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Black Hats

Black Hats

(Self-Published) · 2025
245–75 min14+ yrs2.5/5 complexity9.0 BGG#23.044 BGG13CouplesStrategy
short answer

How do you play Black Hats?

Black Hats is a head-to-head, tactical board game with a deckbuilding component to boot. Players take turns commanding their VR hackers (called runners) or playing executable cards to support them from a custom-built cyberdeck.

To find the best price for Black Hats, howtoplay.ro compares deals from Romanian shops every day.

Black Hats box art
official art · (Self-Published)

Black Hats is a head-to-head, tactical board game with a deckbuilding component to boot. Players take turns commanding their VR hackers (called runners) or playing executable cards to support them from a custom-built cyberdeck. Your cyberdeck allows you to hack the hex board upon which you play.

There are 24 runners, 20 rigs, and 45 unique executable cards to choose from in deck building, allowing you to craft a strategy that feels unique to you and your crew. Rigs provide a runner with a stat line and potentially an ability, but every runner has their own signature active and passive ability. There is a huge amount of experimentation and re-playability to be enjoyed!

The tactical core of the game revolves around the hacking mechanic. The network is divided by connecting groups of same-colored hexes into "subnets," but both players can change the color of any space at any time with their cards, reshaping the board as you play. An enemy that sits across the board may be absolutely unreachable or just a single space away and, if you can outsmart your opponent, you control which.

Forget about range, cover, and terrain - on this virtual battlefield you trade trenches for subnets and fire support for executable cards. The battles on the network aren't fought with soldiers, they're fought with runners.

Hire your crew, customize your cyberdeck, and hack your way to an early retirement. This is Black Hats!

—description from the designer

game anatomy
Complexity2.5 / 5
BGG rating9.0 / 10
Vibe
CouplesStrategy
Language dependence
Moderate text — a crib sheet helps
Play time
45–75 min
Players
2
Recommended age
14+ yrs
BGG rank
#23.044
from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1How much does Black Hats cost?
No store is currently tracking Black Hats. Check the Prices tab — you can set a price alert to be notified when it appears.
Q2Where can I buy Black Hats cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q3How do you play Black Hats?
Black Hats is a card game game, for 2 players, taking ~45–75 minutes, featuring deck construction. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about Black Hats — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q4How many players does Black Hats support?
Black Hats is played by 2 players.
Q5How long does a game of Black Hats take?
A game of Black Hats takes about 45–75 minutes. (The first game doesn't count. It never counts.)
Q6What age is Black Hats for?
Black Hats is recommended from age 14.
Q7How complex is Black Hats?
Black Hats has a BoardGameGeek complexity of 2.5 out of 5.
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