Castle Assault Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Components
• Key Concepts
• Winning and Losing
• Card Anatomy
• Phase Sequence
  • Start of Turn Phase
  • Open Phase
  • End of Turn Phase
• Set-up
• 1st Time Playing Walkthrough
• Combat Examples
• Glossary

Contents

Pg. 3. Key Concepts (Winning and Losing) Pg. 4. Card Anatomy Pg. 6. Phase Sequence Pg. 8. Set-up Pg. 9. 1st Time Playing Walkthrough Pg. 17. Glossary Pg. 22. Deck Building Rules Pg. 35. Start of the Solo Player Campaign (www.MomentumVolsk.com provides gameplay videos)

For Your First Game: We recommend reviewing the component descriptions and then follow the 1st time playing Castle Assault walkthrough on Pg. 9 and only look up details in the Glossary as they occur during actual play. Recommended starting deck lists are also available at www.MomentumVolsk.com

Components

1 Rule Booklet and 1 Solo Player Campaign Guide book

2 Stamp books of improvements for your heroes and Legendary Forge cards

• 33-card Burning Brood Dragon deck
• 34-card Grim Harlequinn Fae deck
• 34-card Adamantine Anvil Dwarves deck
• 34-card Medieval War-Engine deck
• 21 Neutral Command cards
• 40-card solo Player campaign deck
• 22 Environment cards
• 4 Legendary Forge cards
• 5 six-sided dice: 4 red, 1 black
• 7 glass tokens: 6 red, 1 orange curse
• 4 Hero cards

Key Concepts

If the text on a card directly contradicts the text of the rules, the text on the card takes precedence.

Winning and Losing

If a Player's castle is reduced to 0 or lower Health, that Player instantly loses the game. If a Player's hero is destroyed on the battlefield, that Player instantly loses the game.

If a Player runs out of cards in their deck, they DO NOT lose and they DO NOT reshuffle their discard pile to make a new deck. If a Player has no cards in their deck, they must play at least 1 Unit card from their hand during their turn (if they are able).

If both Players run out of cards to draw, and run out of cards to play from their hands, and there are no Units on the battlefield or the Units on the battlefield are locked in combat, then the Player with the highest castle Health wins. If castle Health is tied, then each Player rolls a six-sided die. The highest roller wins. Re-roll ties.

Card Anatomy

There are 5 types of cards: Unit cards, Command cards, Hero cards, Environment cards, and Legendary Forge cards.

Unit cards can enter the battlefield and engage the enemy. A Unit card shows these values:

• Movement
• Attack
• Armor
• Health
• Cost
• Text Area
• Unit Name

Blue text, and the blue "A" icon in the Text Area, indicate that the Unit has an ability which can be activated by "Taking a Unit Action". Black text in the Text Area are always-active abilities.

Command cards represent items, skills, weapons, blessings, or curses which may be applied to other cards to modify the activity of the game. The back of a Command card has no numbers on this side. A Command card shows a Cost and a Text Area.

• Instant Commands (marked with the red Instant icon) can be played on any Player's turn anytime, and occur immediately provided they have the Resources to pay their cost.
• Attachment Commands (marked with the purple Attachment icon) permanently attach to and travel with a Unit. These can only be played during the current Player's Open Phase.

Environment cards represent weather conditions and unexpected twists that may occur during the game. When an Environment card is revealed, its text immediately occurs.

• "Immediate" effects are one-time occurrences and are placed in the Environment deck discard pile.
• "Ongoing" effects continue to occur until the next Environment card is revealed and replaces it.

If there is an "Ongoing" Environment card currently in play and the next Environment card revealed enters the battlefield, then the original "Ongoing" effect continues.

Hero cards are the card that represents you, the Player. Heroes have a "Front" and an "Action" side.

Legendary Forge cards are upgradable neutral Command cards that must be earned while completing the solo Player campaign and then can be improved as you progress. Please do not add them to your deck unless they have been unlocked.

Phase Sequence

Castle Assault is played by 1 Player going first, and then followed by the other Player or Monster going next. Each turn has only 3 Phases:

• Start of Turn Phase: all steps followed in order.
• Open Phase: all steps are optional and can be completed in any order at any time, including repeating previously performed steps.
• End of Turn Phase: all steps followed in order.

Start of Turn Phase

0. Environment token movement (2-Player games only). After your opponent finishes their turn and before you start your turn, move the Environment token 1 space on the Environment Meter. If the Environment Meter would enter the 5th space, move it to "START" instead, and flip the top Environment card face-up and resolve the text.

1. Roll Momentum. Roll 1 six-sided die and move the Momentum Meter token the same number of spaces toward the Player's castle whose turn it is. If a Player rolls a higher die roll than spaces on the Momentum Meter, then the token simply stops on the Max position in that Player's favor.

2. Ready Exhausted Resources. All previously Exhausted Resources are Readied. This is the in-game "payday", and any previously Exhausted Resources can be spent again on this new turn.

3. Draw a Card, 1 from your deck.

4. Start of Turn Effects. Complete any abilities as written on your in-play Units' Text Areas. You can "Assign a Captain" by placing a red token on any in-play friendly ally, and that ally will gain the effect(s) as printed on your hero. You can also "Curse a Unit" by placing an orange token on any in-play opposing Unit, and that Unit will gain the effect as printed on your hero. You can both Assign a Captain and Curse an opposing Unit.

5. Move Units is a mandatory movement of all your in-play allies you have controlled since the beginning of your turn. They all move the number of spaces as printed on the card near the Movement symbol. All Units move toward the opposing castle and cannot switch columns.

Open Phase

a) Place a Resource. During this step a Player can place one or zero cards face-down outside the gameboard as a Ready Resource. (This is optional, as are all steps in the Open Phase.) EXCEPTION: the Player going 2nd, on their very first turn, can place two, one, or zero cards as Resources.

b) Play Units. Play one or more Units from your hand by Exhausting an appropriate number of Ready Resources per that Unit's Cost, and play that Unit in any one of your 3 unoccupied Castle Area locations. Your hero can also be summoned for zero cost and will enter your Castle Area in any one of your 3 unoccupied locations.

c) Play Commands. Play one or more Commands by Exhausting an appropriate number of Ready Resources per that Command's Cost, and resolve the Command effect on your desired target. Every Player has 2 default Commands they can also activate on their Open Phase, and both of these can be done multiple times per turn:

• 1 Resource can be Exhausted to move the Momentum Meter 2 spaces in any direction.
• 3 Resources can be Exhausted to draw a card from your own deck.

d) Take Unit Actions. Each and every Unit you have controlled since the beginning of your turn can Take a Unit Action. There are 4 possible Unit Actions, and every Unit you control can only take one:

1. Charge. EVERY Unit in Castle Assault can Charge. Roll 1 six-sided die and move that one Unit that many spaces linearly forward in the same column.
2. Activate a blue "A" ability (the blue "A" icon) per the blue text in your Unit's Text Area. This ability will occur immediately.
3. Attack if Engaged with an opposing Unit or castle.
4. Do nothing.

Your Units CANNOT take two Unit Actions, for example Charging and then Activating a blue "A" ability such as Ranged Linear.

End of Turn Phase

6. End of Turn Effects, occur as directed by any currently in-play Units per their Text Area. If you have greater than 5 cards in your hand at the end of your turn, you must discard any number of cards until you only have 5 remaining.

Set-up

Each Player selects a warband type and a hero and assembles a deck of 30 to 40 cards composed of only 1 warband type and no more than 2 copies of any individual card. The shrink-wrapped decks are perfectly ready to play, but as you gain experience you may find you will want to forge your own deck with the cards that match your strategy. This deck crafting can include removing warband Unit cards, and adding neutral Command or Unit cards.

Shuffle the Environment cards (blue backed cards) and place them face-down off to the side of the gameboard.

Each Player places one red token on their 10 Castle Health position on their side of the gameboard.

Place 1 red token on the "START" position of the Momentum Meter.

Place 1 red token on the "START" position on one side of the Environment Meter (both Players do not need to have a token on start).

Each Player shuffles their warband deck and the opposing Player is welcome to cut your deck. Each Player then draws 5 cards from their own warband deck. 1 "mulligan" is allowed per game. A mulligan is performed by putting all 5 originally drawn cards onto the bottom of your own deck and drawing 5 new cards from the top of your deck.

Each Player rolls a six-sided die. The highest roller decides who goes first. Re-roll the die in the case of a tie.

Learning Tip: On your very first game it is recommended heroes are not used, so Players can become comfortable with the basic phase structure and game mechanics.

1st Time Playing Walkthrough

You are playing as the Burning Brood Dragons and your opponent Pete is playing as the Adamantine Anvil Dwarves. You have both rolled dice, Pete won, and he decided you will play first.

TURN 1 - It is your 1st turn, and in your hand is: Soot, Soot, Drake, Dracomancer, and a neutral Command card Ranged Blessing.

You first reveal the top card of the Environment deck and its effect immediately occurs. You reveal Local Support, which has an immediate one-time effect that the Player with the lowest castle Health regains 2 lost castle Health. Since both Players' castles are equal at 10 Health, this Environment card has no effect.

Start of Turn Phase: You roll the black six-sided die and roll a 4. You move the red token from the "START" on the Momentum Meter 4 spaces toward your castle (the side you are sitting on). The Momentum Meter is now in the Max position in your favor. You draw a card from your deck, which is another Drake card.

Open Phase: You decide to place the Soot card as a Resource because you have 2 copies of Soot in your hand. You place the Soot card face-down off to the side of the gameboard.

The face-down Soot is now considered 1 Ready "unused" Resource and is able to be used to pay for the cost of other cards in your hand. Even though Soot costs 4, once placed face-down as a Resource it is worth only 1 Resource. You then decide to Exhaust or "spend" the 1 Resource and play the Dracomancer card in your center Castle location because it costs 1. The 1 "spent" or Exhausted Resource is turned at a 45 degree angle to visualize that the card is Exhausted and that you cannot use it again this turn. The now in-play Dracomancer CANNOT Take a Unit Action this turn, as it has not been under your control since the very start of your turn.

End of Turn Phase: Your Dracomancer does not have any effect printed on its Text Area saying something should occur, so nothing happens. You currently have 4 cards in your hand and the maximum is 5 cards, so you do not discard any cards (max hand size is 5, and is only checked now during YOUR OWN End of Turn Phase). At the End of your Turn and before Pete starts his turn, you move the Environment Meter 1 space forward to "T1".

TURN 2 - Your opponent Pete's 1st turn: Pete has previously drawn 5 cards, which are Bronzebeard Bulwark, Ironborne Dwarf, Forge Master, Bitterbrew Batterers, and Dwarf Lord Grim'gor.

Start of Turn Phase: Pete rolls the black die and rolls a 1, and he moves the red Momentum Meter token 1 space towards his castle. Pete draws a card from his deck, which is another Ironborne Dwarf.

Open Phase: Pete can place two, one, or zero cards as Resources. This is the ONLY TIME when any Player can place more than 1 Resource per turn, as this is the benefit of going second. Pete decides to place the Forge Master and the Ironborne Dwarf face-down as Resources next to the gameboard. Pete now has 2 Ready Resources available to pay the cost of the other cards in his hand. Pete Exhausts 2 Resources by turning them at a 45 degree angle and plays Bronzebeard Bulwark in his center Castle location. The 2 cost Bronzebeard Bulwark CANNOT Take a Unit Action this turn, as it has not been under Pete's control since the very start of his turn. The 2 Resources are now Exhausted and cannot be used again this turn.

End of Turn Phase: Pete ends his turn, and no End of Turn Effects occur because the in-play Bronzebeard Bulwark's Text Area does not state that anything should happen, and since Pete only has 3 cards in his hand he does not discard any cards.

At the End of Pete's Turn and before your turn starts, Pete moves the Environment Meter 1 space forward to "T2".

TURN 3 - Your second turn:

Start of Turn Phase:

1. You roll the black die, and roll a 4. This is more spaces than required to reach the Momentum Meter Max position, so the red token is moved to the Max space and the additional token movement is lost.
2. You Ready your 1 Resource by turning it from 45 degrees to 90 degrees. The 90 degree card visually communicates that this Resource is Ready again for use (in-game payday!).
3. You draw 1 card from your deck, which is a Command called Shift.
4. You do not have any Start of Turn Effects, as there is nothing written in your Dracomancer's Text Area that states anything will happen, and you choose not to assign your Dracomancer as your Captain.
5. You move the Dracomancer 1 space forward (toward Pete's castle) per the Dracomancer's printed Movement of 1.

Open Phase:

a) You decide to place the Command Ranged Blessing face-down as a Resource, and you now have 2 Ready Resources. b) You Exhaust 2 Resources and play the Drake in your left Castle location. c) You do not play any Commands. d) You decide to Take a Unit Action to Charge with your Dracomancer, and do so by rolling a six-sided die. You roll a 6 and move the Dracomancer 6 spaces forward toward Pete's castle. Your Drake CANNOT Take a Unit Action this turn because it just entered play.

End Turn Phase:

6. End of Turn (nothing happens). No discard, as you only have 3 cards.

After the End of your Turn and before Pete starts his turn, you move the Environment Meter 1 space forward to "T3".

TURN 4 - Pete's second turn:

Start of Turn Phase:

1. Pete rolls a six-sided die and rolls a 4. Pete moves the red Momentum Meter token 4 spaces toward his castle.
2. Pete Readies his 2 Resources.
3. Pete draws Magmaton Mortar from his deck.
4. Pete does not have any Start of Turn Effects, and chooses not to assign his Bronzebeard Bulwark as his Captain.
5. Pete moves the Bronzebeard Bulwark 1 space forward per the Bronzebeard Bulwark's printed Movement value of 1. Pete's Bronzebeard Bulwark is now "touching" your Dracomancer. ANYTIME two opposing Units are touching in the SAME column, they "Engage" in combat.

Engaging happens immediately and simultaneously. Once two Units are Engaged, they can only be interrupted by an Instant Command. The attacking Unit attacks the defending Unit with its Attack minus the defending Unit's Armor, and the defending Unit immediately counter-attacks with its Attack minus the attacking Unit's Armor.

Attack - Armor = damage.

Pete's Bronzebeard Bulwark attacks for 1 Attack minus the Dracomancer's Armor of 0 = 1 damage to the Dracomancer. Your Dracomancer simultaneously counter-attacks with its 2 Attack minus the Bronzebeard Bulwark's Armor of 0 = 2 damage to the Bronzebeard Bulwark. Your Dracomancer has only 1 Health and is destroyed. The Bronzebeard Bulwark has 4 Health and 2 Health is removed. Lost Health is never regained, and lost Health is marked with a red six-sided die placed on the card showing remaining Health.

Destroyed Units are removed from the gameboard and placed face-up in that Player's discard pile. When a Unit destroys an opposing Unit, you draw a card. Pete now draws a card from his deck as a reward, because his Bronzebeard Bulwark destroyed your Dracomancer.

Open Phase:

a) Pete decides to place the Magmaton Mortar Unit card face-down as an additional Ready Resource. Pete now has 3 Ready Resources to pay for the cost of other cards in his hand. b) Pete Exhausts 2 Resources and plays the Bitterbrew Batterers in his left castle location to counter your Drake. Pete did not spend all his Resources this turn, because spending Resources is optional. Pete leaves 1 Ready Resource. c) Pete does not play any Commands. d) Pete chooses to Take a Unit Action to Charge with the Bronzebeard Bulwark, and Charges by rolling a six-sided die. Pete rolls a 6 and moves the Bronzebeard Bulwark 6 spaces forward.

End of Turn Phase:

6. End of Turn effects (nothing happens).

At the End of Pete's Turn and before you start your turn, Pete moves the Environment Meter 1 space forward to "T4".

TURN 5 - Your third turn:

Start of Turn Phase:

1. You roll the black die, and roll a 2. (If you had rolled a 5 or 6 you would have moved the red token to the Max space.)
2. You Ready your 2 Resources.
3. You draw 1 card from your deck, which is a Brood Wurm.
4. You do not have any Start of Turn Effects, as there is nothing written in your Drake's Text Area that states anything will happen. You now choose to assign your Drake as your Captain, and you move the red Captain token from your hero onto your Drake. Until your Drake is destroyed during a Charge, it gains +1 Movement and +2 Attack on a 5+ Charge roll. You move the Drake 4 spaces forward toward Pete's castle per its printed 4 Movement.

Open Phase:

a) You decide to place your second Soot face-down as a Resource, and now have 3 Ready Resources. c) You realize Pete is defending his castle with his Bitterbrew Batterers in space A. You decide to Exhaust 1 Resource to play the Command Shift to move your Drake into any adjacent column. You can laterally move the Drake to the center or lower column. You choose the center column and place your Shift card face-up in your discard pile.

Your Drake and the Bronzebeard Bulwark do not Engage in combat, as they are facing opposite directions on the battlefield.

d) You decide to Take a Unit Action to Charge with your Drake and roll a 3. 3 Movement from the die roll +1 Movement from your Captain ability is 4 spaces. You move your Drake forward 4 spaces and Engage Pete's castle in combat. Your Drake will attack with a base 1 Attack minus the Castle's Armor of 0 = 1 damage to the opposing castle. [1 - 0 = 1 damage]. Also, because of your Drake's Gigantic ability, Pete's Castle currently only has 7 Health.

b) It is still your turn, and you Exhaust 2 Resources and play your Brood Wurm in your center castle location.

End Turn Phase:

6. End of Turn. You do not discard, as you have less than 5 cards. At the End of your Turn and before Pete starts his turn, you move the Environment Meter to "START". You reveal the next Environment card, "Blistering Cold", which has an Ongoing effect that all Units receive -2 Attack. This will remain in effect until the next Environment card is revealed.

TURN 6 - Pete's third turn: The turns continue to pass back and forth, with each Player taking a turn until a Player's castle is damaged to 0 Health or a hero is destroyed.

Combat Examples

Example #1 - Smash Bonus: In the same situation as above, instead of rolling a 3, you rolled a 6 for the Drake's Charge. You would move your Drake 7 spaces forward [6 Movement from the die roll +1 Movement from your Captain = 7 spaces]. The Drake will stop in the same space, because your Drake CANNOT enter the opposing Castle Area. Your Drake would Engage in combat with the undefended castle, but you would now gain the Smash Bonus, because your movement is greater than the number of spaces you need to reach the opposing castle.

Your Drake will attack with base 1 Attack plus a bonus +1 Attack for the Smash Bonus, +2 Attack from your Captain ability, minus the castle Armor of 0 = 4 damage to the opposing castle. [1 + 1 + 2 - 0 = 4 damage]

Example #2 - Momentum Bonus: In the same situation as Example #1, except that the Momentum Meter is in the Charging Smash +1 Attack area in your favor (the side which is closest to where you are sitting). Your Drake will attack with base 1 Attack, +1 Attack for the Smash Bonus, +1 Attack for the Momentum Bonus, +2 Attack from your Captain ability, minus the castle's Armor of 0 = 5 damage to the opposing castle. The Momentum Bonus benefits every friendly Charging Unit on the gameboard and CAN ONLY occur while Charging with a Smash Bonus.

Example #3 - Defending: Your Drake from Example #1 is still at Pete's castle wall, however it is now Pete's Open Phase. Pete plays Goldguard Garrison in his castle. As soon as he plays his card on the gameboard, the two Units immediately Engage in combat. The Goldguard Garrison does not have to Take a Unit Action, because the Units will immediately Engage in combat.

Your Drake attacks for 1 Attack minus the Goldguard Garrison's 2 Armor = 0 damage to the Goldguard Garrison. The Goldguard Garrison counter-attacks for 3 Attack minus the Drake's 0 Armor = 3 damage to the Drake. Your Drake is destroyed and removed from the battlefield, and Pete draws a card from his deck.

Glossary

0 Movement Units: all Units (including Units with 0 Movement) can Charge. A Unit with 0 Movement Engaged with an opposing Unit or castle during its Move Units step will not Engage with the opposing Unit or castle. The 0 Movement Unit CAN still Take a Unit Action to Attack.

Action: see Take a Unit Action.

Adjacent: spaces B, C, D, and E are adjacent to space A. Space H is NOT adjacent to space A. Adjacency is critical for abilities like Aura and during combat. There are no diagonals in Castle Assault.

[Diagram: spaces A through H on the battlefield, with the Units placed on A, B, C, D, E, F, and H as printed.]

Engaging with an opposing Unit during your Move Units step or during a Charge does not occur while the opposing Unit is in an adjacent column. Your Falcornian Drake A cannot Engage enemy Units C, F, or H. A Command cannot be played, or an ability used, that would laterally move your Falcornian Drake A into space C because space C is occupied, and these Units will not Engage in combat.

Ally: is any hero or Unit you control in-play on the entire gameboard.

Armor: subtracts Attack during combat. An opposing Unit's Attack must be higher than your Armor to deal your Unit damage.

Assign a Captain: all heroes have 1 red Captain token. During your own Start of Turn Effects step you may assign 1 of your Units to be a Captain. If your Captain is destroyed, return the 1 Captain token to your hero.

During your next Start of Turn Effect step you may assign another Unit to be a Captain. Your hero cannot assign multiple Captains, as you can only have 1 Captain. If your hero has multiple "Assign a Captain" skills, your one single Captain benefits from all of those skills. These benefits are listed on the "Front" side of your hero. If your hero has no "Assign a Captain" skills, your hero CAN still assign a Captain, but that Unit gains no benefits from being a Captain (unless the Unit's Text Area states it gains a benefit). You may not remove the Captain token from any in-play Unit, and the only way to regain your Captain token is if the current Captain is destroyed. If you have a Captain assigned and your hero enters the battlefield, your Captain will maintain the Captain benefits until your Captain is destroyed. If your hero is on the battlefield, then you can no longer assign a new Captain.

You CANNOT assign a Lord or an Epic card to become a Captain.

Attachment: are Commands (marked with the purple Attachment icon) that permanently attach to and travel with a Unit. There is no limit to the number of attachments a Unit may have. When the Unit with an attachment is destroyed, discard the attachment.

Attack: is the printed Attack value on your Unit. A Unit can also Take a Unit Action to Attack. An Attack is performed by declaring which Unit is attacking, and it will Attack the opposing Unit or castle with its Attack value. An opposing Unit will counter-attack. There are no attack bonuses (such as the Smash Bonus or the Momentum Bonus) when you Attack.

What is the difference between Charging and Attack? Charging can only be performed when your Unit is NOT "touching" or Engaged in combat with an opposing Unit or castle. When you Charge you may gain the Smash Bonus and the Momentum Bonus. Attacking occurs while you are already Engaged with an opposing Unit or castle, and no bonuses are granted.

Aura: includes both in front of and behind your Units. Unit (A) has an Aura of 2 squares in grey, and includes the 2 adjacent squares in front of AND behind it. This is different than Ranged, which only includes the squares in front of the Unit. Aura is in effect including before and after movement, and is active for the entire length of that movement or Charge. If the Unit providing the Aura is destroyed, the bonus is immediately removed.

Example #4 - It is the Start of your Turn. Your Ironforge Dwarf (B) is within the 2 squares of your Forge Master's (A) ability Aura: adjacent friendly Units (2 squares) gain +1 Armor.

[Diagram: Forge Master (A) and Ironforge Dwarf (B) on the battlefield, with the Aura range shaded.]

During your Move Units step your Ironforge Dwarf (B) is gaining the +1 Armor bonus and will move 1 space forward per the Ironforge Dwarf's printed Movement of 1. Your Ironforge Dwarf will leave the Forge Master's Aura, however your Ironforge Dwarf WILL Engage in combat with the opposing Unit with the +1 Armor benefit, because the Aura benefit lasts the entire movement, including if your Ironforge Dwarf Engages in combat. After combat your Ironforge Dwarf would lose the benefit, as it is no longer moving. This is the same for Charging.

Battering: CAN damage the opposing castle from afar when no opposing Unit is present, and Battering is only in effect while Taking a Unit Action to Activate (blue "A" icon) Ranged Linear. When a Unit with Battering Engages in (melee) combat with a Unit in the opposing castle, damage in excess of the defending Unit's Health is NOT done to the opposing castle.

Black Text on a card's Text Area is always active and constant. At any time a special condition is met, the ability will trigger and occur.

Blast (and Burn): effects all opposing Units AND all friendly allied Units within the attack range.

Blocking Units: if a friendly ally is currently in the same column and blocking another moving ally, the moving ally cannot "go through" or "pass around" your blocking Unit unless the moving ally has the Phase ability. If an opposing Unit or castle blocks your Unit, it must Engage in combat.

Blue Text: and the blue "A" icon in the Text Area visualize that this Unit has an ability which can only be activated by Taking a Unit Action.

Blunt Damage: is a type of Ranged attack that can damage an opposing Player's castle from afar. If there is a defending Unit, then that defending Unit takes the attack and no other effect is done to the castle.

Build (yellow text): is a special resource for the Medieval War-Engine warband. Some Units grant Build (in yellow), such as Build 4, while other Units require Build to be in play and available for them to enter the game (in red text). If there are no allies in play granting Build, then you cannot play any Units that require Build.

Example #5 - You have two allies in play: Ally #1 with Build 6 and Ally #2 requiring Build 4. Currently there is 2 Build in play and available. If Ally #1 (Build 6) is destroyed, there will be -4 Build in play and available. Ally #2 is not destroyed and not impacted by the loss of its Build. To play Ally #3 in your hand, it requires Build 4 to be in play and available. It cannot be played, even if you have the appropriate number of Resources available, because there is currently only -4 Build in play and available. You then play Ally #4 with Build 4. You still cannot play Ally #3 because there is currently 0 Build in play and available, as Ally #2 is using that Build again. If Ally #2 is destroyed then you can play Ally #4.

Burn: see Blast.

Cannot Charge (red text): Units with Cannot Charge cannot Take a Unit Action to Charge and can never receive the Momentum Bonus. A Unit with Cannot Charge can still Engage in combat with the Smash Bonus. Units with Cannot Charge that are currently Engaged with an opposing Unit or castle CAN Take a Unit Action to Attack during their Open Phase. This is not a Charge, and no dice are rolled.

Cannot Stack (red text): Flight states Cannot Stack, which means the Command cannot be played on a Unit that already has the Quick ability.

Card backs different: The Grim Harlequinn Fae have 6 cards with different card backs. This is a special ability which helps the Player predict which card is next.

Charge: EVERY Unit can Charge. Charge is NOT written on any card, because every Unit can Charge unless the card says Cannot Charge (red text). During your Open Phase a Unit may Take a Unit Action to Charge if it has been under your control and on the gameboard since the Start of your Turn. To Charge, state the Charging Unit's name, then roll a six-sided die. Your Unit then physically moves forward in the same column (towards the opposing Player's castle) the exact same number of spaces as the die roll (no more, and no less).

Charging Smash: is when a Unit has Taken a Unit Action to Charge and a Player has rolled more spaces than required to Engage an opposing Unit or castle AND the Momentum Meter is in their favor on the closest two spaces on their side of the gameboard. They gain bonus Attack, since their Charge movement is greater than necessary. Their Unit will gain +1 Attack for the Smash Bonus and +1 Attack for the Momentum Bonus. See Example #2 Pg. 16.

Combat: occurs when a friendly Unit's forward movement is prevented by an opposing Unit or castle. This is called Engaging in combat. Engaging happens immediately and simultaneously. The attacking Unit attacks the defending Unit with its Attack minus the defending Unit's Armor. The defending Unit immediately counter-attacks with its Attack minus the attacking Unit's Armor. See Example #1 Pg. 15.

Attack - Armor = damage.

Command: are cards that can only be played during a Player's Open Phase, and the text of the Command resolves as the card is played. You can play as many Commands as you have Resources to pay the costs for, and the Command card is then discarded. Two exceptions are Instant Commands (marked with the red Instant icon), which can be played on ANY Player's turn anytime, and Attachment Commands (marked with the purple Attachment icon), that permanently attach and travel with a Unit, and are not discarded until the Unit it is attached to is destroyed.

Consume: if an opposing defending Unit in its own castle is destroyed by your ally with the Consume ability, your ally DOES attack the opposing castle with its Attack value. The Smash Bonus is NOT added to the attack. When your ally with Consume Engages and destroys an opposing Unit with the Resurrection ability, the opposing Unit is first removed from the battlefield, and then your ally moves its Movement forward. The opposing Player's Unit with the Resurrection ability can then return their Unit to the battlefield.

Cost: is the number of Resources that must be paid to play a card. Costs can only be paid with Ready Resources and are considered paid when the same number of Resources are Exhausted as the card's cost. If a Unit or Command card's cost cannot be paid, the effect cannot be initiated.

Curse: orange tokens are granted by your hero and placed on an opposing Unit on your Start of Turn step to visualize the Unit is cursed with the negative effect. You can assign both Curses and a Captain to different Units on the same turn.

Damage: is visually tracked by placing a red die on a Unit showing its remaining Health. Units do not regain Health. If a Unit has equal or more damage than its Health, then that Unit is destroyed.

Deck Building: deck building allows a Player to optimize a warband to increase its strengths, defend against its weaknesses, or finely tune it toward a victory condition demanded by the solo Player campaign. A deck must have at least 30 or at most 40 cards in it. Cards from different warbands CANNOT be mixed into one deck. A maximum of 2 copies of every card can be added to a deck. Neutral cards can be added to any deck. Only 1 copy of each Epic card can be added to your deck. You can have multiple Epic cards in your deck, but none with the same name. Recommended deck lists are available at www.MomentumVolsk.com. Deck building with 2 Players for Neutral cards is best done by draft. See Draft.

Defended (a defended castle): is where one of your Units is attacking an opposing Unit that is physically in its own Castle Area. All of your Attack is done to the defending Unit and no effect is done to the opposing castle. See Example #3 Pg. 16.

Defense: only prevents the Smash Bonus and the Momentum Bonus. Defense DOES prevent the Smash Bonus during an opposing Unit's Move Units step. Defense does NOT prevent Command card effects or a Unit ability such as "Momentum Max gain +2 Attack".

Destroy (destroyed): when a Unit has 0 or less than 0 Health it is destroyed. Place it face-up in that Player's discard pile.

Diagonals: there are no diagonals in Castle Assault. This includes movement and when counting spaces for Auras, Ranged, etc.

Discard (discard pile): is the pile of face-up cards where your destroyed friendly Units and used Command cards are placed.

Draft (drafting): is a fair way to share neutral Command cards during 2 Player play. Gather all neutral Commands into one pile. The Player going first chooses a card first, then the Player going second chooses a card next. This repeats until each Player is satisfied.

Draw a Card: draw 1 card during your Start of Turn step 3, "Draw a Card", or when an ally you control destroys an opposing Unit. You DO NOT draw cards when an opposing Unit destroys itself (or by your Command cards).

Engaged: when your Unit is "touching" an opposing Unit or castle in the same column as your Unit, it is Engaged in combat. You can Engage in combat during both the Move Units step and during a Charge. Your Units cannot Engage in combat with a Unit in an adjacent column, even if you use a Lateral Move ability or play a Command such as Shift.

If your Unit is Engaged in combat from a previous turn and has 1 or greater Movement, the Units will Engage in combat during the Move Units step. If both Units survive, your Unit may Take a Unit Action to Attack the opposing Unit. See Adjacent and Blocking.

[Diagram: the battlefield with the Row and Column directions marked.]

Environment (and the Environment Meter): represent weather conditions and unexpected twists that may occur during the game. Before a 2-Player game begins, flip an Environment card and resolve its text.

[Diagram: starting position of the Environment Meter.]

After you finish your turn and before the second Player begins their turn, the Environment Meter is moved 1 space forward.

After the second Player finishes their turn and before you begin your turn, the Environment Meter is moved 1 space forward, and so on.

[Diagram: the Environment Meter sequence, marked Your turn / 2P turn, Your turn / 2P turn.]

At the end of the 4th turn, move the Environment Meter to START and reveal a new Environment card. The opposing Player begins their turn with this new effect in effect. A newly revealed Ongoing Environment card will replace the previous Ongoing Environment card, and the previous card will no longer have any effect. If there is an Ongoing Environment card and the next Environment card revealed enters the battlefield, the previous Ongoing Environment remains in effect as well as the Environment card that entered the battlefield.

Epic (marked with the Epic badge): Only 1 copy of each Epic card can be added to your deck before the game starts. You can have multiple Epic cards in your deck, but none with the same name. An Epic card CANNOT become a Captain.

Exhausted: are Resources that have been used to pay a card's cost and are rotated 45 degrees, visually signifying to your opponent that the Resource has been Exhausted and cannot be used again this turn. See Ready.

Forge-it: during the solo Player campaign, if a Forge-it condition is met, then you may immediately add a Forge-it stamp, as directed by the campaign guide, to a Legendary Forge card of your choice that you have earned. You may not improve cards you have not yet earned. You can also choose not to Forge-it.

Gigantic: if a friendly ally Engages in combat with an opposing Unit and both Units are destroyed, Gigantic does not take effect. If a friendly ally Engages with an opposing Unit in its castle and both Units survive combat, Gigantic does not take effect, because your ally is Engaged with the opposing Unit, and not the castle. Gigantic CAN stack, creating (while Engaged with the opposing castle that castle has -4 Health).

Global Commands: there are 2 Commands any Player can perform during their own Open Phase. A special card is not required to perform these Commands, and these Commands can be performed multiple times as long as you can pay the Resource cost.

• 1 Resource can be Exhausted to move the Momentum Meter 2 spaces in any direction (usually in your favor).
• 3 Resources can be Exhausted to draw a card from your own deck.

Haste: allows your Unit to Take a Unit Action immediately. Without Haste, a Unit CANNOT Take a Unit Action the turn you play it.

Heroes: are you in Castle Assault. Heroes may be used in both solo and 2-Player play. Improve yourself with new skills and equipment by Leveling-up after completing special conditions during the solo Player campaign, or during 2-Player games by winning 2 of 3 games. Heroes may sometimes have different levels. If your opponent has a level 4 hero and you only have a level 1 hero, agree with your opponent before playing to ignore 3 of their levels, thus leveling the playing field. If you are an experienced Castle Assaulter and your opponent is new, give them a level 3 hero to play and give yourself a level 0 hero to play with. Remember, anytime during your own Open Phase, for no cost, your hero can enter your castle and join the assault, but beware: if your hero is destroyed on the battlefield you immediately lose the game.

Immediate: is a type of Environment card and the effect occurs instantly.

Instant: means it occurs now. Instant Commands (marked with the red Instant icon) can be played on any Player's turn anytime, including while Engaged in combat.

Lateral Move: when laterally moving your Unit (A), you can move 1 or 2 spaces in the same row. You cannot laterally move into an adjacent square if it is occupied. You cannot attempt to Engage in combat with opposing Unit (B). If you laterally move into space (C), you will immediately Engage in combat with opposing Unit (D).

[Diagram: Units A, B, C, and D showing a lateral move from A into C.]

Legendary Forge: are cards earned while completing the solo Player campaign. These cards can be improved by completing special Forge-it conditions.

Level-up: is earned via two methods:

• During 2-Player play, by agreeing with your opponent before the game, whoever wins two of three games will earn a Level-up.
• During solo Player play, by completing special Level-up conditions. During the campaign, if the Level-up condition is met but the Player loses the scenario, the Level-up is NOT granted.

You can only Level-up the hero currently in use. 1 hero Level-up = 1 stamp. Affix a stamp to your hero card to provide a benefit to your hero. The color of the stamp must match the color of the available slot on your hero. For example, Oren Iron-Veins can receive 3 colored Hero skill Level-ups to the "Front" side of his card: 1 green, 1 yellow, and 1 blue level. Oren Iron-Veins can receive 1 equipment Level-up to the "Action" side of his card. Equipment Levels are purple stamps. Any type of stamp may be selected during a Level-up.

[Image: Hero Oren Iron-Veins "Front".]

Lord: only 1 copy of any Lord card can be in play under your control at any time. This includes if they have different names. A Lord CANNOT become a Captain.

Loses 1 Health at the End of its Turn (red text): includes the very first turn the Unit is played. If your Unit destroys itself, or as a result of a Command your opponent played on your Unit, your opponent DOES NOT draw a card.

Momentum (Max and Meter): the Momentum Meter is a gauge that can provide your Units with benefits. The Momentum Max position is the very last space in your favor (closest to where you are sitting). The Momentum Meter can be moved during your own Open Phase by Exhausting 1 Resource and moving it 2 spaces in any direction. Momentum Max is not an optional status that can be ignored. If you are currently at Momentum Max, then all of your Units receive the Momentum Max effects. See Momentum Bonus and Charging Smash Example #2 Pg. 16.

[Diagram: the Momentum Meter with the MAX position marked, and the Charging Smash +1 Attack area which grants the Momentum Bonus while Charging.]

Monster Priority: see Example #7 Pg. 34. (Note: Pg. 32 to 34 and Example #7 are not present in the file this transcription was made from, so that example is not transcribed here.)

Move Units: during your Move Units step, the "most forward" Unit must move first, then your next most forward Unit. If there are ties, you choose which Unit to move first. Unit (A) moves forward first. You now have a choice to move Unit (B) or Unit (C) next; Unit (D) is moved last.

[Diagram: Units A, B, C, and D in their columns, with Your Castle marked.]

During your Move Units step, if you engage in combat with an opposing Unit or castle you can obtain the Smash Bonus, but NOT the Momentum Bonus. The Momentum Bonus is ONLY granted during a Charge.

Example #6 - During your Move Units step your Soot Engages with an opposing undefended castle. Undefended means there is no opposing Unit in the opposing Castle Area. Your Unit will stop and Engage the castle wall (wooden gate) on the battlefield. Your Units CANNOT enter the opposing Castle Area.

Your Soot has 4 Movement, and during your Move Units step will move forward 1 space (because it cannot enter the opposing Castle Area). Soot attacks with base 4 Attack, +1 Attack for the Smash Bonus, minus the opposing castle's Armor of 0 = 5 damage to the opposing castle. But wait! It is now your Open Phase and Soot remains Engaged. Soot cannot Charge, as it is Engaged in combat, but CAN Take a Unit Action to Attack. Soot Attacks with base 4 Attack minus the opposing castle's Armor of 0 = 4 damage to the opposing castle. That is 9 damage to the opposing castle this turn, and shows why a castle should rarely be left undefended. Soot does have the Quick ability, but since it is Engaged in combat, Quick has no effect.

Movement: is the printed Movement value on every Unit card. If you play an Instant Command on your Unit, it will benefit your Unit for both the Move Units step and if you decide to Take a Unit Action and Charge.

Must: is a word meaning that the effect shall happen. No choice is given.

Ongoing: written on Environment cards, state the effect continues until any other Environment card is played on top of it, and then the Ongoing effect would stop. If a new Ongoing Environment card is revealed and moved to the battlefield, the previous Ongoing Environment card remains in effect.

Pay: most cards have a Resource cost. This cost must be paid before the Unit can enter the battlefield or the Command can be used. Heroes have no cost to pay and can be played anytime during your own Open Phase.

Phase: there are 3 main Phases: the Start of Turn Phase, the Open Phase, and the End of Turn Phase. A Player must complete all 3 Phases, and then it is the next Player's turn. Start of Turn Phase steps must be followed in order. Everything in the Open Phase is optional and can be completed in any order and at any time. You could c) Play a Command, then a) Place a Resource, then b) Play a Unit, then c) Play another Command, then d) Charge with a Unit, and finally c) Play a 3rd Command. The End of Turn Phase steps must be followed in order. See Pg. 6 for more detail.

Place a Resource: is performed by taking 1 card from your hand and putting it face-down outside of the gameboard. That card becomes 1 Resource. Even if the card costs 6, when it is placed face-down as a Resource it becomes only 1 Resource. Only 1 card can be placed as a Resource every turn, EXCEPT for the 2nd Player's very first turn. See Phase description Pg. 7 or gameplay walkthrough Pg. 10.

Play: playing a card is performed by paying and Exhausting the appropriate number of Resources, and then having a Unit card enter your Castle Area or have a Command occur. A Unit CANNOT Take a Unit Action the turn it enters your castle. A Command card will take effect when it is played.

Quick: has no effect if your Unit is Engaged in combat. It is your End of Turn Phase and both of your Units (A) and (B) have Quick. Unit (A) is the furthest downfield, so it must move first; however, it is currently Engaged in combat with the opposing castle, thus no effect occurs. Unit (B) has 3 Movement, and since it is only 1 space away, it will move 1 space ahead and Engage the opposing castle with the Smash Bonus. Unit (B) will attack with base 2 Attack, +1 Attack for the Smash Bonus, minus the opposing castle's Armor of 0 = 3 damage to the opposing castle.

[Diagram: Enemy Castle, with Units A and B.]

Ram: during the Monster's Move Units step, Pontifect Neuholm (with the Ram ability) Engages your Nether Cannon with the Smash Bonus. Pontifect Neuholm has base 6 Attack, +1 Attack for the Smash Bonus, for a total of 7 Attack. Your Nether Cannon has 0 Armor and 1 Health and is destroyed. The remaining 6 Attack is done to your castle, minus your castle's Armor of 0 = 6 damage to your castle. Pontifect Neuholm will then Take a Unit Action to Attack your castle for 6 Attack. Your castle would be destroyed.

Ranged: a Ranged Unit during its Open Phase may Take a Unit Action to "shoot" any one opposing Unit in its range with its Attack, without receiving a counter-attack from the opposing Unit. There are no "line-of-sight" rules with Ranged attacks, and you can shoot over allied or opposing Units to shoot an opposing Unit further down the gameboard. You cannot shoot your own Units. A Unit with Ranged Linear (1 – 4) cannot shoot an opposing Unit 1 space in front of it, because it would Engage in combat with that opposing Unit before it could Take a Unit Action to use Ranged. A Unit CANNOT take 2 Unit Actions to Charge and then, when it is done moving, to shoot with Ranged, because Units can only Take 1 Unit Action per turn and not 2. Units CANNOT shoot Castles.

The Dragon Welps (A) Ranged Linear (1 – 4) range is in yellow.

[Diagram: Dragon Welps (A) Ranged Linear range in yellow; Pyrexia, The Brood Queen (B) Ranged Adjacent range in green; the Forge Master (C) Aura range in orange.]

Pyrexia, The Brood Queen (B) has Ranged Adjacent (1 - 6) in green. Like Ranged Linear, Ranged Adjacent does NOT include spaces behind the Unit. It does include spaces directly adjacent to the Unit. The Forge Master (C) has the Aura ability. An Aura with 2 squares of range (in orange) includes the 2 adjacent squares in front of AND behind the Unit.

Ready: is the opposite of Exhausted. If a Resource is Ready, it can be spent this turn. See Exhausted.

Repeat combat: Engaged Units will continue to Engage in combat every Move Units step if your Unit has a printed Movement of 1 or greater, AND may Engage in combat during your Open Phase if you choose to Take a Unit Action to Attack.

Resources: are the in-game currency used to pay for cards. Resources are created by placing a card from your hand face-down outside the gameboard. Any card from your hand can become 1 Resource.

Running out of cards: when a Player runs out of cards in their deck, they do not lose; however, that Player must now play at least 1 Unit card per turn.

Smash Bonus: is a +1 Attack earned when a Unit could move more spaces, however is blocked by an opposing Unit or castle. See Example #1 Pg. 15.

Stacking: any Unit can have multiple attachment Commands, abilities, and Captain abilities attached to it, unless it reads Cannot Stack.

Take a Unit Action: the turn you play a Unit it CANNOT Take a Unit Action. A Unit must be under your control since the beginning of your turn, and each and every Unit you control can only Take 1 Unit Action during your Open Phase. There are only 4 possible Unit Actions:

1. Charge
2. Activate an ability (blue "A" icon) in blue text per the Unit's Text Area
3. Attack if Engaged with an opposing Unit or castle
4. Do nothing

Target: is a Unit or a Player as the chosen recipient of an effect.

Turn: 1 turn is your turn. The 2nd turn is your opponent's turn. 1 turn is NOT both your and your opponent's turn. Commands lasting 1 turn and played on your opponent's turn only last their turn.

Undefended: is when you are attacking the opposing castle and there is not a defending opposing Unit in that castle. See Example #1 Pg. 15 or Example #6 Pg. 29.

Unit: any Unit card on the battlefield, including your allies, your hero, the opposing Player's Units, and the opposing Player's hero.

Note: the file this transcription was made from ends at printed page 31. The "Start of the Solo Player Campaign" listed at Pg. 35 of the contents is not included.