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Play cards (phase)
Play cards from your hand correctly and resolve their effects.
Revolver is a game of hand management — just because you can play a card, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. Play your cards conservatively, laying down the minimum Firepower cards you think you can get away with. Choose your battles. As a rule of thumb, if the only cards you have in your hand are the ones you drew on your turn, you’re likely to lose.
Check criteria
Before you play a card you must check against these criteria to make sure that your play is allowed.
Cost to play the card
Many cards can only be played at a cost — where this is the case, the cost of the card is indicated by icons in the left border of the card. This usually means you must discard other cards, but if you are using expansions then there are other possible costs too.
To check the meanings of icons and the costs and effects they represent, see Icons and tokens.
Battlefield restriction
Unless the text on the card states otherwise, you may only place cards at the current battlefield (that is, the Battlefield card that has the Turn Marker on it at the moment). Imagine there is a column below and above each battlefield where the cards are placed in rows.
Row limits at the battlefield
As the Colty Gang player you are limited to a maximum of three rows in which to place a Firepower card at each battlefield. Once you have placed three Firepower cards at a battlefield you may not place any more there unless you:
- Remove one of the Firepower cards you already placed.
- Use a card which states a special exception to this limit (such as 1866 Double Barrel Derringer).
The Colonel McReady player has no such limit!
The three-card limit affects only Firepower cards — the Colty Gang player can still play other card types as normal.
As the Colonel McReady player you may place up to two Row-Blocking cards in the playing area of the Colty Gang player. These cards count towards the Colty Gang player's three-card limit at that battlefield.
However, you can't place a Row-Blocking card at a battlefield that already contains three Colty Gang Firepower cards.
Play and resolve
If your intended play meets all criteria then you may proceed with your play and resolve the effects.
You may play as many cards as you have available (one at a time), as long as you meet all the criteria with each play (and subject to the effects of other cards already in play).
To play the card, announce it by name and place it face up in the appropriate part of the playing area, then resolve any effects.
Effects
Many cards have special rules described in their text. Unless the text on the card states differently, effects are applied immediately when the card is played, and only at the current Battlefield.
The 'Come into play effect' icon 
on Firepower cards tells you to do this action once when the card is placed from your
hand at a battlefield. Always follow the text on the card and perform the action at maximum
possible effect.
If you need to check the meaning of an icon in the game, see Icons and tokens
Persistence
'One-shot effect' cards are discarded after their effects are resolved.
Other cards remain in play at a battlefield and stay there for the rest of the game — they may not be moved to another battlefield, unless:
- You choose to discard one of your own Firepower cards in play at the current battlefield and put it into the discard pile.
- You play a card that specifically says that you may move a card to another Battlefield or discard it.
- Cards are destroyed/discarded/moved by your opponent's play.
Discarded cards are placed face-up on the discard pile, and you or your opponent may review the pile at any time.
The Sandstorm card is unusual. It is a 'One-shot effect' card but the effect is ongoing — so it remains in play.
Examples
The Colty Gang player wishes to play "Fire at will, boys" to remove a Buffalo Stampede at Buzzard Point. The cost for "Fire at will, boys" is zero, so he does not have to discard another card. The horde of buffalo is despatched! Place "Fire at will, boys" on the discard pile.
The Colty Gang player wants to play a Gatling Gun card at the 3:15 Express from Rattlesnake Creek Station battlefield. The cost of the Gatling Gun is two cards, so the Colty Gang player must discard two other cards from his hand. Having done this, the Gatling Gun card fills a firepower row on his side of the current battlefield and remains in play.
Related information