Salvage Wars

Mechanics

Auction: Dutch Priority • King of the Hill • Programmed Movement

Game Overview

Core Concept:

Salvage Wars is a 2-5 player tactical arena game where players scavenge junk, assemble ramshackle battle-bots, and fight for dominance in the scrapyard. Each bot is built from salvaged parts as players vie for control of scoring zones in a brutal King of the Hill-style showdown. Can your machine hold the hill… or will it collapse under its own bolts?

Key Systems:

  • Three-Phase Game Loop:
    • Bid: Players acquire new parts using a Dutch Priority Auction system. As the price of a part drops, players may claim it in priority order – but only one player gets each part.
    • Build: Players construct their bots freely from collected parts. There are no slot limits – stacking redundant components increases resilience in case of failure.
    • Battle: Players execute pre-programmed movement and action plans to compete for control over point-scoring zones in the arena.
  • Junk-Based Bot Construction:
    • Parts vary in power and stability. Some are reliable, others risky but cheap.
    • Bots may have overlapping systems or backup components to survive attacks or wear.
    • There’s no limit to the number or type of parts a bot can incorporate.
  • Programmed Movement & Arena Combat:
    • Players program their bots in secret, then execute moves and actions simultaneously.
    • Programmed sequences may misfire, cause bot damage, or result in tactical brilliance.
    • Bots compete for control over specific spaces, scoring points at the end of each round for holding key zones.

Design Principles:

  • Calculated Chaos: Programmed movement mixed with unreliable components creates wild, cinematic results.
  • Strategic Scrapbuilding: Players must evaluate each part not just by function, but by risk, timing, and synergy.
  • Emergent Narrative: Each bot tells a story – a lopsided tank held together by a hope and a prayer, or a sleek but brittle glass cannon.

Endgame Structure:

  • Trigger: The game ends once a player reaches a scoring threshold.
  • Victory Condition: The player with the most accumulated points from holding hill zones wins.
  • Tiebreaker: Most functional parts remaining, then fewest total system failures.

Future Expansion Ideas:

  • Specialist Factions: Introduce asymmetrical player powers, such as bot tinkerers, speed junkies, or demolitionists.
  • Hazard Zones: Add lava pits, magnetic traps, or shifting arenas that further challenge programming precision.
  • Unique Arena Objectives: Scenarios with kingmaker relics, bot sacrifices, or time bombs for mid-game twists.