Audatia, the medieval swordfighting card game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• How to Play
• Deck Contents
• Types of Card
  • Virtue Cards
  • Posta Cards
  • Strikes
  • Stretto Remedies
  • Stretto Side Card
  • Stretto Counter-Remedies
  • Skill Cards
• Winning Conditions
• Setup Process
• Playing Area
• Out of Measure Process
• Cut Process
• Thrust Process
• Eligibility and Stack
• Playing Area
• Stretto
• Extended Poste
• Exchange
• Virtues
• Counterattacking
• Symbols
• Terminology on Cards
• Glossary
• Additional Rulesets!
  • Roland's Rules: Salle Play
  • Guy's Rules: Sudden Death
    • Setup Process
    • Action Process
    • Winning Conditions

How to Play

Determine who starts, choose a virtue, and go into your defensive position with a posta card. The challenger attacks with a Cut or Thrust. Responses continue as long as eligible cards can be played. When your opponent has no way to respond, you win.

Deck Contents

Each deck contains the following:

• 12 Posta Cards
• 4 Virtue Cards
• 1 Stretto Side Card
• 18 Strike Cards
• 6 Stretto Remedy Cards
• 6 Stretto Counter-Remedy Cards
• 9 Skill Cards

Types of Card

Virtue Cards

Virtue Cards define the Virtues and their advantages, and give +1 of that Virtue to the player who possesses them.

Posta Cards

Posta cards define the starting position, and so what your first action can be. Some give Virtue advantages. They only affect play in the Out of Measure process.

Strikes

Strike cards are defined by the Seven Swords symbol on the bottom right corner of the card. There are two kinds of Strikes: Cuts (Fendente, Mezano, Sottano), and Thrusts (Punta).

Stretto Remedies

Remedy cards are played when the Bind Type is Stretto. Each card works on the Inside, or Outside, or both. See Stretto.

Stretto Side Card

A non-playing card that determines what you can do if the play is Stretto. It is oriented by the player with most Fortitudo at that moment.

Stretto Counter-Remedies

Counter-remedy cards are used to defeat the Remedy cards. They work on the Inside, Outside, or both. See Stretto.

Skill Cards

Skill Cards are a Character's unique arsenal of tricks and abilities. Cards with the Cycle symbol can be discarded for a new card from the Action Deck at any time. Some Skill cards can only be played in the Out of Measure phase.

Note that if a card's text contradicts the rules, the card over-rides the rules!

Winning Conditions

The objective of Audatia is to defeat your opponent. There are several ways to do so:

• Make an Attack that your opponent cannot Parry or avoid,
• Play a Stretto Remedy that your opponent cannot counter,
• Counter an opponent's Stretto Remedy perfectly
• Skill Card effects.

There is also a possibility of a draw, if the Challenger cannot attack the Respondent. Two draws means that the Respondent wins the game, since the Challenger failed to uphold his challenge.

Setup Process

Setup is performed once per game.

1. Define who is the Challenger and who is the Respondent (who responds to the challenge). We recommend that the player who suggested the game be the Challenger.
2. Choose your character decks.
3. Separate the 12 Posta cards from your deck and place them in a pile in front of you.
4. Separate the 12 Basic cards (the cards with a folded lower left corner and the letter B) from your Action deck and take them into your hand. Shuffle the rest of your cards and place them face down.
5. You may discard any number of Basic cards, creating the Discard pile, and draw that many cards from the top of the Action deck.
6. Assign Virtues (see Virtues)
   • 6.1. Challenger receives Audatia, and places it to one side (see Playing Area illustration).
   • 6.2. Respondent chooses one of the three remaining Virtues.
   • 6.3. Challenger chooses one of the two remaining Virtues.
   • 6.4. Respondent receives the last Virtue card.
7. Respondent may Salute: Respondent discards any card from his hand. If the Challenger does not discard a card from his hand too, the Respondent gains +4 Audatia for the first Strike.
8. Go to Out of Measure Process.

Playing Area

The playing area illustration labels these zones:

• Opponent's Stack Area
• Stack Area
• Bind Side
• Action Deck
• Discard
• Posta Pile
• Chosen Posta
• Hand
• Virtues

This is explained in more detail below.

Out of Measure Process

Whenever there is a Break Off situation, players return to Out of Measure.

1. Both players draw cards to bring their hands back up to 12 cards. Break Off only: Do not replace cards discarded due to the salute.
2. Both players can make Trades: Discard 2 cards face down and draw 1 card from the Action deck. You may make as many Trades as you like.
3. Both players select a Posta card, and reveal them simultaneously.
4. Starting with the player with most Celeritas, players can play Skill cards that can be played Out of Measure.
5. The Challenger may now play any Eligible strike with the Attack symbol or change Posta. If the Challenger attacks, depending on whether it is a Cut or a Thrust, go to Cut Process or Thrust Process. Otherwise, continue below.
6. The Respondent may now play any Eligible strike with the Attack symbol, or change Posta. If the Respondent attacks, depending on whether it is a Cut or a Thrust, go to Cut Process or Thrust Process. Otherwise, continue below.
7. The Challenger must now play an Eligible Strike with the Attack symbol, or the game is a draw.

The player who makes the first strike is the Attacker, until his attack is parried or countered, you return to Out of Measure, or the game ends. Note, you cannot open the game with a Stretto Remedy.

Cut Process

1. The Attacker plays an Eligible Cut with the Attack symbol. See Eligibility.
2. The Defender Parries the Attack with an Eligible Strike with the Parry symbol. If they cannot, they lose. See Parry. If the Defender has most Celeritas, they may Counterattack instead of parrying. See Counterattack.
3. Check the Bind Type. If the Sun Symbols on the cards align and create a complete Sun, the Bind is Stretto and the player with the most Fortitudo orients the Stretto Side Card. Otherwise the Bind is Largo.
4. In the case of Largo, the Defender may now:
   • 4.1. Perform an Eligible Attack. If it is a Cut, go to the Cut Process; if it is a Thrust, go to the Thrust Process.
   • 4.2. Wait. If the Defender does not perform an Eligible Attack, the Attacker may perform an Eligible Attack. If he does not, then both players Break Off. Return to Out of Measure Process.
5. In the case of Stretto, the Defender may now: play a Stretto Remedy. See Stretto.

There are two special cases:

• A. After the Bind Type is checked, if the Attacker has most Audatia, he may immediately play a Stretto Remedy regardless of Bind Type (This is an Audatia Entry).
• B. After the Defender Parries, the Attacker can play the Feint Skill card and make another strike.

Thrust Process

1. The Attacker plays an Eligible Thrust (Punta).
2. The Defender responds:
   • 2.1. If the Defender has the most Celeritas, he may Exchange. See Exchange.
   • 2.2. They may treat the Thrust as a Cut, so go to Cut Process. When parrying a Thrust the Bind is always Largo.
   • 2.3. [Optional Rule] They may Break the Thrust with an Eligible card that has the Break symbol.
     • 2.3.1. Check who has the most Celeritas.
     • 2.3.2. If it is the Attacker, he can play a Stretto Remedy. If the Defender's Break was a Mandritto, play an Outside Stretto Remedy. If Defender's Break was a Roverso, play an Inside Stretto Remedy. Or the Attacker can wait. If he waits, the Defender can act (see 2.3.3).
     • 2.3.3. If it is the Defender, he can either play an Eligible Mezano or wait. If he waits, the Attacker can act (see 2.3.2).
       • 2.3.3.1. If the Defender plays an Eligible Mezano, the Attacker can play an Outside Stretto Remedy against a Roverso, or Inside against a Mandritto.
       • 2.3.3.2. If the Mezano was a Roverso, the Attacker may alternatively counterattack with a Mandritto Mezano.
       • 2.3.3.3. The Defender must play a Stretto Counter-Remedy on the Eligible side, to Break Off, or, play the Soprana Tor di Spada Stretto Remedy card. The Attacker may counter with a Stretto Counter-Remedy.
       • 2.3.3.4. If both wait, Break Off and return to Out of Measure.

Eligibility and Stack

When in a Posta, the Seven Swords symbol shows all the Attacks you can make. Additionally, some of the Poste cannot be attacked by certain Strikes. These Poste have an upside-down Seven Swords symbol on them to inform the opponnent which Attacks he can make (assuming they are otherwise Eligible). When Attacking, you are limited by whether your sword, represented by your Stack on the Playing Area, is on your left or right. When not in a Posta, the location of your Stack defines whether your sword is on the left or right. You can only make Attacks and Parries from the side your Stack is on: A Mandritto comes from the right, a Roverso from the left. You cannot parry in the same angle as the attack. Each Strike has an upside-down Seven Swords symbol which shows your opponent which Strikes he can use to Parry (assuming they are otherwise Eligible).

Playing Area

When you play a Strike as an Attack, place it in your Stack area, on the side where you played it from. A Mandritto cards go on your right, or a Roverso cards on your left. Thrusts go to the middle. This card forms your Stack.

When you play a Strike as a Parry, first place it as you would an Attack. Then, move it and the rest of your Stack (if any other cards have been played) to the other side of your Stack area, moving your opponent's Stack along with it. Both of your Stacks should end up on the opposite side to where your Parry came from. E.g. if you were attacked with a Mandritto, and you parried with a Mandritto, only your Stack moves. If you would have parried with a Roverso, both of your Stacks would move.

When you play a Stretto Remedy, place it on your Stack so that your opponent can check his possible Counter-Remedy to it. When you play a Skill Card, put it on your Discard pile immediately, unless the card says otherwise.

Stretto

When the Bind Type is Stretto, the players can only use an appropriate Stretto Remedy card. The Stretto Side card shows which Remedies can be played: If the Moon and Night symbol is on the right, the player can use only Inside Remedies, and if it is on the left, Outside. If it is on both sides, the card can be played in either Inside or Outside situations.

When a Stretto Remedy is played, the opponent must play a Counter-Remedy with a symbol that lines up with the Remedy card's, or lose the game.

If the symbols on Remedy and Counter-Remedy cards create a complete Moon-Night symbol, the card is a perfect counter, and the Remedy player loses the game. If the symbols do not create a complete symbol, but do align, then Break Off and return to Out of Measure.

Extended Poste

Some Posta cards are marked as Extended. To Attack an opponent who is in an Extended Posta, you must first play a Strike card that has the Parry icon. Your opponent then discards their Posta, and continues as if they had made an Attack with a cut that you have Parried. Their Stack is now on the side where your Parry pushed it. You may now Attack with any Eligible Strike. This simulates beating the opponent's sword aside, before attacking. If you don't Attack, the opponent may do so.

To Attack an Extended Posta with a Thrust, you must treat the Extended Posta as a Thrust that you are defending against with an Exchange of Thrust. I.e. you must be in a Posta with the Exchange symbol, and you must have the most Celeritas. See Exchange.

Exchange

From a posta: If the Attacker's Thrust comes from a Posta with the Exchange symbol, and if the Defender's posta has the same symbol, and he has most Celeritas, he may play a Punta as an Exchange.

After the first strike (so Poste no longer relevant): You may defend against a Punta by Exchanging with your own Punta, if you have most Celeritas.

If your Punta is Exchanged, you must play an Outside Stretto Remedy card. This overrides the Bind Type card. If you don't, you lose the game.

Virtues

You need only one set of 4 Virtue cards. There are four Virtues of a Swordsman: Audatia, Prudentia, Celeritas and Fortitudo. Virtues are a numerical value, which is 0 by default. Effects that can increase a player's Virtue include:

• Virtue Cards, which give +1 Virtue
• Posta, which may give additional Virtue to the first Strike played from that posta
• Skill cards

The effect of Virtues are universal, and apply to the player with the most of a given Virtue. If a Posta or card effect gives a player's Strike a Virtue advantage, then that effect applies as long as that Strike is on top of his Stack.

If a card text is preceded by a Virtue symbol, it means that the player must have an advantage in that Virtue to use the effect. E.g. when in Dente di Zenghiaro, you can only Defend with a Thrust if you have most Celeritas.

Counterattacking

Strike Cards with the Counterattack/Exchange symbol can be used to Counterattack. A Counterattack defends and attacks with a single card. When you Attack with a card that has the Counterattack symbol, the Defender may Counterattack, with the following restrictions:

• The Defender must have the most Celeritas.
• The Defender may only Counterattack using the same Strike as the Attack (e.g. Mandritto Fendente can Counterattack only Mandritto Fendente).
• The Defender's Strike must be Eligible. See Eligibility.

If your Attack has been Counterattacked, you must Parry the Counterattack or lose the game. You can only Parry with the same type of Strike card as the Counterattack. You cannot Counterattack against a Counterattack.

If you parry the Counterattack, continue as if you had made a normal Parry, with you as the Defender. Your Parry defines the locations of both Stacks.

Symbols

The symbols legend pairs each name with its icon:

• Attack: red sword striking
• Parry: red crossed swords
• Counterattack/Exchange: horizontal sword with a strike
• Break: sword with a slash
• Exchange: thin vertical sword
• Seven Swords: seven-swords emblem
• Audatia: red shield
• Prudentia: green shield
• Celeritas: blue shield
• Fortitudo: yellow shield
• Sun: sun rays
• Moon and Night: purple arc with a moon
• Cycle: circular arrows

Terminology on Cards

Term	Meaning
Attack	A Strike made against your opponent. If he cannot react, he loses the game.
Parry	A Strike made against your opponent's Attack. Results in a Bind. See Cut Process.
Defend X	When an opponent makes an Attack, you can play X as an Attack. The opponent must now react.
Feint X, Strike Y	After an opponent has reacted to your X Attack, you may play Y as an Attack. Your opponent must now react to that Attack.
React	Parry, Exchange, Counterattack, Defend or Break a Strike.
Extended	See Extended.
End Posta	The name of a Posta at the bottom of a Strike card. Determines where attack finishes in case it is avoided.

Glossary

Term	Meaning
Challenger	The player who issues the challenge
Respondent	The player who responds to the challenge.
Mandritto	Forehand
Roverso	Backhand
Fendente	Descending blow
Mezano	Horizontal blow
Sottano	Rising blow
Punta	Thrust
Posta	Guard position
Audatia	Boldness
Prudentia	Foresight
Celeritas

Additional Rulesets!

This section contains rule variants to the Audatia basic game. Please note that the rule variants are experimental and will change and alter the standard gameplay of Audatia. These are not "official" rulesets, but they allow you to enjoy Audatia in new and exciting ways. Got your own variations? Let us know!

Roland's Rules: Salle Play

The following additional rules make for a gaming experience that is closer to free fencing at the school, as opposed to the life-and-death "one hit kills" scenario of the basic/standard game.

• Shuffle the Basic Cards into the Action Deck right away, and start with a random hand of 12 cards. You may discard any number of cards from your initial hand and draw that many cards from the top of the Action deck.
• Winning a bout does not end the game, but scores a point for the winning player. Every time a hit is scored, the Respondent and Challenger swap roles. The new Challenger gets the Audatia card, and the rest of the Virtues are assigned following the Setup Process. Players then return to the Out of Measure process as detailed above.
• Every time players Break Off, they refill their hand up to 12 cards.
• Discarded cards remain discarded, and play continues until one player no longer has any Strike cards (cuts or thrusts) in their hand. If, in Out of Measure, one player has no more Strike cards, their opponent scores one more point and the game ends.

Guy's Rules: Sudden Death

This Sudden Death rule variant allows a faster but still very technical style of play. Part psychology, part tactics, this variant is all about reading your opponent and committing to your actions.

Setup Process

1. Determine the Challenger and Defender.
2. Assign Virtues as per the standard rules (see Setup Process, step 6).
3. Make whatever trades etc you like as in the basic rules, to create your 12 card hand.
4. Select your starting Posta from the Posta Pile.

Action Process

1. Both players sort their hand cards into their desired order.
2. Both players place the sorted cards face-down in a row in front of them, left to right.
3. The Challenger reveals their leftmost card and the Defender does the same.
4. If the Defender's card is Ineligible to defend against the attack, the Defender reveals the second card and keeps going until either he runs out of cards or his action is Eligible and succeeds (e.g. Parry, Counterattack, etc.).

Winning Conditions

• The play goes back and forth until either a Strike, Stretto Remedy or Stretto Counter-Remedy succeeds.
• If one player runs out of cards, the other may keep going until an action succeeds.
• If both players run out of cards, the game is a draw.