Welcome back to the Wastes

Another week has passed out in the Wastes, and I’m glad you’ve made it back—mostly intact, at least. I’m Mark, your guide through this wasteland. Pull up a seat by the campfire, newcomers, and I’ll tell you about the cards: sources of remarkable power and, sometimes, terrifying storms.

I always knew cards belonged in the Wastes. They hold secrets—tools and weapons to save for the right moment and turn a battle in your favour. In Wreck and Ruin, there are three types.

Faction cards

Each faction has four unique cards, reflecting its beliefs and defining values. These are your most powerful cards. At the start of the game, you take one at random; once played, it is gone for good. Timing matters.

Reapers are aggressive and violent, with cards built around death and destruction.
Salvoes are hardy survivors. Their cards help them endure and gather resources quickly.
Ruin Army commands advanced technology, enabling tactical strikes where they are needed most.
Desertkin know how to make the wasteland work for them, calling on beasts to do their bidding.

Event cards

The Wastes are unpredictable, and this deck brings that uncertainty to the table. At the start of each round, draw an event card that affects players in turn. Clear skies might improve movement; a lightning storm could threaten metal and flesh alike. Everyone is at the mercy of the draw—and everyone faces its effects.

Salvage cards

As you explore the Wastes and collect salvage sites, you can uncover these cards, each representing technology buried beneath the sands of time. Some aid your own faction; others let you hinder your opponents. They cost nothing to play, so the question is when to use them.

An armour-piercing round could inflict double damage, while a stunt driver might leap over occupied hexes. There are no duplicate salvage cards, so if you have one, nobody else does. Choose your moment wisely.

Which cards will you play?

That’s all three types. Which are you most interested in? Do you prefer a cautious approach, or charging in with all guns blazing? I’m sure you’re already leaning towards the faction that suits your style.

That’s it for this week. Stay safe—and if you can’t, bring more guns to the fight than your opponents.