Chasing the

Ace

a storytelling game of Mecha Drama

by Z.W. Garth
Chasing the
Ace
a storytelling game of Mecha Drama
by Z.W. Garth
Chasing the Ace is written by Z.W. Garth
Chasing the Ace, published Oct 2021
You can find Z.W. Garth on twitter @zwgarth
Find more games at http://zwgarth.itch.io
Inspired by and based on For the Queen, by Alex Roberts
For the Queen is published by Evil Hat Productions.
Find more at www.forthequeengame.com

Chasing the Ace uses the Dicier font by Speak the Sky,
licensed under CC BY 4.0
http://speakthesky.itch.io

This work is based on For the Queen

(found at http://
www.forthequeengame.com/), product of
Alex Roberts and Evil Hat Productions,
and licensed for our use under the
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Unported license (http://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
Instructions
Chasing the Ace is a storytelling game about what you do when the
person whose shadow you live in asks for your help. It’s a game
about finding success in war and beginning to question what that
means. Most of all, it’s a game about relationships.
In this game, each player takes on the role of a giant robot pilot in a
squadron. Over the course of play, you will learn about your
character, their history, and their relationships by answering prompts.
You will draw and answer random prompts to build the history of
these relationships. Unlike some roleplaying games, the majority of
the action is this game is in the past-tense–what happened that led
you to the point just of the final prompt’s question.

To play, you will need:

• This book
• A deck of regular playing cards
• 1 to 4 other friends
To start, separate the Ace of Spades from the deck of playing
cards. Shuffle the rest of the deck. Then, place the Ace of Spades
roughly in the center of the deck, or shuffle it into the bottom half of
the deck for a longer game.
Set the deck where everyone can reach it, then take turns reading
aloud from the next page before someone takes the first turn.
On your turn, take the book and draw a card from the deck.
Consult this book to find the appropriate prompt. Then, choose one
action:
1. Read the prompt aloud and answer it from your character’s
point of view. You can answer the question as simply or as
elaborately as you wish. After you’ve answered, other players
may ask you follow-up questions. Feel free to answer or not
answer these at your discretion. Once you’ve answered the
question to your satisfaction, pass the book to the next player
to indicate they can take their turn.
2. Pass the card and the book to the next player, saying “I’d like
to hear you answer this.”
3. X-Card the card, removing it from the game without it being
answered. Anyone may X-Card a card or prompt at any time,
for any reason. If your prompt is X-Carded, draw another.
Sometimes when you answer a card, it will ask you about things
the group hasn’t decided on yet. Build the world however it feels right
to you in that moment. Don’t overwrite anyone’s contributions, but
don’t be worried if things don’t quite line up. You can fill in the gaps
later, or chalk it up to conflicting points of view.
When the Ace of Spades is drawn, everyone should answer. Once
everyone has answered, the game ends.
The Story So Far…
For decades, humanity has been fighting a war of attrition
against giant, monstrous enemies known as Nephilim.

The Nephilim killed millions in their initial onslaught. From the

destruction, a paramilitary organization called Pyraemon rose.

With advanced technology, Pyraemon forged new weapons to

fight back against the Nephilim; massive machines in the
shape of humankind, called Echion.

We are Echion pilots in Pyraemon’s most decorated squadron,

lead by the greatest pilot of them all: the Ace.

Mission after mission, the Ace has led us to victory. Together

we have saved countless lives and turned the tide of the war.

But something has come over the Ace. Tonight they’re going to
steal their Echion from Pyraemon.

We don’t know why, but we know they’re about to do

something rash. Something reckless.

They’ve confided this secret in us, their squadron. They hope

that we will join them. With us, they say, they might succeed.

Their actions are treason, punishable by execution. Whether

they fail or succeed, everything we’ve fought for could be
thrown into chaos.

Come midnight, the Ace will make their move.

Will you stand by the Ace’s
side and fight like hell
together…
…or leave them to
face the consequences
of their treason alone?
 Diamonds
DIAMONDS TWO What frightens you most about the Echion you pilot?

Are you happy to remain in the Ace's shadow, or do

DIAMONDS THREE you resent them for it?

How do the other squadrons view ours? What are they

DIAMONDS FOUR missing from the picture?

What nickname does our squadron have? Who coined

DIAMONDS FIVE it?

What are sleeping conditions like for the squad? Who

DIAMONDS SIX hates it?

What is the name of the Ace's Echion? How did it get

DIAMONDS SEVEN that name?

DIAMONDS EIGHT What secret does the squad keep for the Ace?

What secret does the rest of the squad keep from the
DIAMONDS NINE Ace?

DIAMONDS TEN Why did you become an Echion pilot?

DIAMONDS JACK What small ritual do you perform before every mission?

How is your position in the squad different from the

DIAMONDS KING others'? How does the Ace treat you differently?

You think of someone in the squadron as the Ace's

DIAMONDS QUEEN "side-kick." Who? Why do you think that?

A part of you secretly does not want the war to end.

DIAMONDS ACE Why not?
 Clubs
The Ace risked a court martial once before. What did
CLUBS TWO they do that drew the anger of Pyraemon?

What rumor exists surrounding the Ace's prodigious

CLUBS THREE combat record?

Why do you believe the squad wouldn't survive without

CLUBS FOUR you?

What does Pyraemon claim you're fighting for? Is it

CLUBS FIVE what you fight for?

CLUBS SIX How do the Pyraemon higher-ups treat our squad?

What quiet moment with the Ace do you think about

CLUBS SEVEN often?

Everyone believes you are weak, but the Ace makes

CLUBS EIGHT you feel strong. Why?

Everyone believes you are strong, but the Ace makes

CLUBS NINE you feel weak. Why?

You transferred to this squad late. What struck you

CLUBS TEN most about how the Ace managed their squadron?

The Ace once asked you what you were loyal to. How
CLUBS JACK did you answer?

What is the most impressive part of the Ace's legend, in

CLUBS KING your eyes?

You once got into a fight with the Ace. What was it
CLUBS QUEEN over?

Where is the Ace waiting out the hours before

CLUBS ACE midnight?
 Hearts
HEARTS TWO What was the moment you swore to follow the Ace?

You once interrupted a meeting between the Ace and a

HEARTS THREE Pyraemon higher-up. What did you see that you
weren't supposed to?

HEARTS FOUR What mark has the Ace left on you?

A Pyraemon higher-up pulled you into their office to talk

HEARTS FIVE about the Ace. What did they have to say?

What's the worst situation you've ever gotten into

HEARTS SIX alongside the Ace?

What unflattering nickname has the Ace been given by

HEARTS SEVEN their critics?

What's the most frightened you've ever been on a

HEARTS EIGHT mission?

The Ace once embarrassed you in front of the rest of

HEARTS NINE the squadron. What happened?

The Ace's face has been plastered all over the 'net the
HEARTS TEN last few weeks. What is the context of this viral image?

HEARTS JACK What, in your eyes, makes the Ace weak?

What have you heard the Ace say that would get them
HEARTS KING court martialed if anyone else heard?

HEARTS QUEEN What unseemly rumor exists about Pyraemon?

HEARTS ACE Where are you waiting out the hours before midnight?
 Spades
You once bonded with the Ace over something unusual.
SPADES TWO What was it?

What about the Nephilim freezes you with fear, and

SPADES THREE how does the Ace handle it?

SPADES FOUR What's the hardest you've ever seen the Ace laugh?

What is something that people believe about the Ace

SPADES FIVE that isn't true? How do you know?

What surprising thing does the Ace keep in their

SPADES SIX Echion's cockpit?

What was the career-defining mission that earned the

SPADES SEVEN Ace their renown?

Why are you envious of the Ace? Why are you glad
SPADES EIGHT you're not them, anyway?

What is it about the Ace's smile that makes your blood

SPADES NINE boil?

SPADES TEN What has the Ace lost in the war with the Nephilim?

What would no civilians ever believe about the

SPADES JACK Nephilim, even if you told them?

SPADES KING What's the angriest you've ever seen the Ace?

SPADES QUEEN Why do you believe only the Ace can save humanity?

It is midnight. The Ace is about to do something

SPADES ACE reckless. What are you going to do?
You are the greatest mecha pilots the world has ever seen,
defending humanity against the mysterious enemy known as
Nephilim.
The leader of your squadron, the Ace, is renown for their skill,
wit, and luck. They have lead you out of hell more times than
you can count.
But tonight, they’re going to do something reckless. Their
actions are treason, punishable by execution. They are
going to change everything—for good or ill.
They’ve asked you for help. You only have a few hours
to decide.
What will you do?

a storytelling game of Mecha Drama

Descended from the Queen
Chasing the Ace is a Descended from the Queen game about
mecha pilots deciding whether or not they will follow their reckless
leader when they go all-in.
To play this game you will need this book, a deck of regular
playing cards, and one to four friends.

Chasing the Ace is written by Z. W. Garth.