BattleLore (First Edition) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• How to Use This Book
• Key Concepts & Object of the Game
  • Object of the Game
• Part I. The Basics
• Setting Up the Game
• Game Turn Overview
• Part I - Chapter 1: Command Cards
  • Phase 1. Play a Command Card
• Part I - Chapter 2: Orders
  • Phase 2. Order Your Units
• Part I - Chapter 3: Movement
  • Phase 3. Move Your Units
  • Foot Units – Movement and Combat Restrictions
  • Mounted Units – Movement and Combat Restrictions
  • Troop Types
• Part I - Chapter 4: Combat
  • Phase 4. Combat Procedure
  • Step 4a. Range & Line of Sight
  • Step 4b. Determining the Number of Battle Dice Rolled
  • Anatomy of a Weapon (Weapon Summary Cards)
  • Step 4c. Accounting for Terrain Effects
  • Step 4d. Resolving the Battle
  • Bonus Strikes and Weapon Effects
  • Misses – Lore
  • Retreats
  • Morale
  • Step 4e. Follow-on Actions
• Part I - Chapter 5: End of Turn
  • Phase 5. End of Turn – Draw a New Command Card
  • End Game and Victory Conditions
• Part II. Advanced BattleLore
• Part II - Chapter 6: Mercenaries
  • Iron Dwarves
  • Goblinoids
• Part II - Chapter 7: Creatures
  • Critical Hits
  • Morale and Support
  • Retreat & Trampling
  • Special Powers & Power-ups
  • Anatomy of a Creature – Creature Summary Card
  • Creature Compendium
• Part II - Chapter 8: Lore
  • An Introduction to Lore
  • Lore Adventures – New Concepts and Modified Game Set-up
  • Lore Cards
  • Phases of Play
  • Abbreviations and Counting Conventions
  • Playing a Lore Card
  • Identifying the Target
  • Targeting Rules
  • Conflicting Rules & Rules Priorities and Precedence
  • Rules Governing Text Interpretation of Lore Cards' Effects
  • Rules Governing Out-of-Character Play
• Part II - Chapter 9: The War Council
  • The Commander
  • Other Lore Masters
  • Lore Masters Progression Levels
  • War Council Set-up
  • Playing a Lore Card Out-of-Character
  • Customizing a War Council
• Part III - The World of BattleLore
• Part III - Chapter 10: Basic Terrain Types
  • Countryside Terrain
  • Wooded Terrain
  • Elevated Terrain
  • Waterways
  • Fords & Fordable Streams
  • Bridges
• Part III - Chapter 11: Landmarks
  • Common Rules and Generic Effects
  • Lore Masters' Landmarks
    • Magic Pentacle (Wizard)
    • Rogue's Den (Rogue)
    • Secret Passage (Rogue)
    • Training Camp (Warrior)
    • Healing Pool (Cleric)
  • Commander's Landmarks
    • Stronghold ×2 (Commander)
    • Ramparts ×4
  • Creatures' Lairs
• Appendix I: Illustrated BattleLore Lexicon
• Appendix II: Units Compendium

How to Use This Book

This Player's Guide introduces you to the BattleLore game system. It not only includes the rules you will need to play the game, but also lays the foundation for many forthcoming expansions. While the size of the book may seem daunting at first, learning the basics of the game is a straightforward, enjoyable endeavor. If you follow the simple guidelines below, you can be playing your first game the very same night you open this book!

If you have never played this game system's predecessor, Days of Wonder's Memoir '44, we recommend that you first read the introductory sections of this book: Key Concepts & Object of the Game; Setting Up the Game; and Game Turn Overview.

Once you have familiarized yourself with these basics, use the opening Medieval Adventure, Agincourt – 1415, to introduce yourself to the fundamentals of the game, progressively working your way through the remaining chapters of Part 1 as you discover the game's various turn phases.

Once you have completed your apprenticeship by exploring the Agincourt adventure from both of the opposing camps, you will be ready to delve deeper into the fantasy aspects of our Uchronia, described in Part II of this book – Advanced BattleLore.

In Chapter 6 – Mercenaries, you will learn how to deploy troops of a few now-long forgotten mythical races. From there, it will only be a short journey before you're ready to confront the monstrous Creatures introduced in Chapter 7 – Creatures. In Chapter 8 – Lore, you'll discover, and begin to master the power and magic of the Lore system that gives the game its name. Finally, you will be ready to form your own War Council and lead the charge, as explained in Chapter 9 – The War Council.

If you are already familiar with the game's concepts, having played Memoir '44 or similar card-driven miniature game systems before, we invite you to jump right in. Set up the game and play Adventures 1 through 10, starting with Agincourt - 1415. Please pay particular heed to the various Summary Tables included in this book, and to the sidebars. They introduce key concepts specific to BattleLore. Along with the Summary cards, they will go a long way toward helping you quickly grasp the game's essential mechanics.

A note about multi-player games: This Player's Guide introduces BattleLore primarily as a two-player (or two teams) game, with each side leading one of the two warring camps. While some components (cardholders, and the reverse side of game board for Epic Adventures) are designed to facilitate larger scale play, these additional capabilities are beyond the scope of this book and the core game.

Key Concepts & Object of the Game

BattleLore is a new type of game, combining various elements and aspects of cards, miniatures, role-playing and board games. The concepts that follow are fundamental to the game's dynamic and its underlying principles.

A game session is built around a carefully crafted Adventure which depicts a Battlefield and the forces that you and your game partners will attempt to lead to victory. There are several types of adventures including: Medieval Adventures, which are historical in nature; Lore Adventures, which are fantasy-based, taking full advantage of all that BattleLore's world has to offer; and Epic Adventures, which are beyond the scope of this current book, and will be the subject of a future volume.

The forces on the battlefield are represented by plastic miniatures, pre-positioned on the game board according to an adventure's specific instructions. These miniatures represent the troops under your command. Each group of Figures gathered on the same Hex is said to form a Unit.

Each unit is composed of a Banner Bearer, and, in most cases, some additional figures. The Banner Bearer is a key element in the game and offers visual clues as to the nature of the Troops he leads into combat. The Banner Bearer is also the last figure of a unit to be removed from the Battlefield, when the unit is finally defeated.

In BattleLore, each Side, or warring faction, has its own distinctive banner style: a Standard Banner and a Pennant Banner.

For more details on how to read a unit's Banner, please see the sidebar, Anatomy of a Unit on p.13 of Chapter 2 – Orders.

The game board, and the Terrain pieces and Landmarks it supports, depict the battlefield on which a game will be fought. Two red dotted lines delineate the battlefield's three distinct Sections, respectively forming a Left Wing, Center, and Right Wing for each Camp. Hexes that straddle a red dotted line are always considered as simultaneously belonging to both the corresponding wing and center section.

The game is fought over a number of successive Game Turns, taken by the players alternately. During his turn, the forces under a player's control are ordered into Movement and Battle with the play of a Command card and its associated effects. The Command card usually dictates the number of units ordered for the turn, as well as the section(s) of the battlefield to which they belong.

When combat occurs, its outcome is decided with the roll of a varying number of Battle Dice; the sides of the dice rolled dictate the effects of combat and the eventual damage inflicted upon the enemy's troops.

Object of the Game

In BattleLore, the object of a game session is usually to be the first to capture a specific number of Victory Banners such as those held by the units' Banner Bearers. Depending on the adventure's victory conditions, the number of banners required to win will usually vary between four and seven.

A Victory Banner is gained each time the last figure (Banner Bearer) of an enemy unit is eliminated and removed from the battlefield. The Banner Bearer of the unit just defeated is then placed onto the victor's Victory Track.

In some adventures, additional Victory Banners - in the form of Victory Blazon tokens - can be won by capturing certain terrain hexes or accomplishing other adventure-specific objectives.

Part I. The Basics

Part I of this book covers the game's basics: how to set up an adventure, how to play a Medieval Adventure if you've never played one before, and the key Medieval tactical aspects of the game.

Setting Up the Game

For your first game, we recommend that you set up and play Agincourt - 1415, an adventure expressly designed to introduce you to the basics of Medieval warfare. Focused solely on the historical confrontation between the English and the French, two human Armies, it will give you and your opponent a chance to master the game's basics.

The instructions that follow are common to the set-up for all adventures. Following them each time you start a game will greatly hasten your set-up time.

1. Place the game board in the center of the table, with the proper face (single board battle map, unless in Epic mode) visible. This is your battlefield. Assemble the Cardholders, and place them next to each player's edge of the board.

2. Place Terrain hexes on the battlefield as indicated per the adventure's Battle Map.

Because the hexes are double-sided, to minimize conflicts (and frustrating searches for the right piece), we recommend laying out the Terrain pieces in the order in which they appear on the side bar of each battle map. Start from the top and methodically work your way down to the bottom of the list.

Agincourt note: There are no supplemental Terrain pieces in Agincourt.

Agincourt note (Wood hexes): Lay the 13 Wood hexes bordering Agincourt's battlefield.

3. Place other supplemental terrain and game pieces (bridges, on-the-map Victory Blazons, special resources and game tokens, specially denoted Landmarks, etc...) on the battlefield, as indicated per the adventure's battle map and battle notes.

4. Now place figures on the battlefield, matching the various units' positions on the adventure's battle map. We recommend you initially set aside the required type and number of Banner Bearers, and place them on the battlefield first, using the board's borders and wing boundaries (red-dotted lines) to quickly locate the correct hexes. Then complement each unit with its required number of figures. (Foot Unit – 4 figures total, Mounted Unit – 3 figures total, Creature – 1 figure unless specified otherwise)

In Agincourt, the forces present are 5 units of Green Banner Archers, 3 Blue Banner Regular Infantry and 1 Red Banner Heavy Infantry for the Pennant Bearers (English and Welsh forces), and 6 units of Blue Banner Regular Infantry, 1 Blue Banner Regular Cavalry, 2 Red Banner Heavy Cavalry, and a single Green Banner Archer unit for the Standard Bearers (the French).

5. Hand each camp a complete set of the applicable Summary cards: Units (Foot, Mounted, Creatures); Weapons (Common Bow, Short Sword, Long Sword, Crossbow); and Rules (Battle Dice, Medieval Tactics, Morale) for all the forces present on the board. Likewise, place the Summary cards of the various Landmarks and Terrain pieces that are in play on one of the board's sides, within view of all players.

For Agincourt, each player receives a set of the following Summary cards: Foot Units, Mounted Units, Common Bow, Short Sword, Long Sword, Battle Dice, Medieval Tactics, and Morale.

6. Shuffle the Command card deck thoroughly, and deal Command cards to each player as indicated by the adventure's battle notes. Place the cards received in your respective cardholders.

In Agincourt, the English player receives 6 Command cards, and the French player 4.

7. Set the remainder of the deck of Command cards face down, alongside the board, within easy reach of the players. Read aloud any of the adventure's special rules or victory conditions. Hand out to each player a set of 6 battle dice.

There are no special rules or victory conditions in Agincourt.

8. You are now ready to lead your troops to a hopefully well-planned and decisive victory! The first player, as indicated by the adventure's battle notes, starts the game.

In Agincourt, the English player starts the game.

Game Turn Overview

The player listed in the adventure's battle notes starts first. Players then alternate turns, until one of the players reaches the number of Victory Banners indicated by the adventure's victory conditions.

On your turn, follow the sequence below:

• COMMAND phase: Play a Command card.
• ORDER phase: Announce all units you intend to order, within the limits of the Section or Tactic Command card just played.
• MOVEMENT phase: Move all ordered units you wish, one at a time. Respect unit and terrain movement limitations, as per the Terrain Summary cards.
• COMBAT phase: Battle one ordered unit at a time. Select an enemy unit and:
  • Verify that your target is within range and line of sight;
  • Announce the number of battle dice you are entitled to roll, per your unit's troop type and weapon type;
  • Adjust your number of battle dice, based on any terrain effects;
  • Roll the resulting number of battle dice, and apply their effect, per the attacking unit's weapon card, scoring hits first, then retreats;
  • If appropriate, conduct follow-on actions (gaining ground, pursuit action, Bonus Melee attack and/or enemy battle back).
• DRAW phase: Draw a new Command card. (In Lore Adventures, also draw new Lore cards and/or tokens.)

Part I - Chapter 1: Command Cards

Phase 1. Play a Command Card

At the start of your turn, play a Command card from your hand. Place it face up in front of you, and read it aloud.

Command cards are normally used to order units to move and/or battle. The card you play dictates in which section(s) of the battlefield you may issue orders, and how many units you may order.

If you ever find yourself in a situation where no unit can be ordered by the Command card just played, disregard steps 2 through 4 of the Game turn (described in the correspondingly numbered chapters), directly draw a new Command card and end your turn (see Chapter 5 - End of Turn).

Conflicting Rules & Rules Priorities and Precedence: In case of conflict between the Basic Rules in this book and the text on a Command card, the text on the Command card takes precedence.

There are two types of Command cards:

Section cards are recognizable by their iconic representation of the battlefield on the lower half of the card. They are used to order a set number of units from the sections highlighted on the card.

If the number of units to be ordered is not a fixed number, but instead is marked as Equal to Command, then the number of units a player may order is equal to the number of Command cards in the player's possession (including the Command card currently being played). This is usually the same number of Command cards that the player started the game with, per the adventure's battle notes.

Example: The English player in Agincourt may order up to 6 Units on his Left Wing when playing this card.

Tactic cards usually feature an illustration, and an explicit description of the number and type of units that can be ordered by the play of the card.

Some Tactic cards are used to order units of the same Troop type across the battlefield, i.e. units sharing the same Banner color. When the location of these units is not specified, the Tactic card can be used to order units from anywhere across the battlefield. The units ordered must still operate under any other criteria imposed on them by the play of the card.

Example: The French player orders two Regular Blue Banners by playing a Blue Banner card; his Heavy Cavalry with a Red Banner must stay put and cannot be ordered this turn. The English player orders his remaining Archer units across the board. Here one of these Archer units cannot be ordered, because it is already in contact with the enemy.

Part I - Chapter 2: Orders

Phase 2. Order Your Units

After playing a Command card, announce which corresponding unit(s) you choose to order. Only those units that are issued an order may move, battle or take a special action, during this turn.

Units on a hex with a red dotted line running through it may be ordered from either section.

You may only give one order to each unit during the course of a single game turn.

If a Command card allows you to issue more orders in a given section of the battlefield than you currently have units in that section, those additional orders are lost.

Anatomy of a Unit: The Banner type (Standard banner and Pennant banner shapes, respectively) and Banner pattern (fleur-de-lys and lion's head) confirm which camp a unit is allied with, something that becomes quite handy in the midst of heavy Melee combat! Figures grouped together on the same hex form a unit. A unit's most important member is its Banner Bearer, who proudly carries the unit's colors into combat. Each banner displays many characteristics, making it easy for both sides to rapidly identify the most distinctive capabilities of each unit in play.

The color of a banner's background field or Banner undertone reveals that unit's Troop type – or level of military training. Its Weapon Symbol indicates the weapon this unit wields in combat.

More details about each level of military training can be found in the sidebar on Troop Types, on p.16 of Chapter 3 – Movement, and more details on weapons are in the Anatomy of a Weapon sidebar on p.22 of Chapter 4 – Combat.

A Banner Bearer is always the unit's last figure to remain on the hex during combat. Its elimination marks the defeat of the unit, and the gain of a corresponding Victory Banner for the opponent.

Part I - Chapter 3: Movement

Phase 3. Move Your Units

Movements are announced and made sequentially, one ordered unit at a time, in the sequence of your choice. A unit may only move once per turn. A unit that is ordered does not have to move.

You must complete one unit's movement before beginning another. In addition, you must complete all units' movement before proceeding to Battle (step 4 – Chapter 4).

Ordered units may move from one section of the battlefield into another.

A unit may never move onto any of the dimmed half-hexes that border the battlefield. A unit may only move off the battlefield's edges when explicitly allowed to by the adventure's battle notes.

Two units may not occupy the same hex. When moving a unit, you may not move onto or through a hex occupied by enemy or friendly units.

Example: To move the Blue Banner Swordsmen unit to its destination on the Forest's right, you must first move the unit in front of it out of the way. The Blue Banner Cavalry must move 3 hexes, around the Archers, to reach its destination. First, move the right unit, 1 hex to the right, then move the other unit. This is forbidden: moving the unit in front of the Blue Banner Swordsmen unit directly through the occupied hex would be a breach of the rule above.

Splitting is forbidden. You may not split off individual figures from a unit; they must stay together and always move as a group.

Regrouping is forbidden. A unit that is reduced through casualties may not combine with another unit.

Ordered units move differently according to their troop type and status (foot or mounted).

Foot Units – Movement and Combat Restrictions

• An ordered Green Banner unit on foot may move up to 2 hexes and battle.
• An ordered Blue Banner unit on foot may move up to 1 hex and battle or 2 hexes and not battle.
• An ordered Red Banner unit on foot may move up to 1 hex and battle.

Mounted Units – Movement and Combat Restrictions

• A mounted Green Banner unit that is ordered may move up to 4 hexes and battle.
• A mounted Blue Banner unit that is ordered may move up to 3 hexes and battle.
• A mounted Red Banner unit that is ordered may move up to 2 hexes and battle.

Some terrain features impact movement and may prevent a unit from moving its full distance or battling (see Terrain in Chapter 10 – Basic Terrain Types). Retreat movement rules vary slightly from regular movement (see section on Retreat on p.25 of Chapter 4 – Combat).

Troop Types

In BattleLore, there are three Troop types, roughly corresponding to three distinct levels of military training.

• Blue Banner troops, identified by the blue background field of their banners, usually form the backbone of a regular army. Trained to battle in Melee and advance in military formations, these are usually professionally equipped men-at-arms, or Regulars of an army, well versed in military matters.
• Green Banner troops, identified by the green undertone or background field of their banners, are used to denote young, untrained recruits drawn from the masses. In some Races, they are called Irregulars. Their weapon is usually little more than a simple sword, common bow or a stick, and they usually wear little to no body armor. Their military training tends to be meager or non-existent; on the flipside, they usually benefit from having good mobility.
• Red Banner troops, identified by the red background field of their banners, form the Heavy shock troops of an army. Often held in reserve to deliver the decisive coup-de-grace in battle, they possess the best weapons, the top mounts and the finest armor. On the flipside, these assets greatly encumber them and they display much less mobility than other units.

Part I - Chapter 4: Combat

Phase 4. Combat Procedure

Resolve each battle. To battle: announce the ordered unit you want to attack with, and its target. Then, sequentially:

• Verify that your target is within Range and Line of sight;
• Announce the number of battle dice you are entitled to roll per your unit's troop and weapon type;
• Adjust your number of battle dice, based on potential terrain effects;
• Roll the resulting number of battle dice, and apply their effects, per the Attacking unit's weapon card, scoring hits first, then retreats;
• If appropriate, conduct follow-on actions (gaining ground, pursuit action, bonus melee attack or enemy battle back).

Battles are resolved sequentially, one ordered unit at a time in the sequence of your choice. You must announce and resolve one unit's battle (including all related follow-on actions stemming from that battle) entirely before proceeding to any other ordered unit's battle.

A unit may only be ordered to battle once per turn; in some instances however, it may receive the opportunity to battle again, as part of the same order, during a successful Pursuit action. For additional details, refer to Conducting Follow-on Actions, on p.28 of Chapter 4 – Combat.

A unit that is ordered does not have to battle, even when adjacent to an Enemy unit.

A unit may not split its battle dice between several enemy targets during the same dice roll.

The number of casualties (lost figures) a unit has suffered does not affect the number of battle dice it will roll in combat. A unit with a single remaining figure fights just as bravely as a unit at full strength. It is just more vulnerable, since a single hit will suffice to eliminate it.

Step 4a. Range & Line of Sight

Range. To check whether a target is within range, simply count the distance, in number of hexes, separating the attacking unit from its target. Exclude the attacking unit's hex from the count, but include the target's hex. The distance must be smaller or equal to the weapon's stated range.

Melee. A unit attacking an adjacent enemy unit is said to be engaging that enemy in Melee. Targets engaged in Melee are always considered within range of their attacker, regardless of the attacker's weapon. If the attacker's weapon is a missile weapon used at Point Blank (i.e. to attack a unit on an Adjacent hex), the attack is still considered a Melee.

A unit adjacent to an enemy unit must engage this enemy unit in Melee if it chooses to battle. It may not target another, more distant, enemy unit, even if in range and armed to do so.

Example: Green Banner Archers adjacent to an enemy must engage that adjacent enemy, firing on them at point blank range, despite an obvious desire to finish off the more distant, lone enemy unit.

Ranged attacks. All other, more distant, attacks beyond the range of adjacent hexes are considered to be Ranged attacks. Ranged attacks are only available to units equipped with Ranged weapons (missile weapons, firing weapons, etc.). The range of a weapon is measured in hexes.

There are two basic ranged weapons in BattleLore:

• The Common Bow, with a range of 4 hexes;
• The Crossbow, with a range of 3 hexes.

Line of Sight. In Ranged combat, the attacking unit must also have the enemy it wants to target within line of sight, i.e. it must be able to "see" the enemy it wishes to battle.

To check for line of sight, imagine a line drawn from the center of the hex containing the battling unit to the center of the hex containing the enemy target. This line of sight is considered blocked if any hex (or part of a hex) intercepting this imaginary line segment contains an obstruction. Obstructions include all units (friends or foes), certain types of terrain features, and all shaded half-hexes on the edges of the battlefield.

The terrain in the target hex does not block line of sight.

When the imaginary line runs along the edge of one or several hexes which contain obstructions, the line of sight is not blocked, unless the obstructions stand somewhere along both sides of the line segment.

Examples: The Green Banner Archers have line of sight to the unit in the woods' border, but not to the other unit hiding behind the woods. Archers have line of sight, but their line of sight is blocked on both sides. Line of sight is blocked by the center unit.

Step 4b. Determining the Number of Battle Dice Rolled

In battle, the number of Battle Dice rolled by default is determined by the type of troops the attacking unit belongs to, hence by the color of its banner.

Battle Dice Rolls for Standard Troops:

• Green Banner troops roll 2 dice
• Blue Banner troops roll 3 dice
• Red Banner troops roll 4 dice

Some units that battle are subject to the combat restrictions stemming from their movement prior to battle, as described in Movement and Combat restrictions on p.16-17 of Chapter 3 – Movement. If a unit moves too far, it may not be able to battle this turn.

Examples: Exhausted by their run, these Blue Banner Swordsmen cannot battle this turn. Climbing onto these ramparts forces these Red Banner Swordsmen to postpone their battle until next turn.

The weapon used by a unit is represented by a symbol on the unit's banner. This same symbol is on the weapon's Summary card, which contains additional information about the weapon and its use and effects.

Anatomy of a Weapon (Weapon Summary Cards)

The banner color of the unit wearing the weapon determines the number of Battle Dice rolled, as per Battle Dice Rolls for Standard Troops above.

BattleLore troops come equipped with a variety of weapons. These weapons are represented on the figures and on the Banner Bearers' Standard or Pennant. Each weapon type has its own Weapon Symbol, drawn on the inner portion of the Standard or Pennant, and on the matching Weapon card.

The Weapon cards bear the following information:

• Weapon Symbol;
• Weapon Name;
• Weapon Type (Melee and/or Ranged) and Weapon reach (in hexes);
• Bonus Strike: Describes potential bonus strike conditions;
• Damage: The weapon's standard damage, expressed in number of battle dice rolled. Usually, this will be dictated solely by the banner color of the unit wearing the weapon;
• Special: Any other special rules relevant to the weapon's use.

For a complete overview of BattleLore's most commonly used weapons, please refer to the Bonus Strikes and Weapon Effects section in Step 4d. of this chapter.

A unit's weapon may impact the number of dice it rolls. For instance, Archers on the move fire at -1d, as indicated on the Common Bow Summary card.

A unit's weapon may also impact the outcome of the dice rolled. For instance, the Foot unit's short sword is not quite as effective against mounted units as it is against other units on Foot. As a result, one Sword on Shield symbol rolled is ignored when a foot unit equipped with a Short sword attacks a mounted enemy.

Step 4c. Accounting for Terrain Effects

The terrain in which the target – and in some instances, the attacking unit – battles from, may impact (usually reduce) the number of battle dice rolled in combat. To adjust the number of battle dice to roll for these Terrain effects, please refer to Chapter 10 – Basic Terrain Types and Chapter 11 - Landmarks, or consult the relevant Terrain Summary cards.

Step 4d. Resolving the Battle

Roll the resulting number of battle dice against the target. Note that you cannot declare a battle, if you have no target to fight against: You can't just slash the air (in the hope of collecting Lore tokens in Lore Adventures; see Misses – Lore p.25).

Hits are resolved first, followed by Retreats.

Hits. In battle, the attacker scores one Hit for each colored helmet rolled that matches the banner color of the unit targeted. Other colors rolled are always a Miss. Throughout these rules, when we refer to a banner color rolled, we mean a Colored Helmet symbol whose color matches the target unit's banner color. Unless specified otherwise on the attacking unit's Weapon card, the Sword on Shield symbol and the Lore symbol are also misses.

For each hit scored, remove one figure from the target unit. Always remove the unit's Banner Bearer last. When the Banner Bearer is finally removed, place his figure on top of one of the empty wax seals, on the Victory track on your side of the battle map.

When an attacking unit rolls more hits than the number of figures in the defending unit, these additional hits have no effect.

Bonus Strike. A Bonus Strike is scored when specified on the attacking unit's Weapon card. Otherwise, it is a miss. In some instances, additional weapon effects (ignoring one Sword on Shield symbol rolled, reduced firing effectiveness following a move, etc…) may apply, modifying the resulting dice roll.

Bonus Strikes and Weapon Effects

BattleLore's four basic weapons are:

• The Short Sword: Used exclusively in Melee, the Short Sword is the Infantry's weapon of choice. A Short Sword hits on all helmets rolled whose color matches the target's banner color, and on all Sword on Shield symbols rolled against Infantry. However, because of its short reach, this weapon puts units using it at a distinct disadvantage against mounted opponents; Mounted units ignore one Sword on Shield symbol rolled against them by Short Sword carrying units.

• The Common Bow: The weapon of choice for lightly protected units, who prefer to engage the enemy from a relatively safe distance, the Common Bow can be fired at point blank and onto enemies up to four hexes away. The Common Bow hits exclusively on helmets rolled whose color matches their target's banner color. Taking aim requires a steady arm: When fired by a unit that moved during the same turn, 1 less die than normal is rolled (i.e. a Green Archer unit on the move rolls 1d against its enemy, instead of its standard 2d).

• The Long Sword: Identical to the Short Sword in all but one aspect (it hits opponents' helmets rolled whose color matches the target's banner color, and on all Sword on Shield symbols rolled, regardless of the enemy's status – foot or mounted). The Long Sword is the weapon of choice for Mounted units, its longer reach making it equally effective against all opponents.

• The Crossbow: Sturdier and heavier than the Common Bow, the Crossbow benefits from increased penetration capabilities: it not only hits its targets on all helmets matching the target's banner color, but also on Sword on Shield symbols. However it suffers from a shorter range (only up to three hexes), and its slower reload speed means that all Sword on Shield symbols rolled are ignored when fired at point blank range.

Examples (Short Sword): Cavalry rolls 1 Blue Banner color, 1 Red and 1 Bonus Strike. Under attack, this Cavalry takes two hits: one for the Blue Banner color rolled against it, and one for the second symbol rolled against it, causing the removal of 2 figures. It ignores one Bonus Strike as a result of the Short Sword's limited effectiveness against Mounted units. The same attack, directed at Blue Banner infantry, would have caused 3 casualties – one for the Blue Banner color rolled, and one for each of the two symbols rolled!

Examples (Common Bow): The Archers roll 2 dice when not moving… and a single die when on the move.

Example (Crossbow): Its feet firmly planted on the ground, this Dwarven Crossbow unit rolls 2 symbols, picking off 2 Cavalry figures in the distance. The defending Archers lose 1 figure and must retreat. The Lore symbol has no effect in a Medieval Adventure. In a Lore Adventure, the attacker now also gains a Lore token. A much better result than if it had foolishly rushed to contact, losing 1d in the move, and making the other dice a miss at point blank!

Misses – Lore

In Medieval Adventures such as those described in Part I of this book (e.g. Agincourt), any Lore rolled is a miss.

In Lore Adventures that use the Lore system described in Chapter 8 – Lore, the Lore side of the Battle die is not an outright miss when rolled. Instead, the player who rolls a Lore symbol in battle collects a Lore token from the Lore pool to add to the reserve in his Lore goblet. In those same adventures, the Lore symbol may also be used in situations involving Lore cards and the like. In this case, Lore tokens are not collected into one's Lore goblet; instead, the Lore symbols rolled trigger the specified Lore cards' effect.

Retreats

After all hits have been resolved and casualties removed, Retreats are resolved. For each Retreat Flag rolled against it, the target unit must move one hex back toward its own side of the battlefield. Two flags push the unit back two hexes, etc.

The player controlling the unit decides which hex his unit retreats onto using the following rules:

• A unit must always retreat toward its Controlling player's side.
• Terrain has no effect on retreat moves, therefore a retreating unit may move through a wooded terrain or fordable stream, for example, without stopping. However, impassable terrain may not be moved onto or through during a retreat move.
• A unit may not retreat onto, or through, a hex already containing another unit (regardless if friend or foe).
• If a unit cannot retreat because its retreat path is blocked by another unit or impassable terrain, or it is forced to retreat off the limits of the battlefield, one figure must be removed from the unit for each retreat hex of movement that cannot be completed.

Example: The unit has two possible retreat hexes. With another unit in the way, only one retreat path remains. Both retreat paths are now blocked, one by a friendly unit, the other by impassable terrain. The unit must lose a figure instead.

Morale

Some situations allow a unit to ignore one or more Retreat flags and defend themselves valiantly, while other conditions make a unit Frightened and subject to panic. A unit's Morale level determines how a unit reacts to Retreat flags rolled against it.

A unit's morale ranges from Frightened (when the unit is squeamish), to Normal (the morale of most units by default) to Bold (when the unit feels particularly valiant and determined to take a stand and fight back).

Normal. By default, all troops are considered to be at a Normal level of morale. They are neither particularly Frightened nor Bold; as a result, in battle, when forced to retreat, they follow the standard Retreat rules described above, retreating 1 hex toward their side for each flag rolled against them.

Bold. A unit that has the capability to ignore a flag rolled against it in battle is a Bold unit. It can more easily hold its ground than is typical in combat. A Bold unit is never forced to ignore any flag rolled against it. If the player controlling that unit judges it preferable, he may opt to have the unit retreat through the corresponding hex(es) if he chooses. When forced to retreat, Bold units follow the standard Retreat rules described above, retreating 1 hex toward their side for each flag rolled against them above and beyond those that may be ignored as a result of their Bold status.

Example: The Swordsman unit could ignore the flag because of the Rampart's protection, but chooses to retreat nonetheless because the enemy Cavalry hasn't battled it yet.

In future game supplements, a unit might be given the ability to ignore more than one flag in the same battle. In this case, the number of flags it may ignore in battle will be indicated in subscript, next to its Bold status. For instance, a unit that may ignore two flags in battle will be indicated as Bold2, and one that may ignore all flags rolled against it, will have its morale marked as Boldall.

Frightened. A Frightened unit flees easily and further away than normal. By default, Frightened units retreat two hexes for each flag rolled against them, instead of the standard one hex per flag of Normal units.

All additional flags rolled during the same battle dice roll, above and beyond those that can be ignored, automatically trigger a retreat, and must be taken. Likewise, flags that may be ignored but are not, cannot be saved from one dice roll to the next; i.e., it is not possible to voluntarily take a flag now in the hope of ignoring two flags on the next dice roll.

Example: Because of their easily frightened nature, the Goblins must retreat 4 hexes (2 for each flag rolled against them). The Swordsmen can ignore one flag, thanks to the Rampart's protection, but must retreat because of the 2nd flag rolled in this battle.

In future game supplements, if a Frightened unit has to retreat a greater number of hexes per flag, the exact number of hexes it must retreat on each flag rolled against it will be indicated in subscript, next to its Frightened status.

The table on the following page describes the different possible Morale levels of a unit during play, and the impact of its morale on retreats and associated game effects. Battle backs are explained in Follow-on actions on p.28 of this chapter, and Check for Panic Losses on p.39 of Chapter 6 – Mercenaries.

Morale Effects (summary):

Morale	Effect
Bold	Unit may ignore a flag, and battle back if opportunity arises. When forced to retreat, unit retreats as normal, 1 hex per flag rolled against it.
Normal	When forced to retreat, unit retreats as normal, 1 hex per flag rolled against it.
Frightened	When forced to retreat, unit must retreat 2 hexes for each flag rolled. Unit must also check for Panic Losses.

Step 4e. Follow-on Actions

In some instances, a unit in Melee (i.e. engaged in hand-to-hand combat or firing at point blank range) may be entitled to take some Follow-on actions. These actions are defined below, and considered to be part of the same "battle sequence" as the battle that initiates them.

Unless explicitly specified otherwise, no follow-on actions apply to units in Ranged combat, only to units engaging their enemy in Melee.

Morale Modifiers. Certain conditions, such as the nature of the terrain a unit is standing on, the unit's racial characteristics or combat prowess, temporary magical enchantments and other Lore-driven conditions, etc. may temporarily or permanently modify a unit's morale. Examples of Morale modifiers include:

• Support – The most common way for a unit to boost its morale is to receive support from adjacent, friendly units. A unit adjacent to at least two friendly units (see Support, below) may always ignore a flag. It is Bold for as long as it continues to receive support;
• The effects of certain Lore cards coming in play may also affect a unit's morale;
• Racial bonuses – Dwarven infantry may ignore a flag. They are Bold by default – see Dwarves p.37 of Chapter 6 – Mercenaries;
• Terrain – Certain Terrain types or hexes modify the morale of the unit on them. Landmarks typically boost their occupier's morale, allowing them to ignore a flag for as long as they occupy the Landmark.

Gaining Ground. When a unit defending itself from a Melee attack vacates the hex on which it stood (either because it was eliminated or because it is forced out of the hex it was defending), its adjacent attacker may Gain Ground and move onto the just-vacated hex.

Pursuit Action. If the successful melee attacker is a mounted unit, it may gain ground and then move 1 additional hex beyond the just-vacated one. This follow-on movement is called a Pursuit. Even if the attacking unit simply moves into the just-vacated enemy hex, or if it moves into that hex and then returns to its original Melee position; it is still considered to be in pursuit.

Pursuit actions are subject to normal terrain movement restrictions.

A defending unit that is allowed, as a result of magic or a special action (ambush, etc.), to battle before an attacking unit, is not eligible to gain ground or make a pursuit action.

Example: The defending Cavalry's ambush succeeds in pushing its attacker back, depriving him from his battle. However, the Cavalry cannot press its advantage into a Pursuit and Bonus Attack.

Example: All three moves are valid Pursuit moves, in prelude to a Bonus Attack.

Bonus Melee Attack. Ranged attacks never give an attacker the opportunity to gain ground or initiate a pursuit – even if the attack was successful in pushing its target back or eliminating it.

A mounted unit that makes a pursuit action is entitled to a Bonus Melee attack, against the same target or any other target it is adjacent to following its pursuit move. This Bonus Melee attack is optional. The unit in pursuit is never forced to attack again.

Only units in pursuit are entitled to this bonus attack. If the bonus attack is made, it must be a Melee, not a Ranged attack.

The target of the Bonus Melee attack does not have to be the same as the original one, even if the original target is still alive and adjacent.

Terrain combat restrictions apply to Bonus Melee attacks the same as they do to normal attacks, unless specified otherwise.

If a pursuit is not made, the attacker foregoes any potential bonus Melee attack that may have resulted from it.

An attacking unit in pursuit, that successfully completes a Bonus Melee attack and eliminates or pushes back its target, is eligible to gain ground but cannot make another pursuit action. The attacking unit is not eligible for a second Bonus Melee attack. Movement ends after it gains ground.

Example: Despite pushing their target back, these Archers cannot Gain Ground.

Gaining ground and pursuit actions are never mandatory; they remain the attacking player's choice.

A unit's initial Melee battle, pursuit action and Bonus Melee attack must all be completed before the next unit may battle.

Support. The most common way for a unit to gain the power to ignore a flag and temporarily boost its morale is to make sure it stays adjacent to at least two friendly units. The unit is said to receive Support from its adjacent units. Its morale is immediately boosted to Bold; the unit gains the ability to ignore one flag rolled against it; it may also battle back against its attacker in Melee if it survives the initial attack and holds its ground. This morale boost, and its benefits, remains as long as the unit holds its ground and continues to receive support.

Examples: Supported units hold their ground and battle back; unsupported units, caught in the field with no Support, are dangerous to remain with. The Cavalry rolls 2 dice attacking up the hill. The Archers flee 2 hexes.

Battle Back. In Melee combat, any defending unit that may ignore a flag (i.e. any unit whose morale is Bold) at the time of its attack is entitled to Battle back. It may fight back as soon as the attacker's dice roll is completed and fully resolved, assuming it survived the initial assault and did not vacate the hex it was standing on.

Examples: Support is reciprocal, as illustrated by Strong Mutual Support. Melees are often brutal affairs.

If the defending unit is forced off its hex, for any reason, during the initial Melee attack, its opportunity to battle back during this battle is lost, even if the unit falls back into another supported position once its retreat is completed. If it manages to stay in the same hex however, it may battle back against its attacker, even if the only reason it stayed in its initial hex was because its retreat path was cut off.

Example: The unit is cornered and forced to lose 2 figures, but may battle back!

Battle backs are resolved in a similar manner to regular battles, except that no further battle back is possible during this battle back. The Active Player's unit that conducted the initial attack is now in a defending posture, and cannot battle its opponent back. The battle must stop immediately after the non-active player's battle back.

Units battling back an attacker are never entitled to gain ground, or make pursuit actions or Bonus Melee attacks.

The target of a Ranged attack is never eligible to battle back. Only units engaged in Melee may battle back.

A defending unit can be Bold for any number of reasons: support from friendly adjacent troops; racial benefit; magic; etc. (See Morale Modifiers, Chapter 4 – Combat.) It is only required that the unit be Bold at the time of its battle back.

Part I - Chapter 5: End of Turn

Phase 5. End of Turn – Draw a New Command Card

After completing all movements and resolving all hits, retreats and potential follow-on actions for all ordered units, discard the Command card played and draw another card from the deck. Your turn is now over.

If the draw deck runs out of cards, shuffle the discards to form a new draw deck.

End Game and Victory Conditions

Players alternate taking turns until one of the players reaches the number of Victory Banners indicated by the adventure's victory conditions.

In addition to capturing banners through the elimination of enemy units, players may accumulate Victory Banners in a number of ways: capturing certain terrain hexes, accomplishing adventure-specific objectives, etc. Such victory conditions will be explicitly spelled out in the adventure's battle notes.

A game always ends the very moment a player reaches his required number of Victory Banners, regardless of when this occurs during the game turn. This means that a game might even end on a successful battle back, with the victory of the active player's opponent.

Part II. Advanced BattleLore

Part II of this book introduces the fantasy aspects of the Uchronia described in BattleLore: the Mercenaries, Creatures, and the Lore system.

Part II - Chapter 6: Mercenaries

BattleLore armies often recruit Mercenary troops to fight at their side, luring them in with the promise of riches and glory, a shared racial affinity, and even some old-fashioned blackmail and forced labor.

Two Mercenary Commands, an Iron Dwarf Infantry and a Goblinoid Horde, are included in the core game. Additional mercenary commands and new races will be introduced in future expansions.

Iron Dwarves

Dwarven troops are renowned for their tenacity in the face of adversity, as well as for their rather peculiar form of dress!

Special Power – Iron Morale: All Iron Dwarf foot units are Bold: They may ignore one flag rolled against them in battle. As a result, even when caught alone in an open field with no support, a dwarf unit is highly likely to battle back, making it a fearsome foe.

Example: Even when caught without support, in the open, Dwarven Infantry remains a dangerous foe, ready to battle back.

If a dwarf unit is supported, it becomes even bolder; thus a dwarf infantry in support may ignore 2 flags rolled against it in any battle dice roll; it is effectively Bold2 for as long as it remains supported.

Example: Dwarven Infantry can hold the walls like no other, ignoring 3 flags here – one as Dwarves, one because of the Ramparts' protection, and the last one because of their brethren's support.

Goblinoids

Goblinoid troops increasingly roam the land, especially in the Southern regions of the continent. Easily recognizable by their tattered clothing and rag-tag equipment, they've gained a (deserved?) reputation for squeamishness when caught alone, and viciousness when hunting in hordes.

Goblin Run – As goblinoids are easily scared, all goblinoid units are considered Frightened the moment they are forced to retreat. As a result, they must retreat 2 hexes for each flag rolled against them that they turn out to be unable to ignore. They must also always check for Panic Losses during their retreat move.

Special Powers – Goblin Rush: All Goblinoid foot units, including Blue and Red Banner Goblinoid units, may rush up to two hexes to engage an enemy unit in Melee. They must then engage this enemy in battle, this same turn (unless the enemy dies before then!). If they do not wish to battle, these troops are subject to the usual movement and combat restrictions of Blue and Red Banner foot units. These units also remain subject to the terrain movement and battle restrictions of the ground they cover.

Example: A Hobgoblin Swordsman unit rushes into battle.

Panic Loss Checks. A unit that is Frightened is subject to Panic Loss checks when forced to retreat. In a panic check, the attacking player rolls 1 battle die for each hex of retreat ground covered by his enemy's retreating unit. Only hexes actually retreated over, not hexes of blocked retreats, count toward the total number of battle dice rolled in a panic loss check. Any dice rolled that matches the retreating unit's banner color is a hit and kills a figure of that unit. All other dice results (other helmet colors, Sword on Shield symbol, Lore symbol, flag) are ignored during the panic check.

Example: Goblin Swordsmen rush into battle, but the Dwarves refuse to run and battle back vigorously, routing their attacker and massacring them as they flee! Thanks to the support it receives from its friendly neighbors, this Goblin unit ignores one flag, but it is forced to take the next 2 flags, and retreat a total of 4 hexes, subject to the panic check.

Part II - Chapter 7: Creatures

In BattleLore, monstrous Creatures are not just a figment of the imagination of frightened peasants. Fortunately, they are just as rare as they are dangerous.

On the battlefield, a Creature is represented by a single figure, and recognizable by its distinctive Banner shape.

Ordering a Creature "Out-of-Section". Creatures are very special units. In addition to being more resistant to attack in combat (see Critical Hit below), they can be ordered at the will of their master. When playing a Section card, if you wish to issue an order to a Creature that is in a different section(s) from the one(s) designated by your card, you may do so by immediately paying 3 Lore tokens out of your goblet. To learn more about Lore tokens and how to collect or use them, please refer to p.54 of Chapter 8 – Lore. The Creature thus ordered still counts as 1 unit toward the total count of units ordered for the turn. It is just ordered Out-of-section.

Example: Spending 3 Lore, the player sends his Giant Spider on a patrol along with his Left Wing unit.

This single figure is considered a unit, for gameplay purposes, and blocks line of sight, but it is neither a foot unit nor a mounted unit. Therefore, any Tactic Command card that applies specifically to a foot or mounted unit will not apply to a Creature. For example, a Creature cannot participate in a Mounted Charge.

Like troop units, Creatures may not move onto or through occupied hexes.

Unless specified otherwise on the Creature's Summary card, Creatures move and battle like similar banner-colored foot troops, and use the same number of battle dice in combat. Creatures are also subject to the same terrain movement and combat restrictions.

Critical Hits

Creatures are immune from the wear and tear of normal combat. Instead, they are eliminated only when they receive a Critical Hit.

Each time an attacking unit scores a hit against a creature by rolling one or more battle dice that match its banner color (or Sword on Shield symbol, if appropriate), set these dice aside. Now roll only those set aside dice again.

A Critical Hit is scored if, and only if, the banner color of the Creature is rolled on this second roll of dice. All other results on the second roll of dice (Flags, Lore, Sword on Shield symbols, other helmet colors) are ignored. If the Creature's banner color does not come up on this second roll of dice, the Creature survives the attack.

Killing a Creature. When a Creature receives a Critical Hit, it dies immediately. Remove it from the battlefield and place it on the Victory Track of its opponent. The victor also collects one Lore token from the Lore pool as an award for its brave kill.

Example: The Archers' arrows bounce off the spider, but the Cavalry's heavy sword-blows finally kill it off in a Critical Hit.

Morale and Support

Creatures are not easily routed. They are Bold. However, unlike other Bold units, they must always ignore one flag rolled against them in battle. They may never opt to retreat instead, even if a retreat seems preferable.

Example: The Creature does not flee, even in the face of a dangerous foe, but battles back instead.

Creatures provide support to adjacent friendly units; but they never receive support from adjacent friendly units.

Creatures do not benefit from a customary Morale boost, when occupying a Landmark. Landmarks, and their effect on the Morale, are fully described in Chapter 11.

Retreat & Trampling

For each retreat flag a Creature must take, it must retreat two hexes, unless explicitly indicated otherwise on the Creature Summary card.

When two units (friend or foe) or a combination of unit and obstacle block a Creature's retreat, each unit situated in the Creature's theoretical retreat path and adjacent to the Creature is Trampled, and loses 1 figure for each hex the Creature cannot retreat!

Examples: The Giant Spider shrugs off one flag rolled, but must take the second one, retreating two hexes. The Giant Spider ignores one flag, but not the second one; she tramples both units behind her, clearing a retreat path!

If a Creature cannot retreat the required number of hexes from flags rolled against it during battle (regardless of the reason why its retreat path was cut off – impassable terrain, interposing units in the way, edge of the board, etc.), the Creature risks receiving a Critical Hit. The attacker rolls 1 die for each hex of retreat movement the Creature did not take, much like for a Panic Loss check. Each banner color match rolled is set aside and re-rolled. Any Banner Color rolled that matches the Creature's Banner on the re-roll triggers a Critical Hit and kills the Creature.

Example: The spider cannot complete its retreat. Two dice are rolled… The re-roll for a Critical Hit has no effect, since flags and swords on shields do not count on Critical Hit re-rolls.

Special Powers & Power-ups

Most Creatures have one or more special powers or unique attacks they can unleash in battle.

A Creature's Special Powers are described on its Summary card, along with the requirements for invoking these powers – a set number of Lore symbols that must be rolled by the Creature during its battle(s) to trigger the power.

As soon as a Creature meets the necessary Lore requirement for a given special power, it may unleash that power. This means that if a Creature is lucky enough to roll two Lore in a battle, it may immediately unleash the effect of its corresponding two Lore special power (if any) on its hapless opponent. The decision to use the Lore rolled to unleash this special power is made immediately upon seeing the results of the Battle dice roll in which Lore was rolled. Unleashing a Creature's special power is always optional, and at the sole discretion of the Creature's controlling player. Lore rolled to unleash this special power (or any other, lower-cost, special power whose Lore requirements are met) is made immediately upon seeing the results of the Battle dice roll in which Lore was rolled.

Power-ups. Creatures can temporarily "store" Lore rolled to start building up toward a special power with higher Lore requirements. This operation is called a Power-up. When a Creature rolls a Lore symbol in battle, instead of using it immediately, its player can decide to set the resulting Lore token aside. To show this, the Lore token is positioned next to the Creature's figure, indicating that the Creature is powering-up a future effect.

Any such Lore token set aside can then be used on a later turn, alone or in combination with other Lore just rolled, to trigger one of the Creature's special powers. This way a Creature can slowly prepare itself to unleash higher-level special powers later, rather than a lesser power now, or hold the effect of a lesser power back until a later (more effective) time. The risk, of course, is that the Creature may be killed before it has a chance to benefit from its power-up.

A power-up simply sets the Lore tokens coming from a Creature's dice roll aside, next to the Creature's figure for later use. It does not diminish the number of dice the Creature will roll in future battles (i.e. a Green Creature that rolled a Lore symbol and set a Lore token aside for later use will still roll 2 dice as normal in all future battles). Any Lore tokens with the Creature are returned to the Lore pool as soon as the special power for which they were kept is triggered or when the Creature is eliminated.

Two rules must be respected:

• There can never be more Lore tokens set aside than the number of tokens required to trigger the Creature's highest-level special power. For example, the Giant Spider described further below can never have more than 2 Lore tokens set aside. If any additional Lore is rolled, one of the Creature's special powers must be triggered, spending some of the Lore tokens set aside so far, before setting any new Lore rolled aside; or the new Lore rolled must be collected into the player's goblet reserve instead of being set aside next to the Creature.
• Only Lore tokens that are set aside next to a Creature following the Creature's dice roll can be used to fuel the Creature's power-ups or special powers. Lore tokens collected into one's Lore goblet during any other action (see p.48 of Chapter 8 – Lore) in the normal course of the game can never be used to power-up or trigger a special power.

Anatomy of a Creature – Creature Summary Card

Each Creature has its own individual Summary card, describing its characteristics and special powers.

A Creature's Summary card bears the following information:

• Creature Name and Illustration;
• Creature Banner Color, reflected in the Creature's Summary card background color;
• Movement;
• Retreat – the number of hexes the Creature must retreat on each flag it takes;
• Creature Weapon, if any;
• Damage: The Creature's standard damage, expressed in number of battle dice rolled. Usually, this is dictated by the Creature's Banner color, as per Battle Dice Rolls for Standard Troops;
• Bonus Strike: Indicates whether Sword on Shield symbols rolled score a hit or not;
• Special powers & unique abilities: The Creature's special powers, ranked by increasing level of power.

Creature Compendium

Poison: If the spider has two Lore tokens and scores a hit, it has poisoned its target! Place a Poison token next to the poisoned unit. For the rest of the game, the unit is poisoned. In addition to normal hits, it loses 1 figure each time a Lore symbol is rolled against it.

Since the Giant Spider is a green unit, and normally only rolls two dice in battle, there are only two possible ways for it to successfully poison its enemy. It must either:

• receive the benefit of a Lore card that allows it to roll more dice than normal (for instance, a Cleric's Bless), and be lucky enough to roll two Lore and score a hit in the same dice roll;
• or use some Lore tokens that were obtained during a previous roll, as part of a power-up.

A Giant Spider is included in the core game and detailed below. Other Creatures are available as promotional items or will become available in future expansions. For a complete, up-to-date Creature Compendium, visit www.battlelore.com/creatures.

Giant Spider

• Banner: green
• Movement: 4 hexes
• Retreat: 2 hexes / flag
• Weapon: Bite (natural)
• Damage: 2 battle dice
• Bonus Strike: Yes
• Special Powers:
  • Web: The unit is caught in a web. To indicate this, place a Web token next to the spider's target. Until freed, the unit may not battle back, move or battle. All flags rolled against it count as hits. A unit caught in a web does not support adjacent friendly units until it frees itself from its web. To free it, its owner must order the unit during his turn, and pay 1 Lore. The unit just freed may then move or battle this same turn.
  • Poison: (see above).

Example (Web): Casting a web, the spider sets her Lore dice aside. Its player chooses to use it to cast a web on the poor Infantry, who thus cannot choose to retreat and loses a figure. Caught in the web, the Infantry cannot even battle back!

Example (Poison): The spider rolls a Lore. On a later turn, the spider simultaneously rolls a 2nd Lore and scores a hit, unleashing her poison.

Remember there are other creatures available either as promotional items or as part of BattleLore expansions. For a complete Creature Compendium and for additional, detailed examples of how to use Creatures and their power-ups, please visit www.battlelore.com/creatures.

Example: On a later turn, Infantry held in reserve moves in for the kill! The Blue helmet and 2 Lore rolled remove 3 figures in total, eliminating the unit!

Part II - Chapter 8: Lore

An Introduction to Lore

Adventure #5 – Wizards & Lore is a good adventure to dabble with Lore for the first time. Place a War Council sheet with the Lore Master side displaying a single Wizard face up, in front of each player, and follow its set-up instructions, as detailed below. Place a single Lore Master level token representing your budding Wizard (he is Level 1, so a single token will suffice) on the spot marked to that effect on the War Council sheet.

Lore is the subject of many a conversation in the world of BattleLore. In terms of game play, Lore is the gateway to legendary actions on (and off) the battlefield. Lore tokens act as the currency that fuels the actions of the players' legendary characters. Be they a man of deep faith, a wizard of legend, a bold fighter or a sneaky rogue, all rely on their Lore Powers to help win the day when armies clash on the battlefield.

Lore Adventures – New Concepts and Modified Game Set-up

Introducing Lore in your games requires bringing the following new game elements into play:

• Lore Masters: For your very first game with Lore in play, each player receives a budding Level 1 Wizard. This wizard will act as an adviser, casting spells to help turn the tide of battle in your favor.
• Lore Deck: Take the Lore card deck, separate out the Wizard cards, and shuffle them, as instructed on the Lore Master's side of your War Council sheet. Put all remaining unused Lore cards away, in the game box. They will be used later, in a slightly more advanced version of the game where Lore Masters team up to form a complete War Council (see Chapter 9 – The War Council).
• Deal and select: Deal 4 cards from the now-shuffled common Wizard deck to each player. Each player must choose 1 card, which becomes his Wizard's starting spell. Place the spell on a newly assembled set of two interlocking cardholders, to the right of the player's Command cards. From now on, this is where all spells the Wizard knows will be stored. Like the Command cards, Lore cards are kept secret until played. Discard the Lore cards not selected back into the common Wizard's deck, and shuffle the deck once more before placing it alongside the battlefield, within easy reach of all.
• Lore Tokens: Lore tokens form the currency that powers a player's legendary actions. In the case of a Wizard this means casting spells of course, by paying their cost in Lore. Lore tokens are initially placed in a common stack known as the Lore pool, alongside the game board within easy access of all players. During the course of the game, the Lore a player earns is stored in a Lore goblet. The number of Lore tokens each goblet holds is public information throughout the game, unless specified otherwise. Place a goblet in front of each player, and place one Lore token in it, representing the Wizard's starting spell casting power.

Lore Cards

Lore is a Lore Master's most precious asset. It quite literally fuels the Lore Master's powerful actions and special powers. A Lore Master's actions are usually initiated by the play of a Lore card in his possession.

Every Lore Master's spell, action, trick or item is the object of its own individual Lore card. Each Lore card bears the following information:

• Title: The name of the spell/action/item described on the card, along with an illustration depicting it.
• Lore Master Class Symbol: A symbol depicting the default character class(es) for which the action is designed, an item crafted, etc. (Cleric, Wizard, Rogue, Warrior.)
• Target(s): An icon and text detailing the target(s), subject(s), beneficiary(ies), or area of effect, of the action.
• Power Cost: The cost, in Lore tokens, a character of the designated Lore Master Class must pay from his goblet, to accomplish the action, use the item, etc. If the cost is indicated with a "?", it means the card's cost is variable, and described in the card's Effect section.
• Phase of Play: An icon and text in a yellow typeface, that explains the instant or moment in a game turn, when the Lore card must be played and its effect announced. See Phases of Play below, for a description of each possible Phase of Play. (Command Phase; Movement Phase; Orders Phase; Dice Roll Phase; Combat Phase – During Ranged Combat / During Melee Combat.)
• Reaction: A light colored background, on the lower half of the card, indicating whether the card can be played in reaction to an opponent's action.
• Effect: A description of the action's effect and the special rules governing it, if any.

Reading a Lore card. Title; Power Cost; Phase of Play; Lore Master Class Symbol; Target; Effect; a variable level Lore card; Reaction logo.

Counting conventions: "1d/level" signifies 1 die per level of the acting Lore Master. "1d/level +, 1d/level –" denotes 1 dice per level, plus or minus a set number of dice. So 2d/level +3 equals 5 (2*1 +3) dice at level 1, 7 at level 2 and 9 at level 3, while 1d/level –1 would indicate 0 d at level 1, 1 at level 2, and 2 at level 3.

Phases of Play

A Lore card must usually be played during the phase of play specified on its card, and only during that phase. The phase of play is identified by its matching symbol, set atop the card's frame of text, and some common keywords specifying the conditions under which, or how, it is played during that phase.

• Command Phase – Play alongside your Command card: Play this Lore card at the same time you are playing your Command card, at the start of your turn as the active player.
• Command Phase – Play in lieu of your Command card: The Command card is replaced by a Lore card. Play this Lore card instead of a Command card, at the start of your turn as the active player. For the rest of your game turn, follow the instructions on the Lore card you just played. You do not draw a new Command card at the end of your turn.
• Reaction – Play in reaction to your opponent's Command card: Play this card in reaction to your opponent playing a Command card at the start of his game turn.

Abbreviations and Counting Conventions

The following naming and counting conventions are used throughout the game to denote variable targets, ranges and damages:

• d designates a number of battle dice to be rolled; hence 1d indicates 1 die, 2d indicates 2 dice, etc.
• / level signifies "per level" of the Lore Master initiating an action; hence 2d / level indicates that 2 dice should be rolled for each level of the Lore Master casting this spell or initiating this action, etc.
• _ hex denotes a range in number of terrain hexes; so a 2 hex / level firing range indicates a 4 hexes range for a level 2 Wizard, etc.
• _ unit designates a number of units to be ordered, moved, etc.

In addition, the following conventions are used to express quantities linked to a variable amount in the game. The variable is usually a function of the level of the Lore Master initiating the action, but not necessarily.

Command Phase (continued). Play alongside or in lieu of the Command card, or in reaction, as described above.

Orders Phase. This phase of play is not used in the base deck, but included for future use.

• Play during Orders: Play this Lore card at the start of your Orders phase, during your turn as the active player. These Lore cards usually order additional units, above and beyond those ordered by the Command card just played. The unit(s) activated by the Lore card must be ordered before any of the units ordered by the Command card. Unless specified otherwise, the action described on the Lore card must be carried out in its entirety (including movements and battles), before proceeding to the play of the regular Command card.
• Play in reaction to Orders: Play this Lore card in reaction to your opponent's Orders phase.

Movement Phase. Example: This fearless unit ignores the flags of all its opponents this turn.

• Play during Movement: Play this Lore card at start of your movement phase, during your turn as the active player. If the card applies to multiple units about to move, you must play it before any of those units' movement. Otherwise, it will only apply to units that haven't moved yet.
• Play in reaction to your opponent's movement: Play this Lore card during your opponent's movement phase. Like with Lore cards played during your own movement phase, this reaction only applies to opponents' units that have not moved yet, or are in the process of moving. If the reaction applies to a single unit, it must be played during your opponent's physical move of that unit, before he moves another unit. The practice of fair play applies here, in that active players should not purposefully rush their move to try and protect themselves from a potential reaction of their opponent.

Combat Phase.

• Play during Battle: Play this Lore card during one of your unit's Battle phase. The battle can be a Melee attack on an adjacent enemy unit, or a Ranged attack against a more distant enemy. The effect of the Lore card applies for the unit's entire Battle, including any follow-on actions (gaining ground and pursuit, bonus attack, etc.). Unless specified otherwise (see Play Before Your Opponent's Dice Roll, below), if the unit is a defending unit (for instance if you play this card out of turn, during your opponent's game turn), the effect of this Lore card applies for all of the battles this unit is engaged in this turn.
• Play during Melee: Same play as Play during Battle above, except that the Lore card's effect only applies to unit(s) engaged in Melee combat.
• Play during Ranged combat: Same play as Play during Battle above, except that the Lore card's effect only applies to unit(s) engaged in Ranged attacks.
• Play before your opponent's dice roll: Play this Lore card immediately after an attack is declared from one specific unit onto another, but before the dice roll that must ensue to resolve the attack, hence before the results of the attack are known. The effects of the Lore card, if any, only apply to that single dice roll, not to any other future dice roll, even those linked to the same battle (bonus attack, re-rolls, etc.).
• Play after your opponent's dice roll: Play this Lore card immediately after the dice roll following a declared attack, but before any effect of this dice roll has been applied. The effects of the Lore card, if any, affect the dice roll as indicated on the card, and that dice roll only.

Playing a Lore Card

To play a Lore card, place it in front of you during the appropriate phase of play (possibly in reaction to one of your opponent's actions), and read it aloud. Spend the required number of Lore tokens out of your goblet's reserve, temporarily placing those tokens on the Lore card; at the end of the game turn, drop these tokens into the common Lore pool, and discard the Lore card onto the discard pile next to the Lore deck.

Players must observe a number of simple but critically important rules when bringing a Lore card into play.

• Lore cost rules: To play a Lore card, its Lore Master must be able to immediately pay its corresponding Power cost, out of the Lore tokens already in his possession prior to the card's effect coming into play.
• Phase of play rules: A Lore card must always be played during its indicated phase of play. Unless specified otherwise, the card can be played at any time during its indicated phase of play.

Some Lore cards may be played out of your turn, during your opponent's game turn, or in reaction to one of his action or Lore card play. These Lore cards are known as Reaction Lore cards, and recognizable by their light colored background under the card's effect text. However:

• You may only play a maximum of one Lore card during your turn.
• You may only play a maximum of one Lore card during your opponent's game turn.
• As a result, during the course of any single game turn, there can only be a maximum of two Lore cards coming into play, one from each player.
• Cards that are not explicitly marked as Reaction cards can never be played out-of-turn, i.e. during a game turn in which your opponent is the active player.

Example: An attacker is surprised by his enemy's First Strike… thankfully, that effect is foiled by the player's Rogue!

Identifying the Target

The target(s) or beneficiary(ies) of a Lore card are defined on the Lore card itself, next to the target's symbol. Common targets include:

• You: Designates the player who is playing the card, or any of his possessions (Command cards, Lore reserve, etc.);
• Your opponent: The opposing player;
• Your units: The units you control, including those not ordered this turn;
• Your opponent's units: Your opponent's units;
• x Unit(s): any x unit under your, or your opponent's, control;
• Ordered unit(s): One (or more) units ordered during the current game turn;
• Defending unit(s): One (or more) units against which an attack or battle has been declared (but not necessarily played out yet) during this game turn;
• Attacking unit(s): One (or more) units having declared, or engaged in, battle;
• Units in Melee: units battling an adjacent enemy unit;
• Units in Ranged combat: units battling an enemy unit more than 1 hex away.

Targeting Rules

Unless specified otherwise the target, or beneficiary, of a Lore card is designated and chosen by the player of the Lore card, and all the actions that ensue (movement of units, etc.) are controlled by the affected units' controlling player.

Example: This unit chooses to sneak up on its enemy by walking around the Wooded terrain, in order to fade quickly into the distance once its attack is made. If the attack had been made through the woods, the unit would have been forced to stay there once its attack was made.

Conflicting Rules & Rules Priorities and Precedence

In case of conflict between the basic rules in this book and the text on a Lore card, the Lore card takes precedence. In case of contradiction between the effects of two Lore cards played in succession, the second card trumps the effect of the first one.

All basic rules, including terrain movement and combat restrictions, remain in effect and still apply.

When a Lore symbol is rolled, any card's effect based on the roll of Lore symbols always apply, unless explicitly trumped by another card's effect.

Examples: This Mass Shield deflects the attacker's physical blows (banner color and flag), but not the magically enhanced ones (2 Lore). The Wizard's Mass Might is negated by his nemesis' Blinding Light!

Rules Governing Text Interpretation of Lore Cards' Effects

Whenever some Lore rolled can be used up by a card's effect, it cannot also be collected into one's Lore goblet. For instance, when the Cry Havoc! card is in play, all Lore rolled by the player is used up to score potential hits on the enemy. It cannot be diverted to augment one's Lore reserve instead.

Anytime an odd value is halved, the result must be rounded-up before being used.

Unless explicitly specified otherwise on a card effect's text, the following rules apply to and govern all cards' effects:

Example: The Wizard's player pays 4 Lore. His opponent sees his precious River Rage dispelled, but recuperates 4 Lore.

If a resource is depleted, the effect of the Lore card applies up to the point of the resource running out, and the remainder of the card's effect is lost.

Covering all potential special situations that may arise from the play of Lore cards is beyond the scope of this book. However, a database of Frequently Asked Questions keyed to each Lore card is available on www.BattleLore.com.

Example: Unhappy with his current selection of Lore cards, the player draws two new cards. One is the Lore card he was hoping for! The player keeps it, discarding the other immediately.

Rules Governing Out-of-Character Play

Level-dependent Lore cards played out of character (see Chapter 9 – The War Council) can only be played as if they were cast at level 1, regardless of the actual levels of any Lore Master on the player's War Council.

Example: This player's War Council features a level 2 Cleric but no Warrior. As a result, his Bless spell is not only cheaper, but also more effective than his Strength! Being already maxed out, the player must discard a card of lesser interest to put this one in its place.

Modified End of Turn in Lore Adventures

When playing a Lore Adventure, Step 5. Draw a new Command card is modified as follows: After all units' movements and battles have been resolved and after drawing a new Command card, the active player's Lore is replenished.

Lore Replenish. At the player's choice, either:

• Draw 2 Lore cards from the Lore deck, keep one, and discard the other, face up, onto the Lore discard pile; OR
• Draw 1 Lore card and take 1 Lore token from the common Lore pool; OR
• Take 2 Lore tokens from the common Lore pool.

Lore tokens drawn from the Lore pool are placed into one's Lore reserve goblet.

The player must announce which of these three options he is choosing beforehand; he is not allowed to draw the first Lore card to look at it before deciding whether to draw a second one or taking a Lore token instead.

A player can never store more Lore cards in his cardholder than his highest Lore Master level + 1 card. So a level 1 Wizard can never hold more than 2 Lore cards at the same time (i.e. he knows 2 spells at most).

If a player ends up with more cards than allowed, as a result of his decision to replenish Lore cards at the end of his turn, he must discard one of his cards, either the one just picked, or one already on his Lore cardholder.

A player who plays a Lore card as an interrupt, during his opponent's turn, does not get the option to replenish his hand or Lore reserve until the end of his own subsequent turn.

Managing and Replenishing Lore Reserves

Just as important as managing his hand of Command cards and Lore cards, a player must carefully watch his Lore reserve, and make sure to keep adequate reserves if he is to launch his own actions at the most opportune time.

In addition to the Lore tokens possessed at the game's start based on his Lore Master's level, a player may Gain Lore (or regain Lore) in the following ways, depending on the adventure in play:

• At the end of his game turn, if he opts to pick up some Lore tokens as described above;
• When rolling a Lore symbol in battle, if this Lore is not already dedicated to some other usage (Lore card's effect, Creature power-up or special power, etc.);
• When killing one of his opponent's Creatures (gain 1 token);
• As a result of playing certain Lore cards (i.e. Summon Lore, etc.);
• When capturing certain terrain hexes or Landmarks that are sources of Lore on the battlefield;
• Per the adventure's battle notes.

Unlike Lore cards, there is no limit to the number of Lore tokens a player may have at a given time. However, should the Lore pool run out, no further Lore tokens may be gained until the pool is replenished, usually by the play of some Lore cards by one or more of the players. When there are no Lore tokens in the pool, actions that normally grant Lore grant you nothing instead.

Part II - Chapter 9: The War Council

Once familiar with the Lore system detailed in Chapter 8 – Lore, the players can bring a whole fellowship of Lore Masters of varying origins and talents to their side. Together these heroes will form the player's War Council, whose range of skills and individual raw power will often decisively sway the battle.

To call a War Council, select a Lore Adventure and then place a War Council sheet, with the side depicting all the Lore Masters face up, next to each player. Each player will use a set number of Lore Master Level tokens (whose exact mix and composition is left to the player's choice or set in the Adventure's battle notes, depending on the Lore Adventure being played), to indicate which Lore Masters participate in his War Council for the upcoming battle, and what their respective levels are.

The Commander

The Commander is the War Council's single most important character. He sits at the head of the table, from where he studies and directs the conflict. A born leader, the Commander is the true master of the battlefield. His level dictates the number of Command cards the player holds in his cardholder throughout the game, and the player's role is to play those cards to the best of his ability.

Without a Commander (see "No Commander" in COMMAND cards table on following page), it will be difficult to conduct the battle, so we recommend that a Commander of at least Level 1 sits in on all War Councils.

The Commander – Command cards. A player who chooses to play without a Commander will only have a maximum 3 Command cards at his disposal at all times.

The level of a Commander on the War Council, hence the number of Command cards available for play at any time, is either specified at a preset level in the Adventure's battle notes, or determined by the choice of the player, using his Lore Master Level tokens. The Commander's level is indicated by placing a Commander level token, face up, on the spot reserved to that effect at the head of the War Council's table. If the Commander is of higher level than 1, then generic Level tokens are placed below it (1 per additional level). And if there is no commander sitting at the table, then no token is placed and the Commander's chair remains empty.

Command cards by Commander level:

Commander Level	# Command Cards
No Commander	3 Command cards
Level 1	4 Command cards
Level 2	5 Command cards
Level 3	6 Command cards

Example: A Level 2 Commander, and his 5 Command cards. No Commander and a limited set of plans: only 3 Command cards!

Other Lore Masters

In addition to the Wizard Lore Master already introduced in Chapter 8 – Lore, three other Lore Master character classes can sit at a player's War Council.

• The Rogue: Cunning and nimble – equally capable of masterful deceit as he is of a harmless prank, the Rogue is a jack-of-all-trades, but the master of none. His talent lies in his remarkable resourcefulness and ability to disrupt the enemy's best laid plans.
• The Cleric: A shepherd to his troops, who he's known to soothe, protect and heal even during the worst of combat, this man of faith can also wield a heavenly wrath upon his enemies, making him a formidable foe.
• The Warrior: A master tactician who never seems to sleep. Just the rumor that he has entered the battlefield puts fear into the spines of lesser soldiers. While he may lack for a sense of humor and quick wit, his sheer grit and determination more than compensate, making him a devastating enemy.

Lore Masters Progression Levels

The Wizard and all other Lore Masters use the following level progression table for determining initial Lore cards and Lore tokens, as well as maximum Lore cards in hand.

Level	# of Lore cards at start	# Lore tokens at start	Max Lore cards in hand
Level 1	1	1	2
Level 2	2	2	3
Level 3	3	3	4

If several Lore Masters sit at the War Council at the game start, the one with the highest level determines the War Council's starting hand of Lore cards, initial reserve of Lore tokens and maximum number of Lore cards in hand at any given time.

War Council Set-up

An adventure's battle notes will usually spell out a camp's War Council composition, including the Lore Masters present, their respective level and any potential modification to that camp's initial Lore reserve.

Place the number of Level tokens on the War Council sheet for the Commander and each Lore Master present, using the corresponding Lore Master tokens as the top tokens and the generic side for any Level tokens below. When a class of Lore Master is not present, his place is left unfilled, with no tokens.

Take the number of Lore tokens appropriate (either as indicated by the Adventure's battle notes, or as dictated by the level of your highest-level Lore Master on the War Council) from the Lore pool and place them in your reserve goblet.

Before starting the adventure, the Lore deck must first be prepared as follows:

• Sort the cards from the Lore deck into four distinct piles, according to each card's Lore Master class. Shuffle these four individual decks thoroughly and:
  • For each Lore Master class present in both sides' War Councils, take fourteen cards at random from each deck, and set them aside. Place any left-over card of that Lore Master's class back in the game box, unseen by the players. When using the Lore Master decks from the core game only, this means putting away a single random card, since there are fifteen cards in each Lore Master's deck;
  • For each Lore Master class represented in only one of the two camp's War Councils, take eight cards at random and set them aside, putting the remaining cards of that Lore Master class away as above;
  • Finally for each Lore Master class absent from both War Councils, take five cards at random and set them aside, placing the remaining ones away.
• Now shuffle the Lore cards set aside in steps 1-3 above into a single deck, and deal 4 Lore cards to each side. The players then choose which Lore cards they keep, according to the number of Lore cards at start kept by each camp's highest-level Lore Master (See table, Lore Masters Progression Levels). The cards not kept are discarded and reshuffled in the Lore deck. Those kept are placed on the player's Lore cardholders, face unseen from the enemy. You can now proceed with the game.

The same rules apply to the limit of Lore cards in hand as when playing a single Lore Master (see Chapter 8 – Lore). If more Lore cards are drawn than can be kept, some will have to be discarded.

Playing a Lore Card Out-of-Character

Given the Lore deck set-up process, in some instances, players will draw Lore cards for which the corresponding Lore Master is missing from their own War Council. When such is the case, instead of dismissing the card as useless, the player can opt to cast the corresponding Lore card Out-of-character.

Since the required knowledge or skill is missing from that camp's War Council, it is harder to pull the corresponding feat off: You must pay an additional 3 Lore tokens to play the card, beyond the card's usual Power cost.

Lore cards played out-of-character are always played at Level 1, regardless of the actual level of other Lore Masters on the War Council. As a result, cards with a variable effect can only be played at their lowest level of play, as if they were cast by a Level 1 Lore Master of the appropriate class.

Example: This religious-minded Council, with its lone Level 3 Cleric, must pay 12 Lore tokens to cast this Creeping Doom. Furthermore, only 2 dice will be rolled on the target and its surrounding hexes.

Customizing a War Council

The players now proceed to the Lore cards and token distribution as with regular War Councils, using their highest level Lore Master to determine their number of Lore tokens and Lore cards in hand at game start.

If Lore Master Landmark rules are in effect, players with a 3rd Level Lore Master may gain a Landmark of their own at the game's start. See the section on Lore Masters' Landmarks in Chapter 11 – Landmarks for more details.

When creating your custom War Council, make sure to carefully weigh the pros and cons of going deep – taking a high level Lore Master and its corresponding benefits – versus going broad, having many a Lore Master at your council table.

Experienced players wishing to test their skills can play with customized War Councils, rather than the preset ones dictated by an adventure's battle notes (though we still recommend first playing the adventure as prescribed, when preset War Councils are offered).

To play with customized War Councils, the players first agree to the total level of Lore Masters in play on each side. We recommend that players limit themselves to a total of six levels by default, and in all circumstances, refrain from using more than ten. If one player is more experienced than the other, he might offer his opponent a handicap, starting with 1 or fewer levels.

The players then each secretly assign the levels they have at their disposal to the various Lore Masters they wish to have present on their War Council. To do so, simply place the corresponding stack of Level tokens on the corresponding Lore Masters. If a class of Lore Master is not present in the War Council, his spot will show no level token and remain empty.

Part III - The World of BattleLore

As previously mentioned in Part II, the World of BattleLore is a Uchronia – a hypothetical what-if history of Medieval Europe during the High Middle Ages, just before the dawn of the Renaissance. Much of what the world has to offer will feel familiar, yet differences (some obvious, such as the Mercenaries, Creatures and Lore Masters already introduced, others less so) will inevitably crop up as you explore this old continent further.

Part III - Chapter 10: Basic Terrain Types

Medieval battles, while brutal and bloody affairs, were often framed by basic and familiar terrain. An impassable waterway, a densely wooded copse, or an elevated mound bordering the battlefield, were often the sole distinctive geographical features on the horizon.

Though rumors abound of a multitude of terrain variations and nuances in remote lands, there are only four basic Terrain Types in the core BattleLore game:

• Countryside
• Wooded Terrain
• Elevated Ground
• Waterways

Each terrain type is characterized by its impact, or restrictions, on movement, battle and line of sight. Retreat moves (p.25 of Chapter 4 – Combat) are not subject to stated terrain movement restrictions.

Example: Heavy Cavalry, tangled up in Woods, roll a meager 2d instead of their regular 4. Helped by a Bless, they now roll 3d.

This limit on the number of dice rolled, when present, only applies to the base number of dice rolled by that particular troops' unit type. Bonuses gained from Lore or Command cards or any other source are not subject to this limit and still add up, so that the actual number of dice rolled by a unit in difficult terrain may still exceed the maximum for that terrain type.

In the rare instance where a terrain hex might combine with another terrain type or Landmark on the same hex, the lowest of these terrain/landmarks maximum is the one that applies. For an example of this, please see Ramparts, on p.69 of Chapter 11 – Landmarks.

The Terrain Summary cards provide a short overview of the key effects of each terrain type. When you set up an adventure, position the corresponding Terrain Summary cards alongside the battlefield. The effect section of each Summary card describes the various features of the terrain, including its impact on line of sight, movement and battles.

When present, terrain battle limitations impose a cap on the default number of battle dice a unit attacking in or from this terrain type will roll by default. Usually, the rougher the terrain, the lower the limit. As a result, Red Banner troops, weighed down by their superior armament, or armored mounts, usually suffer the worst in difficult terrain, while Green Banner "irregulars" fare comparatively better.

Countryside Terrain

Countryside Terrain is the default terrain type of all the hexes on the board. This open ground terrain type has no movement or battle restrictions.

Wooded Terrain

• Movement: A unit that enters a Wooded Terrain hex must stop and may move no further on that turn. Follow-on moves are subject to the same terrain movement restrictions and may thus be impossible or only partially achievable during this turn.
• Battle:
  • A unit that moves onto a Wooded Terrain hex may still battle that turn.
  • A unit on a Wooded Terrain hex battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
  • A unit attacking an enemy unit on a Wooded Terrain hex battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
• Line of Sight: A Wooded Terrain hex blocks line of sight.

Example: A Regular Cavalry successfully forces the enemy Infantry to flee. It gains ground on it, but cannot pursue it further into Wooded terrain. Instead it now turns around to battle another enemy!

Elevated Terrain

• Movement: No movement restrictions.
• Battle:
  • A unit on an Elevated Terrain hex battles with a maximum of 3 dice.
  • A unit not on an Elevated Terrain hex attacking an enemy unit on an Elevated Terrain, battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
• Line of Sight: An Elevated Terrain hex blocks line of sight, except from contiguous Elevated Terrain hexes of the same height and from an adjacent hill.

Example: Heavy Cavalry only roll 3 dice down the hill… Worse, it only battles with 2 dice up the hill!

Waterways

Waterways are impassable terrain except at fords and bridges.

• Line of Sight: A Waterway hex does not block line of sight.

Fords & Fordable Streams

• Movement: Unit must stop when entering a ford. Gaining ground and pursuits remain possible.
• Battle:
  • A unit may enter a Ford hex and still battle.
  • A unit on a Ford hex battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
  • A unit attacking an enemy unit on a Ford hex battles with no restrictions.
• Line of Sight: A Ford hex does not block line of sight.

Bridges

Though technically man-made structures, Bridges are introduced here because of their close relationship to Waterways.

• Movement: No movement restrictions.
• Battle: A unit on a Bridge hex is Bold and may ignore one flag. No combat restrictions. Example: Bold and determined to hold this crucial passage, the Bridge's defenders battle back!
• Line of Sight: A Bridge hex does not block line of sight.

Part III - Chapter 11: Landmarks

As we saw in Chapter 10 – Basic Terrain Types, terrain does not vary much in BattleLore. However, the ingenious nature of men (or, as some might argue, the ancestral talent of dwarves and the forced labor of goblin slaves) is shown in the strategic placement and inspired construction of the many Landmarks that dot the landscape.

Be they artificial constructions or natural wonders, Landmarks are the game's most distinctive architectural structures and geographical features. As such, their control is often heartily contested, and their possession highly treasured.

Common Rules and Generic Effects

Unless explicitly specified otherwise on a Landmark's Summary card, the following terrain rules apply to all landmarks:

• Morale: A Landmark boosts the morale of any unit that occupies it to Bold. As long as a unit occupies a Landmark, it may ignore 1 flag, and possibly battle back.
• Movement Restrictions: A unit entering a Landmark must stop and may move no further on that turn. Follow-on moves are subject to the same movement restrictions, and thus may be impossible, or only partially achievable, during this turn.
• Combat Restrictions:
  • A unit entering a Landmark hex may not battle that same turn.
  • A unit on a Landmark hex battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
  • A unit attacking an enemy unit on a Landmark hex battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
• Line of Sight: A Landmark hex blocks line of sight.

Lore Masters' Landmarks

Being characters of considerable means and power, high-level Lore Masters control vast domains and countless properties. As a result, they often hold a commanding advantage – a family-owned or allies' property located somewhere on the battlefield, at the onset of battle.

An Adventure's battle notes will state when Lore Master Landmark rules are in effect.

When Lore Master Landmark rules are in effect, a player with a 3rd Level Lore Master (Cleric, Wizard, Warrior or Rogue) on his War Council receives the corresponding Lore Master's Landmark at start of play. If both players have a Level 3 Lore Master of the same class on their respective War Councils, their benefits cancel out, and neither Lore Master receives a Landmark of that class.

Upon receiving a Lore Master Landmark, and before the game's first turn, each player must decide where to place his newly received property. When both players have a Landmark to place, the player who moves first in the adventure must place his Landmark first. Each Landmark must be placed on an Empty hex, on the 3rd or 4th row of hexes from the controlling player's side.

Note that each Lore Master Landmark belongs to the player who laid it. The Landmark's special effects only benefit that player's units, never the enemy. All other effects (morale, movement and combat restrictions, line of sight) still apply to all units occupying the Lore Master Landmark, regardless of their status (friend or foe of the Landmark's original owner).

Magic Pentacle (Wizard)

• Morale: A Magic Pentacle boosts the morale of any unit that occupies it to Bold. As long as a unit occupies the Magic Pentacle, it may ignore 1 flag, and possibly battle back.
• Movement and Combat Restrictions: A Magic Pentacle imposes no movement or battle restrictions.
• Line of Sight: A Magic Pentacle does not block line of sight.
• Special Effect: At the end of each of your turns during which one of your Troop's units occupies the Magic Pentacle, you collect 1 additional Lore from the Lore pool.

Rogue's Den (Rogue)

• Morale: A Rogue's Den boosts the morale of any unit that occupies it to Bold. As long as a unit occupies a Rogue's Den, it may ignore 1 flag, and possibly battle back.
• Movement Restrictions: A unit entering a Rogue's Den must stop and may move no further on that turn. Follow-on moves are subject to the same movement restrictions, and thus may be impossible, or only partially achievable, during this turn.
• Combat Restrictions:
  • A unit entering a Rogue's Den hex may not battle that same turn.
  • A unit on a Rogue's Den hex battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
  • A unit attacking an enemy unit on a Rogue's Den hex battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
• Line of Sight: A Rogue's Den blocks line of sight.
• Special Effect: During your turn, you may order any unit already on your Rogue's Den to open a Secret Passage to the vacant Wooded or Elevated terrain hex of your choice. Replace the corresponding exit hex with a Secret Passage hex of matching terrain type. Once set, this exit hex may not be relocated, nor another one established. Any friendly unit that starts its turn in your Rogue's Den (including the one who establishes the Secret Passage) may move to the exit hex, at the cost of 1 Lore. The move counts as your unit's full movement for the turn, and can only be made from the Rogue's Den to the exit hex, not in the other direction. A unit using the Secret Passage may still battle upon its arrival on the exit hex.

Secret Passage (Rogue)

These hexes replace a terrain hex of same type, and are used to mark the permanent exit of a Rogue's Den Secret Passage.

• Morale: These hexes boost the morale of any unit that occupies them to Bold. As long as a unit occupies a Rogue's Den Secret Passage exit, it may ignore 1 flag, and possibly battle back.
• Movement and Combat Restrictions, Line of Sight: These hexes have the same Movement, Combat, and Line of Sight restrictions as the corresponding underlying terrain (i.e. Wooded terrain or Elevated terrain, depending on the exit hex chosen).

Training Camp (Warrior)

• Morale: A Training Camp boosts the morale of any unit that occupies it to Bold. As long as a unit occupies a Training Camp, it may ignore 1 flag, and possibly battle back.
• Movement Restrictions: A unit entering a Training Camp must stop and may move no further on that turn. Follow-on moves are subject to the same movement restrictions, and thus may be impossible, or only partially achievable, during this turn.
• Combat Restrictions:
  • A unit entering a Training Camp hex may not battle that same turn.
  • A unit on a Training Camp hex battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
  • A unit attacking an enemy unit on a Training Camp hex battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
• Line of Sight: A Training Camp blocks line of sight.
• Special Effect: During your turn, you may order any Troop's unit already in your camp to undergo training. Change the banner of the unit's Banner Bearer to the next level up (i.e. green becomes blue, and blue becomes red). The ordered unit thus upgraded cannot move or battle this turn. The Training Camp hex is then removed from the board.

Healing Pool (Cleric)

• Morale: A Healing Pool boosts the morale of any unit that occupies it to Bold. As long as a unit occupies the Healing Pool, it may ignore 1 flag, and possibly battle back.
• Movement Restrictions: A unit that moves onto the Healing Pool hex must stop and may move no further during that turn. It may still battle, but cannot use the pool's healing power in that case.
• Combat Restrictions: A Healing Pool has no combat restrictions.
• Line of Sight: A Healing Pool does not block Line of Sight.
• Special Effect: If you order a Weakened unit to move onto the Healing Pool, it is immediately restored to its maximum number of figures. The healed unit cannot move further or battle during this turn. The Healing Pool is then removed from the board.

Commander's Landmarks

The presence of Commander's Landmarks on the battlefield is either dictated by the Adventure's battle map (Ramparts), or by the Commander's presence in a War Council (Stronghold).

Stronghold ×2 (Commander)

When you have a Level 3 Commander in your War Council, you must place a Stronghold in a Countryside hex occupied by one of your units, at the start of the adventure. If both sides have a Level 3 Commander, they both deploy a Stronghold.

• Morale: A Stronghold boosts the morale of any friendly unit that occupies it to Bold. It also boosts the morale of any friendly unit on a hex adjacent to the Stronghold! As long as a unit occupies or stands next to the Stronghold, it may ignore 1 flag, and possibly battle back. An enemy unit occupying your Stronghold or standing next to it does not gain the Stronghold's boost to Morale.
• Movement Restrictions: A unit entering a Stronghold must stop and may move no further on that turn.
• Combat Restrictions:
  • A unit entering a Stronghold hex may not battle that same turn.
  • A unit on a Stronghold hex battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
  • A unit attacking an enemy unit on a Stronghold hex battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
• Line of Sight: A Stronghold blocks line of sight.
• Special Effect: If an enemy unit captures your Stronghold, your opponent selects one of your Command cards at random to discard. Until you reclaim the Stronghold hex, you must play with one less Command card in hand. When you reclaim the hex, immediately draw a supplemental Command card to replenish your hand to its original size.

Ramparts ×4

Example: The Cavalry attacks with 2 dice only, despite being on an adjacent hill, because of the Ramparts' protection.

• Morale: A Rampart boosts the morale of any unit that occupies it to Bold. As long as a unit occupies a Rampart, it may ignore 1 flag, and possibly battle back.
• Movement Restrictions: A unit already on a Rampart is not subject to movement restrictions when moving onto an adjacent Rampart. Any other unit entering a Rampart must stop and may move no further on that turn. Follow-on moves are subject to the same movement restrictions, and thus may be impossible, or only partially achievable, during this turn.
• Combat Restrictions:
  • A unit entering a Rampart may not battle that same turn, unless it is moving in from an adjacent Rampart.
  • A unit on a Rampart battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
  • A unit attacking an enemy unit on a Rampart battles with a maximum of 2 dice.
• Line of Sight: A Rampart blocks line of sight.

When a Rampart is placed on terrain that already contains some battle restrictions, such as Elevated Ground, the most restrictive movement and battle restrictions of the two are the ones that apply.

Creatures' Lairs

Creatures will often have a lair of their own, somewhere on the battlefield, where they can hope for relative safety far from human eyes, while readying their next devastating rampage.

These Creatures' properties – and the corresponding illustrated hexes – will be introduced and described in Summary cards, similar to those provided for the Lore Masters' Landmarks, that come with each individual Creature.

Before the game's first turn, the player must decide where to place his Creatures' Lair. When both players have a Creatures' Lair to place, the player who moves first in the scenario must place his Creatures' Lair first. Each Creatures' Lair must be placed on an empty hex, on the 3rd or 4th row of hexes from the controlling player's side.

Appendix I: Illustrated BattleLore Lexicon

This lexicon provides a short description of the key concepts in BattleLore. When the Player's Guide first introduces you to these concepts, you'll often find that the key words are marked in green bold text to make it easier for you to reference.

• 1d, 2d: Denotes a number of Battle dice to be rolled; 1d denotes 1 Battle die to be rolled, etc.
• 1d/Level: 1d/Level signifies 1 die per level (of the acting Lore Master). Lore cards played out of character are considered as if played by a Level 1 Lore Master.
• 1d/Level + x, 1d/Level – x: Denotes 1 die per level, plus or minus x dice.
• Agincourt: A decisive English victory over the French, in the Age of BattleLore; the introductory adventure that introduces BattleLore players to the rules of Medieval battle, in the Adventures booklet.
• Army: All the units of one camp, on the battlefield.
• Active player: The player whose turn it is.
• Attacking unit: The unit initiating a Battle dice roll against an enemy target unit.
• Adventure: A description of all the game play information necessary to start a BattleLore game session. An adventure includes:
  • A Battle Map, depicting the lay of the land, and the forces deployed on the battlefield at game start;
  • Battle Notes, detailing the number of Victory Banners required for each camp, the number of Command cards and/or the recommended composition of each camp's War Council, and any Special rules or custom Victory conditions in effect.
• Banner: A key game element, used to distinguish various units on the Battlefield and display a unit's key characteristics.

Appendix II: Units Compendium

The following miniatures are included in the initial version of BattleLore. The numbers next to each banner symbol specify the number of banner bearers of each type (Standard or Pennant) included in the core game. Additional figures (without banners) are provided to complement these units and play the adventures provided in the Adventures' booklet. Finally, some spare banners of varying type are included for future adventures.

The compendium is a component illustration; the unit and banner names it presents are:

• Red Banner Heavy Cavalry (Standard and Pennant variants)
• Blue Banner Regular Cavalry
• Blue Banner Regular Infantry
• Blue Banner Goblin Swordsman
• Red Banner Heavy Infantry
• Red Banner Hobgoblin Swordsman
• Green Banner Irregular Infantry
• Green Banner Archers
• Green Banner Hobgoblin Archers
• Green Banner Goblin Skirmisher
• Green Banner Hobgoblin Cavalry
• Green Banner Iron Dwarf Crossbowman
• Blue Banner Iron Dwarf Swordsman
• Red Banner Iron Dwarf Swordsman (Heavy)
• Green Banner Giant Spider

Note: The number of banner bearers of each type included in the core game appears only in the printed illustration on the original page and is not reproduced here.