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LionWing is excited to announce that we will be bringing the English version of the hit Japanese mecha-based skirmish board game, Embryo Machine, to Kickstarter in February 2021! Embryo Machine is an anime-themed tabletop combat game for 2-6 players featuring mecha-based battles that unfold across modular boards and a combat system that utilizes a combination of card drafting, simultaneous action selection, and grid movement. Embryo Machine is one of the latest game from studio Cosaic, the design team behind classics like Shadow Hunters, Demon Worker, and Zombie Tower 3D.In Embryo Machine, up to six players engage in action-packed free-for-all or team-based showdowns making use of the game’s grid battlefield and the cards with which they draft and equip their mechas. Players start each game by first choosing which mecha—called Embryo Machines, or “EMs” for short—they’d like to pilot, according to their playstyle, and then utilize a deck of cards unique to their EM that comprises all of their unit’s equipment and attacks.Once players have their EMs set up, they then build the battlefield using the modular board that comes with the game. On the board are wide open fields, bottlenecks, stat-altering terrain, and various other obstacles to contend with. Players then position their EMs on the field using the two-sided custom standees, which feature each Embryos’ art, and prepare to maneuver around the battlegrounds.Play in Embryo Machine is fast-paced, leaving little room for downtime. This quick-playing approach is accomplished through the use of the game’s simultaneous action selection system wherein players reveal the movement of their EMs, as well as their actions, at the same time as one another. Having to predict your enemy’s movement and incoming assaults are part of the complex yet seamless strategy of the game.Embryo Machine is a great game for both newcomers and veterans of the skirmish genre. Each Embryo Machine unit has a Basic version and an Advanced version—with the former being a more simplified, streamlined version while the latter is a more complex one—thus allowing for casual and competitive matches.This play pace lends itself well to the game’s theme too, providing players with the feeling of piloting giant mecha at breakneck speeds across lush vistas, dodging attacks and firing off shots in quick succession; the type of action you might see in shows and games like Gundam, Evangelion, and Armored Core.
Highlights
- An accessible tabletop combat experience for 2-6 players brought to you straight from Japan!
- 9 mecha to pilot, each one comprising their own unique abilities and statistics!
- A deep but intuitive combat system that hinges on weapon, armor, and individual unit stats, terrain advantages, as well as ranged and melee attacks!
- 239 cards to outfit your mecha with, all representing the various equippable weapons and armor available in the game!
- A grid-based movement system that allows players to traverse the battlefield in search of flanking shots, defensive maneuvers, and close-quarters tactics!
- Two versions of each Emryo Machine: a Basic version, great for newbies, and an Advanced version for competitive players.
- Seamless integration of mechanics such as card drafting, line-of-sight fire, movement points, and simultaneous action selection!
- Matches that support both free-for-all and team-based formats! A unique sci-fi anime theme punctuated by beautiful art brought to life by the talented illustrators at Japanese design studio Cosaic!
Components
- 239 Cards (weapons, armor, movement, aim, and charge cards)
- 9 Double-Sided Mecha Unit Boards
- 9 Double-Sided Cardboard Mecha Suit Standees
- 2 Double-Sided Modular Battlefield Boards
- 1 Double-Sided Map Tile Pieces
- 2 Double-Sided Terrain Joint Pieces
- 80 Landmine and Decoy Tokens
- 15 Miscellaneous Chits and Tokens
- 4 Double-Sided Cancel Chits
- 8 Team Chits
- 8 Team Markers (that affix to your standee’s base)
- 1 Round Marker Disk
- 1 Round Marker
- 1 Rulebook
- 2 Quick Reference Sheets (containing all cards and their stats)
Rulebook
You can download a digital copy of Embryo Machine’s rulebook here. (Rulebook is a work-in-progress and is not reflective of the final version.)
Competitive & Casual Play
Embryo Machine is a game that can be played both casually and competitively. The game has a finely-crafted balance that lends itself well to both a traditional “game night” style of play as well as competitive play. Embryo Machine will be supported for tournament play upon its release. If conventions are still prohibited by the time of Embryo Machine’s release, competitive play will occur digitally through LionWing’s Discord. Stay tuned for more details on competitive play at a later date.
History
Embryo Machine was first released in Japan in 2018. It became such a success that it has spawned a second expansion (released in Japan in 2019) with a third set for release in Japan next year.
Embryo Machine is being localized into English and published in the West by LionWing Publishing, a localization company whose focus is on bringing Eastern tabletop games to the English market.
Will you be checking this out?