Good afternoon, Wasteland warriors! I hope the sun is shining where you are—being caught in the shadow of a lightning storm is no one’s idea of fun. I’m Mark, your guide through the Wasteland, here to help you make it through another week.
This time, we’re looking at action points: how they work and how to spend them. Use them wisely, because without them, you’re a sitting duck.
Your action points
Action points are the lifeblood of a turn. You have five to spend on your vehicles, and choosing how to use them is up to you. No single vehicle can win a battle alone: each vehicle may perform up to two actions per turn, and those actions must be different. Every action below costs one action point.
Move
Each vehicle has a movement distance, with lighter vehicles able to travel farther. Scouts can move up to eight hexes, while big rigs can move up to four. Changing direction costs one move, so think ahead before setting off. You can also push a vehicle’s engine to try to travel farther, but going too hard risks overheating.
Attack
Those weapons are there for a reason: a vehicle can attack a target up to three hexes away. Its attack value determines how many dice you roll. Compare each result with the target’s armour score; any roll equal to or greater than that score inflicts damage. Roll a six and you deal one damage, then roll that die again. Sometimes, one die is all the luck you need.
Ram
For post-apocalyptic vehicle violence at its finest, ram an adjacent vehicle. Both vehicles roll a number of dice equal to their armour, though a vehicle hit from the side or rear loses dice. Resolve the rolls as you would an attack, then add each vehicle’s successes to its size and compare the totals. Ramming can cause significant damage, but heavier vehicles have an advantage.
Other ways to spend an action point
These three actions also cost one action point each, but they do not count towards a vehicle’s two-action limit:
- Search for salvage: Spend an action point to draw a new salvage card.
- Attempt to repair a wreck: A vehicle becomes wrecked when it takes too much damage. If it is still on the board, it can attempt a repair.
- Bring a vehicle back onto the board: A removed vehicle can return to the setup area. Each action point spent removes one damage, and you may spend as many as you like. This can get expensive, and the vehicle cannot do anything else that turn.
That’s a look at the core actions. The best way to spend your points depends on the situation, and they refresh at the start of the next turn—so don’t be afraid to use them. If you have a question, keep it in mind for next time. Until then, make sure you have enough actions left to survive the Wasteland.