Pocket Landship: Free Trial Version Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
  • Example of enemy Landship card
  • Mine Field and Ambush note
• Set Up
• Game Play
• Card Notes
  • Card Action Note
• Player Cards
  • Landship Hull
  • Forward Cannon
  • Sponsons
  • Corvette (alternate weapon; replaces the Forward Cannon)
  • Shock Troops (alternate support; replaces the Sponsons)
• Enemy Cards
  • Boar Class Landship — strength 4.0 (normal)
  • Bison Class Landship — strength 6.0 (alternate)
  • Badger Class Landship — strength 2.5 (three versions in the deck: one normal, two alternate)
  • Bobcat Class Landship — strength 2.0 (alternate)
  • Light Artillery — strength 1.8 (normal)
  • Medium Artillery — strength 2.5 (alternate)
  • Infantry Squad — strength 1.5 (normal)
  • Elite Infantry Squad — strength 2.0 (alternate)
  • Mine Field — strength 1.3 (normal, can not be attacked, discard after second use)
  • Ambush — strength 1.3 (alternate, can not be attacked, discard after one use)

Components

• 6 2-sided enemy unit cards: landships, artillery, infantry, minefield, ambush
• 1 Landship Hull card
• 1 Landship Cannon / Corvette class Landship card
• 1 Landship Sponsons (side guns) / Shock Troops card
• 4 D6 dice
• 9 tracking cubes (red, or any color)

Object: Defeat all 6 enemy units before the enemy destroys you.

Example of enemy Landship card

• Unit name — for example, Badger Class Landship.
• Relative attack strength of enemy card. An underline denotes this as a "normal" enemy card, not an alternate card.
• Dice box text — the action that this card takes when a die of each value is assigned to this unit.
• Damage track for the unit. When unit strength hits zero, the unit is destroyed and removed from the game.
• An outlined number is the starting strength of the unit.

Mine Field and Ambush note

Mine Field and Ambush cards cannot be attacked. The Mine Field card is used twice then discarded. The Ambush card is used once then discarded. Each time a die is assigned to one of these cards, advance the tracking cube down one position (even if the action caused no damage). When the cube arrives at the bottom "--" position, discard the card.

Set Up

1. Select 6 enemies to face in the game. For your first few games, select the enemy cards with the underlined red strength numbers. These cards will provide a "normal difficulty" game experience.

2. Shuffle the enemy deck, then deal them face up in a 2 row, 3 column grid.

3. Place a tracking cube on the starting strength square of each enemy card.

4. Choose your weapons: the Landship Hull, plus two more cards. For your first few games, the Hull, Cannon, and Sponsons should be selected. Place the 3 cards near you.

   Note: the standard set up for the player — Hull, Cannon, Sponsons — is probably the best set-up. The Corvette can replace the Cannon, and has some added possibilities, but it cannot repair other units. The Shock Troops can replace the Sponsons. So, possible set-ups are from best/easiest to play to most difficult:

   1. Hull - Cannon - Sponsons
   2. Hull - Cannon - Shock Troops
   3. Hull - Corvette - Sponsons
   4. Hull - Corvette - Shock Troops

5. Place a tracking cube on the outlined number in the damage track.

6. Roll and sum 3 dice. If even number, the enemy goes first, if odd number, the player goes first.

Game Play

1. Every round will be 1 enemy turn plus 1 player turn (in the order determined by the Set Up dice roll).

   • Enemy turn:

     • Roll 3* dice. Place the lowest value die below the left front enemy card, place the middle value die below the middle front card, place the highest value die below the right front card. (* = Roll the number of dice equal to the number of front line cards of the enemy.)
     • From left to right, take the action identified on each front row card for the value of the die.
     • Track damage to the player's cards using each card's tracking cube.

     Note: If an Enemy's action is a Deploy action where it swaps position with an adjacent Enemy card, the dice move with the cards. Then, resolve the action of the just swapped card (if not already resolved).

   • Player turn:

     • Roll 3* dice. Decide which die to place on each player card. (* = Roll the number of dice equal to the number of player cards remaining.)
     • In any order, take the action identified on the card for the value of the die. You may choose to not take an action, if desired.
     • Track damage to the enemy units using each card's tracking cube.

     Emergency Repair option: If desired, the player may choose to roll 1, 2, or 3 fewer dice any turn and repair 1 damage on 1, 2, or 3 cards (only +1 on each card). The repaired card(s) cannot take any other action that turn.

2. Final Battle: When the enemy is down to 3 cards, or the player is down to 2 cards, the final battle begins. Neither the player nor the enemy can repair during the final battle. If an enemy card is directed to "retreat & repair", it does nothing that turn.

Card Notes

1. If the Sponsons, or Shock Troops card is destroyed, remove it from the game — it can not be repaired once it is destroyed. In future turns, the player rolls only 2 dice instead of 3.
2. If your Hull, Cannon, or Corvette card is destroyed, you lose the game.
3. When a front enemy card is destroyed, remove it from the game and move the closest rear enemy card forward.
4. When "Retreat & Repair"-ing with less than 3 cards in the back line, retreat the front line card straight back and replace it with the nearest back line enemy card.
5. If the enemy gets down to 3 cards and plays the "Retreat & Repair" action, there is no action.
6. If the enemy gets down to 2 cards, place them in the front left and right position, and roll only 2 dice for the enemy. Player actions to the front center position do nothing.
7. If the enemy gets down to 1 card, any player attack (left, center, or right) hits this card.

Card Action Note

1. For the Player's "Adrenaline" action, on your next turn, roll 4 dice and select 3 to use. If you only have 2 cards remaining, roll 3 dice and select 2 to use.
2. The Corvette's "Out Maneuver" action can not swap Mine Field or Ambush cards.
3. When an Enemy card has a "Deploy Left" or "Deploy Right" action, slide the dice with the cards being swapped. The deploying card completes its action, then (if a deploy right), the card swapped to the left takes its action with its die.
4. Enemy "Deploy Left" or "Deploy Right" actions do NOT wrap around the game area. For example, if an enemy card is in the rightmost position and gets a "Deploy Right" action, do nothing.

Player Cards

Each player card lists its damage track (the number of hits, ascending from a starting strength down to an explosion icon that removes the card) and the action for each die value, one through six.

Landship Hull

Damage track: 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

1. Hunker down - no damage to hull next turn.
2. Ingenuity - adjust 1 other die up or down 1 pip.
3. Stuck in the mud - no action.
4. Repair Hull +2, or +1 to Sponsons or Cannon.
5. Adrenaline - roll 1 more die next turn, pick any to use.
6. Machine gun - 1 Damage to a front line Infantry or Artillery.

Forward Cannon

Damage track: 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

1. Armor piercing shell, 1 Damage to any front line landship.
2. Armor piercing shell, 2 Damage to front center landship.
3. High explosive shell, 1 Damage to any front enemy unit.
4. High explosive shell, 1 Damage to any front enemy unit.
5. Jam - no action.
6. Repair Cannon +2, or +1 to Sponsons or Hull.

Sponsons

Damage track: 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

1. Jam - no action.
2. Repair Sponsons +2, or +1 to Cannon or Hull.
3. Attack left front enemy. 2 Damage to Infantry/Artillery, 1 to Landship.
4. Attack center front. 2 Damage to Infantry/Artillery, 1 to Landship.
5. Attack right front. 2 Damage to Infantry/Artillery, 1 to Landship.
6. Desperation - re-roll 1 other die.

Corvette (alternate weapon; replaces the Forward Cannon)

Damage track: 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

1. Armor piercing shell, 1 Damage to any front line landship.
2. Armor piercing shell, 1 Damage to any front landship.
3. Out-maneuver - Swap any 2 front line mobile enemy units.
4. High explosive shell, 1 Damage to any front enemy unit.
5. Stuck in the mud - no action.
6. Repair +2.

Shock Troops (alternate support; replaces the Sponsons)

Damage track: 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

1. Reinforce troops +2, or repair one other unit +1.
2. Into the trenches - no damage next enemy turn.
3. 1 Damage to front line Infantry or Artillery.
4. Infiltration Tactics - 1 damage to any back line enemy unit.
5. 1 Damage to front line Infantry or Artillery.
6. Rush - 2 Damage to front Infantry or Artillery, 1 Damage to this unit.

Enemy Cards

The enemy deck includes several cards of the same unit type at the same strength — a normal (underlined strength) version and one or more alternate versions with different dice actions, for variety between games. Choose only the normal version for a first game.

Boar Class Landship — strength 4.0 (normal)

Damage track: 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

1. 2 Damage to Hull.
2. 1 Damage to Hull.
3. Chaos - Player rolls 1 less die next turn.

4. ---

5. Retreat & Repair - swap with back line card, and reduce Damage by 1.
6. 1 Damage to Cannon or Corvette.

Bison Class Landship — strength 6.0 (alternate)

Damage track: 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

1. Retreat & Repair - swap with back line card, and reduce Damage by 1.
2. 2 Damage to Hull.
3. 1 Damage to Sponsons or Shock Troops.
4. Chaos - Player rolls 1 less die next turn.

5. ---

6. 2 Damage to Cannon or Corvette.

Badger Class Landship — strength 2.5 (three versions in the deck: one normal, two alternate)

Damage track: 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

Normal version:

1. 1 Damage to Hull.
2. 1 Damage to Hull.
3. 1 Damage to Cannon or Corvette.
4. Retreat & Repair - swap with back line card, and reduce Damage by 1.

5. ---

6. Deploy left - swap with card to left.

Alternate version A:

1. ---

2. Deploy right - swap with card to right.
3. Retreat & Repair - swap with back line card, and reduce Damage by 1.
4. 1 Damage to Hull.
5. 1 Damage to Cannon or Corvette.
6. 1 Damage to Cannon or Corvette.

Alternate version B:

1. 1 Damage to Hull.
2. 1 Damage to Hull.
3. 1 Damage to Cannon or Corvette.
4. Retreat & Repair - swap with back line card, and reduce Damage by 1.
5. Deploy left - swap with card to left.

6. ---

Bobcat Class Landship — strength 2.0 (alternate)

Damage track: 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

1. Deploy right - swap with card to right.

2. ---

3. Retreat & Repair - swap with back line card, and reduce Damage by 1.
4. 1 Damage to Hull.
5. 1 Damage to Cannon or Corvette.
6. 1 Damage to Sponsons or Shock Troops.

Light Artillery — strength 1.8 (normal)

Damage track: 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

1. ---

2. Spotters - If Infantry on front line, 2 Damage to Hull, otherwise 1 Damage.
3. Deploy right - swap with card to right.
4. Spotters - If Infantry on front line, 2 Damage to Hull, otherwise 1 Damage.
5. Retreat & Repair - swap with back line card, and reduce Damage by 1.
6. 1 Damage to Sponsons or Shock Troops.

Medium Artillery — strength 2.5 (alternate)

Damage track: 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

1. ---

2. Deploy right - swap with card to right.
3. Retreat & Repair - swap with back line card, and reduce Damage by 1.
4. 1 Damage to Sponsons or Shock Troops.
5. Spotters - If Infantry on front line, 2 Damage to Hull, otherwise 1 Damage.
6. Spotters - If Infantry on front line, 2 Damage to Hull, otherwise 1 Damage.

Infantry Squad — strength 1.5 (normal)

Damage track: 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

1. ---

2. Deploy right - swap with card to right.
3. 1 Damage to Cannon or Corvette.
4. 1 Damage to Sponsons or Shock Troops.
5. 1 Damage to Sponsons or Shock Troops.
6. Retreat & Repair - swap with back line card, and reduce Damage by 1.

Elite Infantry Squad — strength 2.0 (alternate)

Damage track: 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - (explosion)

1. 1 Damage to Hull.
2. 1 Damage to Sponsons or Shock Troops.
3. 1 Damage to Sponsons or Shock Troops.

4. ---

5. Deploy left - swap with card to left.
6. Retreat & Repair - swap with back line card, and reduce Damage by 1.

Mine Field — strength 1.3 (normal, can not be attacked, discard after second use)

Damage track: 0 - 1 - (--)

1. 2 Damage to Hull.

2. ---

3. ---

4. 1 Damage to Hull.
5. 1 Damage to Sponsons or Shock Troops.

6. ---

Ambush — strength 1.3 (alternate, can not be attacked, discard after one use)

Damage track: 0 - (--)

1. 2 Damage to Hull.
2. 1 Damage to Hull.

3. ---

4. 2 Damage to Cannon or Corvette.
5. 1 Damage to Hull.
6. 2 Damage to Sponsons or Shock Troops.