In First Player and New Rule boxes, [TAG] is sometimes used to synthesize the text.
They are quite intuitive, and can be interpreted or modified in common agreement between the players, but here’s how they were originally thought (alphabetical order).
[Action]
Some board games have “Action Points”. However, this tag also includes the individual game actions, and therefore the tags [Test], [Move], [Combat]… In RPGs this tag refers to any “group” of actions with a single intent.
[Combat]
It indicates the action of fighting, whether it is a duel, a pitched battle or a galactic war.
[Damage]
Mainly present in fighting games and RPGs, it also includes wounds.
[Interaction]
It indicates an interaction – direct or indirect – that takes place between one or more players. Examples can be trading or stealing [Something] or doing an [Action] together or against each other.
[Move]
It’s the act by which you move or place your pawn/miniature/meeple/token.
[Score]
It concerns an element of play that contributes to the election of the winner. Most of it is therefore “Victory points”, but if a game requires that the player less injured wins, then it is “Life points”. In card games where you win by having less or more than the others, then it becomes a card to add or remove to the total. It could also be conquered territories on a board. In an RPG it can be coins, treasure or experience points, and so on…
[Something]
Literally. It can be a game resource, a victory point, a life point, an object in the game or in the real world, a stake decided in advance, a pledge or penance. Therefore it can include all the other tags, be careful!
[Resource]
It concerns an element of play that does not contribute to the election of the winner. It usually refers to board games resources such as wood, bricks, wool, coal, workers, or diplomacy points, ability or skill points, mana, etc.
[Treasure]
It is about items that are considered valuable, regardless of their final use in the game. So coins, contracts, possessions, chests, gems, relics, friendship… : D
[Test]
Can be ability tests, saving throws, trivial pursuit questions or spin the bottle penalties, depending on what you’re playing.
[Zone]
It refers to territories in conquest games (like Risk), or areas to move around, like Game of the Goose track spaces or Zombicide rooms.