GUNDAM ASSEMBLE Hits Taiwan Oct 31: 3v3 Tactics Explained

Ever wondered what a Gundam battle would look like slowed down to a tactical crawl, where every step and every shot actually matters? Bandai Hobby's tabletop tactics game GUNDAM ASSEMBLE is bringing exactly that to Taiwan on October 31.

Taiwan's agent Orion Game (獵戶遊戲) laid out the basics at a recent product launch event. Two players each command 3 assembled Gundam miniature models, moving across a hex-grid map. You move, attack, rescue, and contest objectives to rack up victory points, and whoever holds the higher score when the clock runs out takes the win.

Want to read the board fast? There are five core pieces to watch. The roughly 5cm-tall Gundam miniatures become your units once assembled, paired with unit cards that track durability, victory points, and weapon traits. Those cards spell out range, attack strength, and time cost, so you can check a weapon's reach at a glance. The battlefield itself is a hex map, where every hex equals one unit of distance, and elevation changes, water, and obstacles genuinely shape how you position. Tactic cards keyed to unit tags let you boost attacks or support allies at the right moment, but you can only play one per unit activation.

What really drives the flow is the timeline. The unit at the front acts first, then slides back based on the time cost it spent. The more expensive your action, the later you go next time. Models, cards, map, and timeline all lock together, and that's where the tactical decision space lives.

So how does a turn actually work? When a unit activates, you can perform one move, one main action, one ability, and one tactic card, in whatever order you like. The main action is mandatory. Movement caps at 3 hexes, and you get at most one tactic card per activation. Abilities have to meet the conditions on the unit card, and if they list an energy cost, you'll pay it.

Your main action is a pick-one: attack, dash, recharge energy, or rescue. Dash adds up to 2 extra hexes of movement. Recharge grabs an energy marker. Rescue an adjacent friendly base and you earn 2 victory points. Those three each cost 2 time, while attack cost depends on the weapon you choose. Beyond destroying enemies, holding key objectives and rescuing your own bases also score points.

Attacking brings range, line of sight, and dice into play. Pick a weapon and a target within range. If the target is 2 or more hexes away, you'll need to check line of sight, and high ground, enemy units, or buildings in the path can block the shot entirely. Once you can fire, roll dice equal to the weapon's attack strength. A 4 or higher hits, a 9 or 10 is a critical hit, and a 1 always fails. Tally hits and critical effects, subtract things like shields, and that's your actual damage. Dice aside, range, positioning, and time cost all shape when you should pull the trigger.

Victory points decide everything. Destroying an enemy unit scores its listed value, rescuing a friendly base gives 2 points, and controlling important map objectives awards points based on the scenario. Some scenario missions or tactic card conditions can also open up scoring chances. When the match ends, the higher victory point total wins.

Orion Game plans early access events starting in October, plus teaching sessions, friendly matches, and challenge tournaments with partner stores after launch. You'll be able to find sessions, check event info, and register through the BTG system, though details for each event are still to be announced. Will you be picking this up?