PURGE: Sins of Science Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Objective
• Required for Play
• Card Types and Subtypes
• Game Fundamentals
  • The Three Deck Arrangements
  • Card Types
  • Vectors of Play
  • Card Breakdown
  • Card Battle Stats
• Card Abilities
  • Stated or Unlockable Abilities
  • Ability Activations
• Gameplay Basics
  • Gaining/Expending Energy
  • Basic Card Requirements
  • Unit Supply Cap and Turn Entry
  • Starting a Standard Game
• Anatomy of a Turn
  • Beginning a Turn
  • Player Sub-phases
  • Responding to Actions
  • End of Turn Resolutions
  • Sub-phase Actions
  • Playing Cards
• Battle Instances
  • To Initiate a Battle Instance
  • Declaring a Battle Instance
  • Moving During a Battle Instance
  • Choosing Units for a Battle Instance
  • Battle Actions
  • Keeping Track of Attack and Damage Values
  • Cards Destroyed by Combat or Damage Effects
  • Battle Resolution
  • Battle Example
• Abilities and Limitations
• Ability and Effect Durations
• Stack Resolution
• Unit and Commander Abilities
• Fast Paced Game Variant
  • Setup and Game Start
  • Unit Turn Entry
  • Turn Actions
  • Production Actions (maximum of 2 per turn)
• Glossary

Game Objective

Each Player starts with a Faction Stronghold with a listed Population count. Whichever player manages to reduce their Opponent's Stronghold to zero (0) wins.

Required for Play

Each player must have a Purge Deck of no more than 50 cards split between the three player decks. The player decks are: OPS, TEK and WAR decks. These three decks, along with your Stronghold and Commander cards, come together to form a Purge Deck.

The purchase of a Purge set consists of multiple pre-built decks to choose from, each with its own Commanders, Strongholds and strategies.

A Purge Deck consists of the following:

• 1 Faction Commander
• 1 Faction Stronghold
• 48 A combination of OPS, TEK and Unit cards.

A Purge Deck is subdivided into a WAR deck for Units, an OPS deck for Operations and a TEK deck for powerful technologies.

While different Commanders may rely on a traditional war machine consisting of combat Units, others draw their power more from their OPS or TEK to win. Because of this, different Purge Decks may have varying amounts of cards in their respective WAR, OPS, or TEK decks. Though the three decks may vary in size, the total number of cards required for a Purge Deck is 50.

Additionally, Purge Decks must adhere to the following guidelines:

Card Type	Maximum Copies	Deck Maximum
OPS (Operations)	4	(None)
TEK (Technology)	1	8
Unit	3	(None)
Resource Attachment	2	6
Defensive Attachment	2	2
Super Weapon	1	1

With the addition of new Purge sets, a player may choose to add and remove cards to better suit their play style, as well as to fashion a better defense against the opposition they face. All cards in a Purge Deck must be of a similar Faction as your Commander. For example, if your Commander is from the Human Faction, all cards must also be from the Human Faction. The color of the card back indicates which Faction a card belongs.

• Red: Humans
• Green: Machines
• Blue: Ancients

Please note, when building a Purge Deck, you are limited to the COMM OPS of the Commander designated on the OPS card. Commanders cannot make use of other Commanders' COMM OPS anyway, so it would be wasted in your deck.

Card Types and Subtypes

Just as there are various types of cards that are broken into their respective decks, there are also variations within those card types. The different cards and their Subtypes are as follows:

• Commander: This is the leader of your army.
• Stronghold: This is your base of operations.
• Stronghold Attachments: Equipment to enhance your Stronghold.
  • Defensive Attachments: Bolster your walls with defensive armaments.
  • Resource Attachments: You can't run a war without the resources to wage it.
• OPS: These are your combat Operations.
  • COMM OPS: These Operations are exclusive to your Commander.
  • OMNI OPS: These Operations are restricted only by Faction.
• UNITS: Represent troops and war machines.
  • Infantry: Expendable ground troops.
  • Tank: The backbone of your war machine.
  • Jet: Air Units that can fly over the landscape.
  • Rig/Dreadnaught/Mothership: Terrifying pinnacles of Faction Technology.
• TEK: Devastating technology used to equip and enhance your war machine.
• Super Weapon: The most terrifying of all technological feats.
  • Unit: Move around the landscape like regular Units, but with devastating effects.
  • OPS: Sometimes one shot is all you need.
  • Stronghold: A Super Weapon that increases your Stronghold's abilities.
  • TEK: Technologies that open the door for epic abilities.

Game Fundamentals

The Three Deck Arrangements

All cards are arranged, in no particular order, into three (3) different decks based on card types.

• WAR Deck: The WAR deck contains all of your Units (with the exception of Super Weapon-Unit).
• TEK (Technology) Deck: The TEK deck holds Technology cards, Defensive Attachments, Resource Attachments, and Super Weapon. Super Weapons are considered to be a part of the TEK deck, even if they have another type, such as Unit.
• OPS (Operations) Deck: The OPS deck includes only OPS cards.

Each of the three Decks has their respective discard piles next to them.

Card Types

• Stronghold: Your Stronghold represents the center of your Faction's industrial war machine. However, no war machine is complete without the necessary laborers to run it. Each Stronghold has a corresponding population, represented by the value on each Stronghold card. Whenever a player's Stronghold reaches zero, that player loses the game.
• Resource Attachment: Resource Attachments symbolize the advanced production facilities which generate the energy needed to fuel your Faction's industrial war complex. The Energy Production value indicates how much energy will be produced at the beginning of each new turn.
• Defensive Attachment: Defensive Attachments represent deadly structures erected to defend your Stronghold and its populous from the enemies that seek to annihilate it.
• Technology: Gain an edge in the war and unlock superior abilities with TEKs.
• Units: Units may move to assault Strongholds or Enemy Units, and some possess powerful abilities to increase their utility in combat. All Units have Battle Stats and Subtypes.
• Commander: Commanders represent the powerful leaders of their Factions. In addition to having unique special abilities, Commanders may also make use of OPS cards. Like Units, Commanders may be attacked and killed if not properly managed. Keep in mind, the war ranges on if your leader falls, but you will not have access to your OPS cards (with the exception of Commander Resurrection effects).

Note: Commanders may only be targeted by abilities and OPS that specifically target Commanders.

• OPS: OPS cards may be played at any time as long as their Energy and TEK requirements can be satisfied. COMM OPS cards can only be played by the Commander listed on the OPS card in the Card Type section. OPS cards which do not require a specific Commander (OMNI OPS) may be played by any Commander so long as the OPS card matches that Commander's Faction. With the exception of Resurrection effects that target Commanders, OPS cards cannot be played if your Commander is not in play.
• Super Weapon: Super Weapons are the pinnacle of technological achievement. As such, they are enormous engines of destruction which turn the tide of battle. Whether these come as one use OPS or if they are Units in their own right, their existence will be significant.

Note: Some cards are oriented in the traditional Portrait format, while most adhere to a Landscape layout. The card layout has no functional effect on gameplay.

Vectors of Play

A total of three Vectors exist on a playing surface during a normal 2 player game.

• Stronghold Vectors: The Stronghold Vector is the play area directly in front of a player. The Stronghold Vector is where Strongholds, TEKs and all Attachments reside. (Player decks and discard piles reside behind this Vector.)

There are two (2) Stronghold Vectors:

• Friendly Stronghold Vector: This is where your Stronghold, TEKs and Attachments are placed. Units come into play in this Vector. This is considered a Friendly Vector.

• Opponent's Stronghold Vector: This is where your enemy's Stronghold, TEKs and Attachments can be found.

• Battlefield Vector: Also known as the Field Vector, this is the space between the Stronghold Vectors. In order for Commanders or Units to attack opposing Stronghold Vectors, they must first enter the Battlefield Vector. The Field Vector is considered a Friendly Vector.

The playing surface is laid out as follows: Player A Decks and Discard Piles, then Player A Stronghold Vector, then the Battlefield Vector, then Player B Stronghold Vector, then Player B Decks and Discard Piles.

• Represent the various Units, TEKS, Commanders and Super Weapons.
• Represent the players Strongholds with their accompanying Attachments.
• Represent the 3 decks and discard piles for each player.

Card Breakdown

• Card Name: Name of the card.
• Energy Cost: The amount of Energy required to expend in order to play a card.
• Technology Requirement: The number of TEK cards needed under a player's control in order to play a card.
• Card Type: Specifies the card type: Unit, Commander, OPS, TEK, Stronghold, Defensive Attachment, Resource Attachment or Super Weapon.
• Card Subtype: Some cards have a Subtype, such as a Unit - Tank or Super Weapon - Unit.
• Card Text (effect): The effect or abilities of the card. This may alter play in a variety of ways.

Card Battle Stats

Battle Stats are indicators of how a Unit, Commander, Stronghold or Defensive Attachment will fare in battle. There are six (6) Battle Stats grouped into two (2) different categories:

Offensive Stats

• Attack: The number of attacks a Unit, Commander or Defensive Attachment may make during a Battle Instance. Once all attacks are expended, they may not make attack actions for the rest of the turn.
• Damage: The amount of damage a Unit, Commander or Offensive Attachment deals per attack.
• Initiative: (Commanders only). Determines which player goes first each turn. The player whose Commander possesses the highest Initiative goes first. In the case of a tie, a coin is flipped to decide which player goes first that turn. If a Commander is not in play, that player's Initiative is zero (0).

Defensive Stats

• Armor: Armor reduces the amount of damage received from an attack, ability or OPS card by its armor value. Any remaining damage is then carried over to the effected card, reducing its health or population by that amount. Cards have a maximum armor cap of three (3).
• Health: Represents the amount of health a Unit or Commander has. Once a card's health has been reduced to zero (0), it is removed from play and put into the War Deck discard pile.

Note: Health reduced to 0 can be responded to before it resolves.

• Population: (Strongholds Only) The amount of Population a Stronghold has. Once a Stronghold's Population reaches zero (0), that player loses the game.

Note: Battle Stats may not be reduced below zero (0).

Card Abilities

Stated or Unlockable Abilities

• Unlockable Abilities: These are abilities marked with the unlock symbol that need to have a TEK card in play to be used. Once the prerequisite TEK is in play, an unlocked ability can resolve its effect. Only TEKs in play and under your command allow unlocked abilities to take effect for your Units and Commanders.
• Stated Abilities: These are abilities without the unlock symbol and can be used or activated at any time during the game.

Ability Activations

• Passive: Passive Abilities are in effect at all times. There is no conditional triggering or activation costs required.
  • Example: All of your Units gain +1 Health.
• Triggered: A triggered ability only takes effect when a specific event occurs.
  • Example: This Unit gains +1 Health whenever it receives damage.
• Activated: Like OPS cards, activated abilities take effect whenever you choose to use them so long as you have the required energy and meet the prerequisites (if applicable) for their activation.
  • Example: OPT: Prevent 3 Damage that would be dealt to your Commander.

Some activated abilities may be activated as many times as you can pay for them, but others are OPT (once per turn) abilities. After you've used an OPT ability, you may not use it again until the start of the next turn (and not the next Sub-phase).

Activating abilities does not count as taking up a Sub-phase and can happen at any time.

Gameplay Basics

Gaining/Expending Energy

Most cards require energy in order to be put into play or execute a stated ability. Energy is generally acquired in two (2) ways:

• Your Stronghold produces energy as indicated by its Energy Production value.
• Resource Attachments added to your Stronghold increase energy output as indicated by their Energy Production value.

Energy produced from your Stronghold and Resource Attachments is "use or lose," meaning that it does not carry over from turn to turn and is cleared from the pool at the end of each turn.

At the start of a turn, both players total up the amount of energy production of all their Stronghold and Attachment cards and add that amount to their respective available energy pool.

NOTE: Energy is only produced at the start of the turn. Energy from recently played attachments is not available until the start of the next full turn.

Basic Card Requirements

To play a TEK, Super Weapon, OPS or Attachment card, one must satisfy two requirements:

• The player must expend the appropriate amount of Energy from their Energy Pools.
• The player must assure that they have met the appropriate Technology Requirement for playing the card. As long as there are an equal or greater amount of TEKs under that player's control to match the Technology Requirement number on the card, that card may be played. Unlike Energy, TEKs are not expended.

Example: To play an OPS card with a cost of five Energy and a Technology Requirement of three: First, search through your OPS deck for the desired card, then make sure you have the minimum number of TEK cards in play under your control. Afterwards, expend the five required Energy from your Energy Pool and put it on the Stack for resolution.

Note: Not all cards from the TEK deck are 'TEK' cards. Only cards that are of the 'TEK' Subtype count for TEK requirements.

With the exception of OPS, all cards can only be played during one of your Sub-phases. You cannot play a Unit, TEK, Super Weapon or Attachment card during an Opponent's Sub-phase. All cards with Offensive and Defensive stats (Attack, Damage, Armor and Health) enter play with their respective stats at its printed value unless effected by another ability.

If Energy is expended but no card is played (such as OPS that has been 'nullified'), it is simply lost.

If a card is in play that would lessen the requirements to play another card from a deck, that cost is considered a 'Modified Cost.' A card's modified cost may not be reduced below zero (0).

Unit Supply Cap and Turn Entry

Units, in addition to their Energy requirements, have special limitations depending on their Subtype. Just as with TEK requirements for other card types, players wishing to play a Unit will make several checks before playing a Unit card.

SUPPLY - Each Faction has a limited amount of resources to help fuel and feed their army. This limits the amount of Units a player may have in play at one time.

Faction	Supply Cap
Ancients	10
Humans	11
Machines	12

TURN ENTRY - Each Unit Subtype, in addition to their Supply Cost, also has a limit as to which turn it can be played.

Unit Subtype	Supply Cost	Turn of Entry
Infantry	1	1
Tank	3	3
Jet	4	5
Rig, Dreadnought, Mothership	5	6
Super Weapon	0	(N/A)
Tokens (regardless of Subtype)	0	(N/A)

Whereas Infantry are rather cheap and can be built the very first turn, deadlier Units such as Jets and Motherships take more time to develop, as well as drain much more from your Supply.

Keep in mind that the Unit Supply Cost and Unit Turn of Entry are different.

Supply Example 1: If you have 1 Jet (4 Supply), 1 Dreadnought (5 Supply) and 1 Infantry (1 Supply) in play, you are using 10 Supply.

Supply Example 2: If you have 2 Tanks (3 Supply each), 1 Jet (4 Supply) and 1 Infantry (1 Supply) in play, you are using 11 Supply.

Of course dead or missing Units no longer require Supply. When a Unit leaves play for any reason (such as being removed from play), the Supply for that player is lowered by that Unit's Supply Cost.

During End of Turn resolutions, if a player is over their Supply Cap, they must choose Units to return to their WAR deck until the Supply Cost for all Units under your control is equal to or less than their respective Faction's Supply Cap.

Token Units, Commanders and Super Weapons, regardless of Subtype, do not count towards your Supply Cap.

Starting a Standard Game

Each player starts a Standard Game with the following in their respective Stronghold Vector:

• 1 Commander
• 1 Stronghold
• 1 Resource Attachment with an Energy Production of 0
• 1 TEK with an Energy cost of 3 or less

The first resource attachment and TEK do not count towards the turn's Production Action limit as they are in play before the first turn.

The Resource Attachment does add its energy production to the energy pool as it was in play before the start of the first turn.

Most Purge Decks consist of a number of TEK options with a cost of 3 or less. When starting a game, you may choose any one (1) of these to begin the game. Which you choose will be up to you, depending upon your play style or the opposition you face. This gives each Faction deck different strategic options before even the very first turn!

Both players then check their Commanders' Initiative and the player with the highest takes the first Sub-phase.

Anatomy of a Turn

Beginning a Turn

At the beginning of each turn, energy from each Player's Resource Attachments and Strongholds are added to their respective Energy Pools. Simultaneously, Production Actions for each Player are raised back to their maximum limit (with a starting limit of 3).

After energy and Production Actions are replenished, both players check which of their Commanders have the highest Initiative value, with the highest then taking the first Sub-phase. If both Commanders have the same Initiative, flip a coin to see who goes first.

Note: If both Commanders are dead at the start of a turn, the player who went first last turn gets to take the first Sub-phase.

Player Sub-phases

Players are allowed one (1) of the following actions during each of their Sub-phases:

Turn Actions

• Move your Commander and/or any number of Units from one (1) Friendly Vector to another.
• Initiate a Battle Instance by targeting a Vector.
• Play a Super Weapon.
• Pass (do nothing).

Production Actions (maximum of 3 per turn)

• Play a Unit.
• Play a Resource or Defensive Attachment.
• Play a TEK (limited to 1 per turn).

Note: If you've had your action interrupted (by a 'nullify' or 'cancel' effect), your Sub-phase is complete because you have still used your allotted action, even if it was unsuccessful.

Once a player has taken an action, their Sub-phase is complete and then the next player may use their Sub-phase. This process is repeated until both players choose to 'pass' consecutively. Once both players perform a "Pass" action consecutively, the End of Turn resolutions are resolved and a new turn begins.

If Player A chooses to pass, and Player B then chooses to take another action, Player A can then make another action on the next Sub-phase. A player is never locked into passing.

Responding to Actions

During any action (such as playing a Unit during a Production Action), the Opponent will have a moment to respond by using abilities on a Unit, Commander or TEK under their control, or by playing an OPS card. If the Opponent chooses not to respond, the card resolves normally and enters play. If the Opponent does respond, the response goes on the Stack, and then the player can respond to that response! (See 'Stack Resolution'.)

End of Turn Resolutions

Once both players pass consecutively, several effects resolve immediately and simultaneously.

• Remaining Energy is drained from each player's Energy Pool.
• All Triggered, Activated and Floating Effects end, unless they are Permanent.
• All Token Units are removed from game.
• If a player is over their Supply Cap, they return Units to their WAR deck until they are equal to or under their Faction's Supply Cap limit.
• All offensive stats are returned to their maximum value.
• Units and Commanders who are in their respective Stronghold Vectors have their health return to their maximum value.

Note: Players may not respond to End of Turn Resolutions.

Sub-phase Actions

During a full turn, players may play any number of Sub-phases, alternating between players until they both pass consecutively. During their Sub-phase, players may choose to take one (1) of two different types of actions.

Turn Actions

During a player's Sub-phase, they may use a Turn Action to do one (1) of the following:

• Move: Units and Commanders may move between their Stronghold Vector and the Field Vector as a Turn Action. A player may use any (or all) of their Sub-phases to move Units or Commanders from one adjacent Vector to another.

Movement Turn Actions may only be used to move one group of Units to the same Vector. A player may not move two different groups of Units in the same Movement Turn Action.

You may not use a Turn Action to move into your Opponent's Stronghold Vector. To move onto an Opponent's Stronghold Vector, you must first initiate a Battle Instance. (See below.)

• Initiate Battle Instance: Players may choose to initiate a Battle Instance by targeting a Vector that is populated by the Opponent's Commander, Enemy Units or the Opponent's Stronghold (or any combination thereof). As a portion of the Battle Instance, they may first move a group of their Units and/or their Commander from an adjacent Vector into the targeted Vector. (See 'Battle Instance'.)
• Play a Super Weapon: Super Weapons take ages to develop, and as such they are said to be 'in development' the entire game. Playing a Super Weapon does not take up a Production Action. They do, however, have rather stiff Energy and Technology Requirements.
• Pass: Players are never forced to take an action if they do not choose to do so. The turn ends when both players decide to Pass consecutively.

Production Actions

The industrial war machine is in full effect, but even the greatest factories can't keep up with demand.

At the start of the game, players are limited to a maximum of three (3) Production Actions per turn.

Production Actions include:

• Playing a Unit.
• Playing a Stronghold Attachment.
• Playing a TEK (limit one (1) per Turn).

Using a single Production Action takes a full Sub-phase.

Though playing TEKs counts as one of a player's 3 Production Actions, only one (1) TEK may be played per turn.

NOTE: Just because a card comes from your TEK deck doesn't mean that it qualifies for the 1 TEK per turn restriction (like Super Weapons or Defensive Attachments, for example). Only cards with the Subtype of 'TEK' count as fulfilling your 1 TEK per turn limit.

Playing Cards

Like all Production Actions, playing Units, TEKs, Attachments or Super Weapons takes up an entire Sub-phase, but the requirements for each are different.

To Play a Unit:

1. Have at least one (1) Production Action remaining.
2. Expend the appropriate amount of Energy for the Unit they wish to play.
3. Assure that the Unit is not played before the appropriate turn, based on the Subtype.
4. Assure that the Supply of the Unit will not cause them to exceed the Supply Cap for your Faction.

Once all the above is determined to be satisfied, 1 Production Action is expended, the requisite (modified) Energy cost is drained from that player's Energy Pool and the Unit card is put into play. Supply Cap is then raised by the Unit's respective Supply Cost for the player who played the Unit.

Units are played in their Stronghold Vector and can participate in Battle Instances the same turn they enter play.

To Play a TEK:

1. Have at least one (1) Production Action remaining.
2. Expend the appropriate amount of Energy for the TEK they wish to play.
3. Assure the TEK requirement has been met.
4. Assure that they have not played a TEK previously this turn.
5. Put TEK card into play at Stronghold Vector. Production Actions and Energy expended this way are lost.

Abilities associated with TEKs, Passive or Active, resolve or are made available for resolution as soon as the TEK enters play.

To Play an Attachment:

1. Have at least one (1) Production Action remaining.
2. Expend the appropriate amount of Energy for the Attachment they wish to play.
3. Assure the TEK requirement has been met.

Energy from newly played Resource Attachments is not available for use until the beginning of the next turn.

To Play an OPS card:

1. Expend the appropriate amount of Energy for the OPS they wish to play.
2. Assure the TEK requirement has been met.
3. Assure that your Commander is in play.
4. The OPS has a legal target for resolution.

Playing OPS does not take up a Sub-phase. Instead, OPS cards can be played at any time, so long as you meet their requirements.

If all requirements are satisfied, the player declares the targets of the OPS card (if any) and puts the card on the Stack for resolution. If an OPS card that is on the Stack seeks to resolve but no longer has a valid target, it will be discarded without effect. The Energy is still expended, however.

Example: an OPS card which targets a "Unit participating in a Battle Instance" will fail if the targeted Unit were to be removed from the Battle Instance by another effect due to it no longer having a valid target.

If an effect would kill a Commander while an OPS card is on the Stack, the OPS card resolves normally.

To Play a Super Weapon:

1. Expend the appropriate amount of Energy for the Super Weapon they wish to play.
2. Assure the TEK requirement has been met.
3. Assure any other requirements based on the type of Super Weapon (if applicable).

Putting the Super Weapon into Play:

1. Drain the requisite (modified) cost of the Super Weapon from your Energy Pool.
2. Put the desired Super Weapon card into play at your Stronghold Vector.

Super Weapons with a Subtype of Unit, TEK or Attachment are played similarly to their respective Subtype. A Super Weapon-Unit is played as a Unit and must follow all the rules associated with the playing of a Unit card. Super Weapons, however, do not count towards your Supply Cap and playing a Super Weapon is never considered a Production Action.

Super Weapons that do not have a Subtype remain in your Stronghold Vector as if they were TEK cards.

Card Effects: Card effects may override the rules. During those occasions when a card seeks to break the rules found in this rules sheet, always defer to the card.

Example: The special ability for Jets to attack from any Vector countermands the requirement for Units to move into the enemy's Stronghold Vector only from an adjacent Vector.

Battle Instances

To Initiate a Battle Instance

1. Declare a Battle Instance targeting a Vector at the start of your Sub-phase.
2. Move your Commander and/or any number of your Units from adjacent Vectors into the targeted Vector.
3. Declare which of your Units/Commander within that Vector are going to be included in the Battle Instance.
4. Battle begins.

Note: All Friendly Units moving into an Opponent's Stronghold Vector must be included in the ensuing Battle Instance.

Declaring a Battle Instance

Players declare Battle Instances targeting a Vector that has at least one enemy Unit, Commander or Stronghold present.

Moving During a Battle Instance

After declaring a Battle Instance, the attacking player may move any number of Units/Commanders they control into the targeted Vector from an adjacent Vector. This movement is considered to be a portion of the Battle Instance itself and not a separate Turn Action.

Jets are the only Units that can move to join the attacking force from non-adjacent Vectors. If a player chooses to move a Jet from a non-adjacent Vector, they may still move other Units and/or Commanders from an adjacent Vector as a part of this Battle Instance.

Players may also move Units/Commanders into the target Vector even if they have no intention of using them during this Battle Instance.

Note: At no time can you move a Unit or Commander an Opponent controls unless an ability or effect says otherwise.

Choosing Units for a Battle Instance

After moving, the attacking player chooses which of their Units/Commanders within the targeted Vector they want to include in the Battle Instance. The Units/Commanders that they chose to move as a part of this Battle Instance do not have to be included in the Battle Instance. This opens strategic options for the attacking player as they choose which Units/Commanders to risk during the attack, and which Units simply move into position for later.

When moving into an opposing Stronghold Vector, all moved Units/Commanders must participate in the ensuing Battle Instance.

Even though the attacking player gets to choose which of their Units/Commanders to include in the Battle Instance, all defensive Units, Commanders and Strongholds residing in the targeted Vector must be included in a Battle Instance as the Defenders.

Example: Both Player A and Player B have 2 Units in the Field Vector. Player A declares a Battle Instance on the Field Vector before choosing 3 of their Units to move from their Stronghold Vector into the Field Vector. Player A then chooses 4 of his 5 available Units to participate in this Battle Instance. Both of Player B's Units are automatically included.

Attacker Rule: The player that initiated the Battle Instance makes the first Battle Action.

Note: After a player declares a Battle Instance, any movement prior to the Battle Actions must move Units to the targeted Vector as a portion of that Battle Instance. Units cannot move away from a Battle Instance until they either retreat using a Battle Action, or Fall Back during Battle Resolution.

Battle Actions

Just like the Sub-phases of a turn, Battle Actions are taken in a back-and-forth fashion between players. Starting with the attacking player, players choose to execute one (1) of several different Battle Actions until all sources have exhausted their attacks, have been destroyed, have retreated, or both players Pass consecutively.

The following are considered Battle Actions:

• Attack
• Retreat
• Pass

Attack

Units, Commanders and Defensive Attachments have a number of attacks available to them (their Attack stat). This represents how many attacks they can make per turn. During a Battle Instance, if a Unit/Commander/Defensive Attachment has at least 1 Attack remaining, the player may choose to use this attack to target any enemy Unit or Commander within the Battle Instance (though attacking Strongholds has special limitations. See 'Abilities and Limitations').

To use an attack, the player lowers that Unit's/Commander's/Defensive Attachment's Attack by 1, then targets a legal enemy Unit/Commander/Stronghold within the Battle Instance and places their attack on the Stack to resolve. When the attack is resolved, that source's Damage value is reduced by the target's Armor value. Any remaining Damage then reduces the target's Health. If the target's Health falls below 1, then a Rulebook Effect is placed on the Stack to destroy that target.

Retreat

If, during a Battle Instance, a player may find that it may be best to initiate a tactical retreat. During that player's Battle Action, they may have a single Unit/Commander suffer -1 Attack (Units/Commanders with zero remaining Attack stay at zero) and move it into the nearest Friendly Vector. Units/Commanders retreating from a Battle Instance in the Field Vector retreat to the nearest, adjacent Friendly Vector, which would be their Stronghold Vector.

Retreating Units or Commanders may indeed be moving into Vectors that already have Enemy Units present, but at least they are safe from the current Battle Instance. This retreat may prove problematic for them if another Battle Instance erupts later on.

Defensive Attachments are static and therefore cannot retreat.

Note: Retreating is a Battle Action that removes a Unit or Commander from a Battle Instance and places them in the nearest Friendly Vector. Falling Back is when surviving Units and Commanders move to the nearest Friendly Vector after a Battle Instance. Falling Back is not a Battle Action because it takes place after a Battle Instance.

Pass

Players may choose to pass as a Battle Action. Like passing during a Sub-phase, the player is free to choose another Action after their Opponent's next Battle Action.

Keeping Track of Attack and Damage Values

Seeing as how each Unit and Commander has a limited amount of Attacks and Health, players will want to keep track of which Units/Commanders have been damaged and which Units/Commanders have exhausted their attacks. Some players use dice or counters to keep track of the values, while others turn cards sideways to show that their attacks have been exhausted. You may use any method you wish.

Cards Destroyed by Combat or Damage Effects

If a card has its Health reduced to zero (0), a Rulebook Effect immediately resolves and that Unit/Commander is put into the WAR discard pile.

Similarly, if a Stronghold has its Population reduced to zero (0), a Rulebook Effect goes on the Stack and resolves and that player loses the game!

Battle Resolution

A Battle Instance ends when any of the following events occur:

1. Both Players choose a Pass Action consecutively.
2. All Unit/Commander/Defensive Attachments have their Attack reduced to zero (0).
3. All Units/Commanders are destroyed or have Retreated.

Units and Commanders cannot reside in their Opponent's Stronghold Vector after a Battle Instance. If the Battle Instance was declared on a Stronghold Vector, any surviving Units/Commanders that still reside within an Opponent's Stronghold Vector must Fall Back to the nearest Friendly Vector.

Battle Example

The Ancient player has decided to attack the Machine player on the Field Vector.

(For the sake of this example neither Chronometry nor Memory Metal has been unlocked.)

At the beginning of this attack, you have all Units at full capacity. Each line shows Attack, then Health:

• Attacker A: 2 Attack, 5 Health.
• Attacker B: 2 Attack, 5 Health.
• Defender: 2 Attack, 10 Health.

1. Attacker A uses one of its Attacks to do 3 Damage to the Defender. The defending Unit has 1 Armor, so only two Damage gets through, lowering its Health to 8.

Now it is then the Machine player's turn to take a Battle Action.

• Attacker A: 1 Attack, 5 Health.
• Attacker B: 2 Attack, 5 Health.
• Defender: 2 Attack, 8 Health.

2. The Machine player knows it does not have to suffer all 4 of the Ancient player's attacks if it can concentrate its efforts on Attacker B. The Machine player uses its first Attack on Attacker B, doing a total of 3 Damage to it (4 Damage minus 1 Armor).

• Attacker A: 1 Attack, 5 Health.
• Attacker B: 2 Attack, 2 Health.
• Defender: 1 Attack, 8 Health.

3. The Ancient player doesn't want to see Attacker B killed without getting at least 1 attack in, so it uses one of Attacker B's Attacks to do another 2 Damage to the Defender (3 Damage minus 1 Armor), lowering the Defender to 6 Health.

• Attacker A: 1 Attack, 5 Health.
• Attacker B: 1 Attack, 2 Health.
• Defender: 1 Attack, 6 Health.

4. Now that Attacker B has only 2 Health remaining, the Defender attacks Attacker B, using its last Attack to do a total of 3 Damage to Attacker B, bringing it to 0 Health. The Ancient player allows the Rulebook Effect to resolve without response, and Attacker B is put into the WAR discard pile.

• Attacker A: 1 Attack, 5 Health.
• Attacker B: (Discarded).
• Defender: 0 Attack, 6 Health.

5. The Ancient player uses Attacker A's last remaining Attack to do 2 Damage to the Defender (3 Damage minus 2 Armor).

After the Battle Instance, you have:

• Attacker A: 0 Attack, 5 Health.
• Attacker B: (Discarded).
• Defender: 0 Attack, 4 Health.

Alternately, either player could have used one of their Battle Actions to have one (1) of their Units retreat to the nearest Friendly Vector (being their Stronghold Vectors). If they would have done so, that Unit would have suffered -1 Attack if any were remaining.

During Battle Resolution, the Defending player chooses to have their Unit Fall Back to their Stronghold Vector, while the Attacking player chooses to leave Attacker A in the Field Vector to continue the pressure on the Machine player.

Both Attacker A and Defender have exhausted their available Attacks, so they will not be able to attack for the rest of the turn. They can still be roped into Battle Instances later this turn if not properly managed, however.

Abilities and Limitations

• Armor Maximum: Units, Super Weapons, Strongholds and Commanders have an Armor maximum cap of three (3). Effects which grant +Armor cannot raise this value above the maximum of 3 unless otherwise stated.
• Offensive Stats Regeneration: Offensive stats (Attack, Damage) on all cards return to their normal values during End of Turn resolution regardless of its location or card type.
• Health Regeneration: Unlike Offensive stats, Health values do not return to their normal values at the end of turn unless the card is in its respective owner's Stronghold Vector during End of Turn resolutions.
• Stronghold Max Population: Effects that would raise a Stronghold's Population value above its maximum value (usually the amount listed on the card itself) raise it only to the maximum value.
• Zero Attacks (0 Attack): If a Unit, Commander or Defensive Attachment has exhausted all of its Attacks, or has had its Attack value reduced to 0 for any other reason, it may not make attacks until its Attack value has been replenished. Even with zero Attacks, sources still possess their abilities, and can still be included in Battle Instances for other reasons.
• Attacking/Defending Strongholds: Ground Units in their Stronghold Vector are said to be 'defending' that Stronghold. Players may only attack Strongholds when all non-Jet Units are removed from the Battle Instance. Commanders do not prevent attacks on Strongholds.
• OPS cards targeting Strongholds for damage, either during or outside of a Battle Instance, resolve as normal. This is not considered 'attacking' the Stronghold.
• Defensive Attachment Rule: Defensive Attachments may not be targeted for attack during Battle Instances. Defensive Attachments are considered a portion of the Stronghold, and as such cannot leave the Stronghold Vector for any reason (such as during movement, Falling Back or Retreating). Effects that would target Units or Commanders (Global, Target Specific, Card-Type Specific, Event Specific, Text Specific or Vector Specific) do not resolve against Defensive Attachments.
• Multiple Subtypes: Cards may exist with multiple Subtypes. If this is the case, they can be targeted by effects and abilities that target either of their Subtypes.
• Tokens (Units): Tokens are special Units that are created from OPS cards and other effects. They have several considerations.

Note: Jets may only move to non-adjacent Vectors when moving as part of a Battle Instance, and only before the first Battle Action. Jets retreat, Fall Back, and move during Turn Actions to adjacent Vectors like regular Units.

• Abilities and the Stack: Just like OPS cards, abilities are put onto the Stack to be resolved in a last in, first out fashion.
• Resurrecting Discarded Units: Units that are discarded from the WAR deck for any reason are not eligible to be put back into play under resurrection effects (Fractal Repair ability, etc).

Ability and Effect Durations

Some effects and abilities last longer than others.

• Instant: Some effects occur instantly and have no lingering effects.
• End of Sub-phase / End of Battle Instance: These effects end as soon as the next player begins their Sub-phase.
• End of Turn: Many abilities may only be activated once per turn, so use them wisely. Floating Effects resolve at End of Turn resolution as well.
• Permanent: These effects last for the rest of the game.

Stack Resolution

So in the above example, play and resolution would be as follows:

1. Player A plays an OPS card.
2. Player B responds with a TEK Ability.
3. Player A responds by activating one of their Unit's Abilities.
4. Player B responds with an OPS card.
5. Player A passes.
6. Before resolution, Player B then activates one of their Unit's Abilities.
7. Player A then activates their Commander Ability.
8. Player B passes.
9. Player A passes.

After both players pass, the cards resolve in inverse order.

If either player wanted to interrupt the resolution of a particular card, they are allowed to do so. Their Opponent would then be able to respond in kind.

Note: The graphic in the source shows Unit cards as if they were a portion of a literal 'stack' of cards. There is no requirement to move Units/Commanders to correspond to a pile of cards in order for it to be considered part of a 'Stack' (though you may choose to do so to assure appropriate resolution).

Unit and Commander Abilities

Note: Abilities and card effects stated on Units/Commanders may not be used or activated from the discard pile (exception: Resurrection Effect).

Unlocked Abilities (marked with the unlock symbol; requires TEKs to unlock):

• Chronometry: Units/Commanders damaged by a source with Chronometry suffer -1 Attack. This is considered a Floating Effect.

• Clone DNA: OPT (once per turn): Resurrect Eva X at your Stronghold. Resurrection effects can be played from the Discard pile.

• Composite Armor (x): Sources with this ability have damage dealt by abilities and OPS cards reduced by (x).

• Critical Mass: Sources with this ability always do at least 1 Damage on attacks regardless of the target's Armor or any ability that would prevent the damage.

  In addition, Sources with Critical Mass also cannot be removed from the game by OPS or ability effects. They may still be targeted by damage effects, however.

• Cumulative: In addition to its normal effects, this card has the following passive effect: "OPS cards cost you +1 Energy to play until the end of turn." Cumulative is considered a Floating Effect that is triggered once a player seeks to pay an OPS card's cost.

• Entrenched: Sources with the Entrenched ability ignore the Attacker Rule and get to make the first attack during a Battle Instance as long as the card with Entrenched is the defender in a Battle Instance. This ability may only be activated by 1 card at a time and only once per Battle Instance.

• Fractal Repair (x): Pay (x): Resurrect a Unit/Commander with this ability at your Stronghold. This effect does not count as a Production Action and is not considered a Floating Effect. Fractal Repair can be activated from the discard pile.

• Fury: Sources with the Fury ability gain +1 Damage when they are the Attackers in a Battle Instance.

• Irradiate: OPT: Deal X Damage to target Unit, where X equals the maximum Health subtracted from the current Health of the source with Irradiate.

  Example: A Unit with Irradiate has a maximum Health value of 5, but has taken 3 damage that turn. If activated, Irradiate would do 3 Damage to the target Unit.

Stated Abilities (does not require TEKs to unlock):

• Cloaking: Sources with Cloaking cannot be targeted by OPS cards, TEK cards and triggered abilities your Opponent controls. They may still be attacked normally.
• Defender: Sources with this ability gain +2 Health when they are the Defenders in a Battle Instance. During the Battle Instance, if the Unit/Commander has had its life reduced to below 3, it will die after the battle once the Defender effect resolves.
• Flux: OPT: You may Regenerate X Health on this card by moving X Damage to another of your cards with the Flux ability. Damage moved in this way may not exceed the target source's Health. The source activating the Flux ability does not have to be in the same vector as the source receiving transferred Damage.
• Jet: Units with the Jet Subtype may be chosen to participate in Battle Instances from non-adjacent Vectors during Battle Instance movement. Jets can make attacks on the Opponent's Stronghold Vector even if you have no other Units/Commanders within the Field Vector. Jets may only be targeted by other Jets by attacks and abilities unless an ability says otherwise. Jets you control within your Stronghold Vector do not prevent attacks from targeting your Stronghold.
• Tactician: Sources with Tactician can be placed atop another card you control to 'Overlay' that card. When Overlain, the Tactician Unit/Commander adds its own Attack and Defensive Stats, as well as any other abilities it possesses, to the card it Overlays. A source with the Tactician ability is not considered a target and cannot be targeted by any effect (Global, Target Specific, Card-Type Specific, Event Specific, Text Specific or Vector Specific). The Tactician Overlay effect does not end at the end of turn and is not considered a Floating Effect. Tacticians may participate in Battle Instances only when Overlaying another card.

Fast Paced Game Variant

The Fast-Paced game variant follows the same rules as Standard Games with the following exceptions:

Setup and Game Start

Each player starts with the following in play at their respective Stronghold Vector:

• 1 Commander
• 1 Stronghold
• 4 Resource Attachments of 3 or below*
• 3 TEKs with an Energy cost of 4 or below.*

*: Modified from Standard Game Rules.

1st Turn Rule: Players may not play TEK or Resource Attachment cards during the first turn of a Fast-Paced game.

Technology Rule: After their first turn, players may play two (2) TEK cards per turn.

Unit & Defensive Attachment Rule: Units and Defensive Attachments no longer count as a Production Action.

Unit Turn Entry

• Infantry: Turn 1
• Tank: Turn 1*
• Jet: Turn 2*
• Rig/Dreadnought/Mother Ship: Turn 3*

*: Modified from Standard Game Rules.

Turn Actions

• Move your Commander and/or any number of Units from one (1) Friendly Vector to another.
• Initiate a Battle Instance by targeting a Vector.
• Play a Super Weapon/Unit or Defensive Attachment.
• Pass (do nothing).

Production Actions (maximum of 2 per turn)

• Play a Resource Attachment.
• Play a TEK (limit of 2 per turn).

Glossary

• Activated Ability: an ability that takes effect whenever you choose. Like OPS cards, you may choose to play an Activated ability at any time so long as you have the Energy to pay for it and any stated prerequisite for its activation (such as being unlocked by a TEK).

• Armor: a stat representing the protective capabilities such as combat gear, reinforced armor or force shielding. It is used to reduce Damage from attacks, OPS cards and abilities.

• Attachment: A constructed add-on to a Stronghold, modifying its abilities in some way. These can either be defensive or Resource Attachments.

• Attack(ing): Represents how many times per turn a Unit, Commander, or Defensive Attachment may attack in Battle Instances.

• Battle Action: Represents a player's action during a Battle Instance. Using abilities or OPS cards is NOT considered a Battle Action.

• Battle Instance: Battle Instances represent the fighting between warring Factions and forces within a Vector. Battle Instances are played out using Battle Actions in a back-and-forth fashion.

• Battle Resolution: The portion of a Battle Instance where certain effects resolve and forces fall back.

• Battlefield (Field): Also known as the Field, is the space between Stronghold Vectors. The Battlefield is always considered a Friendly Vector even if opposing forces are occupying the Field. Both Enemy Units/Commanders and Units/Commanders you control may cohabit.

• Cancel (Effect): When a card entering play is subject to the Cancel effect, the card is put into its respective Discard pile instead of resolving. Energy paid for the canceled card is still expended. If the canceled card was a Unit, it may not be targeted by a Resurrect effect.

• Commander: The Commander represents the leader of a Faction. When your Commander is in play, you may play OPS cards. Commanders start the game in their respective Stronghold Vectors and do not count towards Supply Cap. Commanders do not prevent your opponent from directly attacking your Stronghold during a Battle Instance.