Hotshots - Second Edition
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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
Someone yells 'one more die', someone begs to stop, someone counts the advancing flames. And when the forest burns, no one talks about who made a mistake.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
A team against the most unpredictable forest fire
Designed by Justin De Witt (author of Castle Panic) and published by Fireside Games in 2017, Hotshots brings to the table the experience of firefighters battling forest fires in North America. Each player takes on the role of a team member (crew boss, scout, pathfinder, chainsaw operator) with a unique special ability. The illustrations by Víctor Pérez Corbella make the tension of the advancing fire palpable.
On your turn, roll the dice trying to match the symbols on the burning tiles. The more faces you match, the more you reduce the fire. But if you fail to get at least three symbols, the fire grows. You can stop safely or risk one more roll to completely extinguish the tile. At the end of each turn, a fire card adds flames, changes the wind, or sparks new outbreaks. Eight completely burned tiles or the base camp in ashes and you've lost.
The secret of Hotshots
The most intense push-your-luck there is: every extra roll can extinguish the fire or burn the tile right out of your hands. You decide when enough is enough.
— The FroGames experience
Here, no one argues about who made a mistake: everyone yells at the dice together, and when the forest burns, you immediately ask for a rematch.
— The FroGames experience
Hotshots
The game includes official rules for solo play where you control one or more roles, without changing the basic rules. The experience is complete: the push-your-luck works great even alone, in fact the tension is even higher because every decision weighs only on you. It loses the collaborative discussion of the group, but gains in pure concentration.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews and game sessionsYour arsenal against the flames
What you have at your disposal to put out the inferno
Fire dice
Six custom dice with symbols to match the burning tiles. Each face is a tool to fight the fire: the more you match, the more the fire recedes. At least three symbols or the fire grows.
Support vehicles
Air tanker, helicopter, brush rig. Each allows you to maneuver on the board, save critical tiles, reach distant outbreaks. Use them at the right time or lose them in the chaos.
Plastic flame tokens
Good quality tokens that accumulate on the tiles. Too many on one tile and it burns forever. The visual presence on the table is devastating: you see the fire grow turn after turn.
Fire cards
Drawn at the end of the turn, they add flames, change wind direction, spark new fires. Each card is a micro-event that keeps the tension high.
Recommended sleeves 33 cards in 2 sizes ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting your cards with clear sleeves to make them last a long time.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 41 × 63 mm | 29 |
| 58 × 98 mm | 4 |
| Total cards | 33 |
In an hour you'll understand why firefighters have that look in their eyes. And you'll want to play again immediately.
A five-act game
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The catastrophe setup
Assemble the board with random tiles. Place the starting flames, choose roles. Someone reads special abilities aloud. It seems manageable. It will be for about three turns, then the forest truly begins to burn.
The first optimistic rolls
Turn one: you roll the dice, match four symbols, everyone applauds. Turn two: you match three symbols, the table discusses whether to continue. Turn three: you bust completely and a tile really catches fire. The tone changes.
Emergency management
Mid-game. The flames have spread, the wind has changed twice, someone has used a special ability to save the base camp. Now every decision is a calculation: cut a firebreak or risk one more roll? Maneuver the helicopter or save it for later? The discussion gets serious.
The legendary roll
A critical tile has too many flames. If it burns, you lose. Someone says 'I'll leave it to you.' You roll the dice: three correct symbols. You re-roll: two more. Last roll, one symbol is missing. The die rolls. It matches. The table explodes. This is the story you'll tell tomorrow.
Dirty victory or clear defeat
Either you extinguished the last flame with only one tile to spare, or the forest burned and someone is counting how many tiles you lost. In either case, reassemble the board immediately. This time it will be better. Spoiler: no.
How to play
The flow of each turn
Three linear phases, one brutal decision: when to stop.
Roll all six dice. Choose which ones to keep (those that match the symbols on the tile you are attacking) and which ones to re-roll. You can re-roll until you bust or decide to stop.
If you have matched at least three symbols, remove flame tokens based on how many you obtained. If you bust (fewer than three), add a flame token to the tile. Optionally use special abilities or vehicles to modify the result.
End of turn: draw a fire card. Add flames where indicated, change wind direction (embers fly and ignite new fires), activate special events. The fire doesn't wait.
If eight tiles are completely burned (scorched) or the base camp is scorched, the game ends in defeat. Otherwise, the turn passes to the next player.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Calibrated push-your-luck
It's not just 'roll and hope'. You have information: you know how many symbols you need, you see how many dice you've already kept, you calculate the probabilities. Risk is a choice, not blind chance. This makes it accessible but never trivial.
Narrative modular board
Each tile is a piece of forest, and the wall of fire moves with the wind. The stroke of genius is the scorch rule: a burned tile becomes a barrier that fire can no longer cross. Sometimes it's better to let it burn to save the rest.
Asymmetrical roles
Crew boss, spotter, swamper, sawyer: each has an ability that bends the basic rules. The spotter peeks at the next fire card in advance, other roles make certain dice symbols interchangeable. They change how you manage risk, they're not just decorations.
Plastic flame tokens
Good quality components that make the fire tangible on the table. Not cardboard tokens: small flames that accumulate on the tiles and watch you as they grow. The visual impact amplifies the tension.
Limited tactical vehicles
Air tanker, helicopter, brush rig: they are not infinite wildcards. They are positioned, moved, require planning. Using them too early means not having them at the end. Using them too late means watching them burn.
Devastating dynamic wind
Fire cards change the wind direction. When it changes, embers fly and ignite adjacent tiles in the indicated direction. A single gust can cause multiple fires to erupt simultaneously. The wind is the true invisible boss.
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
Two ways to lose, only one to win. The odds are not in your favor.
Cooperative victory
- Extinguish all active flames on the board: the fire is contained and the team wins together
- Exploit already burned (scorched) tiles as natural barriers to prevent the fire from spreading
- Coordinate firebreaks, vehicles, and role abilities to contain the front before eight tiles burn
Defeat
- Eight terrain tiles burn completely (scorch): too much forest lost
- The base camp tile burns: the team is cut off and the fire wins
- Push your luck too much: one failed roll after another and the flames spread beyond control
Hotshots is the cooperative game that makes you understand why calculated risk is never truly calculated. Every game is different, every roll counts, every victory is hard-won.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Hotshots
How hard is it to win?
Honestly, difficult. You'll probably lose your first game. The game requires coordination, risk management, and a bit of luck. The learning curve is quick (simple rules) but mastering the strategies (when to push, when to cut firebreaks, when to use vehicles) takes several games. The difficulty can be adjusted with more or less hostile variants.
Does it work well solo or do you need a group?
It works great solo, with the same rules as multiplayer. You control one or more roles and the push-your-luck decisions are even tenser because you have no one to share responsibility with. It loses the collaborative discussion (which is part of the fun in 3-4 players), but gains in pure concentration. Two players is perhaps the sweet spot: enough roles for variety, enough control to plan.
Do the dice ruin everything or is there control?
Dice are central but not arbitrary. You have control over: which dice to keep, how many times to re-roll, when to stop, which abilities to use, which tiles to attack. Luck can ruin a perfect plan, yes, but bad decisions ruin games more often than dice do. It's push-your-luck done right: you feel the weight of your choices.
How long does a game really last?
The box says 60 minutes and it's accurate. First game with rules explanation: 75-90 minutes. From the second game onwards: a consistent 45-60 minutes. The game has a natural rhythm that prevents analysis paralysis (the dice force you forward) but leaves room for discussing critical moves. It never drags on too long because you either win or burn everything down fairly quickly.
Is it available in Italian?
No, this edition is in English. The text on the fire cards is limited (symbols + brief indications) and the role abilities are few and clear. With a quick translated reference (easy to find online or to prepare) it is accessible even to those with basic English. Language dependence is low.
Hotshots is a cooperative board game for 1-4 players, 60 minutes duration, recommended age 10+. Designed by Justin De Witt (author of Castle Panic) and published by Fireside Games in 2017, with illustrations by Víctor Pérez Corbella, it combines push-your-luck mechanics with custom dice, a modular board, and collaborative risk management. Players are firefighters battling wildfires: each turn they roll dice attempting to match symbols to extinguish flames, but if they fail the fire grows. Fire cards add dynamic tension by changing the wind and igniting new blazes. Plastic flame tokens and asymmetrical roles make each game different. It scales perfectly from solo to group play. Available on FroGames.it.
Hotshots - Second Edition
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