Moytura
Moytura Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 board, with a deity display area (with a cost track for each deity slot), the map of Ireland divided into regions (each with a region value circle), paths connecting spaces, sea and lakes, and a score track. Spaces show upgrades and followers.
- 92 followers
- 18 player tokens
- 2 enemy score tokens
- 3 enemy stronghold markers (1 per clan)
- 25 worship tokens
- 11 indicator tokens
- 1 Tuatha Dé Danaan card
- 60 double-sided enemy units (20 per clan)
- 4 deity tiles, each showing a name, expansion rules, and an upgrade area
- 24 enemy cards (4 per clan), each showing a clan
- 3 double-sided map cards, showing mound spaces, starting locations of followers, enemy stronghold markers, and enemy units
- 4 player aid cards
Preparation
- Board: Place the board in the center of the play area.
- Map cards: Find the beginner map setup (note the cards are double-sided; this setup shows the followers and enemy units). Place the other map cards back in the box.
- Followers (each player): Choose a color: black or white. Take the 46 followers of your color. Place two followers into each of the spaces indicated on the map card. Place the rest of your followers into a supply in front of you.
- Enemy stronghold markers: Place the stronghold markers for the three Fomorian clans on the spaces indicated on the map card.
- Enemies: Flip all the enemy units so the Fomorian side is face-up and separate them into their three clans (colors). These units will remain Fomorian side up the entire game. Place four units from each clan onto the spaces indicated on the map card. Place the rest in a supply next to the board.
- Enemy cards: Shuffle the cards belonging to the three Fomorian clans together. Deal five face down to create a draw pile for the first era and five face down to create a draw pile for the second era. Place the remaining two cards back in the box, along with the other enemy cards.
- Deity tiles and Tuatha Dé Danaan card: Place the Tuatha Dé Danaan card face-up in the bottom display space. Shuffle the four deity tiles and place them face up on the other four spaces to form the deity display.
- Worship tokens: Place two tokens in a personal supply in front of each player. Place one token on each of the unoccupied mound spaces. Place the remaining tokens as a common supply on the designated space of the Tuatha Dé Danann card.
- Player and enemy tokens: Each player places one of their tokens on the 0 space of the score track, then places the rest in a personal supply. Place the enemy score token on the 0 space of the score track. (Place the second token to the side of the score track.)
- Indicator tokens: Place the indicator tokens next to the board.
- Player aid cards: Each player takes their two player aid cards and keeps them nearby.
Followers, enemy units, worship tokens, and player tokens are not intended to be limited. If you run out, find a suitable replacement.
Play
The game is played over 10 rounds. Each round is divided into three turns:
- The first player's turn
- The second player's turn
- The enemy's turn
Rounds are further grouped into two eras. At the end of each era (rounds 5 and 10), the players and the enemies score for control of the regions on the board. The game ends following the second era.
The order of the players' turns depends on the era. White goes first in the first era, and black goes first in the second era.
Important
"Follower" always refers to the black and white units controlled by the players.
"Enemy" always refers to the third faction made up of three clans.
Although both players are also competing against each other, the use of "enemy" in the rulebook is never in reference to the opposing player.
Player Turns
When it is your turn, perform the following steps in order:
- Choose a tile or card
- Upgrade the tile
- Expand
- Resolve conflicts
- Claim worship tokens
- Reset the deity display
Note: Steps 1, 3, and 6 are performed on every turn while steps 2, 4, and 5 are performed when applicable.
1. Choose a tile or card
Choose a tile or card from the display. You can always choose the Tuatha Dé Danann card or the first (bottom) deity tile. To choose a higher deity tile, you must spend one worship token for each tile you skip over. So, the second deity tile costs one worship token, the third costs two, and the fourth costs three. Spent worship tokens are returned to the public supply.
2. Upgrade the tile
If you chose a deity tile in one of the top two slots in the display, take one of your player tokens and place it on the space of the tile matching its position in the display.
If you already had a token in this space, do not place another. You can upgrade each of the deity tiles a maximum of two times, once when you first choose it in the fourth slot and once when you first choose it in the third slot.
Example: Conor (white) pays two worship tokens to select the third deity tile in the display — Bóand. Because the tile is in the third slot, he upgrades the tile. He places an upgrade token on the matching space. This will allow him to place four followers (three for the display slot plus one for the upgrade).
Example: Nora (black) pays one worship token to select the second deity tile in the display — Ériu. Because she upgraded this tile twice on previous turns, this will allow her to place six followers (three for the display slot plus three for the upgrades).
3. Expand
Choose an origin space to expand from and a target space to expand into. The origin must contain one or more of your followers. The target cannot contain either player's followers or the enemy's stronghold marker. It can contain enemy units.
The maximum distance between the origin and target depends on the tile you have chosen. For the Tuatha Dé Danann, it is one space. For the deity tiles, it is between one and five spaces. See The Deities on page 9 for full details.
Take the appropriate number of followers from your supply and place them on the target.
- For the Tuatha Dé Danann, take one follower.
- For deities, take followers equal to the value indicated on the display slot you chose plus the values indicated on any upgrades you have on the tile you chose. This will yield between two and six followers.
Do not take or move any followers from the origin or any other spaces on the board.
4. Resolve conflicts
If you have expanded into a space with one or more enemy units, you must resolve a conflict.
To do so, simply remove one of your followers and one of the enemy units from the space, then repeat this process until either all of your followers or all of the enemy units have been removed.
If the conflict occurs on your turn, claim the removed enemy units by placing them into a personal supply in front of you. These can be converted into worship tokens later (see Claim worship tokens).
If the conflict occurs during an enemy's turn, place the removed enemy units back into the common supply.
Place removed followers back into your supply.
Example: Brian expands into a space by placing four followers. This space contains two enemy units, so a conflict ensues. Two followers and two enemy units are removed, leaving Brian with two followers on the space. The removed followers are returned to Brian's supply. Because the conflict happened on Brian's turn, he places the removed enemy units in front of him.
5. Claim worship tokens
When you claim a worship token, add it to your personal supply. You can claim multiple tokens in a turn, and there is no limit to the number of tokens you can have in your personal supply. There are three ways to claim worship tokens:
- Mound spaces: If you expand into a mound space with a worship token, claim the token. Do not take the token if all of your followers in the space were removed during the Resolve conflicts step.
- Defeating enemies: If you have three defeated enemy units in your personal supply (in any combination of the enemy clans), return the three enemy units to the common supply and claim one worship token from the common supply.
- Tuatha Dé Danann: If you chose the Tuatha Dé Danann card, claim a worship token from the common supply.
6. Reset the deity display
If you chose a deity tile, slide down all the tiles in the display above this tile by one slot. Place the tile you chose into the fourth (top) slot.
If you chose the Tuatha Dé Danann card, take the deity tile in the first (bottom) slot and place it into the fourth (top) slot, sliding the remaining three tiles down by one slot.
The Deities
Ériu, Deity of Land
Expand into a target up to two spaces away from the origin. The intervening space may be occupied by enemy units or your opponent's followers.
It helps to count along the coastal border of each space.
Bóand, Deity of Water
Expand into a target up to five spaces away from the origin. The target, origin, and any intervening spaces must all be adjacent to the same body of water (either the sea or one of the lakes). Any intervening spaces may be occupied by enemy units or your opponent's followers.
Morrigan, Deity of War
Expand into a target adjacent to the origin. After expanding, you may immediately defeat one or two enemy units in the target or spaces adjacent to the target, in any combination. If this removes all enemy units from the target, skip the Resolve conflicts step.
Place the defeated enemy units into a personal supply in front of you.
Dagda, Deity of Creation
You may expand twice. Each target must be adjacent to its origin, but the two origins do not need to be adjacent. The target of the first expansion may not be the origin of the second expansion (they cannot chain into each other). Split your new followers freely between the two targets.
Enemy Turns
When it is the enemy's turn, perform the following four steps in order:
- Reveal an enemy card
- Identify the largest group of the revealed clan
- Expand the largest group of the revealed clan
- Resolve conflicts
1. Reveal an enemy card
Reveal the top card from the current era's enemy deck and place it face up into the enemy discard area. Follow the text on the card and outlined in detail below.
These rules cover the Fomorians only. Rules for using the special enemy clans can be found at the end of the rulebook.
2. Identify the largest group of the revealed clan
Identify the largest connected group of spaces containing at least one enemy from the revealed clan. The spaces do not need to be connected by a path. This largest group will expand in the next step. Do not expand any smaller groups.
If there are multiple largest groups, choose the group with the most enemy units within its spaces. If there is still a tie, expand each of these largest groups, one at a time. The order in which groups expand doesn't matter (see note below next step).
3. Expand the largest group of the revealed clan
Place either one or two enemy units (depending on the card drawn) from the common supply on each space that satisfies all three of the following conditions:
- The space is directly adjacent to one or more spaces in the largest group.
- The space is connected by a path to one or more spaces of the largest group.
- The space is not already occupied by an enemy unit from any clan.
The order in which enemy units expand into new spaces does not matter.
Note: It may be helpful to first place one indicator token in each space where the enemy will expand into, then replace the indicator tokens with the enemy units. This way, you won't accidentally change the borders of the largest group and place extra enemy units.
Unable to expand?
In rare circumstances, the revealed clan may not be able to expand; for example, they may have no units left on the board or no spaces left to expand into. If this happens, place two enemy units of that clan into the space with their stronghold marker and then end their turn. Do not resolve the enemy card as normal.
4. Resolve conflicts
If there are any enemy units in spaces containing a player's followers, follow the rules in Resolve conflicts on page 8. The order in which you resolve these conflicts does not matter.
Remember! Only claim enemy units that you defeat during your turn, not during the enemy's turn.
Example: A teal two-strength Fomorian card is revealed. The teal Fomorians have two largest groups (both groups control the same number of spaces), but the northern group contains more enemy units, so only it will expand. It expands into the three spaces connected by paths, but not into the fourth space in the north because it is already occupied by an enemy clan. The conflict with the black player is then resolved. The removed follower returns to the player, and the removed Fomorian unit is returned to the supply (the player does not claim it).
Ending an Era and Scoring
The era ends when the final (fifth) enemy card in the deck has been revealed and resolved. This is when all scoring happens.
For scoring, treat the three enemy clans as a single, third faction. Track their points using the red score token. Players track their points using the player token of their color.
Check each of the 11 regions one at a time. (It may be helpful to place one indicator token in each region, then remove it after scoring that region.) For each, rank the three factions — white, black, and enemy — according to the total number of units each has across all spaces in that region. (Enemy stronghold markers do not count as units.)
The factions with the most and second most units in a region score the indicated number of points. If only one faction is present in a region, they still only score the first place points.
In case of a tie for first place, add the points for first and second place. The tied factions divide these points, rounding down. Don't award points for second place.
In case of a tie for second place, the tied factions divide the second place points, rounding down.
For each region containing an enemy stronghold, players score an additional two points if they have the majority in that region. If there is a tie, do not score any additional points. The enemy faction does not score bonus points for controlling strongholds.
Example: For the 6|3 green region, Ciara (black faction) has four followers, and the enemy faction has three units. Ciara scores eight points (six points for first place, plus two points for having first place in the red Fomorian stronghold region), and the enemy faction scores three points. For the 4|2 green region, Ciara has two followers, and the enemy faction has two units. Ciara and the enemy faction tie for first and score three points each (4+2=6, split between the factions). For the 3|1 green region, Cillian (white faction) has two followers, and Ciara has one follower. Cillian scores three points, and Ciara scores one point.
If a score token reaches 50 points, leave it on the 50 space and add a second marker to the 0 space. Continue moving that second marker for further scoring.
After scoring for the first era, begin the second era. After scoring for the second era, proceed to Ending the game.
Ending the Game
The game ends after scoring for the second era. The faction with the most points wins!
If there is a tie involving the enemy faction, the enemy faction wins. If the two players are tied, the player with the most remaining worship tokens is the winner. If there is still a tie, the two players share the victory.
In the rare event that one of the players has no followers left on the board, the other player wins immediately, regardless of scores.
Additional Rules
Alternative Starting Locations
These rules allow for alternative starting locations for players and enemies.
During preparation, choose one of the five standard map setups on the map cards (note that each card is double-sided). Place the other map cards back in the box.
Place one enemy stronghold marker into each of the indicated spaces (stronghold icon). Place initial enemy units following the setup rules of the matching clan (see the Preparation section for each clan).
Players draft the four indicated starting spaces (circle icon) as follows:
- White chooses one of the spaces.
- Black chooses two of the remaining spaces.
- White takes the last space.
Players place two of their followers into each of their two starting spaces.
Place one worship token into each of the unoccupied mound spaces.
Enemy Clans
These rules allow you to play with the special enemy clans. These rules must be used in conjunction with the alternative starting location rules above. We recommend you begin by using only one special clan and two Fomorian clans. In future games, you can use two or three special clans. You must always play with exactly three clans.
During preparation, find the enemy cards and stronghold marker for each of the chosen enemy clans, and flip the corresponding units so the enemy clan is face-up the entire game. Return the other enemy components to the box.
Note: You can also use the stronghold markers to randomly choose which special clans to play with, as well as where they start. Don't forget that the Oilliphéist must start in a space adjacent to the sea.
During preparation and play, follow the additional rules for the special clans described below.
During preparation, we strongly encourage you to review the twelve enemy cards in play so you understand the possible makeup of the 10 cards in the draw piles. On enemy turns, spread the cards out as you reveal them to help keep track of what is likely to remain in the draw piles.
Fomorians
Preparation
Place two matching Fomorian units into the space with their stronghold and one into each adjacent space that is connected to it by a path.
Rules
The Fomorians follow the standard rules outlined in the Enemy turns section on page 10.
Ellén Trechend (Three-Headed Beast)
Preparation
Place two Ellén Trechend units into the space with their stronghold and one into each adjacent space connected to it by a path.
Rules
When you draw a single-icon card, expand normally.
When you draw a double-icon card, expand by placing one Ellén Trechend unit into every space that is unoccupied by enemy units and adjacent to their largest group (not just spaces connected by a path).
In all other ways, the Ellén Trechend follows standard rules.
Example: The largest group expands into every adjacent space (except the space occupied by a Fomorian unit).
Oilliphéist (Sea Serpent)
Preparation
The Oilliphéist stronghold must be placed onto a space that is adjacent to the sea (the water surrounding Ireland). Place two of their units into the space with their stronghold and one into each adjacent space connected to it by sea.
Rules
When you draw a single-icon card, identify the largest group of Oilliphéist units. Place one of their units into each space adjacent to this group and connected to it by sea. If there is an enemy unit in this space (theirs or another clan's), skip over this space and place the new unit into the next available space along the sea without an enemy unit.
When you draw a double-icon card, perform this process two times.
When you draw a triple-icon card, perform it three times.
Do not resolve conflicts until all of the new Oilliphéist units have been placed.
In all other ways, the Oilliphéist follow the standard rules.
Example: The largest group expands twice by sea (skipping spaces already occupied by Fomorian and Oilliphéist units).
Banshees
Preparation
Place three Banshee units into the space with their stronghold.
Rules
Each Banshee card shows a section of the map. When you draw one, place one of their units into each of the indicated spaces, even if the space is occupied by another enemy clan. The two enemy clans will coexist. (Other enemy clans still follow normal expansion rules and cannot expand into a space with a Banshee unit.)
In all other ways, the Banshees follow the standard rules.
Note: All indicated spaces are mounds. Each mound space is represented only once across the four cards.
Example: One Banshee unit is placed into each space designated by the card (including the space occupied by a Fomorian unit and stronghold marker).
Solo/Cooperative Variant
While Moytura is intended to be a competitive experience for two players, with a few easy tweaks it also makes for a great solo or cooperative experience!
Preparation
Prepare the game as normal. Depending on your desired difficulty, also do the following:
- Beginner Difficulty: No changes
- Standard Difficulty: Place one additional matching enemy unit onto each space that contains one or more enemy units.
- Maximum Difficulty: Place two additional matching enemy units onto each space that contains one or more enemy units.
Play
Play the game as normal, but with the following changes.
- During scoring: For each region containing an enemy stronghold, the enemy faction scores an additional two points if it has the majority in that region. If there is a tie, do not score any additional points. So now any faction — player or enemy — can earn these bonus points in each region with any enemy stronghold.
- At the end of the game: The solo player or cooperating players win if the enemy faction has the least points compared to the white and black scores. If there is a tie for least points, or if the enemy faction has more points than white or black, then the enemy faction wins.
Playing Solo:
You will play for both the white and black factions following the normal turn order.
To help you track the turn and round status, keep one player token of each color in front of you (separate from the supply of tokens). When taking a faction's turn, place its player token on the illustration of the chosen deity tile or card. At the end of the round (after both player factions and the enemy have taken a turn), collect the two player tokens that were placed on the illustrations.
Start with two worship tokens and keep them (and any gained during the game) in a single, shared supply that the black and white factions both have complete access to. Be careful — if you spend all the worship tokens on one faction, then the other may not be able to keep up in scoring!
Keep the enemy units you defeat and claim in a single shared supply. You still exchange three defeated enemy units for one worship token like normal. Remember! Only claim enemy units that you defeat during your turn, not during the enemy's turn.
©2026 Bitewing Games LLC. All rights reserved. ©2026 David Thompson & Trevor Benjamin. All rights reserved.
Mag Mell Expansion
The clans of the Tuatha Dé Danann have found renown in their struggle for dominance of the Emerald Isle, and the deities have taken notice, sending greater power ... and greater foes to contend with. The fight between the clans is no longer for an earthly kingdom alone but the fields of Mag Mell, where the most courageous and powerful will live beside the deities and find eternal peace and happiness. Answer the call to glory and claim your crown, chieftain, both in this world and the other!
Components
Camps, portals, spirits, and enemy units are not intended to be limited. If you run out, find a suitable replacement.
- 1 deity tile: Lugh, Deity of Mischief
- 60 enemy units (20 per clan)
- 3 enemy stronghold markers
- 12 enemy cards (4 per clan)
- 2 double-sided map cards
- 2 player aid cards
- 10 spirit tokens
- 10 portal tokens
- 10 camp tokens
New Starting Locations
The expansion includes four new map setups. During preparation, you may select one of these instead of a map card from the base game.
New Deity
The expansion includes a new deity, which can be used in place of one of the four deities from the base game. For your first game, we recommend you replace Dagda.
Lugh, Deity of Mischief
Expand into a target adjacent to the origin. After expanding, choose a space anywhere on the board. Move one enemy unit from that space into an empty space adjacent to it.
Upgrades work differently for Lugh. You do not get extra followers. Instead, you unlock additional powers.
If you have Lugh's minor upgrade, you may move all enemy units out of the chosen space (not just one).
If you have Lugh's major upgrade, you may move the enemy unit (or units if you also have the minor upgrade) into any adjacent space.
- If the space is occupied by your followers, resolve the conflict and claim the defeated enemy units.
- If the space is occupied by your opponent's followers, resolve the conflict and place the defeated enemy units and followers back into the supply. Neither player claims the defeated units.
- If the space is occupied by another enemy unit (same clan or different), the enemy units coexist.
You may not use Lugh's power to move Oilliphéist (Sea Serpents) into spaces that are not adjacent to the sea.
You may not use Lugh's power to move followers, strongholds, or enemy tokens (spirits, camps, portals).
Example: Cillian (white faction) expands into an adjacent space. Then, he moves one Fomorian unit into an adjacent space occupied by Ciara (an occupied space because Cillian has partially upgraded this deity tile for himself). This triggers a conflict between the Ciara and the Fomorian unit. If this deity tile was fully upgraded for Cillian, then he could have moved both Fomorian units into this space.
New Enemies
The expansion includes three new special enemy clans. Follow the setup rules for Enemy Clans on page 14.
Each of the new clans has its own set of tokens, described below. These tokens are distinct from enemy units and strongholds. They cannot be removed through conflict, Morrigan's ability, or any other means.
Bánánach (Battlefield Haunts)
Preparation
Place two Bánánach units into the space with their stronghold and one into each adjacent space connected to it by a path.
Rules
When you draw a single-icon card, expand normally but place one Bánánach unit and one spirit token into each space. If there is already a spirit token in the space, do not place a second.
When you draw a double-icon card, expand normally but place two Bánánach units into each space. Do not place any spirit tokens.
When scoring regions, add the number of spirit tokens to the number of enemy units to determine the total for the enemy faction.
In all other ways, the Bánánach follow the standard rules.
Example: The largest group expands into every adjacent space connected by paths with one unit and one spirit token (note: the spaces that already have a spirit token do not gain another spirit token).
Balor's Army (King of the Fomorians)
Preparation
Place two Balor's Army units into the space with their stronghold and one into each adjacent space connected to it by a path.
Rules
When you draw a single-icon card, expand normally. When you draw a double-icon card, expand normally but place two Balor's Army units and a camp token into each space. If there is already a camp token in the space, do not place a second.
When scoring, factions (players and the enemy) score one point for each space they occupy that contains a camp, regardless of whether or not they score points regularly for the region.
In all other ways, Balor's Army follows the standard rules.
Example: The largest group expands into every adjacent space connected by paths with two units and one camp (note: the spaces that already have a camp do not gain another camp).
Aos Sí (People of the Otherworld)
Preparation
Place two Aos Sí units into the space with their stronghold and one into each adjacent space connected to it by a path. Place a portal token into each region (it does not matter which space within the region) occupied by the Aos Sí units.
Rules
When you draw a single-icon card, expand normally.
Then, place a portal token into each region the Aos Sí expanded into that did not already have one (it does not matter which space within the region).
When you draw a double-icon card, place one Aos Sí unit into every space unoccupied by enemy units in every region with a portal token. (It does not matter where the portal token is within the region: each space without enemy units gets one Aos Sí unit.)
In all other ways, the Aos Sí follow the standard rules.
Example: One Aos Sí unit is placed in every space of every region that contains a portal token (except for the spaces occupied by Fomorian units and an Aos Sí unit).