Unmatched: Stars and Stripes
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Rosie makes the floor tremble with her mech. John Henry raises his hammer. Washington studies the map while Doc Holliday aims his gun. Soon someone will fall. And you'll discover you barely knew American history.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
When American folklore becomes a combat arena
Unmatched: Stars and Stripes brings the myths of US history to the field: Rosie the Riveter in a WWII mechanical suit, John Henry with his hammer symbolizing the civil rights struggle, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday hunting for justice in the Wild West, George Washington and the Culper Spy Ring in the midst of pre-presidential intelligence. Designed by Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson and the Restoration Games team (with contributions from contest community), illustrated by The Brave Union.
At the table, you manage your hero's unique deck: each card dictates movement, attack, or tactical scheme. Line of sight, distance, asymmetric powers: each character plays differently from the others. The double-sided board places you at the White House or the Alamo, with obstacles, sightlines, and positions that change everything. The winner is whoever takes down their opponents or survives to the last.
What they say abroad
"Unmatched is chess with personality and chaos, where every fighter tells a different story every game."
Unmatched is chess with personality and chaos, where every fighter tells a different story every game.
— Meeple Mountain
Stars and Stripes celebrates American folklore without rhetoric: each hero brings mechanics that tell who they really were, not just who we remember. A small history lesson inside a great tactical game.
— FroGames
Unmatched: Stars and Stripes
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and game sessionsThe heroes on the field
Five legends, five ways to win
Rosie the Riveter
WWII mech suit: heavy movement, devastating short-range attacks. Sacrifices mobility for brute force. When she arrives, she demolishes.
John Henry
The hammer that beats the machine: every blow counts double if you know when to strike it. Timing and fatigue management. Symbol of civil resistance.
Wyatt Earp & Doc Holliday
Wild West duo: Earp controls the field, Holliday strikes fast. You play two heroes with tactical synergies: double deck, double threat.
George Washington & Culper Ring
Pre-revolution espionage: hidden information, traps, territorial control. Win by knowing what others will do before they do it.
Recommended Sleeves 125 cards in 1 size ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting the cards with transparent sleeves to make them last longer.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 63 × 88 mm | 125 |
| Total cards | 125 |
Come si gioca
Video dimostrativo di gameplay.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each turn
Unmatched is fast-paced: one action per turn, then it's the other player's turn. No complex phases, everything flows smoothly.
You start by drawing one card from your deck or performing a special maneuver (depending on the hero). Fill your hand up to the allowed limit.
Movement or attack (or tactical scheme). Each card tells you what you can do: how many spaces you move, how much damage you deal, what conditions you activate. Opponents can respond with defense cards if they have any.
Compare attack/defense values, apply the hero's unique powers. Subtract health if the hit lands. Some heroes have triggers that activate after damage (vengeance, counterattack, traps).
The next player starts. No downtime: you decide while others play, so when it's your turn, you're ready. Fast games even with 3-4 players.
⏱️Your first gameMoment by moment account▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Setup and first moves
Choose your hero, read the three key cards of the deck. Everyone places their miniatures in opposite corners of the board. Cautious first steps: nobody wants to waste good cards right away, but nobody wants to give away position. Studio-like silence.
First clashes and bluffs
Someone advances too much. Someone else plays a weak attack card to test defenses. It's immediately clear who knows their deck and who is improvising. The miniatures get closer, tension rises.
The tactical turning point
A player reveals the hidden combo of their hero: Rosie breaks through a wall with her mech, Washington places a spy where no one expects it, John Henry hits twice in a row. The table erupts: "I didn't know he could do that!". Someone loses half their health in one turn.
Emergency management
Those under pressure burn their last strong cards to survive. Those ahead calculate: finish now or play safe? The deck thins, options decrease. Every card drawn can be salvation or nothing.
The final blow
Someone falls. The miniature leaves the board. The winner immediately challenges: "Change hero, another game". The loser wants a rematch with a character they haven't tried yet. No one leaves the table after just one game.
🐸Good to know beforeThree honest things, from friends▼
Good to know before
Three things that change the experience
Learning curve per deck
Each hero has unique mechanics written on the cards. The first game with a new character is exploration: you read, you try, you discover combos mid-match. Those who always play the same hero dominate those who change every time. It's not a flaw, it's the design: you either accept the asymmetry of knowledge or you play mirror matches.
The draw decides in key moments
You manage your hand, but you don't control the draw order. Sometimes you find yourself with all defenses when offense is needed, or vice versa. You can mitigate this (some cards draw extra, others cycle the deck), but the luck factor remains. If you're looking for pure tactics without variance, this isn't it.
Balance not guaranteed at 3-4 players
The game is designed for 1v1. It works with 3-4 players (free-for-all or 2v2), but political dynamics matter more than the deck: who you attack, who you ignore, who you help. Some heroes dominate chaos, others struggle. If you want pure competitiveness, play with 2 players.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
Victory and elimination
Unmatched is direct combat: the winner is whoever is left standing or whoever defeats all others.
Victory conditions
- Reduce all opposing heroes' health points to zero
- Survive when all others are eliminated (multiplayer games)
- Complete the special objective (some scenario variants include this)
Elimination
- Your health points reach zero: you are out of the match
- Run out of your deck and have no more cards to play (rare, but possible)
- Voluntarily concede (in casual games, if the situation is irrecoverable)
It's not a game about American history. It's a game where history becomes tactics, and where each hero tells who they were through how they fight. Restoration Games understood this better than anyone else.
💬Frequently asked questionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently asked questions
FAQ on Unmatched: Stars and Stripes
Can I mix heroes from different Unmatched sets?
Yes, that's the strength of the line. Stars and Stripes is compatible with all other Unmatched sets: Jurassic Park, Buffy, Robin Hood, Cobble & Fog, whoever. Same game system, balance designed to work cross-set. You can put Rosie against a velociraptor or Washington against Sherlock Holmes.
How long does a 1v1 game last?
20-30 minutes if both players know the decks, up to 40 if one of them is playing with that hero for the first time. 3-4 player games are longer (free-for-all can reach 60 minutes), but the pace remains fast because turns are quick.
Are the characters balanced against each other?
Restoration Games works on cross-balancing, but it is not symmetrical. Some heroes dominate certain matchups and struggle in others: Rosie excels in close combat but suffers from kiting, Washington controls information but lacks brute force. There isn't a single tier list: it depends on the player, the board, and knowledge of the opponent's deck.
What mechanics does Unmatched: Stars and Stripes use?
Hand management, card play conflict resolution, variable player powers, point-to-point movement, line of sight. Light action point system (one card = one action), card-vs-card combat resolution, asymmetric powers written on the decks. If you know other Unmatched games, it's the same engine.
Is it available in Italian?
No, Stars and Stripes is in English. Card texts (attack names, effects), rulebook in English. Required level: intermediate (you need to read each card to understand combos and unique powers). Currently, there are no official Italian localizations for this set.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Unmatched: Stars and Stripes is a competitive asymmetric tactical combat game for 2-4 players, lasting 20-40 minutes, recommended for ages 9+. Designed by Rob Daviau and Justin D. Jacobson for Restoration Games, it brings Rosie the Riveter, John Henry, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and George Washington into duels where each hero has a unique deck and asymmetric powers. Mechanics: hand management, line of sight, tactical movement, card-versus-card combat. Double-sided board (White House and Alamo), miniatures, full compatibility with all other Unmatched sets. Available on FroGames.it.
Unmatched: Stars and Stripes
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
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📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
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