A.E.G.I.S. FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A.E.G.I.S.?
A.E.G.I.S. is a tabletop strategy game about combining, cartoon-style robots! It’s a simple “card, dice and tiles” game with a competitive team-building element that just about anyone can pick up quickly and have fun with! Get the whole low-down here.
You can find the game’s rulebook here!
When is it coming out?
A.E.G.I.S. was originally self-published and released by us in 2014, we signed on briefly with a publisher, but realized the best thing for us and A.E.G.I.S. is to bring the game to Kickstarter ourselves. This hasn’t changed our goal of getting YOU the best combining robot strategy game, but is has allowed us to return to the helm for all A.E.G.I.S. decisions.
A.E.G.I.S. was funded on Kickstarter in June 2017, and was originally scheduled to deliver to backers in January 2018. However, after some delays, the game will be available late Summer 2018.
How long does it take to play?
An average two-player game of A.E.G.I.S. will take between 15-25 minutes or less! The game is designed to be fast-paced and good for multiple plays in a single sitting, and it can be learned in 10-15 minutes, in stark contrast to more complex strategic war games. A 4-player game of AEGIS lasts about an hour, and if you go up to six-player, the game can last around 90 minutes to two hours.
Who is it geared towards?
A.E.G.I.S. was originally made for people who show interest in traditional, more hardcore tabletop strategy games but lack the funds, time or commitment to delve into them. It’s meant to be quick to pick up and affordable, with an awesome hook! Hundreds of people from ages 8-68 have played A.E.G.I.S. and love it!
And do you like robots? Gundam? Voltron? Pacific Rim? Power Rangers? We’ve taken special care to make this game carry the spirit of those shows.
How about games like Advance Wars, Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, Fire Emblem or Final Fantasy Tactics? A.E.G.I.S. has many game-play aspects of those games that made them fun and endlessly engaging.
How many people can play?
The game natively supports two players, both using a team of 5 basic robots, and can go up to as many as four players in the core box, and can go up to six players with an additional 6-player mat.
Are there other ways to play?
Yes! A.E.G.I.S. is a very modular game, and has several different game modes in the rulebook, including modes where you play for points by controlling territory, a draft mode, 2 vs. 2 and more! Most of these modes can also be played from 2 to 6 players. A.E.G.I.S. is as complex or as simple as you wish to make it.
How many playable robots are there?
The game has 100(!) playable robots in the core box! That’s enough for 6 players AND for endless team combinations. An additional “Variant Command” expansion that comes with the Deluxe version (or bought separately) adds 10 more mechanically different robot variations to the box, taking the number to 110. Of these, there are 63 Basic robots to build teams with, and 47 Combined robots. Also among these are 14 Basic Commander robots piloted by special characters that have powers that affect their whole team, and five more Machineless Commanders that are cards on their own and can be paired with other robots in the game.
Will all that be overwhelming?
No! The core box divides all these robots up into separate, sealed expansion decks with pre-constructed teams that are immediately playable. These numbered decks introduce new mechanics and characters over time as you become acquainted with the game. The first deck is made to be played with four players right out of the box.
Will there be more robots?
Yes! A.E.G.I.S. is an extremely expandable game and its players can look forward to more robots, and game modes over time.
Can any two robots combine to make infinite combinations?
No, whether two robots can combine or not is dependent on whether or not you own the specific robot you’re combining into. Each player has a “side deck” of higher tier combinations, each of which has at least one specific basic robot it must be made up of. This keeps our scope in check!
So, every robot can be used as a combining component, but there are not infinite things you can make from them.
Can robots of the same Class combine? (A+A+A+A+A?)
No, only robots of different Classes can combine (AE, AG, AI…), so this means that in order to combine your whole team of five into a giant, awesome robot, the team must be made up of an A, E, G, I and S.
How many combinations are there?
We can create as many combined robots as we see tasteful and necessary!
In terms of how many Class combinations there are:
10 Level-2 Combinations: AE, AG, AI, AS, EG, EI, ES, GI, GS and IS
10 Level-3 Combinations: AEG, AEI, AES, AGI, AGS, AIS, EGI, EGS, GIS and EIS
5 Level-4 Combinations: AEGI, AEGS, AEIS, AGIS and EGIS.
And any number of Level-5, AEGIS-Class combinations, though we want to keep them special.
And just like our five basic classes, each combination has its own game-play style and aesthetic feel!
How do I know what certain abilities do in the event they don’t have an on-card reminder?
A quick-reference sheet is available in the rulebook, and a glossary will be up on our website along with comprehensive rules and rulings.
Is this played in inches with a ruler, or on a grid?
A.E.G.I.S. is played on a hex grid.
In our original release and prototypes of the game, it was played on inches with measuring tools, but to keep gameplay fast, accessible and tight we have transitioned to supporting just a hex grid.
Can you run larger games than 5 robots vs. 5 robots?
You can! If the play space is large enough and you’re mindful enough to keep track of more information, the game can be played with players using two or more teams of 5. This variant of rules will become available as time goes on. There is also a Campaign Book that supplies players with cool scenarios that sometimes use special rules and non-conventional team compilations.
Are there miniatures? Will there be miniatures?
We’re not ruling it out. However, the goal with A.E.G.I.S. has always been getting the player tons of content and not breaking the bank. Miniatures (although very cool) would make the game much more expensive. For now we’re focused on getting the core box into the hands of fans and keeping it affordable. If the Kickstarter does very well, we have the means and know how to make it happen. Our number one concern it to keep the game affordable for everyone to enjoy.
So, why combining robots?
Is there anything cooler?
When A.E.G.I.S. was created, we knew that it would be centric around five Classes, and combinations of those Classes. It made perfect flavorful sense to make the game about beings that combined, and what are things known for combining? Robots! A.E.G.I.S. could have ended up as a game about monsters, dinosaurs, wizards or kittens and played the same way, but “robots!” is what really tied the game’s aesthetic together with its mechanics.
How long has A.E.G.I.S. been in development?
We’ve been creating this game since January of 2013. It was playable on the first day of its creation, and it all spawned from a single slip of paper.
We shipped the game as a self-published version in January 2014.
In 2015 – 2016 we signed on with Greenbrier Games to completely overhaul the components and graphics, while keeping the core game play intact. Our first Kickstarter showed us how much people wanted A.E.G.I.S. and after talking it over with the publisher, we realized A.E.G.I.S. was our dream and it *had* to get into the hands of fans.
We wished each other luck and parted ways. Zephyr Workshop once again has complete creative control of A.E.G.I.S., and we’re going to get the games in your hands!
We’ve worked very hard to get it this far and we’re planning to reboot our Kickstarter on May 9th!
Any other questions? Ask!
Email us at: info@zephyrworkshop.com.