Runewars Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Overview
• Component List
• Component Breakdown
  • Plastic Units
  • Plastic Heroes
  • Activation Tokens
  • Battle Marker
  • City Tokens
  • Damage Tokens
  • Defeated Hero Markers
  • Development Tokens
  • Exploration Tokens
  • Home Realm Setup Markers
  • Training Tokens
  • Influence Tokens
  • Map Tiles
  • Resource Arrows and Washers
  • Rune Tokens
  • Stronghold Tokens
  • Faction Sheets
  • Reference Sheets
  • Fate Cards
  • Season Cards
  • Hero Cards
  • Tactics Cards
  • Objective Cards
  • Title Cards
  • Order Cards
  • Victory Cards
  • Quest Cards
  • Plastic Dial Connectors
  • Reward Cards
• Object of the Game
• Pre-game Setup
• Setup
• Game Board Setup
  • Puzzle-fit Pieces
  • Breakdown of a Map Tile Area
  • Example of Game Board Setup
  • Example of Home Realm Setup
  • Setup Diagram
• Playing the Game
  • A Game Year
  • 1) Resolve a Season Card
  • Season Card Breakdown
  • Season Card Secondary Abilities
  • 2) Choose Order Cards
  • 3) Resolve Order Cards
  • Order Card Breakdown
  • Supremacy Bonus
  • Example of a Game Season
• Order Card Summary
  • Resource Dials
• Frequently Used Terms
• Movement
  • Moving Units with the Strategize Order
  • Strategize Order Example
  • Hero Movement
  • Moving with Mobilize and Conquer Orders
  • Fast Units and Heroes
  • Mobilize/Conquer Order Example
  • Activation Tokens
• Movement Restrictions
• Diplomacy
  • Diplomacy and Resolving Fate Cards Example
• Neutral Units
  • Allied Units
  • Moving and Placing Neutral Units with Tactics Cards
  • Battle Against Unallied Neutral Units
  • Unit Classes
• Faction Sheet Breakdown
• Battles
  • Fate Card Breakdown
  • Rounds of Combat
  • Concurrent Attack Rule
  • Routed Units and Heroes
  • Dealing Damage to Units
• Retreats
  • Battle Example Round 1
  • Battle Example Round 2
• Heroes
  • Hero Card Breakdown
  • Gaining Heroes
  • Heroes Supporting Battles
  • Resolving Fate Cards
• Quest Cards
  • Quest Card Breakdown
• Quest Phase
  • Attempting and Completing Quests
  • Attribute Tests
  • Quest Phase Example
• Reward Cards
  • Reward Card Breakdown
  • Reward Cards in Duels
  • Reward Card Secrecy
• Duels
  • "Duel" Quests
  • Damaging and Defeating Heroes
  • Deserting Heroes
  • Duel Example
• Winning the Game
• Victory Cards
  • Receiving Dragon Runes
  • Looking at Rune Tokens
  • Revealing Rune Tokens
• Other Rules
  • Objective Cards
  • Influence Bids
  • Ties on Influence Bids
  • Wizards' Council
  • Tactics Cards
  • Player Elimination
  • Component Limitations
  • Influence Bid Example
  • Receiving Dragon Runes Example
• Order Card Details
  • Strategize Order (#1)
  • Mobilize Order (#2)
  • Conquer Order (#3)
  • Harvest Order (#4)
  • Developments
  • Harvesting Example
  • Recruiting Example
  • Recruit Order (#5)
  • Rally Support Order (#6)
  • Acquire Power Order (#7)
  • Title Cards
  • Fortify Order (#8)
• Play Order
• Exploration Tokens Variant
• Assembling Puzzle-fit Pieces Diagram
• Quick Reference
  • Steps of A Game Season
  • Steps of a Battle
  • Rounds of Combat
  • Steps of a Duel
  • Season Card Secondary Abilities
  • Frequently Overlooked Rules
• Credits

Game Overview

In Runewars, two to four players control factions of fantasy armies in the land of Terrinoth. Each player starts with control over his home realm and must spread his fledgling empire through the land, conquer territory, recruit heroes, and ultimately acquire enough dragon runes to dominate Terrinoth and win the game.

Component List

• 40 Beige Plastic Neutral Units consisting of:
  • 8 Beastmen
  • 4 Dragons
  • 4 Giants
  • 8 Hell Hounds
  • 8 Razorwings
  • 8 Sorcerers
• 36 Blue Plastic Daqan Units consisting of:
  • 8 Bowmen
  • 16 Footmen
  • 8 Knights
  • 4 Siege Engines
• 36 Green Plastic Elf units consisting of:
  • 16 Archers
  • 4 Pegasus Riders
  • 8 Sorceresses
  • 8 Warriors
• 36 Purple Plastic Waiqar Units consisting of:
  • 4 Dark Knights
  • 8 Necromancers
  • 16 Reanimates
  • 8 Skeleton Archers
• 36 Red Plastic Uthuk Units consisting of:
  • 16 Berserkers
  • 4 Chaos Lords
  • 8 Flesh Rippers
  • 8 Warlocks
• 12 Grey Plastic Heroes
• 8 Sheets of Punchboard consisting of:
  • 16 Activation Tokens (4 per faction)
  • 1 Battle Marker
  • 7 City Tokens
  • 26 Damage Tokens
  • 8 Defeated Hero Markers
  • 20 Development Tokens (5 per faction)
  • 35 Exploration Tokens
  • 4 Home Realm Setup Markers
  • 40 Influence Tokens
  • 13 Map Tiles (3 of which are split into 2 puzzle-fit pieces)
  • 12 Resource Arrows (3 per faction)
  • 12 Resource Washers (3 per faction)
  • 38 Rune Tokens (21 dragon runes, 17 false runes)
  • 16 Stronghold Tokens (4 per faction)
  • 24 Training Tokens
• 4 Faction Sheets
• 4 Reference Sheets
• 56 Bridge-sized Cards consisting of:
  • 32 Order Cards (8 per faction)
  • 24 Quest Cards
• 172 Small Cards consisting of:
  • 30 Fate Cards
  • 12 Hero Cards
  • 8 Evil Objective Cards
  • 8 Good Objective Cards
  • 25 Reward Cards
  • 8 Spring Season Cards
  • 8 Summer Season Cards
  • 8 Fall Season Cards
  • 8 Winter Season Cards
  • 50 Tactics Cards
  • 3 Title Cards
  • 4 Victory Cards (1 per faction)
• 12 Sets of Plastic Dial Connectors

Component Breakdown

Plastic Units

These plastic figures represent military units, which are used to conquer territory and fight battles. The figures come in five colors: one for each of the four player factions and one for neutral units.

Plastic Heroes

These grey plastic figures represent heroes that players can command. Heroes can duel opposing heroes, complete Quests, and aid in battle.

Activation Tokens

These tokens denote areas of the game board that a player's units have moved into during the game's current year. Units may not usually move out of an area containing a friendly activation token.

Battle Marker

This marker is placed in an area where a battle is occurring to remind players where to place any surviving units.

City Tokens

These tokens represent neutral settlements and are placed on specific areas of the game board during setup. By controlling these areas, players can gain various benefits as indicated on the city token.

Damage Tokens

These tokens are used to indicate the amount of damage that a hero or unit has been dealt.

Defeated Hero Markers

These markers are placed in areas where a hero was defeated and dropped his Reward cards. Any hero who enters an area with a defeated hero marker may take the Reward cards that belonged to the defeated hero.

Development Tokens

These tokens represent improvements to areas containing friendly strongholds. Each development provides a specific benefit.

Exploration Tokens

These tokens are used when playing with the "Exploration Tokens" optional rule and provide random effects and narrative for heroes as they explore the land of Terrinoth.

Home Realm Setup Markers

These markers are used during setup to indicate where players are allowed to place their home realms.

Training Tokens

These tokens represent increases to a hero's strength, agility, or wisdom.

Influence Tokens

These tokens are used by players to attempt diplomacy with neutral units, acquire Title cards, and bid for certain game effects.

Map Tiles

These large cardboard pieces are used during setup to create the game board. Each map tile consists of two to four hex areas. Each faction has one home realm map tile, marked with the faction's symbol, where the faction's starting units and stronghold are placed at the start of the game.

Resource Arrows and Washers

Three of these arrows are attached to each faction sheet and are used to mark a player's current supply of food, wood, and ore, which are the three basic resources in Runewars. Washers are used to insure a snug fit when affixing each arrow to a faction sheet (see "Pre-game Setup" on page 7).

Rune Tokens

These tokens have a common back and either a dragon rune (blue gem) or false rune symbol (blank) on their face. A player can win the game if he controls six areas that contain dragon rune tokens and uses his Victory card.

Stronghold Tokens

These tokens represent fortresses players can build in friendly areas of the game board. They allow their controller to build a development and recruit units in the area, as well as provide a defensive bonus there during battle.

Faction Sheets

These sheets list important information about the four factions. The dials on these sheets keep track of a player's current supply of resources (food, wood, and ore).

Reference Sheets

These sheets list important information about neutral units and provide a summary of how to attempt diplomacy. On the back of each sheet is a summary of all exploration token abilities.

Fate Cards

These cards are used as a randomizer for resolving combat, diplomacy, and Quest cards.

Season Cards

These cards represent the special events happening in the land of Terrinoth during each game round. The cards are divided into four decks: spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Hero Cards

These cards list the attributes, alignment, and special abilities of each hero.

Tactics Cards

These cards provide players with powerful and unexpected abilities.

Objective Cards

These cards match a faction's alignment (good or evil), and one is given to each player during setup. They provide dragon runes if their criteria are fulfilled.

Title Cards

These cards assist players in gaining more dragon runes. These cards are never shuffled and can be obtained by players who use "Acquire Power" Order cards.

Order Cards

These cards describe actions players choose and resolve each season. Each faction has an identical hand of eight Order cards.

Victory Cards

These cards are used to attempt to win the game by controlling six dragon runes before seven game years have elapsed.

Quest Cards

These cards describe the different tasks that heroes can undertake to earn rewards.

Plastic Dial Connectors

These plastic connectors are used to attach the resource dials and washers to the faction sheets. (see "Pre-game Setup" on page 7).

Reward Cards

These cards, which are often acquired by completing Quests, provide players with dragon runes or special bonuses.

Object of the Game

The player who controls the most dragon runes at the end of seven game years wins the game. Alternatively, a player who controls six dragon runes may attempt to win the game sooner by using his Victory card (see "Victory Cards" on page 30).

Players acquire dragon runes by conquering areas that contain rune tokens, obtaining Reward cards, fulfilling criteria on Objective cards, and resolving specific Season and Title cards.

Pre-game Setup

Some assembly is required before playing your first game of Runewars.

Each faction sheet has three resource dials to assemble. Each of the four factions has unique arrows that are attached to their faction sheets as follows:

1. Push one side of a plastic connector through the back of one of the holes in the faction sheet.
2. Attach one of the faction's resource arrows onto this connector (on the front of the faction sheet).
3. Attach one of the faction's resource washers onto this connector (on top of the resource arrow).
4. Attach the other half of the plastic connector to hold the arrow and washer in place as tightly as possible.
5. Repeat this process for each of the three dials on each faction sheet.

The rulebook shows an illustration of the four factions' resource dial arrows and washers, labeled: Uthuk Arrow and Washer, Waiqar Arrow and Washer, Daqan Arrow and Washer, Elf Arrow and Washer.

Setup

Before playing each game, perform the following steps in order:

1. Choose First Player: Shuffle the deck of Fate cards and deal one card to each player. The player with the highest numbered card (listed on the bottom center) is the first player.
2. Choose Factions: Starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise, each player chooses a faction and receives the corresponding components for that faction: the faction sheet, plastic figures, home realm map tile, activation markers, stronghold tokens, development tokens, Victory card, and Order cards. These components are marked with the faction's color and/or symbol (see "Faction Sheet Breakdown" on page 20).
3. Build Game Board: Create the game board following the eight steps listed in the "Game Board Setup" section on page 8.
4. Build the Quest Deck: Remove all Quest cards from the Quest deck that refer to areas corresponding to map tiles not used during game board setup, and return them to the game box. Then, shuffle the remaining cards with each player's Setup Quest cards to create the Quest deck.
5. Set Starting Resources: Each player adjusts the resources on his faction sheet so each arrow points to the red highlighted number on each dial.
6. Place Stronghold Token and Starting Forces: Starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise, each player places one of his stronghold tokens in any area of his home realm. He then recruits units using all three resources and places them in any areas of his home realm (see "Recruiting Example" on page 35).
7. Receive Starting Hero: Shuffle the good and evil Hero cards into separate decks. Then, deal one Hero card to each player from the deck that matches his faction's alignment. Each player places the figure corresponding to his Hero card in any area of his home realm. After a Hero card is dealt to each player, shuffle all undealt Hero cards into a single deck.
8. Place Card Decks: Shuffle the Fate deck, Quest deck, Reward deck, Tactics deck, Hero deck, the two Objective decks, and the four Season decks separately and place them adjacent to the game board. Place the three Title cards faceup near these decks.
9. Place Markers and Tokens: Place the battle marker, defeated hero markers, damage tokens, influence tokens, and training tokens in piles within reach of all players. Then place all rune tokens faceup adjacent to each other in two piles (one pile for false runes and one pile for dragon runes).
10. Receive Starting Tactics Cards and Influence Tokens: Each player receives an amount of Tactics cards and influence tokens equal to the numbers printed on the bottom corner of his faction sheet.
11. Draw Starting Quests: Each player draws two Quest cards and places them in his hand.
12. Draw Objective Cards: Each player draws one Objective card matching his faction's alignment, looks at it, and places it facedown in his play area. Then, players begin the first season (round) of the game.

Game Board Setup

To build the game board during step 3 of setup, perform these steps.

1. Deal Setup Quests: Separate out all Setup Quest cards, shuffle them, and deal two faceup to each player.

2. Receive Map Tiles: Each player receives the map tiles that correspond to the areas listed on his two Setup Quest cards. If a player receives a puzzle-fit map tile, he must first assemble it (see "Assembling Puzzle-fit Pieces Diagram" on page 39).

3. Place Map Tiles: Starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise, each player places one of his map tiles in the center of the play area until each player has placed his two map tiles.

   When placing a map tile, it must be placed so that two areas (hexes) of the tile touch at least two different areas of previously placed map tiles (see "Example of Game Board Setup" on page 9).

   When creating the game board, players cannot place map tiles so that a mountain (red) or water (blue) border touches another parallel mountain or water border (see below image).

4. Place Home Realm Setup Markers: The first player takes a number of home realm setup markers equal to the number of players. He places these, one at a time, adjacent to the edge of the game board. Each of these markers must touch at least three non-colored (not red or blue) area borders and have at least three areas between it and other home realm setup markers (see "Example of Home Realm Setup" on page 9).

   In the unlikely event that it is impossible to place the home realm setup markers following the parameters above, players must take back their map tiles and return to step 3.

5. Place Rune Tokens: Starting with the first player and proceeding counterclockwise around the table, each player takes one dragon rune token and one false rune token. He looks at them and secretly places these tokens facedown in any two areas of his choice. These tokens cannot be placed in an area that already contains a dragon rune or in an area adjacent to a home realm setup marker.

6. Place Home Realm Map Tiles: Starting with the player to the left of the first player and proceeding clockwise, each player places his home realm map tile. To do so, he chooses one home realm setup marker and replaces it with his home realm tile so that two areas of his home realm occupy the marker's previous space. A home realm can be placed in any orientation of its controller's choice. However, map tile placement rules must still be followed (e.g., a mountain border cannot touch another parallel mountain border).

   Home realm areas can never be adjacent to areas of another home realm. If this ever occurs, remove all home realm setup markers, rune tokens, and home realms from the game board and repeat steps 4, 5, and 6 of "Game Board Setup."

7. Place Neutral Units: Place the appropriate type and number of neutral units in each area, when applicable, according to the neutral unit icons printed on each area (see "Breakdown of a Map Tile Area" below).

8. Place City Tokens: Randomize the city tokens and place one faceup on each city space of the game board (designated with the image from the back of the city tokens). Return all unused city tokens to the game box.

Puzzle-fit Pieces

Some map tiles must be constructed out of two puzzle-fit pieces before being used. Puzzle-fit pieces that join together share the same area identifier number. Before placing such a tile during game board setup, assemble the pieces with the same area identifier number together to form one map tile (see "Assembling Puzzle-fit Pieces Diagram" on page 39.) Players will need to disassemble these tiles at the end of the game in order to fit them back into the game box.

Breakdown of a Map Tile Area

1. Area: A single hexagonal region of the game board.
2. Area Identifier: This number and letter combination is used by Quest cards to refer to the area.
3. Resources: These icons indicate the type and quantity of resources the area provides.
4. Neutral Units: The icon and number indicates the type and quantity of neutral units placed in the area during setup.
5. Water Border: The blue border marks a side of the area that is normally impassible.

Example of Game Board Setup

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. Each player is dealt two faceup Setup Quest cards.
2. Each player receives the map tiles corresponding to these Quest cards. Players assemble puzzle-fit pieces together if necessary (see "Assembling Puzzle-fit Pieces Diagram" on page 39).
3. The first player chooses one of his map tiles and places it in the center of the playing area.
4. The player to his left then places one of his own map tiles. He must place it such that at least two of its areas touch at least two areas of map tiles that have already been placed.
5. Continuing clockwise, each player places his map tiles (one at a time) until each player has placed the map tiles that correspond to his Setup Quest cards.

Example of Home Realm Setup

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. The first player places a number of home realm setup markers equal to the number of players. Each home realm setup marker must have at least three areas between it and each other home realm setup marker.
2. After he has placed the home realm setup markers, the first player places one dragon rune token and one false rune token on the map. Moving to the right, each other player does the same.
3. After each player has placed his rune tokens, the player to the left of the first player chooses one of the home realm setup markers to replace with his home realm map tile (in any orientation).
4. The next player to his left then chooses one of the remaining home realm setup markers to replace with his home realm map tile.
5. The first player replaces the final home realm setup marker with his home realm map tile.

Setup Diagram

The rulebook includes a full-page illustrated diagram of the complete game setup, with the following numbered elements called out:

1. Quest Deck
2. Reward Deck
3. Hero Deck
4. Fate Deck
5. Objective Decks
6. Tactics Deck
7. Season Decks
8. Title Cards (faceup)
9. A Home Realm (on the game board)
10. The Game Board
11. Training Tokens
12. Dragon Rune Tokens
13. False Rune Tokens
14. A City Token (on the game board)
15. Influence Tokens
16. Damage Tokens
17. A Stronghold (in home realm)
18. A Rune Token (facedown on the game board)
19. Starting Units and Hero (in home realm)
20. A Player's Play Area
21. A Player's Stronghold and Development Tokens
22. A Player's Victory Card and Objective Card
23. A Player's Starting Tactics Card and Influence
24. A Player's Order Cards and Activation Tokens
25. A Player's Faction Sheet
26. A Player's Hero Card and Quest Cards

Playing the Game

Each game of Runewars is played over a number of game rounds known as seasons. Each season consists of the following three steps:

1. Resolve a Season Card
2. Choose Order Cards
3. Resolve Order Cards

After players perform the "Resolve Order Cards" step, the season ends, and a new season begins starting with step 1. Players continue resolving seasons until one player wins by controlling six areas containing dragon runes and resolving his Victory card. If no player wins by resolving his Victory card by the end of the seventh winter, then the player with the most dragon runes wins the game (see "Winning the Game" on page 30).

A Game Year

Runewars is played over the course of seven game years. Each year consists of four rounds that occur in the following order: spring, summer, fall, and winter. During each round, the first player draws and resolves a card from the Season deck corresponding to the appropriate game round: the deck with the green flower for spring, the yellow sun for summer, the orange leaf for fall, and the blue snowflake for winter. (See "Example of a Game Season" on page 13.) These cards not only provide unique events that players must adapt to, but each card's secondary ability triggers special steps each season.

1) Resolve a Season Card

The first player draws the top Season card of the appropriate Season deck and resolves it in the following order:

1. Players resolve the Season card's primary ability by following the instructions on the card.
2. Players resolve the Season card's secondary ability indicated by the icons presented at the bottom of the card (see "Season Card Secondary Abilities" below).

Season Card Breakdown

1. Name: This name is used to help differentiate the Season cards from each other.
2. Primary Ability: This ability is resolved first by following the instructions on the card.
3. Secondary Ability: These icons are resolved after the primary ability. The icons vary from season to season.

Season Card Secondary Abilities

Each Season card has a season-specific secondary ability presented at the bottom of the card. Players resolve this ability immediately after resolving the card's primary ability.

Players always resolve secondary abilities in standard play order. This means that the player with the lowest numbered Order card (from the previous season) resolves the secondary ability first, followed by the player with the next lowest number, and so on (see "Play Order" on page 37).

• Spring: This secondary ability instructs each player to remove all his activation tokens from the game board and to return all of his Order cards to his hand. Finally, each player stands all routed figures (including neutral units and heroes).

• Summer: This secondary ability starts a Quest Phase in which each hero is able to heal, train, or move. After moving, the hero may start a duel or attempt a Quest. See "Quest Phase" on page 26.

• Fall: This secondary ability instructs players to immediately shuffle the Fate card discard pile into the Fate deck. Then, each player chooses to receive two influence tokens or to draw one Tactics card.

• Winter: This secondary ability limits the number of units that each player can have in each area. Usually, a player can have up to eight units in each area. However, when players resolve this ability, the maximum number of units a player can have in each area is equal to his food dial's current space (see "Resource Dials" on page 14). All excess units are destroyed (the owner's choice as to which ones). Allied neutral units count towards this limit, but heroes do not (since they are not units). After players have finished resolving this ability, the maximum number of units a player can have in each area becomes eight again.

  Example: The Uthuk player has seven units in an area, and his food resource dial is at "5." When players resolve the next winter Season card's secondary ability, the player must destroy two of these units, bringing his number of units in the area down to five. He then needs to do the same in each other friendly area containing more than five units. The loss of these two units could have been avoided by moving the two units out of the area before the start of winter or by acquiring more food.

  The winter secondary ability also allows players to ignore the movement restriction of water borders (blue) until the end of this season (see "Movement Restrictions" on page 18).

Determining the Current Season

All four Season card decks share a common discard pile. After a Season card is drawn and resolved, it is placed faceup on the top of this discard pile. The current game season is defined as the top card of the Season card discard pile.

2) Choose Order Cards

Each player chooses one Order card from his hand and places it facedown in his play area. This chosen card is his active Order card.

Order cards provide players with the main actions they may resolve while playing Runewars. These cards allow players to move units and heroes, recruit units, build strongholds, and more (see "Order Card Summary" on page 14).

Each player has a hand of eight Order cards, each describing a different action. All Order cards that a player has resolved remain faceup in his play area and cannot be used again until returned to his hand.

Each spring Season card's secondary ability returns all used Order cards to the players' hands, thus allowing the players to use the Order cards during the upcoming year. In this way, each player can use four of his eight Order cards each year.

3) Resolve Order Cards

Players simultaneously flip their chosen Order card faceup. Each player resolves his active Order card, starting with the player with the lowest numbered active Order card. In the case of a tie, the tied player with the most influence goes first (see "Play Order" on page 37).

Each Order card has a primary ability presented at the top of the card and a supremacy bonus ability presented at the bottom of the card. A player always resolves the primary ability of his Order card first (see "Order Card Summary" on page 14).

Order Card Breakdown

1. Name: This thematic name is referenced by other components and in this rulebook.
2. Primary Ability: This ability is resolved first by following the instructions on the card.
3. Supremacy Bonus Ability: This ability is resolved after the primary ability. However, this ability is only resolved if the Order card is the highest numbered Order card in its player's play area.
4. Number: This number is used to determine the Order in which players resolve their Order cards (lower numbers first) and to determine whether a player can use his Order card's Supremacy Bonus.

Supremacy Bonus

When resolving an Order card, if the Order card is the current player's highest numbered Order card in play, then he may use the Supremacy Bonus ability on the card in addition to the primary ability. This encourages players to use their lower numbered Order cards before using their higher numbered cards.

Players can take advantage of their Order card's Supremacy Bonus each spring because they do not have any other Order cards in play.

Example: It is summer and the Uthuk player is resolving his "Recruit" (number 5) Order card. In the previous season (spring), he played his "Fortify" (number 8) Order card. Since his "Recruit" card is not his highest numbered Order card in his play area, he cannot use the "Recruit" card's Supremacy Bonus ability.

Example of a Game Season

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. It is the start of the third season (fall) during a three-player game. The first player draws the top card of the fall Season deck. Each player resolves the primary ability on the card by adjusting his resource dials to match the resource icons in friendly areas plus one food as described on the Season card (see "Harvesting Example" on page 34).
2. The secondary ability of the Season card is resolved. This ability instructs players to shuffle the Fate card discard pile into the Fate deck. Then, starting with the player with the lowest numbered Order card from the previous season, each player chooses to receive two influence or to draw one Tactics card.
3. After resolving the Season card, each player chooses one Order card from his hand and places it facedown in his play area.
4. After each player has chosen an Order card, players reveal their chosen Order cards simultaneously.
5. The player with the lowest numbered active Order card resolves his Order card first. The Elf player's "Strategize" card (#1) has the lowest number, so he resolves his card's primary ability (see "Strategize Order Example" on page 16). He cannot use the Supremacy Bonus ability on his card because the card is not his highest numbered Order card in his play area (his #3 and #5 Order cards are also in his play area).
6. The other two players both chose their "Conquer" Order cards (#3). Since the cards have the same number, the player with the most influence tokens (the Uthuk player) resolves his card first, beginning with the primary ability (see "Mobilize/Conquer Order Example" on page 17). He cannot use his card's Supremacy Bonus ability because he has a higher numbered Order card in his play area.
7. Finally, the Daqan player resolves his "Conquer" Order card. After resolving the primary ability, he may resolve the card's Supremacy Bonus ability because this Order card is the highest numbered Order card in his play area.
8. After each player has resolved his active Order card, the season ends. The next season then begins with players resolving the top card of the winter Season deck.

Order Card Summary

Order cards provide players with the main actions they may resolve while playing Runewars.

Choosing which Order card to play is often the most important decision that players face during each season. The eight Order cards are summarized below and are explained in more detail on pages 33–36.

1. Strategize: The main use of this Order card is to move units and heroes into adjacent friendly or empty areas (that may be more tactically significant). The Supremacy Bonus ability allows the player to draw a number of Tactics cards as indicated by his resource dials.
2. Mobilize: This card (along with Conquer) serves as the main way that players are able to move units, start battles, and attempt diplomacy with unallied neutral units. The Supremacy Bonus ability of this card allows the player to resolve this card twice and thus move units into two different areas.
3. Conquer: This card has the same primary ability as Mobilize. This Supremacy Bonus ability makes it easier to conquer an area containing an enemy stronghold.
4. Harvest: This card serves as the main way that players gain resources after conquering territory. Since players do not automatically gain resources for controlling an area, they must make frequent use of this card. The Supremacy Bonus ability of this card allows the player to use his developments and then build new developments. Developments provide bonuses for future harvests or provide defensive bonuses during combat (see "Developments" on page 33).
5. Recruit: This card serves as the main way players can introduce new units to the game board. The player chooses one of his resource types (food, wood, or ore) and receives all units indicated by that resource dial's current space and lower. The player places these new units at his friendly strongholds. The Supremacy Bonus ability of this Order allows the player to also produce units using an additional resource type (see "Recruiting Example" on page 35).
6. Rally Support: This card functions as the primary means for players to gain benefits from cities (such as neutral units, influence, Tactics cards, or Quest cards – see "Rally Support Order" on page 36). The Supremacy Bonus allows the player to spend influence to gain a new hero (see "Gaining Heroes" on page 25).
7. Acquire Power: This card serves as the main way for players to acquire influence tokens. The Supremacy Bonus ability allows the player to acquire a Title card, which can greatly assist the player's acquiring dragon runes (see "Acquire Power Order" on page 36).
8. Fortify: This card is the main way in which players build new strongholds, repair existing strongholds, and move rune tokens to more defensible positions. Note that this card does not have a Supremacy Bonus ability (since it will always be the player's highest numbered card).

Resource Dials

In Runewars, each player has three dials on his faction sheet that are used to track his current supply of food, wood, and ore.

At the start of the game, the player sets each of these dials according to the resources printed on the faction's home realm; these resource spaces are marked on each faction sheet with a red number.

A player only adjusts these dials when cards or abilities specifically instruct him to do so. Therefore, the dials often point to numbers that are lower or higher than the amount of resources friendly areas currently provide.

Most spaces on these dials provide units, Tactics cards, or influence tokens. These units, cards, or tokens are only gained when players are instructed to receive them by specific cards or abilities (for example, the "Recruit" Order card provides units – see page 35). When a player gains units, Tactics cards, or influence tokens based on his resource dials, he does not lose any resources or adjust his dials.

Frequently Used Terms

• Activated Area: Any area that contains a friendly activation token. Units cannot move out of an area containing a friendly activation token except when retreating (see "Retreats" on page 22).
• Area: A single game board hex.
• Contested Area: An area in which a battle or duel is occurring. The defending player, if any, retains control of the area during a battle.
• Controlled Area: An area in which a player has at least one plastic unit of his color (including routed units) and/or one of his strongholds. Home realms are always controlled areas unless enemy units or an enemy stronghold is present.
• Current Player: The player resolving his Order card. There is only a current player during the Resolve Order Cards step of a game season. If there is not a player resolving an Order card (for example during the Quest Phase), then there is no current player.
• Empty Area: Any non-home realm area that contains zero units and zero strongholds. An empty area can contain a city token.
• Enemy Area: Any area controlled by another player.
• Enemy Units: Any units belonging to another player (including neutral units allied to another player).
• Fast: A unit or hero trait that allows movement of up to three areas (instead of two) with a "Mobilize" or "Conquer" Order card.
• Figures: The term collectively referring to both plastic units and heroes.
• Flying: A unit or hero trait that allows movement through mountain and water borders. These borders are normally impassible to figures (see "Movement Restrictions" on page 18).
• Friendly Area: Any area that is under a player's own control, i.e., contains friendly units, contains a friendly stronghold, or is part of his home realm (which is not controlled by an enemy player).
• Heroes: Brave individuals, represented by plastic figures, who can work for any faction and attempt to complete Quests to acquire dragon runes. A player controls a hero if he has the matching Hero card in front of him (see "Heroes" on page 25). Remember, heroes are not units.
• Home Realm: Each faction's three starting areas. Players always control areas in their home realm unless an enemy unit or stronghold is present. Areas of a home realm are never considered empty.
• Neutral Area: Any area that contains neutral units and is not controlled by a player.
• Player's Turn: Any time a player is resolving one of his Order cards. For example, a Tactics card that can be played "During your turn" can only be used by a player right before, during, or right after the resolution of his active Order card. Each player has one turn per season, and the turn takes place during the Resolve Order cards step. Using heroes during the Quest Phase is not part of any player's turn.
• Routed: Any figure that is tipped over. Figures usually become routed in combat. A routed figure cannot move, start a duel, attempt a quest, or attack during battle.
• Standing: Any figure that is not routed. All routed figures become standing figures by each spring Season card's secondary ability.
• Uncontrolled Area: Any area that is not controlled by a player (it may contain neutral units and/or cities). This category includes both neutral and empty areas.
• Units: Faction and neutral armies, represented by plastic figures. Any ability that applies to units does not include hero figures unless otherwise specified (heroes are not units).

Movement

This section describes all movement rules and how they apply to units and heroes.

When a player moves units into an area containing enemy units, he must start a battle (see "Battles" on page 21). When a player moves units into an area containing only neutral units, he must start a battle or attempt diplomacy (see "Diplomacy" on page 18).

Moving Units with the Strategize Order

The "Strategize" Order card allows a player to freely move his units and/or heroes into adjacent areas. He can only move figures into empty or friendly areas (the areas cannot contain unallied neutral units or enemy units).

A player may move his figures to or from any number of areas as long as each figure ends in or adjacent to the area in which it started. Any units that started in an activated area cannot move out of it, but units can move into activated areas (see "Activation Tokens" on page 17).

Moving figures with this Order does not activate any areas, meaning these figures can move again during this year (as long as they did not move into a previously activated area).

Strategize Order Example

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. The Daqan player is resolving a "Strategize" Order card during spring. Using the card's primary ability, he moves two of his Footmen into an adjacent friendly area.
2. He moves one of his Knights from a different area into an adjacent area. Note that there is only one area that the Knight could move into because area "7A" contains neutral units and the Knight cannot cross over the mountain border to get into "6A" or "6B."
3. Since this is the first Order card the player has played this year, it is the highest numbered Order card in his play area. He therefore may use the Supremacy Bonus ability of the Order card to draw one Tactics card, which he can use on a future turn.

Hero Movement

Heroes can be moved up to two areas during the Quest Phase (see "Quest Phase" on page 26). They can also be moved with "Strategize," "Mobilize," or "Conquer" Order cards.

Unlike units, heroes can move through enemy and neutral areas. Heroes do not start battles when they move into an enemy or neutral area, although they can start Duels (see "Duels" on page 28). Heroes can also freely move out of areas containing friendly activation tokens. Routed heroes (like units) cannot move.

Moving with Mobilize and Conquer Orders

"Mobilize" and "Conquer" Order cards allow a player to activate an area and move any of his units and heroes into that area as long as the units started two or fewer areas away. The moving units can come from multiple areas. If there are enemy or neutral units in the activated area, the player must start a battle with them or attempt diplomacy.

Although all units and heroes can move a distance of up to two areas with a "Mobilize" or "Conquer" Order card, units can only move through friendly or empty areas to get to the activated area (see "Mobilize/Conquer Order Example" below). Units can move through previously activated areas.

Heroes can move through enemy areas without penalty.

Fast Units and Heroes

Some units and heroes have the fast trait. This trait allows the unit or hero to move into an activated area from up to three areas away when resolving "Mobilize" and "Conquer" Order cards. Fast units and heroes do not gain a benefit from this trait when moving in other ways.

The rulebook shows the icon printed on a faction sheet that denotes a Fast Unit.

Mobilize/Conquer Order Example

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. The Daqan player is resolving a "Mobilize" Order card during spring. Using the card's primary ability, he first chooses an area to activate.
2. He moves two of his Footmen into the area from an adjacent area.
3. He moves one of his Knights into the area. Since the Knight is fast, it can move from up to three areas away.
4. He cannot move his Siege Tower into the area because it is routed.
5. He cannot move his Bowmen into the area because they cannot move through areas containing neutral or enemy units.
6. After moving his units into the area, he must either battle or attempt diplomacy with the neutral dragon in the activated area.

Activation Tokens

When a player uses a "Mobilize" or "Conquer" Order card, he must first place an activation token in the area that he plans on moving units and/or heroes into.

A player can never move units out of an area that contains one of his activation tokens except when retreating (see "Retreats" on page 22). These tokens are automatically removed during the next spring via the spring Season card's secondary ability.

When a unit is moved by a different effect, for example, by retreating, questing, or using the "Strategize" Order card, an activation token is not placed.

Heroes are unaffected by activation tokens.

A player can recruit and move units into an area containing one of his activation tokens. A player cannot activate an area that already contains a friendly activation token.

Movement Restrictions

Some area borders have blue or red colored corners. These borders are normally impassible by figures except in the following cases:

• Flying Figures: Figures with the flying trait can ignore mountain (red) and water (blue) borders. Units cannot move over enemy or neutral areas, however. Flying heroes can move through such areas as normal.
• Winter: During each winter, all water (blue) borders are ignored and have no effect on units or heroes.
• Other Cards: Some cards, such as the "Mountain Pass" Tactics card, allow players to ignore specific movement restrictions as indicated on the cards.

The rulebook shows examples of a Water Border and a Mountain Border.

Players can always move units and heroes across all other borders, even if the area's artwork suggests otherwise.

During setup, it is possible to create a game board with missing hexes (holes) in it. Figures can never move over these non-existent areas, even if flying.

A player can never have more than eight of his units in an area (including allied neutral units). If a player moves units into an area causing it to contain more than eight units, he must destroy units of his choice until he has eight or fewer in the area.

The only time a player can exceed this number is when he is starting a battle in an enemy or neutral area, in which case he may bring any number of units into the area. If he wins the battle, any excess units must retreat to a single area (see "Retreats" on page 22). A player who exceeds this number in a neutral area cannot attempt diplomacy; he must choose to battle.

Diplomacy

After moving units into an area containing unallied neutral units, the player must attempt diplomacy or start a battle with the neutral units. When a player attempts diplomacy, he performs the following steps in order:

1. Spend Influence: The player must spend one to six influence tokens. A player cannot attempt diplomacy if he does not have any influence tokens.
2. Draw Fate Cards: The player draws a number of Fate cards equal to the amount of influence he spent.
3. Resolve One Fate Card: The player chooses one of the Fate cards that he drew in step 2. Then, he resolves one of the following results based upon the destiny symbol in the top center of the chosen card.
   • Ally symbol: All neutral units in the area ally with the player. This result means that the player's units and the neutral units remain in the area and that the player can use the neutral units as his own (see "Allied Units" below).
   • Retreat symbol: All neutral units immediately retreat to one adjacent area and become routed (see "Retreats" on page 22). The units retreat even if they are already routed. If there are multiple areas that the units can legally retreat to, the player to the left of current player decides. If the neutral units have nowhere that they can legally retreat to, they are destroyed.
   • Battle symbol: The current player must either start a battle in the area or retreat all friendly units from the area into one adjacent area following all of the normal rules for retreating (see "Retreats" on page 22).

Diplomacy and Resolving Fate Cards Example

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. The Elf player is resolving a "Conquer" Order card. He moves two of his units into an area containing unallied neutral units.
2. After moving his units, the Elf player must either start a battle against the neutral units or attempt diplomacy. He decides to spend three influence to attempt diplomacy.
3. Since he spent three influence, he draws three Fate cards.
4. He chooses one of the three Fate cards and resolves diplomacy based on the symbol on the chosen card.
5. Since the chosen card has an ally destiny symbol, the neutral units ally with him. He leaves his units in the area to mark that the neutral units are now under his control. As long as he has friendly units present with the neutral units, the neutral units remain allied to him.

Neutral Units

During setup, a number of plastic neutral units are placed on the game board as indicated by the icon on each area (if any).

The rulebook shows an example of a "Razorwing" Neutral Unit Icon in an Area.

Neutral units are always treated as enemy units, unless a player has allied with them (see "Diplomacy" on page 18).

Allied Units

When a player's units coexist in an area containing neutral units, outside of attempting diplomacy or fighting a battle against them, the neutral units are allied. Allied neutral units are treated as units of the player's faction. That is, they can move and participate in battle as if they were friendly units.

If allied units are in an area not controlled by the player (except during battle), the units break their allegiance and become normal neutral units.

If a player's last faction unit is killed during a battle and he has allied neutral units present, the neutral units remain allied until the end of the battle. These units can retreat into a friendly area and remain allied if the player loses the battle.

Allied neutral units can move unaccompanied by player controlled units as long as the neutral units end their movement in a friendly area.

When a decision about neutral units is made (such as where to retreat to), it is always made by the player the units are allied to. If the units are not allied with a player, the player sitting to the current player's left makes the decision.

Allied units must follow unit limits as if they were units of the player's color. This means that they count toward the maximum number of eight units in an area and count towards food limits when resolving the secondary ability of a winter Season card.

Moving and Placing Neutral Units with Tactics Cards

A number of Tactics cards allow players to place and/or move neutral units. If neutral units are ever placed in or moved into a player controlled area, the units become allied with that player. If allied units are moved into an empty or neutral area, the units are no longer allied.

Battle Against Unallied Neutral Units

When a player attacks neutral units that are not allied to an opponent, the player to his left controls the units for the duration of the battle.

The defending player places the neutral units to the right of his faction sheet (in the proper initiative rows) and makes all decisions for them. He cannot play Tactics cards during the battle.

When a player attempts battle or diplomacy against neutral units, he does so against every neutral unit in the area, not just one type of unit. For example, if a player attempts diplomacy in an area containing two Beastmen and a Dragon, he only attempts diplomacy once, at which point all of the units may or may not ally with him.

Unit Classes

There are four general classes of units, each of which has a particular shape to its base. In addition to its unit class, each unit has a unit type that differentiates the unit by its name and special ability printed on its faction or reference sheet.

• Triangle: Triangle units are the most common units. During battle, Fate cards cause them to miss 40% of the time and deal a maximum of 1 damage. Triangle units are often targeted by other units' special abilities (such as the Dragon's ability to kill three triangle units).
• Circle: Circle units are nearly as weak as triangle units, but their special abilities are triggered twice as often. Heroes use the circle section of Fate cards during duels (due to their circular bases).
• Rectangle: Rectangle units represent medium-sized units and often have more than 1 health. Rectangle units successfully attack more often than triangle units and usually can deal up to 2 damage.
• Hexagon: Hexagon units represent large and extremely powerful units. In addition to their high health and powerful attacks, these units count their strength even if routed during a battle.

Faction Sheet Breakdown

Each player has a faction sheet that lists information about his alignment, resources, and units.

1. Faction Icon and Name: The name and icon used to distinguish the faction from the other factions.
2. Alignment: A banner indicating each faction's alignment, either good (white) or evil (black). Alignments determine which Objective deck a player draws from, as well as which heroes are more or less likely to desert him (see "Deserting Heroes" on page 28).
3. Starting Tactics and Influence: The number of Tactics cards and influence tokens the faction begins the game with.
4. Resource Dials: The dials used to track the player's current supply of food, wood, and ore.
5. Unit Information Area: This area provides all pertinent information for a faction's units including their health and special abilities.
6. Unit Name and Image: The name and image used to distinguish a unit from other unit types.
7. Unit Class: An icon matching the shape of the unit's base used when drawing Fate cards during battle.
8. Unit Health: The amount of damage required to defeat a unit of this type.
9. Unit Special Ability: The ability resolved when this type of unit draws a special ability icon during battle.
10. Initiative Number: The numbered row that a unit's information is in. This number governs which row the player places the unit in during combat, as well as the combat round that the unit attacks in.
11. Combat Area: The section of a player's faction sheet used to organize figures when resolving combat. It consists of five rows, which represent the initiative order in which units draw Fate cards during combat (see "Battles" below).

Battles

When a player moves units into an enemy area, he must start a battle. The term battle refers to any time units are fighting each other. Each battle involves two groups of units attacking each other in an attempt to gain control of an area.

Each battle is resolved as follows:

1. Place Battle Marker: The current player takes the battle marker and places it in the contested area. This marker reminds players where the battle is being fought.

2. Place Units Next to Faction Sheets: Each player takes all of his units from the contested area and places them in the appropriate rows to the right of his faction sheet (i.e., in the rows corresponding to the units' initiatives).

   Heroes and routed units are not placed to the right of a player's faction sheet and instead remain in the contested area. Routed units cannot participate in battle and are destroyed if forced to retreat.

   If the defending units are unallied neutral units, the player to the left of the current player acts as their controller during this combat (however, he cannot play Tactics cards).

3. Declare Supporting Heroes: Starting with the attacker, both players may choose friendly standing heroes from the area to support the battle (see "Heroes Supporting Battles" on page 25).

4. Start of Battle Abilities: If the attacker has any Tactics cards or other abilities that can be used at the "start of battle" or during his turn, he must use them at this point if he is going to do so. Then, the defender has the opportunity to use any number of "start of battle" abilities and cards.

5. Rounds of Combat: Players resolve five rounds of combat, starting with all initiative "1" units, followed by all initiative "2" units, and so on. During each round, each unit of the current initiative attacks once (see "Rounds of Combat" on page 22).

6. Tally Strength: After each unit has attacked once, both players tally their strength as follows: a. Fortifications: If the defender has a development providing a defensive bonus in the area, he may use it now (see "Developments" on page 33). b. Count Units: Each player totals his number of standing units (and routed hexagon units) in the battle. This total is his strength. c. Add Stronghold Strength: If the defender has a stronghold present in the area, he adds the stronghold's strength (printed at the bottom of the stronghold) to his units' strength.

7. Resolution: The player with the highest total strength wins the battle; in the case of a tie, the defender wins. Then, the players perform the below steps: a. Damage/Conquer Stronghold: If the attacker won the battle against a stronghold, he removes the opponent's stronghold token. Then, he may replace it with one of his own stronghold tokens (with the damaged side faceup). If all of the winning player's strongholds are already in play, he may voluntarily destroy one of his strongholds to remove it from the game board in order to replace the enemy stronghold.

   If the defender won the battle but enemy standing units are present, the defender flips the stronghold so that its damaged side is faceup. If the stronghold was already damaged, it remains damaged side faceup. b. Heal: Both players remove all damage tokens from their units involved in the battle. c. Retreat: The losing player must immediately retreat all of his participating units from the area and rout them (see "Retreats" on page 22).

   Units in the area that did not participate in the battle (i.e., were not placed next to the player's faction sheet and remained in the contested area during step 2) cannot retreat and are destroyed.

   Units routed during the current battle can retreat (this is an exception to the rule that routed figures cannot move). d. Replace Units: The winner of the battle takes all of his units that survived the battle and places them in the contested area. Any units that were routed in the battle remain routed. Then, he removes the battle marker from the game board.

Fate Card Breakdown

1. Destiny Symbol: This symbol is used when resolving diplomacy (see "Diplomacy" on page 18) and attribute tests (see "Attribute Tests" on page 26).
2. Triangle Area: This section of the card is used during battle by units with triangular bases. This particular card has a special ability icon, meaning the unit triggers its special ability (as printed on its faction or reference sheet).
3. Rectangle Area: This section of the card is used during battle by units with rectangular bases. This particular card has a rout icon with a "1" meaning one enemy unit becomes routed (see "Routed Units and Heroes" on page 22).
4. Hexagon Area: This section of the card is used during battle by units with hexagonal bases. This particular card has a damage icon with a "2" meaning the opponent must deal two damage to his units (see "Dealing Damage to Units" on page 22).
5. Circle Area: This section of the card is used during battle and duels by figures with circular bases. This particular card has no symbols, meaning it has no effect during a battle or duel (commonly referred to as a miss).
6. Unique Number: Each Fate card has a unique number between 1 and 30. This number is used at the start of the game to determine the first player.

Rounds of Combat

Each battle has up to five different combat rounds. The first round consists of all "Initiative 1" units attacking, followed by the second round in which all "Initiative 2" units attack, and so on.

Each player chooses one of his unit types to fight as follows:

1. Attacker Draws Cards: The attacking player chooses one of his unit types with the current initiative that he has not drawn cards for yet during this battle (if able). He draws a number of Fate cards equal to the number of units of the chosen type and refers to the section of the cards matching his units' base shape.
2. Defender Draws Cards: The defending player chooses one of his unit types with the current initiative that he has not drawn cards for yet during this battle (if able). He draws a number of Fate cards equal to the number of units of the chosen type and refers to the section of the cards matching his units' base shape.
3. Resolve Special Abilities: Both players reveal all Fate cards drawn that have special ability icons on the proper section of the card. Starting with the attacker, each player resolves his units' special abilities (as printed on the faction sheets) a number of times equal to the number of special ability icons on cards he drew.
4. Resolve Routs: Both players reveal all Fate cards drawn that have rout icons on the proper section of the card. Starting with the attacker, each player deals a number of routs to his opponent equal to the number of routs on the cards he drew. For each rout dealt, his opponent chooses one of his units to rout (see "Routed Units and Heroes" below).
5. Resolve Damage: Both players reveal all Fate cards drawn that have damage icons on the proper section of the card. Starting with the attacker, each player deals an amount of damage to his opponent equal to the number of damage on the cards he drew. For each damage dealt, his opponent chooses one of his units to damage (see "Dealing Damage to Units" below).

Then, players discard all drawn Fate cards. If there are any standing units belonging to the current initiative row on the faction sheets that have not drawn cards, players repeat these steps for those units.

After all units of the proper initiative have had cards drawn for them, a round of combat starts for figures on the next initiative row on the faction sheet (see "Battle Example Round 1" on page 23).

Concurrent Attack Rule

Units can be destroyed or routed during battle before their player draws Fate cards for them. However, if the player has already drawn Fate cards for a unit type, he resolves all of the cards regardless of whether those units are later destroyed or routed.

Therefore, when a player has multiple units with the same initiative value, it is important for him to decide which unit type will attack first. Depending upon how much damage and routs he is dealt, his other units may not get a chance to draw Fate cards.

Routed Units and Heroes

There are many ways that units and heroes can become routed. Routing can happen during battle, through retreating, or as a result of a number of cards and abilities.

When a figure becomes routed, its owner tips the figure onto its side. Routed units and heroes cannot move. Routed units cannot draw cards during battle. Units and heroes are stood up (un-routed) during each spring as part of each spring Season card's secondary ability.

During combat, a player may be dealt routs. For each rout dealt, a player must rout one of his undamaged standing units (regardless of the unit's health). If all of his remaining standing units are damaged, he must rout one of his damaged units.

Dealing Damage to Units

For each point of damage that a player's units are dealt, he takes one damage token and assigns it to (places it next to) one of his participating units. Damage tokens are assigned one at a time. When a unit has accumulated a number of damage tokens equal to its health value (listed in the heart on the faction sheet), the unit is destroyed. The player immediately returns it to his pile of unused units and removes all its damage tokens. If an effect forces a player to destroy one of his units during combat, he must destroy a standing unit, if able.

When assigning damage during battle, a player must place the damage on a previously damaged unit (if able). If he does not have any damaged units, then he must assign it to any one of his standing units. If he does not have any standing units in the battle, then he must assign the damage to one of his routed units.

Players remove all damage tokens from units at the end of the battle.

Example: The Elf player is dealt two damage during a round of combat. Because he has a damaged Warrior in the battle, he must deal damage to it first (regardless of whether it is routed or standing). He assigns one damage to the Warrior, which destroys it (as its damage is equal to its health). Since the Elf player does not have any other damaged units, he may assign the last damage to any one of his standing units of his choice.

Retreats

When figures are forced to retreat from an area, the controller of the units must move all retreating units to one adjacent area. The area that they must retreat to depends upon the situation:

• Player Controlled Units: These units must retreat to an adjacent friendly area. If there are no adjacent friendly areas to retreat to, they must retreat to an adjacent empty area. If there is still nowhere to retreat to, they are destroyed.
• Unallied Neutral Units: The player to the left of the current player chooses an adjacent uncontrolled area for these units to retreat into. If there are no adjacent uncontrolled areas, the units are destroyed.
• Heroes: Heroes can retreat to any adjacent area. However, a hero who supported in a battle must retreat to the same area its owner's units retreated to, if possible.

When a figure retreats, it is always routed.

After retreating, if the number of units in an area exceeds eight, then the owner must destroy units until he has eight or fewer in the area. Both routed and standing units always count toward this limit.

Units must follow all movement restrictions when retreating and cannot retreat over red or blue borders (except during the winter or if the unit is flying; see "Movement Restrictions" on page 18).

Battle Example Round 1

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. The Elf player is resolving a "Conquer" Order card. He moves 5 of his units into an area containing Uthuk units.
2. The Elf player must start a battle in that area. He places the battle marker in the contested area. Starting with the attacker, both players then have an opportunity to play Tactics cards (they both choose not to do so).
3. The Elf player removes all of his units from the contested area and places them in the appropriate rows beside his faction sheet. His opponent then does the same with his own units.
4. During the first round of combat, all initiative 1 units attack. The Elf player has three Archers, so he draws three Fate cards and refers to the triangle section of these cards (the shape of his Archers' bases). The Uthuk player has two Flesh Rippers, so he draws two Fate cards and refers to the rectangle section of the cards.
5. Both players reveal any cards they drew with special ability icons in the appropriate sections. The Elf player reveals one card with a special ability icon, which triggers the ability of one of his Archers. This ability lets him deal 1 damage to a unit of his choice. He decides to damage one of his opponent's Berserkers (which destroys it).
6. Both players reveal any cards they drew with rout icons in the appropriate sections. The Uthuk player reveals 1 rout icon, which forces his opponent to rout one of his units. The Elf player chooses one of his Archers and tips it onto its side.
7. Both players reveal any cards they drew with damage icons in the appropriate sections. The Elf player reveals one damage icon, causing one damage, which the Uthuk player assigns to one of his Flesh Rippers. Since this amount of damage equals the Flesh Ripper's health, the Flesh Ripper is destroyed and the damage token is removed.
8. The Uthuk player reveals that he is also dealing one damage. The Elf player assigns this damage to one of his Pegasus Riders. Since his Pegasus Riders have three health, it is not destroyed.

Battle Example Round 2

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. During the second round of combat, the Elf player has two Pegasus Riders in the second initiative row, so he draws two Fate cards. The Uthuk player has two different types of initiative 2 units. He chooses his Berserkers to attack first and draws one Fate card for each Berserker.
2. Neither player drew any Fate cards with special ability or rout icons in the appropriate sections, so no special abilities or routs are triggered. The Elf player drew cards with a total of three damage in the appropriate sections. The Uthuk player assigns two of this damage to Berserkers (destroying both of his Berserkers, as they each have one health). He places the last damage on one of his Beastmen, which destroys it as well.
3. The Uthuk player drew cards with a total of one damage in the appropriate sections. The Elf player is forced to place this damage on his Pegasus Rider (since it is already damaged, but not destroyed).
4. Because the Uthuk player's Beastmen have not attacked yet, he draws for them. He draws two Fate cards because only two standing Beastmen remain.
5. The Uthuk player first resolves all rout icons in the appropriate sections of his Fate card. This causes the Elf player to rout one of his undamaged units (he chooses the Pegasus Rider).
6. The Uthuk player resolves all damage icons in the appropriate sections of his Fate card. This causes the Elf player to assign one damage to the damaged Pegasus Rider. Because the Pegasus Rider has been dealt damage equal to its health, it is destroyed.
7. Because all units have now attacked, both players tally their strengths. The Elf player has two standing Archers for a strength of two (= 2 strength). The Uthuk player has one standing Flesh Ripper and two standing Beastmen for a strength of three (= 3 strength).
8. The Uthuk player has the highest strength, so he wins the battle. All of the Elf player's units must retreat to an adjacent area and are routed.

Heroes

In addition to recruiting military units, each faction can hire heroes who serve three main purposes. They can attempt to find dragon runes by completing quests, they can duel enemy heroes (see "Duels" on page 28), and they can support a player's units in battle (see "Heroes Supporting Battles" below).

In addition, heroes can scout enemy rune tokens to determine which tokens are false runes and which are dragon runes (see "Looking at Rune Tokens" on page 30).

Each hero has a card that lists its name, attributes, and special ability. Each hero also has a plastic figure which is placed on the game board to represent the hero's current location.

Hero Card Breakdown

1. Name: This name helps differentiate the heroes from each other.
2. Alignment: The color of this banner determines the hero's alignment. It is either white (good), green (neutral), or black (evil). Heroes are more likely to desert a player if they do not match his faction's alignment (see "Deserting Heroes" on page 28).
3. Ability: This text explains the hero's unique ability.
4. Attributes: These numbers represent the hero's level of strength, agility, and wisdom. Attributes are used mostly for completing quests (see "Attribute Tests" on page 26).
5. Base Shape: This circular shape reminds players that heroes use the circle area of Fate cards during duels.
6. Health: This is the amount of damage that is required to defeat the hero.
7. Duel Special Ability Reminder: This text reminds players that heroes can deal 1 damage (instead of using a Reward card) when using a special ability icon during a duel.

Gaining Heroes

When a player gains a hero, he places the Hero card faceup in his play area and places the corresponding figure at one of his strongholds.

Each player can control no more than three heroes at a time. If a player gains control of a fourth hero, he must choose one of his heroes to desert him (see "Deserting Heroes" on page 28). This occurs even if the hero would normally not be able to desert (for example, if the player had the "Captain of the Heroes' League" Title card).

Heroes Supporting Battles

During step 3 of a battle, standing heroes can support friendly units during battle.

Starting with the attacker, each player may take any number of his heroes in the contested area and place each of them adjacent to a different type of friendly unit. When the player draws Fate cards for that type of unit, the player may draw one additional card, look at the cards, and immediately choose one to discard without effect.

If the player loses a battle in which one or more of his heroes supported, the heroes are routed and retreat with the player's retreating units, if any. If there are no retreating units, the routed heroes still retreat (all to one area).

Example: The Elf player has three Archers and two Pegasus Riders in a battle. He also has two heroes in the contested area. He chooses to have one of his heroes support the Archers and places the hero adjacent to the Archers. The player decides not to have his other hero support his Pegasus Riders, so that hero remains in the contested area. During the battle, the Elf player draws four Fate cards for his Archers, discards one of his choice, and resolves the other three. The Elf player loses the battle, and his surviving two Archers and one Pegasus Rider become routed and retreat. His hero who supported the Archers also becomes routed and must retreat with the Elf player's retreating units. The Elf player's hero who did not support any units does not become routed or retreat.

Resolving Fate Cards

Fate cards are used to determine many different results, including the outcome of diplomacy, battles, and attribute tests. There are a few things to be aware of when drawing and resolving Fate cards:

• Anytime a player is instructed to draw Fate cards, he must draw the full number of cards. For example, if a player attempts diplomacy and draws an ally symbol with his first card, he must still draw and discard the full number of cards.
• The Fate card discard pile can be examined by any player at any time. This allows players to judge which destiny icons have been used before deciding to attempt diplomacy or a Quest.
• If the Fate deck runs out when a player is drawing Fate cards, shuffle the discard pile of Fate cards to create a new deck and draw any remaining cards from this new deck.

Quest Cards

By completing the criteria on Quest cards, a hero can receive Reward cards that provide special abilities or even dragon runes!

Each player starts the game with two Quest cards in his hand. Any of a player's heroes can attempt to complete his Quest cards during the Quest Phase (see "Quest Phase" below).

Each player can have a maximum of three Quest cards in his hand at any time. If a player ever has more than three Quest cards, he must discard Quest cards of his choice until he has only three.

Quest Card Breakdown

1. Name: The thematic name of the Quest card.
2. Setup Quest: Cards labeled as "Setup Quests" determine which map tiles a player places when creating the game board.
3. Flavor Text: This text provides the background story about the quest as well as the thematic name of the area the hero must travel to in order to attempt the quest (if any).
4. Criteria: Once the hero has traveled to the specified area, the player controlling him must follow these instructions in order to complete the quest. Any italicized text in this section is additional flavor text and has no game effect.
5. Area: The specific area (if any) that a hero must travel to in order to attempt the quest.

Quest Phase

The secondary ability of each summer Season card is to resolve a Quest Phase as follows:

Starting with the player with the lowest numbered Order card (from the previous season), each player may perform one of the following actions with each of his heroes. A player who controls multiple heroes may choose to perform a different action with each of them (see "Quest Phase Example" below).

• Move: The player can move his hero up to two areas and then start a duel or attempt a quest, if able. These actions do not activate the destination area. Remember that heroes can move into and through enemy and neutral areas. Routed heroes cannot choose this option.

• Heal: The player can remove all damage from his hero. A hero can only heal if he is in a friendly area.

• Train: The player can increase two of the hero's attributes by one or increase one attribute by two. The player places or flips training tokens on the hero's card to indicate which attributes have been increased.

  These double-sided tokens represent whether a hero has gained +1 or +2 to the attribute. Each of a hero's attributes can have a maximum of one training token.

  Note: If a Quest card instructs a hero to train an attribute, that hero increases the attribute by one (unlike with a train action).

Although each player can perform actions with his heroes during the Quest Phase, the Quest Phase it is not part of any player's turn.

Attempting and Completing Quests

A hero must be in a specific area of the game board (labeled by a number and letter, such as 3A) to complete most quests. When a hero performing a "move" action is present in an area shown on one of his Quest cards during the Quest Phase, the hero may attempt the quest. The player controlling the hero reveals the Quest card from his hand that matches the area and follow the instructions on the card to attempt to complete the quest.

If the result of following the instructions is to "receive reward," the hero completes the quest, and his hero receives a Reward card (see "Reward Cards" below). Then, the player discards the completed Quest card and draws a new Quest card. If a hero fails to complete the quest, the player does not discard the Quest card unless it specifically instructs him to do so.

Each hero can only attempt one quest per Quest Phase. Routed heroes cannot attempt quests.

Attribute Tests

Many Quest cards require a hero to travel to a specific area and then test one of his attributes (strength, agility, or wisdom).

When a hero tests an attribute, the player controlling the hero draws a number of Fate cards equal to the hero's appropriate attribute. Then, the player chooses one of the Fate cards and resolves the Quest card using the destiny icon at the top of the chosen Fate card.

Example: A Quest card requires a hero to travel to area 3A and test his agility. During the Quest Phase, the hero moves into this area, and his controller reveals the Quest card from his hand. As instructed on the card, he draws a number of Fate cards equal to the hero's agility of 2. The hero's controller chooses one of these cards and discards the other. Then, he compares the destiny icon of the chosen card with those found in the instructions on the Quest card.

The Quest card reads "Ally symbol: Receive Reward." The controller receives a Reward card, discards the Quest card, and draws a new Quest card.

Quest Phase Example

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps. After resolving the primary ability of a summer Season card, players resolve a Quest Phase as follows:

1. The Elf player has the lowest numbered Order card from the previous season, so he goes first in the Quest Phase. He has one hero and decides to heal all damage on her.
2. The Uthuk player has the next lowest numbered Order card. He decides to train his first hero and increases the hero's agility by two.
3. The Uthuk player decides to move his second hero. He moves the hero two areas – through an enemy area and into another enemy area.
4. He may now start a duel with the enemy hero in the area, attempt to resolve one of his Quest cards, or do nothing.

The Daqan and Waiqar players do not have any heroes and, thus, do nothing during the Quest Phase.

Reward Cards

Heroes often receive Reward cards (some of which provide dragon runes) by completing quests. When a hero receives a Reward card, his controlling player draws the top card from the Reward deck, looks at it, and places it facedown under the Hero card.

The player does not flip the Reward card faceup until he wishes to use the Reward card's ability, after which point it remains faceup.

A player can freely trade Reward cards between any of his heroes as long as they are in the same area during his turn or when taking an action during the Quest Phase. The heroes do not need to remain in the same area and can trade items when simply moving through a friendly hero's area.

Reward Card Breakdown

1. Name: This name is used to help differentiate Reward cards from each other.
2. Ability: This is the ability that the Reward card provides. Some of these abilities require the player controlling the hero to draw a special ability icon during a duel.
3. Trait: Some reward cards have a trait (either Weapon or Armor). A hero can use a maximum of one weapon and one armor during each duel.

Reward Cards in Duels

Many Reward card abilities benefit heroes in combat, such as those requiring a special ability icon. During a duel, each hero can use any number of his Reward cards but cannot use more than one "weapon" and one "armor" card. Note that a hero can use the same "weapon" or "armor" Reward card multiple times during a duel unless the card specifies otherwise.

When a hero uses a Reward card, the hero's controlling player flips the card faceup and follows the printed instructions on it. Many Reward cards are only triggered if the hero's player draws a special ability icon. When the player draws a special ability icon during a duel, he may either use a special ability from one of the hero's Reward cards or have the hero deal 1 damage (as printed on the Hero card).

Reward Card Secrecy

Players place Reward cards facedown under the Hero card of the hero who received them. The controller of a hero (and only him) may look at his hero's facedown Reward cards at any time.

The identity of facedown Reward cards cannot be shared with other players. Once a player flips a Reward card faceup, its effects become open information, and the card remains faceup for the remainder of the game.

Duels

When a player moves his hero into an area containing an enemy hero during the Quest Phase, he may start a duel with the enemy hero in an attempt to defeat him and take his Reward cards.

1. Declare Defender: The player who is starting the duel chooses a single enemy hero present in his hero's area to participate in the duel.

2. Use Start of Duel Abilities: If the attacker has any Tactics cards or other abilities that can be used at the "start of a duel," he must use them at this point if he is going to do so. Then, the defender has the opportunity to use any number of "start of a duel" abilities and cards.

3. Rounds of Duel: The players resolve four rounds of the duel. Each round consists of the following steps in order. a. Draw Fate Cards: Starting with the attacker, each player draws one Fate card and reveals it. b. Resolve Fate Cards: Starting with the attacker, each player resolves the icon printed in the circle section of his Fate card.

   If it is a special ability icon, the hero may either deal one damage (as printed on his Hero card) or use the ability of one of his Reward cards.

   If it is a rout icon, the hero may prevent damage this round equal to the number on the flag. For example, if a hero is dealt two damage by an opponent and the hero's player drew one rout result, he can prevent one of the damage. These results do not rout the opposing hero in a duel.

   If it is a damage icon, the opposing hero is dealt the listed amount of damage and his controlling player places an equal amount of damage tokens on his hero's card.

   If the circle section of the Fate card is blank, then nothing happens; the hero does not use a special ability, deal damage, or prevent damage.

   All damage dealt during duels is resolved simultaneously and can result in both heroes being defeated at the same time (see "Damaging and Defeating Heroes" below).

4. Resolution: After players have resolved four rounds of a duel or a hero has been defeated, the duel ends.

   All damage dealt to a hero remains on his Hero card (unless the Hero was defeated). Each hero who was not defeated in the duel remains in the area and is not forced to retreat.

A hero who starts a duel cannot attempt a quest during the same Quest Phase.

If a hero is defeated in a duel, the duel ends after finishing the current round of the duel. The surviving hero claims all of the defeated hero's Reward cards (see "Damaging and Defeating Heroes" below).

Routed heroes can be forced into a duel by an opponent's hero, but cannot start a duel. Defending heroes who are routed act as if they are not routed during a duel.

"Duel" Quests

Some Quest cards require a hero to travel to a specific area and then duel a certain type of neutral unit. Players never place this unit on the game board, and it only exists for the purposes of the quest.

Once the hero is in the correct area during the Quest Phase, his player follows the steps for a duel (resolving all four rounds if necessary). The player to his left controls the neutral unit during the duel. If the neutral unit's controller draws a card with a special ability icon in the section matching the unit's base shape, it triggers its special ability since, unlike a hero, it does not have the "deal 1 damage" option.

If the hero defeats the unit in the duel, he completes the quest and receives the reward described on the Quest card. Regardless of the outcome of the duel, players return the neutral unit to the pile of unused neutral units at the end of the duel.

Damaging and Defeating Heroes

When a hero has damage tokens on him equal to or greater than his health, he is defeated. The player controlling that hero removes the figure from the game board and places the figure and its Hero card back in the game box.

If a hero is defeated in a duel, the controller of the victorious hero involved in the duel assigns all of the defeated hero's Reward cards to any of his heroes present in the area. All Reward cards remain facedown (unless they are already faceup) and may be looked at by their new owner at any time.

The rulebook shows an image of a Defeated Hero Marker.

If a hero is defeated at any other time or if both heroes defeat each other simultaneously, the player controlling the hero places his hero's Reward cards next to the game board (remaining faceup or facedown). The player places a defeated hero marker in the area where the hero was defeated, and he places the corresponding defeated hero marker (which has the same number) on top of the hero's Reward cards.

Any hero present in an area containing a defeated hero marker during his controller's turn can take all Reward cards from under the marker and place them under his Hero card. Then, the player removes the defeated hero marker from the game board.

Deserting Heroes

Heroes will occasionally desert a player. Desertion usually occurs if a hero does not match his player's alignment when a particular Season card is resolved.

When a hero deserts, the player controlling him removes the hero's figure from the game board and shuffles his Hero card back into the deck of Hero cards. The player discards all Reward cards assigned to the hero faceup adjacent to the deck of Reward cards (as opposed to being left in the play area like those of a defeated hero).

Duel Example

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. During the Quest Phase, one of the Uthuk player's heroes (Mad Carthos) moves into an area containing one of the Elf player's heroes (Silhouette). The Uthuk player decides to start a duel against the Elf player's hero.

2. The Uthuk player resolves any start of duel abilities he wishes to use. He uses Mad Carthos's ability to deal the defending hero one damage. The Elf player chooses not to use any start of duel abilities.

3. Both players draw one Fate card for the first round of the duel. The Uthuk player draws a card with a special ability icon (in the circle section) while the Elf player draws a card with a rout icon.

4. The Uthuk player may use the special ability icon to resolve the ability on one of his Reward cards or to deal 1 damage (as printed on his Hero card). He decides to use the ability of one of his Reward cards (Rage Blade) to deal damage equal to his hero's strength of 2.

5. The Elf player prevents one of this damage with the rout result that he drew. His hero is therefore dealt 1 damage (instead of 2).

6. For the second round, both players draw one Fate card. This time, both players draw cards with 1 damage in the circle section.

7. Silhouette is dealt 1 damage.

8. Mad Carthos would be dealt 1 damage, but his owner reveals that Mad Carthos has the "Runeplate" Reward card which prevents the damage being dealt to the hero.

   Because Silhouette has been dealt damage equal to her health, the hero is now defeated and the duel ends. The attacking player takes all of the defeated hero's Reward cards and places them under Mad Carthos's Hero card.

Winning the Game

At the end of the seventh game year (at the end of winter), the game ends. At that point, players immediately flip faceup all rune tokens on the game board, and the player who controls the most dragon runes wins the game.

If multiple players are tied for the most dragon runes, the tied player with the most influence tokens wins the game. If still tied, the tied player with the highest starting influence wins the game.

If a player ever controls six dragon runes, he can attempt to win the game sooner (see "Victory Cards" below).

Victory Cards

When a player controls six dragon runes, he can attempt to win the game. First, the player must prove that he has six dragon runes. Then, if the player controls at least six dragon runes during the same season one game year later, he wins the game (as explained below).

At any point during a player's turn, he may reveal his dragon runes until he has proven that he has enough to win the game. These tokens remain faceup (see "Revealing Rune Tokens" below). Then, he places his faction's Victory card facedown on top of the current season's deck. (If it is currently summer, he places it on top of the unrevealed summer Season cards.) This Victory card will resolve in that season next year.

If the current Season deck has a Victory card on top of the deck during the Resolve Season Card step, the Victory card's player reveals it before drawing a Season card. If the player of the Victory card has enough dragon runes to win the game (revealing dragon rune tokens as necessary), he reads this card aloud and resolves it, winning the game. If he does not have at least six dragon runes, he takes his Victory card back, and players resolve a Season card as normal.

There can be a maximum of one Victory card on top of each Season deck. If a player has already placed a Victory card during the current season, any other player with enough dragon runes must wait until his turn in the following season to reveal his dragon runes and place his own Victory card.

Since Victory cards are resolved during the year after they were placed, they cannot be placed during the seventh year of the game.

Example: During the sixth year of the game, Tom reveals six dragon runes and places his Victory card on top of the current Season deck (summer). However, during the following spring, he loses control of one of his areas containing a dragon rune. When he reveals his Victory card next season, he no longer has enough dragon runes to win the game. He returns his Victory card to his play area. No other players have any Victory cards on top of Season decks, and because the game is now in the seventh and final year, players cannot place anymore Victory cards on Season decks. As a result, the winner of the game will be determined at the end of winter.

Note: These cards were included as a variant in the Banners of War expansion. This section overrides any rules in the Banners of War expansion. For example, playing with Victory cards is mandatory and not optional.

Receiving Dragon Runes

Players can acquire dragon runes from a number of sources, including Objective cards, Reward cards, Title cards, and Season cards.

Whenever a player is instructed to "receive one dragon rune," he performs the following steps:

1. Discard False Runes: The player may discard up to two false rune tokens from areas he controls.
2. Receive Rune Tokens: The player receives one dragon rune token and one false rune token and randomizes them.
3. Place Rune Tokens: The player looks at the faces of these tokens and places each token facedown in a friendly or uncontrolled area that does not contain a rune token. If there is no legal area to place one (or both) rune tokens, the player discards the unplaced tokens faceup to the pile of unused rune tokens.

Some Season cards or Tactics cards instruct players to place (or move) rune tokens to specific areas. These cards do not use the term "receive one dragon rune" and only cause the specified tokens to be placed; the cards do not also place false runes unless specified.

A player can never place a rune token in an area that already contains a rune token.

Looking at Rune Tokens

A player can look at rune tokens in areas he controls or has a hero in at any time. This includes enemy areas that have a friendly hero in them. Players can never show rune token faces to other players, although they can tell (or lie about) what type of token is in an area.

Rune tokens are never flipped faceup for everyone to see except when revealing a rune token or at the end of the game (see "Winning the Game").

Revealing Rune Tokens

When a player is instructed by a card to reveal a rune token, he chooses any rune token in an area he controls and flips the rune token faceup, revealing whether it is a dragon rune or a false rune token. If the card requires the player to reveal one of his dragon runes, he cannot reveal one of his false rune tokens.

Rune tokens revealed in this way remain faceup. A rune token can only be flipped facedown again if the player resolves a "Fortify" Order card (see "Fortify Order (#8)" on page 36). When resolving the Order card, the player only flips facedown the rune tokens in the two areas affected by the Order card. Other revealed rune tokens on the game board remain faceup.

Other Rules

This section contains specifics for using all types of components that were not covered in the main gameplay rules section.

Objective Cards

At the start of the game, each player receives one Objective card. Each Objective card lists criteria that a player can fulfill to obtain a dragon rune. Each player keeps his Objective card secret until he discards it to receive a dragon rune (see "Receiving Dragon Runes" above).

Objective cards are divided into two decks, one deck used by "Good" aligned factions and the other by "Evil" aligned factions. Good Objective cards generally require players to ally with units and acquire influence, while Evil Objective cards generally require players to conquer territories and destroy units.

If a player is fulfilling his Objective card at any point during his turn (i.e., when resolving his Order card), he may discard it to receive one dragon rune. Then, he follows the rules for receiving a dragon rune (including receiving one false rune and placing the tokens in friendly or empty areas). He does not draw a new Objective card to replace the one he completed.

Influence Bids

Some Season cards instruct players to conduct an influence bid. These bids represent political struggles that test the factions' diplomacy and standing with the Wizards' Council (see "Wizards' Council" below). When an influence bid starts, players perform the following steps:

1. Declare Influence Totals: Each player must verbally declare how many influence tokens he has. During this step, players may also discuss the bid and promise (or lie) about how much they are going to bid.
2. Hide and Select Influence: Each player takes all his influence tokens in hand and hides them from the other players. Each player selects the amount of tokens that he wishes to bid and secretly places the selected tokens in his closed fist above the playing surface.
3. Determine Winner: Once all players have selected their influence, they each open their fists and reveal how much influence they bid. Each Season card specifies how to determine the outcome of the bid (usually the single player who bid the highest wins something). See "Ties on Influence Bids" below for determining the winner in the event of a tie.
4. Discard Influence: All players (even those who did not win the bid) discard all influence tokens bid to the pile of unused influence tokens.

Ties on Influence Bids

If multiple players bid the same amount (even zero) on an influence bid, the player with the "Primarch of the Wizards' Council" Title card chooses which of the tied players wins or lose the bid. If no player has this Title card, then the tied player with the most unspent influence chooses amongst the tied players. If still tied, the tied player with the highest starting influence chooses amongst the tied players.

Wizards' Council

The term "Wizards' Council" represents the involvement of the mysterious and powerful Wizards' Council. This term has no game effect, but may be referenced by other cards.

Tactics Cards

Tactics cards provide a wide range of powerful abilities. Each player begins the game with the number of Tactics cards displayed on the bottom left portion of his faction sheet. Players can acquire new Tactics cards by using "Strategize" and "Rally Support" Order cards and from a number of Season cards.

Each Tactics card indicates the specific time when the card can be played. Most Tactics cards read "Play during your turn." A player plays these cards when he is resolving an Order card. This time span includes the period immediately before, during, and immediately after the player resolves his current Order card.

A player cannot use a Tactics card during the same season that he draws it. For example, if a player draws two Tactics cards using a "Strategize" Order card during spring, he cannot use these cards until the start of the next summer (or anytime thereafter).

Some Tactics cards are played during battles or duels. These cards can only be played if the player using the cards has friendly units or a hero participating in the battle or duel.

Each player is limited to having 10 Tactics cards in his hand. If a player ever has more than 10, he must discard cards of his choice until he has only 10 Tactics cards in hand.

Player Elimination

In the rare case that a player ever controls zero areas, he is eliminated from the game. He removes all of his heroes from the game board and no longer participates in the game.

All of his Tactics, Quest, Reward, and Hero cards are shuffled into the appropriate decks. Any Title cards that he had are returned to the common play area. Any influence on Title cards remain on them until another player takes the card with an "Acquire Power" Order card.

Component Limitations

If players run out of activation tokens, damage tokens, defeated hero markers, influence tokens, or training tokens, they must use suitable replacements (such as coins or beads). All other cards, tokens, and figures are limited to those provided in the game.

If a deck of cards runs out, players shuffle the deck's discard pile to create a new deck.

If a player wishes to recruit a unit but all the units of that type are already in play, he may voluntarily destroy one of his units of that type in any friendly area before recruiting. If a player wishes to build a stronghold or development but does not have any available, he may voluntarily destroy one of his strongholds or developments in order to build it elsewhere. If a development is ever left in an area without a stronghold, the development is destroyed.

These are the only times a player can voluntarily destroy his own units, strongholds, or developments. This restriction does not include when a player is forced to destroy units due to unit limits.

Influence Bid Example

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. The players are resolving a Season card at the start of winter. This card calls for the players to perform an influence bid. The winner of this bid will receive one dragon rune.
2. All players declare how many influence tokens they have to the other players and then conceal them.
3. Each player secretly selects the amount of influence that he would like to bid and places the influence tokens in his closed fist above the play area. Once all players have chosen their amounts, they simultaneously reveal the amounts.
4. The Elf and the Uthuk player tie for the highest bid (two).
5. Since no player controls the "Primarch of the Wizards' Council" Title card, the Elf player chooses who wins the tie because he has two unspent influence and the Uthuk player has none (see "Ties on Influence Bids" on page 31). The Elf player chooses himself to win the bid and receives one dragon rune as per the Season card.

Each player then loses all influence he bid.

Receiving Dragon Runes Example

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. The current Season card instructs the Elf player to receive one dragon rune for winning an influence bid. He may first discard up to two false runes from friendly areas. He decides to discard a false rune token from a friendly area.
2. He receives one dragon rune token and one false rune token. He randomizes them to hide the rune types from the other players.
3. He places the rune tokens facedown in any two friendly or uncontrolled areas that do not already contain rune tokens.

Order Card Details

This section describes the eight Order cards in detail and their related components.

Strategize Order (#1)

This order allows the player to move any of his units and/or heroes into adjacent friendly or empty areas (see "Moving Units with a Strategize Order" on page 16).

The Supremacy Bonus ability gives the player Tactics cards based on his resources. He draws one Tactics card for each Tactics card image on each of his resource dials' at or below the number to which each of his resource arrows are set.

Mobilize Order (#2)

This order allows the player to activate an area and move any of his units and/or heroes into the area from up to two areas (see "Moving Units with Mobilize and Conquer Orders" on page 17).

The Supremacy Bonus ability allows the player to resolve this card's primary ability a second time, immediately after completely resolving the primary ability the first time.

A player cannot start more than one battle with a single "Mobilize" Order. He may attempt diplomacy and start one battle, but cannot move units into an area if it would cause a second battle during the same turn. For example, if a player started a battle with a "Mobilize" Order and then attempts diplomacy with the Supremacy Bonus, he must retreat if he draws a retreat destiny symbol.

Conquer Order (#3)

This order allows the player to activate an area and move any of his units and/or heroes into the area from up to two areas away (see "Moving Units with Mobilize and Conquer Orders" on page 17).

The Supremacy Bonus ability allows the player to reduce the strength of his opponent's strongholds by 3 during a battle. This is a great way to capture opposing strongholds since strongholds normally provide +5 strength.

Harvest Order (#4)

This order forces the player to tally the amount of food, wood, and ore provided by areas he controls. He sets the arrows on his resource dials on his faction sheet to match these totals. This Order card may cause his resource dials to go up or down from their current resource levels.

The Supremacy Bonus ability allows the player to receive resources, influence, or Tactics cards from all developments he has on the game board. Then, he may reduce his wood resource dial by one in order to place one development token in a friendly area containing a stronghold. A player cannot build a development if his wood dial is at "0."

Developments

Development tokens are usually built using the Harvest Order card. They provide one of the following abilities:

• Resources: This token allows the controller to increase one of his resource dials by one. This resource must be a resource type the area provides. This can be done when using the Supremacy Bonus ability of his future "Harvest" Order cards.
• Diplomat: This token allows the player to gain two influence each time he uses the Supremacy Bonus ability of future "Harvest" Order cards.
• Training Ground: This token allows the player to draw one Tactics card each time he uses the Supremacy Bonus ability of future "Harvest" Order cards.
• Defensive Bonus: This token provides the defender with a special bonus that he can use during the resolution phase of a battle in this token's area. Each faction has a different defensive bonus that functions as follows:
  • Cursed Tomb (Waiqar): Immediately before calculating final strength in battle, the defending player may discard this token to force his opponent to rout three of his figures. This token is discarded after use, but may be built again later.
  • Hungry Spawn (Uthuk): Immediately before calculating final strength in battle, the defending player may discard this token to deal his opponent four damage. The damage is assigned to the opponent's figures following normal damage rules. This token is discarded after use, but may be built again later.
  • Protective Wards (Elves): This token forces the opponent to retreat one of his standing units immediately before calculating final strength.
  • Reinforced Walls (Daqan): This token provides +2 strength when determining the winner of the battle.

Each player is limited to one development token on each stronghold. If a stronghold is destroyed or taken over by an opponent, any development tokens in the area are destroyed.

Harvesting Example

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. During the spring, the Daqan player is resolving his "Harvest" Order card. He controls a total of four areas including the three areas in his home realm and area 1B, where he has a stronghold and a Knight.
2. He totals the amount of food produced in friendly areas and sets his food dial to match this total. This causes this dial to go up to "4" from its previous setting of "2."
3. He totals the amount of wood produced in friendly areas and sets his wood dial to match this total. This causes this dial to go down to "3" from its previous setting of "4."
4. He totals the amount of ore produced in friendly areas and sets his ore dial to match this total. Since this dial was already set to "2," it is not adjusted.
5. Because this is the highest numbered Order card in his play area, he may resolve the Supremacy Bonus ability on the Order card. In doing so, he first uses the ability of his development to gain 2 influence.
6. He decides to build a new development by reducing his wood resource dial by one so that the arrow points to the "2" space.
7. He places a development of his choice at a friendly stronghold that does not already contain a development.

Recruiting Example

The rulebook includes a diagram illustrating the following steps:

1. During the summer, the Daqan player is resolving a "Recruit" Order card.
2. He chooses to recruit units using his wood resource and receives two Bowmen (one from the number "1" space and one from the number "3" space). All other spaces of this dial are ignored because they do not provide units or are higher than the current space.
3. He places these two units in the area with his only stronghold. Note that this area already contains three Bowmen and two Footmen.
4. Since this is the highest numbered Order card he has in his play area, he may resolve the Supremacy Bonus ability. He chooses ore as his second resource and receives one Knight (from the "2" space) and one Siege Tower (from the "4" space).
5. Again, he places his units at his only stronghold.
6. Since he has nine units in this area, he needs to destroy one of his units. He chooses to destroy one of his Footmen, which brings him down to eight units in the area (which is the maximum allowed in a single area).

Recruit Order (#5)

This order allows the player to choose one resource type (food, wood, or ore) and receive units based on that resource's dial. To do so, the player gains a unit matching the image of the current space the dial is pointing at and each space lower than it.

Then, he places all of these recruited units in any areas containing friendly strongholds. These units can be split among multiple areas containing friendly strongholds.

The player must follow the standard limit of no more than eight units in each area (excluding heroes, as they are not units). If he exceeds this limit while recruiting, he must immediately destroy units in the area until there are eight or fewer remaining.

The Supremacy Bonus ability allows the player to then choose a different resource type and recruit units using that resource dial as well.

Note: The player does not lose any resources when recruiting.

Rally Support Order (#6)

This order gives the player a benefit provided by each area he controls that contains a city.

For each city he controls, he chooses one of the following benefits:

1. Neutral Units: The player places neutral units of the proper class and quantity in the area. Since the player controls the area, the units are allied with him. The player cannot place a figure class if there are none available of the chosen type.
2. Tactics Cards: Draw a number of Tactics cards as printed on the city.
3. Influence Tokens: Gain a number of influence tokens as printed on the city.
4. Quest Cards: Draw a number of Quest cards as printed on the city. Then, the player must discard down to three Quest cards in hand.

The Supremacy Bonus ability allows the player spend up to three influence in order to draw the same number of Hero cards. He must keep one of them, and he shuffles the rest back into the Hero deck. He places the chosen Hero card in his play area and the matching hero figure at one of his strongholds.

Acquire Power Order (#7)

This order gives the player influence tokens as indicated by his resource dials. The player looks at his resource dials and receives one influence token for each space containing an influence icon at or below the number to which the resource arrow is set.

The Supremacy Bonus ability allows the player to spend any amount of influence to take control of a Title card that has less influence on it than the amount he is spending. He removes all influence from the card, places the card in his play area, and places all the influence he spent onto the card.

The more influence a player spends to acquire a Title card, the more expensive it is to take away. All influence tokens on Title cards are considered spent and cannot be used during influence bids or for any other purpose.

Example: It is the first season of the game, and the Elf player chooses the "Acquire Power" Order card. After resolving the primary ability, he uses the Supremacy Bonus ability to acquire the "Lord Commander of the Warriors' Guild" Title card. Since there is no influence on the card, he needs to spend at least 1 influence to acquire it. He decides to spend 3 influence to acquire it (rather than only 1) to discourage other players from taking it, and he places the influence on the card.

Title Cards

These cards each provide a way for their owners to acquire dragon runes. Each card describes the benefits it provides to its owner.

These cards are never shuffled and can only be owned by one player at a time. If a player gains control of a Title card that belonged to another player, the new player takes the Title card away from the previous owner and places it in his own play area.

Fortify Order (#8)

This order allows the player to perform each (or any) of the three following actions (in any order). The player can only perform each action once (i.e., he cannot build two strongholds with a single "Fortify" Order).

Build a Stronghold: The player reduces his wood and ore resource dials by one each to place one of his stronghold tokens in any area he controls that does not contain a stronghold or a city. The stronghold is placed with its undamaged side faceup (the "5" side). A player cannot build a stronghold if his wood and/or ore dial is set at "0."

Repair a Stronghold: The player reduces his ore resource dial by one to flip one of his damaged strongholds so that its undamaged side is faceup. A player cannot repair a stronghold if his ore dial is at "0."

Move Rune Tokens: The player chooses two areas he controls and picks up any rune tokens in the areas. Then, he randomizes the rune tokens, looks at their faces, and places each rune token facedown in one of the two chosen areas (limit one rune token per area). This Order card has no effect on revealed tokens in other areas. The player can choose one area with a rune token and one without to, in effect, move the rune token. The player can use this action to move rune tokens into his home realm.

Play Order

Players use the following hierarchy to determine the order in which players resolve Order cards and abilities. This order is used whenever players are unsure about which player must act first, including (but not limited to) when resolving Order cards and resolving Season cards.

1. Lowest Order Card: The player whose current Order card is lowest goes first, followed by the player with the next lowest Order card.
2. Most Influence: If the current Order cards of multiple players have the same number (or if players do not currently have revealed Order cards), the tied player with the most influence tokens goes first, followed by the player with the next highest influence.
3. Highest Starting Influence: If players are still tied, the tied player with the most influence at the start of the game goes first, followed by the player with the next highest starting influence.

Exploration Tokens Variant

This section contains a variant rule that modifies the game to provide more narrative for exploration by heroes. Before each game, the players must decide as a group if they would like to use this variant.

During setup, one random exploration token is placed facedown in each area (excluding home realms). One token (with the "1" on its back) is placed facedown in each area adjacent to a home realm. One token (with the "2+" on its back) is placed facedown in each other non-home realm area.

After a hero ends his movement (if any) during a move action of the Quest Phase, his controlling player flips faceup any exploration token in the hero's area and resolves it. The player must resolve this token before the hero can duel or attempt a quest. If the hero must retreat into an area containing an exploration token, he does not resolve an exploration token in his new area.

There are three types of exploration tokens: events, locations, and destructible locations. Event exploration tokens are discarded after being resolved and are marked with a yellow arrow. Location exploration tokens stay in the area and have ongoing effects. Destructible location exploration tokens also remain in play, but can be discarded by a player who controls the area with at least six units.

• Dragon Throne (Destructible Location): Keep this token faceup in the area. The controller of this area is considered to have one additional dragon rune. A rune token can also be placed in this area. A player controlling this area with at least six units during his turn may discard this token.
• Village (Destructible Location): Keep this token faceup in the area. The area is treated as if it produced +1 of the displayed resource type. A player controlling this area with at least six units during his turn may discard this token.
• Magic Portal (Destructible Location): Keep this token faceup in the area. When any player is moving units or heroes, he may spend 1 influence to treat this area as if it were adjacent to all other areas containing faceup Magic Portal exploration tokens. A player controlling this area with at least six units during his turn may discard this token.
• Dungeon (Location): Keep this token faceup in the area. When a hero enters this area during the Quest Phase, he cannot move any further during this Quest Phase. He may still duel or attempt a quest.
• Temple (Location): Keep this token faceup in the area. When a hero ends his Quest Phase action in this area, his controlling player gains two influence.
• Hall of Kellos (Location): Keep this token faceup in the area. When a hero ends his Quest Phase action in this area, his controlling player draws one Tactics card.
• Traveling Merchant (Event): The hero's player may spend three influence to have this hero receive 1 Reward card. Then, the player discards this token (regardless of whether he pays the influence or not).
• Raiding Party (Event): The hero is dealt 1 damage. If there are neutral or enemy units here, the hero must discard 1 Reward card or be dealt 1 additional damage. Then, the player discards this token.
• Scroll of Sight (Event): The hero's player looks at all facedown rune and exploration tokens in one area. Then, the player discards this token.
• Training (Event): The hero can increase one of his attributes by 1 (see "Quest Phase" on page 26). Then, the player discards this exploration token. Remember, a hero can only have a maximum of one training token for each attribute (i.e., a maximum bonus of +2 from training).

Assembling Puzzle-fit Pieces Diagram

At the start of each game, perform the following steps:

1. Attach the two pieces that have the "5" area identifier together as shown.
2. Attach the two pieces that have the "6" area identifier together as shown.
3. Attach the two pieces that have the "8" area identifier together as shown.

Quick Reference

Steps of A Game Season

1. Resolve a Season Card
2. Choose Order Cards
3. Resolve Order Cards

Steps of a Battle

1. Place Battle Marker
2. Place Units Next to Faction Sheets
3. Declare Supporting Heroes
4. Start of Battle Abilities
5. Rounds of Combat
6. Tally Strength a. Fortification Developments b. Count Units c. Add Stronghold Strength
7. Resolution a. Destroy/Conquer Stronghold b. Heal c. Loser Retreats. Any units that cannot retreat are destroyed. d. Replace Units

Rounds of Combat

Each battle has five different rounds.

During each round, each player chooses one of his unit types of the current initiative row to fight as follows:

1. Attacker Draws Cards
2. Defender Draws Cards
3. Resolve Special Abilities
4. Resolve Routs
5. Resolve Damage

Steps of a Duel

1. Declare Defender: The attacking player declares which hero is participating in the duel against his hero.
2. Use Start of Duel Abilities: The attacker, followed by the defender, may use any "start of duel" abilities.
3. Rounds of Duel: The players resolve four rounds of the duel. Each round consists of the following steps in order: a. Draw Fate Cards b. Resolve Fate Cards
4. Resolution: After four rounds of a duel are resolved, or a hero has been defeated, the duel is over.

Season Card Secondary Abilities

• Spring: Players remove all activation tokens from the game board and return all of their Order cards to their hands. Finally, each player stands all routed figures (including neutral units and heroes).

• Summer: Resolve a Quest Phase in which each hero may heal or train or move. After moving, the hero can start a duel or attempt a quest. (see "Quest Phase" on page 26).

• Fall: Immediately shuffle the Fate card discard pile back into the deck. Then, each player chooses to receives two influence tokens or draw one Tactics card.

• Winter: The maximum number of units a player can have in each area is equal to his food dial's current space. All excess units are destroyed (the owner's choice as to which ones). Allied neutral units count towards this limit, but heroes do not (as they are not units).

  The winter secondary ability also allows players to ignore the movement restriction of water borders (blue) until the end of this season (see "Movement Restrictions" on page 18).

Frequently Overlooked Rules

• Resource dials are only adjusted when instructed by a card or ability. These dials will often not match the resources provided by areas a player controls.
• After receiving a Reward card from a quest, the Quest card is discarded and the player draws a new Quest card.
• Each player is limited to owning one Objective card, three Hero cards, three Quest cards, and 10 Tactics cards at any time.
• Heroes can only attempt Quests, duel heroes, and resolve exploration tokens during the Quest Phase of the summer season, not as a result of any Order cards.
• Play order is determined by each player's active Order card. Lower numbered Order cards are resolved Order first.

Credits

Game Design and Development: Corey Konieczka Executive Development: Christian T. Petersen Producer: Mark O'Connor Editing & Proofreading: Adam Baker, Michael Hurley, Scott Lewis, Mark O'Connor, Brian Mola, and Sam Stewart Graphic Design: Kevin Childress, Andrew Navaro, Brian Schomburg, Michael Silsby and WiL Springer Managing Art Director: Andrew Navaro Art Direction: Zoë Robinson Cover Art: Jesper Ejsing Map Art: Moy Shin Hung Stronghold Art: Mio del Rosario Hero and Monster Art: Jesper Ejsing Unit Design: Felicia Cano Unit Art Coloring: Polina Hristova Figure Photography: Keith Hurley Production Management: Eric Knight and Gabe Laulunen Production Coordinator: Laura Creighton Managing Game Producer: Steven Kimball Executive Game Designer: Corey Konieczka Executive Producer: Michael Hurley Publisher: Christian T. Petersen Playtester Coordinator: Rob Kouba Playtesters: Bryan Bornmueller, Eugene Earnshaw, Daniel Lovat Clark, Jean9 Duncan, John Goodenough, Eric Hanson, Jude Hornborg, Stephen Horvath, Kyle J. Hough, Michael Hurley, Evan Kinne, Josh Lewis, Scott Lewis, Kien Peng Lim, Rob Kouba, Richard Nauertz, Jake Overbo, Mark Pollard, Thaadd "The Destroyer" Powell, James Voelker, Jason Walden, Peter Wocken, Wayde Zalken, and Jamie Zephyr

"Lurkers in the Valley" Playtest Group: Ed Browne, Kerri England, Meric England, Loren Overby, Romona Overby, Jeff Poff, and Lisa Poff

© 2012 Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.