Hello, warriors—old hands and newcomers alike. I’m Mark, your guide to the Wastes, and today I’m looking at why the battlefield never stays the same. Simply put: changing maps make for more fun.
It had been 16 months since I began this project. From the start, replayability has mattered to me. Once you know a map inside out, you can learn how to beat it and turn its layout to your advantage. I want Wreck and Ruin to be a game you return to: you may know the rules, but each battle should bring fresh challenges.
Seven tiles, countless layouts
The play area is built from seven tiles that can be joined to create different maps. Each tile has two sides, giving you 14 faces to combine, flip and rotate. Arrange them to suit the battle you want to play that day.
Setting up the battle
Four tiles include setup areas for a full game of vehicular violence. Playing with fewer than four players? Turn over the setup tiles you don’t need, position the remaining setup areas appropriately, then use the other tiles to complete the map.
Obstacles in the Wastes
Rocks
A wasteland made only of sand would be dull, so some tiles contain rocky ground. Rocks are impassable hexes, marked with red borders. Vehicles cannot enter them, and they block both movement and line of sight.
Water
Water wells up from subterranean caverns and is rarely found at the surface. Where it does appear, it can make a route treacherous. Water hexes have orange borders: they block movement, but not line of sight, so you can still attack enemies on the other side.
You cannot drive into water voluntarily, but a well-placed nudge may send a vehicle in. Getting back out can be difficult, so take care around the edges.
Every map changes the fight
Some tiles contain one kind of obstacle, while others may include both. The way you arrange them shapes how players cross the Wastes. The battle moves, too: cover that once kept you out of sight may later stand between you and victory.
I’m looking forward to seeing the maps my fellow warriors come up with.