Hellenica: Leaders & Legends Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• New World Events and Objectives
  • Chimera
• Leaders
  • Anatomy of a leader card
  • Leader card types
  • Leader card timing
  • Premiums and discounts
  • Leader card cost
  • Recruit action
  • Overpayment
  • Upkeep Phase
• Legends
  • Amazons
  • Argonauts
  • Centaurs
  • Griffons
  • Harpies
  • Myrmidons
  • Pegasus
  • Satyrs
  • Flying
• Alcibiades
• Advanced AI
  • AI Aggressive First Move
  • AI Home City Attacks
  • AI Objectives
  • AI Commerce
  • AI Movement
• AI Recruitment
• AI Invocations
  • Availability of Invocations
  • Casting Invocations
• Game Components
• Expanded Sequence of Play
• Legend Reference

Introduction

Leaders & Legends introduces new rules, components, and mechanics to Hellenica: Story of Greece. These new rules are modularized, meaning that you can add none, one, or any of these rules in any combination you wish. Further, all modules are rated from 1 (easy) to 5 (complex) to aid you in your decision.

New World Events and Objectives

Module complexity rating: 1

Leaders & Legends adds additional cards to Hellenica: Story of Greece. Many cards in this expansion have a small icon in the lower left corner to easily identify them. This aids in setup should you wish to play only with certain modules.

• World event and objective cards with a Leader icon (a helmet) in the lower left corner should only be used if playing with the new Leader rules.
• World event cards with a Legends icon (a wing) in the lower left corner should only be used if playing with the new Legend rules.
• Cards with a Laurel icon (a wreath) in the lower left corner of the card can be used any time, including when playing a base game of Hellenica: Story of Greece.

Shuffle the selected cards into the appropriate leaders, ethos, pathos, and world events decks and then set up the game normally.

Included in Leaders and Legends are an additional copy of all legends and mythological creatures world event cards. These cards are included for players who wish to have special units and monsters appear more frequently in the game. If you play with these cards, shuffle the 2nd copy of each card into the world events deck prior to play.

If a second copy of one of these legends or mythological creature world events cards is revealed after it's matching card has already been triggered, remove the newly revealed card from play without moving the chaos cube and reveal another world events card.

The world events cards also include one new Mythological Creature; the chimera. The chimera acts like any other mythological creature. During the upkeep phase, the Chimera activates as follows:

Chimera

Place the Chimera on a non-city land area.

The Chimera attacks units on the Area with a combat strength of 5. The Chimera is not eliminated by combat. If the Chimera wins or ties, it eliminates 1 random non-hero unit.

Leaders

Module complexity rating: 3

The leaders rules adds the new Recruit action to Hellenica: Story of Greece. By recruiting leaders, players gain benefits that are unique to their city-state. However, leaders come at a cost and players will have to weigh the benefits against the costs as every leader will not be a good choice for all civilizations. To play with the leaders expansion, follow these setup instructions:

During general setup, place the recruitment board in a convenient place so that it can be seen by all players. Shuffle the leaders deck and place it face-down next to the Recruitment board. Deal the top 4 leader cards face-up onto the 4 empty spaces on the recruitment board.

Shuffle the ethos objective cards and world event cards marked with the Leader icon in the lower left corner into their respective decks. Then setup the game normally.

Anatomy of a leader card

Leader cards have several sections starting at the top with the name of the leader, the leader card type, and an artistic representation of the leader as he or she may have appeared. In the pink medallion is a symbol showing the persistence of the card representing how long a player receives the leader's benefit. Written on parchment at the bottom of the card is the benefit that the leader confers to the player that recruits this leader. Finally, in the lower right of the card is the cost that a player must pay to recruit the leader. Costs are paid using city upgrades and available action cubes or commerce.

Leader card types

There are three types of leader cards: historical leaders, mythological leaders, and events. Event cards are discarded after they are recruited, whereas historical and mythological leaders are placed beside a player board when they are recruited.

Some of the new objective cards mention either historical or mythological leaders. Other than objectives for victory, the card type has no impact on game play.

Leader card timing

The symbol on the pink medallion on the leader card shows the persistance of the card. There are two types of symbols: permanent and immediate.

Permanent

Leader cards with this symbol provide ongoing effects that do not expire as long as the leader is among the player's recruited leaders. The specific benefit, and when it is received, is listed on the leader card.

Immediate

Leader cards with this symbol provide a one-time benefit that occurs immediately when the leader is recruited. After the benefit is received, the leader is placed among the player's recruited leaders, but provides no more benefit to the player (Exception: the Ostracize event card).

Premiums and discounts

Leaders on the far left and far right of the recruitment board have an adjusted cost. These adjustments are shown under these locations on the recruitment board.

The leader on the leftmost spot on the Recruitment board costs a premium. In addition to what is shown on the card, the recruiting player must also exhaust any one other city upgrade, discard a build action cube, or spend 3 commerce to recruit this leader.

The leader on the rightmost spot on the Recruitment board is available at a discounted cost. The cost on that card is ignored. Instead, the recruiting player need only exhaust any one city upgrade, discard a build action cube, or spend 3 commerce to recruit this leader.

Leader card cost

To recruit a leader, the player must exhaust the number and type of active city upgrades shown on the cost circle on the card. If the cost requires more than one city upgrade to be exhausted, the city upgrades do not need to be from the same city. The player must move one or more action cubes from their player board and place them on city upgrade(s) shown in the cost circle. The cubes must match the city upgrade being exhausted: research cubes to academies, worship cubes to temples, supply cubes to markets, train cubes to barracks, stables, docks, or academies.

Recruit action

To take a recruit action, the active player announces which leader they wish to recruit and pays the appropriate cost. The player takes the leader from the recruitment board and places it next to their player board. (Exception: Ostracize event cards are discarded after triggering their immediate effect). The leaders next to a player's player board are the city-state's recruited leaders.

Players may only recruit leaders that are face-up on the recruitment board. If the player cannot pay the cost of a leader on the recruitment board, the player may not recruit that leader.

If the cost circle of the leader shows an image of a building under construction, the recruiting player may exhaust any city upgrade they wish or may discard a building action cube from their player board to recruit the leader.

A player may never have more than 3 recruited leaders at the same time. If a player wishes to recruit a leader while they already have 3 recruited leaders, the player must discard one of their current leaders before taking the recruit action. A player may not recruit a leader and then discard that leader.

If the player does not have the matching action cubes on their player board or does not have the active city upgrades available to exhaust, the player may not recuit that leader (exception: see Overpayment below).

At the end of the recruit action, all leaders slide right to fill any vacant spots and a new leader card is placed on the left most location on the recruitment board.

If the leader card shows a x2 symbol in the cost circle, then the player must pay that cost twice to recruit that leader.

Overpayment

A player may spend 3 commerce or exhaust any two city upgrades/discard two build cubes in combination in lieu of the cost of any one requirement.

Example: Mingo wants to recruit a leader with a cost of 1 temple, but Mingo does not have any worship action cubes left. He decides to discard 1 build cube and exhausts an academy using a research cube to satisfy the temple cost. Alternately, he could have spent 3 commerce to satisfy the temple cost in order to recruit the leader.

Upkeep Phase

During each upkeep phase, two new steps occur that have to do with leaders.

First, immediately before checking for victory, many leader cards provide a benefit to their owning players. Each leader card says what benefit is provided and when it is received. Players may trigger leaders in any order they wish.

Second, the final step of the upkeep phase is to refresh leaders. The leaders in the two right most spots on the recruitment board are placed in a face up discard pile next to the leaders deck. The two leftmost cards slide to the right to fill the two vacant spots and two new leader cards are revealed and placed in the two left most spots on the recruitment board.

Should the leaders deck ever be exhausted, shuffle the discard pile to reform the leaders deck and continue refreshing the recruitment board.

Legends

Module complexity rating: 2

Greece is filled with legendary warriors and beasts that can now fight for you! To play with the legends expansion, follow these instructions:

Prior to setup, shuffle the World Event cards marked with the Legends icon in the lower left corner into the existing World Events deck. Set the round counters representing the legends off to the side of the game board within easy reach. Then setup the game normally.

Legends act similar to hoplites, cavalry, and triremes in the game, but have special abilities. They are placed on the map when a player wins a matching World Event. Once placed, legends move and fight like any other unit.

During combat, a player may not destroy an enemy legend until there are no other units of the same basic type in the combat. For example, centaurs are a cavalry unit. If a player wins a round of combat against the centaur, they cannot destroy the centaur until all other enemy cavalry units are first destroyed.

The legends are as follows:

Amazons

Amazons are elite hoplites for all purposes. In addition, the Amazons allow the player to roll the hero die during combat and apply the results. Ignore any - die roll results.

Argonauts

Argonauts are elite triremes for all purposes. In addition, the Argonauts allow the player to roll the hero die during combat and apply the results. Ignore any - die roll results.

Centaurs

Centaurs are elite cavalry for all purposes. In addition, the Centaurs allow the player to roll the hero die during combat and apply the results. Ignore any - die roll results.

Griffons

Griffons have a supply limit of 2 and can fly (See Flying below). Griffons add 1 additional hoplite die to any combat, but are not hoplites. If they are selected to be destroyed in combat, the owning player may subsitute another of their non-hero units in the griffons' place.

Harpies

Harpies have a supply limit of 2 and can fly (See Flying below). Harpies add 1 additional cavalry die to any combat, but are not cavalry. If they are selected to be destroyed in combat, the owning player may substitute another of their non-hero units in the harpies' place.

Myrmidons

The owning player may designate the myrmidons to be either elite cavalry or elite hoplites before calculating combat strength before each round of combat. They have a supply limit of 2. If they are selected to be destroyed in combat, the owning player may subsitute another of their non-hero units to be destroyed in the myrmidon's place.

Pegasus

Each time pegasus is supplied, pegasus may move 2 areas. Pegasus has a supply limit of 2 and can fly (See Flying below). Pegasus does not fight and is eliminated if ever alone with an enemy unit. It may not be selected as a combat loss.

Satyrs

Before thr first round of combat, the satyrs attempt to lure an enemy unit to change sides. Roll the hero die. If the die roll is a ++, the owning player may take control of any enemy unit in the battle, including other legends and heroes. If the die roll is a +, the enemy player selects one of their own units to change sides. All other die roll results are ignored. Combat then continues normally. The satyr does not fight, may not be selected as a combat loss, and is eliminated if ever alone with an enemy unit.

If a player has both a hero and a legend in combat, the player may only roll one hero die, but may ignore - die rolls. Note that this applies only to combat and not duels. Legends may not duel mythological creatures.

Flying

Flying units are interdicted only by enemy flying units. (enemy non-flying units and mythological creatures do not interdict flying units' movement). Flying units may cross mountain sides without penalty. Flying units may move into sea areas and remain there indefinitely. Flying units that occupy a sea area control the area just like a trireme. Flying units may be sea transported like any other unit.

Any number of heroes may move with a flying unit. Heroes are subject to all of the above flying rules and are only considered to be flying while with the flying unit. Flying units may pick up and drop off heroes at any time during the owning player's action phase, including transfer to or from triremes.

Combat occurs normally when a flying unit is on an area with another player's units at the end of movement. Duels occur normally if a flying unit with a hero ends its turn on an area containing a mythological creature. Flying units fight in both land and sea combat, including potentially rolling hoplite and cavalry dice during sea combat in the case of he griffon and harpies. When flying units are in combat against city walls, the city walls are ignored.

Alcibiades

Module complexity rating: 2

In addition to Alcibiades being a hero, he also has a random special ability. When the first Alcibiades world event card is triggered, roll a trireme die prior to players bidding on the world event to determine Alcibiades' permanent special ability.

• Civic Leader: During the upkeep phase, the player owning Alcibiades may gain either 1 commerce, 2 favor, or 2 philosophers if Alcibiades is in a city containing a market, temple, or academy, respectively.
• Great General: In addition to the hero die roll, Alcibiades acts as a +1 brilliant general token during combat. His ego prevents placing the player's brilliant general token in the same area as Alcibiades.
• Great Admiral: In addition to the hero die roll, Alcibiades acts as a +1 brilliant admiral token during combat. His ego prevents placing the player's brilliant admiral token in the same area as Alcibiades.
• Monster Hunter: When dueling mytholocial creatures, Alcibiades may reroll the die up to 2 times per duel unless a - is rolled. Alcbiades is still removed on a - roll.
• Conqueror: If Alcibiades is in an enemy city during the upkeep phase, no city upgrades are destroyed during its conquest. Alcibiades need not be present during the actual battle, just during the upkeep phase.
• Master Logistician: Once per turn, Alcibiades' area may be supplied without exhausting a market or using an action cube. This move still counts against supply limits for any units moved.

Advanced AI

AI Aggressive First Move

Module complexity rating: 1

When an AI player moves on the first turn of the game, determine the area to which the units would move normally. If this causes combat, move both units to the area. If this move does not cause combat then only move 1 hoplite. Then, reveal another AI card to determine the area to which the second hoplite will move, completely ignoring any matches for the area to which the first hoplite moved. This causes AI players to often occupy two areas on their first turn, like human players do.

AI Home City Attacks

Module complexity rating: 1

AI players will only attack another player's government city when they have a realistic chance of winning.

If the government city has city walls then the AI player will attack only if they have more units than the enemy has in the city.

If the government city does not have city walls, the AI player will attack only if they have more units or the AI player has the combined arms bonus.

AI government markers count as 2 units for this purpose. If the above circumstances are not a match, then ignore the enemy's government city as a possible destination.

AI Objectives

Module complexity rating: 2

For players looking for a greater challenge from the AI, deal one shared ethos objective card per AI player in the game. Always deal a minimum of 3 cards if there are less than 3 AI players. When these cards are revealed replace any duplicates. This simulates the selection of specific objectives by human players during the ethos phase without being burdensome to gameplay. It ensures that, even though AI players share ethos objectives, they will have multiple paths to victory just like human players. Note that the near infinite possible combination of cards can result in some games having fairly simple victory conditions for the AI.

AI Commerce

Module complexity rating: 2

The AI will use commerce to gain additional benefits just like human players. The following rules only apply if having the most commerce is not on a revealed objective card. This conversion occurs immediately after the AI player receives their production for the turn and repeats as long as the AI has commerce to spend.

• If most advancements are a victory condition on an AI objective card, the AI will convert 3 commerce into 1 advancement.
• If most favor or philosophers is a victory condition on an AI objective card, the AI will convert 3 commerce into 2 favor or philosophers. If both are on an objective card, determine which commodity is gained randomly.
• If none of these are a victory condition (advancements, favor, or philosophers), the AI will convert 3 commerce into 1 additional supply.

AI Movement

Module complexity rating: 2

If you have played against the AI and wondered why they always run out of supply before you do, this rules module is for you. It is a very simple addition to Hellenica: Story of Greece that adds a great deal of strategic depth to the game.

Instead of moving during all rounds after round 1 of a turn, the AI player may choose not to move, even if they are able to do so. During an AI player's turn during rounds 2 and beyond, if the AI player has supply available, roll the hero die to determine what the AI player wishes to do.

• Blank roll: the AI player takes no action this round. They do not pass for the turn as they can take an action on a later round if they have supply.
• - roll: the AI player takes no action this round. They do not pass for the turn as they can take an action on a later round if they have supply.
• + roll: the AI player will attempt to move (or receive commerce) using the normal AI movement rules.
• ++ roll: the AI player will attempt to move (or receive commerce) using the normal AI movement rules.

If an AI player has 0 supply, they pass and take no more actions this round. The turn does not end until all AI players have passed.

AI Recruitment

Module complexity rating: 3

This rule can only be used if you are using the AI Movement rules above. When determining if the AI player will move, the roll is a - or ++ result, the AI player will first attempt to take a recruit action before doing the action listed above.

The AI will only recruit leaders where the leader type matches one or more revealed AI ethos objective cards and will not recruit a leader if they already have 3 recruited leaders. If more than one leader matches AI ethos objective cards then the AI player will recruit the leader furthest to the right on the recruitment board for which they can pay the leader cost. If there are no leaders that match AI ethos cards, or the AI does not have the ability to pay the leader cost, the AI will not recruit a leader.

AI players pay depending on what is shown in the cost circle on the leader card:

• Market: Reduce the AI player's supply on the AI board by 1.
• Barracks/Stables/Docks: Remove 1 hoplite/cavalry/trireme respectively from the AI player's government city. The AI government marker may not be used to pay this cost and this cost may not be paid from locations outside of the AI player's government city.
• Academy: Reduce the AI player's philosophers or advancements on the AI board by 1. Randomly determine which one is spent unless only one of them is shown on an AI objective card (spend the one not appearing).
• Temple: Reduce the AI player's favor on the AI board by 1.
• Under Construction: Any commodity that is not shown on an AI ethos objective card.
• Overpayment: If the AI player cannot pay the cost of the leader using one of the above methods, then the AI player can any spend 2 commodities or advancements that are not on an AI ethos objective card.

The AI player will never spend a unit or commodity that is listed as a victory condition on a revealed AI objective card during a recruit action. Example: If the Adulation objective (most favor) is in play, the AI player would not spend favor to recruit a leader.

An AI player can combine the above methods to pay for a recruitment that has more than one cost (e.g. 2 temples).

If the AI player cannot meet any of the above conditions, then the AI player will not recruit a leader during this action.

Leaders recruited by the AI are placed next to the AI Board and marked with a colored cube to show ownership. AI players receive the benefits of the recruited leaders during upkeep just as human players do.

AI Invocations

Module complexity rating: 5

If players are looking for an even greater challenge from the AI, the AI invocations module can be added to your game. The rules are not complex. However, this module adds a requirement to often refer to the AI deity cards during the course of play. It is up to the players to determine if this additional detail results in greater enjoyment of the game. It certainly makes the AI even more competitive.

To play with the invocations module, follow these setup instructions:

After setting up the AI board, shuffle the AI deity minicards and deal one for each AI player in the game. Tuck the card face-up underneath the AI board aligned with the grudge space of the matching AI player. Leave enough of the card showing beneath the board so that the timing and name of the first invocation for the deity can be clearly seen.

Availability of Invocations

AI players may cast any invocations that are showing beneath their grudge space on the AI deity card. At the beginning of the game, that will be only the first level invocation of their chosen patron deity. As the game progresses, the AI will advance their patronage of their deity unlocking higher level invocations.

During AI production, whenever an AI player receives more than 1 favor, pull the active AI player's deity card one step further out, unlocking the next level invocation. Once the third invocation on a deity card is unlocked, the card will not progress further.

Casting Invocations

During the course of the game, players should consult the visible parts of the AI deity cards belonging to the AI players. Each section of the cards shows the name of the invocation and the timing and situation that would cause the AI to cast the invocation.

If the invocation timing and situation match the game circumstances, then consult the AI Invocation Quick Reference Sheet to see the outcome of the invocation. Otherwise, ignore the AI invocation and continue with play. The AI Invocation Quick Reference Sheet is a separate sheet including with the game that includes more detailed rules for all of the invocations in the game.

After the AI has cast an invocation, mark the invocation on the AI deity card with a cube to show that it has been cast this turn and may not be cast again by the AI.

STOP: You now have all the rules for Hellenica: Leaders & Legends.

Game Components

• 8 Legend Miniatures & Counters
• Rulebook, Reference Sheet, & Scenario Sheet
• 1 Mythological Creature
• 48 Leader Cards & Recruitment Board
• 9 Specialty Dice
• 225 Themed AI Cards
• 32 World Event Cards
• 10 Objective Cards
• 14 Deity Cards & 18 Temple Underlays
• 24 AI Deity Cards
• 16 Supply Limit & Invocation Markers

Expanded Sequence of Play

Ethos Phase Players receive ethos objective cards.

Favorite of the gods Phase Determine start player and order of play.

Action Phase If the active player has not yet passed this turn, they must do one of the following:

• Build
• Train
• Research
• Worship
• Supply
• Exchange
• Recruit
• Pass

Repeat with the next player in the order of play.

Upkeep Phase

• Mythological Creatures
• Conquer Cities
• Retrieve Tokens and Action Cubes
• Receive Advancement and Leader Benefits
• Victory
• Replenish Player Boards
• Leader Refresh
• Proceed to the next Turn

Legend Reference

The legends reference text as printed on the sequence-of-play page.

Amazons: Amazons are elite hoplites for all purposes. In addition, the Amazons allow the player to roll the hero die during combat and apply the results. Ignore any - die roll results.

Argonauts: Argonauts are elite triremes for all purposes. In addition, the Argonauts allow the player to roll the hero die during combat and apply the results. Ignore any - die roll results.

Centaurs: Centaurs are elite cavalry for all purposes. In addition, the Centaurs allow the player to roll the hero die during combat and apply the results. Ignore any - die roll results.

Griffons: Griffons have a supply limit of 2 and can fly (Flying, page 3). Griffons add 1 additional hoplite die to any combat, but are not hoplites. If they are selected to be destroyed in combat, the owning player may subsitute another of their non-hero units in the griffons' place.

Harpies: Harpies have a supply limit of 2 and can fly (Flying, page 3). Harpies add 1 additional cavalry die to any combat, but are not cavalry. If they are selected to be destroyed in combat, the owning player may substitute another of their non-hero units in the harpies' place.

Myrmidons: The owning player may designate the myrmidons to be either elite cavalry or elite hoplites before calculating combat strength before each round of combat. They have a supply limit of 2. If they are selected to be destroyed in combat, the owning player may subsitute another of their non-hero units to be destroyed in the myrmidon's place.

Pegasus: Each time pegasus is supplied, pegasus may move 2 areas. Pegasus has a supply limit of 2 and can fly (Flying, page 3). Pegasus does not fight and is eliminated if ever alone with an enemy unit. It may not be selected as a combat loss.

Satyrs: Before thr first round of combat, the satyrs attempt to lure an enemy unit to change sides. Roll the hero die. If the die roll is a ++, the owning player may take control of any enemy unit in the battle, including other legends and heroes. If the die roll is a +, the enemy player selects one of their own units to change sides. All other die roll results are ignored. Combat then continues normally. The satyr does not fight, may not be selected as a combat loss, and is eliminated if ever alone with an enemy unit.