After over a decade playing hobby board games, I’ve grown a bit tired of the fantasy and sci-fi genres. Sure, I understand the appeal, but I feel like it becomes the default theme when designers and publishers can’t figure out what coat of paint to put on a set of mechanics.
But Junkyard Juggernauts has refreshed this board game trope with a fun melding of the two genres. Players take on the role of young heirs to a throne, skilled not just in magic, but also in the assembly of giant robots called Juggernauts. You must explore the land of Galmenni to take down enemies, complete quests, build up your skills, and eventually take down the evil Warlord. But watch out, because one of your crew will be enticed by the Warlord and may fall to the forces of evil…
Lots of Robot to Love
Let me start off by saying that there is A LOT to Junkyard Juggernauts. The designer, Francisco Ruiz, has obviously put a lot of time and passion into this project. It’s almost like a few different games smashed into one, all covered with a thick coat of solid storytelling. During the hours (yes, plural) that I spent learning how the game worked, I became more and more immersed in the lore of Galmenni and really enjoyed how every element ties together.
The story certainly has vibes of the stories told back on the NES, Genesis, and other older systems, and the pixelated artwork does a tremendous job of enhancing that feeling. You’ll kick things off by building your Juggernaut from parts (cards) that you find in the Junk Pile. There’s a good amount of variety in the cards that will serve as the parts for your Juggernaut, and each has enough detail and unique characteristics so that you feel your build is truly different from other players. I also like how these cards are literally piled, and players can only grab a card they can literally put their finger on. It’s a fun little mechanism that matches what a player is actually doing in-game that you don’t see in many other games of this scope.
Once everyone has drafted their cards, you have to be strategic in the way you put your mech together. You obviously want to get powerful arms to maximize your Attack level, but they can’t be more powerful than the leg that supports them on that side. You also want to try to find parts that match your character’s elemental mastery, whether it be Wind, Water, Fire, or Earth. If you match, that part’s power will be greatly enhanced.
And there’s even more to consider! You see, every card has four features depending on its orientation. They all have both arms and legs that can be added to your machine. They also have an Amplify ability, which can greatly… amplify… how you fight. They also feature potions, which are an integral part of the Dispel-Overpower Contests that can happen during battle. (Yeah, I don’t have the time or space to get into all that…) You’ll only be able to use one feature of a card at a time, so you’ll need to be sure you’re careful in your decision-making.
A World Worth Exploring
Once you’ve got your mighty robot completed, you’ll do your best to dive into the world of Galmenni. The map provides many different options for how you can play your game. Maybe you’ll seek out Quests, which often have you moving to different locations on the map and completing a task, usually with a risk of damage. It will be worth it, though, because you’ll do the game’s version of leveling up, and you’ll have the opportunity to gain specializations that give you more attacking and defensive options. When I first reviewed these in the rulebook, I thought that they might be a useless distraction from the core of the game, but I quickly found myself focused on Quests so that I could make myself more powerful and better prepared for the battles.
But you might call me a coward and instead jump right into the fighting. You have the option to fight Beasts, but you’ll primarily focus on the Junk Golems. These smaller mechs (two arms and one leg) are each aligned with one of the Elements, and they have their own special powers and skills that make them a challenge. They will also vary from game to game, as their parts come from the top of the Power Card deck left over after your own construction.
Battle Bots
Fighting is a huge mechanic of this game, and Ruiz has put a lot of thought into crafting a substantial system. The power in your legs and arms represents that part’s Mettle, and not only is it that part’s Attack or Speed, but it’s also its health. When a part is damaged, it becomes less powerful. It’s important to keep this in mind as you plan how you attack an enemy. Maybe you’ll want to take out a very powerful arm first so that the enemy’s attacks won’t be as powerful. However, maybe it’s a better idea to take out the leg so that it has no Speed. But if you target just one part, you have a chance of your attack missing, so it might be better to just go with a Total Attack and take a little off of each part. You also have to keep in mind the Reaction options that your enemy has which might enable it to diminish your attack power or maybe even avoid it completely. You’ll have Reaction options of your own that you’ll need to use wisely as you plan your defense.
You have the ability to team up with other players when you go into battle, so you’ll want to work together so that you maximize your effectiveness. I think about it like in traditional video game RPGs – you don’t necessarily want every character to attack the same part, but instead to focus on what strengths each Juggernaut has and lean into it. You also don’t want to forget the Amplify abilities that the cards in your hand can provide. These enhancements can be even better if your character or the parts of your Juggernaut match the elemental type of the Amplify card, as you’ll roll dice to determine some benefits you’ll get, like extra Potions, increased Health, and more. And I haven’t even gotten into Charges, which can enhance your Juggernauts or be used in attacks and attached to enemies, putting them at a disadvantage.
I’ve written so much, and yet there’s still so much more to this game. Different locations on the map have unique actions that you can take. Some paths on the map can be perilous and might cause damage as you go through them. There’s a whole Corruption mechanic that works a little like viruses in Pandemic, spreading along paths on the map. You can pick these up and ‘purify’ them for bonuses AND to prevent them from being used by the Warlord at the end of the game in your big final bout.
Oh yeah, the Warlord. There’s a betrayal mechanic in this game, too! After the first Junk Golem is defeated, one of the players is going to find out that they are an Acolyte of the Warlord. After the defeat of the next Junk Golem, the Acolyte is revealed, and the other players will work to discover the Warlord’s Lair while the Acolyte seeks to advance the Warlord’s cause. I didn’t get to play with this mechanic as I only tackled the single player mode, but it sounds like another fun and unique addition to the overall gaming experience.
Mechs Can Be Pretty Complicated
I want to be clear: this game is not for the faint of heart. It took me several hours to learn the rulebook, and I was still CONSTANTLY referring to it, especially during battles and as I visited each city. It took me several hours to play through one solo campaign, and I can imagine it’s a full day experience if you’re taking a four player approach. It’s certainly not going to be everyone’s cup of tea.
But for those looking for more depth to their experiences, or maybe an alternative to some TTRPG gaming, Junkyard Juggernauts is worth considering. It’s got the lore and it’s got the mechanics and systems. The artwork is great, and the components are solid. Even my pre-production copy featured great standees, an inlay for cubes on the main board(!), and high quality materials throughout. The game’s creator has also shown an incredible amount of care in the game. Even as I was playtesting, he reached out about some improvements to the rulebook that he was implementing and asked me for feedback from my experiences.
So if you’re looking for some sci-fi in your fantasy… or maybe some additional structure to your role-playing… perhaps a game with a legacy feel that plays one session at a time…
Then maybe give Junkyard Juggernauts a shot.
Junkyard Juggernauts is in the last few days of its Kickstarter campaign. Check it out!
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