Flames of Orion: Mechanized Combat in a Dark Future

Flames of Orion is a deadly tabletop miniature skirmish wargame designed for brutal, alternating-activation mech combat over a small 2×2-foot battlefield.

The Setting & Aesthetic

The game takes place in the dark future of the Orion system, a crumbling sector plunged into near-total darkness after its primary sun extinguished. Renegades, outlaws, and greedy mega-corporations fight over the remaining scraps of fading worlds. It features a heavily textured, grimdark sci-fi aesthetic—reminiscent of 80s and 90s hard sci-fi—brought to life inside the rulebook by a striking black-and-white, pen-and-ink art style.

Gameplay Mechanics

Model-Agnostic Design: Players can use any mech miniatures they own to play. Whether you want to drop 6mm BattleTech figures, kitbashed creations, or scale Gundam plastic models onto the table, the rules adapt natively.
The HEAT System: The core risk-and-reward engine revolves around managing your mech’s reactor. Moving and attacking generates HEAT. Pushing your war machines too hard yields devastating tactical advantages, but if your engines go critical, the resulting reactor explosion will obliterate your mech and everything nearby.
Combat Units & Customization: Players command a Combat Unit composed of four mechs. The system boasts hundreds of potential loadouts, encouraging you to mix and match distinct weapon platforms, chassis upgrades, and specialized ammunition.
Campaign & Progression: While quick standalone skirmishes are easily playable, the rules natively support campaign progression. Players manage a home bunker, housing their core pilots, free starter mechs, and unlocked assets like auxiliary tanks or infantry squads over successive battles.