Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Player-count sensitive
Deep strategy
More strategic control
How it plays
How does it play?
Build a fantasy fighter, choose weapons and armor, then duel across a tactical hex arena.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Grid Movement
Move pieces between adjacent spaces on a regular grid.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Movement Points
Spend a movement allowance across spaces with different costs.
Hexagon Grid
Use a hexagonal map where each space connects evenly in six directions.
Line of Sight
Visibility between pieces determines valid targets, movement, or effects.
Read the full game description
Melee is Steve Jackson’s compact fantasy-combat design and the foundation of The Fantasy Trip. Players create fighters by balancing Strength and Dexterity, equip them with weapons and armor, and maneuver on a hex grid where facing, reach, movement, and well-timed attacks decide the contest. The rules support quick arena duels while giving every equipment choice a meaningful tactical cost.
