Fantasy Flight Games

FFG Live in November

Published 1 November 2022 | Marvel Champions: The Card Game

FFG Live in November

Announcing the FFG Livestreams for November 2022

It's FFG Live! Join us this month for more awesome livestreams for our current and upcoming games and expansions. Read on for more information on what livestreams you can look forward to this month!

November 9th at 1PM CST

Marvel Champions: The Card Game - MojoMania Scenario Pack

GAMEPLAY

Join Caleb Grace and Tony Fanchi as they take on a scenario from the upcoming MojoMania Scenario Pack for Marvel Champions: The Card Game!

Check out the stream here!

Click here for more information on MojoMania.

November 30th at 1PM CST

Fallout: The Board Game Fifth Anniversary

GAMEPLAY

Join Caitlyn McGrath, Zach Tewalthomas, and Josh Massey as they play Fallout: The Board Game in celebration of its fifth anniversary!

You can check out the stream here!

Click here for more information about Fallout: The Board Game.

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A Special Fallout Sale

Published 10 October 2021 | Fallout Shelter: The Board Game

A Special Fallout Sale

A Special Sale is Now Active for Select Fallout Products

It's Fallout's 25th anniversary, which means it's time for a sale! For this week only, you can grab any of the products below for 25% off on our webstore! Better get them while the getting is good!

Fallout

A sprawling wasteland lies before you, wiped out by the centuries-old atomic blasts of The Great War. Beyond a smattering of hills, you can see the charred remains of a society you remember shiny and new. Through the bare foundations creep a collection of mutated critter’s whose origins you can only guess, attaching whoever and whatever crosses their paths. Beneath the overgrown soil, vault-dwelling communities fight to survive on limited resources. It is across these abandoned spaces you must now travel, building a new life atop the crushed glory of a destroyed world.

Fallout is an adventure board game based on the hit video game series by Bethesda Softworks. In the game, one to four survivors will begin at the edge of an undiscovered landscape with one primary objective: to survive. Staying alive, however, is just the beginning. Players must explore the hidden map, fight ferocious enemies and build the skills of their survivor as they attempt to complete challenging quests and balance the feuding factions within the game. To win the game, players must collect influence, thereby securing their spot in a society struggling to thrive in a world forever changed. Welcome to the Wasteland.

Fallout: New California

Ah, California: sunshine, ocean breezes, and radioactive wasteland as far as the eye can see. This desolate coastal state was once a shining jewel, but since the Great War, the region known as New California has fallen into chaos. Which is great news! Where there’s chaos, there’s loot!

The New California expansion brings new quests, companions, vaults, and items to Fallout: The Board Game, letting you venture out into the wasteland as five new characters. While there, you can wander across twelve new map tiles that expand the scenarios found in the original game or head into sunny New California and visit some of the most memorable locations from throughout the Fallout series.

This is not a standalone product. A copy of Fallout: The Board Game is required to play.

Fallout: Atomic Bonds

Sometimes in the Wasteland, things can get lonely. After all, you’re wandering across an irradiated hellscape, taking potshots at passing ghouls and eking out your best existence. But maybe you don’t have to be alone! Maybe, just maybe, you’ll find a few people out there who want to stick around for a while. You might even accomplish something great together.

With the Atomic Bonds Cooperative Upgrade Pack for Fallout: The Board Game, the number of scenarios available to you just doubled. This upgrade pack has everything you need to play every competitive scenario from Fallout: The Board Game and the New California expansion as a cooperative scenario. Rather than struggling against each other, Atomic Bonds lets you and your friends travel the Wasteland, grab the best gear, and push your chosen faction to victory—together! Combine that with the addition of modifications, mutations, and workshop upgrades, and Atomic Bonds pushes your games of Fallout to dizzy new heights.

This is not a standalone product. A copy of Fallout: The Board Game is required to play.

Fallout Shelter: The Board Game

The bombs have fallen, but under 2,000 feet of bedrock your Vault-Tec vault is a thriving and joyous community—at least until the untimely death of your overseer. Now, it’s up to you and your fellow officers to keep your vault dwellers safe, productive, and happy. Compete with the other players to see who can inspire the most happiness and be elected as the new overseer!

Fantasy Flight Games invites you to create a brighter future underground with Fallout Shelter: The Board Game, a post nuclear board game for 2 to 4 players based on the hit mobile game in the Fallout universe!

In Fallout Shelter, you play as one of the officers in your very own vault, trying to foster happiness among your vault dwellers while keeping them safe from the radiation and monstrosities of the Wasteland that awaits outside your utopia. You will need to assign your dwellers to tasks, manage the vault’s resources, and keep everyone safe from threats. Keep in mind, whichever of you can inspire the most happiness will win the hearts and minds of your dwellers for the coming election of the new Overseer!

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Available Now – September 4

Published 4 September 2020 | Marvel Champions: The Card Game

Available Now – September 4

New Marvel Champions, Fallout, and Legend of the Five Rings Expansions

Take a look at the latest products from Fantasy Flight Games, now available at your local retailer!

The Rise of Red Skull Campaign Expansion

The nefarious organization known as Hydra has insidiously spread its tentacles through all of society, corrupting governments and subverting justice around the world. It may begin with an open attack on Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S., but you can be certain that there are tendrils running deep below the surface. Your battle against evil is only beginning…

The Rise of Red Skull campaign expansion boasts a massive infusion of new content for your games of Marvel Champions. Hawkeye and Spider-Woman join your roster of heroes with fully pre-built and ready-to-play player decks stuffed with new cards. Whether you’re playing these new heroes or relying on old favorites, you can test their mettle against five brand-new villains: Crossbones, Absorbing Man, Taskmaster, Zola, and Red Skull. Each of these five scenarios offers a unique challenge, and while you can simply choose a villain to battle, this campaign expansion lives up to its name with the introduction of campaign mode to Marvel Champions: The Card Game.

Pick up your own copy of The Rise of Red Skull (MC10en) at your local retailer or online through our website here!

Red Skull 1-4 Player Game Mat

Take advantage of this new game mat, perfect for organizing your play space and protecting your cards. The Red Skull 1-4 Player Game Mat offers a 3’ x 3’ play area with plenty of room for you and your fellow heroes, drawing you into the unfolding campaign with comic panel art of Red Skull and the other villains that you’ll face.

Pick up your own copy of the Red Skull 1-4 Player Game Mat (MS18en) at your local retailer or online through our website here!

Hawkeye Game Mat

Take advantage of this new game mat, perfect for organizing your play space and protecting your cards. The Hawkeye Game Mat offers a 24” x 12” play area with plenty of room for your identity, upgrades, assets, and deck, while drawing you into the unfolding campaign with art of Hawkeye firing an arrow.

Pick up your own copy of the Hawkeye Game Mat (MS19en) at your local retailer or online through our website here!

Spider-Woman Game Mat

Take advantage of this new game mat, perfect for organizing your play space and protecting your cards. The Spider-Woman Game Mat for Marvel Champions: The Card Game offers a 24” x 12” play area with plenty of room for your identity, upgrades, assets, and deck, while drawing you into the unfolding campaign with art of Spider-Woman leaping into action.

Pick up your own copy of the Spider-Woman Game Mat (MS20en) at your local retailer or online through our website here!

Atomic Bonds

Pick up your own copy of Atomic Bonds (ZX05) at your local retailer or online through our website here!

As Honor Demands

In every part of the Emerald Empire, noble samurai are pushed closer to destruction by the rapidly changing fortunes of the Great Clans. Though the natural order has been disturbed, there are still clans and samurai who choose to hold fast to their ideals—but will those ideals ultimately lead them safely through the storm or condemn them to devastation?

As with the other Dynasty Packs of the Dominion cycle for Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game, As Honor Demands puts the focus squarely on your provinces, with the new eminent and rally keywords and an assortment of dynasty events that are played from your provinces. Beyond these themes shared across the entire cycle, this pack in particular offers a host of ways for players to increase their honor, unlocking new paths to victory for the Great Clans.

Pick up your own copy of As Honor Demands (L5C33) at your local retailer or online through our website here!

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Atomic Bonds

Published 20 February 2020 | Fallout

Atomic Bonds

Announcing a Cooperative Upgrade Pack for Fallout: The Board Game

Order your own copy of the Atomic Bonds Cooperative Upgrade Pack at your local retailer or online through our website today!

You’re not on your own anymore. Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce the Atomic Bonds Cooperative Upgrade Pack for Fallout: The Board Game!

With Atomic Bonds, the number of scenarios available to you just doubled. This upgrade pack has everything you need to play every competitive scenario from Fallout: The Board Game and the New California expansion as a cooperative scenario. Rather than struggling against each other, Atomic Bonds lets you and your friends travel the Wasteland, grab the best gear, and push your chosen faction to victory—together! Combine that with the addition of modifications, mutations, and workshop upgrades, and Atomic Bonds pushes your games of Fallout to dizzy new heights.

Cooperate with Your Friends

As a cooperative upgrade pack, it’s safe to say that cooperation is integral to the contents of Atomic Bonds. In fact, this expansion takes the game’s previously released competitive scenarios—whether from Fallout: The Board Game or New California—and transforms each of them into two fully cooperative scenarios!

In each of the game’s competitive scenarios, two warring factions are matched against each other. This could be the Enclave versus the Brotherhood of Steel, the Railroad versus the Institute, or another iconic pairing. When you’re cooperating with your friends, however, you’ll choose your side at the beginning of the game by picking one side of the double-sided scenario sheet. Not only does this change which faction you’ve aligned yourself with, it promises to dramatically change your gameplay experience and set your party on a unique path.

Since you and your friends are all actually friends now, you’ll also be able to help each other survive! Whether you’re assisting in combat by firing from afar or setting up C.A.M.P.s for you and the other players to fast travel between, it’s perfectly apparent that teamwork makes the dream work.

Mixing It Up

Cooperative scenarios aren’t the only change offered by Atomic Bonds. You now have the power to radically change your weapons, your apparel, your workshop, and yes, even yourself! Modifications, mutations, and workshop upgrades are three new types of cards, all offering new perks and powers to you and your fellow players.

You may find a C.A.M.P. with an attached Chem Lab, enabling you to easily lose the Addicted trait. You may tweak your weapon to be Two-Shot, letting you perform a second fight action for free. Or after taking enough rads, you may suddenly become a Marsupial, giving you additional cards for you inventory, but negating your Intelligence during tests. No matter where your adventures take you, there’s always room for some unexpected change, whether that’s a magnifying scope or an extra limb!

Forge Your Bonds

Maybe you’ve already enjoyed the countless dangers and lurking mutated beasts of Fallout: The Board Game. Maybe you were waiting to jump in with your friends. Either way, you’ll find the ideal next step to your journey with the Atomic Bonds Cooperative Upgrade Pack!

Pre-order your own copy of Atomic Bonds (ZX05) at your local retailer or online through our webstore today, and look for it to release in the second quarter of 2020!

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FFG Live in February

Published 31 January 2020 | KeyForge

FFG Live in February

Take a Look at Upcoming FFG Livestreams

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it’s still packed with plenty of amazing new video content coming from FFG Live! We stream every Tuesday and Thursday on Twitch at 1:00 PM Central Time—and our videos are always archived on YouTube for easy watching afterwards. Read on to get a look at our schedule and learn more about what’s coming next from Fantasy Flight Games.

The month starts off hot on February 4 with the announcement of the next Marvel Champions: The Card Game Hero Pack! Every new Hero Pack brings a new superhero springing into action, and this month, we’ll be discussing the next hero with designer Caleb Grace.

Though we normally stream every Tuesday and Thursday, there’s no show on February 6—because we’re gearing up for a full weekend of the only game that matters, A Game of Thrones: The Card Game! It’s the final World Championship for the A Game of Thrones LCG from February 7–9, and we’ll be streaming all three days to bring you the best matches we can find with top-notch commentary.

After that, we’re back with the latest news on Star Wars™: Legion on February 11. We’ve got four new expansions to announce and discuss with designer Alex Davy and sculptor Cory DeVore, with some amazing new options for the Galactic Republic and Separatist Alliance, so you’ll want to be sure you tune in.

We start our journey to Arkham on February 13 as we play a game of last year’s Arkham Horror: Final Hour, taking our investigators to Miskatonic University campus and racing to stop an Ancient One from breaking free. Then, the Arkham talk continues on February 18 with an Arkham Horror: The Card Game AMA with designers Matt Newman and Jeremy Zwirn! We’ll be drawing questions from this forum thread during the AMA (as well as answering live questions in the chat), so head over to the forums and get your Arkham Horror: The Card Game questions in now.

On February 20, we move from the bleak and sinister gables of Arkham to the irradiated Wasteland of Fallout: The Board Game! We have a special upgrade pack to announce, and we’ll reveal it for the first time on this stream.

February 25 takes FFG Live back to a galaxy far, far away with some Star Wars™: X-Wing gameplay, featuring the new cards and pilots from the Hotshots and Aces Reinforcements Pack!

And finally, to close out the month on February 27, we’re welcoming back Brad Andres and Danny Schaefer to show off two decks from the brand-new Mass Mutation set. We’ll play a game, and then give these decks away to two lucky viewers, so if you’re a KeyForge fan, you’ll definitely want to come and watch.

Join us on our Twitch channel for FFG Live every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:00 PM Central Time, or check out our Youtube page for all our latest videos. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a new video or livestream—we hope to see you there!

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The Latest from FFG

Published 21 November 2018 | KeyForge

The Latest from FFG

Games You Might Have Missed in the Holiday Rush

The holidays are nearly upon us, and the last few months have been stacked with new releases from Fantasy Flight Games. Now, as you start picking out games for your wishlist or shopping for your loved ones, we want to make sure you haven’t missed anything.

Take a quick look at our recap of some of the hottest new games we’ve released in the last few months and complete your holiday shopping today!

Arkham Horror

The year is 1926, and it’s the height of the Roaring Twenties. Flappers dance till dawn in smoke-filled speakeasies, drinking alcohol supplied by rum runners and the mob. It’s a celebration to end all celebrations in the aftermath of the War to End All Wars. Yet a dark shadow grows in the city of Arkham. Alien entities known as Ancient Ones lurk in the emptiness beyond space and time, writhing at the thresholds between worlds. Their occult rituals must be stopped and these dread creatures must be destroyed.

Arkham Horror is a cooperative board game for one to six players who become investigators battling to defeat the servitors of the Ancient Ones. Based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft, players will have to gather clues, defeat terrifying monsters, and find tools and allies to stand any hope of defeating the ancient creatures that exist just beyond the veil of our reality.

Pick up Arkham Horror at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

New California

You can pick up New California or Fallout: The Board Game at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

Heroes of Terrinoth

Strike back at the foes of the realm in Heroes of Terrinoth! In the Free Cities, the Bloodguard sows discord, while in the Mistlands, the dead rise from their graves. Now, the realm turns its eye to you and your team of heroes in search of saviors.

In this cooperative card game of questing and adventure, one to four players take on the roles of unique heroes who must unite to face deadly villains, navigate treacherous terrain, and defend the realm to earn fame and fortune! Terrinoth needs champions—do you have what it takes?

You can find Heroes of Terrinoth at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

Discover: Lands Unknown

You awaken with a splitting headache and no idea of how you got here. The wilderness stretches in every direction, and something howls in the distance. Your quest for answers will have to wait; first, you need to survive. Will you help the others stranded here or will you save yourself at any cost?

When two to four players find themselves marooned in the harsh wilderness, you must cooperate and compete to search for water, food, and tools that will be essential to your very survival. But your adventure holds many secrets. Discover: Lands Unknown is a Unique Game, and every copy of Discover: Lands Unknown is unlike any other in the world. A mix of environments, storylines, characters, locations, items, and enemies have been engineered to tell a story unique to every copy of the game, thanks to an algorithm that ensures no two copies are alike. Your adventures will be your very own as you struggle to survive in the heart of the wild.

Pick up your own copy of Discover: Lands Unknown at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game

It is an era of sudden change and upheaval in the realm of Rokugan. Mortal schemes, natural calamities, and celestial turmoil alike have disrupted the political, military, and spiritual equilibrium of the land. Long-simmering rivalries and fresh betrayals ripple through the courts and on the battlefield. The Chrysanthemum Throne is beset by threats from without and within, and the honor of the seven Great Clans shall be put to the test. Who among the clans will prove strong enough to guide Rokugan in these tumultuous times? Will their names be lifted up beside those of the honored ancestors, or will they fall among the ranks of the empire’s most infamous villains?

This is the stage of the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying, a roleplaying experience in the world of Rokugan. If you’re new to roleplaying the Beginner Game is the perfect place to get started with advice for players and new Game Masters, and with the Core Rulebook, you can take your adventures in Rokugan to the next level with detailed options for creating your own characters!

Pick up your copy of the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Beginner Game or Core Rulebook at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

X-Wing

Enter the next era of interstellar combat in the Star Wars galaxy! In the second edition of X-Wing™, you assemble a squadron of iconic starfighters from across the Star Wars saga and engage in fast-paced, high-stakes space combat with iconic pilots such as Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.

With refined gameplay that focuses on the physical act of flying starships, X-Wing lets you create your own Star Wars space battles right on your tabletop. Intuitive mechanics create the tense atmosphere of a firefight while beautifully pre-painted miniatures draw you deeper into the action. Man your ships and enter the fray!

Pick up your copy of the X-Wing Core Set at your local retailer or online through our webstore, and look for the expansions of Wave II at your retailer soon!

Across the Galaxy

Step into the Star Wars saga with Across the Galaxy, a new set of boosters for Star Wars™: Destiny featuring 160 new cards!

Across the Galaxy brings the characters of Solo: A Star Wars Story to Star Wars: Destiny. Before he was a hero of the Rebellion, Han Solo was a cocky young pirate just looking for a little adventure. With a crew of like-minded individuals that includes Lando Calrissian and Tobias Beckett, the dashing young rogue finds his way to Star Wars: Destiny.

Across the Galaxy finishes the block started by Legacies and expands on its themes. You can look for plot cards with negative point values, cards that grow stronger when you spot specific characters, and new ways to upgrade some of the most famous vehicles in the galaxy.

Pick up Across the Galaxy booster packs at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

Cosmic Encounter

In the depths of space, the alien races of the Cosmos vie for control of the universe in Cosmic Encounter. Alliances form and shift from moment to moment, while cataclysmic battles send starships screaming into the warp.

This classic game of alien politics returns from the warp once more. Features 51 aliens, flare cards to boost their powers, Cosmic Combo cards with suggested pairing of aliens, 100 translucent plastic ships, a host of premium components, and tech cards that let players research and build extraordinary technological marvels.

Pick up your copy of Cosmic Encounter at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

Mother of Dragons

Cross the Narrow Sea with the Mother of Dragons expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Board Game! Clawing their way into power, this expansion includes a side board of the Free Cities of Essos and an overlay of the Eyrie, as well as new characters and mechanics to bring House Targaryen and House Arryn into the fray. As you make your claim to the Iron Throne, you can call other Houses to your cause or even ask for aid from the Iron Bank of Braavos.

Pick up your copy of A Game of Thrones: The Board Game at your local retailer or online through our webstore, and look for the Mother of Dragons expansion, coming soon to your retailer!

KeyForge

Enter a world where anything is possible in KeyForge! In the center of the universe hangs the Crucible, an artificial world built from the pieces of countless planets. Here, in the world’s first Unique Deck Game, created by legendary designer Richard Garfield, two players step into the roles of mighty Archons, racing to forge keys that unlock the Crucible’s hidden Vaults.

Leading their diverse teams, filled with followers from three of the Crucible’s great Houses, the Archons must gather Æmber, stave off their opponent’s progress, and ultimately be the first to open a Vault and gain its incredible knowledge. With a vast array of creatures, artifacts, and abilities, and over 104 quadrillion possible decks, every deck is completely one-of-a-kind, and no two battles will ever be the same!

Pick up your KeyForge: Call of the Archons Starter Set and Archon Decks at your local retailer!

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Welcome to New California

Published 25 October 2018 | Fallout

Welcome to New California

The New California Expansion for Fallout Is Available Now

Order your own copy of New California online through our website today!

Don’t let miles of scorching hot desert and irradiated wasteland fool you. New California is a land of opportunity, a place where your dreams can come true. Sure, you might have to battle a Mirelurk Queen or run from a Super Mutant Behemoth from time to time, but what’s that compared to the piles of loot you can wring out of the remnants of the world before the Great War?

Now is your chance to explore this coastal jewel and see everything it has to offer: the New California expansion for Fallout: The Board Game is available now online through our webstore! Seize the opportunity and make your way in the wasteland today.

In La La Land

Folks in New California like to do things a bit differently than other wastelanders. For starters, they prefer the wide open spaces of a large wasteland that only the twelve new map tiles included in New California can provide. Not only do these tiles give you the chance to explore New California in all its glory, they can also add a bit of elbow room to some of the locations from the base game. These new tiles can be seamlessly incorporated into The Capital Wasteland, The Pitt, The Commonwealth, and Far Harbor for expanded versions of these scenarios that provide even more wasteland excitement.

The post-nuclear landscape of Fallout isn’t the only thing that’s changed in New California, either. The locals aren’t the traditional type and five new survivors are free to tackle the wasteland on their own terms. If you’re a real loner, you could be a Gunslinger, roaming around the west with nothing but your Trusty Sidearm for company. But if you’re feeling truly rebellious, why not stop waiting around for your masters to come home and strike off on your own as a Mister Handy? That Modular Exoplating is sure to come in handy out in the wilds of the wasteland.

No matter who you choose to be, there are plenty of other ways for you to be S.P.E.C.I.A.L. in New California. Seven new perks help set you apart from the everyday wastelander and give you your own unique abilities. For instance, you’ll be the envy of New California as you display your great strength as a Heavy Lifter, carryimg two additional items around the wasteland.

As fun as it may seem to keep all the loot and glory for yourself, however, there are times you may need to band together with your fellow survivors and work for the common good. New Californians look out for each other, so can’t you lend a helping hand to the village of Arroyo in a new cooperative scenario? Working together to help the villagers overcome a drought and the nefarious Enclave is sure to make you feel pretty good about yourself, trust us. And, if it doesn’t, at least you’ll have the chance to use a Missile Launcher.

If “helping your fellow wastelander” and “doing the right thing” aren’t exactly up your alley, well, you’re sure to be excited by the loot to be had in New California. This expansion adds 26 new loot cards that you’ll want to collect before anyone else can get to them. For example, Nuka-Cola might have been a common sight before the bombs fell, but now it’s a precious commodity. Whether it’s the refreshing taste or the fact that it’s been laying around for at least a century, this beverage gives you an additional action to perform during your turn and a bonus cap to spend later. It practically pays for itself!

Visit Sunny New California

The sun is hot, the water is fine, and there’s only a hint of radioactive material blowing on the ocean breeze. Jump on in and see what there is to discover here in New California!

Order your copy of New California (ZX03) through the Fantasy Flight Games website here!

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Enter the Wasteland

Published 25 October 2018 | Fallout

Enter the Wasteland

The Please Stand By Gamemat for Fallout Is Now Available

Order your own copy of the Please Stand By Gamemat at your local retailer or online through our website today!

The world may have descended into chaos when the bombs dropped, but that doesn’t mean exploring this crazy world has to be equally chaotic. You can bring order to your games of Fallout: The Board Game with the Please Stand By Gamemat, available for order now at your local retailer or online through the Fantasy Flight Games website!

After waiting out the horrors of nuclear devastation, you’re probably anxious to head out into the wasteland and see what’s left of the world, and every aspect of the Please Stand By Gamemat invites you deeper into the Fallout universe. With the iconic imagery as your backdrop and its expansive 3' x 3' play surface, each gamemat provides the perfect space to construct your wasteland no matter what scenario you’re playing.

You’re bound to have all manner of encounters in the irradiated landscape and you’ll need a way to organize all the loot you find while you do so. Luckily, the Please Stand By Gamemat also provides convenient spaces for you to keep track of your encounter, loot, and asset decks, ensuring that they’re at hand exactly when you need them.

No matter where you roam in the wasteland, the Please Stand By Gamemat can help you stay on the right track. Prepare for your adventures and organize your games of Fallout today!

Make your Fallout: The Board Game experience truly special with your own Please Stand By Gamemat (ZX04) available now from your local retailer or online through our website!

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Wasteland Goodies

Published 22 October 2018 | Fallout

Wasteland Goodies

Preview the Loot and Companions of the New California Expansion for Fallout

Order your own copy of New California at your local retailer or online through our website today!

Ah, there’s nothing quite like the smell of nuclear material wafting on the ocean breeze. Here in New California, the residents don’t let attacks by irradiated creatures and folks duking it out in power armor stop them from enjoying the post-nuclear landscape. They’re drawn by a bit more than just ocean views and radiation as far as the eye can see, of course. There’s also plenty of loot to be had by survivors intrepid enough to look for it.

Thus far, we’ve taken a look at several aspects of the New California expansion for Fallout: The Board Game, starting with the survivors who call this desolate corner of the wasteland home. Then, we moved on to how these survivors can come together to tackle a brand new cooperative scenario. Now it’s time to get to the good stuff: the loot!

One Man’s Trash…

The old world may have been destroyed when the bombs dropped, but there are still plenty of pieces lying about. The wasteland is positively littered with valuable loot that can be had by anyone bold—or foolish—enough to scour the irradiated wastes. You, too, can get in on the action, collecting cool new gadgets or sweet memorabilia to round out your collection by completing quests and defeating monsters. To that end, New California adds 26 new loot cards to your potential haul.

It’s always important to perform at your best in the wasteland and, luckily, you’ll find plenty of Items that can speed up your mental function and keep you going. For example, if you thought Mentats were great, just wait until you try all the varieties available in New California! Berry Mentats have a pleasantly sweet taste with just a hint of anti-freeze and, better yet, you’ll care a lot less about their highly addictive nature when you’re using them to add two hits to a test or fight that uses your Intelligence. But watch out! Your habit can get a bit expensive…

Mentats can increase your performance, sure, but you’ll need the Aid other items provide just to survive on your own. Despite the ocean stretching far off into the distance, potable water is hard to find anywhere in New California, and we wouldn’t blame you for being a bit wary of drinking the questionable stuff found in the base game. Luckily, now you have a good chance of stumbling across some Purified Water. Same great taste, 100% less radiation!

Water is fine and all, but sometimes you need something with a little more flavor, and what’s better than a crisp and refreshing Nuka-Cola? Taking a swig of one of these will give you the energy you need to take an extra action on your turn. Plus, you get a free Cap in the deal! Who could say no to that?

Let’s be honest, a lot of the stuff you’ll find in the wasteland is Junk. Even junk has its uses, of course, and some things that don’t appear useful can actually be very beneficial to you. For instance, some survivors might find collecting bobbleheads pointless. For the discerning collector, however, one of these little guys, such as the Agility Bobblehead, can have many perks.

Friends in Radioactive Places

What’s good loot if you don’t have any friends to share it with? Whether you purchase their services from the shop or stumble across them while out looting the wasteland, New California also introduces several new Companions that can join you on your adventures along the golden coast.

Let’s be honest, you’re not going to use a lot of the stuff you find during your adventures. Why lug it around when you can sell it for some easy Caps? During these times, it can be especially useful to have Harold traveling with you. He may be a hideous mutant with a tree growing out of his head, but he can also help you gain two additional Caps for each item you sell. Seems worth it to us.

With all the dangers present in the wastes, it’s hard to find anyone who has survived long enough to tell their tale. When you come across someone like Tycho, then, it’s in your best interest to listen to what they have to say. As a member of the venerable Desert Rangers, he carries vast knowledge of life in the wasteland and can slowly dispense that knowledge to you, granting you two XP every time you use him while exploring.

Experience will only take you so far, though. Eventually, you’ll have to put that knowledge to the test in your own encounters, and having someone at your side who knows how to fight can be the difference between living to fight Super Mutants another day and becoming a Rad Scorpion’s lunch. If you’re charismatic enough, Ian will act as your personal bodyguard, lowering an enemy’s level by one before a fight. Unfortunately for you, though, he’s not always the best at distinguishing between friend and foe and will also deal you two damage from friendly fire whenever he’s used!

If you’re looking for some who won’t mistake you for a bloatfly, you can try to convince John Cassidy to join you. He’ll give your equipped weapon the ranged icon and generate a reroll before a fight even begins. But you’d better stay clean if you want him to stick around. Not only do you need to be idolized for him to even agree to come with you, he’ll leave you on your own if you have any Drug items when he unexhausts.

Wasteland of Opportunity

New California may never return to its former glory, but that doesn't mean it's totally devoid of useful supplies. If you look in the right places—and with the right people—you'll find plenty of good stuff just below the soft radioactive glow of the surface. Find some new friends, dive in, and grab all the loot you can find!

Look for New California (ZX03) at your local retailer in the fourth quarter of 2018. You can pre-order your copy at your local retailer or through our website here!

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Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Published 16 October 2018 | Fallout

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

How to Get Along With Others in the Wasteland

The sandy beaches of New California don’t attract as many people as they used to. Being covered in piles of radioactive waste will do that. It also means that you’ll be on your own as you wander the wasteland in the New California expansion for Fallout: The Board Game. Out here, everyone looks out for themselves, free to pursue their own agenda and gain influence however they see fit.

Order your own copy of New California at your local retailer or online through our website today!

This continues as you play through expanded versions of the four scenarios from the base game and the new Rise of the Master scenario with the twelve map tiles and other components included in this expansion. Every so often, though, you’ll come across someone—or something—that doesn’t want to eat you and take your stuff. If this should ever happen, you might even team up with these friendly souls and work together for the common good.

In addition to its other scenarios, New California also gives you the chance to gather a group of survivors and tackle a fully cooperative scenario. Here, what begins as an attempt to aid a small village in the wasteland soon sweeps you into an ever-evolving struggle that will determine the fate of New California. Along the way, you’ll have to coordinate with your fellow survivors to tackle the many challenges that appear down the branching paths you’ll wander.

Strap yourself in as we took a look at the challenges you and your chummy compatriots will face as you try to make the wasteland a better place!

Making Friends in the Wasteland

During any game of Fallout, a common thread is a struggle between freedom and security. Whether you side with the mysterious Institute while exploring the Commonwealth or back the Brotherhood of Steel in their struggle against the enigmatic Unity, each scenario offers different factions for you to ally with as you pursue your goals and look out for number one.

The New California cooperative scenario continues to explore this dichotomy… with several important twists. Rather than aligning with one side or the other, players work to aid the small village of Arroyo. Pushed to the edge of desperation by a terrible drought, the town has turned to anyone who will listen for help, and they need you to scour the wasteland in search of anything that could relieve their suffering. Luckily, you have heard whispers of a device that could combat the drought. Perhaps you can discover more by visiting the New California Republic…

In addition to the standard dangers of the wasteland, your efforts in this scenario will be opposed by the mysterious Enclave, who wish to spread their influence into New California from their base on the Poseidon Oil Rig far out at sea. Instead of beginning the game with agenda cards to guide you, you and your fellow survivors must work together to complete the main quest. What ensues could take you to a vault hidden beneath the surface of a lake, deep into the heart of the desert, or even onto the Enclave’s secretive oil rig.

As your search continues, a dramatic struggle plays out on the scenario's power track. Completing quests pushes the freedom token along the power track, bringing you one step closer to victory. But any number of events—from a survivor being killed to an Enclave enemy activating—can cause the Enclave’s security token to advance on the track as their influence grows. If you're not careful and the Enclave's power token reaches the end of the track, you and your fellow survivors lose the game.

Completing the main story quest will bring you one step closer to victory, while gaining a "Security" agenda will push the Enclave's power token back, giving you more time to complete your goals!

Keep your chin up, though, things aren’t all bad. You can always help yourself even more by gaining agendas. Instead of tracking your influence in the wasteland, in this scenario agendas are another way for you to control the power tokens. Gaining an agenda with the "Security" title will move the security token one space backward on the power track while an agenda with the "Freedom" title advances the freedom token toward the end of the track. Better yet, all other agendas let you choose which effect to resolve. So go grab those agendas, hotshot, and save Arroyo!

More Toys

Going up against the Enclave is no easy task, but luckily New California provides you with a host of 21 new asset cards that should make helping the citizens of Arroyo a bit easier. From weapons to companions to apparel, these cards give you the kick you need to go from zero to hero!

Weapons may be hard to come by in the wasteland, but—for the right price—some of the most powerful weapons you’ve ever seen can be yours. Need to wipe out a large group of Enclave Soldiers? Look no further than your handy Missile Launcher! You can exhaust this weapon after you kill an enemy to kill each other enemy of equal or lower level in its space and each adjacent space. How’s that for making a splash?

If you prefer keeping your enemies a bit closer, you can always turn to a trusty Rockville Slugger. You might not be able to blow anything up with this simple baseball bat, but you’ll still have the chance to knock your foes out of the park with this weapon, killing them before the fight even begins.

Not every encounter in the wasteland has to devolve into fisticuffs, of course. There are still a few civilized survivors out here and they prefer to deal with their problems with a Bear Trap. You can use this card to place a Trap in your space. When an enemy moves into the space… well, let’s just say they won’t be leaving it any time soon.

Finally, you’ll need to do a bit of sleuthing while helping the residents of Arroyo, so it’s only fitting that you look the part. As soon as you don your Detective's Coat, you’ll get an automatic hit for every test that uses Perception. Additionally, you can exhaust this card at any time to look at the top two cards of the Loot deck, arranging them as you see fit to be sure you find what you're looking for!

Wasteland Saviors

Arroyo needs your help. Band together to tackle this challenge and you all might just become legends of the wasteland in this fully cooperative scenario for Fallout: The Board Game!

Look for New California (ZX03) at your local retailer in the fourth quarter of 2018. You can pre-order your copy at your local retailer or through our website here!

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What Makes You S.P.E.C.I.A.L.?

Published 8 October 2018 | Fallout

What Makes You S.P.E.C.I.A.L.?

Preview the Survivors and Perks in the New California Expansion for Fallout

Order your own copy of New California at your local retailer or online through our website today!

No matter if you're exploring the Commonwealth or wandering through the New California Republic, the world of Fallout is a dangerous place. Everything changed when the bombs fell and, in the wake of total nuclear annhilation, you can’t just wander around wherever you please. Supplies will be scarce, you’re bound to run into some unfriendly types, and hazardous situations seem to be waiting around every corner. Luckily, you’ve got the skills—and gear—it takes to help restore this once-great land to its former glory.

The New California expansion introduces five new survivors to Fallout: The Board Game and, before anything else, it’s important to get to know who you might be. Each of these plucky newcomers has their own perspective on life in the wasteland, and today, we’re going to take a closer look at just what makes each of them tick!

Wasteland Wanderers

Although you’ll all be dealing with the same trials and tribulations out there in the wasteland, every survivor will take their own approach to every new challenge. Not everyone reacts the same way when a Deathclaw comes striding toward them, after all. Let’s see just what sets this new generation of Californians apart from one another!

The Enclave Deserter: The whole Enclave thing didn’t work out, so you’ve decided to strike out on your own. But leaving the Enclave doesn’t mean you have to give up your Advanced Power Armor, right? You can soak up a point of damage while wearing this piece of sturdy Apparel. Better yet, your armor literally helps you become even more S.P.E.C.I.A.L., keeping you company out there in the wastes and helping you gain additional XP when you kill those monsters.

The NCR Ranger: California may have been reduced to an irradiated desert filled with mutated creatures that want to eat you, but it’s still home. And you know every inch of it. Your map helps you get the lay of the land and pick the best routes through it. Not a bad way to avoid unwanted confrontations with wayward radscorpions or unsavory raiders if you ask me. Better yet, this invaluable Item lets you move much faster than your fellow survivors, no matter how much Endurance you have or how much you’ve worked on your Agility.

The Lone Gunslinger: As mysterious as you are deadly, you know the only thing you can really count on in the post-nuclear wasteland is your Trusty Sidearm. With this Weapon at your side, you’ll be able to make ranged attacks from the very beginning of the game, even if it’s not currently equipped. Such a powerful weapon does make you a bit intimidating, though. Even if you’ve tried to work on your Charisma, you still won’t be able to convince any companions to join you.

The Mister Handy: Why let humans have all the fun while you endlessly clean up their post-nuclear mess? Besides, your Modular Exoplating makes you perfectly suited for exploring areas that would mutate organic beings into unrecognizable beasts. One man’s Junk is another robot’s treasure, and the plentiful Junk you’ll find in the wasteland becomes even more valuable to you. Not only can you add it to your plating, it’s also useful for replacing any of your parts that might get blown up, knocked off, or otherwise removed during your exciting adventures!

The Caravan Merchant: Like it or not, the irradiated wastes are a great place to turn a profit, and you’ve got the skills to keep the caps flowing. You and your faithful Brahmin Companion Lady Butterheart have traveled all over New California and, no matter where you camp, you always have the opportunity to shop for more items. You’re always happy to let other survivors enjoy this same opportunity, as long as they have a Cap to spare, of course…

Perks of the Job

The traits and items you start with aren’t the only thing that set you apart, of course. As you wander New California and beyond, you’ll fill in the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. slots on your player board to gain rerolls during tests and fights. Alternatively, if your slots are already filled, it might be a good idea to take a different course. You can also spend the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. tokens to gain powerful one-time abilities from perk cards, and New California gives you even more perks to choose from.

The seven perk cards included in this expansion unlock one new ability for each category, together contributing to make your survivor even more unique. Trying to study but pesky monsters keep bothering you? Vault-Tec surely wouldn’t blame you if you flew into a Nerd Rage! and killed an enemy before it kills you. Not enough space to carry your loot? Why not become a Heavy Lifter and simply carry two extra cards yourself?

Become S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

The wasteland is vast and full of possibilities. No matter what path you choose to follow or what agenda you choose to pursue, you need to be prepared for every scenario. Rise to every challenge and show the world what makes you S.P.E.C.I.A.L.!

Look for New California (ZX03) at your local retailer in the fourth quarter of 2018! Pre-order your copy at your local retailer or through our website here!

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Welcome to the Wasteland

Published 4 September 2018 | Fallout

Welcome to the Wasteland

Announcing the Please Stand By Gamemat for Fallout: The Board Game

Order your own copy of the Please Stand By Gamemat at your local retailer or online through our website today!

There’s a great big world beyond the entrance to your vault, and even though the outside world may have fallen into disarray, that doesn’t mean your wanderings through it must do the same. Fantasy Flight Games is happy to announce the Please Stand By Gamemat for Fallout: The Board Game!

The Please Stand By Gamemat gives you the perfect canvas to create your own Wasteland, with plenty of space for you to set up your map tiles for a standard scenario or to expand into the new territory provided in the upcoming New California expansion. No matter what situation you find yourself in, the playmat draws you even deeper into the world of Fallout with the iconic “Please Stand By” imagery of the critically acclaimed video game series.

In addition to providing a smooth, slip-resistant surface for your map tiles, the playmat also helps you stay organized while roaming across the irradiated landscape. Next to the play area, you’ll find convenient spaces for the cards you’ll collect during your adventures, including spots for the encounter, loot, and asset decks, ensuring that everything you need is within easy reach of all players!

Whether you’re an expert at wandering the wasteland or if you can’t tell a radroach from a bloatfly, the Please Stand By Gamemat is sure to enhance your gaming experience, offering a beautiful and well-organized area to play out your own stories in post-nuclear America.

Make your Fallout: The Board Game experience truly special by ordering your own Please Stand By Gamemat (ZX04) from your local retailer or online through our website today!

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New California

Published 13 July 2018 | Fallout

New California

Announcing a New Expansion for Fallout: The Board Game

Fantasy Flight Games is happy to announce New California, a new expansion for Fallout: The Board Game!

Sun’s Out, Guns Out

Order your own copy of New California at your local retailer or online through our website today!

The New California expansion brings all-new challenges to the irradiated landscape inspired by Bethesda’s blockbuster video game series, inviting you cover even more ground when you return to the four scenarios you experienced in Fallout: The Board Game or enter sunny New California in two brand-new scenarios. While you're on these adventures, you can visit some of the most memorable locations from throughout the Fallout series, plumbing the depths of The Hole, breaking into the Lost Hills Bunker, or venturing into the imposing Cathedral.

Each of the twelve new map tiles contained in this expansion brings with it the chance to meet new companions, unlock new vaults, and discover even better loot to conquer the wasteland. To seize these new opportunities and rise to the challenges of this balmy new locale, New California brings five new survivors to Fallout—each of them ready to comb the irradiated landscape for loot. Determined to live on their own terms, the Enclave Deserter has cut ties with their past life. Luckily, they’ve only decided to ditch the Enclave itself and not their advanced power armor. Not only does this gear provide protection from whatever mutated beasts they may encounter, it also gives them extra XP when they kill an enemy.

The NCR Ranger, meanwhile, knows the desert better than anyone. So much better, in fact, that she can pick a more advantageous starting position at the beginning of the game and move across the rough hills of New California faster than the other survivors. Tired of performing chores for a master who's unlikely to ever return, Mister Handy has decided to set off on his own. Fortunately for him, one man’s junk is Mister Handy’s treasure and there’s plenty of junk to be found across the wasteland. Mister Handy can use Junk cards to repair himself and upgrade his defenses and, thanks to his many limbs, he has plenty of space in his inventory to carry a lot of junk.

With her Trusty Sidearm in reach, the mysterious Lone Gunslinger has little use for company. Her weapon packs a punch, but also ensures that she’ll wander the wastes alone. The Caravan Merchant, on the other hand, will have no shortage of friends with all the caps they’ll have. They begin the game with extra caps and have plenty of opportunities to earn more. With their faithful brahmin carrying their wares, other players can pay the merchant to shop while camping in their space.

Greetings from Sunny California

Humankind has risen from the ashes of the old world into a weird world full of danger and—if you’re brave or foolish enough—opportunity. The New California expansion provides plenty of opportunity to make a name for yourself across its two new scenarios. The first opens as a secret power grows in the background threatening the grip the Brotherhood of Steel paladins have on the wasteland here. Could this new presence be related to the rumors of mutants and experiments gone mad? Before pledging allegiance to either side, you need to know more about the Brotherhood and the mysterious Unity.

The second scenario, “New California,” introduces a new set of cooperative rules, allowing the survivors to work together for a common cause. The landscape of New California is unforgiving and the small village of Arroyo has been hit harder than most. Drought has brought the villagers to the edge of desperation, and in their hour of need they have turned to anyone who will listen. The village elder has heard of a device that might combat the drought, but where can one be found? You must search the far corners of New California if you’re going to help save Arroyo.

To add even more variety to your experience, New California introduces multiple unique copies of individual cards. While each card presents a similar narrative and choices, each one leads to different cards. Throughout the game, the choices you make with these cards can have wildly different consequences and open new opportunities. As only one copy of a card is added to the appropriate encounter deck, you can ensure that each of the new scenarios will play a bit differently each time.

The Golden State

A new land of opportunity awaits you. It might also be filled with radiation and hideous monsters, but what's an accomplishment without a little challenge? It’s time to head into the wasteland. Welcome to New California!

Look for New California (ZX03) at your local retailer in the fourth quarter of 2018! Pre-order your copy at your local retailer or through our website here!

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Post-Nuclear Gift Guide

Published 30 November 2017 | Fallout

Post-Nuclear Gift Guide

What to Get for Your Friends After the Bombs Have Dropped

A chill has begun to creep through the air, and though the crisp winter wind doesn’t bite quite as hard as deathclaws, it does serve as a sharp reminder that the holiday season is just around the corner. We could imagine, though, that with all the irradiated creatures to fight and faction wars to settle, you may have been a bit too preoccupied to notice, so we’re here to help!

In this handy-dandy gift guide, we’ll give you ideas of some things that you can find lying around on the tabletop that will serve as perfect gifts for each of your favorite Fallout companions. More of a Lone Wanderer? No problem, you can just keep them for yourself! However you choose to spend the holidays, the fun surprises below are sure to warm your heart, even in the chill of the nuclear winter.

Dressed in Holiday Style

For the Commando

When something scary comes your way, this is the friend you hide behind! She's rough and tumble and won't take *chomp* for an answer. Since you're doing so little to help, why not help her take on the terrors with some solid Combat Armor. Oh, she's your new sister-in-law? Better step it up. We hear Power Armor is impressive.

For the Ladies' Man

While some folks like to go through life with guns blazing, this guy prefers to suit up and schmooze his way out of even the stickiest situations. We recommend some suave pre-war Formalwear to make him the most dapper, death-defying dude out there!

For the Mysterious Stranger

You don't actually remember how you met this friend and you can never get a hold of them, but they've spontaneously saved your neck enough times that you feel obligated to include them in this year's round of gifts. But you're not really that close, so a Singed Duster should do the trick. Plus, it's got a cool, rugged vibe your buddy will appreciate.

You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out

For the Hacker

It can be hard to know what to get for the computer lover in your life because they can program just about anything they'd bother to spend time on. Even the most tech-savvy among us need to prepare for the horrors of the wasteland, though, so how about a glowing, futuristic Plasma Gun. It's pretty much the same as a computer, but it also shoots bad guys!

For the Sniper

You can barely get him to leave the house because he wants everything to be just so. And you know he can't leave without his backpack and his Stimpacks and a few extra caps because "you never know when they'll come in handy". But this guy's attention to detail comes in handy more often than you'd ever expect, so why not give him a tidy way to take down those messy monsters from a nice safe distance: a Sniper Rifle. Heck, we'd take one. Got room on your shopping list for one more?

For the Basher

It was nice of you to give cool armor to your tough Commando friend, but you know what the folks on the front lines could really use? Super scary weapons! Like the Shishkebab. It has flames and a very long blade and it's very accurate and please be careful when you wrap it because it's also very dangerous. Don't say we didn't warn you.

All I Want for Christmas is You

For the Animal Friend

You know that friend that's always talking about his dogs and what his dogs did yesterday and what kind of careers his dogs want (I'm looking at you, Derek)? He thinks dogs should be allowed everywhere, so isn't it fortunate that they're not all that picky about enforcing pet regulations in the Wasteland! So to introduce a little canine companionship back into his life, why not bring him on over to Red Rocket to introduce him to our good friend Dogmeat!

For the Robotics Expert

For your friend who has an unlocked smartphone: actual robots! Thanks to RobCo's pre-war technological advancements, the Wasteland is swarming with brilliant machines who can do anything, from protecting you to producing Chems. If you can get on their good side, Curie, Protectrons, and Loadlifters live to carry out their clever codes!

For the Local Leader

There are leaders and there are followers, even in the post-nuclear world, and this friend is the ultimate leader. They call the shots, they go their own way, they allign themselves with the best of the best. For this friend, we recommend an introduction to the post-war power players, like Paladin Danse or Preston Garvey. While they won't hesitate to ask for help, their many requests will offer exceptional opportunities and these guys have some exceptional connections!

My Favorite Things

For the Chemist

This friend is always mixing up concoctions, like beverages and science projects and stuff she won't actually tell you about, and boy-oh-boy is the Wasteland the perfect place for her! From Stimpacks to Rad-Away, from Jet to Psycho, there is no shortage of Chems for her to toy with. If she's lucky, she may even get an influence card that rewards her for it! Maybe for her birthday…

For the Bookworm

Always with their nose buried in a book, this friend's biggest problem with post-nuclear life is that Super Mutants and Raiders have no respect for peace and quiet. One gift you might consider is guarding the door for a couple hours so they can just finish the latest page-turner already, but you could also give them something new to read, given that most books burned in the blast. Thoughts: a classic issue of Grognak the Barbarian or a copy of the newer series, Wasteland Survival Guide.

For the Collector

Because so few things survived the nuclear war, many Wastelanders have taken to picking up just about anything that isn't burned to a crisp. Collecting these various items can actually make quite the distracting hobby! Got some Junk lying around? Well you know what they say… one man's tin can in another man's treasure! And when all else fails, Caps always make a welcome gift.

For Every Wasteland Wanderer

If the residents of Diamond City can still make time to decorate their post-nuclear homes for this festive season, maybe we too should consider making time for a little holiday cheer. Fortunately, we have one gift that any Wastelander would love to find in the ruins, and it's available now. That's right, you can get your hands on Fantasy Flight Games' tabletop training module, Fallout: The Board Game today! Whether you're buying for a well-worn super mutant or a jumpsuit-wearing smoothskin fresh from the Vault, they'll delight in the opportunity to explore the Wasteland time and time again!

Pick up your copy of Fallout (ZX02) at your local retailer today!

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The Power of the Atom

Published 27 November 2017 | Fallout

The Power of the Atom

Preparing for the Make-or-Break Choices of Fallout

The ultimate post-nuclear tabletop experience of Fallout: The Board Game is about to arrive, and there's one element of the game that we've been saving for this moment. We've done an overview of the game as a whole and discussed the six main ways you can interact with the world of Fallout. We've discussed the development of your survivor and the fearful fights you may encounter. But one thing we haven't thoroughly dug into sits at the very heart of your Wasteland experience, and that is the intricate story you and your fellow surivivors will tell and the challenging, impactful decisions you will make to shape it. Today, in preparation for the game's imminent release, we explore the incredible narratives that Bethesda has developed and how they translate to the tabletop.

Freedom vs. Security

To begin any game of Fallout, you'll select one of the game's four scenarios: The Commonwealth, The Capital Wasteland, The Pitt, or Far Harbor. Each of these scenarios tells a complicated story of factions versus faction, offering two distinctive ideologies you can side with. An example we've considered a few times is that of The Commonwealth, which considers the core conflict of Fallout 4: Synths, or synthetic humans. In The Commonwealth, you must choose between two sides: the Railroad, which believes synths are sapient and deserve independence, and the Institute, the organization responsible for the creation of synths that seeks to maintain control over them. Each of the three other scenarios features a similar battle between freedom and security.

As you progress through the main questline of the scenario, the two factions will gain influence of their own and agents of each group will pop up across the game board. This progression is dependent on how the survivors choose to interact with the story. For example, card 014, which introduces The Commonwealth scenario, offers two choices: to kill a humanoid or to take the Quest action at Diamond City. Whichever action is done first will result in the effects listed below, offering loot to the survivor who completed the quest, adding new cards to the game in play, and progressing either the Railroad or the Institute.

While the loot and new cards may be enough motivation for a survivor to complete any quest objective, influence cards encourage survivors to side with one faction or another. It is through this faction-influence interaction that alliances may develop between survivors. If you side with the Institute alongside another survivor, you may be inclined to help each other. Of course, you still have personal goals and motiviations, but ultimately, the advancement of the Institute helps you both in terms of influence. Early on, you may not actually know who is allied with each faction, but you do have the option to turn your faction-based influence cards faceup, declaring your alliance and giving you immunity whenever you encounter the agents of that faction on the board. Declaring this loyalty will become more and more important as the board fills up with faction agents.

Interacting with Your World

Beyond the main storyline, a number of side-quests and location encounters will be available to survivors throughout the game. In the example above, the quest card is placed face-up on the table, so each player can see the outcome of all options. While the main- and side-quest cards will always be visilbe in that way, location encounters are presented a bit differently.

There are three types of location, each matching a different encounter deck: Wasteland, Settlements, and Vaults. Whenever you land on the same space as one of these locations, you have the opportunity to Encounter it. Encountering a location is different than questing, because you won't know how your choices will impact the game when you have to make them. Instead, another survivor will read the card and the possible actions aloud, keeping the results a secret until you have made your decision.

While some choices are forced based on your survivor's traits, often, they will require you to make a skill check. For example, a card may offer two options: "Hack into an old Register • 3" and "Search for useful equipment • 4". Both of these will feature different results whether you succeed or fail at the skill check. Making a skill check is similar to fighting in that you will roll all three of the V.A.T.S. dice. However, you will ignore the vulnerable areas on the dice, instead focusing solely on the number of hits. The number listed after the skill or skills is how many hits you need to succeed, and, as in battle, you're able to reroll for each of the relevant skills you have acquired or by discarding a well-rested token.

The outcomes of both quests and encounter can be numerous. Some will influence the game itself, asking you to add a card to one of the encounter decks, stage a card by placing it face-up for all to see, advance one of the factions along the Power Track, or permanently removing a card from the game. Other results may influence your survivor individually, granting you XP, Caps, new Traits, Influence Cards, Loot, Special Items, or, in the case of Settlements, the opportunity to Shop.

The Well-Equipped Wastelander

Encounters are one of the best ways in the game to add equipment to your survivor board. Wasteland locations are a bit dangerous, often called home to critters and looters, but braving the unknown can reward you with Caps or loot. At a settlement, you're more likely to run into some people, posing more difficult choices, but offering you the opportunity to poke around in the shop.

Whenever you get the opportunity to shop, you can sell an item to collect Caps, buy items at full price using Caps, or use your wily charms to convince a Companion to join you. The shop's stock is rotated throughout the game and always visible to all players, so if you have your eye on something particular, you'll want to collect the Caps and get to a settlement quickly in order to pick it up. Those items won't hang around long.

The third type of location you can encounter is the Vault. These elusive spots are well-hidden in the Wasteland, and you cannot encounter them until the Vault decks are available. A Vault deck may be constructed at some point during each game, often after a survivor hears whispers while wandering through a local settlement or gets a request from a friend in need. Either way, only once a Vault has been introduced by the game itself can it be encountered by a survivor—another reason you may wish to rush across the map to beat an opponent to the punch.

Into the Wastes

There you have it—your crash course on the narrative experience of Fallout: The Board Game! From completing quests to executing skill checks, from visiting the shops to exploring the vaults, you're well prepared to take on the post-nuclear Wasteland when it arrives at your local game store!

Pre-order Fallout (ZX02) at your local retailer or online through our webstore today!

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War Never Changes

Published 21 November 2017 | Fallout

War Never Changes

Conquering Wasteland Combat in Fallout

The Wasteland is an exciting place, full of possibility. Between exploring, questing, and looting in Fallout: The Board Game, it’s hard to imagine there’ll be time for anything else, but you’re not the only one trying to survive out there. In your wanderings, you’ll encounter all kinds of tough and aggressive enemies, and we’re here to help prepare you to meet them and beat them!

The Six Types of Enemies You’ll Meet In the Wasteland

As you traverse the wasteland, you’ll run into all sorts of Critters, Humanoids, Robots, Super Mutants, and Monsters. We feel compelled to warn you that the pre-war ritual of gently offering your hand for unfamiliar creatures to sniff and get to know you probably won’t work with these ones. As an alternative, we recommend a lethal weapon applied liberally to the face. But before you run in with guns blazing, let’s look at the six traits you’ll need to be prepared to face as you take on the vicious beasts:

The Take-Charge Attacker

Plenty of enemies are perfectly content to keep to themselves unless you really get in their way, but not these guys. Enemies with an Aggressive icon will attack anyone who crosses their path without hesitation, so don’t plan on sprinting past them without a backwards look. Spoiler alert: it won’t work. And some of these enemies are really scary. Common Examples: Radscorpions, Raider Psychos, Deathclaws.

The Sniper

Joining the camp of way-too-excited-about-being-shot-at are those who have adapted to the sprawling post-nuclear landscape and feature a long-range attack. A Ranged symbol indicates an enemy who can not only attack from a space away but who will do extra damage if you’re unable to respond in kind with your very own ranged weapon. That just means you might consider picking up a gun in your spare time. Common Examples: Bloatflies, Mr. Gutsys, and Super Mutant Skirmishers.

The Tough Guy

There’s something exceedingly satisfying about almost taking damage, but rebuffing the attack with highly effective armor. Less satisfying, however, is facing an enemy who has the same idea. Some of your combat opponents, featuring a Armor icon, will come with an extra layer of damage resistance, making them way more irritating to defeat than other creatures of the same level. Common Examples: Raider Scum, Protectron Medics, Yao Guais.

The Cautious Combatant

While most of our foes will be annoyingly persistent, some will cut you a little slack when they know you’re having a tough day. Once they’ve done a little damage or evaded enough of your poorly aimed shots, enemies featuring the Retreat symbol will politely wander off, waiting for some other unsuspecting wastelander to mosey on through. Common Examples: Mole Rats, Radscropions, Looters.

The Pack Brahmin

Speaking of looters, there are some adversaries you’ll encounter who will actually reward you for your efforts. Kind of. Any enemy you successfully finish off featuring a Loot icon will allow you to draw one card from the loot deck! Though the items you pull off of your opponents won’t be the shiniest, you may find some valuable stuff, like companions, Chems, Caps, or low-level combat equipment. Common Examples: Raiders, Super Mutants, Protectron Medics.

The Glowing One

The final trait to look out for is one this post-nuclear world has well prepared you for. If your rival has a Radiation symbol, not only will their hits strip you of HP, you'll also take radiation from the fight! Bummer if you’re a mere human, but a boon if you’ve chosen to take on the wasteland as a ghoul or super mutant! Common Examples: Radroaches, Feral Ghouls, Glowing Ones.

We know that's a lot to keep track of, so we've put together a handy dandy graphic that you can load into your Pip-Boy to help you remember!

How to Win Fights and Incapacitate People

Now that you know what you’re up against, let’s take a look at the combat itself. On your survivor board, you have three pegs: red for HP, green for Rads, and gray for XP. Fighting enemies in the game is one of the main ways to move all three of these pegs along their respective tracks—though that’s not always going to be a good thing.

Fight actions in the game are all driven by a simple roll of the three V.A.T.S. dice, which feature two things: targeted areas and icons, or Hits. Each enemy you face will have vulnerable areas, and you can only hit them by targeting those areas. For every die face that shows an area of the body matching your enemy’s vulnerabilities, you inflict one hit on them. Yay, you! However, you need to watch out, because every hit icon showing is equal to damage times the enemy’s level. So if you’re facing a scary, level three Sentry Bot and five hits are showing, you’re going to take fifteen damage, moving your HP peg down fifteen spots! Those of you who are good at math know that means you’re almost certainly going to be killed. It’s a harsh reality.

Now, being killed isn’t actually the worst thing in the world. All you have to do is move back to the starting tile and lose everything in your inventory. We're not saying it’s a walk in the park or anything… but it could be worth taking a risk if there’s a worthwhile reward on the line. Plus, it’ll be funny to watch for your fellow survivors.

What’s the point of all this, you may ask? Experience points! Winning fights is the very best way to gain a whole lot of XP, and thus, new skills or perks. Whenever you successfully kill an enemy, you gain XP equal to their level, meaning that the more dangerous the enemy, the better the reward.

What SHOULD You Bring to a Knife Fight?

While getting XP is exciting and fun, taking damage is notably less so. Fortunately, there are ways to increase your damage, should you miss your enemy’s soft spots, and mitigate the damage you take, if you’re dealt far more damage than you were hoping for. Your ability to change the results of a fight is all dependent on the items, companions, and traits you’ve collected throughout the game.

Most often, you’ll be able to take a shot at better results by rerolling dice. Weapons let you do this if you know how to use them properly, so it's advantageous to equip a weapon that’s well suited for your survivor’s developed S.P.E.C.I.A.L. skills. For example, if your survivor has the Intelligence skill and uses the Alien Blaster—which features two Intelligence icons — you get not just one, but two rerolls of as many dice as you choose! It also pays to take a break every now and again. Whenever you take the Rest action, you get a Well-Rested token, which can be discarded for a die reroll during any Fight or Test.

There are some abilities associated with weapons, armor, and companions that will adjust the results of your dice as well. The special properties of these items can change your die rolls by adding hits, blocking damage, increasing your number of hits, or influencing the icons your enemy possesses. Often this will help you, but some weapons do have a disadvantage to consider. For example, the Plasma Gun offers range and up to three rerolls—but when you dissolve your enemies to a puddle of goo, the loot you could’ve grabbed dissolves with them.

Gear Up and Go

It's just about time to put on some armor, grab your best gun, and get out there. Welcome to the Wasteland.

Look for Fallout (ZX02) will be available at your local game store on November 30th! Pre-order at your retailer or online through our website today!

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Anatomy of a Wastelander

Published 14 November 2017 | Fallout

Anatomy of a Wastelander

Getting to Know Your Survivor in Fallout

As the post-nuclear tabletop adventure of Fallout: The Board Game looms ever closer, we realize that you may have a lot of questions. Sure, there’s a four-survivor player count and a two to four hour playtime, but there’s so much more to this game!

Let’s say we start at the beginning. Imagine you’ve just woken up in the middle of nowhere with no story and no clear purpose. You’re in relatively good health and you may even have some useful inventory, but how this new world works and how you fit into it is a mystery. Perhaps the best place to start is who you are and how, in time, you can become a master of the wasteland!

On Loving the Skin You’re In

Each of Fallout’s five survivor types see something different in the mirror when they wake up in the morning, but each and every one of you is equally deserving of love (probably). That said, we’d like to begin by highlighting what makes you S.P.E.C.I.A.L., before you’ve even had anything to say about it!

The Vault Dweller: You had no idea when you signed up for the vaults what they had in store, but as Luck would have it, you got out mostly unscathed. Now it’s up to the wasteland to finish what Vault-Tec started and really show you what post-nuclear life is like. The best part about your time underground? That slick Vault Suit featuring an armor point, a reroll on Endurance tests, and the ability to layer other Apparel over it.

The Wastelander: This whole Wasteland business is old hat, right? You and your handy-dandy tire iron have been wandering for as long as you can remember, so you’ve got the power to destroy the little critters and the know-how to avoid the big ones. Don’t let your Agility go to your head, though. There’s still a lot to learn!

The Super Mutant: Nobody really wants to be irradiated, but you’ve certainly learned how to make the most of it! While you still take radiation, you also gain XP whenever you do, making trips into the murky green areas of the world a bit more appealing to you. When Moira, the general store owner/author asks you to test what major radiation does to a person, you’ll be more inclined to comply than most of your fellow survivors. Not only that, but your time in the radiation has already given you superhuman muscle mass, meaning you start the game with Strength!

The Ghoul: Much like your Super Mutant friend (or foe), you’ve learned how to adapt to the wasteland and take advantage of its post-nuclear state. It’s unfortunate that your prolonged exposure to the airborne chemicals have lowered your HP, but on the bright side, rather than taking Rads, you actually regenerate health! With your Perception, finding those especially radioactive areas will be easy as pie. It’s getting there that will be the challenge for a Vilified unknown such as yourself.

The Brotherhood Outcast: What did you do to get kicked out of the Brotherhood, buddy? Sounds like a story we’d love to hear sometime, but hey, either way, you got out with some awesome power armor. Those two armor points will come in handy when you’re fighting the biggest and baddest. Too bad it also slows you down a little… but you’ll figure out a solution. You are an Intelligent rebel after all!

On Being a Better You

Not only do you begin with the items and skills inherent to your survivor, but you also draw one additional S.P.E.C.I.A.L. token at random before you begin your adventure. These tokens are placed along the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. track on your survivor board. As you play the game, you will face a variety of encounters and altercations where you will interact based on the tokens on your board. For example, if you have a weapon featuring the Agility icon, and you have the Agility token on your board, you can use that weapon to reroll in a fight. If you visit a location and one of the options features all seven S.P.E.C.I.A.L. icons, should you choose to take that action, you can reroll for each S.P.E.C.I.A.L. token you have!

In order to obtain new S.P.E.C.I.A.L. tokens, you’ll need to gain XP and level up. Survivors gain XP primarily through winning fights—earning XP equal to the level of the enemy defeated—and completing quests, for which the XP reward varies. For each XP you obtain, you'll move the gray peg on your survivor board up to the next S.P.E.C.I.A.L. slot you have filled. Once you reach the end of the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. track, you level up! That means that with just the two tokens you start the game with, it takes three XP to level up. Once you have more tokens, you will need to do more to reach your next level.

Whenever you level up, you'll draw two new S.P.E.C.I.A.L. tokens from the supply. If you have an open space that either token could fill, you can choose to take that token and gain its associated skill. However, if you draw a token you already have, you have the option to put both tokens back and select a Perk instead. Perks are powerful, one-time abilities associated with each S.P.E.C.I.A.L. skill. Well-worn Commonwealth adventurers will recognize these immediately, as they’re drawn straight from the Fallout 4 perk chart!

On Proving Your Worth

There’s certainly something to be said for self-confidence, but really, what does all your success mean if nobody knows about it? Making waves in the wasteland requires power and clout, so you can’t just roam around doing whatever you please and expect to make a difference. Fortunately, the recipe for success is as simple as Crispy Squirrel Bits.

Each survivor in the game begins with an influence card, offering a unique goal for them to strive toward. Some may be encouraged to join up with the power player factions, while others will be given more distinctive personal goals. For example, you may be tasked with obtaining as many S.P.E.C.I.A.L. tokens as you can, thoroughly exploring the board from top to bottom, or developing a reputation as a well-stocked, uncertified pharmacist, flush with wasteland chems (don’t try this at home, kids).

Whatever path you choose to follow, you’ll have to stay nimble, prepared for any opportunity. This world favors a jack of all trades approach, so the more areas in which you can prove your value, the easier it will be for you to reach the pinnacle of influence and win the game!

Fallout: The Board Game (ZX02) is available for pre-order at your local retailer or online through our website now!

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Wasteland Survival Guide

Published 2 October 2017 | Fallout

Wasteland Survival Guide

Six Steps to Conquering the Wasteland in Fallout

Welcome to the Wasteland, Survivor! Now, we know it’s a bit jarring to see your new home in such a state, but we’re here to help you come to terms with the post-nuclear journey that lays before you and figure out where to go next! For example, have you ever fought a Deathclaw?? Been irradiated before? The possibilities are truly endless, so rip up that bucket list you’ve been working on. It’s time to start fresh. For example… instead of meeting celebrities, you can now meet raiders! And with the majority of Boston in shambles, you absolutely must check out the delightful, synth-hating community of Diamond City. Isn’t the apocalypse fun?

In order to master anything, you’re going to need some practice, so we at Vault-Tec have partnered with Fantasy Flight Games to create Fallout: The Board Game, a one-to-four participant Wasteland tutorial in tabletop form. This fabulously dangerous recreation of the irradiated wastes will teach you step by misstep exactly where raiders like to set their mines, how not to pick a fight with a super mutant, and what an utter inconvenience it is to get addicted to chems. Even better, you can pre-order the tabletop simulation of Fallout on the Fantasy Flight Games website now!

There’s nothing quite like preparing to prepare for the aftermath of nuclear war, so let's dive into the basics of Fallout!

The Bright Side of Radiation Poisoning

Your first steps into the Wasteland will be among the most exhilarating and uncertain you’ll ever take. Everything you thought you knew will have changed. Sure, you’ll have your major landmarks, like Diamond City, which sits amongst the ruins of Boston, or Megaton, just outside what was formerly Washington D.C., but everything surrounding these has been consumed by the land and reshaped by radiation.

As you wander the new landscape, you’ll hear whispers of the settlements, ruins, and vaults that represent this new world of yours, but to simulate your crippling uncertainty, the tabletop training module will vary with each and every test. You may stumble upon one of our shiny steel Vault-Tec doors during one game, but that same spot will feature the unlit shell of a Red Rocket station in the next. Not only that, but half of the board is decidedly more scary than the rest, indicated by game tiles in the unforgettable shade: Enter-At-Your-Own-Risk Red.

Once you know what you’re up against, it may not feel so scary, but you can never be fully prepared for what lies ahead. The majority of the map will be shrouded in mystery so you can't see what’s ahead until you Explore it. To do this, you will have to Move across the map, running all-but-blindly into areas featuring tough terrain and heavy radiation. Oh, and radroaches. Big, scary radroaches.

Hunting in the Wastes

Gallivanting around, exploring the unexplored is certainly a tried and true strategy in previous Fallout simulations, but as any seasoned Wastelander will tell you, it’s not without its risks. This world lacks anything you could reasonably call a “safe zone,” so you must always be prepared to take on the aforementioned radroaches (among other truck-sized creatures). Some enemies can be rushed past and momentarily brushed off, but others are more aggressive, attacking before you even have time to stow away your dog-eared copy of Guns and Bullets.

When you Fight a creature—no matter who started it—you roll your three VATS dice, hoping to hit your opponent in their vulnerable spots more times than their armor can repel. You must also hope their hits don't exceed your own armor's strength. The damage done in the fight is all recorded on the dice, so if you’re able to reroll with a weapon or another ability, you may increase your contribution to the fight or try to avoid a strong attack from your ill-fated enemy. On the bright side, if you win the fight, you gain XP equal to the level of your opponent and perhaps some well-earned loot from their corpse. On the less bright side, if you lose, you get squat, and probably lose some treasured HP. It's a good thing you have at least two arms.

If you’ve successfully avoided or eliminated nearby enemies, you also have the opportunity to Encounter locations. Earlier, you explored some settlements, ruins, and vaults, and now you can head on in and say hello. Perhaps you will find yourself competing for loot at a raider camp, or getting wrapped up in a local spat about synths, or maybe even get yourself hoodwinked by a crude and very obvious trap (seriously, how did you not see that one coming?). Whatever monkey business you get up to, you’ll have a choice to make—a choice that will shape the story of the Wasteland around you and may have some unintended consequences later in the game. So thanks for that.

Guide to Diamond City

Quests are similar to Encounters, however, the immediate results of these choices are visible to every survivor, and you are all able to Quest, moving the objectives forward. Each training scenario begins with a main quest, related to the two factions you’ll meet during your travels. When you complete one of the tasks on a quest card, or perform the Quest action, the story will move forward, along with the associated faction’s power token. By creating an alliance with the more powerful faction, you can benefit from their success. However, you can't get too comfortable, or those allied with the other faction may take control of the Wasteland while your back is turned.

As the main story progresses, other quests will also become available, presenting even more goals you can seek to achieve across the map. While these will no longer influence the factions, they can have lasting effects on the state of the Wasteland, much like encounters. Completing the requirements of these quests also provides additional opportunities to gain XP, loot, influence, and more. Superfluous side-questing is yet another strategy beloved by many experienced survivors.

Water Aerobics for Ghouls

After all of that busyness, it’s time for a well-deserved break! Though the emptiness of the Wasteland can be a bit lonely, it also means there is no shortage of you-time. Itching to break out that ratty copy of Grognak you found along the way? Take a load off in charred trailer or an empty bunker. Not only will a Rest give your mind a break from all of the exciting new lessons you’ve learned, but it will also give your body some time to recuperate and your companions time to recharge their batteries (sometimes literally). A rested survivor is a happy survivor, especially after they’ve obtained a Well-Rested token, which can be discarded later in exchange for a re-roll of the dice.

Revolutionizing Safety for an Uncertain Future

With these six tools in your arsenal—Move, Explore, Fight, Encounter, Quest, and Rest—you will be a force to be reckoned with in no time. Vault doors will open at the sheer whisper of your name; dogs will flock from miles around just to be your Dogmeat; super mutants will want to be you, and companions will want to be with you! You, my friend, can rule the Wasteland with just a few hours, a little luck, and a lot of influence points.

The Fallout board game (ZX02) is available for pre-order now, so visit your local game store to let your Vault-Tec Representative know that you’d like to register for a Wasteland adventure of your own or order your copy on our website!

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Fallout: The Board Game

Published 8 August 2017 | Fallout

Fallout: The Board Game

Announcing a Post-Nuclear Board Game for 1-4 Players

The Great War of 2077 is so long past there is no place in your memory for its events, but the barren landscape before you has its own story to tell. Immaculate homes which once housed seemingly perfect families and busied Mr. Handys have been transformed into empty shells. Humans wander the wasteland among mutated creatures and rogue robots, in search of little more than survival. You are now among them. Sure, this world might be a mere shadow of its former glory, but plenty of adventure and mystery still await a brave traveler. And your adventure has only just begun...

Welcome Home

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce Fallout, a post-nuclear adventure board game based on Bethesda’s blockbuster video game series. In Fallout, one to four players take on a role within an irradiated landscape inspired by those in Fallout 3, Fallout 4, and their downloadable content expansions. With just a few locations pinpointed on their map, the players choose whether to work together or individually to explore these mysterious regions that lay before them. Along the way, each player will face a wealth of choices, deciding whether to pursue experience or Caps, collect loot or loyal companions, and progress the main questline or veer off to the vaults. As the players move around the board, building their skills and filling their inventory, the area’s warring factions will gain power, forcing the players to pledge loyalty or defy conformity, all in pursuit of gaining the most influence of anyone else in the wasteland.

What’s that, sport? It’s going to be you?!

Alright, then. Show us what you’ve got.

What Makes You S.P.E.C.I.A.L.?

Hello, wanderer. We’re glad you decided to join us. You’ve got a lot to master before you venture out into the treacherous wastes. First, let’s learn a little bit about you! Would you say you’re more of a human type… or less so? No shame in that, friend. We understand the last couple centuries have been tough—so we’ve made space for those of the super mutant and ghoul variety (though don’t tell the Brotherhood of Steel we said that).

You know, everyone out here has a little something special to bring to the table. Just ask our pal, the Brotherhood Outcast. That military-grade power armor of his is nothing to shake a stick at! But seriously, you won’t make dent. And that Wastelander over there? No, she’s not a mechanic, she’s just well-armed! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. You’ll have plenty of time to learn about the rest, and there’s far more to a person than their limited, pre-game backstory!

This player—our ghoul friend—has advanced quite a ways through the game. But don’t worry, kid. With time, you too can have a well-worn collection of wasteland goodies!

The first card on the very left is his Character Card. That’s how we know he’s a ghoul, and a very ghouly one at that! He’s not the most solid guy you can be—you’ll see that his HP is limited to twelve—but his familiarity with radiation sure does help! See, at the bottom of his survivor board is a track, with Rads to the left and HP to the right. When traveling the wasteland, a survivor may gain Rads or lose HP, tracking them with the pegs on this board. Should the pegs ever occupy the same space or pass one another, the survivor will die and begin again at the starting space (maintaining their equipped possessions and XP). So while the ghoul is limited in health, taking radiation actually heals him. Neat, right?

The next few cards below Ghouly’s board are his equipped items. With Combat Armor, an Alien Blaster, and Dogmeat at his side, I’d say things are looking up. And the fun doesn’t stop there, because Ghouly has a couple cards in his inventory and a few Caps to spare, too! Continue around the board and you have influence cards (we’ll talk about those later), perk cards, and Ghouly’s S.P.E.C.I.A.L. tokens. As you can see, he is a Strong, Perceptive, Intelligent, and Lucky ghoul! I guess Endurance, Charisma, and Agility just weren’t in the cards. However, it looks like Ghouly has passed on collecting S.P.E.C.I.A.L. tokens once or twice in favor of the very powerful one-time use perks Gun Nut and Fortune Finder. They sure do look useful!

Do you feel like yourself, yet? No?

Good, that’s not the point. We’re going on an adventure here!

War Never Changes

Shaping the narrative of your character is but one piece of this wasteland wandering you’ve set out for. After all, what is a person without their many experiences? Well you’ll experience a darn lot, let me tell you! Between questing, killing, drifting, and chilling, you’ve got a busy schedule to attend to.

When you set out to explore the world before you, you’ll have a few landmarks to guide your quest. These landmarks and the map surrounding them will depend on the scenario you and your fellow survivors choose to play. The four scenarios included in Fallout will be familiar to seasoned fans of the franchise, featuring The Capital Wasteland, The Pitt, The Commonwealth, and Far Harbor. Though the distinctive locations in each scenario are predetermined, the rest of the map will vary with every setup, allowing each survivor to suffer as many unique deaths as they please, game after game after game.

Beyond the map itself, the scenario will also determine which two unique factions you’ll have the opportunity to behead or befriend—your choice. In The Commonwealth for example, the Railroad and the Synths go head to head (assuming you haven’t already done the beheading). On the back of the scenario card, you can mark the progress of these two factions, giving each side more power. Should one of the factions progress to the very end of the power track, the game will end, whether there is a winner or not. So don’t get ahead of yourself. Allies are only allies as long as you’re worth something to them.

Finally, the scenario also sets up and drives the main quest you can follow in the game. “Welcome to the Commonwealth” is the first card in the scenario depicted here, kicking off the main quest. Completing one of the actions on this card will cause the noted effects, move the story forward, and reveal even more quests. While the main quest cards will more often than not impact the factions, side quests will allow you and the other survivors to explore other stories within the game without pushing that primary narrative too far ahead.

Now that we’ve sufficiently discouraged the senseless chaos we know you’ll all try at least once, let’s talk about how you—yes, YOU—can actually win the game.

The Lone Wanderer

The Fallout franchise has long illustrated the idea that it’s not about the destination, but the journey, and winning this game is sure to take you on a wild adventure in kind. Remember that card turned facedown next to Ghouly’s board? Yes, the Influence one. That’s how you win! Influence cards can be collected as you wander the wasteland, earning you recognition for your unique contributions to the greater story.

There are two primary types of Influence cards—faction-based and otherwise. Many of the influence cards will give you points based on the progress one of the factions has made. By revealing a “Security” or “Freedom” card, you will be able to align yourself with the associated faction, allowing you to move freely among members of that faction. Just think, you could make friends with the Brotherhood of Steel! Or The Institute! Or even a Slaver!

What a time to be alive.

There are other influence cards you can collect as well, which are not tied to the scenario’s factions, but instead to your own character’s inventory and acquired abilities. Whether the card offers extra influence for Caps, collected items, reputation, or something else, these cards will provide each player with unique objectives, affecting how they make choices in the game. That said, while you can develop teams through faction alignment, when you get down to it, everybody’s just looking out for themselves. Trust, sure, but a wise adventurer knows to be prepared to betray that trust at the draw of a card.

Please Stand By

There you have it! The delights of the wasteland are yours to enjoy. Whether you’re more of a Lone Wanderer or a Local Leader, Fallout will allow you to take on the run-down remains of the world in your own way, making choices, acquiring loot, battling bad guys, and leveling up your survivor.

The wasteland experience of Fallout (ZX02) comes to your tabletop in Q4 of 2017!

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