Arcane Legions
Arcane Legions Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Overview
The game begins in the year 37 B.C.E., five years after the Night of Mists swept over the world. The three mightiest armies ever assembled have met on the field of battle, and humanity has been thrust into a massive war unlike anything it has ever known.
This game is an epic-scale, strategic combat simulation in which players command hundreds of miniatures on the table at a time. It is designed for two to six players ages 14 and up.
Throughout the rulebook there are links to www.arcanelegions.com/videos, which offers instructional videos and helpful hints that can make the game easier to understand.
Figures, Bases & Unit Cards
The figures in this game are 25mm scale, and each figure comes attached to a small stand, or "footpad," that displays the figure's collector number and has a number of pegs protruding from its base.
To keep track of all the figures in your army, you'll divide them into groups and fit them into bases, which contain holes for the figures' pegs to fit into. There are two base sizes: formation (larger) and sortie (smaller).
Between the figures and the base sits the unit card, which is custom cut to reveal only certain peg holes for the figures to sit in; these openings are called slots. The combination of figures, unit card, and base is referred to as a unit.
A unit card is printed with all of the information you need to use it in the game. Each slot it contains is surrounded by a circle containing icons, which cumulatively determine the overall statistics of the unit. These circles also display the starting slot and figure number of each figure the unit contains. A circle's color tells you which type of figure may occupy that slot during the course of the game:
- White: basic troops of all shapes and sizes
- Green: arcane figures
- Red: martial figures
- Yellow: commander figures
A unit with a yellow slot is called a commander unit. A figure that starts in a yellow slot is called a commander figure.
Each unit card requires a specific selection of figures, which track not only the stats and hit points of the unit, but also the strategic choices available to the player.
Most units have more slots than figures, especially once they have been in combat. By changing which slots are occupied by figures, the player changes the way the unit functions in the game. An icon or a special ability on a slot is active only if the slot is ready; that is, occupied by a figure.
Note that a figure can occupy a slot other than its starting slot (see "Unit Setup") only if it matches all three criteria detailed in the "Regroup Order" section of the rules.
The Four Basic Icons
Four basic icons appear on unit cards:
- A white defense icon. These give you dice to roll when your unit is defending against an attack.
- A red attack icon for close combat. These give you dice to roll when your unit is attacking an adjacent enemy unit.
- A blue ranged icon for ranged combat. These give you dice to roll when your unit is attacking an enemy unit from a distance.
- A black and yellow movement icon. These give your unit movement points it can spend to move around the battlefield.
The Unit Bar
Each unit card has information printed along one side. This unit bar details the unit's name, build point cost, faction, codex, and some special abilities. (The unit bar contains: faction, codex, name, unit description, unit special abilities, and build point cost.)
The Codex
The codex appears to the left of the unit's name in the unit bar and describes a variety of critical statistics regarding movement and combat. (It shows the base shape, the "front" indicator, the good and bad sides, the ranged combat and close combat labels, and the directional costs.)
The center is shaped like the base it describes: rectangular for formation, square for sortie. The arrow inside the base shape points toward the unit's front side.
The colored border around the base shape indicates which sides of the base are considered "good" and "bad" for combat. A unit engaged in any kind of combat on a bad side rolls 3 fewer dice than it normally would (minimum 0). Here's what the colors mean:
- Gray indicates a bad side for all combat purposes.
- Red indicates a side that is good for rolling defense dice and attack dice but bad for rolling ranged dice.
- Blue indicates a side that is good for rolling defense dice, attack dice and ranged dice.
The yellow arrows pointing away from the base shape indicate directional costs; that is, how many movement points the unit must spend to move in that direction.
Special Abilities
Each special ability has its own icon. Each unit card comes with a special ability card that defines all its special abilities. There are two kinds of special abilities:
Figure special abilities are diamond-shaped icons that appear on specific slots, and can be used only if that slot is ready (occupied by a figure). If there are multiple instances of the same special ability on the same base, even a single ready icon means that ability is active for that unit. Some special abilities get more powerful the more ready icons they have, so be sure to read the special ability card carefully.
Unit special abilities are hexagonal icons that appear in the right side of the unit bar, to the left of the build point cost. Unit special abilities are constant abilities that are active as long as the unit on which they appear is still in the game.
Note: There is a subclass of unit special ability called a hindrance - these have negative effects, and are represented by triangular icons instead of hexagons.
Some special abilities affect units at range. The range is noted in increments of one formation base length (the long side of the base). These distances are measured between the closest notch on the edge of the originating unit to the closest notch on the edge of the target unit.
Setting Up the Standard Game
1. Build Your Army
Each player builds an army from the figures, bases, and unit cards in his or her collection. This army can consist of any number or types of units, but it is limited by the total value of those units, which is referred to as the army's build total.
Each unit has a build point cost printed on the far right in the unit bar; these costs added together are an army's build total. All players build to the same predetermined build total, and no army's build total can exceed this number. The build total ensures that the armies are evenly matched, and determines both the number of order points players get and the number of victory points they're trying to earn (see "Different Ways to Play").
Each unit has a unique unit number printed along the left edge. You can have multiples of any unit number in the same army with one exception: commander units. Each commander figure, and thus each commander unit, is limited to one per army. This means that while you can have multiple, different commander units in your army, you can't have two of the same commander unit or two different commander units that call for the same commander figure.
You can have units from multiple factions in your army, though this could affect special abilities in your army. Be sure to know your special abilities as you build!
Standard game. In the standard game, two players each build a 7,000-point army. This build total gives each player 8 order points (see "Orders") and requires that a player earn 21 victory points (see "Winning the Game") to win.
2. Set Up the Table
This game can be played on virtually any size table with lots of different terrain, but the standard game calls for a 4' wide by 6' long play surface. The surface must conform to the following requirements:
- The play surface must be flat.
- Any terrain must have distinct edges (see "Terrain").
- The table either includes or allows for the placement of control terrain.
Control terrain is a flat, square feature placed during setup, which can be as simple as a piece of paper. Each side is the length of one formation base. Control terrain contributes victory points toward winning (see "Winning the Game"), so setup calls for a certain number of these pieces, either as part of the battlefield or placed by the players.
If the players place control terrain, each player places one piece, with the following requirements:
- The piece lies within two formation base lengths of the centerline and at least three formation base lengths away from each other piece of control terrain.
- There are an equal number of control terrain pieces on each side of the centerline.
(Diagram: control terrain must be placed at least three formation base lengths apart; each side has a deployment zone and a control terrain zone on either side of the centerline.)
If you are using additional terrain other than control terrain, these rules govern their placement:
- Non-control terrain must be placed at least one formation base-length away from other non-control terrain or a deployment zone.
- Non-control terrain can be placed adjacent to control terrain, but cannot overlap it.
Your First Game. Feel free to use your own terrain and experiment with the table setup rules above, but for your first game we recommend you set up the table similar to the diagram in the rulebook so that you can learn the basic rules first. Downloadable terrain is available at www.arcanelegions.com.
3. Set Up Your Units
Each player fills his or her units with the appropriate figures by placing them in their starting slots. Each figure has a number embossed onto its footpad; for example, Cleopatra has 1E10. Each unit card in your army has a certain number of starting slots that display one of these codes. Before you begin the game, each starting slot on each of your units must be populated with the corresponding figure.
4. Determine Play Order
Each player rolls two six-sided dice (2d6); this is called rolling off. The winner decides whether to be Player 1 or Player 2. Player 1 gets to pick his or her side of the table first, is required to start placing units on the board first, and gets a special ambush turn (see "6. Ambush Turn," below) before regular play begins. Player 2 picks his or her side of the table second, gets to react to his or her opponent's deployment strategy, and takes the first full turn (after the ambush turn).
5. Pick Sides and Place Units
Each player picks one of the short sides of the table to start on. Player 1 gets to choose first.
Each unit must begin the game in its controller's deployment zone, with its front pointing toward the enemy deployment zone. A deployment zone is an area that is the width of the table and extends one formation-base length from the short side toward the center of the table. Each unit placed must either have one of its sides touching the edge of the short side of the table or be in contact with another unit between it and the edge. All of a player's units must fit in his or her deployment zone - keep that in mind as you build your army!
Players take turns placing one unit at a time, starting with Player 1, until all units are placed.
6. Ambush Turn
Player 1 gets a special half turn before normal play begins (with Player 2's turn). In this turn, Player 1 gets half the normal number of orders, rounded down (to a minimum of 1).
Playing the Game
Orders
In the standard game, each player gets 8 order points to use during his or her turn. This number can change under different play scenarios (See "Different Ways to Play").
Order points are expended to give units orders. Only the active player (the player who is taking his or her turn) may use order points. He or she need not use all of them, but once the turn ends any unused order points are wasted.
There are five types of orders, each of which allows a unit to do something different. These orders may be combined in any sequence.
The first three are:
- Move order: Move the unit using its available movement points.
- Close combat order: Engage the unit in battle with an adjacent enemy unit.
- Ranged combat order: Engage the unit in battle with an enemy unit at a distance.
Giving a sortie unit one of these orders costs 1 order point, and giving a formation unit one of these orders costs 2 order points.
The next two order types cost only 1 order point regardless of base type:
- Regroup order: Change the arrangement of the unit's figures on its base and/or change the orientation of its base as described in "Regroup Order."
- Special order: An order called for by a special ability. You cannot push a unit to give it a second special order (see "Pushing").
Sometimes a rule or special ability calls for a unit to use a particular type of order to accomplish something other than the basic order allows. In such cases the rule or special ability is carried out instead of the basic function of the order. For example, a special ability that tells you to give a unit a ranged combat order to do X means that you issue that unit a ranged combat order, but instead of making a normal ranged attack you do X.
Pushing
Giving an additional order of the same kind to a single unit within one turn is called pushing the unit. Pushing a unit is penalized by automatically downing one of its figures (see "Dealing Damage"). The unit's controller decides which figure to down, and the figure is downed before the order is executed. You may push multiple units in a single turn, but there are two important restrictions to pushing:
- You cannot push a given unit more than once on your turn.
- You cannot push a unit to give it a second special order.
Regroup Order
The first function of a regroup order allows you to change the stats of a unit during the game by moving around figures on a unit. Moving a figure is limited by three elements - outline color, footpad size, and peg count - which must all match in order for a figure to change slots.
- Outline color. A figure can be moved only into a slot whose outline color matches the figure's starting slot.
- Footpad size. A figure can be regrouped only into a slot that matches its footpad size.
- Peg count. A figure can be regrouped only into a slot that matches its peg count.
The second function of a regroup order allows you to change your unit's facing. A formation unit can flip its facing 180 degrees as part of a regroup order. A sortie unit can change its facing 90, 180, or 270 degrees as part of a regroup order.
Move Order
Movement in Arcane Legions is accomplished using spare bases and a special turning tool.
The turning tool has a series of bevels that fit into the notches on the edges of the bases, allowing a unit to make angle turns (45 degrees) and right/left turns (90 degrees) by "hopping" the unit over the turning tool.
The spare bases are used to measure distances for straight movement. Units move in increments called steps, which are the length of one sortie base. Because formation bases are exactly the same size as two side-by-side sortie bases, they can be used to both measure the distance and guide the moving unit.
When you give a unit a move order, it gets 1 movement point for each ready movement icon. Special abilities can modify this, so be sure to read your unit's special ability card carefully. Once you have your movement point total, your unit can start spending those points to move.
A unit can move in any direction; it's just a matter of cost. The directional costs listed on the unit's codex indicate the cost of moving one step straight in that direction.
If the codex of your unit shows a "1" for the direction you want to move in, it will cost you 1 movement point to move one step (one sortie base length) in that direction. If the codex shows a "2," it will cost 2 movement points to move one step in that direction, and so on.
Using the turning tool to change direction costs the same as taking one step. Making a turn therefore costs movement points equal to the directional cost of the side you are placing the turning tool against to make the turn.
(Diagram examples: with directional costs of 1 / 2 / 3, one step costs 1, 2 or 3 MP respectively and two steps in a direction costing 2 is 4 MP; an angle turn followed by a step, and a turn plus steps, are totaled the same way.)
Moving Straight
(Costs movement points equal to that side's directional cost, as listed in its codex.)
To make this basic maneuver, place the long side of a formation base next to your unit, along a side perpendicular to the direction you want to go. Make sure the center notch of your measuring base lines up with the leading edge of the moving unit. Simply slide the unit forward until the leading edge of the moving unit lines up with the edge of the measurement base. This should move your unit one step (the length of a sortie base). Remove the measurement base and you're done.
Making an Angle Turn
(Costs one directional cost for the turn plus one for each step the unit reaches away from the tool.)
To make this maneuver, place the movement tool flat on the table with the Angle Turn edge against your unit. Make sure the bevel on the edge of the tool slots into the notch on the edge of your base. Pick up the unit - leaving the movement tool in place - and set it back down so any one of the notches on your base slots into the bevel of either the Left Turn or Right Turn edges of the movement tool. Remove the movement tool from the table and you're done.
Making a Right/Left Turn
(Costs one directional cost for the turn plus one for each step the unit reaches away from the tool.)
To make this maneuver, place the movement tool flat on the table with either the Left Turn edge or the Right Turn edge against your unit, depending on which way you intend to move your unit. Make sure the bevel on the edge of the tool slots into the notch on the edge of your base. Pick up the unit - leaving the movement tool in place - and set the unit back down so that any one of the notches on your base slots into the bevel of the opposite edge of the tool. Remove the movement tool from the table and you're done.
When a unit is given a move order, it is not required to use all available movement points. If a unit does not have sufficient movement points to complete a maneuver, it cannot make that maneuver. Circumstances might sometimes force a unit to waste movement points.
Adjacency
Two units are adjacent if their sides are touching flat against each other. Friendly units can be adjacent to each other.
Snapping to and Sliding
When a moving unit collides with any part of another unit, it pivots on the collision point so that it "snaps to" that unit and becomes adjacent to it. This is not optional, so if you don't want to snap to another unit, you must avoid running into it.
Once a unit has snapped to its target, the moving player can choose to slide the moving unit until an edge or a notch aligns with an edge or notch of the adjacent unit. This is optional - sometimes it is advantageous not to slide.
Snapping to While Moving Straight
When a collision occurs during straight movement, the angle by which the moving unit hit the stationary one determines which side the moving unit snaps to. If one angle is smaller (i.e., narrower) than the other, then that is the side to which the moving unit must snap. If the angles are the same, the active player chooses which side to snap to.
Snapping to While Turning
Turning makes the snapping to function work a little differently because instead of colliding with another unit, the moving unit will be overlapping it. This makes it difficult to determine which side the moving unit should snap to. If a moving unit makes contact with the corner of a unit but does not overlap, just use the snapping to rules for straight movement; otherwise, use the following overlap guidelines.
If a turning unit would end its movement overlapping another unit, the turning unit creates two angles; one on each relevant side of the other unit. The turning unit will snap to the side with the smaller (i.e., narrower) angle. If the angles are the same, the active player can snap to either side.
If a turning unit ends its movement overlapping two corners of another unit, it will snap to the edge that lies between those two corners.
If an overlap resulting from a turn would leave your unit unable to snap to without changing the position of another unit, that move is not possible. Place your unit back on the other side of the movement tool in its previous position, and continue your move order from there.
Once a unit has snapped to and slid into place (if desired), its movement ends and the unit loses any and all remaining movement points.
Snapping to happens only to an actively moving unit; a unit cannot snap to another base unless it is being issued a move order. If a unit is moved without being given a move order and it collides with a corner of another base or a piece of terrain, it merely stops.
If a collision creates a situation in which the moving unit cannot snap to the other base without causing it to collide with something else (another unit or piece of terrain), then it does not snap to. Because it does not snap to, its movement does not end, so any remaining movement points it might have can be spent to try a different approach.
Breaking Away
Breaking base contact with an enemy unit is a dangerous proposition. If you give any unit larger than a sortie a move order while it is adjacent to an enemy unit, that enemy unit gets a free close combat attack against your unit as if it had been given a close combat order. This is called a breakaway attack. This attack is made after the move order is given but before the unit moves; thus, if your unit is destroyed or damaged such that it has no more movement icons, the order that drew the breakaway attack is wasted.
Note: Sorties do not draw breakaway attacks.
If multiple enemy units are adjacent to your unit when you give it a move order, they each get a breakaway attack on your unit. If multiple players control units adjacent to your unit when you give it a move order, they must roll off to decide who gets to attack first, but they each get to attack with their units.
Note: Giving a unit a regroup order while it is adjacent to an enemy unit does not draw a breakaway attack; only a move order draws a breakaway attack.
Terrain
In Arcane Legions, lots of different kinds of terrain can be used as long as it is placed on a flat playing surface. All terrain must have distinct edge lines, whether that be a printed line or a raised physical edge painted in that color (for terrain that adds vertical elements to the battlefield). This is to facilitate line of sight (see "Ranged Combat Order") and allow simple and consistent movement rules.
All terrain in Arcane Legions must fit into one of three categories: blocking terrain, hindering terrain, or control terrain.
- Blocking terrain adds complete obstacles to the battlefield. It has a red edge line that both prevents movement and blocks line of sight for ranged combat. A unit snaps to blocking terrain just as it would to a unit.
- Hindering terrain adds partial obstacles to the battlefield. It has a green edge line that prevents movement and penalizes (but does not prevent) ranged combat. A unit snaps to hindering terrain just as it would to a unit.
- Control terrain is always flat and has a yellow edge line that does not prevent movement or ranged combat. Its sole purpose is to allow players to earn victory points by commanding it (see "Winning the Game"). A player can snap to control terrain or move the unit over/onto the control terrain.
Close Combat Order
A unit with no ready attack icons cannot be given a close combat order.
A unit given a close combat order is called the attacker; its target is the defender. A unit can engage in close combat only against a single adjacent enemy unit when given a close combat order.
The attack originates from the side adjacent to the defender. If the attack originates from one of the attacker's good sides (red or blue), the attacker rolls a total number of red 6-sided dice equal to the number of ready attack icons it has; these are called attack dice. An attack that originates from a bad side (gray) generates three fewer attack dice. A unit with three or fewer ready attack icons cannot make an attack from a bad side.
If the defender is being attacked on one of its good sides (red or blue), it rolls a total number of white 6-sided dice equal to the number of ready defense icons it has; these are called defense dice. A unit being attacked on a bad side (gray) rolls three fewer defense dice, to a minimum of 0.
The Roll and the Lineup
- Players roll their dice.
- Players sort their results from highest to lowest.
- If three or more attack dice show a result of 6, the attacker has scored a critical hit, which deals 1 damage to the defender in addition to the dice results.
- If either unit has an active special ability that adjusts the result of either player's dice during close combat (including rerolling dice), those adjustments are made now (note that this can neither invalidate nor create a critical hit). The attacker makes his or her adjustments first, then the defender. Once all adjustments are complete, reorder the dice from highest to lowest and proceed to the comparison.
The Comparison
- The highest attack die is compared to the highest defense die:
- If the attack die beats the defense die, the attacker scores a hit against the defender.
- If the defense die beats the attack die, the defender scores a hit against the attacker.
- If the dice tie, no hit is scored.
- Repeat step 5 with the next highest attack die vs. the next highest defense die until there are no more dice to compare.
- If one side has more dice than the other (including an instance in which the defender rolls 0 defense dice), step 6 will leave extra dice. These dice are compared against imaginary dice called phantom dice, which have a value of 2 and are resolved like regular dice except that phantom dice cannot score hits.
- For every hit scored against a unit, that unit is dealt 1 damage (see "Dealing Damage").
(Example from the rulebook: tie - no hit; 6 beats 5 - white hits red; 5 beats 4 - red hits white; 5 beats 4 - red hits white; 4 beats 1 - white hits red; 3 beats phantom 2 - white hits red; phantom 2 beats 1 - no hit. Result: defender takes 2 damage, attacker takes 3 damage.)
Ranged Combat Order
A unit cannot be given a ranged combat order if
- it has no ready ranged icons or
- it is adjacent to an enemy unit.
A unit given a ranged combat order is called the attacker; its target is the defender. As long as at least one notch in one side of the enemy unit is within range and within line of sight (see below), it is eligible as a defender.
A unit can attack only one defender at a time using a ranged combat order, and the attack originates from the side facing the target. If two sides face the target, the attacker must choose one side to be the origin of the attack.
If the attack originates from one of the attacker's good sides (blue), the attacker rolls a total number of blue six-sided dice equal to the number of ready ranged icons; these are called ranged dice. If the attack originates from a bad side (gray or red), the attacker rolls three fewer dice, to a minimum of 0. A unit with three or fewer ready ranged icons cannot make a ranged attack from a bad side.
If the defender is being attacked on one of its good sides, it rolls a total number of white six-sided dice equal to the number of ready defense icons; these are called defense dice. A unit being attacked from one of its bad sides rolls three fewer defense dice to a minimum of 0. A defender with no ready defense icons gets only phantom dice.
Range
A ranged combat attack can target any enemy unit up to three formation base lengths away from the attacker. Measure this distance from the notch in the center of the attacker's originating side to the notch in the center of an eligible side of the enemy unit.
Line of Sight
In order for a unit to attack an enemy unit at range, the attacker's line of sight to the enemy unit cannot be blocked. Determine line of sight by drawing an imaginary straight line between the center notch in the attacker's originating side and the center notch in the side of the target at which you are shooting. Depending on what the imaginary line crosses, the shot might be clear, obstructed, or blocked. The following chart details the different line of sight penalties, which are cumulative.
| Object Crossed by Line of Sight | Effect (cumulative) |
|---|---|
| Each unit | Obstructed: -1 ranged die (minimum 0) |
| Each piece of hindering terrain | Obstructed: -1 ranged die (minimum 0) |
| Each piece of blocking terrain | Blocked: that side is not eligible |
| The target's base | Blocked: that side is not eligible |
Firing into Melee Penalty
If the defender is adjacent to one or more enemy units (including the attacking player's units), the attacker is firing into melee. An attack firing into melee rolls one less die. This penalty does not increase if the defender is adjacent to multiple enemy units.
Resolving Ranged Combat
Ranged combat works similarly to close combat but without as much risk to the attacker, since the target's defense dice deal no damage. Resolve ranged combat as described in "Close Combat Order," with the following exceptions:
- Step 4. Check for special abilities that adjust dice results for ranged combat.
- Step 5. If the defense die beats the attack die, no hit is scored.
- Step 7. If there are extra defense dice, ignore them.
- Step 8. The attacker takes no damage in ranged combat.
Dealing Damage
When damage is dealt, the defending player decides where to assign damage dealt to the defender, and the attacking player decides where to assign damage dealt to the attacker.
A player can assign damage to any figure on his or her unit. Each figure has an amount of hit points equal to the number of pegs it has. When a figure is assigned damage equal to its hit points, that figure is eliminated or downed; remove downed figures from their units and set them aside. Use the following rules when assigning damage:
- Once a player assigns damage to a figure with multiple hit points, he or she must continue assigning damage to that figure until it is downed.
- A figure that takes less damage in an attack than it has hit points is not downed; however, it is temporarily injured. Place a die next to it indicating how much damage it has taken. If at the end of your turn an injured figure has not taken enough additional damage to down it, it is no longer injured; remove the marking die.
- If a unit containing an injured figure is dealt damage again before the end of your turn, the injured figure must be dealt damage first.
- If a unit contains more than one injured figure, you can choose which of them takes damage first; however, all injured figures must be downed before damage can be dealt to any non-injured figures in the unit.
- When an injured figure is regrouped into a different slot, the injury accompanies the figure to its new position.
When all figures on a unit have been downed, that unit is defeated. Defeated units are removed from the table.
Winning the Game
... by Victory Points
During the game, players accrue points toward winning the game called victory points. In the standard game, 21 victory points are required to win. In other scenarios this number might change (See "Different Ways to Play").
As soon as the active player reaches the victory point goal, the game ends; no other orders are issued. If a player other than the active player somehow reaches the victory point goal, that player cannot win until he or she becomes the active player.
Victory points are scored in three ways:
- Defeating Enemy Units. When all of a unit's figures are downed, that unit is defeated. The opposing player gains 1 victory point for a defeated sortie base, and 2 victory points for a defeated formation base.
- Downing a Commander Figure. Downing a commander figure scores the opposing player 1 victory point. This victory point is not taken away if the commander in question is somehow returned to its unit, and a commander generates 1 victory point each time it is downed.
- Commanding Control Terrain. At the beginning of the active player's turn (the player taking the current turn), before issuing orders, he or she gains 3 victory points for each piece of control terrain he or she commands. A player commands a piece of control terrain only if 1) the active player has at least one unit on, or adjacent to, that piece of control terrain AND 2) no enemy unit is on or adjacent to that piece of control terrain. Additional friendly units commanding the same piece of control terrain do not generate additional victory points, but if the active player commands more than one piece of control terrain, each piece generates victory points for that player.
... by Clearing the Table
If one player manages to defeat all the other players' units, that player wins even if he or she has not reached the required victory point total.
Different Ways to Play
The basic rules of Arcane Legions have been designed to function within a wide variety of game parameters. The army build, play space, and even the victory conditions can easily be adapted to fit your play style.
We encourage you to experiment with these variables, to play the game on larger or smaller tables (even the entire living room floor!), to create small skirmishes of a few elite units, or coordinate massive events that field thousands of figures on a side.
Below are a few simple examples of alternate army configurations and different play scenarios. Additional variations are featured through retailers and organized play events, as well as on www.arcanelegions.com, but players are highly encouraged to develop their own and share them with the online community.
Playing with Armies of Different Sizes
| Build Points | Order Points | Victory Points | Estimated Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 | 8 | 15 | Less than 1 hour |
| 7,000 | 8 | 21 | 1 - 1.5 hours |
| 10,000 | 10 | 25 | 1.5 - 2 hours |
"King of the Hill" Variation
This variation uses one central piece of control terrain (placed at the center of the table) and any number of other, non-control terrain pieces chosen by the players before the game begins.
| Build Points | Control Terrain Pcs. | Order Points | Victory Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7,000 | 1 | 8 | 15 |
"Death Before Dishonor" Variation
This variation uses no control terrain. The object of this game is to achieve the victory point total solely by defeating your opponent's units.
| Build Points | Control Terrain Pcs. | Order Points | Victory Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7,000 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I push my own unit until it is defeated? A: Yes, and the opposing player gains the appropriate victory points. In a multiplayer game, the last player to damage that unit gets the victory points, or if no other player has damaged that unit, the opposing player with the closest unit gets the victory points.
Q: As I move my units, can their edges leave or hang off the table? A: No, treat the edge of the table as blocking terrain.
Q: After the game begins, can I fill any slot with any figure? A: No. See "Regroup Order" for the relevant rules.
Q: If I try to break away from more than one enemy unit, does each unit get a breakaway attack on my unit? A: Yes.
Q: Can I ever choose to roll fewer dice than indicated by my unit's icons? A: No.
Glossary
- adjacent: When the sides of two units are touching flat with one another.
- ambush turn: The first turn of the game, in which Player 1 receives half the normal order points, rounded down.
- army: A collection of units.
- attack icon: A basic icon that looks like a red die. Roll one red die for each of these icons that is ready when giving your unit a close combat order.
- bad side: A unit's face from which attacking and defending are rolled at a penalty of 3 dice. A gray face is a bad side for rolling any dice in combat, and a red face is a bad side for rolling ranged dice.
- base: A flat rectangular or square plastic piece with peg holes, into which figures are inserted.
- basic icon: One of four icons appearing in a base slot outline that indicates whether that slot lends movement (black circle with yellow chevron), close combat (red die), ranged combat (blue die), or defense (white die) to the unit when ready.
- battlefield: The flat play area on which an Arcane Legions game is played.
- blocking terrain: An object on the battlefield with a red edge line that units cannot move through and that blocks line of sight for ranged combat orders.
- breakaway: When a unit adjacent to an enemy unit is given a move order.
- build point cost: A value that shows how much it costs to place a unit in your army. A unit's build point value is printed on the far right of its unit bar.