Action Points

"Life is Battle; Battle is Glory; Glory is ALL"

In Blood Rage, each player controls their own Viking clan’s warriors, leader, and ship. Ragnarök has come, and it’s the end of the world! It’s the Vikings’ last chance to go down in a blaze of glory and secure their place in Valhalla at Odin’s side! For a Viking there are many pathways to glory. You can invade and pillage the land for its rewards, crush your opponents in epic battles, fulfill quests, increase your clan's stats, or even die gloriously either in battle or from Ragnarök, the ultimate inescapable doom.

Most player strategies are guided by the cards drafted at the beginning of each of the three game rounds (or Ages). These “Gods’ Gifts” grant you numerous boons for your clan including: increased Viking strength and devious battle strategies, upgrades to your clan, or even the aid of legendary creatures from Norse mythology. They may also include various quests, from dominating specific provinces, to having lots of your Vikings sent to Valhalla. Most of these cards are aligned with one of the Norse gods, hinting at the kind of strategy they support. For example, Thor gives more glory for victory in battle, Heimdall grants you foresight and surprises, Tyr strengthens you in battle, while the trickster Loki actually rewards you for losing battles, or punishes the winner.

Players must choose their strategies carefully during the draft phase, but also be ready to adapt and react to their opponents’ strategies as the action phase unfolds. Battles are decided not only by the strength of the figures involved, but also by cards played in secret. By observing your opponent’s actions and allegiances to specific gods, you may predict what card they are likely to play, and plan accordingly. Winning battles is not always the best course of action, as the right card can get you even more rewards by being crushed. The only losing strategy in Blood Rage is to shy away from battle and a glorious death!

Nemo Rising: Robur the Conqueror is a co-operative board game that follows the new adventures of Captain Nemo and the crew of the Nautilus, as reintroduced by C. Courtney Joyner in his novel, Nemo Rising. The game allows 1-4 players to assume the roles of the protagonists of the series — Captain Nemo, Sara Duncan, Adam Fulmer, or Ulysses S. Grant — as they explore new worlds, overcome dangerous obstacles, and complete challenging missions.

As you and your fellow players work together, you can choose to explore one of two scenarios. The first scenario is the Undersea Grotto, in which you must venture outside the Nautilus to gather supplies while avoiding sea hydras, deep sea scavengers, and the mechanical Kraken. The second scenario is the majestic City in the Sky, in which you must thwart Robur the Conqueror and his army of foot soldiers, war dogs, and steam-powered creations. Special action cards and customized dice allow you to attempt dangerous tasks and overcome powerful enemies in order to save the world.

—description from the publisher

Disease threatens North America and only you can stop it! In Pandemic: Hot Zone – North America, players work together against the game to discover cures for three deadly diseases that threaten the continent. Travel to different North American cities to treat local populations, prevent outbreaks, and share research with your team. Can you discover the cures before it's too late?

Hot Zone – North America is a shorter, more portable version of the best-selling cooperative game Pandemic.

At the edge of our solar system, a dark planet may lurk. In 2015, astronomers estimated a large distant planet could explain the unique orbits of dwarf planets and other objects. Since then, astronomers have been scanning the sky, hoping to find this planet.

In The Search for Planet X, players take on the role of astronomers who use observations and logical deductions to search for this hypothetical planet. Each game, the companion app randomly selects an arrangement of objects and a location for Planet X following predefined logic rules.

Each round, as the earth travels around the sun, players use the app to perform scans and attend conferences. As they gain information about the location of the objects, they mark that information on their deduction sheets. As players learn the locations of the various objects, they can start publishing theories, which is how players score points.

As more and more objects are found, players narrow down the possible locations for Planet X. Once a player believes they know its location and the objects on either side of it, they use the app to conduct a search. The game ends when a player successfully locates Planet X, and all players have a final chance to score some additional points.

The Search for Planet X captures the thrill of discovery, the puzzle-y nature of astronomical investigation, and the competition inherent in the scientific process. Can you be the first to find Planet X?

—description from the publisher

Marvel Strike Teams puts players in the role of some of their favorite Marvel Universe heroes and villains. Two to five players face off in a classic battle of good versus evil. Everyone gets a character with a HeroClix combat dial to track their level and build points. One player is the villainous mastermind and is able to guide the direction of each encounter; the rest are the heroes who each control a single hero for the mission and must work together by combining their vast array of powers and abilities to complete various objectives, such as infiltrating an enemy warehouse or saving hostages.

Each hero is unique with individual play styles, giving players multiple options to play the way that best suits them. The environment also lends to the game play, putting obstacles in the way of players and granting them objects they can use as weapons. A wooden crate may block Captain America's path, but he can pick it up and hurl it at enemy Hydra soldiers. Players will quickly pick the role that best suits their team and lead the heroes to victory — or at least they hope so!

Aside from standalone missions, Marvel Strike Teams includes a campaign-based game in which the players can improve their heroes over the course of several missions. With randomly generated scenarios, multiple map tiles, and thousands of possible encounters, each mission will feel like a fresh experience!