Board Game Geek Avg Player Rating: 6.6
Players: 1 to 6
Published: 2019
Content Notes: Kickstarter R.O.O.K. Team Expansion for Project ELITE. Includes R.O.O.K. Team Expansion and Kickstarter Exclusive figure Captain Castillo. Requires Project ELITE core game to play (sold separately). Please note: unless otherwise stated paid add ons from the Kickstarter Campaign are not included.

After punishing infantry losses from the initial Janusian invasion, the ELITE Command began assembling a team of worldwide survivors to create the perfect counter-offensive. The Rapid Offense & Operations Kommandos – ROOKs – would not only bring the fight to the Proxies, but do so in brand new prototype mobile tank suits. These powerful mechanically-enhanced suits of armor combine native and alien technologies to deadly effect, making each ROOK soldier worth ten common infantry on the battlefield… as long as all the pieces work properly, of course. ROOKs are hardened veteran soldiers wrapped in groundbreaking Terran tech and salvaged alien gear – bringing war to the Proxies until victory or death!

The ROOK Team Includes:

• 6 ROOK figures
• 6 Hero dashboards
• 6 custom Marble ROOK dice
• 12 Enraged Swarm Spawn cards
• 1 Rules reference 

The ROOK Team will also come with the Kickstarter Exclusive Hero Captain Castillo, including his ROOK figure and dashboard! 

Castillo’s two embedded Weapons are all about bringing the offensive: ‘Killer Fist’ may have Range 1, but it’s quick to activate, rolls 2 dice and hits easily. His ‘Doom’ cannon not only has infinite Range, but also rolls a whopping 6 dice when it is triggered, which requires a [Special] result.

The mighty ROOK soldiers bring their own unique abilities through special rules and dice to the battlefield, making a definite presence in the war against the Proxies. Using so much alien tech is risky though, and wherever ROOKs are used they also add in new “Enraged Swarm” Spawn cards – turning up the danger a bit, too! The ROOK squad is here to try and turn the tides of the war, but the Janusians aren’t going to make it easy for them! 

ROOK Dice 

Each ROOK gets 1 custom Marble ROOK die that replaces a normal Action Dice. ROOK dice bring a different set of results: 

• [SPECIAL] – Activates a unique Attack or Ability for that ROOK 
• [GUN]
• [GUN] – Same as basic rules, but there are 2 [GUN] results
• [TOOL / INTERACT] – Can be used as EITHER a [TOOL] or [INTERACT]
• [ALIEN] – Same as basic rules
• [MALFUNCTION] – the ROOK die gets Locked and a special disadvantage is applied to that ROOK. To unlock ROOK dice, the player needs to spend [TOOL] [TOOL]

Enraged Swarms

Each deployed ROOK in any Scenario adds a level of threat as players must also use the extra Threat cards, representing the escalation on the Proxies’ side. When playing with ROOKs, players remove 2 cards at random from the basic Swarm Spawn for each ROOK in game, replacing them with Enraged Swarm Cards, which amplify the effects when spawning Swarms!

All the Gear You Need!

ROOKs enter the field with all weaponry and gear they need, so they’re not allowed to perform Search actions or equip new Weapons or Items. Instead, each ROOK already packs multiple offensive options in their suit:

The Dragon’s Breath doesn’t get his name in vain. He may be the heaviest tank suit in the ROOK Squad, actually requiring 2 Move results per Space to Move, but his Gauss cannon is amongst the strongest weapons in the entire Project: ELITE. With multiple slots for varying amount of Weapon results Locked, the cannon can fire up to 4 dice with 4+ To-Hit on Infinite Range!

With her extensive field experience, Lily brings perhaps the most mobile ROOK suit the field. Her passive ability allows her to Move up to 2 Spaces in any direction when she’s Pushed, which can be very helpful to quickly cover ground. Add to that a number of attacks and a special electric pulse that hits all targets in LOS and you get a fierce soldier that the Proxies are learning to avoid. 

Zawadi suit’s Alien technology component confers her some of the most unique abilities on the field: for starters, by spending 2 Tool results she can not only retrieve her ROOK die but also has the option to regenerate itself, diminishing Damage on it. Her Proton Slugger gun may have a limited Range of 2, but it shoots with precision and for her Special result, a Chain Reaction shot hits not only the targeted Alien, but also each Alien adjacent to it!

Keiji is a stern and resolute fighter, and brings a good mix of ranged and close combat to the operations where he participates. His double katanas have Range 1, roll 2 dice and hit on 3+, but when activated along with a Move result, Keiji is able to dash, slash and move again before Aliens can quite see what’s happened. And when ranged fire is needed, Keiji uses his missile battery to hit any Space on the map.

Jake Holbrook has ever been the brawler type, and in the ROOK squad it is no different. Foregoing traditional firearms for his impressive Grinder Gauntlets, Jake likes to get into the thick of it and deal justice with his own hands. Aliens that are Adjacent to him Move -1 Space as he grabs tight hold of them, and though most his attacks are limited to Range 1, Jake is able to throw Aliens around, which cause them damage on collision. Jake figure 3D render, front view

Aptly named ‘Lucky’, Catilin’s Chainblade has seen plenty of action with Caitlin, slain dozens of Proxies, and is yet to fail her owner. In battle, Lucky is limited to Range 1 but offers many Action dice slots to be activated, being able to deal up to 3 damage in a single slash when 3 Weapon results are slotted; perfect for hacking a Boss or two. Caitlin also sports a flamethrower Special attack and is able to reroll 1 Malfunction result per Action Phase.

—from the publisher

We’re glad to back campaigns to bring you games like Project ELITE: R.O.O.K. Team Expansion Kickstarter Game to buy online at TheGameSteward. We will use a hefty percentage of every dollar you spend on Project ELITE: R.O.O.K. Team Expansion towards backing fantastic new games on Kickstarter! Just a reminder, if you have purchase questions on Project ELITE: R.O.O.K. Team Expansion (Kickstarter Special Edition) game, how to buy online at The Game Steward or just need a game advice, please contact us at The Game Steward.