In a 2 player game of Factions: Battlegrounds, one of the advantages you can choose is known as the Resource Center advantage. Simply put, it means you get to select where the Resource Centers go. As they can only be placed on a certain spaces on the Battleground, this may seem at first like an inferior advantage. However there is a second part of this advantage that can be extremely powerful!

RESOURCE CENTER BASICS

INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO PORTION ON RESOURCE CENTER ADVANTAGE: 1:20-2:43

RULEBOOK SCREENSHOTS OF RESOURCE CENTER PLACEMENT:

INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO PORTION OF CLAIMING RESOURCE CENTERS: 4:27-4:46

RULEBOOK SCREENSHOTS OF CLAIMING AND CONTROLLING RESOURCE CENTERS:

After the resource centers are placed, whenever a unit moves onto a space with a resource center, it is claimed. You control it unit an enemy unit moves onto the space. Each round you control it, it generates 2 of the indicated resource. Claiming a resource center does not end activation so you can continue your movement or attack/use a spell after you move onto the space with the resource center.

Here is a completed board- pre-battle. Zermano player has the resource advantage (They only placed 4 Terrain Tiles vs Zyan player’s 5.)

Notice that the center tile has a mana pool closer to the Zermano player, with the gold mine closer to the Zyan player (this is actually a strong board for both Factions). It also has a resource center on the in a water space (which is completely legal!). Once you place the first resource center, the rest naturally fall into place. Choosing which one to place first is the key. Let’s check out some possible alignments with this board.

This is the same board with the resources placed differently. In this scenario, the mana pool on the center tile is closer to the Zyan player (Zyan rarely uses mana), and it forces both gold mines into water spaces. This would not be a great alignment for the Zyan player because the center gold mine is far away and both gold mines are in water spaces, meaning the Zyan unit’s activation would end once it claims the resource center. (Aerial units must land to claim resource centers, so their activations would also end upon claiming a resource center- land or water). This would be a strong choice for Zermano.

Here is another possible alignment. This one features the center gold mine closer to Zermano, but puts both outside centers in challenging spaces. With both mana pools is difficult to reach spots (Zermano relies on mana for their spellcasters), this would not be the best choice.

Another option puts the mana pool closer, and a gold mine on the outside Zermano tile, so Zermano would have strong access to one of each resource center. However, it puts a gold mine in the best spot for Zyan, giving them a great opportunity to claim and defend it for several rounds. In these scenarios, the first option would be the best for Zermano.

The other advantage to having the Resource rank is that it means you get to select your Vanguard second. This means you can react to what your opponent is beginning the game with! It allows you to pick matchups in your favor and be prepared for the impending first wave of action.

Finally, the Resource Advantage serves as the final “Rank tie-breaker”, although usually one of the first 2 tiebreakers sorts out the rank tie (this tiebreaker only applies if players have the same number of captains AND the same number of units.) Still, this can be an unexpected little advantage from time to time!

INSTURCTIONAL VIDEO PORTION ON RANK TIEBREAKERS: 3:21-3:54

The Terrain Tile advantage may seem superior round to round, but there are some significant positives to the resource center advantage as well! Questions or comments?? Hit the replies!!