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 forest's most unpredictable fire
Designed by Justin De Witt and published by Fireside Games in 2017, Hotshots brings to the table the experience of firefighters battling wildfires in North America. Each player takes on the role of a team member (crew boss, scout, sawyer, vastra, engine boss) with unique special abilities. The illustrations by Marie Bergeron, Víctor Pérez Corbella, Jeremy Mohler, and Chris Quilliams make the tension of the advancing fire palpable.
On your turn, roll 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 another roll to completely extinguish the tile. At the end of each turn, a fire card adds flames, changes the wind, and causes new outbreaks. Eight fully burned tiles or the base camp in ashes and you've lost.
What they say abroad
The forest is lost, but the memories of shouting at dice remain.
The forest is lost, but the memories of shouting at dice remain.
— FroGames
Every roll is a negotiation between hope and mathematics.
Every roll is a negotiation between hope and mathematics.
— FroGames
Hotshots
The game includes official solo rules where you control one or more roles. 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 obviously loses the collaborative discussion of the group, but gains in pure concentration.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews and play sessionsYour arsenal against the flames
What you have to put out the inferno
Fire dice
Six custom dice with symbols to match the tiles. Each face represents an action (water, foam, pickaxe, shovel, chainsaw, helicopter). The more you match, the more the fire recedes.
Support vehicles
Air tanker, helicopter, brush rig. Each allows you to maneuver on the board, save critical tiles, extinguish distant outbreaks. Use them at the right moment or lose them in the chaos.
Acrylic flame tokens
Premium components that accumulate on tiles. Too many on one tile and it burns forever. The visual presence on the table is devastating: you see the fire grow.
Fire cards
Drawn at the end of the turn, they add flames, change wind direction, and cause new fires. Each card is a micro-narrative 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 longer.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 41 × 63 mm | 29 |
| 58 × 98 mm | 4 |
| Total cards | 33 |
In an hour, you'll understand why firefighters have that look. And you'll want to play again right away.
A five-act game
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The catastrophe setup
Assemble the board with random tiles. Place initial flames, choose roles. Someone reads special abilities aloud. It seems manageable. It will be for about three turns, then the forest really starts to burn.
The first optimistic rolls
First turn: you roll the dice, match four symbols, everyone applauds. Second turn: you match three symbols, the table discusses whether to continue. Third turn: you completely bust and a tile really catches fire. The tone changes.
Emergency management
Mid-game. Flames have spread, the wind has changed twice, someone has burned a special ability to save the base camp. Now every decision is a calculation: cut firebreaks or risk one more roll? Maneuver the helicopter or save tokens for later? The discussion gets serious.
The legendary roll
A critical tile has five flame tokens. If it burns, you lose. Someone says 'I'll let you do it'. You roll the dice: three correct symbols. You re-roll: two more. Last roll, one symbol missing. The die rolls. It matches. The table erupts. This is the story you'll tell tomorrow.
Dirty victory or clear defeat
Either you put out the last flame with only one tile to spare, or the forest has burned and someone is counting how many tiles you lost. In both cases, reset 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 as many times as you want until you bust or decide to stop.
If you've matched at least three symbols: remove flame tokens based on how many you matched. 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 the wind direction (embers fly and start new fires), activate special events. The fire doesn't wait.
If eight tiles are completely scorched or the base camp is scorched, the game ends in defeat. Otherwise, pass the turn 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 probabilities. Risk is a choice, not blind chance. This makes it accessible but never trivial.
Modular narrative board
Each tile is not just a tile: it's a type of terrain (forest, grassland, hill) with unique effects. Some amplify the fire, others protect adjacent tiles. Losing the wrong tile changes the game's dynamic. The setup already tells a story.
Essential asymmetric roles
Crew boss, spotter, swamper, sawyer: each has an ability that breaks the basic rules in a specific way. These are not decorative powers: they change your approach to risk. The swamper can re-roll extra dice, the sawyer cuts more efficient firebreaks.
Premium acrylic flame tokens
High-quality components that make the fire tangible on the table. They are not cardboard markers: they are small transparent orange flames that accumulate and watch you as they grow. The visual impact amplifies the tension.
Limited tactical vehicles
Air tanker, helicopter, brush rig: these are not infinite jokers. Each has limited tokens, is positioned, moved, requires planning. Using them too early means not having them at the end. Using them too late means watching them burn.
Dynamic devastating 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 three fires to explode 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
- Completely extinguish all flames on the board before eight tiles burn completely
- The fire card deck runs out and there are still enough non-scorched tiles
- You manage to protect the base camp and contain the fire using firebreaks and vehicles perfectly
Defeat
- Eight terrain tiles burn completely (scorch) — too much forest lost
- The base camp tile burns completely — the team is cut off
- You run out of available flame tokens in the general supply (optional hardcore variant)
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) requires several games. The difficulty can be calibrated by choosing more or less hostile setups.
Does it work well solo or do you need a group?
It works great solo. You control one or more roles, and the push-your-luck decisions are even tenser because you have no one to share the responsibility with. You obviously lose the collaborative discussion (which is part of the fun in 3-4 players), but you gain 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?
The 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 spoil a perfect plan, yes, but bad decisions spoil 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 overstays its welcome 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 make yourself), it is accessible even to those with school-level English. Language dependency is low.
Hotshots is a cooperative board game for 1-4 players, lasting 60 minutes, recommended for ages 10+. Designed by Justin De Witt and published by Fireside Games, the game 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 wind and igniting new fires. Premium components (acrylic flame tokens, detailed illustrations) and asymmetric roles make every game different. Scales perfectly from solo to group play. Available on FroGames.it.
Hotshots - Second Edition
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