War of the Worlds
War of the Worlds Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
War of the Worlds (WotW) is a new game from the sinister mind of world-famous game designer Bill Banks. WotW is a two-player game that borrows heavily from HG Wells' classic story of the same name.
The Martian player secretly chooses one of five objectives: Level the City, Crush the Army, Colonize Earth, Create a Peace Treaty, and Abduct the Heroine.
The Martian player has twelve turns to achieve the objective. The Earthling player endeavors to identify the Martian player's objective as soon as possible in order to thwart it.
Each player gets ten points to spend to purchase troops and cool gadgets. The game provides the Earthlings some forces for free.
Martian troops and gadgets include the standard Walkers (Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!), Saucers (weaker than Walkers, but flying is cool), a Missile Base (Whoosh! Boom!), a Death Ray (Zap!), a giant Martian Monster (Rraawwrr!), a Bio-Lab (to cure those pesky Earth diseases), and finally an HQ (because even Martians have cubicles). The HQ houses several Martian minions, including a few human traitors and the Martian Queen, each with a special ability.
Earthling troops include Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery. The human player also has access to several Infernal Machines, including an Airship (Oh, the humanity!), a Juggernaut (No brakes!), an EMP Generator (Buzz!), and a Super Gun (BOOM!). Human Champions include a Hero named…um…Hero (Taa daa!), a Heroine (Eek!), Firefighters, Police (Busted!), a Priest (Oh, my Lord!), and even a Superhero (Yay!).
Most units have a Combat rating and a Movement rating. The game's design uses an unusual and creative Combat Results Table that makes "Million-to-One" and "Certain Kill" shots flavorful and fun.
The Thames River and London buildings affect movement for many units. The Stacking limit is one unit per hex. Most units can only attack forces in adjacent hexes, but some units — like the Super Gun, Missile Base, and Death Ray — can attack from several hexes away.
Playing time is about an hour, so you'll have time to switch sides or Objectives and play again before the rest of the group rolls in.
Map of London
The map is a top-down view of London from the 1880s. Overlaying the London city streets is a grid of hexagons used to regulate movement and ranged attacks. This grid is reminiscent of a honeycomb. The individual hexagons are referred to as "hexes."
Every piece in play must always be placed inside the border of one hex. Pieces move from one hex to any of the six adjacent hexes.
Each hex has a border that is colored Tan, Green, Grey, or Blue. There is a Terrain Effects Table on the back of the rule book that shows what units are affected by different Terrain types.
Green hexes represent large open areas, like parks and fields. They are collectively called Park hexes, and do not obstruct movement or combat.
Tan hexes represent the buildings and streets of 19th-century London. Tan hexes do not interfere with combat — most Martian units tower over buildings so Earthling and Martians can always see each other. Tan hexes do interfere with the freedom of movement for many Martian units. Tan hexes can be reduced to Rubble by Martian Attacks, allowing Martian units to move through them.
Blue hexes represent the Thames River. Earthling Infantry and Cavalry cannot attack into Blue hexes. Blue hexes also act as a big movement barrier to Earthling units. Martian units are slowed but not stopped by the River's depth and currents. Martian units treat Blue (River) hexes as if they are City hexes turned to Rubble.
Grey hexes represent areas that contain larger bridges across the Thames River. Grey hexes work like Tan hexes when they don't contain Rubble markers, and Blue hexes when they do contain Rubble markers, representing the effect of wrecking the bridges.
The map-scale is about one kilometer per hex. Each turn represents about an hour.
Units & Markers
Units are hexagonal playing pieces. Units have ratings for Combat, Range, Movement, and Cost.
Each unit has two sides, a face-up Active side and a face-down Inactive side. Active units move around the map, typically blasting away at hostile forces. Inactive units can't move. Inactive Earthling units can't shoot. Inactive Martians are in armed Landers and can shoot.
Markers are round playing pieces. Markers have no ratings. They are immobile and do not participate in Combat.
Markers are used to record game state changes.
Some Earthling Champions and all Martian Minions have two variants. The only difference is the art on the front of the unit. One variant has color caricatures and the other has black silhouettes. Select one or the other to play with. Don't use both!
All unpurchased Martian and Earthling units remain face-down to maintain secrecy of selected units from the opposing players. A player may examine friendly face-down units. A player may never examine face-down hostile units.
Victory
At the beginning of the game, the Martian secretly selects one of the five Objectives markers. The Martian player wins by achieving the selected Objective by the end of game turn 12. The Earthling player wins by preventing the Martian player from achieving the selected Objective.
It is also possible for the Martian player to lose the game instantly. See the Germs piece description for more information.
Crush Army!
The Martian player wins by reducing to Rubble or Eliminating a combination of at least nine Rail Station hexes and Army units.
Level City!
The Martian player wins if all Landmark and Rail Station hexes are reduced to Rubble.
Abduct Girl!
The Martian player wins if the Heroine has been captured by (stacked with) a Martian unit at the end of turn 12.
Colonize!
The Martian player wins if HQ & Bio-Lab are on the map and Active at the end of Turn 12, and the Earthling player has no Inactive (face-down) units.
Peace!
The Martian player instantly wins if the Martian Envoy is on the board and the Earthlings attack first.
Turn Sequence
Initiative
The Martian player acts first every Turn.
Each Game Turn is composed of three Phases. The Martian player carries out all three Phases with all Martian units. The Earthling player then carries out all three Phases with all Earthling units.
A player may choose to not Move or engage in Combat with one or more friendly units.
No Phase may be skipped or saved for later use.
Movement Phase
The phasing player Moves none, some, or all friendly Active units, as desired.
After completing all Movement for all of units desired, the phasing player may Activate none, some, or all Inactive units.
Combat Phase
The phasing player conducts Attacks with none, some, or all friendly units, as desired. Every unit with a Combat rating may conduct an Attack.
Reinforcements Phase
Martian units appear Inactive (Lander side up) in any empty map edge hex.
Earthling Army units appear Active (face up) in any Station hex. The Earthling Infernal Machine appears Active (face up) in any City (Tan) hex.
When the Earthling player finishes each Reinforcement phase, advance the Game Turn marker by one on the track. The game ends after 12 turns.
Setup
Place the Game Turn marker in the circle containing the "1."
The Martian player secretly selects one Objective marker. The Martian player places it face-down next to the Turn Track. The unselected Objective markers are placed face-down off-map to maintain secrecy for the selected Objective.
The Martian player buys up to ten points of any combination of Martian units desired.
The Martian player places these units, one per circle, on the Turn Track. Units are placed in circles in ascending order starting with box #1. If the Martian player purchased fewer than ten units, he or she places the "No More!" units in the boxes after the box containing the last purchased unit. The "No More!" units are dummies. They never enter play, can't actually land, don't move, etc. They are placed to conceal the actual number of Martian units purchased.
The Earthling player spends up to ten points to purchase any Champions, Infernal Machines, and Army units desired. This is the only means for the Earthling player to procure Champions.
The Earthling player places purchased units face-down in any City hexes desired.
The remaining Earthling units are turned face-down and mixed up. Five additional Earthling Army units are selected randomly and placed, one each, face-down as Reinforcements in Turn Track boxes 1, 3, 5, 7, 11.
One additional Infernal Machine is chosen randomly and placed face-down as a Reinforcement, in Turn Track box 9.
Movement Phase
Stacking
There may only be one unit in a hex, except as stated below.
The Heroine may stack with other units.
Markers do not count for Stacking. Minions and Rubble markers may Stack with units or each other.
A unit may move through a hex occupied by a friendly unit. It just can't end its Movement there.
Activate
Units that have not yet been activated by their respective owning players are described as Inactive, and reside face-down on the map. Face-down units can't be examined by the enemy. Inactive units may not Move. Inactive units without a printed Combat rating cannot Attack.
If an Inactive unit without a Combat rating is Attacked, it becomes Active (flipped face-up). Players use the Combat rating of the Attacked unit's front side to determine Combat Odds.
A player normally Activates units during the Movement Phase. To Activate a unit, turn it face-up.
Movement Rating
Most units have a Movement rating. Those without one may not Move. This is the number of Movement points the unit may use to enter hexes during the Movement Phase. Entering a hex costs one or more Movement points. The number of Movement points required to enter a hex is found on the Terrain Effects Table at the back of this rule book.
Terrain
A grid of hexes is printed over the map of London. Each hex has a border color to represent the type of terrain that is predominant in that hex. Tan hexes represent City terrain. Blue hexes represent River terrain. Green represents Park or other open terrain. Grey represents Bridges crossing the River.
Consult the Terrain Effects Table to see how terrain impacts each unit's ability to move about the map.
Generally, Martians can't enter City or Bridged hexes until they have been turned to Rubble and Earthlings have a problem entering the Thames River. Flying units treat all hexes as if they were Green (Park).
Flying
Several units have the ability to Fly. These include the Martian Saucer, the Earthling Superhero, and the Earthling Airship.
For units that Fly, all Terrain costs one Movement point to enter. Rivers, Buildings, and Parks have no effect on Flying units' Movement.
Zone of Control
Units with Combat ratings exert a Zone of Control (ZOC). A Unit's ZOC extends into the six surrounding hexes.
Infantry, Cavalry, Police, and Firemen ZOCs do not extend into Blue hexes. Infantry, Cavalry, Police, and Firemen ZOCs do not extend into Grey hexes that contain Rubble markers.
Units must stop Movement upon entering an enemy ZOC. A unit may move from one hex containing a hostile ZOC into an adjacent hex containing a hostile ZOC, provided that it is not otherwise prohibited from doing so.
Heroine (Movement)
The Heroine is critical for the Martian Abduct Girl! Objective.
The Heroine cannot Attack.
If the Heroine is Attacked, she is Captured. Place her in the same hex as the Attacking Martian unit. She will Move with that unit until that unit is Eliminated or she is Relocated. (See Queen Bea rules.)
The unit may voluntarily drop her, presumably so a different Martian unit can Capture her. Any Martian unit can carry the Heroine. Carrying the Heroine has no Movement penalty.
Diagram caption (printed under the example map): The Superhero has more Movement points to spend, but stopped because it entered a Martian ZOC. The Inactive Infernal Machine may not move. It has no Movement rating. The Walker may enter the Rubble hex for two Movement points. It may not move into Intact Tan hexes. They are Prohibited for non-flying Martian units. It may not enter the hex with the Superhero because stacking is prohibited, but may enter the Heroine's hex. She may Stack with Martian units. The Lander and Heroine may not move. Their Movement ratings are zero.
Combat Phase
Eligibility
Units without displayed Combat ratings can't attack.
Infantry, Cavalry, Police, and Firemen can't Attack into a Grey hex containing a Rubble marker, or any Blue hex.
The Earthling Priest, Hero, and Heroine, and the Martian Envoy either cannot Attack or use a special Attack rule, so their Attack ratings are marked with an "X." See each unit's description for more information.
Range
Units with a Range rating may Attack units at a Range equal to or less than the Range rating, in hexes. Units without a Range rating may only Attack hostile units in adjacent hexes. That is, any unit without a Range rating has a Range of "1."
Range is calculated by tracing the shortest path between the Attacking and Target units.
Just about all the Martians are very tall or fly. Therefore, even the tallest of London's buildings do not block fire. Every unit has a line of sight to every hostile unit in Range.
Procedure
To conduct an Attack, declare the Attacking unit and its Target.
Compare the Attacking unit's Combat rating with the Target's Combat rating as a ratio.
Round any ratio down to one of the ratios represented by the Combat Results Table (CRT), and roll one die. Cross reference the die result with the odds ratio calculated. Apply the result.
Units may not combine for more powerful Attacks. Each Attack must be directed against a single Target unit.
A player may not direct an Attack against friendly units.
Rubble
Martians may attack empty hexes. Any Attack automatically reduces the terrain in the hex to Rubble. Earthling Attacks don't create Rubble.
Blue (River) and Green (Park) terrains work the same for Movement and Combat whether or not they contain Rubble hexes. The effects of Tan (City) and Grey (Bridged) hexes on Movement and Combat change when they contain Rubble markers.
The presence of Firemen in a hex prevents an Attack from automatically reducing the terrain to Rubble. The terrain is reduced to Rubble only if the CRT result is "EE" or "ER."
HQ & Minions
If the HQ is Active and a Martian unit is Eliminated, the Martian player must proclaim, "Fool! You will pay for your incompetence!" Standing up and dramtically pointing is also recommended.
The Martian Overlord shoots the current Minion and randomly draws a new one to take its place.
Replace the current Minion with the new Minion in the HQ hex. The dead Minion is removed from play.
If all Minions have been shot, no more are drawn as Replacements.
Retreat
If a unit must Retreat, its opponent moves it one hex.
It may not enter a hostile ZOC hex, overstack, or enter a hex containing prohibited terrain. If there is no valid Retreat path, the unit is Eliminated.
Units with a Movement Allowance of zero are eliminated on Combat results that compel them to Retreat.
A Martian carrying the Heroine that is forced to Retreat drops her before Retreating.
Diagram caption (printed under the example map): The Lander can Attack the Superhero at 3-1 odds. The Walker can Attack the Superhero at Crushing (6-1) odds or the Inactive Infernal Machine at unknown odds. If the Martian chooses to Attack the Infernal Machine, turn it Active and calculate the odds. Neither Martian unit may Attack the Supergun – it is out of Range for either of them. The Supergun has a Range of six and can Attack the Lander at 1-2 (2-3) odds or the Walker at 1-3 (2-6) odds. If the Walker Attacks the Heroine, she is Captured and the Grey hex is turned to Rubble. The Walker may then Advance into the Rubbled Grey hex because it cleared it of Earthling units.
Advance
If an Attack from a Martian Walker clears a Hex of Earthling units, the Attacking Walker may immediately advance into that hex.
Reinforcement Phase
Earthlings
If an Earthling Army unit is present on the Turn Track, it enters the game. The Earthling player places it, Active, on any Station hex.
An Infernal Machine appears on turn nine. Place it, Active, on any City hex. Hexes that have been reduced to Rubble are no longer City or Station hexes.
Landers
If a Martian Lander unit is present on the Turn Track, it enters the game. The Martian player places it, Inactive, on any map edge hex. Martian No More! units never enter play.
Lost
If there is no legal entry hex, the Reinforcement is lost.
Martian Units & Minions
The Martian player may purchase any units desired. Martians have Political, Infrastructure, and Regular units to purchase.
Political
Envoy
He is the leader of the peace party on Mars. The Martian Overlord may send him in on a peace mission to get him killed off and justify his invasion by showing that Earth is hostile. The danger is, he may succeed.
If the first Attack in the game originates from an Earthling unit, and the Martian player purchased the Envoy, the Martian immediately wins, regadless of whether the Envoy is Active, Inactive, or still on the Turn Track waiting to come into play.
Infrastructure
Bio Lab
The Bio Lab negates the Earthling Germs unit effect. It has a new coffee maker, so it is necessary to meet the Colonize! Objective.
Missile Base
You would think that missiles would have a much better range. The problem is that Martians are rotten shots. If the Missile Base rolls a MR or ME against an enemy, a missile has exploded on the pad and taken out the whole base.
HQ
All bad guys need a lair. This command post is staffed by talented officers (Minions). When the HQ is activated, the Martian choses one of his Minions and puts it on the HQ.
Queen Bea — Minion
Queen Bea is a Martian noble woman and talented leader. She can demand the reroll of one enemy Attack per turn.
As soon as she appears in the game, the Earthling player may reposition the Heroine to anywhere on the map. This is true even if the Heroine is captured. Repositioning Activates an Inactive Heroine.
General Panic — Minion
General Panic is a Serbian mercenary. He pronounces his name "Panish." He is a master of psychological warfare and is rumoured to have a mind control ray. He may move one Earthling unit during the Martian turn as if it were a Martian unit. This movement ignores ZOCs. The unit moves normally during the Earthling turn.
Colonel Jack Boot — Minion
Colonel Boot is a by-the-book, American soldier of fortune. His efficient leadership gives a +1 to one Martian Attack die roll per turn. The Martian player declares the use of the modifier before making the die roll.
Doctor Otto Matik — Minion
Doctor Otto Matik is a noted German scientist working with the Martians to improve humanity. With his scientific skills, he can rebuild one Eliminated Walker or Saucer during each Martian Reinforcement phase.
Place the repaired unit next to the HQ face up. Repaired units are replaced with randomly drawn Walker or Saucer.
Regular
Death Ray
The Death Ray shoots at a distance and its force field makes it hard to destroy. It also has a good chance of killing the superhero.
If it rolls an MR or ME result against an enemy, it has overloaded and is Eliminated.
Monster
The Monster is a wild animal from Mars managed by use of a sophisticated control collar. It can devastate the puny Earthlings.
The Monster can spend Movement Points to make extra Attacks during its Movement phase. The Monster may make one extra Attack for each two Movement points spent. This allows the Monster to make up to three Attacks per turn, two during the Martian Movement Phase and one during the Martian Combat Phase.
Saucer
Saucers are Martian flying machines. They are similar to helicopters, but use anti-grav pods instead of rotors.
Walker
Walkers are giant, three-legged tanks armed with heat rays and poison gas launchers.
Earthling Units
The Earthling player purchases units as desired from the mix, below.
Champions
Heroine
The Earthling must purchase the Heroine. The Heroine ignores all Combat results, and can't move or Attack — she tends to fall and twist her ankle. She is Captured by any Martian unit that Attacks her or enters the hex she occupies. The Heroine may stack with Martian units.
Superhero
The Superhero is a completely unexpected guardian. He flies around London seeking evil-doers, smashing them with his mighty fists.
Hero
The Hero can't Attack and is automatically captured when Attacked. The Martian player must show the selected Objective to the Earthling. (Curses!) The Hero destroys any one Martian unit on the map and escapes his Martian captors. This removes the Hero from the game.
Germs
The Martians may be defeated by the humblest of things that God, in his wisdom put upon this Earth. If it is attacked, the Martians lose automatically unless they have an Active Bio-Lab.
Angry Mob
The riffraff can be quite dangerous. The Mob is not strong on the offense, but can wipe out Martian units that Attack it.
Warship
The Warship is moored on the Thames — it must be placed in a Blue or Grey hex and cannot move. Its mighty 9" guns lob powerful shells.
Police
The local constabulary may arm itself with explosives and attempt to attach them to invading Martian units.
Firemen
Bravely fighting fires, they are dispersed and difficult to eliminate. An attack on a hex containing the Firemen doesn't destroy the Grey or Tan hex unless the CRT result is "ER" or "EE."
Priest
The Priest wishes to engage the Martians to find common spiritual ground and convince them to choose peace over war.
The Martians are, at first wary if not intimidated. Then they toast him and stomp his ashes into the dirt. Any Martian unit Attacking or Attacked by the Priest is retreated three hexes by the Earthling player. The Priest is then Eliminated.
Infernal Machines
A Victorian scientist can be counted on to come up with one of these futuristic marvels on turn nine. Another may be purchased in the opening setup as a nasty surprise for the Martians.
Juggernaut
The Juggernaut is an unstoppable automaton armed with experimental weapons.
Super Gun
The Super Gun is an experimental siege gun armed with armor-piercing shells.
EMP Beam
The EMP Beam broadcasts special frequencies designed to fry the ubiquitous Martian electronics.
Airship
The Airship is a fantastic flying machine. It can drop gravity bombs on the enemy, but it makes a nice target.
Army
Artillery
Artillery Units are small batteries of field guns used for direct fire. They don't have long range, and are weak on defense, but make more effective Attacks than Infantry or Cavalry.
Infantry
Infantry units are companies of riflemen and grenadiers. Bullets can't damage Martian units but can distract them while engineers rig up explosives.
Cavalry
Cavalry Units are companies of horse soldiers. No, they don't do saber charges. They move mounted but dismount and fight as Infantry.
Solitaire Rules
These solitaire rules allow a player to take the role of the Earthlings to combat a system-controlled Martian scourge. The rules control the Martians, but we continue to refer to the Martian side as a player. The rules below describe changes to the game that allow the Earthling player to control the Martian forces.
Changes to Units and Markers
Remove the Earthling Germs, Martian Envoy, No More! and Objective pieces from play. The Objective Markers are not used. The Martian player wins if it meets the conditions of any Objective.
Setup
The Earthling player purchases units before the Martian player. The Earthling purchases and places units normally.
The player rolls a die and consults the table below to determine the Martian forces:
| Die | Martian forces |
|---|---|
| 1 | Walker x 9; Saucer x 1 |
| 2 | Bio Lab x 1; Walker x 6; Saucer x 2 |
| 3 | Walker x 4; Death Ray x 1; Monster x 1 |
| 4 | HQ x 1; Bio Lab x 1; Missile Base x 1; Saucer x 2; Walker x 1 |
| 5 | Bio Lab x 1; Death Ray x 1; Monster x 1; Saucer x 2 |
| 6 | HQ x 1; Bio Lab x 1; Walker x 5 |
Take the units from the pool and place them face-down on the table. Mix them up. Place them, one at a time, randomly, face-up on the Turn Track. One Martian unit is placed in every box in ascending order, starting with box #1, until all Martian units are placed.
Optional Martian Setup
If you don't like the predictability of the system, above, use this optional alternative.
Turn all Martian Units face down. Mix them up. Draw one, look at it, and place it, Inactive, into play each turn for the first eight turns of the game. This will, on average, give the Martian player 12 points of units at the expense of any sort of combined arms strategy.
Martian Reinforcements
Martian Reinforcements are placed Inactive on the map. Any Inactive Martian units on the map are Activated at the end of every Martian Movement Phase.
Monster, Death Ray, Saucer, and Walker
There are six hexes around the edge of the map each containing a number from "1" through "6." These are the Martian Entry Hexes when playing solitaire. When a Martian unit enters play, roll one die and place the Martian unit in the hex marked with the same number as the die result.
In the event that the hex rolled is occupied by a unit, place the new Martian reinforcement in the first clear hex on the map edge, clockwise, from rolled hex's position.
The Death Ray will only land on the hex marked with the "4," or the closest open hex available, clockwise around the map edge.
HQ, Missile Base, & Bio Lab
The HQ, Bio Lab, and Missile Base are immobile Infrastructure units. The Bio Lab has a new coffee maker, so the Martians will set up Infrastructure units near one another so all can get tasty, fresh coffee.
If an Infrastructure unit enters play as a Reinforcement, and no other Infrastructure is on the map, roll a die and place the Infrastructure Inactive in the indicated hex.
If an Infrastructure unit enters play as a Reinforcement, and another Infrastructure unit is on the map, place the new Infrastructure unit Inactive in the first clear hex on the map edge, clockwise, from the existing Infrastructure unit's position.
Clockwise System
If the solitaire Martian player must select a Target or hex from two or more at the same range and priority, use the Clockwise system.
From the acting Martian unit's current location, imagine a line drawn north up the column of hexes. If one of the possible Targets or hexes lays along that line, that is the hex moved to or Target Attacked.
If the Target or hex does not lay along that line, imagine the line rotating clockwise from the Martian's location. The first possible Target or hex crossed by that line is the hex moved to or Target Attacked.
Martian Movement Strategies
A Martian unit will always try to move closer to the closest Intact Target. An Intact Target is any Station or Landmark hex that has not yet been reduced to Rubble.
In the event that two or more Intact Targets are equally distant from the Martian unit, the Martian will select the Target using the Clockwise system.
In the event that two or more possible destination hexes are equally close to the closest Intact Target, the Martian will select the Target using the Clockwise system.
It is common for a Walker or Monster to be unable to move because the path to the closest Intact Target is Tan or Grey. That's okay. The Martian unit will reduce that hex to Rubble during the Attack Phase.
Attacking Walkers will always Advance after a Successful Attack clears a hex of Earthling units.
Martian Attack Strategies
Martian Units will Move towards and Attack the closest target in the order presented.
Walkers, Death Ray, Missile Base, and Monster Move & Attack Priorities: Stations then Landmarks then Units.
Saucers: Move towards and Attack Earth units with Combat ratings of one or two. If none, follow the Move & Attack Priorities, above.
If a Martian unit has more than one legitimate target of the same priority to Attack, it will select the unit that provides the most advantageous combat results on the CRT. This will not always be the unit with the lowest Combat Value.
Martian units won't conduct Attacks with odds worse than 1-1.
If no other Targets are in range, Martian units will Attack Tan and Grey hexes. The Martian will select the intact Tan or Grey hex that is between the Martian Unit and the closest Intact Earthling Station or Landmark. If there is a tie, the Martian will select the Target using the Clockwise system.
Tables
Combat Results Table (CRT)
| Die Result | One in a Million | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | Crushing Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ME | ME | ME | ME | Miss! | ER | ER |
| 2 | ME | ME | MR | MR | Miss! | ER | ER |
| 3 | ME | MR | MR | Miss! | ER | EE | ER |
-
EE: Earthling Eliminated.
-
ER: Earthling Retreats. Martian retreats Earthling Unit one Hex. Retreating unit Eliminated if it has no legal Move.
-
Miss!: No Effect.
-
MR: Martian Retreats. Earthling retreats Martian Unit one Hex. Retreating unit Eliminated if it has no legal Move.
-
ME: Martian Eliminated.
-
Round all fractions down to the column to the left. Odds of 2.9–1 are rounded down to 2–1. Odds of 1–2.1 are rounded down to 1–3.
-
Odds less than 1–3 are One-in-a-Million.
-
Odds of 4–1 or greater are Crushing Odds.
-
The table is correct. It merely has many counterintuitive results.
Terrain Effects Table
| Terrain | Earthling | Martian | Flying | Combat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green (Open) | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
| Tan (City) | 1 | Prohibited | 1 | - |
| Tan Rubble | 2 | 2 | 1 | - |
| Blue (River) | Full Turn | 2 | 1 | *** |
| Grey (Bridged) | 1 | Prohibited | 1 | - |
*** Earthling Infantry, Cavalry, Police, and Firemen do not exert a ZOC and cannot Attack into these hexes.
Victory Table
CRUSH ARMY! Rubble and Destroy a total of nine Stations and Army units.
LEVEL CITY! All Landmarks and Station hexes contain Rubble markers.
ABDUCT GIRL! Heroine is stacked with Martian unit at end of Game Turn 12.
COLONIZE! HQ & Bio-lab are on the map and no Inactive Earthlings at Game end.
PEACE! Envoy purchased and Earthlings Attack first.
Synopsis
Setup
- Martians spend up to ten points to buy units. Organize on Turn Track.
- Earthlings take Heroine and spend up to ten points to buy units. Place units Inactive in City hexes.
- Earthling places five random Army units and one random Infernal Machine face-down in indicated boxes on the Turn Track.
Game Turn
Initiative
- Martians always complete their turns first.
Movement
- Every friendly unit may spend all of its Movement points.
- When friendly Movement is complete, may Activate friendly units.
- Stacking limit is one unit per hex. Heroine stacks freely.
- Units must stop Movement when entering enemy ZOC.
- Martian Monster may make one or two Attacks during the Movement Phase. Each Attack costs two Movement Points.
Combat
- Earthling Infantry, Cavalry, Police, and Firemen do not exert ZOC into and may not Attack into Grey Rubble or Blue hexes.
- Any Attack into or against a Grey or Tan hex reduces it to Rubble. Place marker to record. Martian may attack empty Grey or Tan hexes.
- Odds ratio is Attacker Combat rating divided by Target Combat rating. Round fractions down. Roll die. Consult CRT.
- Retreating units are moved by opponent. Retreating units may not overstack or move into prohibited terrain/hostile ZOC.
- If a Martian unit is Eliminated and the HQ is Active, replace the current Minion with a random remaining one.
- Martian Walkers may advance after a successful Attack.
Reinforcements
- Army units appear on any empty, Intact Station hex, Active.
- Infernal Machine appears in any empty, Intact City hex, Active.
- Martian Reinforcements appear Inactive in any empty edge hex.
- Advance the Game Turn Marker. If end of Turn 12, assess Victory.
Special Units & Minions
| Unit / Minion | Effect |
|---|---|
| Envoy | Martians win if Earthlings Attack first. |
| HQ | Hosts Minions. |
| Queen Bea | Reposition Heroine on entry. Reroll one Attack per turn. |
| Col. Jack Boot | Add +1 to one friendly Attack per turn. |
| General Panic | Move one enemy unit during your Movement Phase. |
| Dr. Otto Matik | Rebuild Walker/Saucer during your Combat Phase. |
| Death Ray | May not enter a hex containing a Rubble marker. This limits its traversable terrain to Green hexes only. |
| Bio Lab | Negates instant defeat by Germs. |
| Monster | Spend two MPs to Attack during Movement Phase. |
| Walker | May advance after successfully clearing a hex. |
| Priest |