Radlands rules: how to play and how to win

Radlands quick rules

The goal

Each player protects three Camp cards, lined up in front of them. To win, you must destroy all three of your opponent’s camps. As soon as that’s done, the game stops.

Water and cards

Water is the only resource: you get 3 water discs each turn, and unspent water is lost. It pays for playing cards and using their abilities. People go in front of your camps to protect them; Events trigger after a few turns. Any card in your hand can also be junked for the effect of the icon at its top left.

A turn

First, Events: the one on space 1 of your queue resolves, then all move forward one space. Next, draw a card and take your 3 water discs again (just one on the start player’s very first turn). Finally, your actions, as many as you can pay for: play a card, draw for 2 water, junk a card, take your Water Silo for 1 water or use an ability.

Columns and protection

Each camp forms a column with the people in front of it, two at most. A card is protected as long as another of your cards is in front of it: damage can only target the front card. To hit a camp, you first have to clear its column. A damaged card is turned sideways; damaged a second time, it’s destroyed.

Ready or not ready

To use an ability, the card must be ready. A camp is ready as long as you haven’t used its ability this turn, even when damaged. A person isn’t ready if it was played or restored this turn, has already used an ability or is damaged. Put the water you paid on the card as a reminder.

The Raiders and the end

When a raid icon tells you to, put your Raiders card in your event queue, or advance it. When it resolves, your opponent chooses one of their camps, which takes damage even if protected. The game stops as soon as all three of a player’s camps are destroyed. If the draw deck runs out a second time, the game is a draw.

Beginner traps

Using the ability of a person you just played (it isn’t ready); damaging your own cards when no card says so; forgetting that a punk, a facedown card with no ability, is destroyed at the first damage and goes back on the deck; saving water for next turn (it’s lost).

How to win Radlands

Victory

The first player to destroy all three of their opponent’s camps wins, immediately. There are no points.

A destroyed camp

A card damaged once is turned sideways; damaged a second time, it’s destroyed.

A draw

If the draw deck runs out, shuffle the discard pile; if it runs out a second time, nobody wins.

How it ended

For the record, the sheet notes “Three camps destroyed” or “Draw deck ran out twice (draw).”

Example ending

Emma has one camp left, already turned sideways after one damage. Jake’s Raiders resolve: Emma must choose a camp, even a protected one, and her last one takes its second damage. 1 + 1 = 2 damage: it’s destroyed, her third. Jake wins, recorded as “Three camps destroyed.”

Common mistakes

• Targeting a protected camp with regular damage: only the front card of a column can be hit.
• Forgetting that the Raiders hit a camp even if it’s protected, chosen by the opponent.
• Naming a winner when the draw deck runs out a second time: the game is a draw.

How to set up Radlands

Setup comes in four parts. The number of starting cards depends on the camps you choose.