Golem Arcana

The Great Khan is dead, plunging the world of Eretsu into total war. The Khan’s heirs fight amongst themselves for control of his shattered Dominion as the Durani Empire mobilizes to regain lost lands and honor. Their most fearsome weapon are Golems, arcane war machines created and mastered by powerful sorcerers.

As the world of Eretsu descends into chaos, now it’s your turn to take command of a Golem army and fight for honor, glory, or riches.

Golem Arcana is a digitally enhanced miniatures boardgame that leverages the power of a smartphone or tablet to deliver an unprecedented and engaging experience. GA offers the richness and tactical depth of other miniatures boardgames without any of the hassles; the free Golem Arcana app handles all the rules and record keeping, freeing up the players to concentrate on devising strategies and having fun.

GAMEPLAY

Golem Arcana is point-based army building game. Each player fields an army consisting of Golems, Knights (sorcerors who “pilot” the Golems) and Ancient Ones (powerful gods that might intervene on the army’s behalf), and Relics (powerful magical artifacts that can be carried and deployed by Golems). Golems are represented on the game board with pre-painted figures, while Relics are depicted on game cards. Knights and Ancient Ones are digital characters obtained within the Golem Arcana app.

Each unit has special powers and capabilities. The key to victory is figuring out how to best combine these abilities to unleash havoc on the enemy.

The magic of the Bluetooth-powered Tabletop Digital Interface (TDI) Stylus keeps the Golem Arcana App connected to the action on the gameboard. Players move their Golems and launch attacks by tapping the appropriate game pieces with the Stylus.

To Move:

• Tap the base of the Golem you want to move.
• Tap the square on the board you’d like to move to.
• The App calculates movement costs, reminds you of the appropriate rules when necessary, and handles any necessary record keeping.

To Launch an Attack:

• Tap the base of the Golem making the attack.
• Tap the base of the target.
• The App calculates line of sight, the chance to hit (automatically applying all the relevant modifiers), and expected damage.
• Roll the dice. (Or have the App do it for you!)

The Golem Arcana App regularly downloads new scenarios, unveiling new chapters in the saga of Eretsu and keeping the game fresh. Players can also use the app to purchase new Knights and Ancient Ones, giving them the opportunity to constantly evolve their strategies.

THE TABLETOP DIGITAL INTERFACE TECHNOLOGY

The TDI stylus uses a tiny infrared camera to read microcodes which are invisibly printed over the top of the icons and values of the figure’s bases and over the terrain art of the board’s regions. The TDI transmits the microcodes it reads to the Golem Arcana app (running on your smartphone or tablet) via Bluetooth 4 LE (Low Energy). For a list of known Bluetooth 4 Low Energy devices click here.

The Golem Arcana app streamlines gameplay by acting as a sort of referee. It remembers and adjudicates the rules and takes care of all the necessary bookkeeping. The app also delivers a few features that have never been possible in a board game before.

Secrets and surprises unknown to any of the players might be sprung during play. Stumble across hidden information and secret quests. Discover (and converse!) with non-player characters who can alter the course of a battle.

The fate of Eretsu, Golem Arcana’s game world, is entirely in the hands of the players. The rise and fall of Eretsu’s various factions are dictated by the thousands of games of GA played all over the world. Each time you sit down to play, there’s a chance that your game will be a pivotal battle that will forever alter the world. The app makes finding and participating in Organized Play events a breeze. Players are automatically alerted to OP events in their area. One of Golem Arcana’s important design goals is to keep your focus on the figures and the tactical situation on the board, and not on your mobile device’s screen. The device acts something like a scoreboard at a baseball game, presenting the information you need, when you need it.