There is a full color record/action sheet for each playable Gear which is used to track actions and damage using small counters.
Players deal cards from their hand to inflict damage, defend against attacks from the enemy, and cause various special effects.
These inserted cards were listed as optional and allowed the players to create special conditions for combat and execute different maneuvers.
Scott Haring reviewed Heavy Gear Fighter in Pyramid #14 (August, 1995), and stated that "Heavy Gear Fighter: Showdown in the Badlands is a quick, colorful, tactical card game of mecha combat.
The mecha in Heavy Gear aren't the titanic walking beasts of BattleTech or other games; they're a little smaller (a mere 15 feet or so tall), and have a terrific, lithe athletic look that the larger walking gun emplacements don't have.