner tiles to mark its boundaries.
1.2 Place two random asteroids face down in the middle of the arena.
1.3 Assign a random faction to each player or let them pick the one they prefer. Every player takes the larger base tile in the corresponding color and places it in front of them at about 10 cm (4 inches) from the edge of the arena with the normal side face up. They also take the smaller spaceship tiles in their faction color based on the player count (see box below), which they shuffle and hold in one hand face down.
1.4 Put the smart device of your choice right outside the arena where it can be easily seen and heard by everybody (turn on the sound for the best experience!). Start the Light Speed: Arena companion app and tap 'Play', selecting the appropriate spaceship count.
Initial setup with 3 players.
Spaceships in Each Fleet
Based on the number of players, remove spaceships with lower initiative from each fleet and return them to the box as follows:
- 2 players: None.
- 3 players: Remove the spaceship with initiative #1.
- 4 players: Remove the spaceships with initiatives #1 and #2.
- 5 or 6 players (with one or two expansions): Remove the spaceships with initiatives #1, #2, and #3.
2. Playing the Game
Following an introductory countdown, the app will run through as many 10-second timers as the number of spaceships to be played. During each time interval, players simultaneously reveal the topmost tile from their facedown stack and place it anywhere in the arena before the time runs out. Players can adjust the tile's position and orientation as long as they maintain contact with it. Tiles must not overlap and previously placed tiles cannot be moved. If a player has not completed their placement when a timer ends, the tile must remain where it is at that moment.
3. Unfolding the Battle
After the final timer, the app will ask you to take a picture of the game: This is all you have to do to resolve the battle in Light Speed: Arena! The photo-based resolution is a magical tool, but even magic requires diligence: You don't need to snap the shot from right above the table, but aim for a sharp and clear image.
After taking the picture and confirming that all tiles have been detected, place the smart device in the center of the arena and orientate it according to the battle visualization. Follow the resolution on the screen. Have a good look at the side bar and at the app settings as they contain useful customization options.
Battle Rules
REFEREE RECOMMENDATION: Although you're now able to step into the arena, doing so would be like entering a football pitch with no idea of how the rules of the game actually work. Let's fix that!
Firing
The number printed on each spaceship represents its initiative. Spaceships with lower initiative shoot their laser beams first and those with the same initiative fire simultaneously. Although the action of each spaceship is visualized individually in the app, spaceships with the same initiative are programmed to shoot at the same time.
Each beam fires in a straight line: If it intersects the drawing of another spaceship, base, or asteroid in the arena, it's a HIT! Otherwise, it's a MISS!
REFEREE RECOMMENDATION: The valid target is the actual illustration and not the whole tile: Aim carefully!
Damaging a Spaceship
If a spaceship or a base, either friend or foe, gets hit, it takes as much damage as the power of the beam (green: 1 damage, yellow: 2 damage, red: 3 damage). The glowing cylinders in each illustration are batteries. If in the course of the battle a spaceship accumulates an amount of damage equal to or greater than its batteries, it is destroyed and is no longer considered in play. This means that from the next initiative stage onwards, it will no longer be in the way of laser beams and cannot fire unless it has already done so.
Some spaceships have shields, represented by curved lines running around the illustration. If a beam passes through a shield before hitting the spaceship, the beam's damage gets decreased by 1. (Shield activates: The incoming damage is reduced by 1. Shield does not activate if the beam does not pass through the shield before hitting the spaceship.)
Laser Damage - Quick Aid
- Green: 1 Damage
- Yellow: 2 Damage
- Red: 3 Damage
Extracting Minerals
When a beam hits an asteroid, the firing spaceship mines as many mineral units as the damage inflicted and stores them in its hold. They will be worth points at the end of the game if the spaceship survives the battle.
REFEREE RECOMMENDATION: Get ready for launch in 5…4…3…2…1… LIFT OFF! Read the rest of the rulebook after playing a few games with the basic rules!
Winning
What Is Worth Points in the Arena?
Delivering a Hit: You score a point every time you damage an enemy base or spaceship with one of your lasers.
Making Them Explode: When a spaceship or a base gets destroyed, the player who inflicted the most damage (over the current and previous initiatives) obtains as many points as the spaceship's total batteries. In case of a tie with damage dealt, nobody claims the spaceship. If you claim one of your own spaceships, you lose points instead of gaining them.
Storing Minerals: For each of your own spaceships still in play at the end of the battle, you obtain as many points as the number of mineral units extracted by that spaceship.
Protecting Your Base: If your base is still in play at the end of the battle, you score 4 extra points.
The player with the most points wins the Arena Trophy! In case of a tie, victory is shared or the tied players play another round!
Sponsored Asteroids
When you feel comfortable with the basic rules of the game, you can start to run some ads! During setup, turn one asteroid face up, activating the special rule associated with the sponsor. You can still hit sponsored asteroids to mine minerals.
PHOTONBRIGHT — Outlast. Outshine
Upon battle resolution, the five closest surviving spaceships score 3 points each for being under the spotlight.
DRIFT COLA — You know you CAN!
Any laser that narrowly avoids a friendly spaceship (traversing the tile but not the ship illustration) on its way to delivering a hit or mining minerals, grants the faction 2 bonus points for the close shave.
THE NUGGET — Half the size, double the price!
More difficult to hit, it awards double the minerals.
DESTINY AMMO — Firepower on demand
When this asteroid is hit, it fires at a random enemy ship with its onboard cannon, matching the power of the incoming laser. This shot is neutral and does not count towards any faction's damage tally.
NOVA SNIPE — We deliver at any distance
Any laser delivering a hit or mining minerals from a range exceeding 28 cm (4 asteroids of distance) grants the faction an additional 3 points for their long-range prowess.
ASTROFUELLL — Leaded, please!
If a laser hits this asteroid, all other lasers from the same spaceship obtain +1 damage thanks to the fill-up.
More Ads, Please!
At the beginning of the game, you can turn both sponsored asteroids face up to have multiple sponsor rules apply to your game. If you like, you can also play with more than two asteroids (whether they are face down or face up).
Faction Powers
After mastering the sponsored asteroids, you can go for an asymmetric challenge, activating the faction powers by flipping the base tiles to its 'unleashed' side. Embrace each faction's play style and adapt to the sponsors setup and to your opponents' powers!
AMBOOM — Lethal
If an Amboom laser damages a ship or base that was already damaged in a previous initiative, the target is instantly destroyed, and the Ambooms claim the points from the destruction.
SOLSPEAR — Penetrating
Solspear yellow lasers (2-damage ones) pierce through the first target.
AGRONAUTS — Sturdy
Agronauts' shields reduce damage to 0 instead of only decreasing it by 1.
RETROBLAST — Retaliating
If a Retroblast spaceship was damaged in a previous initiative, the power of all its laser beams is doubled.
Other Game Modes
Team mode: Join two bases side by side to create a team! They now count as a single faction: The app will handle it automatically!
Solo mode (1 player): In the solo mode you play a variety of scenarios in which you first setup the enemy fleet and then you play against it as in a multiplayer game. Tap 'Play Solo' in the main screen and follow the instructions. Preparation and objectives may vary, so let the app guide you!
Spaceship Anatomy - Quick Aid
- Green laser: 1 damage
- Yellow laser: 2 damage
- Red laser: 3 damage
- Shield: -1 damage
- Initiative: Lower is faster
- Batteries: Health points
Light Speed: Arena Companion App
FREE. The app is needed to play. It requires an Internet connection.
The UI orientation will adjust to face the current player's turn based on the position of the faction base tiles.
You can pan and/or zoom the action by dragging and/or pinching the screen. In the side bar you can quit the game, activate/deactivate the auto-play, and navigate the resolution.
In the app settings, you can customize your experience by choosing what to visualize during the resolution. You can also fix the orientation of the UI if you want to put your device on a stand or cast the game on a television.
Credits
If you have any feedback, share it at [email protected] or join the Tablescope Discord server discord.gg/sNhxqqXfgg
Game design by James Ernest, Tom Jolly, Leonardo Alese, and Emanuele Santellani
Based on Light Speed by James Ernest and Tom Jolly
Astrofuelll game design by Andrea Ponzio
The Nugget game design by Erik Feltes
Solo mode by Nestore Mangone
Art by Marco Salogni
Graphic design by Marianna Rossi
Tech by Tablescope
Funded with the help of 1274 backers on Kickstarter (kickstarter.com/projects/tablescope/light-speed-arena)
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD. Not suitable for children under 3 years. Small parts.
Light Speed: Arena © 2025 Tablescope GmbH, Stremayrgasse 16, 8010 Graz, Austria — www.tablescopegames.com — @tablescopegames