Deep in a quadrant of space thought to be empty, a virgin, unexplored planet has been discovered by three unique, powerful species. The resources of the planet are abundant beyond belief, but are protected greatly by the indigenous species, known as the Trogs. The riches of the planet will be earned, inch by inch, with blood.

Cry Havoc is an card-driven, asymmetric, area control game for 2-4 players. Each player controls one of the four different races and fights viciously to gather the most Crystals on the planet, which will more than offset the costs of the conflict. To do this, players must customize their decks, Build powerful Structures, and leverage their unique Skills to achieve victory. The indigenous Trogs play a unique role in Cry Havoc. In 2- and 3-player games, the Trogs are not controlled by a player, but they act as a deterrent to the invaders’ hostility. The start of the rules contains the explanation of how the Trogs act against the invading races during 2-3 player games. The rules for playing the Trogs in a 4-player game are listed at the end of the rulebook.

The game is won by the player with the majority Victory Points at the end of the game. The primary way to score Victory Points is by controlling Regions with Crystals during Rounds where Scoring is enabled. Victory Points are also scored for controlling territories, capturing Prisoners, killing enemy Units and performing certain Tactics or Skills.