Wrath of Kings
Wrath of Kings Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The Houses of Arikania
House Teknes
The armies of Teknes are some of the most well rounded troops. They are able to move from a defensive posture to attack in the blink of an eye. Both the Union Workers and Defender Linemen punish their enemies for attacking them. Their specialists and characters often employ lightning and magical wards to bolster their own defensive lines. No army attacks Teknes battle lines without expecting heavy casualties.
House Shael Han
The Shael Han fighting style is a mystery to all of their enemies and for good reason. The Legionaries are some of the weakest troops on the field by themselves, however whenever they are close by a specialist they become a force to reckon with. The Wrath led by their Big Sister are experts in engaging more than one enemy at a time. The true strength of any Shael Han army are their specialists, vulnerable by themselves but extremely powerful when working together they can cause a symphony of destruction on any battlefield.
House Nasier
Nasier love nothing more than to see their enemies wither in their path. The Nasier Ashmen charge is legendary and few enemies have ever lived to tell the tale. They're often supported by the Pelagarth who revel in combat and despite their lack of armor, cause more casualties then they take. The specialists of Nasier prefer to use flames to punish their enemies. One of the most aggressive armies, their zeal for reinstating the Efrenti presence leads them to wrought destruction throughout the continent.
House Hadross
As the most defensive army in the game, Hadross units become stronger both offensively and defensively as the game progresses. With each Deepmen lost, enemy models receive Resonate markers, which makes them easier to kill. Meanwhile the slower yet deadlier Sevridan keep enemy units from fleeing the battlefield. The Hadross specialists enhance the battlefield adding water elements to increase movement.
House Goritsi
Combining the fastest movement in the game with some of the strongest attacks Goritsi prefer hit and run tactics to conventional warfare. Players can employ the blazing speed of the Skorza to flank their enemies while their lethal Zeti hold the line. The terrible Blood Engine consumes the flesh of his enemies to heal his wounds. If you prefer high mobility armies and attacking first, Goritsi is the army for you.
Game Concepts
Common Game Terms
Element: Anything on the table that your models interact with during play is an element. This includes things like terrain pieces and models, but not markers, for example.
Army: All models brought to the table for a player.
Friendly: All models in your army are friendly.
Enemy: All models not in your army are enemy.
Model: Models are miniatures that represent either player's army on the table. Terrain and markers are not models.
Terrain: Terrain makes up the non-model elements of the battlefield, such as trees, ruins, rocks, and more. Objectives act as special types of terrain and are described later.
Marker: Many effects require you to place markers on the table. These markers are not elements and serve only as reminder of in game effects, such as tracking damage.
Contact: Many rules refer to two elements being in contact. Contact is defined as two or more elements being base-to-base, or having one base overlap another element such as terrain.
Activation: During a player's turn they will "activate" a model, moving it and performing various attacks and effects. This period is known as a model's "Activation".
Maneuver: There are two steps each model will take when it activates, Maneuvering is one of them. This term refers to a model moving up to its Mobility value in inches.
Action: There are two steps each model will take when it activates; its Action is one of them. This term refers to various attacks and effects a model may perform during its Activation.
Engaged: If a model is in contact with one or more enemy models, it is engaged. A model coming into contact with an enemy is "Engaging". A model "Becomes Engaged" when an enemy comes in contact with it. A model not in contact with any enemies is "Unengaged".
Attacker: A model performing an attack action.
Defender: A model with dice assigned to it by an attack or enemy action.
Hit: Many effects (usually attacks) generate hits. Hits are compared against a model's Resilience to determine if damage is caused.
Damage: Many effects (usually attacks) cause damage on a model. When a model suffers damage equal to its Wounds Stat, it is removed from the game as a casualty.
Active: Many effects will refer to "active" models. A model is "active" at all times during its Activation.
Round: Wrath of Kings is played over a number of Rounds. Each Round is composed of a series of Turns.
Turn: A player's "Turn" describes when they are performing a model's Activation.
Measuring
The distance between models and other game elements matters a great deal. You may measure distances on the battlefield at any time. All distances are measured using inches. Actions with a Range Stat may affect elements that have any part of their base within the listed range. When checking the distance between two elements, you always measure from the closest point on the base of the first element to the closest point on the base of the second.
"Within" and "Completely Within"
A model is "within" range of an effect if any part of their base is within the listed range.
A model is "completely within" range of an effect if all of their base is within the listed range.
A model is always considered "completely within" range of its own abilities and effects.
Dice
Wrath of Kings uses ten-sided dice (D10). A variety of circumstances will require you to roll multiple dice. No matter how many dice you roll, read each die individually to find the results. Never add die results together. Wherever possible, roll all the dice involved at the same time. Because each die produces an individual result, combining the rolls this way speeds up play.
Re-rolls
When you re-roll a die, you only count the results of the second roll. Ignore any previous result. A single player may not re-roll a die more than once. This includes any combination of forced or optional re-rolls. Any required re-rolls are resolved before any optional re-rolls. The attacking player resolves their attacking re-rolls before the defender resolves their defending re-rolls. This means the resolution order of re-rolls is: Required Attacker, Required Defender, Optional Attacker, Optional Defender.
Timing Conflicts
When 2 events need to resolve at the same time, the attacker's effects go first, then defender's.
In any other instance the player whose turn it is decides the order in which the events resolve.
Stat Cards
Every model in Wrath of Kings has a number of statistics (stats) that describe its abilities on the battlefield.
A reference card shows a model's Faction Symbol, Name, Trait, Rank, and Defense Chart, along with its Mobility, Willpower, Resilience, and Wounds stats.
Mobility: This is the maximum distance, in inches, a model can move when it maneuvers.
Willpower: This measures a model's mental fortitude. This stat is used when performing Will Checks and Will Attacks.
Resilience: Resilience measures how difficult it is to wound this model. Models suffer 1 damage each time they receive hits equal to their Resilience. (See Damaging a model)
Wounds: This measures how much damage a model can sustain. When a model accumulates damage equal to its Wounds, it is removed from the game as a casualty.
Traits: Traits are various keywords that describe a model. While they do not inherently do anything, many other rules and effects will reference a model's Traits.
Rank: Models are broken into Ranks. A higher rank usually means the model is more skilled or rare and often is more powerful then lower ranked models. Ranks are used for force construction purposes.
A model's full card additionally lists its Name, Traits, Types, Action, Special Abilities, Command Abilities, Rank, Base, Size, and Deployment Zone.
Name: This is what each model is referred to during gameplay or force construction.
Trait: Traits are various keywords that describe a model. While they do not inherently do anything, many other rules and effects will reference a model's Traits.
Type: A model's Type defines its purpose on the battlefield and is used during force construction. Types include Infantry, Specialist, Leader, and Character.
Size: This represents how much space a model takes up. Many effects will reference a model's "Size". A model's Size can be any number greater than 0.
Base: This is the size of an element's base (such as: 30mm, 40mm, 50mm, and 80mm). Note that the rules for terrain bases are different. See Terrain.
Rank: Models are broken into Ranks. A higher rank usually means the model is more skilled or rare and often is more powerful then lower ranked models. Ranks are used for force construction purposes.
Deployment Zone (DZ): This indicates where you may place a model on the battlefield at the start of the game. (See Battlefield Setup for more information on deployment.)
Attack/Special Actions: All models will have 1 or more Attacks. Some might even have a number of special actions they can perform during their activation. For more information see the "Activations" section.
Special Abilities: These are the various unique effects and powers a model may have. Each one will give specific definitions and instructions on its use.
Command Abilities: Models with the "Leader" type often have powerful effects and powers they can confer to the troops under their command. These are listed here. For more information see the Leaders section.
The Defense Chart
The Defense Chart represents the various ways a model avoids incoming attacks and offensive effects. When a model is attacked, the attacking model will compare their attack roll results to the target's Defense Chart to determine the effects of the attack.
Note that while there are many potential results on the Defense Chart, unless the result generates a Hit, the result, whatever it may be, usually means the attack has missed in some fashion.
Overpower: The attack has massively overcome the target's defenses. Each Overpower result generates 2 Hits.
Strike: The attack penetrates the target's defenses, potentially injuring the defender. Each die producing a Strike result causes one hit.
Magic: The defender possesses some form of magical defense and mystically defeats the attack. Magic results can potentially cause a magical backlash (see Magical Attacks).
Parry: The defender harmlessly parries the attack out of the way.
Block: The defender blocks the attack with their shield or weapon.
Armor: The defender's armor takes the brunt of the attack, leaving the target unharmed.
Dodge: With nimble ease, the defender dodges the attack, avoiding injury.
Modifying the Defense Chart
A variety of effects and abilities may alter a target's Defense Chart, turning select results into successful hits instead of misses.
When a Special Ability or effect modifies a specific result on a target's Defense Chart, it always modifies the highest specified result(s) on the chart.
Example: An attack has the ability "Sundering (1): Replace 1 Armor result on the defender's chart with Strike." If the target has at least 1 Armor result on their Defense Chart, their highest Armor result becomes a Strike result instead.
If a target does not have an entry on its Defense Chart that matches the entry in the ability, the ability has no effect.
So, using the above example, the Sundering(x) ability would have no effect on the Defense Chart of a model with no Armor results.
In addition, some abilities may replace multiple results on a target's Defense Chart. In this case it still modifies the highest specified results on the chart.
Example: An attack with the Sundering(2) ability would convert the TWO highest Armor results on the target's chart into Strike results.
Special Ability Rules
Many special abilities follow similar guidelines. Those guidelines are outlined here:
Aura
Auras are abilities that can affect a large area. Each aura will have an (x)" value, where (x) is the number of inches you measure from the source's base to determine the area that is affected.
Abilities with Variables
Some abilities have a variable associated with them, such as Sundering (1), in this case the 1 is the variable. The ability will have special rules to denote how to use this variable and what affect it has. Some abilities do not have a variable.
Cumulative
Variables written with a (+) are cumulative, meaning that they are added to any existing version of the rule to determine the final total variable. If the ability with the + is not on the model, then it gains the ability at the stated value. If multiple sources confer a (+), all instances of the (+) apply.
Rules without a (+) are not cumulative. If more than one ability is on a model without a (+) you use the largest variable present.
Example: Curtis has a model with Sundering(1). It would not benefit from an ability that conferred Sundering(1) to it. It would, however, benefit from an ability that conferred Sundering(3). In this case it would use the higher of the two values.
Example: If an ability conferred Sundering(+1) to it, it would gain Sundering(2). That is (1) for its base Sundering(x), and another due to the (+1) of the conferring ability.
Sphere of Influence (SOI)
Leaders have a Sphere of Influence (SOI) that extends 6" out from the base of the model. Many effects are based off of a model's Sphere of Influence, the most common of which is determining which models it can activate in a Combined Activation.
Inspire Abilities
If the models in a combined activation also match the same trait with the leader who's SOI they are activating off of, they may benefit from that leaders Inspire ability. Inspire abilities are powerful effects that a leader confers to models activating under his or her orders. Leaders may benefit from their own Inspire abilities, as well as the Inspire abilities of other Leaders they are activating off of. If an Inspire has a trigger (such as killing an enemy model), that Inspire may only be triggered once by each model during that activation.
Army Commander and Training
During force construction you must select 1 Leader model to be your army's Commander. The Commander gains an enhanced Sphere of Influence, reaching out 8" instead of the standard 6". In addition, all models in your army gain the Training ability listed on that Leader's card. Training abilities are permanent and remain on all models even if the Commander is killed.
Leaders
Some models have the ability to lead the troops around them, coordinating maneuvers and actions on the battlefield. Leaders act as focal points on the battlefield, through which players can use Combined Activations (See Combined Activations).
Leadership Value
Depending on the game size, each Leader will be assigned a Leadership Value, which is used to determine how well they can coordinate the troops around them, specifically in a Combined Activation.
Example: If we are playing a Battle level game all leaders would have a leadership value of 7.
Line of Sight
The Line of Sight (LoS) rules determine if one element can see another element and if any other elements are between them. Elements in Wrath of Kings have a 360 degree viewpoint and are not restricted to the direction the actual element is facing on the battlefield.
To determine LoS, select two elements. The element you are checking line of sight for is the viewer. The element you want to confirm that the viewer can see is the target. Once you have selected those elements, draw a line connecting the left side of the viewer's base to the left side of the target's base, and then do the same for the right side. This area is the LoS Window and is used to determine a number of things.
Example: A Rathor is checking to see if it can see a Union Worker. The Ashmen Swordsman is clearly not between them. The wall is between the Rathor and Union Worker. The Ironward is as well. Also as shown by the red line, the Rathor can see the Union Worker.
How can I tell what my element can see?
The viewer can see the target if you can draw a straight line that does not cross any blocking element inside the LoS window from the viewer's base to the target's base.
What is a blocking element?
If an element in the LoS window has a size greater than either the attacker or defender, the element is blocking.
What is Between?
Any element other than the viewer or target with its base in the LoS window is between the viewer and target. Many rules may apply when an element is between two models.
Model Types
Infantry - Infantry are the basic foot soldiers of all armies. They are the most common models found on any table and operate best as a group working together.
Specialist - Specialists are units that operate individually from the rest of the army, often bringing unique skills and abilities to the army.
Leader - Leaders are the glue that hold your armies together. They keep your infantry functioning while also being powerful in combat.
Character: Are perhaps some of the most well-known combatants, their skill and ferocity on the battlefield is unequaled.
Game Play
Each game takes place over a number of rounds, during which each player takes alternating turns using activations. The active player is the player who's turn it is.
Activations
There are two types of activations: Individual Activations and Combined Activations. An Individual Activation is a single model activating during your turn, where Combined Activations are multiple models performing their actions together through the orders of a Leader.
- When activated, each model has 2 stages to complete, Maneuver and Action.
- When a model Maneuvers, it may move up to its mobility in inches.
- When a model Acts, it may perform 1 action.
- Models may perform these stages in any order but cannot interrupt one to do the other.
- Each model can only be activated once per round.
Players alternate taking turns activating models, a player must activate a model if able, if they cannot then they must pass. If both players have completed all of their activations the round is over. If one player begins their turn and has no models left to activate, their turn immediately ends. Their opponent then takes 1 additional turn, and then the round ends.
Example: Player 1 performs a combined activation to move 5 Ashmen forward. Player 2 has finished activating all of his models and thus must pass. It then becomes Player 1's turn again. Player 1 has two specialists that he has not activated. He chooses to activate 1 of them, completing its activation and ending his turn. Since Player 2 passed on his previous turn, the round now ends.
Individual Activations
An individual activation involves a single model. When using an individual activation, the active player chooses 1 model to activate. Once a model has completed both its maneuver and action the individual activation ends.
NOTE: A model may choose to move 0" and/or perform no action during its activation.
Combined Activations
A combined activation functions much like an individual activation but involves more than one model. In order to use a combined activation, the active player must select 2 or more models that fall within a single leader's SOI. The leader is passive in this process and is not activating unless he is selected as one of the models. The active player may only select a number of models up to the leader's Leadership Value.
All models selected to participate in the combined activation must share at least one matching trait with all other models the player wishes to activate in the combined activation. Note that a leader can confer a combined activation to models he or she does not share a trait with, as long as all models they are activating share a trait amongst themselves. The selected models do not need to be able to see one another.
A leader may issue a combined activation any number of times per round, even if he or she has already activated.
After selecting all the models that will activate, the active player chooses which stage they will perform first, maneuver or act. All models in a Combined Activation must resolve each stage in the same order, meaning if you choose Maneuver first, all models will complete that stage before Acting, and vice versa.
When Acting, each model will perform its action one by one, resolving 1 model's action fully before moving onto the next. The exception to this is a Combined Attack (See Combined Attack under Attack Actions).
Example: Chern announces a combined activation. He has a Dragon Legionnaire and a Dragon Legion Keeper that he wants to use to take control of an objective. Chern activates the Dragon Legionnaire and chooses to move him 6" straight forward to engage an enemy model. Next the Dragon Legion Keeper moves 2" forward ahead and 3" to the left to move within range of the objective.
Ashmen 1-4 are within Ashman Hakar 1's Sphere of Influence, and thus may be activated in a combined activation. Ashmen 5 and 6 are not, however, and could not be chosen to activate. Likewise, Ashmen 4-6 are within Hakar 2's Sphere of Influence and could all be activated, whereas 1-3 could not.
Movement
Models move two ways: forced movement and free movement. A forced movement is denoted by the word force. Free movement is all non-forced movement.
Models cannot move through other models. When moving a model, always move it in straight lines. When performing free movement and non-direct forced movement you can freely change the direction of movement at any time.
Forced Movement
Forced movement is not always under your control, and is usually the result of an ability or effect on a model. When moving the affected model or models, the owner of the effect or ability causing the forced movement controls the movement, as dictated by the effect or ability.
Forced movement ignores the Disengage Penalty (see below) and other abilities that prevent disengaging. Any forced movement that moves a model into another model or impassible terrain ends as soon as the moving model contacts the element. A model forced into a rough terrain feature or other element with a movement penalty must pay the penalty. If it cannot then the movement stops.
Disengaging
For a model in contact with an enemy model to move for any reason, it must disengage. To Disengage, the model must spend 3" of movement before it can begin moving. This is called the disengage cost. After breaking contact with one model, the disengaging model cannot subsequently engage an enemy model again during this movement. If a model is in contact with more than one enemy, it only has to pay the disengage cost once.
Even if a model ignores these penalties (for example, by being forced) they are still disengaging.
Toward and Away
When an element must move toward another element, it cannot end that movement further away from the element than it began. When an element must move away from another element, it cannot end that movement closer to the element than it began.
Up To
When a rule tells you that a model moves "up to" some number of inches, that means that it can move from 0 to that number in inches. If a rule does not say up to, then the model must move the distance directed unless stopped.
Directly
If a model must move directly toward or away from an element, it must move along a line drawn from the center of its base to the center of the element that it must move toward or away from. It cannot deviate from that path.
Actions
Actions fall into two broad categories, attack actions and special actions. All descriptions of actions include:
Name: The name of the action, such as Sword Strike.
Type: The type of action: melee, ranged, magic, toggle, or interact.
Rating If the action involves a dice roll, this is the number of dice rolled.
Range: This is the maximum distance, in inches, that the target can be from the acting model. An action with a range of 00 can only target an element in contact with the acting model.
Special Rules: Any special rules the action possesses. (See the Glossary for a list of attack special rules.)
Toggle
Some models possess ongoing abilities or auras that require them to perform an action for the power to become active. These are called toggle actions. Most toggle actions do not require a roll to activate. Once the toggle action has been performed, the ability becomes active. Toggle effects remain in play until the beginning of that model's next activation.
Willpower Check
When a model performs a Willpower Check it must roll a number of dice equal to the Rate listed under that action. Each result equal to or less than the model's Willpower stat is a success. All Willpower Checks describe their effect based on the number of successes.
Attack Actions
Attacks are split into four types: Ranged, Melee, Will, and Magic. All four attacks function in much the same way, with the differences discussed below. Note that not all models can perform all four types of attacks. The Model's individual card will include any attacks it can make.
To make an attack a player takes the following steps:
- Select an attack action available to the active model.
- Select enemy model(s) to be targeted by the attack(s). Ensure that the attacker can see the targets and they are in range of the attack.
- One target at a time, roll the dice involved in the attack. Note that if an attack targets multiple enemies, dice are rolled separately for each enemy.
- Generate and apply the results of the rolls.
- Apply damage, and check for death.
Note that even though the dice for each attack are rolled and resolved individually, any attacks made from the same attack action happen simultaneously
Melee Attacks
Melee attacks function as described above, except that they may target multiple elements. When choosing a melee attack action, the attacker may assign dice among any number of legal targets.
Ranged Attacks
Ranged attacks function as described above, except that ranged attacks cannot be made against a target in contact with the attacker, and all dice from a ranged attack must be allocated to 1 target. Convert any Parry result on the target's Defense Chart to Strike.
Willpower Attacks
Willpower attacks follow all the rules for Ranged attacks, except that they do not use the Defense Chart to determine results. Instead, each die result that equals or exceeds the target's Willpower generates a success. All willpower attacks describe their effects based on the number of successes.
Magic Attacks
Willpower attacks follow all the rules for Ranged attacks. In addition, Magic attacks can also generate Backlash.
Backlash
When a magic attack generates a Magic result, the attacker suffers a backlash. For each Magic result generated by a magic attack, the attacker must make a Willpower attack (1) against themselves. The attacker suffers 1 damage for each success.
Combined Attacks
Combined attacks are special attacks that can only be performed by two or more models in a Combined Activation. These attacks function much the same way as an individual Ranged or Melee attack, with the exception that two or more models are pooling their attacks together (usually in hopes of overcoming a high Resilience enemy!).
To perform a Combined Attack, a player takes the following steps:
- All models participating in the Combined Attack select an available attack action. These attacks must all be the same type (Magic, Melee, Ranged, etc).
- Select 1 enemy model to be targeted by the attacks. Ensure that each attacker can see the target and that they are in range of the attack. All attack dice must be assigned to that target. They cannot be split amongst enemies.
- Roll all attack dice assigned against the target.
- Generate and apply the results of the rolls.
- Apply damage and check for death.
If any of the attacks selected for the Combined Attack had special abilities associated with them (Such as Offensive Expertise(x) or Sundering(x)), then these effects are applied to the Combined Attack as well. In the case of multiple models sharing the same ability (Offensive Expertise(1), for example), always apply the highest (x) value to the Combined Attack.
Example: Michael has two Ashmen Swordsmen and one Ashman Hakar, all engaged with a Fulung Devourer (Resilience:2). Individually the Swordsmen and Hakar would have no chance of harming the Devourer unless they generated an Overpower result, so Michael decides to use a Combined Attack.
Michael selects the Sword Slash attack for the Swordsmen and the Hakar, giving him a total of 4 attack dice (1 for each Ashmen, 2 for the Hakar). Because the Hakar also had Offensive Mastery(1), his Combined Attack benefits from that effect as well. After re-rolls are complete, Michael has rolled one Armor, two Strike results and 1 Overpower, dealing the Fulung 2 damage. A feat which his Ashmen could not have accomplished acting alone!
Damaging a Model
Anytime a model is dealt a number of hits equal to its Resilience, it suffers 1 damage. Once the model has damage equal to its Wounds it is removed from the table as a casualty.
Special Actions
Some models possess special abilities or powers that require them to perform an action for the power to become active. These are called Special Actions. Each Special Action is unique and will list its effects when it is used.
Generic Actions
In addition to Attacks and Special Abilities, models also have access to the following three Generic Actions (unless specifically stated otherwise in that model's rules):
Name: Assist Type: Special Rating: 0 Range: 00 Special Rules: During a combined activation, select a friendly model that this model is in contact with that is performing a melee attack. Give that attack (+1) rate.
Name: Sprint Type: Special Rating: 0 Range: 00 Special Rules: Move this model up to 4". Models can only sprint once per round. Models cannot Sprint if they are engaged.
Name: Interact Type: Special Rating: 0 Range: 00 Special Rules: Certain pieces of terrain and objectives require models to interact with them through the course of the game. This requires an Interact action. Generally, a model must be in contact with an element to make an Interact action. The element's special rules describe the effects of any Interact actions.
Morale
The objective of battle is to kill or rout your opponent which is represented by an army's morale. A player begins each game with a starting morale value which will decrease over the course of the game. When an army's morale has reached zero, the troops are near breaking and will begin to withdraw from the battlefield. At the end of any round in which a player has zero (or less !) morale, that player loses the game. Though rare, it is possible for all players to be at zero (or less) morale at the end of a round. In that case, the player with the lowest negative morale loses. In the event of a tie, both armies have been broken, and no winner can be determined. The game ends in a draw.
Starting Morale
To determine starting morale, divide the total number of models in your army by 3, rounding down. Next, add up all the Ranks of Leader for every Leader model in your army. Add these two values together to get your starting morale.
Example: David's army has 15 models, including 2 ranks of Leaders. His starting morale will be 7. 5 for the number of models in his army (15 divided by 3 to make 5) plus an additional 2 for his ranks of Leaders.
Losing Morale
The most common influences on morale are casualties and motivations. Apply effects that influence an army's morale as soon as they occur. Players lose morale based on their motivation as well as a number of events during the game. Below is a list of general conditions that alter morale during play regardless of motivation. Apply these as soon as the event occurs.
- For every three models removed as casualties, that army loses 1 morale.
- For every leader model removed as a casualty, that army loses morale equal to the rank of the leader. (This is in addition to the above loss, if applicable.)
Getting Ready to Play
Before players begin, they must prepare for battle. Players must determine the size of the game they wish to play, select a faction, organize their army, choose a motivation, and determine their starting morale. The details of these steps are listed below.
Select Game Size: In order to build their armies, players must first decide what size of game they would like to play. (See game size)
Building an Army: After selecting the game size, each player must build an army out of their selected faction. Players consult the army organization chart for the game size they are playing to find what types of models they can choose that will make up their army for the game. They then select one of their leaders to be their commander.
Choose Motivation: After players have chosen their armies, each player must select a motivation for their commander. (See motivations)
Determine Starting Morale: Players then calculate the starting morale (See above).
Battlefield Setup
The game is played on a battlefield represented by a 4'x4' table. Before the game begins, players must set up the battlefield by completing the following steps:
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Place Terrain: Terrain elements provide players with more than an empty, flat battlefield on which to fight. Players should select and place terrain before determining Deployment Zones or the starting player. The recommended number of terrain elements is between 1-3 pieces per player, but more or less can be used as decided upon by the players.
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Establish Deployment Zones: Each deployment zone is five inches deep and extends the width of the battlefield. The deployment zones have letters to designate them for use during setup. Each player has their own Deployment Zones based on the side of the table that they are deploying on. Deployment Zone A is at the player's table edge, then Deployment Zone B and so on. There is another zone marked on the table, in between each opponent's Deployment Zone D, this area is known as No Man's Land and is largely used for deploying Objectives. When starting a game, the players should roll-off, with the player who rolled highest being the first to select their tableside for deployment.
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Declare Motivation: Once all terrain elements have been placed and Deployment Zones determined, both players will simultaniously declare their chosen Motivation.
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Deploy Army: The player who selected their table-side first deploys all models with a DZ of (A). Each opponent then deploys all of their models with a DZ of (A); Alternate deploying in this manor until all players have deployed all of their (A) models, then (B) models, then (C) models and so forth.
When deploying a model, it can be placed with its base anywhere completely in the listed Deployment Zone or any zone behind that zone (a model with a DZ of (C) could, for example, deploy anywhere in your (C), (B), or (A) Deployment Zones).
After all models have been deployed, players make the first initiative roll and the game begins.
The table is divided into deployment bands from each player's table edge inward: A, B, C, D, then No Man's Land in the middle, then the opponent's D, C, B, A bands mirrored back out to their table edge.
Initiative Roll
Players roll initiative to determine the first player at the beginning of each round. To make an initiative roll, each player rolls 1d10. The player with the lowest current morale gains an additional +1 to this roll equal to the difference between their morale and the highest player's (If the lowest player had a morale of 3, for example, while the highest player had a 6, the lowest player would receive +3 to their roll). If two or more armies have an equal value for the lowest, no one gains the bonus. The player with the highest total wins the roll and is the first player for the round. In the event of a tie, players re-roll until one player wins. Players then take turns in clockwise order.
Players' Turn
The active player first chooses whether to perform an Individual or a Combined Activation and which model or models that activate. Once the activation is finished, play passes to the next player who begins their turn. Once all players have activated all their models, or a player has been forced to pass a turn, the round ends.
Terrain
Terrain encompasses the elements that make up the battlefield.
Each individual terrain piece has two parts that describe how it interacts with other elements, its base, and its keywords. The base of a terrain piece is the space it occupies on the table. Anytime an element contacts or overlaps the edge of that base in any way, the element is on that terrain piece. The keywords of a terrain piece describe the special rules and ways that the terrain interacts with the other elements on the table.
Before play begins, all players must agree on the keywords assigned to each terrain piece. A list of keywords assigned to generic terrain pieces is included below, so use this as a guide. Additional keywords may be assigned by scenarios or other special rules. Record the keywords for each terrain piece so that all players may reference them at any point during play.
All terrain pieces follow a few basic rules unless otherwise indicated.
- No terrain piece may be placed in contact with another terrain piece before play begins.
- A terrain piece must have a Size or the "Does Not Block Line of Sight" keyword.
- A terrain piece blocks LoS to other elements of equal or smaller size.
Controlling Terrain
A model controls a terrain element if it is in contact with the element and no enemy models are also in contact with the element. Other keywords may also require that you control the element to benefit from them.
Terrain Cost
Terrain that reduces movement has a Terrain Cost. Terrain Costs are always an amount of movement in inches that must be paid. The specific rule will tell you how this cost is applied and what happens if you cannot pay the cost.
Terrain Keywords
Some terrain keywords have variables that you and your opponent will have to agree upon. These are marked as X in the text below.
Does Not Block Line of Sight: This element does not block line of sight.
Elevated X: Increase a model's size by (x) when checking LoS. Moving to an increased level of elevation requires the model to pay a terrain cost of (x). If a model cannot pay this cost, it cannot enter the element. This element's size is equal to (x).
Impassable: Models cannot move through this element.
Inspiring X [trait/type]: This element carries certain spiritual, magical, or emotional inspiration to certain soldiers. If you control this element, friendly models within 6" of this element that possess the matching trait or type, such as Infantry or Pelegarth, gain Willpower (+X).
Nexus X: This element is a point of intense magical energy. If you control this element, friendly models within 6" gain [rate] (+X) to all magic attacks.
Objective: Objectives are used in the special rules of scenarios and motivations. Their use is described in those specific scenarios and motivations.
Rough X: Models beginning their activation or moving into the base of this element must pay a Terrain Cost to continue moving. The Terrain Cost is equal to (X). If a model cannot spend the movement, it cannot enter the element. This can result in a model being unable to move.
Wall: A model cannot take a sprint action through, or end its movement on, this element. This element is impassable to forced movement. Models cannot move through a wall with a size greater than the size of a model.
Water: This element is a water feature, which can affect certain abilities and actions.
Sample Terrain Elements
Hill: Elevated 1, Size 2, can have other terrain pieces stacked on it, provided those pieces' bases fit completely within the hill's base.
Ancient Tree: Rough 1, Size 5-6
Ruins: Wall, Rough 1-2, Size 3-4.
Bolder/Pillar/Tree: Impassible, Size 1-3.
Wall: Size 1-2, Wall.
Broken Ground: Rough 1, Does Not Block Line of Sight.
Fence: Wall, Does Not Block Line of Sight.
Pond: Rough 2, Water, Does Not Block Line of Sight.
Game Size
There are various game sizes that players may choose from, each giving different options and army sizes. Regardless of Game Size selected, the following rules apply:
- Characters are unique, meaning each army may only select them once.
- Rank Up: When constructing your force, two Rank 1 models may be traded for a single Rank 2 model of the same type (Example: Two Rank 1 Infantry may be traded out for a single Rank 2 Infantry, and two Rank 1 Specialists may be traded out for a single Rank 2 Specialist).
Leadership Values
Each game size tells you both the standard leadership value and the value your Commander gets.
Options
Each game size lists a number of Options choices, which will add additional models to your force (example: Options[x2] means select two of the given options). Options are selected and added to your force before models are chosen, meaning if you had Option[x2] and choose "x1 Rank 1 Specialist" twice, you could then trade those two Rank 1 Specialists for a single Rank 2, per the Rank Up rules. Each Option may be selected multiple times.
Patrol
Perfect for new players and to test small scale tactics.
Leadership (3)
Commander Leadership (5)
Army Organization
- Leader (Must select one as a Commander): x2 Rank 1 Leaders
- Infantry: x12 Rank 1 Infantry
- Specialist: x2 Rank 1 Specialist
Skirmish
Skirmish level games are excellent for quick friendly games.
Leadership (5)
Commander Leadership (7)
Army Organization
- Leader (Must select one as a Commander): x3 Rank 1 Leaders
- Infantry: x18 Rank 1 Infantry
- Specialist: x2 Rank 1 Specialist
- Options [x2]: x3 Rank 1 Infantry or x1 Rank 1 Specialist
Battle
This is the most common game size and is recommended for regular play.
Leadership (7)
Commander Leadership (9)
Army Organization
- Leader (Must select one as a Commander): x5 Rank 1 Leaders
- Infantry: x24 Rank 1 Infantry
- Specialist: x4 Rank 1 Specialist
- Options [x4]: x3 Rank 1 Infantry or x1 Rank 1 Specialist
Motivations
Motivations represent the reason the battle is taking place. Before the game begins, after players have chosen their forces, each player selects one motivation to serve as their commander's guiding drive for the game. Players may only choose motivations from the categories available to their house. Motivations may either be selected at will or chosen at random, as decided by the players. The motivation chosen modifies how their opponent will lose morale during play. Some motivations may impart special rules, deployment methods, or various objective markers across the battlefield; see each Motivation for its specific rules.
- Goritsi: Intrigue, Treachery
- Hadross: Greed, Vengeance
- Nasier: Duty, Vengeance
- Shael Han: Duty, Intrigue
- Teknes: Greed, Treachery
Objectives
Some Motivations will require players to place 1 or more Objectives on the battlefield. Objectives are terrain elements- each Motivation will give the specific details and rules for any Objectives it places on the battlefield.
Controlling an Objective: The player with the most models within 1" of an objective controls that objective. If both players have the same number of models within 1" of an objective, then neither player controls that objective.
Markers
Some Motivations will require players to place 1 or more Markers on models or terrain elements on the battlefield. Markers are tokens or counters that are placed next to the model to signify it as "marked". Markers take up no space on the battlefield; they are simply a means of noting an important element for purposes of the Motivation.
Duty
CALL TO GLORY
- During deployment, place markers on each of your Leaders equal to their rank.
- Each time a friendly marked Leader kills an enemy Infantry, and was the only model attacking that enemy, it may make a Will Check (1). On 1 or more successes your opponent loses 2 morale, and then 1 marker is removed from that model.
- Each time a friendly marked Leader kills an enemy Leader or Specialist, and was the only model attacking that enemy, your opponent loses 2 morale, and then 1 marker is removed from that model.
ESCORT CIVILIANS
- During Deployment place a number of Objectives in contact with friendly models equal to the total ranks of Leaders in your army. Those Objectives begin the game linked to those models.
- Objectives are 30mm bases with Size: 2 and the Impassable keyword.
- A friendly model in contact with an Objective may spend an Interact Action to link to that Objective. Any previous links on that Objective expires. A model may only have 1 Objective linked to it at any time.
- If a linked model is ever moved out of contact with its Objective for any reason, the link expires.
- If an Objective is in your enemy's [A], [B], or [C] Deployment Zones at the end of any round, and you control that Objective, your opponent loses 2 morale, and then that Objective is removed.
STAND YOUR GROUND
- At the start of the game, gain a marker pool containing a number of markers equal to twice the total ranks of Leaders in your army.
- Friendly Infantry may spend an Interact Action while in an enemy Leader's Sphere of Influence to gain 1 marker.
- At the beginning of a marked model's activation, your opponent loses 1 morale, and then that marker is removed.
- If a marked model is killed, its marker is returned to your marker pool.
Vengeance
SEVER THE HEAD
- After forces are deployed, but before the first turn, place a number of markers on enemy Leaders or Specialists equal to the total ranks of Leaders in your army.
- Models may be marked a number of times equal to their rank.
- If the marked enemy is killed, that opponent loses 2 morale per marker on that model.
BURN IT DOWN
- Before Deployment, beginning with you, you and your opponent take turns placing Objectives anywhere in your opponent's [D] Deployment Zone equal to the total ranks of Leaders in your army.
- These objectives cannot be placed within 4" of each other or a board edge.
- Objectives are 50mm bases with Size: 4 and the Impassable keyword.
- A friendly model may spend an Interact Action while in contact with an Objective you control. If they do, your opponent loses 2 morale, and then that Objective is removed.
UNSTOPPABLE FORCE
- At the start of the game, gain a marker pool containing a number of markers equal to the total ranks of Leaders in your army.
- At the end of any turn in which a friendly Leader was attacked by an enemy, but not killed, it may make a Will Check(1). On a success, remove 1 marker from your marker pool. Your opponent loses 2 morale.
- At the end of any round, each friendly Leader in an enemy Deployment Zone may make a Will Check(1). On a success, remove 1 marker from your marker pool. Your opponent loses 2 morale.
Treachery
CAPTURE PRISONERS
- At the start of the game, gain a marker pool containing a number of markers equal to the total ranks of Leaders in your army.
- When an enemy model is killed with a melee attack, you may have 1 model that killed that enemy gain 1 marker.
- A model may only have 1 marker at any time.
- At the end of any round, if a friendly marked model is unengaged, and in your [A], [B], or [C] Deployment Zones, your opponent loses 2 morale, and then that marker is removed.
- If a marked model is killed, its marker is returned to your marker pool.
ASSASSINATE
- At the end of any friendly turn, if an enemy Leader was killed, and no other enemy was attacked this turn, your opponent loses 2 additional morale per rank of that Leader.
STEAL INTEL
- At the start of the game, gain a marker pool containing a number of markers equal to the total ranks of Leaders in your army.
- When a friendly model attacks an enemy Leader or Specialist with a melee attack, and generates a Hit, they may gain 1 marker. Each enemy Leader or Specialist may only grant 1 marker each round.
- At the beginning of a marked model's activation, your opponent loses 2 morale, and then that marker is removed.
Greed
LAND GRAB
- Before Deployment, place a number of Objectives anywhere in your opponent's [C] Deployment Zone equal to the total ranks of Leaders in your army. Gain a marker pool with a number of markers equal to twice the total ranks of Leaders in your army.
- These objectives cannot be placed within 4" of each other or a board edge.
- Objectives are 40mm bases with the Does Not Block LoS keyword.
- At the end of any round, for each Objective you control, remove 1 marker from your marker pool. Your opponent loses 1 morale.
LOOT AND PLUNDER
- Before Deployment, beginning with you, you and your opponent take turns placing 5 Objectives anywhere in No Man's Land. Gain a marker pool with a number of markers equal to twice the total ranks of Leaders in your army.
- These Objectives cannot be placed within 4" of each other or a board edge.
- Objectives are 50mm bases with Size: 4 and Rough keywords.
- While in contact with an Objective you control, a friendly Infantry may perform an Interact Action to gain 1 marker.
- At the end of the round, if the marked model is still alive, your opponent loses 1 morale, and then that marker is removed.
- If a marked model is killed, its marker is returned to your marker pool.
PERSONAL GAIN
- During Deployment, your opponent marks a number of their Infantry equal to twice your total ranks of Leaders.
- Each Infantry may only be marked once.
- While engaged with a marked enemy, friendly Leaders or Specialists may forfeit their Maneuver or their Action. If they do, your opponent loses 1 morale, and then the marker is removed.
Intrigue
DISRUPT SUPPLY LINE
- Before deployment, place a number of Objectives on the battlefield equal to the total ranks of Leaders in your army.
- Place these Objectives anywhere along the dividing lines of your opponent's Deployment Zones (with their bases centered on the line), starting with No Man's Land/[D] and proceeding backwards.
- Objectives are 40mm bases with the Does Not Block LoS and Impassable keywords.
- Only 1 Objective can be placed on each dividing line. If there are more than 4 Objectives, a second may be placed along each divide, as long as all divides have at least 1.
- Friendly models may spend an Interact Action while in contact with an Objective you control. If they do, your opponent loses 2 morale, and then the Objective is removed.
INFILTRATE
- At the start of the game, gain a marker pool containing a number of markers equal to twice the total ranks of Leaders in your army.
- During their activation, friendly Infantry may perform an Interact Action to gain 1 marker if they are in your opponent [C] Deployment Zone, or 2 markers if they are in your opponent's [A] or [B] Deployment Zones.
- At the beginning a marked model's activation, your opponent loses 1 morale per marker, and then those markers are removed.
- If a marked model is killed, its markers are returned to your marker pool.
NO CONFIDENCE
- At the start of the game, each enemy Leader gains a number of markers equal to twice their total rank.
- Each time a friendly Leader or Specialist kills an Infantry that is inside a marked Leader's Sphere of Influence, that enemy Leader must make a Will Check(1). On a failure, remove 1 marker from it, and your opponent loses 1 morale.
Glossary
Here is a list of common special abilities. Note that this is not a complete list, and a model's card should be referenced for any ability not appearing here.
Bolster: This model may make an Assist Action on a model up to 2" away.
Bounce(x): When the dice for this attack are assigned, this model may assign 1 additional die to up to (x) additional enemies within 3" of a target, ignoring LoS.
Critical Blow (x): Replace (x) Strike results on the defender's chart with Overpower.
Defensive Expertise (x): When this model is the defender of an attack, before results are generated, it may force the attacker to re-roll up to (x) dice.
Deflection: This model may Parry ranged and magic attacks.
Evasion (x): When this model is attacked, after any re-rolls are made, you may adjust the results of up to (x) dice up or down by 1, keeping the adjusted result.
Fast: This model may sprint 6" instead of the normal 4".
Feint (1): Replace (1) Parry result on the defender's chart with Strike.
Flying: During free movement, this model may move through models and terrain elements as long as that move does not end over a model's base or a terrain element it could not normally move on.
Follow-Through (x): Replace (x) Block results on the defender's chart with Strike.
Hit and Run: If this model kills an enemy, it may perform a free Sprint Action after that attack is resolved.
Knockback (x): Before results are generated, each model targeted by this attack is forced (x)" away. If that model's movement is stopped by another model the model stopping it suffers a [1] melee attack.
Offensive Expertise (1): When this model performs an attack, before results are generated, it may re-roll up to (1) dice.
Offensive Mastery (x): This model may add up to (x) dice to any attacks it is participating in. Before results are generated, this model removes the same number of dice added to those attacks.
Precision(x): When this model performs an attack, after re-rolls are made, it may adjust the result of (x) dice up or down by 1.
[Reaction] Counter Attack (RESULT) (x): Once per attack, when a (RESULT) is generated against this model, and this model is not killed, this model may perform 1 of its melee attacks on an active enemy in range, replacing the attack's rate with (1).
Skirmisher: During free movement, this model may pass through friendly models as long as that movement does not end over a model's base.
Slow: This model cannot Sprint.
Stalker: This model ignores disengage costs and may engage models after disengaging.
Strong Will: When this model makes a Will Check or is the target of a Will Attack, it gains re-roll(+1).
Sundering(x): Replace (x) Armor results on the defender's chart with Strike.
Suppression(X): Replace (x) Magic results on the defender's chart with Strike.
Swim: This model ignores the Rough keyword of terrain elements that also have the Water keyword.
Unbreakable: Replace the lowest Overpower result on this model's defense chart with Strike.
Unrelenting(x): Replace (x) Dodge results on the defender's chart with Strike.
Unstoppable(x): Replace (x) Non-Hit, Non-Overpower results on the defender's chart with Strike.