Unmatched is a highly strategic and thematic skirmish board game where players embody legendary characters from history, mythology, and fiction. With unique heroes, beautifully designed maps, and tactical gameplay, Unmatched offers endless replayability. Whether you’re a new player or revisiting the game, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to play Unmatched.
What is Unmatched?
Unmatched is a tactical combat game designed for 2-4 players, where each player chooses a unique hero and battles to defeat their opponents. Each hero comes with a customized deck of 30 cards, unique abilities, and, in some cases, sidekicks to help turn the tide of battle.
The objective? Reduce your opponent’s hero’s health to zero and emerge victorious!
Unmatched Game Components
When you open a box of Unmatched, you’ll find the following components:
- Hero Figures: Miniatures representing the characters you play.
- Sidekick Tokens: Accompanying some heroes, these tokens represent additional units on the battlefield.
- Decks of Cards: Each hero has a unique 30-card deck tailored to their theme and abilities.
- Battlefield Board: A double-sided map with movement zones.
- Health Dials: Tracks each hero’s remaining health.
- Action Tokens (optional): Helps track the number of actions taken each turn.
How to Set Up Unmatched
- Choose Heroes: Each player picks a hero and takes their corresponding figure, deck, health dial, and sidekick tokens (if applicable).
- Assemble Health Dials: Set the hero’s health dial to the starting value shown on the hero card.
- Prepare the Battlefield: Place the board on the table. Each player places their hero and sidekick(s) in their designated starting zones indicated on the board.
- Shuffle Decks: Shuffle your deck and draw a starting hand of 5 cards.
- Decide First Player: Randomly select the starting player by flipping a coin, rolling a dice or letting the youngest player go first.
How to Play Unmatched
Gameplay in Unmatched alternates between players, with each turn consisting of two actions. You can choose any combination of the following actions:
- Maneuver:
- Draw a card from your deck.
- Move your hero and sidekick(s) up to their movement value (as listed on the hero card).
- Attack:
- Choose a target within your attack range (adjacent spaces for melee, same zone for ranged attacks).
- Play an attack card face-down. Your opponent may respond with a defense card face-down.
- Reveal both cards, resolve any effects, and calculate damage (attack value minus defense value).
- Scheme:
- Play a scheme card (marked with a lightning bolt icon) to activate its special effect. Scheme cards offer unique advantages like healing, movement boosts, or additional damage.
Your two actions can be the same action type such as Maneuver twice or Attack twice. You must play two actions during your turn.
Special Rules in Unmatched
- Zones: The battlefield is divided into colored zones. Ranged heroes can target any opponent in the same zone, even across spaces.
- Sidekicks: Some heroes, like King Arthur or Sherlock Holmes, have sidekicks that function as additional units. Sidekicks have their own health values and abilities.
- Card Effects: Many cards include “before combat” or “after combat” effects, adding strategic depth to the game.
Winning the Game
The game ends when a hero’s health is reduced to 0. In multiplayer games with three or more players, the battle continues until only one hero remains standing.
Running Out of Cards
Unmatched is designed to be a fast paced competitive match. As a result, when a player runs out of cards in their deck they will find themselves in a difficult position. You do not reshuffle the Discard Pile into the Deck. If a player Maneuvers without a Deck, then their hero takes 2 damage. In other words, if a player has no other option than to Maneuver twice during a turn, then their hero will take 4 damage each turn.
It is important to note that a player cannot Attack or Scheme if they do not have a card available to perform that action in their hand.
Tips and Strategies for Unmatched
- Master Your Deck: Each hero has unique cards and playstyles. Spend time understanding your hero’s strengths and weaknesses.
- Manage Your Hand: Cards are a finite resource, so balance offensive and defensive play carefully.
- Position Wisely: Use the battlefield’s terrain to your advantage. Ranged heroes, for example, thrive when keeping their distance.
- Adapt to Your Opponent: Pay attention to your opponent’s hero and anticipate their moves.
Expansions and Replayability
Unmatched features a wide variety of expansions, each introducing new heroes and mechanics. Popular expansions include:
- Cobble & Fog: Featuring Sherlock Holmes, Dracula, Jekyll & Hyde, and The Invisible Man.
- Battle of Legends Vol. 1 & 2: Includes iconic characters like King Arthur, Medusa, Achilles, and Sun Wukong.
- Marvel Sets: Adding heroes like Daredevil, Ghost Rider, and Black Panther.
You can mix and match heroes and maps from different sets, ensuring every game feels fresh and unique.
Why Unmatched is Perfect for Gamers
Unmatched combines quick setup, deep strategy, and high replay value. With its diverse cast of heroes, stunning artwork, and thematic gameplay, it’s no wonder Unmatched has become a favorite among board game enthusiasts.
Conclusion:
Unmatched is more than just a board game—it’s a dynamic battlefield where strategy, skill, and creativity shine. Whether you’re battling with friends or exploring new expansions, every match offers an exciting and unforgettable experience. Ready to test your skills? Stop by Round 2 Gaming and try a game of Unmatched from our demo wall!
If you enjoyed their article on How To Play Unmatched: A Comprehensive Guide to the Epic Skirmish Board Game, then be sure to check out our other articles!