Centurion Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Profile System
• Setup
• Orientation
  • Starting Side
• How to Play
  • Move a Soldier Tile
  • Place a New Soldier Tile
  • Use an Enhanced Ability (Optional)
  • Winning the Game
• Movement Icons
  • Movement Example
  • Defense Example
  • Non-Capture Move/Jump/Slide
• Formation Icons
  • Formation Example
• Game Reference

Contents

Centurion contains everything you need to play, for 2 players:

• Gameboard: the gameboard is where the action of Centurion takes place.
• Rules Booklet: the rulebook.
• Reference Card: a card for easily referencing rules during gameplay.
• Bags: two bags hold each player's Soldier Tiles during gameplay (and can be used to store the tiles between games).
• SOLDIER Tiles (2 Sets): there are two sets of the following identical tiles, in off-white and terra-cotta:
  • Centurion (the Centurion Tile is also called the Leader Tile)
  • 6 Legionnaires
  • 2 Equites
  • Velites
  • Primus Pilus
  • Onager
  • Triarii
  • Hastati
  • Slingers
  • Tribune
  • Optio
  • Explorator
  • War Dogs

Profile System

Centurion uses the Profile System. Catalyst Game Labs has published two other stand-alone games that use this system, The Duke and Jarl, along with numerous expansions for The Duke. While each game plays differently, their use of that same Profile System means you can enjoy a wonderful asymmetrical play by facing any of the games off against each other.

Leader Tile: The Centurion Tile is also known as a Leader Tile; each of the other games has their own Leader Tiles, Duke and Jarl Tiles, respectively. In some of the other games and their expansions, another tile might "act as the Duke" or "bear the mantle of the Duke," which means it is a Leader Tile in those instances.

Setup

1. First, place the gameboard on a smooth surface in the center of the playing area.
2. Next, each player selects one bag of Soldier Tiles. Both players set aside the Centurion Tile and two Legionnaire Tiles of their color, and place all of their remaining Soldier Tiles into their bags.
3. Determine which player will set up first. That player chooses a side of the gameboard and places their Centurion Tile in one of the two center squares in their edge row (or home edge). The player then places their two Legionnaire Tiles in any two squares that share a side with the Centurion; sharing only a corner is not allowed.
4. The second player then places their Centurion Tile in one of the two center squares on the edge row opposite the first player (their home edge), and places their two Legionnaire Tiles in any two squares that share a side with the Centurion. Once again, their long sides must match. The second player does not have to place their Centurion Tile exactly opposite their opponent's Centurion Tile.

(The Setup Example diagram is not reproduced.)

The player who placed their Centurion and Legionnaire Tiles first during setup begins the game.

Orientation

Each Soldier Tile must be placed on the gameboard with its name oriented directly toward the player who controls the tile. Regardless of where a tile moves or where on the board new tiles are placed, tiles may never be rotated. They must always be oriented toward the controlling player throughout the game.

Starting Side

Each Soldier Tile has a starting icon on its starting side, with another icon on the reverse, or non-starting, side. All tiles placed on the board for the first time, whether at the start of the game or added during the game, must be placed with the starting-side icon visible.

If a Soldier Tile does not have a non-starting side (such as the War Dogs Tile), the player may select either side when placing the tile for the first time. If any rule moves one of these Soldier Tiles to its "starting side," the player once again chooses which side faces up.

Enhanced Abilities: Legionnaire Tiles have enhanced abilities, which are represented by an "X" on the tile. Players should read that section (see Enhanced Tiles, below) before playing their first game.

How to Play

Play alternates back and forth between players until one player achieves victory by capturing their opponent's Centurion Tile.

Each turn, a player must do one (and only one) of the following:

• Move a Soldier Tile: Move a Soldier Tile on the gameboard using any legal move as shown by its movement profile, then flip it over to its reverse side once the move is done.
• Place a New Soldier Tile: Pull a random Soldier Tile from your bag and place it on the gameboard in an unoccupied square sharing a side with your Centurion Tile.
• Use an Enhanced Ability (optional): Use a single enhanced ability from a single tile. This only applies if players are using any tiles with enhanced abilities (see Enhanced Tiles, below).

A player can never pass; every turn, they either move a Soldier Tile, place a new one, or use an enhanced ability.

Move a Soldier Tile

During each player's turn, the player may choose to move any single Soldier Tile they control on the gameboard. Each tile has a movement grid (or profile); the space in the center of the grid shows the Soldier Tile's current square as it corresponds to the gameboard, and the other movement icons show the squares that this Soldier Tile may interact with on the gameboard. The icon(s) in a given square in the movement grid determine how the Soldier Tile interacts with that location during a move (see Movement Icons, below).

Unless both players agree at the start of a game, a player should never pick up and review an opponent's Soldier Tiles. (Page 13 shows all of the Soldier Tiles for reference during gameplay.)

Flip the Tile: In all instances (with the exception of Defense and Dread), after a movement icon has been used, the Soldier Tile that used the icon is flipped to the other side, and the player's turn ends. If the Soldier Tile moved to a new square, it is turned to the new side after reaching the new square. If a Soldier Tile's Strike (or Hammer) icon is used, the player still flips that tile, even though the tile didn't move.

Capturing Tiles: Any time a Soldier Tile ends its move in a square occupied by an opponent's Soldier Tile, remove the opposing piece from the gameboard (simply place it next to the board). Whenever a player makes a move that will allow them to capture their opponent's Centurion Tile on their following turn, the player must say "Guard."

Putting the Centurion Tile in Danger: A player cannot move a Soldier Tile if making that move would allow the opponent to capture their Centurion Tile (or any tile acting as the Centurion) on the next turn.

Looking at Opposite Side of a Tile: A player can always pick up and review the reverse side of any friendly Soldier Tile.

Place a New Soldier Tile

During each player's turn, instead of moving a friendly Soldier Tile, the player may place a new Soldier Tile on the gameboard.

Draw a random Soldier Tile from the appropriate bag and place it starting-side up (marked with a starting-side icon) in any empty square that shares a side with your Centurion Tile (diagonal placement is not allowed). Remember to place it in the correct orientation (see Orientation, above).

• If your Centurion Tile is surrounded (either by friendly or enemy Soldier Tiles, or the edge of the gameboard), a new Soldier Tile may not be placed; you must instead move a tile already on the gameboard (see Move a Soldier Tile, above).
• Once a tile is removed from the bag, it must be placed on the board, even if placing it would put it in danger of being captured next turn.
• If a player's bag runs out of Soldier Tiles, that player can no longer place new tiles during this game; the player must move a tile every turn (or use an enhanced ability; see below).

Use an Enhanced Ability (Optional)

Instead of moving or drawing a Soldier Tile on their turn, a player may choose to use the enhanced ability of one friendly tile on the board.

Any tile with a double-lined border has an enhanced ability and is considered an enhanced tile, i.e., it requires rules beyond the standard movement icons found on a tile. The bottom, right-hand corner of an enhanced tile displays a Roman numeral matching one (or more) of these abilities. This provides a quick and simple identifier of the tile's enhanced ability(s).

In addition to the standard rules for movement icons, the following rules apply to enhanced tiles, as specifically noted.

Ready: If a tile with the Ready ability is in play and has the side up displaying the Ready icon, the player may choose to "move" the tile by flipping it to its other side (it remains in its square).

Editor's note: the source text layer lists only the Ready ability. The key matching the Roman numerals on the other enhanced tiles did not survive the text layer, so the remaining enhanced abilities are not transcribed here. Check against the printed rulebook before relying on this section for those tiles.

Winning the Game

The game is won as soon as a player captures their opponent's Centurion Tile. If a player cannot take one of the three actions above on their turn, they have lost.

Movement Icons

The following rules define what the various movement icons on each Soldier Tile's movement grid allow. A player may only choose to move to or affect one square on the chosen tile's movement grid per turn, regardless of how many different icons are shown on the tile. After the move is made, your turn is over.

Non-Movement: Even though they are all called movement icons, some of the icons (Strike, Hammer, Dread, Defense, and Shield Defense) do not move a tile when they are used (see below for further clarification).

Move: This icon allows a Soldier Tile to move to the indicated square, provided there is a clear and straight path to it from the square the tile occupies before the move is made. If any Soldier Tile (friend or enemy) is between the starting and target squares, then the move cannot be made. Likewise, the move cannot be made if a friendly Soldier Tile is in the target square. If an enemy tile is in the target square, however, the move can be made and the player captures the enemy tile (see Capturing Tiles, above).

Smash: This icon follows the exact rules for Move, above, with the following additions: this icon ignores any icon with "Defense" in the name.

Slide: This icon allows a Soldier Tile to move any number of squares in the direction shown, as long as the tile has a clear path. The Soldier Tile may not jump over any pieces. If it ends its turn in an opponent's square, the controlling player captures that piece (see Capturing Tiles, above); it cannot end its movement in a square occupied by a friendly tile, and it may not jump over any tiles (friend or enemy).

Jump: This icon allows a Soldier Tile to move to the square shown, jumping over any Soldier Tile (friend or enemy) between the starting square to the target square. If a friendly Soldier Tile is in the target square, the move cannot be made. If an enemy tile is in the target square, the move can be made and the enemy tile is captured (see Capturing Tiles, above). Nothing happens to any of the Soldier Tiles that were jumped over.

Jump Slide: This icon follows the exact rules for both the Slide and Jump icons. First, the Soldier Tile may move to the square shown, jumping over any Soldier Tile (friend or enemy) between the starting square to the target square. The player may then end the tile's movement there, or they may move the tile any number of squares in the direction shown, as long as the tile has a clear path.

Strike (non-move): This icon allows a Soldier Tile to capture from afar. Remove an enemy Soldier Tile in one of the squares indicated by this icon (see Capturing Tiles, above), but leave the Soldier Tile in its original location; using this icon does not move the Soldier Tile, but the tile still flips. This icon cannot be used on a friendly tile.

Hammer (non-move): This icon follows the exact rules for Strike, above, with the following additions: this icon ignores any icon with "Defense" in the name.

Dread (non-move): After any movement or placement of a new tile is complete, any tile (friendly or enemy) in a square covered by a Dread icon is frozen in place. The tile cannot be moved, captured, be shifted by or use Formation icons, or use any ability until the Dread icon is removed (i.e., the Dread icon is no longer covering the previously frozen tile at the start of the controlling player's turn).

• Any Leader Tile (see Profile System, above), as well as any tile with a Dread icon on either of its sides, is immune to the Dread icon.

Defense (non-move): A Soldier Tile cannot capture a tile with the Defense icon if the moving tile's movement (or Strike) into the target square would pass through any square with a Defense icon; even if the moving tile starts the turn adjacent to the target tile, if the square it starts on indicates a Defense icon on that tile, the target tile cannot be captured.

If a tile's move into a target square using a Jump or Jump Slide icon can be achieved with a straight-line move that intersects a Defense icon on the target tile, that move is blocked and cannot be made, even if that move would not result in capturing a tile. However, if a move can reach the target square without needing to move in a straight line, then the player can use whichever path (if any) can move around the Defense icon.

The Strike icon follows the same rules as the Jump and Jump Slide icons; i.e., if there is a straight line from the Soldier Tile to the target square and a Defense icon is along that path, the Strike icon is blocked. However, if there is a non-straight path that can avoid a Defense icon, then the Strike icon can be used to capture the target tile.

• Dread: Defense does not work when a tile with that icon is under Dread.

Shield Defense (non-move): This icon follows the exact rules for Defense, with the following additions: This icon does not protect the tile displaying the icon from capture; i.e., it has no effect for the tile displaying the icon. This icon protects a friendly tile in the indicated square as though that tile had Defense icons in every square surrounding it.

• Dread: Shield Defense does not work when a tile with that icon is under Dread.

Movement Example

(Diagram not reproduced. The example below describes the diagram's position.)

In the diagram, Tina is playing the lighter tiles and it's her turn.

Looking at the Centurion Tile first, though her top Smash icon might let her move into square A, because that square falls under the Strike icon of her opponent's Legionnaire Tile, she cannot move there. She could move to B or C, using her other Smash icons, or she could Slide to any other square along her home edge, using the Non-Capture Slide icons (see Non-Capture Move/Jump/Slide, below).

However, her Velites Tile is in danger of being captured by her opponent's Equites Tile next turn, due to that tile's Slide icon, so she feels like she needs to move this tile. The right-side Jump icon cannot be used, since it would move the tile off the board. Additionally, there is no enemy tile in square D for the Velites Tile's Strike icon to capture, so that cannot be used. Also, while her two Move icons could potentially position the Velites Tile into either squares E or F, that would, again, just leave the tile to be captured by the Equites Tile next turn.

Instead, after reviewing the back of the tile, she decides her best move is to use the Velites Tile's left-side Jump icon to move into square B. Not only does this protect the tile from being captured next turn, but after flipping it, the left-side Strike icon will put her opponent's Centurion Tile into Guard, forcing them to react to her move, which is always a good thing. She moves the Velites Tile there, finishing her turn.

Defense Example

(Diagram not reproduced. The example below describes the diagram's position.)

In the diagram, two players are using the Auxiliary I Expansion, and it's Lindsey's turn; she's playing the light tiles. Her opponent has set up a strong defense wall and she's trying to figure the best way to break it.

Her frontmost Legionnaire Tile cannot use its Strike icon along the red path to capture the Centurion Tile, because it's protected by the Shield Defense icon on her opponent's Legionnaire Tile.

Along the teal path, her Hastati Tile cannot use its Jump icon to move and capture the Hoplite Tile because its Defense icon indicates the Hastati's square. If the Hastati were only one square forward, it would be inside that Defense square, along that path, and she could've used the Hastati's Strike icon to capture the Hoplite. Similarly, though her War Dogs Tile is lined up to use its Slide icon to capture the Hoplite, once again its Defense icon, along that yellow path, blocks a capture. Her Tribune Tile is similarly blocked from using its left-side Jump icon, along the green path, to capture the Cataphract Tile due to that tile's Defense icon there.

Her Optio Tile, however, along the blue path, can ignore the Cataphract's Defense icon, since she has a Smash icon on that side. However, the Hoplite would immediately be able to capture her Optio next turn, so she's not sure she wants to make that move yet.

Now looking at her Velites Tile, her left-side Jump icon into the Hoplite's square does not have a direct path. Instead, as indicated by the purple paths, there are two equally short paths. The top one passes through a square indicated by a Defense icon, and so would be blocked, but since the other path, which is equally valid, does not pass through a square indicated by a Defense icon, she could capture that Hoplite using her Velites.

After all of those options, however, she decides that eliminating the Legionnaire Tile's protection for the Centurion Tile is a better option; she can either maneuver a tile with Smash or Hammer to put the Centurion into Guard, because those icons ignore the Shield Defense, or by capturing the Legionnaire, which is not protected by its own Shield Defense icon. After reviewing the flip side of her Legionnaire Tile closest to her edge of the board, she decides to move it along the orange path, and flip the tile, placing her opponent's Legionnaire in danger of capture due to the Strike icon that now covers that square. This forces the Legionnaire to either stay and be captured, or retreat using its Non-Capture Slide icons (see below).

Once again, forcing her opponent to take a defensive action is almost always the best strategy, so she moves her Legionnaire Tile, which ends her turn.

Non-Capture Move/Jump/Slide

Non-Capture Move/Jump/Slide/Jump Slide icons follow all the same rules as the Move, Jump, Slide, and Jump Slide icons, with the following exceptions: there cannot be a tile (either friendly or enemy) in the target square or in a square the tile is attempting to move through. If there is a tile, the active tile cannot be moved into that square (meaning an enemy tile cannot be captured using these icons).

• Some tiles (such as the Legionnaire and Centurion) have unique placement of Non-Capture Slide icons. Usually all Slide icons are oriented directly away from the square that contains the tile. These tiles have icons that start in a square diagonal from the central square, and then point in lateral directions. This means the tile is first moved into that square indicated by their Non-Capture Slide icons. Then the player can either stop right there, or they can continue by sliding the tile any number of squares in the direction indicated, using the standard rules, all as part of a single movement action.

Formation Icons

There are two types of Formation icons:

• Single Formation: Only one Single Formation icon on a tile may be used in a turn. (This icon is found on the Primus Pilus Tile.)
• Full Formation: Any or all Full Formation icons on a single tile may be used in the same turn. (This icon is found on the Centurion, Legionnaire, Tribune, Hastati, and Optio Tiles.)

A tile with either Formation icon can be activated and used to reposition other friendly tiles by pairing their movement to the active tile's movement for that turn. This is done as follows:

• When a player activates a tile containing a Formation icon, the player may also nominate any friendly tile from a square indicated by that Formation icon: for this turn only, they are now considered paired with the active tile.
• The player then chooses another Movement icon from the active tile. The active tile and the paired tiles are all moved simultaneously while retaining their original orientation.
• Both the active tile and paired tiles may capture opposing tiles at their final destination, following standard rules based on the Movement icon chosen for the active tile. For example, if the active tile uses a Jump icon to move and capture a tile, all paired tiles must move and capture as though they have the same Jump icon on their profile, in an identical position.
• A paired tile must be able to legally reach the new location as though it was moving by itself using the same movement icon from the active tile. If a paired tile cannot move legally, it cannot move in the formation with the other tiles.
• At the end of movement, the activated tile flips; paired tiles do not.
• The Strike, Hammer, Dread, Defense, and Shield Defense icons cannot be used with Formation icon(s).

Formation Example

(Diagram not reproduced. The example below describes the diagram's position.)

In the diagram, Kevin is playing as the light tiles, and his Centurion Tile has just come under Guard from the Velites Tile and so must move.

A powerful move enabled by Full Formation icons would be for the Centurion Tile to activate and pair itself with both the Slingers and Legionnaire Tiles and use the Smash icon to move itself and both paired tiles into squares A, B and C with a single movement. Regardless of the Shield Defense from his opponent's Legionnaire Tile protecting the Velites Tile, and the Triarii Tile's own Defense icons, the Centurion's Smash icon enables both paired tiles to ignore those Defense icons and capture. Unfortunately for Kevin, he cannot make that move, since that would place his Centurion into danger by his opponent's rearmost Legionnaire and its Strike icon threatening square B (hence those letters have a white circle). So it's time for a tactical withdrawal.

With the horizontal Non-Capture Slide icons to the left or right on the Centurion, combined with its Full Formation icons, these are the options:

• Square D: The Centurion could move into square E and finish the slide into D to end its turn. It cannot pair with and bring the Slingers Tile because that would place it off the board. Nor could it pair with and bring the Legionnaire Tile, because the War Dogs Tile blocks that movement; i.e., to mimic the Centurion's move, the Legionnaire would first have to move into the square occupied by the War Dogs, which it cannot do. The Slingers Tile could not be paired with and brought along for movement into square E when the Centurion was moving to D; for the same reason, the Centurion cannot pair with the Slingers to bring them into squares F or G, as it is moving into G or H, because they cannot move into the War Dogs square.
• Square E: The Centurion cannot end its turn in square E, because that would allow the Velites Tile to capture it with the Strike icon covering square E.
• Squares F, G and H (by itself): The Centurion, without using the Full Formation icon paired to the Legionnaire on its right, could move into square F, and then end its turn there, or end its turn in either G or H after its Non-Capture Slide.
• Squares F and G (paired): Finally, the Centurion could pair itself with the Legionnaire and move to either square F or G, which would move the Legionnaire to either square G or H, respectively. Kevin decides to pair up with the Legionnaire and move the Centurion and Legionnaire to squares F and G.

In all instances of the use of Full Formation, only the Centurion will flip at the end of its turn, which Kevin does, and his turn is over.

Editor's note: the Formation example's text layer is interleaved across three columns, and the reading order of the Square D bullet was reconstructed from it. The sentence "Remember the Legionnaire" at the end of the example is truncated in the source text layer and its remainder could not be recovered, so it is not transcribed.

Game Reference

This closing summary of the booklet repeats the rules above.

Each turn, a player must do one of the following:

• Move a Soldier Tile: Move a Soldier Tile on the gameboard, using any legal move as shown by its movement profile, then flip it over to its reverse side once the move is done (see Move a Soldier Tile).
• Place a New Soldier Tile: Pull a random Soldier Tile from your bag, and place it on the gameboard in an unoccupied square sharing a side with the square occupied by the player's Centurion Tile (see Place a New Soldier Tile).
• Use an Enhanced Ability (optional): Use a single enhanced ability from a single tile (see Enhanced Tiles).

Icons: Starting side icon; non-starting side icon; movement icons: Move, Smash, Jump, Slide, Jump Slide, Strike, Hammer, Dread, Defense, Shield Defense, Single Formation, Full Formation, and Non-Capture Move/Jump/Slide/Jump Slide.