Imagine a smoldering moon, scorched by decades of low-orbit warfare and silently pulsing with the tension of rival technologies. This isn’t just the backdrop for Line of Fire: Burnt Moon — it’s the battleground for a high-intensity sci-fi showdown between two players armed with drones and decks.
When Card Play Feels Like Command
Burnt Moon thrusts players into the roles of rival commanders fighting for control on the ruined lunar surface of Thoros. Instead of generic units, you’re guiding programmable drones across a board using preconstructed decks that define your faction’s strategy — whether that means stealthy sabotage or all-out assault.
Unlike traditional deck-builders, everything you need is prepared ahead of time. Each strategic decision stems from mastering your deck and maneuvering your drones with tactical precision. As the creator Markus Geiger puts it:
”I didn’t want an abstract card battle… I wanted players to feel the battlefield, to sweat every decision.”
That intensity is at the heart of the game. Every angle matters. Every move carries risk. Every misstep can cost you the match — and maybe a drone or two.
Blueprints from the Future: Inspirations Behind the Game
Geiger drew inspiration from hard-hitting science fiction like The Expanse, modern military drone tactics, and legendary games such as Android: Netrunner and Warhammer 40K. The result is a deeply asymmetric design that reflects each faction’s identity not only in lore, but gameplay mechanics.
Every element — from the shape of abilities to how drones deploy and engage — is tuned to complement each faction’s unique personality. This isn’t just sci-fi dressing; the game’s thematic choices live and breathe through its systems.
Design Roadblocks and Breakthroughs
Crafting multiple distinct factions was a central challenge — and achievement — for the Burnt Moon team. Geiger and his collaborators worked hard to avoid “auto-win” combinations while still rewarding clever deck mastery and strategic synergy.
Additional hurdles included:
- Ensuring drone miniatures didn’t obstruct gameplay vision
- Designing intuitive iconography and keywords across languages
- Maintaining fair mechanics while delivering powerful faction identities
The good news? The entire game is built with modularity in mind. That opens the door to future expansions — including new factions, scenarios, and possibly a campaign mode.
How It Plays: Tactical Chess with High-Tech Guns
The core gameplay loop unfolds in structured rounds that blend pacing and pressure. Here’s the flow of each round:
- Initiative: Determine who acts first
- Deploy: Introduce new drones and activate launch abilities
- Action: Take alternating turns to move, attack, and play cards
- Regroup: Reset for the next round — draw cards, refresh abilities
Each decision is a dance between reading your opponent, leveraging terrain, and timing your plays. It’s not about who has the stronger deck — it’s about who uses it better, faster, and smarter.
No Luck, Just Cold Strategy
If dice rolls make you twitchy, this is your safe haven. Burnt Moon dismisses randomness in favor of skill-driven gameplay. All outcomes spring from your tactical judgment — not from luck.
It’s about sacrificing short-term gains for long-term control. Setting traps. Estimating line-of-sight angles. And yes, sometimes letting a drone burn to give your flagship drone the shot that breaks a stalemate.
Geiger summarizes it best:
”It’s not a test of IQ, but of your ability to adapt, outmaneuver, and stay two steps ahead.”
Why It Matters: A New Take on the Duelling Genre
In a post-Radlands and Summoner Wars world, Burnt Moon adds another compelling layer to the tactical dueling genre.
Here’s what sets it apart:
- Modular factions with growth potential
- Board-driven interaction in a card-based format
- A strong hard sci-fi aesthetic that informs both form and function
If you prefer games that challenge your mind and drive stories through meaningful interaction, this might be exactly what you’ve been waiting for.
Looking Ahead
So when does this all hit the table?
No exact release date has been announced, but a Kickstarter campaign is planned for 2024. Localization efforts are underway, and the team continues to iterate and polish the design. Everything is shaping up for a big launch — and a big splash among tactical skirmish fans.
Until then, keep your comms clear and your drones tuned. Thoros awaits.
Quick Q&A
- When is the game coming out? Kickstarter expected in 2024.
- Is it language-dependent? Yes — but iconographic support and translations are in active development.
- Games it compares to? Think Radlands, Ashes Reborn, or Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game — but with more spatial strategy.
Would a tactical drone wargame be your next obsession? Do you thrive in asymmetric challenges — or find them tricky to master? Share your thoughts in the comments. The moon is burning, and strategy is the only shield you’ve got.