Rambo: The Board Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Game Overview
  • Single Play Mode
  • Campaign Mode
  • Gear Stash
  • Achievements
• Components
• Mission Setup
  • A. Choose Mission
  • B. Build Map
  • C. Place Fog of War
  • D. Place Map Tokens
  • E. Prepare Enemy Track & Starting Enemies
  • F. Prepare Threat Deck
  • G. Set Battlefield Condition
• Hero Setup
  • A. Take Hero Board
  • B. Prepare Gear
  • C. Prepare Tactics Deck
  • D. Draw Tactics Cards
  • E. Choose Mission Leader
  • F. Place Hero Figures
  • G. Read Briefing & Start Mission
  • Fewer Than 4 Players?
• The Mission Dossier
  • Mission Objectives
  • Mission Triggers
  • Mission Failure
  • The Red Headband Rule
• The Game Round
  • Round Overview
  • Phase 1: Deal Threat Cards
  • Phase 2: Hero Turns
  • Adjusting for 1-3 Players
  • Phase 3: Enemy Activation
  • Phase 4: Battlefield Condition
• Hero Turns
  • Turn Overview
  • Step 1: Clear Persistent Effects
  • Step 2: Reveal Threat
  • Step 3: Choose Stance
  • Step 4: Movement and Actions
    • Moving Your Hero
    • Taking Actions
    • Playing (or Discarding) a Tactics Card
    • Your Tactics Deck
    • Using Valor
• The Battlefield
  • Map Areas
  • Cover Terrain
  • Tough Terrain
  • Impassable Terrain
  • Fog of War
• Gear
  • Gear Cards
  • Gear Loadout
  • Finding New Gear
  • Discarding Gear
  • Weapons
  • Heavy Weapons
  • Utilities
• Health & Damage
  • Health
  • Wounds
  • Too Many Wounds
  • Resistance
  • Armor
• Alert Level
  • Hero Alert Track
  • Visibility
  • Other Alert Effects
• Attacking
  • Making an Attack
  • Step 1: Choose Weapon
  • Step 2: Choose Target(s)
    • Range
    • Adjacent Targets
    • Line-of-Sight
  • Step 3: Deal Damage
  • Step 4: Raise Alert
• Enemies
  • Enemy Cards
  • Killing Enemies
  • Spawning Enemies
  • Enemy Activation
  • Enemy Movement
  • Enemy Attacks
    • Step 1: Choose Target(s)
    • Step 2: Deal Damage
• Achievements

Introduction

Rambo: The Board Game is made up of 20 unique Missions. The Mission Book details the setup, objectives, and special rules for each Mission. Your party can choose to play any Mission from the Mission Book individually, or you can play through all the Missions as a Campaign.

Game Overview

Single Play Mode

To play a single Mission, simply choose any Mission you want to play, flip to its Mission Dossier in the Mission Book, and follow the setup directions. When playing Single Play Mode, each Hero must equip the suggested Gear Cards listed in the Mission Dossier.

Campaign Mode

If your party chooses to play through the Campaign, begin by reading the Introduction at the start of the Mission Book, and then play through Mission #1. Whenever you successfully complete a Mission, move on to the next one in the Mission Book. If you fail any Mission, you can either replay that Mission, or restart the Campaign from the beginning.

As you play through the Campaign, you will collect new Gear Cards and may earn Achievement tokens that you can use (see below). Note that you and your friends do not need to play the same Heroes throughout a campaign — you can change it up between Missions however you like!

Gear Stash

In Campaign Mode, whenever any Hero in your party acquires new Gear Cards (either by unlocking them at the start of a Mission or finding them on a Mission), they are permanently added to the party's Gear Stash.

When setting up each Mission, each Hero may choose to either play with the suggested Gear listed in the Mission Dossier, or they may add or substitute any of the Gear in your Gear Stash. The number of Gear Slots available for the Mission tells you the maximum number of Gear Cards each Hero can equip. (See "Gear" on p. 13)

Between play sessions, Gear in your Stash should be kept separate from the general deck of Gear Cards, which remain locked until you acquire them.

Achievements

Heroes may earn Achievement tokens when they complete special bonus objectives on any Mission during the Campaign. The available Achievements are listed on the back of the Mission Book.

Once a Hero has earned an Achievement, it is stored with your Gear Stash. The recipient can turn their Achievement in at any time during any Missions for a powerful one-time bonus effect. Once an Achievement is used, it is removed from the game. Each Achievement can only be awarded once per Campaign.

Components

• 15 Map Tiles (double-sided)
• 10 Map Overlays
• 189 Fog of War Cards
• 57 Threat Cards
• 16 Mortar Cards
• 12 P.O.I. / P.O.W. Tokens
• 4 Deployment Zone (DZ) Tokens
• 1 Battlefield Condition Track
• 1 Round Marker
• 10 Hero Boards
• 10 Hero Figures
• 104 Tactics Cards
• 63 Gear Cards
• 4 Player References
• 10 Stance Markers
• 4 Alert Markers
• 13 Wounded Tokens
• 9 Tactics / Gear Effect Tokens
• 40 Enemy Figures
• 1 Enemy Initiative Marker
• 27 Enemy & Vehicle Cards
• 2 Vehicle Figures
• 4 Player Count References
• 73 Damage Tokens
• 20 Valor Tokens
• 20 Armor Tokens
• 7 Achievement Tokens

The Player Reference card summarises the round:

• Round Phases: 1. Deal Threat Cards (each Hero gets a Threat Card). 2. Hero Turns: (1) Clear persistent effects; (2) Reveal Threat; (3) Choose Stance; (4) Move, Actions, Tactics. 3. Enemy Activation: activate the Enemy Card with the Initiative marker, then move the marker to the next card. 4. Battlefield Condition: resolve the current round's condition, move the Round Marker to the next round.
• Alert levels: Green: You are hidden everywhere. Yellow: You are hidden only when in cover. Orange: When in cover, hidden to enemies outside your area. Red: Visible everywhere.

Mission Setup

A. Choose Mission

Open the Mission Book to the Mission you want to play. The Mission Dossier provides you with a Map Setup diagram as well as directions for the Enemies, Threats, Tactics, and Gear you will use on the Mission.

If this is your first game, we recommend you read the Introduction on Mission Book pg. 2 and start with Mission #1.

B. Build Map

Find the Map Tiles used for this Mission and place them as shown in the Map Setup diagram. Make sure the red arrow on each tile matches the orientation in the diagram. All other Map Tiles are left in the box.

C. Place Fog of War

Find all Fog of War Cards with the correct Mission Number (the first number in the top left corner on the back of the card, e.g. the "1" in "1-3").

Place each card face-down on the Map as shown in the Map Setup. The numbers on the backs of the cards must match the numbers in the diagram. All unused Fog of War Cards can be left in the game box.

D. Place Map Tokens

Place the correct numbered Point of Interest (P.O.I.) tokens and Deployment Zone (DZ) tokens as shown in the Map Setup.

If there are any additional P.O.I.s listed in the "Objective Triggers" section that are not shown on the Map, set these aside. Return all remaining P.O.I.s and DZs to the box.

E. Prepare Enemy Track & Starting Enemies

Find the Enemy Cards shown in the Mission Dossier and place them in a row to create the Enemy Track. Place all figures matching each card near the track, and leave all other Enemy figures in the box. Place the Enemy Initiative Marker on the first card on the track.

If the Map Setup shows any Enemy icons, spawn an Enemy figure matching the Enemy Track letter (e.g. A) on each icon.

F. Prepare Threat Deck

Separate the Threat Cards into Sets (each card's Set is shown in the bottom center on the front of the card). Shuffle together the Sets listed in the Mission Dossier to create the Threat Deck for this Mission. Return all unused Threat Sets to the box.

G. Set Battlefield Condition

Place the Battlefield Condition Track in clear view of all players. Place the Round Marker in the "1" slot.

Continue to Hero Setup.

Hero Setup

A. Take Hero Board

Each player selects a Hero and takes the corresponding figure and Hero Board. Each player also takes an Alert Marker and Stance Marker.

Place your Hero Board in front of you. Place your Alert Marker on the bottom-most space on your Alert Track.

B. Prepare Gear

From the general deck of Gear Cards, find the cards listed in the Mission Dossier for your Hero and place them face-up near your Hero Board.

If you are playing Campaign Mode, you may add or substitute cards from your Gear Stash. The Mission Dossier specifies how many Gear Slots are available for this Mission. (See p. 13)

C. Prepare Tactics Deck

From your Hero's deck of Tactics Cards, separate out the numbered cards the Mission Dossier tells you to use for this Mission. Each Tactics Card's number is printed in the bottom left of the card. For example, if the Mission Book says to use "Tactics Cards #1-6," all Heroes will take Tactics #1-6 from their available cards and return the rest of your deck to the box.

Shuffle the Tactics Cards you will be using and place them in a face-down pile next to your Hero Board.

D. Draw Tactics Cards

Draw the top 2 Tactics Cards from your deck. This is your starting hand.

E. Choose Mission Leader

Collectively choose a Mission Leader to be in charge of the Mission Book. The Mission Leader is responsible for reading the story, resolving events, and making the final call if the group is stuck on a decision.

If you are unable to decide on a Mission Leader, choose the highest ranking officer among the Heroes that are playing.

F. Place Hero Figures

Each player places their Hero figure on one of the 4 spaces marked as Hero Start on the Map Setup diagram. Each Hero must occupy a different space.

G. Read Briefing & Start Mission

The Mission Leader reads out loud the Briefing section of the Mission Dossier. Then start the first round!

Fewer Than 4 Players?

When playing with fewer than 4 players, each player still chooses 1 Hero to play from those available. Return all components for Heroes that are not selected to the box. Setup is otherwise the same. Note that there are some gameplay changes with fewer than 4 players. (See "Adjusting for 1-3 Players" on p. 7)

The Mission Dossier

Each Mission has a Mission Dossier that details setup, objectives, and special rules for the Mission. The Mission Leader will need to keep the Mission Book open to the Mission Dossier during setup and throughout the Mission.

The Dossier contains: Briefing (narrative introduction to the Mission), Points of Interest, Objective Triggers, Battlefield Condition (gameplay effects that trigger at the end of each round), Mission Objectives (what you must do to complete the Mission successfully), Mission Failure conditions (if any of these are met, you lose the Mission), and the Final Round (if you do not complete your Objectives by the end of this round, you lose!).

Mission Objectives

Each Mission has its own unique Mission Objective(s) that must be completed to win the game. When you complete an Objective, the Mission Leader should read the associated Mission Trigger in the Mission Dossier to progress the story forward.

Mission Triggers

The Mission Triggers section of the Mission Dossier covers unique events that occur during the Mission. It includes the following kinds of events:

• Points of Interest: Events that Heroes can trigger by reaching or using actions at P.O.I.s on the Map.
• Objective Triggers: Events that trigger when Objectives are completed.
• Battlefield Condition: Events that trigger at the end of each round. (See "Battlefield Condition" on p. 8)

The Mission Leader is responsible for all Mission Triggers. When a Mission Trigger is activated, the Mission Leader reads and resolves the narrative and game effects. If a Mission Trigger says "Mission Success," this means you have completed the Mission successfully, and you may move on to the next Mission!

Battlefield Condition events trigger at the end of each Round.

Mission Failure

Each Mission lists conditions under which the team fails the Mission. If any Mission Failure condition is met, the game immediately ends and you lose! You can choose to replay the Mission and try again, or move on to the next Mission in the Mission Book.

Example Mission Failure conditions (Mission #1): Any Hero is at Red Alert at the start of their turn. Any Hero has 3 Wounds. Objectives are not completed at end of Round 5.

The Red Headband Rule

When a rule in this Rulebook is contradicted by the Mission Dossier or a component such as a Threat Card or Tactics Card, always follow the new rules in the Mission Dossier or on the component.

The Game Round

Round Overview

Each round has 4 phases:

1. Deal Threat Cards: Each Hero is dealt a Threat Card
2. Hero Turns: Each Hero takes a turn
3. Enemy Activation: Activate the Enemy Card with the Initiative marker on it
4. Battlefield Condition: Resolve end-of-round events and advance the Round Marker

Phase 1: Deal Threat Cards

Each Hero receives the Threat Card they will reveal and resolve on their turn.

Each player is dealt 1 Threat Card, face-down. (Do not look at your Threat Card! It will be revealed on your turn.)

Phase 2: Hero Turns

Each Hero takes a turn to face a Threat, choose a Stance, and perform movement and actions.

Each Hero takes a turn, one at a time. Heroes may take their turns in whatever order the team decides.

Turns are covered in detail in the next section (See p. 9).

Deciding on turn order. It is a good idea to discuss your strategy as a team at the beginning of the round and decide who will act first. If there are disagreements over turn order or the discussion is taking too long, the Mission Leader has final say.

Adjusting for 1-3 Players

When playing with 3 or fewer Heroes, the team still resolves a total of 4 Hero turns each round. Heroes also gain bonuses to help balance the difficulty. Use the table below, or the Player Count Adjustments reference card.

• 3-player: Each round, the Mission Leader chooses 1 Hero to take 2 turns. At the start of their first turn, the chosen Hero gains +1 Armor.
• 2-player: Each Hero takes 2 turns each round. Each Hero has +2 maximum Health.
• 1-player: The solo Hero takes 4 turns each round. At the start of each round, gain +2 Armor. At the start of each turn, gain +1 Movement.

You may still take your turns in any order. Any player who will be taking more than one turn is dealt 1 Threat Card per turn they will take.

Phase 3: Enemy Activation

Once all Heroes have acted, the Enemies make their move.

Activate the Enemy Card with the Initiative marker on it. When an Enemy Card activates, all Enemy figures of that type on the Map execute the Activation Behaviours listed on the card, in order. (This is discussed in detail in "Enemy Activation" on p. 18)

After you finish resolving the Enemy Activation, move the Initiative marker to the next Enemy Card to the right to mark the group of Enemies that will activate next round. If the marker is on the last Enemy Card in the Initiative Row, it moves back to the first card in the row.

No Enemies on the Map? If an Enemy Card activates but there are no Enemy figures of that type on the Map, move the Initiative marker to the next Enemy Card to the right that has at least 1 Enemy figure on the Map, and activate that card instead. (If the marker passes the last card in the row, move it back to the first card and continue until you reach a card with at least 1 figure on the Map.)

If there are no Enemy figures on the Map at all, do not activate any Enemies. Instead, simply move the Initiative marker to the next Enemy Card to the right and begin the next phase.

Example. "Vietnamese Scout" is the first Enemy Card in the Initiative Row, designated Enemy A in mission setup. In Round 1, in the Enemy Activation Phase, all Scouts on the Map activate. After the Scouts have finished activating, the Initiative marker moves to the next Enemy Card in the row, in this case the "Vietnamese Officer," designated Enemy B. In Round 2, in the Enemy Activation Phase, the Vietnamese Officers now activate. There are none on the Map, so the marker instead moves to the right. There are only 2 cards in the Initiative Row, so the marker moves back to the first card, the Scout. There are still Scouts on the Map, so they now activate.

Phase 4: Battlefield Condition

After Enemies activate, end-of-round events may occur.

The Mission Leader must check the Battlefield Condition section of the Mission Dossier and resolve any effects that are listed for the current round.

After resolving all Battlefield Condition events, advance the Round Marker 1 space on the Battlefield Tracker, and begin the next round.

On most Missions, you must complete your objectives in a certain number of rounds. If you don't win before the Battlefield Condition phase of the final round (marked as "Mission Failure" in the Mission Dossier), you lose! Time is running out!

Example. At the end of round 1, the Mission Leader checks the Battlefield Condition section of the Mission Dossier. Next to round 1 it says, "All Heroes gain +1 Alert." This means everyone must raise their Alert by 1 (See p. 15). Once the event is resolved, the Mission Leader advances the Round Marker to round 2 on the Battlefield Condition Track.

Hero Turns

Turn Overview

Each turn has 4 steps:

1. Clear Persistent Effects: Clear all effects with a Persistent icon from your previous turn
2. Reveal Threat: Flip and resolve your Threat Card
3. Choose Stance: Choose a Stance and gain its bonuses
4. Movement and Actions: Use your Stance's movement and actions, and play (or discard) a Tactics Card

Step 1: Clear Persistent Effects

At the start of your turn, you must clear any bonuses or negative effects from your previous turn.

Discard all cards activated on your last turn that have the Persistent icon on them. (This icon means the effect lasts until the start of your next turn.) This includes any Threat Cards that are face-up in front of your Hero.

Also discard any leftover Armor tokens you have.

• Armor Tokens: Return all unused Armor tokens on your Hero Board to the supply.
• Threat Cards: If you revealed a Threat Card with a Persistent effect on your last turn, discard it.
• Tactics Cards: If you played any Tactics Cards with Persistent effects on your last turn, discard them.

Once a card or component is discarded, its effect is no longer active.

Step 2: Reveal Threat

Next, you must face a new Threat on the battlefield.

(Make sure any Persistent Threat Cards from your previous turn are discarded, as instructed in Step 1.) Flip the Threat Card you were dealt and resolve its effects in the order they are listed on the card:

1. Alert Effect: This effect applies to All Heroes who are within the specified Alert Level (Green, Yellow, Orange or Red). (See "Alert Level" on p. 15)
2. Threat Effect: This is a general effect on Heroes, Enemies, or the battlefield.

Persistent Threats. Once you have resolved your Threat Card:

• If your Threat Card has a Persistent effect, place it face-up near your Hero Board to show that it is currently active; it will remain active until the start of your next turn. (You are responsible for reminding other players of its effect.)
• If your Threat Card does not have a Persistent effect, discard it from the game.

Who still needs to take a turn? You can track which Heroes have taken their turn this round by checking who still has a face-down Threat Card to resolve.

Example. (A) Rambo reveals the Threat Card "Treacherous Terrain." Its Alert Effect reads: "Each Hero at Red that is in Tough Terrain suffers 2 Damage." Its Persistent Threat Effect reads: "Persistent: Each Hero who starts their turn out of cover gains +2 Alert and has -2 Movement."

(B) Every Hero who is in Red Alert and in Tough Terrain suffers 2 Damage. Rambo is in Tough Terrain (marked by the yellow line - see pg. 12), but his Alert Level is only Yellow, so he does not take Damage.

(C) This card's Threat Effect is Persistent, so Rambo places it face-up near his Hero Board. While the card is active, any Hero that is not in Cover at the start of their turn raises their Alert by 2 and has 2 less Movement. Note that it is NOT the start of Rambo's turn, so he doesn't suffer this penalty. However, if he is still out of Cover at the start of his next turn, he will suffer the penalty.

Step 3: Choose Stance

After you have faced a Threat, you choose a Stance for your Hero, which determines the actions, movement, and bonuses available to you this turn.

Place your Stance Marker on the Stance you want to use on your Hero Board. The Stance you choose must be different than the one you used last round, and must not have a Wounded token on it (See p. 14). Note that on the first round, you may use any Stance.

Each Stance shows: Actions (how many actions you may take when you choose this Stance, p. 11), Alert (how much this Stance raises or lowers your Alert, p. 15), Armor (how many Armor tokens you gain in this Stance, p. 14), Movement (how far you may move when you choose this Stance, p. 10), Valor (how many Valor tokens you gain in this Stance, p. 11), and Heal (how much Damage you may remove in this Stance, p. 14).

Once you've chosen your Stance, you immediately gain its bonuses:

• Alert: Raise (+) or lower (-) your Alert Marker this many spaces on your Alert Track. (See p. 15)
• Heal: Remove this many Damage tokens from your Hero. (See p. 14)
• Valor: Gain this many Valor tokens. (See p. 11)
• Armor: Gain this many Armor tokens. (See p. 14)

Step 4: Movement and Actions

After you've chosen a Stance and gained its bonuses, you may use its movement and actions.

Next, you may do some or all of the following, in any order:

• Move your Hero
• Take actions
• Play 1 Tactics Card (or discard 1 Tactics Card to gain Valor)

Moving Your Hero

Your Stance's Movement Stat is the total number of spaces you may move on your turn. (If your Stance does not have a Movement Stat, you may not move on your turn.)

Movement Rules

• A. You may move orthogonally or diagonally.
• B. You may interrupt your movement to take an action or play a Tactics Card, and finish your move afterward.
• C. Tough Terrain: You must use 2 Movement each time you cross a yellow Tough Terrain line or move to a new space inside an enclosed Tough Terrain area. (See p. 12)
• D. Impassable Terrain: You may not move through red Impassable Terrain lines, or off of a Map edge. (See p. 12) You may NOT move through walls or other terrain marked in red. You MAY move diagonally around corners.
• E. You may not move into a space occupied by another figure.

Taking Actions

If you choose a Stance that has 1 or more actions, you may perform any combination of actions from the following list. You may use the same action more than once per turn.

• Attack Enemy: Make an attack using an equipped Gear Card. (See p. 16)
• Draw Tactics Card: Draw 1 card from your Tactics Deck and add it to your hand.
• Activate P.O.I.: Use a special Point of Interest (P.O.I.) action while adjacent to a P.O.I. Available actions for each P.O.I. are detailed in the Mission Triggers section of the Mission Dossier. (See p. 6)

Playing (or Discarding) a Tactics Card

You may play 1 Tactics Card each turn from your hand, at any time during your movement and actions (regardless of which Stance you're in). If the card you wish to play has requirements (for example, "Play when in Cover") you must meet them in order to play the card.

After you play a Tactics Card, discard it face-up next to your Tactics deck. If it has a Persistent effect, instead place it face-up above your Hero Board. Its effect remains active until the start of your next turn.

If you do not have a Tactics Card you want to play on your turn, you may instead discard 1 card from your hand to gain Valor tokens equal to its Valor value (the Valor value is printed on the card: how much Valor you get for discarding it).

Tactics are a limited resource! Think carefully before discarding a Tactics Card, since you won't draw it again for the rest of the Mission.

Your Tactics Deck

Tactics Cards provide your Hero with unique capabilities you can use on your turn.

The Mission Dossier tells you how to construct your Tactics Deck at the start of each Mission. On more difficult Missions, stronger Tactics Cards are included in your deck.

You start each Mission with 2 random Tactics Cards from your deck. You may use actions to draw additional Tactics Cards during the Mission. There is no limit to the number of Tactics Cards you may have in your hand.

Once a Tactics Card is in your discard pile, it is unavailable to you for the rest of the Mission (unless a special ability lets you return discarded Tactics Cards). Once you've discarded a Tactics Card, you can't draw it again! In the rare event that your Tactics deck runs out, you may no longer draw Tactics (you do not shuffle your discard pile).

Using Valor

Valor tokens represent going above and beyond the call of duty.

You gain Valor tokens by using certain Stances or discarding Tactics Cards. There is no limit to the number of Valor tokens you can collect during a Mission.

You may spend Valor tokens you've collected to enhance your abilities in any of the following ways:

• Enhance Attack: When you make an attack, you may spend Valor to increase the Damage you deal. Each token spent adds +1 Damage. (See p. 17)
• Block Damage: When you take Damage from any source (such as an attack or Threat Card), you may spend Valor to block the Damage you take. Each token spent blocks 1 Damage. (See p. 19)
• Enhance Movement: At any time during your movement and actions, you may spend Valor to move additional spaces. Each token spent gives you +1 Movement. (Note you must spend 2 Valor to move into a Tough Terrain space.) (See p. 10)

The Battlefield

Map Areas

Each map tile is divided into 4 Areas by thick, solid white lines. Each Area has a total of 16 spaces in a 4x4 grid.

When moving, Heroes and Enemies always count spaces. However, when determining Range, they count Areas. (See "Range" on p. 16) Certain gameplay effects may target a specified Area, such as the Area you currently occupy.

Cover Terrain

White dashed lines on the Map mark Cover Terrain, which offers some defense against attacks and makes it harder for Enemies to spot you.

When a Hero or Enemy occupies a Cover space, they gain a Cover Resistance bonus, which reduces Damage from all attacks by -1 Damage. (See "Resistance" on p. 14)

If a Hero's Alert Level is low enough, they are also hidden from Enemies while in Cover. (Enemies can never be hidden, even if they are in Cover.) (See "Alert Level" on p. 15)

Cover does not affect movement.

Tough Terrain

Yellow lines on the Map mark Tough Terrain, which slows you down during movement. Heroes must spend 2 Movement to cross any Tough Terrain line, or to move within an area that is enclosed by Tough Terrain lines. (See "Moving Your Hero" on p. 10)

Enemy figures ignore Tough Terrain lines and move normally through Tough Terrain. (See "Enemy Movement" on p. 19)

Impassable Terrain

Red lines on the Map mark Impassable Terrain, which can't be navigated on foot. Neither Heroes nor Enemies can cross any Impassable Terrain line, or enter any area that is totally enclosed by Impassable Terrain lines.

Impassable Terrain lines also block Line-of-Sight between an attacker and target. (See "Line-of-Sight" on p. 17)

Fog of War

Fog of War Cards represent unknown information about the battlefield. When triggered, they may spawn new Enemies, P.O.I.s, or places (overlays), or have other effects.

When a Hero enters any space that is adjacent to an area where there is an unrevealed Fog of War Card, immediately flip and resolve the card. The card should be oriented so that the red arrow on the card points in the direction the Hero approached from. (If the Hero approaches from a diagonal corner, they may choose which of the two possible directions to orient it.) After a Fog of War Card is resolved, remove it from the game.

A Fog of War Card shows: the FoW Number (Mission # and setup position, on the back); the FoW Effect (read this text and resolve the listed effects); Spawn Enemy (spawn a figure with this Initiative letter in this space); Spawn POI (place this P.O.I. token in this space); and Orientation (rotate the card so the arrow points in the direction you approached from). (Spawning is discussed in detail in "Spawning Enemies" on p. 18)

Enemy figures do not activate Fog of War. While a Fog of War Card is face-down on an Area, Enemies move normally through the spaces on the back of it.

Example. (A) Col. Trautman moves next to an area with a FoW card. He pauses his movement to reveal it. (B) He turns the card 90 degrees so the red arrow aligns with the direction he approached. The card (1-1) reads: "A small group of Vietnamese scouts hastily patrol the area." Then he places 2 new A Enemies (for this Mission, A is Vietnamese Scout) as shown on the grid. He can now continue moving.

Gear

Gear Cards

Gear Cards are useful items that you can use to attack Enemies and complete your Mission. You will equip some Gear at the start of each Mission, and can discover additional Gear during the Mission.

Gear Loadout

Each Mission Dossier tells you how many Gear Slots are available to you, as well as what recommended Gear you should take on the Mission.

If you are playing Single Play Mode, you must use the recommended Gear. If you are playing Campaign Mode, you have the option to take additional Gear from your Gear Stash with you, or swap any of the recommended Gear for Gear in your Stash.

Each Gear Card you equip takes up 1 of your available Gear Slots (except for Heavy Weapons, which take up 2 Gear Slots - see below). You may not equip more Gear than you have slots for.

Locked Loadout. Once a Mission has started, you may only change your Gear when you find new Gear. During a Mission, you may not access Gear in your Gear Stash, trade Gear between players, or give Gear that you discarded to other players.

Finding New Gear

If you find Gear while on a Mission, you may choose to immediately equip it. If you have no remaining Gear Slots, you may choose to discard a piece of equipped Gear and replace it with the new Gear. At no time during a Mission may you exceed your available Gear Slots.

If you decide not to equip the new Gear, you may give it to any other Hero on your team to immediately equip. They may also choose to replace a piece of equipped Gear.

If no one wishes to equip the new Gear, it is discarded.

Discarding Gear

When any piece of Gear is discarded, it is removed from the game and cannot be used again for the remainder of the Mission.

If you are playing Campaign Mode, return any Gear you discard to your Gear Stash. You may choose to equip it again at the start of the next Mission.

Weapons

A Weapon Gear Card (example: Rusty AK-74u, Weapon - Firearm; Range 2, Targets 1, Damage 2, Alert 2) shows:

• Range: How far away you can target an Enemy (p. 16)
• Targets: How many Enemies you can target with each attack (p. 16)
• Damage: How much Damage each attack does (p. 17)
• Alert: How much your Alert increases when you attack with this weapon (p. 17)

The example card's text reads: "When you attack with this weapon, you may discard it to fire on full auto. A full auto attack gains +2 Range, +2 Damage, and +2 Alert."

Heavy Weapons

Some weapons are Heavy and require more effort to carry. Heavy Weapons take up 2 of your available Gear Slots, but are the same as other weapons otherwise.

For example, on a Mission with 4 Gear Slots available, you could carry 1 Heavy Weapon, 1 Weapon, and 1 Utility.

Utilities

Utilities provide ongoing or one-time use effects. They can be activated at any time on your turn (unless stated otherwise).

Example: Commander's Beret (Utility): "When you are Wounded by an Enemy attack, you may make a free attack on that Enemy."

Health & Damage

Health

Your Hero's Health is tracked using their Health Track.

Whenever you take Damage, Damage tokens are added to the Health Track. If your Health Track is ever full, you immediately suffer a Wound.

Wounds

When you suffer a Wound, place a Wounded token on a Stance on your Hero Board that does not already have a Wounded token. You can no longer use this Stance.

Then, clear all Damage from your Health Track (you are restored to full Health).

Wounds cannot be removed by normal healing. You may never heal above your printed Health Stat. All Wounds are cleared at the end of the Mission.

Choose Wounds carefully! Abilities that remove Wounds are rare, so don't count on getting that Stance back.

Too Many Wounds

If any Hero on your team takes too many Wounds, then you fail the Mission! The maximum number of Wounds that Heroes can take on a Mission is listed in the Mission Failure section of the Mission Dossier.

Resistance

Resistance reduces the Damage a figure takes from incoming attacks.

Each time a figure is attacked, the Damage they take is reduced by their total Resistance value. Resistance from multiple sources is cumulative. If a Hero or Enemy's total Resistance exceeds the Damage done by an attack, then the attack deals no Damage.

Resistance only applies to attacks. It has no effect on Damage from other sources like Threat Cards.

Resistance may be provided by:

• A. Cover Resistance: When a Hero or Enemy that is in Cover is attacked, and the attacker is NOT in an adjacent space, the target receives +1 Resistance. This reduces all attacks by -1 Damage.
• B. Gear and Tactics: Some cards provide Heroes with bonus Resistance. This is applied each time that the Hero is attacked, for as long as the effect is active. (Example: Ghillie Suit, Utility: "You gain +2 Resistance from cover instead of +1 Resistance." / "When you attack an Enemy outside your area, your attack has -1 Range.")
• C. Enemy Resistance: Enemies with a non-zero Resistance Stat reduce all attack Damage they take by that amount.

Armor

Some Stances and abilities provide Heroes with temporary Armor, which blocks incoming attack Damage. Whenever you gain Armor, place Armor tokens equal to the Armor you've gained on your Hero Board.

When you are attacked, you first apply Resistance, then discard Armor tokens to block any remaining Damage. Each Armor token you discard blocks 1 Damage.

You must use any Armor you have when you are attacked (you can't choose to "save" it). If you are able to block all incoming Damage with Resistance and Armor, you may save any leftover Armor tokens for the next attack.

Like Resistance, Armor can only be used when you are attacked. It has no effect on Damage from other sources.

Armor only lasts for 1 round! All Armor tokens you don't use must be discarded at the start of your next turn.

Example. Rambo is hit with an attack that deals 2 Damage. He has 1 Armor, which is discarded to block 1 Damage. The remaining 1 Damage is placed on his Health Track.

Alert Level

Hero Alert Track

The Alert Track on your Hero Board tells you how aware Enemies are of your presence. The higher your Alert is, the more you are exposed to Enemy attacks and other dangers.

Aggressive Stances, loud Weapons, or other battlefield events that make Enemies more aware of your presence cause you to gain Alert (+Alert). Whenever you gain Alert, move the marker that many spaces up your Alert Track.

You can reduce your Alert (-Alert) by using stealthy Stances, Tactics, or Gear. You can never lower your Alert below the bottom of your track, or raise it higher than the top of the track.

Your Alert Level (marked by the colored zones on your track: Green at the bottom, then Yellow, Orange and Red at the top) tells you which Alert effects you are subject to, as well as whether you are visible to the Enemy (see below). Note that each Hero has their own Alert Track, which means that you and your teammates may be subject to different Alert effects.

Each Hero has a different Alert Level distribution. For example, Colonel Trautman has 3 Red Alert spaces, compared to 1 Red Alert space for Rambo.

Comparing Alert Levels. When determining who has the "higher" Alert, always compare each Hero's Alert Level. For example, if both Rambo and Trautman are at 2 Alert, Trautman is at higher Alert, because he is at Yellow Alert.

Visibility

Enemies will only attack Heroes that are visible to them. It is possible for a Hero to be visible to some Enemies, but hidden to others, based on your location. Your current Alert Level determines whether Enemies treat you as visible or hidden.

• Green Alert: You are hidden everywhere. Most Enemies won't attack you. (At Green Alert, the active Enemy can't see Rambo at all, even if he's adjacent!)
• Yellow Alert: You are only hidden when you are in Cover. (At Yellow Alert, the Enemy can't see Rambo as long as he's in Cover.)
• Orange Alert: When you are in Cover, you are hidden to Enemies outside your Area, but visible to Enemies in your Area. (At Orange Alert, the Enemy can't see Rambo if he's in Cover AND in a different Map area.)
• Red Alert: You are visible everywhere. All Enemies can attack you. (At Red Alert, the Enemy can see Rambo no matter where he is, even if he's in Cover on the other side of the Map!) (See "Enemy Attacks" on p. 19)

Other Alert Effects

• Threat Cards: A higher Alert Level makes you more vulnerable to Alert Effects on Threat Cards. (See "Reveal Threat" on p. 9)
• Mission Failure: On some Missions, the team fails the Mission if any Hero's Alert Level gets too high.

Attacking

Making an Attack

(This section covers Heroes attacking Enemies. For attacks against Heroes, see "Enemy Attacks" on p. 19.)

When you attack an Enemy, resolve these 4 steps:

1. Choose Weapon
2. Choose Target(s)
3. Deal Damage
4. Raise Alert

Step 1: Choose Weapon

If you have multiple weapons equipped, choose one of them to make your attack.

During this attack, you will use the stats printed on the weapon's Gear Card (plus applicable bonuses from Tactics and other Gear).

No Weapon? You cannot make unarmed attacks. You must have an equipped weapon to attack!

Attacking multiple times? If your Stance has multiple actions, you may attack multiple times in the same turn. You may use the same weapon or a different one for each attack.

Step 2: Choose Target(s)

Choose an Enemy figure that is within your weapon's Range Stat and clear Line-of-Sight.

If your weapon's Targets Stat is greater than 1, you may choose multiple targets that are each within Range and clear Line-of-Sight.

Range

Range is always counted in Map Areas (large printed squares), rather than spaces.

• Range 1: Rambo may target an Enemy within his Area.
• Range 2: Rambo may target an Enemy in his own or an adjacent Area.
• Range 3: Rambo may target an Enemy up to 3 Areas away (counting his own Area).
• Range A: A Range A Weapon can only target an Enemy in an adjacent space.

Adjacent Targets

If an attacker is in an adjacent space to their target, the target is always considered in Range, regardless of the attacker's Range Stat or the area the target occupies.

If an attacker's Range is reduced below 1 by an effect, they may still attack targets in adjacent spaces. (Range "0" is effectively Range "A".)

Additionally, when the attacker is in an adjacent space, they ignore the target's Cover Resistance. (See "Resistance" on p. 14)

Example: Rambo and an Enemy are in different Areas, but they are in adjacent spaces. This means Rambo is in Range of the Enemy, even if he is using a Range 1 Weapon (which can normally only target his own Area).

Line-of-Sight

Heroes and Enemies may not attack an opponent if their Line-of-Sight passes through a red line marking Impassable Terrain. No other objects or terrain block LOS.

Cover and Tough Terrain do NOT block LOS. Other figures do NOT block LOS. Impassable Terrain blocks LOS.

The Two-Corner Rule. You can test Line-of-Sight by drawing two imaginary lines from any one corner of the attacker's space to two adjacent corners of the target's space. If it is possible to do this without either line crossing Impassable Terrain, then the attacker has clear Line-of-Sight.

Step 3: Deal Damage

Each target Enemy figure takes Damage equal to your weapon's Damage Stat, with any modifiers applied (see below). Mark Damage to the Enemy figure by placing Damage tokens next to them on the Map. (See p. 18)

Damage Modifiers

• Bonus Damage: Add bonus Damage from Gear, Tactics Cards, or other active effects.
• Resistance: If the Enemy has a non-zero Resistance Stat, reduce your Damage by this amount.
• Cover Resistance: If the Enemy is in Cover and you are not adjacent, reduce your Damage by -1 Damage.
• Valor: If you have Valor tokens, you may discard them to deal +1 Damage per token.

Example. Wei Ting fires his Model 70 Rifle at an Enemy Guard. It has a Damage Stat of 4. The Guard has 2 Resistance, reducing Wei Ting's Damage by -2. The Guard is also in Cover, so they have another +1 Resistance. Wei Ting decides to spend 1 Valor to increase his Damage by +1. The Guard takes a total of 2 Damage, which is placed next to it on the Map.

Step 4: Raise Alert

Gain Alert equal to the weapon's Alert Stat. This represents the commotion your Weapon makes. After using an Alert 2 Weapon, you must raise your Alert Marker 2 spaces.

If your attack has an Alert of 0, it does not raise your Alert. (Silent strike)

Enemies

Enemy Cards

Each Enemy Card represents a type of Enemy. Enemy figures of the same type share the same stats and Activation Behaviors.

Each individual figure's Health is tracked separately. Whenever Damage is dealt to a figure, place Damage tokens next to them on the Map.

If the total Damage to a figure ever equals or exceeds its Health Stat, it is killed and removed from the Map.

An Enemy Card shows:

• Range: How far away the Enemy can attack
• Movement: How far the Enemy moves when they activate
• Resistance: How much Damage the Enemy ignores when attacked
• Targets: How many Heroes the Enemy targets with each attack
• Damage: How much damage the Enemy does with each attack
• Health: How much Damage the Enemy can take before being killed
• Special Ability: Any ongoing special effects the Enemy has
• Activation Behaviors: Detailed rules for what the Enemy does when activated

Example card, Russian Spetsnaz (Range 1, Targets 1, Damage 4 / Movement 4, Resistance 3, Health 4). Special Ability: Attacks against this Enemy have -1 (Damage). Activation Behaviors: 1. Move toward the closest visible Hero. 2. Each adjacent Hero loses 1 Valor. If they can't, they get +1 Alert instead. 3. Attack the closest visible Hero. 4. Move to the closest cover space; if none are close enough, instead move toward the highest Alert level Hero.

Killing Enemies

When a figure is killed and removed from the Map, it can be re-spawned later as a new Enemy of that type.

Enemy Cards are never removed from play, even if there are no figures of that type left on the Map.

Spawning Enemies

Fog of War Cards, Mission Triggers, and other effects will instruct you to spawn new Enemy figures on the Map.

Enemy spawns use an Initiative letter that matches an Enemy Card placed at setup. For example, "Spawn A" means spawn a figure matching the A card in the Initiative Row. (Only Enemy Cards placed at setup can spawn during a Mission.)

If an Enemy figure spawns at a Deployment Zone, place it on the correct-numbered DZ token. (When an Enemy spawns at a DZ #2, place them on the DZ token with a "2" on it. If there is another figure there, place them in an adjacent space.) If an Enemy spawns in a general location, such as "in your area" or "adjacent to you," the active Hero chooses a specific space in the indicated area. (On your turn, if you are told to spawn an Enemy in a general location, you choose the specific space to place them.)

If the space where you're instructed to spawn an Enemy is impassable or occupied by another figure, instead place it in the nearest legal space. If there are multiple legal spaces, the active Hero chooses one.

Out of Enemy figures? If you are ever instructed to spawn an Enemy figure and there are no figures of that type remaining, spawn a figure of the next Enemy Card in the Initiative Row, in alphabetical order. If ALL Enemy figures are on the Map, each time a new figure would spawn, all Heroes gain +1 Alert.

Enemy Activation

After Heroes finish their turns for the round, the Enemy Card with the Initiative marker is activated. When this happens, each figure of that type executes the Activation Behaviors listed on the card, in numbered order. First each figure executes the 1st behavior, then each figure executes the 2nd behavior, and so on, until all behaviors are executed.

Each Enemy figure executes as much of each behavior as it is able to. If it's not possible for an Enemy figure to follow a behavior, it skips that behavior, but still executes the remaining behaviors on its list.

If there is ever a conflict due to multiple figures acting at the same time, the Mission Leader decides which figure acts first.

Enemy Movement

An Activation Behavior or other effect may tell you to move an Enemy towards a destination. Whenever an Enemy figure moves, it must respect the following rules:

• Each time an Enemy moves, they move their full Move Stat towards their destination, if able.
• Enemies always choose the shortest possible route to their destination.
• Enemies cannot occupy the same space as another figure.
• If an Enemy reaches its destination (or an adjacent space if it is moving towards a figure), it stops moving.
• Tough Terrain & Fog of War: Enemies ignore yellow outlined spaces and Fog of War Cards. (See p. 12)
• Impassable Terrain: Enemies cannot move through red lines on the Map, and will instead move around them, if able. (See p. 12)

Enemy Attacks

There are 2 steps to an Enemy attack:

Step 1: Choose Target(s)

The Enemy chooses one or more target Heroes based on its Activation Behavior.

In order to be targeted, a Hero must meet all of the following conditions:

• Visible: The Hero is visible to the attacking Enemy (See p. 15)
• In Range: The Hero is within the attacking Enemy's Range Stat (See p. 16)
• Clear Line-of-Sight: The attacking Enemy's Line-of-Sight is not blocked (See p. 17)

The Enemy will target as many Heroes as its Targets Stat allows, as long as each targeted Hero is visible, in Range, and in clear LOS. If the Enemy is unable to attack any Hero, it does not attack, and instead skips to the next behavior, if there is one.

Not sure who gets attacked? If there is any conflict over which Hero(es) an Enemy targets, the Enemy chooses the Hero(es) with the higher Alert Level. If the potential target Heroes are at the same Alert Level, the Mission Leader decides.

Step 2: Deal Damage

Each target Hero takes Damage equal to the Enemy's Damage Stat, with any modifiers applied (see below). The Hero marks Damage by placing Damage tokens on their Health Track. (See "Health & Damage" on p. 14)

Enemy Damage Modifiers

• Bonus Enemy Damage: Add bonus Damage from Threat Cards or other active effects.
• Bonus Hero Resistance: If the target Hero has Resistance from Gear, Tactics Cards, or other effects, reduce the Damage by this amount.
• Cover Resistance: If the target Hero is in Cover and the Enemy is not adjacent, reduce the Damage by -1 Damage.
• Armor: If the target Hero has Armor tokens, they must discard them to block 1 Damage per token.
• Valor: If the target Hero has Valor tokens, they may discard them to block 1 Damage per token.

Example. During the Enemy Activation phase, the Initiative Marker is on the "Vietnamese Scout" card. Rambo is at Green Alert and Col. Trautman is at Orange Alert. The 2 Scouts on the Map resolve their Activation Behaviors.

• Behavior 1: Move toward the Hero with the highest Alert Level. Both Scouts move 4 spaces towards Trautman, who has the higher Alert Level (Orange).
• Behavior 2: Attack the closest visible Hero. Trautman is at Orange Alert, so he is visible to Scout 1, who is in the same Area. Scout 1 attacks Trautman, dealing 2 Damage and ignoring Trautman's Cover Resistance, since it is in an adjacent space. Since Trautman is in cover and a different area than Scout 2, he is not visible to Scout 2. Rambo isn't visible either, so Scout 2 does not attack.
• Behavior 3: Move towards the Hero with the highest Alert that this figure has not attacked this phase. Scout 1 attacked Trautman, so it moves towards Rambo and stops once it is adjacent. Scout 2 did not attack Trautman, so it moves adjacent to Trautman.
• Behavior 4: Each adjacent Hero gets +1 Alert. There is a Scout adjacent to both Rambo and Trautman, so they each raise their Alert by 1.

Achievements

• Congressional Medal of Honor. Earn by: Being the first to rescue a P.O.W. Effect: Discard to gain -2 Alert, +2 Valor, and +2 Movement.
• Distinguished Service Cross. Earn by: Completing a Mission with no Damage or Wounds on your Hero. Effect: Discard to gain -3 Alert, +3 Heal, and +3 Movement.
• Purple Heart. Earn by: Completing a Mission with 3 Wounds on your Hero. Effect: Discard when you are Wounded. Gain -3 Alert and make a free attack on the enemy that Wounded you.
• Bronze Star. Earn by: Killing 5 or more enemies in 1 turn. Effect: Discard when 3 or more enemies are in your area. All your attacks this turn deal +2 Damage.
• Silver Star. Earn by: Killing Kourov. Effect: Discard to gain +2 Movement and +2 Heal.
• Air Medal. Earn by: Destroying a helicopter. Effect: Discard to gain all effects of being in cover this turn.
• Vietnam Campaign Medal. Earn by: Completing the Rambo 2 Campaign. Effect: Discard to have all Heroes swap any equipped Gear for items in the Gear Stash.