How to Play Arkham Horror: The Card Game – Machinations Through Time: Scenario Pack

Game Objective

In Machinations Through Time, players take on the roles of investigators who need to fix a time distortion caused by the disappearance of important scientists and their groundbreaking discoveries. The goal is to find the missing scientists and repair the broken timeline, preventing humanity from suffering irreparable losses. Victory is achieved by completing the necessary tasks to fix the timeline, while defeat occurs if all investigators are defeated or fail in their missions.

Setup

To prepare the game, follow the steps below, depending on the chosen mode:

Single Group Mode

• Gather all the cards from the Machinations Through Time and Single Group Mode encounter sets.
• Place the Tindalos location in play and the remaining 14 locations as indicated on pages 16–18.
• Place the A Noble Legacy story cards (Past, Present, and Future) in play and resolve the Setup text of each.
• Randomly choose one Machination story card and one Plot story card, placing them in play and resolving their Setup texts.
• Add or remove doom from agenda 1a according to the chosen difficulty level.
• Shuffle the remaining 33 encounter cards to build the encounter deck.

Epic Multiplayer Mode

• Divide the investigators into three groups: Past Group, Present Group, and Future Group.
• Each group should follow the specific setup instructions for their era, placing the corresponding locations in play and resolving the appropriate story cards.
• Add or remove doom from agenda 1a according to the chosen difficulty level.
• Shuffle the remaining 33 encounter cards to build the encounter deck.

Consult the manual for details on this section.

Game Flow

The game is divided into rounds, following the standard structure of Arkham Horror: The Card Game. Each round consists of:

1. Action Phase: Investigators perform actions to explore locations, gather clues, face enemies, and resolve tasks.
2. Enemy Phase: Engaged enemies attack investigators, and enemies with the patrol keyword move as described.
3. Upkeep Phase: Investigators prepare their cards and resolve upkeep effects.

In Epic Multiplayer Mode, each group can advance independently to the next round without waiting for the other groups.

Consult the manual for details on this section.

Actions and How to Play

Investigators can perform various actions during the Action Phase, including:

• Move: Travel between connected locations.
• Investigate: Gather clues at a location.
• Attack: Engage and fight enemies.
• Evade: Attempt to escape from engaged enemies.
• Play Cards: Activate abilities or play event cards.

Additionally, investigators can interact with story cards and resolve specific tasks related to the game's eras (Past, Present, and Future). Communication between groups is essential to complete tasks that require collaboration across eras.

Consult the manual for details on this section.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when all investigators are defeated or when a resolution is reached. Resolutions vary depending on the players' actions and the game's state:

• Resolution 1: Investigators manage to close the portals and fix the timeline, gaining experience and rewards.
• Resolution 2: Investigators escape but fail to fix the timeline, gaining partial experience.
• Resolution 3: Investigators are trapped in Tindalos, suffering trauma and defeat.
• Resolution 4: Investigators escape, but the timeline remains broken, gaining partial experience.

Consult the manual for details on this section.

Tips for Winning

• Communication is essential: In Epic Multiplayer Mode, maintain constant contact with the other groups to coordinate tasks that require collaboration across eras.
• Prioritize story cards: Focus on completing the A Noble Legacy story cards in the correct order (Past, Present, and Future) to advance the scenario.
• Manage enemies carefully: Enemies with the patrol keyword can move quickly; plan your actions to avoid unnecessary confrontations.

Consult the manual for details on this section.