Trazer

It is the distant future, the year 2000.

For a decade, mankind has waged a brutal civil war across Earth and beyond. Now, in the orbit of Mars, you and your opponent will decide the final outcome!

Each of you are in command of the most advanced star fleet mankind has to offer. There is only one instrument capable of destroying these astro-war machines. It is the triple-armed laser mill, endearingly dubbed as the Trazer!

This is no typical instrument of war. It is a tri-linked ray of destruction that requires the alignment of three battleships in a Trazer formation. To succeed, you must wisely plot your moves, coordinate an offense and keep a close eye on your enemy’s movements. There is no luck in this battle, just wits and strategy.

Fear the Trazer, respect it, wield it, and you may just win the war!

Components

18 vintage rockets +2 extra

Three-tiered board

Instructions

How to Play

Objective

Form a Trazer formation—three of your ships aligned in a row, either horizontally or vertically across the board—to generate an attack and remove an enemy ship. Reduce your opponent’s ships to 2 or block their moves to win.

Deploy Your Fleet

Begin by placing your ships on the board during the Arrival phase. Strategically position them on one of the 24 designated icons across the three levels to set up for future moves or try to immediately eliminate enemy pieces.

Strategize and Move

In the Battle phase, alternate turns to move your ships. Position them to form a Trazer formation and launch attacks to remove enemy ships. Each Trazer formation generates an attack, so plan your moves to maximize your offensive power.

Outmaneuver and Win

Use strategic movements to try and outwit your opponent. Exploit Trazer formations and adapt your tactics to gain the upper hand and secure victory!

Why You’ll Love Playing Trazer

• Engaging Strategy: Every decision counts in this game of tactical depth. Outsmart and outmaneuver your opponent to claim victory.
• Exciting Gameplay: With two distinct phase, deployment and battle,Trazer keeps the action fresh.
• 3D Design: The unique multi-level board and carefully crafted components create an immersive and visually stunning experience.
• Easy to Learn: Trazer is an abstract game. It's easy to pick up for newcomers, but offers enough complexity to challenge even experienced gamers. There's even a dual-sided board offering a scaled down version of the game!
• Legacy of Strategy: Based on the nearly forgotten yet timeless classic, Nine Men’s Morris. Trazer reintroduces a game that had been admired across the world for generations.
• Vintage Aesthetics: Who says space has to be boring? Rocket-tokens, colorful colors and retro-inspired art decorate the board.

Ready for the Ultimate Space Battle?

Grab your copy of Trazer today and lead your fleet to victory in the ultimate strategic showdown. Perfect for you fans of classic strategy games with a futuristic twist!

A Behind-the-Scene Look From the Designer

Trazer began as my first project on The Game Crafter. It was really more of a learning exercise to navigate the site, upload art, and add components. I picked an old classic game that really intrigued me. And I liked it had been kind of lost over time. But it was an abstract game and I felt like it needed a theme. Originally I had envisioned it as a futuristic sci-fi game, but then it shifted to a vintage theme when I discovered the rocket pieces. I really embraced it, which was fun since some of my favorites are the original Twilight Zone and Lost in Space series.

I can't remember how long it took, but I eventually ordered my copy. My first prototype felt amazing but had flaws. The only box that could fit the board was big and pricey. I shelved it for a while until I realized I could create a 3D board to reduce the box size and make it look really cool. The multi-level board reminded me of the game that the crew of the Enterprise sometimes played. But this required precise measurements and problem solving, pushing me beyond my comfort zone but keeping me motivated.

The original 2-D design. Notice the HUGE box.

Several setbacks nearly ended the project, but everything aligned perfectly to make it work. Numerous iterations and hard lessons later, I finally created a version that I’m proud to share.

So. many. iterations...

This game, once nearly forgotten, has found its way back. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it!