In 2018 a mecha-based skirmish board game, Embryo Machine, was released in Japan. Publisher LionWing picked up the US rights and is currently running a crowdfunding campaign to fund its release. The Kickstarter launched late last month and earned its goal in just four hours, and has now climbed to twice that amount.
Embryo Machine is a game for up to six players. You’ll all be piloting mechs called “Embryo Machines,” or “EMs” for short. Each EM comes with a separate deck of cards and its own unique skills. Once the players take their places on the battlefield grid, the fight will begin…which you can either play in teams or as a free-for-all match where just one EM lives at the end!
It’s possible to play the game in two styles….it comes with a Basic version, for those who prefer fast-paced action, and an Advanced version, which uses more complex rules and requires a lot more thought per turn. If Beth Harmon had a giant mech suit she would prefer the latter.
- 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!
You can get an English copy of Embryo Machine with a $45 pledge. This is the base game, with all stretch goals included. Upping the pledge to $75 gets you an exclusive edition with a lot of items only available to backers, like a 9-piece double-sided acrylic standee set featuring all of the game’s mechs, a metal token set, a custom token bag, and a digital copy of the game’s official soundtrack, all packaged in an exclusive slipcase. Visit the Embryo Machine Kickstarter through this page…there are just nine days before the campaign ends.
