Sylvan Tactics

Sylvan Tactics is a fantasy strategy board game that combines the tactical depth of chess with the dynamic decision making of a card-battler. Two players command armies of woodland creatures, maneuvering on a standard 8×8 chessboard while playing cards from a shared deck. The objective is simple: Defeat your opponent’s King by reducing their health to zero. To get there, you’ll deploy Mercenaries with unique abilities, advance Pawns, and unleash powerful one-time or ongoing effects with Action, Battlefield, and Equipment cards. Central to the game is the Sigil resource system, which fuels all your actions—playing cards, moving units, and attacking. Each turn you gain one more Sigil (up to a max of 6), opening the door to stronger plays, but every decision comes at the cost of another potential move. Unlike traditional chess, attacks happen from adjacent spaces and are resolved by comparing unit Strength. Strategic positioning, careful Sigil management, and well-timed Riposte cards create a constant push-and-pull of offense and defense. With its blend of chess-like movement, card-driven abilities, and asymmetrical combat, Sylvan Tactics offers a highly replayable duel of wits where every choice matters. —description from the designer