The Ludarium Academy · Full course · Free

Hot Laps

An unofficial Heat: Pedal to the Metal course

Learn Heat, teach it in ten minutes, and take every corner knowing exactly what your engine can afford.

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Heat: Pedal to the Metal setup: the game board with cars on the starting grid behind the finish line, a corner with its Speed Limit and Corner Line, the track info and Hall of Fame; the Stress reserve and a hand of 7 cards beside it; and a player mat with the face-down draw deck, 6 Heat cards on the Engine, an empty discard pile, and the Gear pawn in 1st gear.Free printable teach sheetSetup, a turn, scoring, and three tips on one page.

Five levels, 18 lessons

Start with lesson one

  1. Level 0 · Learn to play

    Pit Crew

    After this level: Set up, teach, and race a full game, paying every corner, Boost, and spin out by the rules without opening the booklet.

    1. 01How to Play Heat: Pedal to the Metal
    2. 02How to Teach Heat: Pedal to the Metal
    3. 03Heat Corners Explained: Speed Limits, Heat, and Spin Outs

  2. Level 1 · Beginner

    Rookie

    After this level: Get through the first lap without a spin out, keep a hand that still works, and add the box's modules one at a time.

    1. 04Your First Three Races of Heat
    2. 05Heat Openings: Planning the First Lap
    3. 06Heat Hand Management: Seven Cards, Three Rounds Ahead
    4. 07Heat Player Counts, Modules, and Expansions

  3. Level 2 · Intermediate

    Racer

    After this level: Time your cooldowns, slipstream through corners, draft upgrades that fit the track, beat Legends, and empty your engine on the final lap.

    1. 08The Heat Midgame: Cooldowns, Slipstream, and Tempo
    2. 09Heat Garage Draft: How to Pick Upgrade Cards
    3. 10Racing Legends: Solo Heat and How to Beat the Bots
    4. 11Heat Endgame: The Final Lap and Championship Math

  4. Level 3 · Advanced

    Ace

    After this level: Put odds on every Boost, plan a lap corner by corner, drive the weather, and predict where your rivals will land.

    1. 12Heat Odds: What Boost and Stress Really Cost
    2. 13Reading a Heat Track: Plan the Lap Before the Flag
    3. 14Heat Weather and Road Conditions: Racing the Conditions
    4. 15Reading Your Rivals in Heat: Predict Where Every Car Lands

  5. Level 4 · Tournament ready

    Front Row

    After this level: Race a full table under Tournament Mode with drafted upgrades and weather, and follow a practice plan to your first event.

    1. 16Competitive Heat: Tournaments and Online Play
    2. 17Heat Tournament Mode: Gear and Cards as One Decision
    3. 18A Practice Plan for Tournament Heat

Every lesson is free to read here, any time. Sign up and they also arrive by email, one at a time, so the course keeps you learning between game nights.

Who it is for

  • New drivers who want the nine steps of a round clear before the first race.
  • Hosts who teach Heat to family, friends, or a new group.
  • Players who keep spinning out, or keep finishing with Heat they never used.
  • Anyone curious about the Championship, Legends, expansions, and tournament play.
Players
1 to 6
Play time
About 60 minutes
Ages
Ages 10 and up
Rules as of
Heat: Pedal to the Metal Rules v1.1 and Advanced Play and Championship System Rules v1.1 (Days of Wonder)

Questions

How do you win Heat: Pedal to the Metal?

Be the first car to cross the finish line after the number of laps shown on the board. If several cars finish in the same round, the car furthest ahead wins. Side by side, the car on the Spot closer to the Race Line wins.

What happens if you take a corner too fast in Heat?

You pay 1 Heat from your Engine for every point your Speed is over the corner's Speed Limit. If you cannot pay it all, you spin out: you move back before the corner, take Stress cards, and drop to 1st gear.

Does slipstreaming count toward your Speed in a corner?

No. Slipstream moves you 2 extra Spaces, but it never adds to your Speed when you check a corner. Boost and the Adrenaline extra Space do count.

Can you play Heat solo?

Yes. The Legends module in the base box gives you automated rival cars run by a small deck of cards. You race against them alone, or add them to a small group.

How does the Championship mode work in Heat?

You race a season of 3 or 4 races, improving your car with one new Upgrade card before each race. Event cards, weather, and sponsors change every race, and Championship points from the Hall of Fame decide the season.

Teach sheet · PDF · Rules as described in the Heat: Pedal to the Metal Rules v1.1 and Advanced Play and Championship System Rules v1.1 (Days of Wonder); official rules.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with Days of Wonder or Asmodee. Heat: Pedal to the Metal is a trademark of Days of Wonder.