Duel of Meloch puts a Scythe player against an Expeditions player on a ten-location map. Each brings the basic action system of their own game, while a shared Triumph Track supplies the win condition: first to place four stars. This walkthrough focuses on the changes that make the duel work. Keep the two included rule summaries, the Duel rulebook and its appendix handy for faction and card details.

Set up the shared map

1. Choose either side of the double-sided playmat, with the popularity and power track facing the Scythe player. Put resources, coins and workers nearby.
2. Randomize nine map tokens and put one face down on each of the six indicated locations. Put two face-up corruption tokens on each of the six marked locations.
3. Choose either side of the Triumph Track. Shuffle the new 60-card Duel combat deck. Do not use original Scythe combat cards in a Duel of Meloch game.
4. Shuffle the Factory cards and place two face down beside the board. Shuffle encounter cards; shuffle discovery cards and reveal one on each lake. Shuffle Meloch cards and place a revealed card between players with random orientation, with no initial benefit.

Existing Scythe Factory/encounter cards and Expeditions discovery cards can be mixed in subject to the rulebook’s redraw exceptions. For a first game, the contained decks keep setup simpler. Airships from The Wind Gambit and the Expeditions corrupted mech were not designed for this duel.

Set up each side

The Scythe player chooses a faction mat and player mat, receives matching pieces, starting values and six stars, and begins with two workers on the territories adjacent to their home base. Objective cards are omitted. The Expeditions player chooses a mech mat and matching mech, a character/companion pair and starting resources; they receive four stars and a Power Dial. The Expeditions player takes the first turn. Follow the included side-specific summaries for all other starting steps and any component substitutions from older sets.

What happens on a turn?

Each side continues to use its underlying game’s rules unless the Duel rulebook changes them. Scythe selects a legal player-mat section and may resolve its top and bottom actions in order. Expeditions uses its card and mech action system. The Duel’s additions give the Expeditions side a Power Dial and access to combat cards, while some Scythe cards and encounters grant Refresh or Sweep benefits. The two sides read different features on the same locations: Scythe ignores Gather benefits and corruption; Expeditions ignores Factory and terrain icons.

Map tokens illustrate the asymmetry. The Scythe character treats one as an encounter and ignores its printed bonus; the Expeditions mech stops at an unexplored token, takes its secret bonus and reveals that location without adding fresh corruption. An Expeditions mech may cross rivers but cannot use Scythe tunnels or enter lakes. Check the printed rules for each side’s full movement exceptions.

When can combat happen?

Sharing a location alone does not trigger it. The Expeditions player may choose to fight instead of vanquishing corruption when they gain a Vanquish benefit in a location with a Scythe character or mech. The Scythe player may choose to engage after ending a movement action with a combat unit on the Expeditions mech’s location. Combat, encounter/map resolution and the Factory occur in that order when relevant.

Both sides secretly set up to seven power on their dials and may add combat cards. Scythe can normally add up to one card per participating character and mech; the Expeditions side has one mech and thus at most one. Reveal, total the values and apply card effects in the rulebook’s order. The higher result wins; attacker wins a tie unless a card changes it. The loser retreats units on that location to home base, leaving Scythe resources behind. Spending at least one power via dial or card gives the loser a replacement combat card. The winner may claim an available combat category star.

How are stars placed?

Both sides compete for spaces on the double-sided Triumph Track. Read the requirement printed on your side; a category accepts only one star in the standard duel. Scythe claims a qualifying empty space as soon as its condition is met. Expeditions generally needs a Boast benefit to claim an already-completed requirement. Winning combat is its exception: the Expeditions player places an available combat star immediately.

Whenever your opponent places their first, second or third star, draw a Meloch card, choose its orientation and cover half of the prior card; gain the benefits facing you as directed. Your own star thus gives the other side a response. The fourth star wins instantly. There is no additional final scoring step or automatic win for collecting the most coins.

Common teaching mistakes

• Combat trigger: the figures can share a space without immediately battling. Check the Scythe movement-end or Expeditions Vanquish condition.
• Boast timing: a completed Expeditions requirement does not normally place itself. Plan the Boast, except for a combat win.
• Card decks: replace old Scythe combat cards with the 60 Duel cards in this game; those new cards also have a discard-for-benefit use outside combat.
• Parent-game habits: four contested Triumph stars end this game. Ordinary Scythe six-star final wealth and Expeditions end scoring do not apply here.

Continue: Game overview · Rules and setup · Strategy and tips · Compatibility with Scythe and Expeditions · Solo Automa.

Rules sources

Sources and scope: Stonemaier Games product and component list · Stonemaier’s 2026 multiplayer rulebook (publisher-authored PDF, retailer-hosted copy) · Publisher rules and FAQ page. Checked October 4, 2026. Strategy is editorial analysis of the published rules, not a claim of firsthand playtesting.