2018Cole Wehrle
- Videos
- 141
- Creators
- 91
2 - 4 players60 - 90 minHeavy weight

2024Cole Wehrle
Mainly reviews. Arcs is covered on BoardGameVideo.com by 81 reviews, 30 how-to-play guides, 29 recorded sessions, 19 unboxings, and 20 other videos.
From BoardGameGeek
Arcs is a sharp, tactical space opera game set in a dark yet silly universe. Players represent officials from a distant, decaying and neglectful Empire who are now free to vie for dominance whether through battle, gathering scarce resources or diplomatic intrigue. Ready yourself for dramatic twists and turns as you launch into this galactic struggle. A deck of cards in 4 suits with ranks from 1-7 (2-6 for fewer than 4 players) defines the action selection system. These cards are played in a trick-taking adjacent system to select actions, take the initiative and declare Ambitions. The 3 declared Ambitions are what will score in that deal. Timing is everything. Bad hands must be mitigated by careful card play and benefitting from other players' card play. Battles are resolved quickly with the attacker choosing their level of risk. The defenders must be prepared with adequate defensive ships and cards in their tableau. Each game contains a hundred wooden ships and agents, 18 custom engraved dice, a beautiful six-panel board, and tons of cards with over 60 pieces of unique art. The base game may be played without the optional Leaders and Lore cards (for an easier teach) or with them for a richer, fuller and asymmetric game. It is also the core of the campaign game (requiring the Blighted Reach Expansion), which provides an epic, more thematic experience.
Arcs has 179 videos from 120 creators: 81 reviews, 30 how-to-play guides, 29 playthroughs, 19 unboxings and 20 other videos. They date from 2022 to October 2026.
To learn the rules, start with "Arcs - Official How to Play Video. Complete, Clear Concise Board Game Tutorial" by Meeple University, which runs 31 min. For a quicker teach, "Arcs in 5 Minutes! Board Game Overview" by Orski runs 5 min.
For an opinion before you buy, start with "Arcs is 2024’s Best New Board Game" by Shut Up & Sit Down. 69 creators have reviewed it. To see it played, watch "Arcs (with Leaders & Lore) - 4p Teaching & Play-through by Heavy Cardboard" by Heavy Cardboard, one of 29 playthroughs.
If you like it, try Root, Pax Pamir: Second Edition, John Company: Second Edition and Oath, also by Cole Wehrle. It appears in convention videos from Gen Con 2024, Spiel Essen 2024 and PAX Unplugged 2022.
8 of 120
2018Cole Wehrle
2 - 4 players60 - 90 minHeavy weight
2019Cole Wehrle
1 - 5 players45 - 120 minHeavy weight
2022Cole Wehrle
1 - 6 players90 - 240 minVery heavy weight
2021Cole Wehrle
1 - 6 players45 - 150 minVery heavy weight
From BoardGameGeek:
Arcs is a sharp, tactical space opera game set in a dark yet silly universe. Players represent officials from a distant, decaying and neglectful Empire who are now free to vie for dominance whether through battle, gathering scarce resources or diplomatic intrigue. Ready yourself for dramatic twists and turns as you launch into this galactic struggle. A deck of cards in 4 suits with ranks from 1-7 (2-6 for fewer than 4 players) defines the action selection system. These cards are played in a trick-taking adjacent system to select actions, take the initiative and declare Ambitions. The 3 declared Ambitions are what will score in that deal. Timing is everything. Bad hands must be mitigated by careful card play and benefitting from other players' card play. Battles are resolved quickly with the attacker choosing their level of risk. The defenders must be prepared with adequate defensive ships and cards in their tableau. Each game contains a hundred wooden ships and agents, 18 custom engraved dice, a beautiful six-panel board, and tons of cards with over 60 pieces of unique art. The base game may be played without the optional Leaders and Lore cards (for an easier teach) or with them for a richer, fuller and asymmetric game. It is also the core of the campaign game (requiring the Blighted Reach Expansion), which provides an epic, more thematic experience.
Designer
Cole Wehrle
Artist
Kyle Ferrin
Publisher
Buried Giant Studios
Categories
Mechanics