Overview

Anachronism is a collectible card/miniatures hybrid game where history’s greatest warriors fight in arena combat across time periods. Each player controls a single warrior — such as William Wallace, Ramses II, Spartacus, or Genghis Khan — represented by a warrior card and four support cards (weapons, armor, and special abilities). The game lasts a maximum of 5 rounds, with players maneuvering on a grid and using their support cards for tactical advantage. The game is unusual among collectible card games in that there is no shuffling or hand of cards — all cards are laid out face-down at the start and revealed one per round.

Components

• Warrior cards (one per player, representing a historical figure)
• Support cards (4 per player — weapons, armor, inspirations, etc.)
• Grid map for positioning and movement
• Dice for combat resolution

Setup

1. Each player selects a warrior card and 4 support cards to form their 5-card “deck.”
2. Place the warrior cards on the grid at starting positions (determined by the warrior’s faction or mutual agreement).
3. Each player lays their 4 support cards face-down in a row in front of them, in any order they choose. The order matters — cards are revealed sequentially.

Turn Structure

The game lasts a maximum of 5 rounds. Each round:

1. Reveal Phase: Both players simultaneously flip their next face-down support card. This card provides a bonus (weapon, armor, ability) and has an initiative value.
2. Initiative Phase: Compare the initiative values of the revealed support cards. The player with the higher initiative acts first.
3. Action Phase: The first player takes their actions (move, attack, use abilities), followed by the second player.
4. End Phase: Check for victory conditions.

Actions

Move

Move your warrior on the grid. Movement range depends on the warrior’s stats and any bonuses from revealed support cards.

Attack

Attack the opponent’s warrior if in range. Attack types include:

• Melee: Close-range physical attacks (swords, spears, fists)
• Ranged: Distance attacks (bows, throwing weapons) if the warrior has such equipment

Combat resolution uses dice, comparing attack values (modified by weapons and abilities) against defense values (modified by armor and abilities).

Use Abilities

Some support cards grant special abilities that can be activated during the action phase, such as healing, extra movement, counter-attacks, or terrain effects.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

A player wins by:

• Reducing the opponent’s warrior to 0 health points
• Having the warrior with more remaining health after 5 rounds

If both warriors have equal health after 5 rounds, the game is a draw.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• No shuffling or hand management: All 5 cards are predetermined. The strategic choice is the order in which support cards are placed face-down, since they reveal sequentially.
• Initiative determines turn order each round — the support card’s initiative value decides who acts first.
• Multi-player battles: Official rules support 4-player free-for-all and team variants.
• Warrior abilities: Each warrior has unique base stats and special abilities reflecting their historical combat style.
• Support card types: Weapons add attack power, Armor adds defense, Inspirations grant special tactical abilities.
• Grid positioning matters: Facing, range, and positioning affect combat outcomes.
• The game was published by TriKing Games in 2005 and features hundreds of historical warriors and support cards across multiple sets.

Player Reference

Round Flow (5 rounds max): Reveal support card → Compare initiative → First player acts → Second player acts

Actions: Move + Attack (or use abilities)

Win Condition: Reduce opponent to 0 HP, or have more HP after 5 rounds

Key Mechanic: No hand of cards — the order you arrange your 4 support cards before the game determines your strategy.