Hotshots - A Cooperative Wildfire Fighting Game

Inferno Expansion Deep Dive: Civilians 🔥
4 months ago – Tue, May 26, 2026 at 08:47:30 AM

With just over a week left of the campaign, we’re approaching $200,000 funding. We’re incredibly grateful for all the love Hotshots has been receiving, and we can’t wait to get the game in your hands.

One of our favorite parts of this campaign has been hearing stories from the original release of Hotshots. With the second edition’s updates, added depth, and new mechanics, we’re excited to see the new stories that emerge around the table. Especially with everything the Inferno Expansion brings to the game.

So far, we’ve explored the new Fire Season campaign, characters and their abilities, and two new vehicles. Today, we’re taking a closer look at Civilians.

Inferno Expansion: Civilians

🚨 One of the ideas that came up after the original release of Hotshots was including people that needed to be rescued from the fire.

While actual wildfire rescues are rare, evacuations are common. If authorities are unsure whether an area has been cleared, it still needs to be explored.

That’s the approach behind the new Civilians system in the Inferno Expansion. 🔥

During setup, Civilian tokens are placed facedown across the map. When a Hotshot reaches one, the token is revealed:
🧍 Individuals
👥 Groups
❓ False Reports

False Report tokens are discarded when revealed. They cost valuable time and provide no bonus.

Individuals and Groups must be evacuated before it’s too late. If a Hotshot reaches a Civilian on a tile that is NOT burning, they are successfully evacuated. Individuals are simply discarded, but evacuating a Group rewards your team with a Reward token.

If civilians are still on a tile when it Scorches, they increase the game’s Scorch Limit, pushing the odds even further against your team. Individuals count as 1 additional Scorch, while Groups count as 2.

Prioritizing rescues becomes a key strategy in Inferno. Civilians can completely change:
🧑‍🚒 where your team moves
🪓 where firebreaks are placed
🚒 how vehicles are used
🔥 and which risks are worth taking

With smart strategy and a little luck, your crew can now save more than just the forest.

🎨 One more thing!

Last week, we asked what color you’d prefer for the magnetic tile frames included in the Deluxe Editions. Forest Green won the poll, but we saw lots of comments suggesting other options, so we wanted to run it one more time and see where everyone really stands.

Inferno Expansion Deep Dive: New Vehicles 🚒
4 months ago – Fri, May 22, 2026 at 08:26:15 AM

Last update, we introduced the new Inferno characters joining the Hotshots crew. Today, creator Justin De Witt is taking us deeper into the expansion with two powerful new vehicles designed to help your team battle the blaze in entirely new ways. 🌲

Both vehicles begin at the Air Attack Base, ready to roll out when your crew needs them most.

🚛 The Water Tender
The Water Tender is a massive support truck capable of bringing water and assistance directly to the front lines. It can be deployed onto nearly any tile (except for the Lake, River, Rocky Terrain and Dense Brush), allowing the player to move with it and immediately fight the fire when they arrive.

Once positioned, the Water Tender remains on that tile for the rest of the game, providing 1 Support to any player fighting fires there. This can become a critical anchor point for your crew as the fire spreads across the forest.

But be careful. If the tile Scorches, the Water Tender is removed along with it. 🔥

🏍️ The ATV
Fast, flexible, and built for rapid response, the ATV helps Hotshots move quickly across the board. Any player using the ATV can move 1 additional tile beyond their normal movement range, making it especially powerful in the hands of the Line Scout.

The ATV can also transport another Character, allowing your crew to reposition teammates exactly where they’re needed most. It cannot move through burning tiles, and like the Water Tender, it remains in play until the tile it occupies Scorches.

The increased mobility and support from these 2 new vehicles are powerful new tools in your battle against the fire. Use them wisely to give your team the edge it needs to save the forest.

Inferno doesn’t just add more content to Hotshots. It changes the way your team approaches the entire fire line, opening up new strategies, tougher decisions, and unforgettable moments on the fireground. 🔥

Inferno Expansion Deep Dive: New Characters 🧑‍🚒
4 months ago – Wed, May 20, 2026 at 12:47:20 PM

The Hotshots: Inferno Expansion introduces new characters, new vehicles, and entirely new ways to battle the blaze. 🚒🌲

One of the biggest requests we’ve seen since launch has been for more details on Inferno... so today, creator Justin De Witt is bringing us into the fire…

Inferno introduces 4 new Characters to the Hotshots team, each inspired by real wildfire crew roles and designed to open up entirely new strategies.

💧 The Packer
The Packer carries a backpack pump and specializes in manipulating dice rolls, similar to Sawyer and Swamper from the base game. They can swap Helmets and Hoses thanks to their access to water, giving your team more flexibility when supplies get tight. Their home tile is the Water Station.

🪓 The Lead Pulaski
The Lead Pulaski is a veteran firefighter focused on cutting firebreaks. Whenever the Lead Pulaski rolls a success, they can place an additional firebreak. One good roll can dramatically slow the fire’s advance and reshape the board. Their home tile is the Meal Tent.

👣 The Line Scout
Built for mobility and rapid response, the Line Scout can move up to 3 spaces instead of 2. They can also pass through a burning tile, letting them quickly reach even the farthest fires before they spiral out of control. Their home tile is the Command Trailer.

✈️ The Air Attack Officer
The Air Attack Officer calls in fire-retardant foam drops to prevent flames from spreading. This specialist starts with two foam tokens that can be placed on any non-burning tile. When a flame token would be placed, the foam token cancels the flame and is returned to the Air Attack Officer to be used again. Their home tile is the Radio Trailer.

Every role is useful, but deciding which tile to use your ability on and when is a key strategy.

These new Characters add an entirely new layer of teamwork and tactical planning to Hotshots, especially when the fire starts getting out of hand. 🔥

And this is only a glimpse into Inferno...

Next update, we’ll look at new vehicles! 🚒👀