WarCry Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• The Armies
• The Cards
  • Unit Card
  • Attachment Card
  • Action Card
• Committing
• Unit Types
• Tests
• Roll
• King's Decree
• Phases of the Game
• Deck Construction and Setup
• Muster Phase
• Battle Phase
  • Commands
  • Declaring an Attack with a Unit
  • Opposing Player Blocks
  • Make a Ranged Attack
  • Play a Command
  • Move
  • Pass
  • Retreat!
• Combat
  • Begin Combat
  • Play Tactics
  • Pass
  • Resolve Combat
  • Slaughter!
  • Resolution of Ranged Attacks
  • Rout Check
  • Follow-up Attacks
  • Follow-up Combat
• Winning the Field of Battle
  • Victory!
  • Ties Are for the Weak
  • Clean-up
• WarCry Play Sequence
  • Deck Construction
  • Muster Phase
  • Battle Phase
  • Combat
  • Routs
  • Follow-up Attacks (Routs)
  • Winning the Field of Battle
• Glossary

Object of the Game

WarCry is played in three turns, called Battles. During each Battle, your armies engage in several Combats to determine the winner of that Battle. The object of the game is to be the first player to win two Battles.

The Armies

WarCry features two main armies vying for control over the Old World. The Grand Alliance is an army of Good, made up of the humans of the Empire, the High Elves, and the Dwarfs. The Hordes of Darkness is an army of Evil consisting of the marauding Chaos, the Dark Elves, and the greenskinned Orcs. Some forces have not committed to one side or the other. They are Neutral and fight with Good or Evil.

The Cards

WarCry is a collectible card game. That means the game can be played out of the box, but you'll want to buy packs of cards to improve your army. Each type of army has a distinctive look. The Grand Alliance (Good) cards feature light blue marble faces. The Hordes of Darkness (Evil) cards feature blackish faces, featuring bones and fire. Neutral cards feature green faces, with leafy vines.

Unit Card

Units are your armies, your soldiers. You use Unit cards to fight your opponent and win the game!

1. Gold Cost: How much a Unit costs to play.
2. Name
3. Strength: Strength helps you win battles.
4. Tactic Points: Tactic Points are spent to play Tactic cards.
5. Unique: This star indicates a card is Unique. Unique means only one of that card can be in play (anywhere on the Field of Battle) at any one time. If a Unique card is in play and a duplicate is played, the original copy is discarded. If this happens during the Muster phase, you get your gold back and may play another card.
6. Leadership: The number that determines how vulnerable your Unit is to routing; also used in Leadership Tests.
7. Keywords: Keywords help describe your Units. They may be referenced by other cards or have game rules. Some cards have more than one keyword.
8. Abilities: Anything your Unit does.
9. Flavor Text: This text serves no game purpose, but gives special insight to the world of WarCry!

Attachment Card

Attachments help your Units fight better. They add permanent abilities to your Units and stay in play until the Unit is destroyed.

1. Gold Cost
2. Name
3. Unique
4. Ability

Good and Evil attachments feature some of the same features as their respective Units. Most attachments are Neutral, meaning they can be used with any army.

Action Card

During a Combat, Actions help your Units or hurt your enemy. Their effects usually last until the end of the Combat.

1. Cost
2. What the Card does

Committing

A fresh Unit is considered Ready. Commit means you rotate a Ready Unit 90 degrees to indicate you've used it. Committed Units cannot use their tactics, reactions, or commands. A committed Unit cannot attack or make Follow-up attacks, though it can defend itself.

Rally: Rally means to turn a card that's been Committed back to its Ready position. You could then use an action on it that requires it to Commit.

Unit Types

There are several different types of Units.

Infantry: The slowest type of troop; these are your foot-soldiers. They can be blocked by Cavalry and Flyers.

Cavalry: Troops mounted on some type of beast. Cavalry can block Infantry and attack your opponent's Battle Line from either of your Lines. Cavalry can be blocked by Flyers.

Flyers: A warrior mounted on a flying beast. Flyers can attack any opposing Unit from either Rank. They can block Infantry or Cavalry, and they can't normally be blocked.

Terror: Some Units are so horrifying that the troops facing them are more prone to Rout or fail Leadership Tests. A Unit's Terror is used in Combat. Before the first Tactic is played, the opposing Unit's Leadership is immediately lowered by his opponent's Terror. Terror is cumulative, so a Unit with Terror can grow scarier with Action cards. Units with Terror are not affected by another Unit's Terror.

Tests

There are several types of tests in WarCry, such as Leadership Tests and Strength Tests. When a Test is called for, the player taking the test Rolls and compares it to the Value called for. If the Roll is equal or lower than the named Value, it passes.

Roll

Anytime a Roll is required, flip the top card of your Action Deck and use the number on the die icon in the lower left corner.

King's Decree

If text on a card counteracts a rule, follow the text of the card.

And now, here's how to play!

Phases of the Game

There are only three steps to the game:

1. Deck Construction and Set-up. You construct a deck using the cards you collect, find an opponent, then set up and play.
2. Muster Phase. A couple of simple steps let you build your starting army on the table.
3. Battle Phase. After drawing your action cards, you battle. The player that wins two battles, wins the game. The Battle Phase has several steps within it. These are covered below.

Now, let's take each step individually.

Deck Construction and Setup

Deck Construction: First, choose whether to play for Good or Evil. Then, construct an Army Deck and an Action Deck, using only that type of card, along with any Neutral cards you wish (Neutral cards may be used with either Good or Evil decks). Each deck must contain a minimum of 30 cards. You may not use more than 3 copies of any one card. If either deck runs out of cards during play, shuffle your discard pile and reuse it.

Army Deck: An Army Deck consists of Units and Attachments. Used during the Muster Phase to build your army. The back of an Army card has a Gold hammer and shield.

Action Deck: An Action Deck consists of Action cards. It is used during the Battle Phase to defeat your opponent. The back of an Action Card has a Silver hammer and shield.

Muster Phase

To determine who goes first, roll. The person with the highest roll chooses who fields first. If tied, roll again. In subsequent Battles, the loser of the previous battle chooses who fields first.

Field your Army. First, draw 5 cards from your Army Deck. Each player alternates doing one of three things:

• Pay the cost of, and play, a Unit card face up in either your Battle Line (front) or Reserve Line (rear); then draw a card from your Army deck.
• Pay the cost of and attach an Attachment card face up to a Unit card already in play; then draw a card from your Army deck.
• Pass.

If your Battle Line is ever eliminated, your Reserve becomes your Battle Line.

Attachments can usually be played on any Unit in play. You cannot play two same attachments with the same keyword (such as 'Armor') on the same Unit.

Gold Supply: The number of Units and Attachments you can play is determined by your Gold Supply. Each player has 20 gold to spend during your first Muster Phase. During the second Muster Phase each player starts with 25 gold. In the third Muster Phase each player starts with 30 gold.

When you play a card, subtract its cost from whatever gold you have. You may not spend more gold than you have.

Count your gold expenses on the cards in play, right before each battle phase. If you have accidentally exceeded your gold cost, discard the last Unit placed until you are below that Battle's Gold supply. Your Muster phase ends immediately.

Ending the Muster Phase. When you pass, your Muster Phase immediately ends. When both players have passed, each player discards any remaining cards in their hand and Battle begins!

Battle Phase

This is where the bulk of the game is played.

Setup: Each player draws 5 cards from their Action Deck. Check your Units. Whoever has more Tactic Points in their Reserve takes the first Command.

Scouts: Scouts help gain the first Command. Any Scout unit in the Battle Line adds its Scout rating to the overall Tactic Point total to determine who goes first.

If the totals are tied, Roll to see who goes first.

Commands

Commands are each player's turn during the Battle Phase. Each player takes a turn doing one of the following actions:

• Attack with a Unit
• Make a Ranged Attack
• Play a Command on a card
• Move a Reserve Unit to the Battle Line
• Pass
• Retreat

Declaring an Attack with a Unit

Choose one of your Ready units in the Battle Line or a Ready Cavalry or Flyer unit in either rank and place it into the Battlefield. Choose any Unit in your opponent's Battle Line to attack. If your opponent has no Ready units in the Battle Line you may choose any Unit in Reserve. If your attacking Unit is a Flyer, you can attack any opposing Unit.

Opposing Player Blocks

To block an attack, the opposing player chooses a Ready unit that is faster than the attacking unit.

• Cavalry units are faster than Infantry units.
• Flyers are faster than Cavalry and Infantry units.

Normally, this is the only way a Unit can be blocked.

Time for Battle! The targeted unit or the blocking unit is placed into the Battlefield. Both players draw an Action card and Combat begins. Go to the Combat Section!

Make a Ranged Attack

A Unit with Ranged Attack may initiate a combat against an opposing Unit. Neither Unit moves from its Line. The Attacking Unit uses its Ranged Attack Value instead of its Strength.

What target is valid in ranged attacks depends on the type of attack the Unit has:

1. Ranged Attack: This Unit can choose an opposing Unit two Lines away.
2. Short Ranged Attack: This Unit can only choose an opposing Unit one Line away.
3. Long Ranged Attack: This Unit can choose any opposing Unit.

Cards that affect a Unit's strength do not affect a Unit's Ranged Attack value.

Units that make a Ranged Attack commit after resolution of the Ranged Combat, same as normal Units.

Time for Battle! Go to the Combat Section.

Play a Command

Some cards have actions you can take. These have specific, immediate effects that are clearly spelled out on the card. Once you use a Command Action, your turn is over. Your opponent may now make a Command.

Strategies: Strategies are Action cards that remain in play until the end of the battle. They are played as Commands. Set the Strategy card face-up where both players can see it. The card tells you what it does.

Move

You may move a Unit in Reserve up to the Battle Line. You cannot move backward. Once you make a Move, your turn is over. Your opponent may now make a Command.

Pass

A player may pass his turn. When both players pass consecutively, resolve the Battle Phase by seeing who has won the Field of Battle. Skip ahead to Winning the Field of Battle.

Retreat!

As a Command, any player may Retreat. Retreating means you automatically lose that Battle; any of your remaining Units may be discarded. You must make a Leadership Test for each Unit you want to keep. No modifiers or reactions can be played. Failure means that Unit is discarded. Success means that Unit can be carried over during Clean-Up.

Combat

Begin Combat

Once an Attack or Ranged Attack is declared and the target is chosen, both players draw a card from their Action Deck. Each player, starting with the person that declared the Attack, takes a turn to either play a Tactic or Pass.

Play Tactics

There are two types of Tactics and two places Tactics appear.

Types of Tactics: The type of Tactic determines what Unit it can be played on.

• A Combat Tactic may only be played by a ready Unit in combat.
• A Support Tactic may only be played by a ready Unit outside of combat, directed at a Unit in combat.

WarCry!: A WarCry is a special Combat Tactic. It must be your first action in combat (if you pass you can no longer play a WarCry). WarCrys count as Combat Tactics.

Where Tactics Appear: Tactics appear on your Action cards or as a Tactic Ability on a Unit.

Tactic Cards: An Action card with a Tactic is clearly indicated on the card. Each card has a Tactic Cost. The Unit using the tactic must spend Tactic Points to pay for it.

Units with high Tactic Points may be able to play more than one Tactic card, though each card must be played as a separate action.

When a Tactic Card is played, place it in the Battlefield. This will help you keep track of the Tactic Points you have spent, along with any benefit the card gives you. Discard it immediately upon resolution of that combat.

Tactic Abilities: Tactic Abilities appear on Unit or Attachment cards. They usually do not have a Tactic Point cost, but may only be played once per Combat. Remember, you cannot play Tactics on Units or Attachments if they are committed.

Reactions: Reactions tell you when to play them. You cannot use a Unit's Reaction more than once per event, but you can play as many different reactions as you want. Reactions do not count as taking a turn or Command.

Pass

When both players pass consecutively, resolve combat.

Resolve Combat

Each player makes a Roll and adds it to the Strength of their Unit in combat. Any Tactics are taken into account, of course. Whoever has the higher total, wins the combat. A Rout Check is made by the winning player and the losing Unit is discarded.

Slaughter!

In case of a tie, both units are discarded. The current player's turn is over.

Special Note: If a Committed Unit wins a Combat, the opposing Unit is not destroyed. Both Units return to their Battle Line, Committed. If the result is a Slaughter, both Units are still destroyed.

Resolution of Ranged Attacks

Ranged Attacks work the same as normal Combat, with slightly different results. If the Roll, plus the Ranged Attack value, equals or is higher than the opposing Unit's Strength, the targeted Unit Commits. If that Unit was already Committed, it is discarded. If the Ranged Unit loses, nothing further happens. Either way, the Ranged Unit Commits as normal at the end of combat. The current player's turn is over. Ranged Units cannot do Follow-up attacks, nor do they force Rout Checks.

Rout Check

Rout checks determine if the winner can make a Follow-up attack by pressing into his opponent's other troops. You must make a Rout check, but you can choose not to Follow-up.

The player who won the combat makes a Roll and compares it to the defeated Unit's Leadership. If the Roll is equal to or higher than the defeated Unit's Leadership, it Routs. The winner can make a Follow-up attack. If the Roll is lower, the Unit does not Rout and nothing further happens. The current player's turn is over.

Follow-up Attacks

When a Unit Routs another Unit, it may carry out an attack on one of your opponent's remaining units. It is a new Combat, so remember to draw an Action card at the beginning. Committed Units, of course, cannot declare Follow-up attacks.

Choosing the defending Unit. The player who lost the initial combat chooses the Unit attacked in the Follow-up. You must choose a Ready unit for the target of the Follow-up attack. If you have no Ready units, the attacker chooses which unit to attack.

Follow-up Combat

Follow-ups are considered new Combats. Any Tactic Abilities played in the initial combat may be played in the Follow-up, provided they can still be paid for. Unlike normal Combats, when a unit is defeated during a Follow-up attack, the winning player does not make a Rout check.

Combat Clean-up: At the end of combat, after any Follow-up attacks, the winning Unit commits and is placed in his Battle Line.

Winning the Field of Battle

Victory!

Once both players Pass consecutively, determine who has won the Field of Battle.

Add-up the Strength totals of units left in play. The player with the highest total wins the Field of Battle. If that is his second victory, he wins the game!

Victory +/-: Some Units have the ability to destroy other troops easily, but don't count for as much when determining victory conditions. Add or Subtract a Unit's Victory rating from your Strength total, when determining who wins the Field of Battle.

Ties Are for the Weak

If the Strength totals are equal when both players pass, there is a final Combat to declare the winner. Each player Rolls. The person with the highest Roll chooses a Unit and places it in the Battlefield, ready. It is now attacking. The player with the lowest Roll chooses the Unit to be attacked. That Unit is placed in the Battlefield, ready, and a Combat takes place.

At the end of the Combat, count surviving Strength totals to determine who wins the Field of Battle. If the result is still a tie, repeat the process until a winner is determined.

If neither player has any Units left, they draw from their Unit deck until a Unit is revealed. In that case, roll to see who attacks.

Clean-up

After the winner of the Field of Battle is determined, both players discard their hands. Any surviving units may be discarded. Remaining Units may then be rearranged in either Line. Their Gold cost is subtracted from the Gold given on the next turn to spend.

WarCry Play Sequence

Deck Construction

Maximum 3 of any one card. Army Deck: Units and Attachments. Minimum of 30 cards. Action Deck: Action Cards. Minimum of 30 cards. May not include both Good and Evil cards. Shuffle

Muster Phase

Field your Army: Draw 5 cards from the Army Deck. Place Units in two Lines. Gold Supply: 20/25/30.

Battle Phase

Setup: Draw 5 cards from the Action Deck. Highest Reserve Tactic Points goes first. Commands: Attack, Ranged Attack, Command, Move, or Pass. Attack or Ranged Attack: Go to Combat. Draw a card from the Action Deck.

Combat

Play Tactics Combat Tactics: Only by units in combat. Support Tactics: Only by units outside of combat, directed at units in combat. Resolve Combat: Roll and add Strength of Units in combat. Victory! Check for Routs. Slaughter! A tie, both units discarded. Ranged Attacks: Ranged Unit wins, loser committed or discarded. No Routs.

Routs

Rout Check fails, loser discarded. Winner Committed in Battle Line. Rout Check passed, loser Routs.

Follow-up Attacks (Routs)

Defender chooses Ready unit. If no Ready units, Attacker chooses.

Winning the Field of Battle

Victory! Add Strength totals of units in play. Highest total wins. Clean-up: Discard hands.

Glossary

Abilities: Anything in a card's Ability area, such as a WarCry, Combat Tactic, or Ranged Attack.

Action deck: Contains your tactics and reactions, this deck has a silver shield on the back.

Army deck: Contains your units and attachments, this deck has a gold shield on the back.

Attachments: Item, weapon, and armor cards that you attach to your unit cards to help them in combat.

Battlefield: The space between opposing players used to resolve combat.

Battle Line: Each player's front rank of units.

Battle line unit: A unit in any battle line.

Combat Roll: Each player rolls, adding the strength of their unit (including the bonuses of any tactics they played) to their roll. The highest number wins the combat.

Committed: When a unit card is turned (rotated) sideways from its ready position.

Destroyed: Destroyed cards are placed in their owner's discard pile.

Leadership Test: To make a leadership test, roll. If you roll equal to or less than the unit's leadership, you succeed.

Muster: To put a card into play during the muster phase.

Ready: A card in the upright position.

Reserve line: Each player's second rank of units.

Reserve line unit: A unit in any reserve line.

Rout Check: The winner of a battle rolls; if the number is equal to or greater than the defeated unit's leadership, the unit routs.

Roll: Discarding the top card of your Action deck and using the die to determine the result.