Gears of War Card Game Unofficial FAQ (Work in Progress)

By Nortyson and Patient V

General Rules

Quick Facts
There is no hand limit.
Each unit can only take one action per turn.
You can’t combine multiple attacks to kill a single enemy
(unless a card specifically allows you to, COG Tactic card for example)
Units in Cover can’t block direct damage attacks (only units in reserved not suppressed)
Units in Cover can’t be suppressed.
A unit in reserve may move into cover or attack into cover (if occupied)
You can’t do a direct attack with a unit in reserve.
There is no limit to the number of units a player can have in reserve.
A unit in cover may directly attack the enemy player
(can’t move into another location’s cover unless a card allows for this)

Cover Card Effects

The Blue cover side effects the COG player and the Red cover side effects the Locust player. The unit
adjacent to appropriate side activates the bonus effect.
Example: Chapter 4 – Pillar location is a great example. The COG unit adjacent on the friendly
side of the cover activates the bonus for other friendly units in enemy cover.

Direct Damage
When a player takes direct damage (not blocked by a unit) then that player can draw up to or
discard that many cards from the draw deck. By default, this is two cards (attack value on a unit doesn’t
affect this) but certain card affects may increase / decrease this number. The player must declare how
many cards they intend to draw and to discard before looking at cards.
Example: Locust player takes two direct damage and chooses to draw 1 card and discard the
other from the draw deck. The player draws both cards from the draw deck, keeps the first, discards the
second, then looks at the card that was kept. Discarded cards from direct damage do not trigger unit
abilities or command card abilities.

Offensive (Enemy Cover) vs Defensive (Friendly Cover) Chapter 3 and in Chapter 4

Offensive or Enemy Cover is when your unit is on opposing players side of the cover. The Offensive
keyword on a card is in effect when in Enemy Cover.
Defense or Friendly Cover is when your unit is on your side of cover (not in reserve). The Defensive
keyword on a card is in effect when in Friendly Cover.

Attacking from Enemy Cover grants +1 damage when attacking a unit and +1 direct damage dealt to the
enemy player. This direct damage +1 stacks with other direct damage effects.
Opposing units in reserve that block or are attacking into enemy cover against your offensive unit ALSO
gains the +1 damage to their attack.
To generalize, all units on the same side of the wall deal +1 damage to each other in combat.
 Example: A 2 attack / 2 defense COG unit is in enemy cover. The Locust player attacks from
reserve with a 1/1 unit. Both units are killed in combat because the COG is now a 3/2 and locust unit is a
2/1, which is enough to defeat the COG unit.

Reaction Cards can only be played during combat. They are not allowed during the first or second
deployment phases. The defending player must play a reaction card first, then the attacker can respond.
You may only play one reaction card per combat.

Multi-blocking Chapter 2
Page 32 has a good explanation, but to emphasize the attacker does full damage to all blockers. It is not
split up.
Example: a 3/3 Locust is blocked by two 2/2 cogs. The 3/3 Locust does it’s full 3 damage attack to both
blockers, killing both. The COG combines for 4 damage, killing the Locust.

Suppressed pg 23
When an enemy unit takes damage via an attack or card effect, if the damage doesn’t equal the unit’s
defensive value the unit is suppressed in reserve (Units in enemy or friendly cover are not suppressed).
Suppressed units cannot block, but can be targeted by a unit’s ability or tactic card. A player’s
suppressed cards are readied at the beginning of that player’s turn.

Combat Damage
When COG A shoots Locust B, this damage occurs in a vacuum. Once reaction cards are played and
combat is resolved, if a unit or units survive all damage is immediately removed / healed.
Example: A 2/5 COG is in friendly cover and is attacked by a 3/3 Locust from reserve. Neither unit
is killed, the COG is still ready and in cover, but the Locust would be suppressed in reserve. The Locust
player discards a 3/3 unit and triggers the Vicious Kantus ability (see below) to deal damage to the 2/5
COG unit in cover. This only deals 4 damage, the previous attack damage doesn’t stack, so the COG unit
lives. Even if there are TWO Vicious Kantus in play, this discard is treated as separate attacks and they do
not stack (per Discord SFG forum developer @fraser, June 1st 2023). More on the Kantus below

Drawing Cards and the word ‘May’ – It’s a great month of the year and also just wanted to highlight this
keyword as it appears throughout scenarios and in cards.
Example: Player may draw up to two cards. This means you can draw 0,1, or 2. You must declare
how many you intend to draw before you look at any of the cards drawn.

Scenario and General Rules

Core Cards (Chapter 1)
These cards (labeled Chapter Core on the bottom of the card) remain in your deck for each Chapter until
you are told specifically to remove them (Manual will instruct you before the start of the specific
Chapter)
Chapter Cards are cards labeled Chapter-# are only used during that specific scenario. They are removed
at the end of that chapter*
*See Disposable Keyword in Chapter-2 for the exception to this rule
Reinforcement Cards are periodically added to each player’s deck between chapters. These cards remain
with the player’s deck in ensuing missions unless specifically instructed to remove. Sometimes you’ll
have a choice of which set of reinforcements to add to your deck. Once a set is chosen, the other set is

put back in the back never to see the light of day 😊.

Chapter 2
Command Cards from the previous chapter aren’t used here (because they have the label Chapter-1)
Refer to the scenario card for setup (front and back) for what Command Card the COG should use, the
Chapter Cards, Other, and Cover Cards
Tough
When a command unit has tough and is killed, it goes back to the command area. Then it comes back
into play after the condition is met that brings it into play (in this scenario, when a COG unit is killed)
Disposable keyword on a card (Wretch Runt Chapter-2) means these cards start available to the Locust
player via a ‘sideboard’ regardless of Chapter. They aren’t in play until a specific card brings them into
play (Emergence Hole Command Card, Wretch Horde Chapter Reinforcement-3 card, etc). When they are
defeated, they are removed for the rest of the battle.
Chapter 3
Enemy cover introduced. Refer to General Rules above.
Chapter 4
Defensive and Offensive Cover is introduced. Refer to General Rules above.
Pillar cover card. Refer to General Rules above – Cover Card section.
Command Tactic Ability – This counts as a deployment phase action. Requires the hand count value next
to the ability name (example Berserker has Tactic, 2,7 means you can deploy with 2 or 7 cards in hand
PRIOR to the discard action required). Tough still means Tough from Chapter 2 and then there is
additional affects on each card.
Corporal Santiago and Marcus Fenix- Offensive examples
When this card is in enemy cover and attacks, if the Locust player blocks then these cards are
attacking with a value of 5 (3 for the card value, +1 for enemy cover, and +1 for the offensive ability)
If Locust doesn’t block, then each card is dealing 4 direct damage ( 2 direct damage default value
+1 for offensive ability and +1 for enemy cover)

Future Topics to be discussed

Chapter 5
Vicious Kantus – if you two play, Spotter Drone, how cover affects the attack
Heavy Unit (symbols)
Hidden Cover / Location Cover Benefits
Overrun
Vulnerable Cover
Vicious Kantus