Relic Knights: Darkspace Calamity
Relic Knights: Darkspace Calamity Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Rules
Before playing, players agree on a game size and recruit their cadres. Players then determine who is the Hero and who is the Villain. The Villain generates the scenario conditions both players will be using. The players then set up the battlefield with terrain and alternate taking turns deploying units on the battlefield. Once units have been deployed, players set their ready queue and draw their hand up to five cards. Then the battle begins.
During the battle each player takes turns activating a single unit. During the active unit's turn it will be allowed to make an initial move, use an action, then take a follow-up move. The players then reset their ready queue. Play continues between players, alternating turns, until one player reaches enough victory points to win or their opponent surrenders the game.
Game Elements
Before launching into your Relic Knights game, there are several essential components you will need to play the game. This section covers the basic game elements you will be using.
Objects
An object refers to any game element placed upon the table. This includes models, terrain, markers, and tokens. Remember that when you see a rule that refers to objects, it is referring to any and all game elements.
Models
Models are the miniatures and markers used to play a game of Relic Knights. Models in your cadre are referred to as friendly models, while models in your opponent's cadre are referred to as enemy models.
Units
Each model or group of models represented by a single tracker card is referred to as a unit. A unit comprised of multiple models of any type is referred to as a squad.
Units all have a number of attributes that are used to define their abilities, strengths and weaknesses.
Unit Cards
All units have two cards that represent them, a tracker card and a reference card.
The tracker card is placed on the dashboard and is used to keep track of the unit's activation, health, and skills.
The reference card lists the unit's abilities, actions, and traits. Knights have a large double sized reference card, this is due to their greater number of rules and has no in-game effect. Reference cards cannot be played in the dashboard.
Base. Every model has a base that it stands on. The base represents how much space a model occupies and helps determine what the model can see. A model must be fastened to the appropriate sized base. All bases sizes are listed in millimeters.
Size. The size of a unit determines how it interacts with other units and objects. Units will have a size attribute of 0 or higher. A unit's size is used in determining line of sight and how it interacts with objects on the battlefield. Line of sight is discussed in Key Concepts, page 7.
Cost. All units have a point cost that is used to define the overall value of the unit on the battlefield. In general, units with a higher point cost are more powerful than units that cost fewer points. When players recruit their cadre, the total cost of all their units determines the size of the game being played. More information about recruiting your cadre is discussed in Game Setup, page 12.
Faction. Most units belong to one of the many organizations and groups throughout the universe. A unit's faction shows its allegiance to one of these groups. Certain abilities, powers and effects may affect units of a specific faction differently.
Affinity. Every living thing in the universe is influenced by esper, the energies that form the building blocks of existence. Most beings have a particular connection to one of the various facets of the universe, a connection that helps define their powers and abilities. The color of the unit's faction symbol indicates which one of the six types of esper it shares affinity with. Details on esper affinity is discussed in Key Concepts, page 10.
Type. There are several types of models used in Relic Knights.
- Relic Knight: Relic Knights are warriors and heroes, gifted with powerful esper constructs called Relics and empowered by mystical creatures known as cyphers. Along with Questing Knights, Relic Knights are collectively referred to as knights.
- Questing Knight: Questing Knights have only recently manifested a cypher and now travel the galaxy seeking to prove themselves worthy of a mighty Relic of their own. Along with Relic Knights, Questing Knights are collectively referred to as knights.
- Cypher: Enigmatic creatures born of pure esper, cyphers hold the keys to the mystery of the Darkspace Calamity that has descended upon the universe. Each cypher is bound to a single Relic Knight or Questing Knight.
- Unique: Uniques are individual characters that have joined the cadre of a knight seeking glory and an adventure of their own.
- Minion: Minions make up a diverse panoply of noble warriors, trained soldiers, cunning racers and others that join the knights in their battles.
- Squad: Squads are tightly knit units of multiple models that function together on the battlefield to devastating effect.
Name. This is the unit's name and how they are identified on the table.
Speed. A unit's speed is used to determine how quickly it moves around the battlefield. Units have two parts to their speed skill. The first value is the maximum distance a unit may move before making an action during its activation, called the initial move. The second value is the maximum distance a unit may move after making an action during its activation, called the follow-up move. Movement rules are discussed in Key Concepts, page 6.
Armor. A unit's armor represents how resilient or protected it is against damage. Armor reduces the amount of damage a unit takes when it has been hit. Applying damage is discussed in Actions, page 15.
Health. When a unit suffers damage it gets closer to falling in battle. A unit's health determines how much damage it can take before being removed from play. When a unit's health is reduced to zero it is removed from the game. Players will use their tracker card to keep track of a unit's health throughout the game as it suffers damage or is healed.
Held Esper. Most units have the ability to store esper, called held esper, keeping it for later use to launch powerful attacks. There are many ways a unit can gain held esper. Details on held esper are discussed in Held Esper, page 11.
Combat Skills. How effective a unit is in combat is determined by its combat skills. Combat skills are divided into three categories based on the type of attack: melee, ranged and psychic. Melee represents a unit's ability in close combat with a wide assortment of swords, staves, fist, claw, etc. Ranged represents their aptitude with firearms, bows, thrown weapons, etc. While psychic represents attacks made by manipulating esper with the mind or complex ritual. The first value is the attack skill. The second value is the defense skill. Using combat skills is discussed in Actions, page 16.
Abilities. Abilities are inherent powers and talents that a unit possesses that have an effect in the game. Unless otherwise specified, abilities are always active. If an ability's effects are not listed on the unit's card they will be detailed in Abilities, page 30.
Actions. All units have specific actions that they can take during their activation. The rules for these actions, including the esper cost to activate and their effects are listed in the unit's description. Details on taking actions are found in Actions, page 28.
Traits. Traits are used to classify a unit and explain what kind of being it is. Traits can encompass a unit's race, a specific military unit it is part of, or a general archetype it encompasses. A unit's traits are used to determine how it is affected by certain effects and abilities; otherwise they are completely passive and provide no direct game effect. Many of the traits found in Relic Knights are detailed in Traits, page 10.
Minion Identification. Use this space to write a number, letter, or other symbol to help you identify which card belongs to each minion unit.
Esper Deck. The esper deck is a standardized deck of 42 cards which represent the esper units will spend to take their actions. Each player will need one deck. The esper deck is discussed in Esper Deck, page 28.
Dashboard. Each player has an area near the battlefield called the dashboard. The dashboard is used to organize your tracker cards and determine your units' order of play. Details on using the dashboard are found in Key Concepts, page 6 and Playing the Game, page 14.
Terrain. The objects on the table that represent things like trees, buildings, hills and other features of the battlefield are collectively referred to as terrain. Detailed rules for terrain can be found in Terrain, page 22.
Measuring Device. Players will often need to measure distances for movement, effects and other reasons. During a game, players can take measurements at any time, for any reason. Units of measurement, including movement and all other measurements, are always listed in inches. To measure a distance between objects, measure the closest distance between the two objects from the edge of each of their bases.
Key Concepts
Relic Knights has several key concepts that are used throughout the game. Key concepts inform and shape how the rest of the rules function.
Active Slot. The active slot is where the active unit is placed during its activation.
Ready Queue. The ready queue determines the order that your units activate in. Whenever a tracker card leaves the ready queue the remaining tracker cards immediately slide in the queue to the next available slot, from right to left. A unit whose tracker card is in the ready queue is referred to as ready.
Idle Section. The idle section is where all units that are still in play but not ready are placed. A unit whose tracker card is in the idle section is referred to as idle.
Linked Slot. The linked slot is where a tracker card is placed if it is linked and going to activate this turn. The Linked [Unit] ability and its rules are discussed later. Units in the linked slot are considered idle until they are moved to the active slot.
Dead Pile. The dead pile is where a unit's tracker card is placed when it has been destroyed or otherwise removed from the game.
Draw Pile. The draw pile is where your esper deck is placed face down.
Discard Pile. The discard pile is where spent and discarded esper cards are placed face up.
Movement
Movement is a large part of Relic Knights. Models will quickly dart across the battlefield as they engage their enemies and activate their powers.
Whenever an object is moved, measure the distance the object travels from the edge of its base in the direction of the movement. No part of the object's base may move further than the value indicated by the source of the movement. An object can change direction any number of times during its movement. Move the object the desired number of inches in one direction before moving in the next direction.
When an object completes its movement; it is said to have stopped. There are some effects that can cause an object to stop before it has completed all of its movement. A player may also choose to stop an object without using its total movement.
When a rule requires you to move an object, it will indicate the number of inches the object moves.
Example: The model moving around the corner has a speed skill of 6. First it moves 2" to get to the outside of the corner. Then it moves the last 4" for a total of 6" moved.
Contact
Many effects, actions and rules apply to objects in contact with one another. An object is considered in contact with another object if its base is touching the object's base. Some objects, such as terrain, may not have a proper base; in these instances you use the perimeter of the object as the base. An object in contact with an enemy object can move away from the enemy object when making free or forced movement of any kind.
Moving Through Objects
When an object contacts another object (including another model) that is smaller in size than itself it may move through the object, effectively ignoring the object. An object cannot move through objects their size or larger, unless it possesses special rules stating otherwise (e.g. thruster ability).
A model may never stop on top of another model, though it may stop on top of other objects such as terrain or tokens.
Forced Movement
When an object is moved and its owner does not get to decide where it goes, it is considered forced movement. This includes objects moved by compel, overrun, pull, and push.
An object subjected to forced movement can only move over open ground, regardless of their size. If the object comes into contact with any other object the object stops moving immediately. If the object it came in contact with is Size 2 or greater the unit suffers Damage 3. No damage is suffered if it began the forced movement already in contact with the object.
Forced movement may cause an object to fall off of elevated terrain, taking damage as detailed in Terrain, page 22. Objects suffering damage as a result of forced movement may use damage prevention actions or abilities as described in Passive Damage, page 18.
Free Movement
Free movement is any movement an object makes that is not forced. The most common free moves an object will make are its initial and follow-up moves, using its speed skill. Additional free moves include charges and feints.
Board Edge
Objects may never move off of the edge of the battlefield. If an object using free movement contacts the board edge it may continue its movement in another direction. If an object contacts the board edge due to forced movement it immediately stops without taking damage.
Place
When an effect causes an object to be placed, put the object in the specified location. Objects must be placed so that there is room to place each object so that they can physically sit, unaided, on the battlefield without toppling over. Effects that prevent an object from moving do not prevent it from being placed and vice-versa.
Line of Sight
Line of sight (LoS) is used to determine if one object can see another and what objects (if any) are between them.
To determine if an object is in LoS of a model, check the sight window for any objects between the model and its target. To determine the window, look down from above the table and imagine a line connecting the left side of the model's base to the left side of the target's base, and then the same for the right side. The window is the area between these two lines.
Figure caption: WINDOW: The blue shaded area is Model A's window to determine LoS to Target B.
After determining the window, each object in the window must be identified as an obscuring object or a blocking object, using the conditions outlined below. After identifying each object in the window as obscuring or blocking, attempt to draw a line from the model to the target that does not cross any object or that only crosses obscuring objects. If such a line can be drawn the target is in LoS (Line of Sight Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). If no line can be drawn that does not cross a blocking object, LoS is blocked (Line of Sight Fig. 3).
Obscuring Objects. Obscuring objects can provide cover (as explained below) but do not block LoS. An object is obscuring if it satisfies one of the following conditions:
- If the object's size is smaller than both the model and the target. (Object Fig. 1)
- If the object's size is smaller than either the model or the target and is not determined to be a blocking object from the chart below. (Object Fig. 2)
Blocking Objects. Blocking objects block LoS. An object is blocking if it satisfies one of the following conditions:
- If the object's size is equal to or greater than both the model and the target. (Object Fig. 3)
- If only the target is in contact with the object and the object is of equal or greater size than the target. (Object Fig. 4)
- If only the model is in contact with the object and the object is of equal or greater size than the model. (Object Fig. 5)
- If both the model and the target are in contact with the same object and the object is equal or greater in size than one of them, and greater than 3" wide between them. (Object Fig. 6)
Object Figures.
- Object Fig. 1: The object is smaller in size than both the Model A and the Target B.
- Object Fig. 2: The object is only smaller in size than Model A and no blocking condition is fulfilled.
- Object Fig. 3: The object is equal to or greater in size than both the Model A and the Target B.
- Object Fig. 4: The object is smaller in size than the Model A but is equal in size to the Target B, which is the only model in contact with the object.
- Object Fig. 5: The object is smaller in size than the Target B but is equal in size to the Model A, which is the only model in contact with the object.
- Object Fig. 6: The object is smaller in size than the Model A but is greater than 3" wide and both models are in contact with the object.
Cover. If the single line drawn to determine LoS crosses any obscuring object and the target is within a number of inches less than or equal to the object's height, it has cover. If the target's size is greater than twice the size of the object, the target does not have cover (Cover Fig. 1). Uses for cover are explained in more detail in Terrain, page 22.
-
Cover Fig. 1: The obscuring object is size 1. Target B is within 1" of the object and has cover. Target C is within 1" but it is size 3, so does not have cover. Target D is not within 1" of the object and does not have cover.
-
Line of Sight Fig. 1: Model A can draw a clear line to the Target B. Model A has LoS to Target B.
-
Line of Sight Fig. 2: Model A can draw a line to the Target B that only crosses obscuring objects. Model A has LoS to Target B.
-
Line of Sight Fig. 3: Model A cannot draw any line to the Target B that does not cross a blocking object. Model A does not have LoS to Target B.
Facing. Though models may have a clear direction that they face, there is no need to determine a model's facing. Assume that all models can see in all directions at all times.
Esper Affinity
Esper is the primal energy that binds everything in the universe. It is everywhere and it infuses everything. Some species harness esper through technology, others through meditation and mysticism, while some tap into it on a purely instinctual level.
There are six types of esper: creation, law, corruption, entropy, chaos, and essence. A unit's affinity is represented by the color of the faction icon on their tracker and reference cards. All units have a single esper type that they are aligned to, called their affinity.
The esper types to either side of a unit's affinity on the wheel are sympathetic, while the esper type directly opposite of it is in opposition. Radiant and Void units are not sympathetic with any esper, and are in opposition with all three types included in their opposite. For most battles a unit will only be part of a cadre with the same affinity, but specific units or unique scenarios may allow alliances with units with a different affinity.
Esper Deck
The esper deck is a deck of 42 cards, representing the esper that units spend to take their actions. Each esper deck is a standardized deck that may not be customized. Each player will draw from their own deck during the game. Drawing is never optional, whenever a phase or game effect requires that you draw a specific number of cards you must do so. Conversely, a player may never draw cards or look through their deck, unless allowed to by a phase or game effect.
Each player begins the game with five cards, called their hand. A player's hand is secret and cards are only revealed when spent to pay the cost of an action or another effect forces them to be revealed. During the game, actions and their effects may cause a player's hand to increase or decrease in size.
Cards that are spent or discarded during the game are placed in the discard pile.
The deck is made up of three types of cards: Standard, Void, and Wild.
Standard. Standard cards have a primary and secondary esper type. The larger icon is the primary esper type. The smaller icon is the secondary esper type. A player may choose to spend either the primary type for a value of 2 esper or the secondary type for a value of 1 esper.
Void. Void cards have no esper type and a value of 0 esper.
Wild. Wild cards have a value of 1 of any esper type chosen by the player.
Drawing Through Your Deck. When the last card of the esper deck is drawn, play stops immediately. The discard pile is shuffled and reset as the new deck. Play then continues.
Flipping Cards. Some effects require you to flip cards. Flipped cards are drawn from the top of the esper deck and revealed to all players. The effect that caused the flip is then resolved and the cards are immediately shuffled back into the deck.
If the effect requires that you add up esper types from the flipped cards, count both the primary and secondary esper type on the card. With the primary counting as a value of 2 and the secondary counting as a value of 1. Wild cards count as a value of 1 of any type, chosen by the player who is performing the flip. Void cards count as 0.
Held Esper
Most units can store esper within themselves, charging themselves with power to deliver their most devastating actions. This stored power is called held esper.
Units gain held esper in a variety of ways. Some models naturally generate held esper when they are activated. Others can only gain held esper by refocusing or by having it transferred to them.
When a unit gains held esper mark one circle on their tracker card for every point of held esper gained. When held esper is spent or lost, erase it from the card. A unit may only have as much held esper as indicated by the number of held esper circles on its tracker card. Any additional held esper gained above a unit's maximum is lost.
Held esper can be spent to pay the cost of an action or press. Each point of held esper spent has a value of 2 esper of any single esper type. When paying for an action a unit may use both held esper and esper from the player's hand to pay for the cost of the action. A unit can spend any number of its held esper at any time.
Held esper can also be used for other game effects, such as creating tokens for scenarios or triggering a Relic Knight's esper expression. In these instances the effect will specify how the held esper is used.
Esper Actions
Though all units can use esper on a basic level, some have the ability to harness it in more powerful ways. These units possess abilities that grant them one or more esper actions.
The most common abilities that grant access to esper actions are Esper Initiate and Esper Master. Esper actions are detailed on the Esper Action card in your Esper Deck.
General Actions
All units have a list of actions that they may take on their reference card. In addition to the unit's own actions many units possess the [Esper Type] Initiate or [Esper Type] Master abilities (e.g. Chaos Initiate, Chaos Master). These abilities grant them access to esper specific general actions. General actions are actions a unit can use exactly like the actions written in their own card. The Initiate and Master abilities along with esper specific general actions are detailed on the General Action cards in your Esper Deck.
Markers
Markers are a special subset of models that you may field as part of your cadre. The most common types of markers are boosts and objectives. Markers in your cadre are considered friendly units, while markers in your opponent's cadre are considered enemy units.
Markers have a reference card that will list any relevant skills, abilities, traits and health that they possess. Often multiple markers will be condensed to a single reference card.
Markers may not be activated in any way, do not have a tracker card, and are never placed on the dashboard.
Markers are affected by area of effect tokens, support actions, and other effects unless otherwise specified. Markers never benefit from any Cadre Ability.
Markers may not be chosen to fulfill model specific victory conditions (e.g. Assassination or Defense of Life).
Tokens
Tokens are placed on the table to indicate the location of effects, scenario items, and other important conditions on the battlefield.
When a token is created, place the token on the battlefield to represent the effect. Like models, tokens must be placed on a surface where they can physically sit, unaided.
Tokens remain in play until the game ends or another condition is met that causes them to be removed.
Tokens are 30mm in diameter and have a Size attribute of 0, unless stated otherwise.
Tokens do not affect movement, LoS, or other in-game effects and rules, except as specified by the effect represented by the token.
Tokens that you create are considered friendly tokens, while tokens your opponents create are considered enemy tokens.
Area of Effect
An Area of Effect (AoE) is a persistent effect that remains in play throughout the game. When an action creates an AoE, the active unit places an AoE token anywhere on the battlefield so that it is within the unit's LoS. The effect covers the entire area within 3" of the edge of the token, including the token itself.
Unless the description of the AoE says otherwise; a unit is affected by an AoE anytime it begins its activation in the area or enters the area during any move. Apply the effects of the AoE immediately then continue the unit's activation as normal.
A unit can only be affected by the same AoE once per activation, but multiple effects of the same type stack. The AoE token has a size of 3 when determining if a unit has LoS to the token. AoE effects that block LoS do not block LoS to the token itself.
An AoE token remains in play until one of the following conditions is met, at which point the token is removed from the battlefield and all effects are lost:
- The unit that created the AoE creates the same AoE somewhere else on the battlefield.
- The player who created the AoE chooses to end the AoE during any friendly unit's Clean-up Phase.
- Another action or effect causes the AoE to be removed.
Units suffering damage as a result of an AoE's effect may use damage prevention actions or abilities as described in Passive Damage, page 46.
- AoE diagram: Model 1 is in the area of AoE A. Model 2 is in the area of AoE A, B, and C. Model 3 is in the area of B and C.
Rules Priority
Sometimes the rules given on a unit's card or abilities will conflict with a rule presented in the rulebook. In these cases the rules on the unit's card or ability takes precedence.
Game Setup
Before playing a Relic Knights game, players will need to determine a few things in order to get started. This section details how to select the game size, recruit your cadre, determine what scenario conditions you will be trying to achieve, and deploy your units.
Game Size
Adventuring in the Relic Knights universe is perilous. Each Knight relies upon trusted companions, ruthless mercenaries, or faithful followers to see them through. When players recruit their cadres, they must first decide what game size they will be playing. Is it a large game with many units, or a smaller game with only a few for each player?
The game size determines: how many points each player has to recruit their cadre, the number of knights, the size of the ready queue, table size, and how many victory points you need to win the game. There are four basic game sizes:
Encounter
- Points: 35
- Knights: 1
- Ready Queue: 2 Slots
- Table Size: 3' x 3'
- Victory Points: 8
An Encounter represents a scrap, ambush, or other small scale fight with a knight and their close companions.
Skirmish
- Points: 50
- Knights: 1
- Ready Queue: 3 Slots
- Table Size: 3' x 3'
- Victory Points: 8
A Skirmish represents lightning raids, surgical strikes, or soda fueled brawls at the latest Cerci Speed Circuit race.
Model vs Unit
Some actions or abilities reference a unit while others reference a model. Effects that affect a unit affect every model in the unit. Effects that affect a model are only applied to the specific model, even if it is part of a squad with multiple models.
Sharing Information
Relic Knights is considered an "open" game. Meaning you should make any and all information about your cadre available to your opponent during the game. They should always be able to easily see how much Health and held esper are currently on a unit's tracker card, as well as letting them read your cards to gain a better understanding of your cadre's actions and abilities.
The only exception to this is each player's hand and discard decks which may only be seen by their owners, unless a game effect requires they disclose it.
We highly encourage both players to read, at least, their opponent's Knight cards before battle. Knights have a lot of impact on the game and battles are much more fun when both players understand what they are facing.
Game Size (continued)
Clash
- Points: 70
- Knights: 1 - 2
- Ready Queue: 4 Slots
- Table Size: 4' x 4'
- Victory Points: 12
A Clash represents fierce conflicts around key objectives between well-prepared forces acting on detailed plans.
Battle
- Points: 100
- Knights: 1 - 2
- Ready Queue: 5 Slots
- Table Size: 4' x 4'
- Victory Points: 12
A Battle represents epic encounters between factions, demonstrating the full fury of the Darkspace Calamity.
Recruit Cadre
Your cadre is the group of models you bring to the game. Players spend points to recruit units for their cadre.
Each unit has a cost listed on their card that determines how many points must be spent to recruit the unit.
Squads have two costs listed. The first is how many points you must spend to recruit the squad at its minimum size. The second is the cost to increase the number of models in the squad by one, up to the squad's maximum size.
The total cost of all the units in your cadre may never exceed the points allowed for the chosen game size for any reason.
Choose a Leader. Players must recruit at least one Questing Knight or Relic Knight to be the leader of the cadre. All units recruited for the cadre must be the same faction as the leader.
If you are playing a game size that allows more than one knight to be recruited you still must designate one of them to be the cadre's leader, who will determine your cadre's faction as normal.
Example: Calico Kate is selected as the leader of a cadre. Kate is a member of the Star Nebula Corsairs faction. This means that all models in Kate's cadre must also be members of the Star Nebular Corsairs faction. [Sic: the printed example spells the faction "Star Nebular Corsairs" in its last sentence, where the faction is "Star Nebula Corsairs" elsewhere in the book; reproduced as printed.]
Cyphers. Each knight comes with a cypher. The specific cypher they come with is listed on their reference card and becomes a member of the cadre automatically. Cyphers cost no points, their value has already been figured into the cost of the knight.
Unique. A player may only include one unique unit of the same name in their cadre.
Minion. A player may include any number of minion units of the same name in their cadre.
Squads. Squads possess the squad trait. In addition, a squad will be either a unique squad or minion squad. A player may only include one unique squad of the same name in their cadre. A player may include any number of minion squads of the same name in their cadre.
Radiant
Units with the Radiant trait have affinity with three esper types: Essence, Creation, and Law.
Radiant unique and minion units may be recruited only by a faction whose affinity is the same as theirs.
Radiant knights must always be the leader of your cadre. A cadre lead by a Radiant knight is not restricted to a single faction and may recruit any unique unit with the same affinity. Radiant knights may not recruit non-Radiant minion units. Radiant knights may recruit knights if more than one is allowed by the game size.
Void
Units with the Void trait have affinity with three esper types: Corruption, Entropy, and Chaos.
Void unique and minion units may be recruited only by a faction whose affinity is the same as theirs.
Void knights must always be the leader of your cadre. A cadre lead by a Void knight is not restricted to a single faction and may recruit any unique unit with the same affinity. Void knights may not recruit non-Void minion units. Void knights may recruit knights if more than one is allowed by the game size.
Boost Markers
A player may include any number of boosts in their cadre, but may not include more than two of any boost with the same name.
Objective Markers
Each player will always have three objective markers as part of their cadre: one primary objective and two secondary objectives. Objectives are used in various ways during the battle to help the player achieve victory. Objectives cost no points and are always fielded with your cadre.
Hero and Villain
Once your cadres have been recruited, each player shuffles their deck and flips three cards. Each player adds up the total number of esper that matches their cadre's affinity. If both players have the same total, both players flip another card until one player has a higher total. The player with the highest total may choose to be the Hero or the Villain.
The Villain will perform the flip to determine scenario conditions, deploy first, and activate second.
The Hero will deploy second and activate first.
Scenario Conditions
Scenario conditions are victory conditions unique to each player that change with every battle. Achieving your scenario conditions earns you victory points that help you win the battle. Each player has two scenario conditions.
To determine both players' scenario conditions, the Villain shuffles their esper deck and allows the Hero to cut the deck, up to two times. Then the Villain flips two cards. The first card flipped sets the Villain's scenario conditions. The second card flipped sets the Hero's scenario conditions. The primary esper type on the card determines the Primary Condition. The secondary esper type on the card determines the Secondary Condition.
If a wild card is flipped both players also gain the Crystal Harvest victory condition. If a void card is flipped both players also gain the Calamity victory condition. These conditions are available in addition to the primary and secondary victory conditions. After a wild or void card is flipped, flip again until both players each have their own scenario conditions. Any further cards of the same type are ignored.
After all scenario conditions have been determined the Villain shuffles their deck.
Descriptions of each scenario condition and other victory conditions are discussed in detail in Victory Conditions, page 23.
Create Battlefield
When setting up the battlefield, players must designate an area of table (or other flat surface) to be used as the battlefield. The battlefield's dimensions are determined by the game size you are playing. Players then place terrain on the battlefield.
The battlefield should be built with input from both players to create a playing surface that allows both cadres to function well according to their strengths and weaknesses. Alternatively, have a friend set up a neutral battlefield for your epic conflict.
Relic Knights functions best on a battlefield with lots of terrain, with plenty of height to block LoS. A good estimate is to have 2 - 3 pieces of terrain for each square foot of playable space on your tabletop, with at least half of it blocking LoS to size 2 and 3 units. Several bigger pieces for larger models to hide behind and take cover from ensures these centerpiece units don't get unduly targeted.
Deployment
Players take turns placing objectives, boosts, and units on the battlefield until every model from both sides has been deployed. The Villain places the first marker or unit in each deployment step.
Deploy Objectives. Players take turns placing objective markers until each of them have placed all three of their objectives. Objective markers may not be placed within 9" of another objective marker, friendly or enemy.
Deploy Boosts. Players take turns placing boost markers until all boosts have been deployed. Boosts may be deployed near friendly or enemy objectives, or near other boosts. All boosts must be deployed before deploying units.
Deploy Units. Players take turns placing units until all units have been deployed. Units may not be placed within 9" of an enemy unit or enemy objective marker.
Set Ready Queue. Starting with the Villain, both players must set the queue. To set the queue place a unit's tracker card in each slot of the ready queue. Any additional units are placed in the idle section.
The game size determines the size of the ready queue. The ready queue must be set to its required number of units as long as there are enough units available.
Draw First Hand. Both players shuffle their esper decks and draw their five-card hand. For the first hand only, each player has the option of taking one mulligan, discarding any number of cards from their hand and re-drawing back to five cards.
Playing the Game
Now that the battlefield has been set and your cadres deployed, it is time to play the game. Players will alternate taking turns activating units. The units will attempt to complete scenarios, destroy enemy units and accomplish other victory conditions. Playing the Game details how each player's turn functions, including making moves and taking actions.
Beginning with the Hero, players will take turns activating their units.
A turn consists of three phases: Beginning the Turn, Activation, and Clean-up. The player who is taking their turn is called the acting player. All other players are called the defending player(s).
Beginning the Turn
At the beginning of the acting player's turn, the leftmost unit in the ready queue moves into the active slot on the dashboard. This is the active unit.
If the active unit has the Linked [Unit] ability, they may place the linked unit (the unit named in brackets) in the linked slot. Once the active slot and the linked slot have been filled, any effects that are triggered at the beginning of the active unit's activation are resolved.
An active unit's activation consists of three phases, taken in order: Initial Movement, Action, and Follow-up Movement. Alternatively a unit may choose to forfeit their action and all movement to Refocus.
Activation
Initial Movement. During its initial move the unit may move up to a number of inches equal to the first value of its speed skill. Once a unit stops, its initial move ends.
Actions. Units are only allowed to take one action during their activation.
Choose an action from those on the unit's card or any available general actions. Pay for the cost of the action and resolve its effects. The different types of actions are explained in further detail below.
If the active player does not have the esper necessary to pay for any of unit's available actions, or does not wish to use and action, the unit may choose to take no action this turn.
Follow-up Movement. During its follow-up move the unit may move up to a number of inches equal to the second value of its speed skill. Once the unit stops, its follow-up move ends.
The unit's activation ends and the acting player advances to Clean-up.
Refocus
Refocusing allows the active player to tailor their hand and gain held esper.
To refocus, the active unit forfeits their initial move, action, and follow-up move.
The acting player draws five cards from the esper deck and the active unit gains 1 held esper.
The unit's activation then ends and the acting player advances to Clean-up.
Clean-up
Once the active unit's activation has ended the acting player begins the turn's clean-up.
Any effects that are triggered at the end of the active unit's activation are resolved.
Both players determine if any victory conditions were met, adding any victory points gained to their current total.
The active unit's tracker card is placed into the idle section.
The acting player may then discard any number of cards from their hand and immediately draw back up to five cards. If they have more than five cards they must discard down to five.
If the defending player has more than five cards they must discard down to five. If they have five cards or fewer they may not discard any cards, but must draw back up to five cards.
If there is a unit in the linked slot, move its card to the active slot. This unit is now the active unit and any effects that are triggered at the beginning of the unit's activation are resolved. The new active unit may either take a full activation or it may refocus.
If there is no unit in the linked slot both players must reset the queue. To reset the queue each player must put new tracker cards from the idle section into any empty slots in the ready queue. This may include units that were just activated.
The ready queue must be reset to its required number of units as long as there are enough units left in play. A player cannot voluntarily remove a unit or change the order of the units in the ready queue.
Forfeiting
Some effects can cause a unit to forfeit their movement or action. If a movement or action is forfeited the phase is still considered to have occurred, resolve any effects that are triggered during the phase as normal.
If an effect causes a unit to lose or forfeit their movement or action they may perform the other phases as normal.
An active unit may choose to voluntarily forfeit their movement or action.
Actions
When units attempt to destroy or otherwise affect one another or the battlefield they take actions. The action section details how to take an action, including how to make attack and defense actions, as well as how to apply the damage that may occur as a result.
Actions have the following components:
Name. This is what the action is called.
Type. Actions fall into a number of categories that are used to determine how they are resolved. Every action will have one of the following types: melee attack, ranged attack, psychic attack, guard, redirect, armor, recover, or support. These are described in greater detail in the Combat section.
Cost. The cost of an action is represented by a type and number of esper that must be spent to activate the action.
To pay for the action, use the esper cards from your hand or held esper on the active unit's card. Any excess esper not spent for the initial cost of an action is lost and does not carry over to any presses the unit might use.
Once esper cards have been spent to pay for an action they are placed in the discard pile.
Action Effects. The Action Effects detail all effects that occur as a result of taking the action.
Presses
Many actions allow you to press the action for greater effect. All presses include a cost and an effect. If an action includes multiple presses you may use each press during the action. You cannot use the same press more than once in a given action.
Pay the cost of each press chosen. Any excess esper may be used to pay the cost of additional presses.
Presses modify the action as specified by the press's description.
- Increase: Presses that increase an effect replace the value listed in the action's description with the value listed in the press.
- Gain: Presses that gain add the listed effect to the other effects in the action.
Support Actions
Support. Support actions are actions that do not have a direct combat effect and may include bonus movement, skill enhancements, area of effects, etc. Once the cost of the action has been paid, immediately resolve the effect listed in the details of the action.
Combat Actions
Actions intended to attack or defend are combat actions and function a little differently than other actions. Combat actions are divided into two basic categories: attacks and defenses. Defenses can be further separated into attack prevention and damage prevention. Combat actions follow a set order of operation.
1 - Determine a Target. When an active unit wants to initiate an attack action it must have a legal target. For ranged and psychic attacks, any enemy unit in LoS is a legal target. For melee attacks only enemy units in contact with the active unit are legal targets.
Most actions, such as ranged, psychic, and support actions, do not have a minimum or maximum range.
2 - Pay for the Attack Action. The attack action is initiated by paying the cost of the action as explained above.
3 - Draw Additional Cards. Both the active unit and the target draw additional cards. The active unit draws a number of cards equal to the first value of the associated skill (i.e. melee, ranged, psychic). The target draws a number of cards equal to the second value of the associated skill.
If either unit is subject to an effect that increases or reduces their skills apply all of the relevant effects before drawing.
If a unit does not have a value for a specific type of attack or defense, it cannot draw any cards and may only use esper cards in the player's hand.
Example: The active unit is making a ranged attack and has a Ranged Attack skill of 3. The unit is in an AoE that increases all attack skills by 1, making the unit's Ranged Attack value 4. The active unit draws four additional cards. The target has a Ranged Defense skill of 3. The unit is in an AoE that reduces all defense skills by 2, making the unit's Ranged Defense value 1. The target draws one additional card.
4 - Active Unit Declares Presses. The active unit may choose to augment the attack by paying for one or more presses. Each press will modify the effects of the action.
5 - Attack Prevention. The target may choose to use a single attack prevention action (i.e. guard or redirect).
If the target uses an attack prevention action, they pay the initial cost of the defense. Once the defense has been initiated, they have the option to press the defense, paying the cost of any presses used.
After all costs for the defense have been paid, resolve the effects of the attack prevention used and then skip to Resolve After Action Effects.
A target can only use a single attack prevention action for each attack they suffer.
6 - Resolve "Hit" Effects. If the attack was not prevented, the target has been hit. The active unit now resolves any effects that are triggered by the target being hit, (e.g. Charge, Pull).
7 - Damage Prevention. The target may now choose to use a single damage prevention action (i.e. armor or recover) to prevent some or all of the damage inflicted by the attack.
If the target uses a damage prevention action, they pay the initial cost of the defense. Once the defense has been initiated, they have the option to press the defense, paying the cost of any presses used.
After all costs for the defense have been paid, the effects of the damage prevention used are resolved during Apply Damage below.
8 - Apply Damage. To apply damage, the active unit determines the total damage inflicted by the attack. The active unit adds any damage caused by the attack, including presses, and any other effects the active unit is subject to that increase or reduce damage. Abilities that modify damage values have no effect on an action that does not include a damage value.
Once the total damage has been determined, the target determines their total armor (if any). The target adds any inherent armor from their tracker card, any armor damage prevention action they used, and any other effects the unit is subject to that increase or reduce armor. A unit's total armor may never be reduced below 0.
The target subtracts their total armor from the active unit's total damage. This is the final damage inflicted by the attack.
The target's health is reduced by the final damage dealt. Record the damage taken on the unit's tracker card by marking one damage hex for each point of damage taken by the unit. If this reduces a unit's health to zero, the unit is removed from play as a casualty and its tracker card is placed in the dead pile.
If the final damage is 0 or less, then no damage has been inflicted by the attack.
After final damage has been dealt, if the target has not been removed from play, resolve the effect of each Recover damage prevention action, ability, and effect (if any) the target may be subject to.
9 - Resolve After Action Effects. Any after action effects are now resolved (e.g. Push, Feint) then the action ends.
Effect Timing
Most combat actions will have multiple effects that occur. The order that each of these effects are resolved in is detailed in Order of Operations, page 29.
Combat Action Types
Attack Actions
- Melee Attack: A Melee Attack is a close combat attack action that can only be made against an enemy target in contact with the active unit.
- Ranged Attack: A Ranged Attack can only be made against an enemy target in the active unit's LoS. Models in base contact with an enemy cannot make ranged attacks of any kind.
- Psychic Attack: A Psychic Attack can only be made against an enemy target in the active unit's LoS.
Attack Prevention Actions
These defense actions may only be used by the target of an attack in response to an attack action.
- Guard: A Guard defense causes an attack to miss. No effects of the attack occur. Skip to Resolve After Action Effects.
- Redirect: Rather than apply the attack to the intended target, a Redirect defense directs the attack to a different target as specified in the redirect action and in the original target's LoS. The attack continues with the same effects and presses; the new target suffers all of the effects of the action.
The new target may not draw additional cards, nor may they use attack prevention actions. They may use damage prevention actions and effects as normal, even if the new target is part of the active unit's own cadre.
If multiple units are eligible to be the target of the Redirect the defending player may choose the new target.
For melee attacks, the active unit must still be in contact with the original target for the attack to hit, but all damage and effects are applied to the new target. The new target is not required to be in contact with the active unit. Effects that are dependent on the position of the target in relation to the active unit (e.g. Push, Pull) are resolved as if the attack was a ranged attack.
Example: The active unit uses an attack with the effects, Damage 6, Charge 6, and Reave. The original target redirects the attack to a nearby friendly unit that becomes the new target. Now the acting unit must resolve their Charge hit effect. The charge movement must move them into contact with the original target to make the attack legal. The new target may use a damage prevention action if they have the available esper. The active unit then applies the Damage 6 to the new target. Once damage is applied, if the new target was destroyed the active unit resolves Reave.
Damage Prevention Actions
These actions may only be used by the target of an effect that causes damage.
- Armor [X]: An Armor defense increases the unit's Armor by the number indicated. If the unit benefits from multiple effects that grant Armor, all of the sources are added together to determine the unit's total Armor.
- Recover [X]: After final damage is applied, a Recover defense heals the target by the number indicated. If the unit benefits from multiple effects that grant Recover, all of the sources are added together to determine the total amount healed. Heal is detailed in Abilities, page 30. Recover can heal more damage than inflicted in the attack. Recover has no effect on a unit whose health has been reduced to zero.
Example: A unit with 3 health left of its original 8 takes 2 points of damage from an attack. The unit uses a damage prevention action that grants it Recover 3. After final damage has been applied, the unit heals the 2 points of damage from the current attack and 1 point of the previous damage it had taken. Leaving it with 4 health left.
Overcharge Actions
Overcharge. Overcharge attack actions may only be defended by Overcharge attack prevention actions. Normal, non-Overcharge, attack prevention action may not be used unless they possess a press which grants them overcharge.
Passive Damage
Sometimes a unit will be affected by damage that is not directly inflicted by an action, this is called passive damage. Sources of passive damage include:
- Contacting objects due to forced movement.
- Falling
- Area of Effects
- Abilities (e.g. Belligerent)
Anytime a unit suffers passive damage it may use a single damage prevention action to reduce or heal some of the damage.
The unit draws no additional cards and the player may only use cards currently in their hand or held esper. They must pay for the cost of the action as normal and may apply any presses. Any effect of the action that would normally affect an enemy unit is disregarded, even if an enemy unit is the source of the passive damage. (e.g. damage resulting from a push or fall)
When a unit suffers passive damage determine the total damage, total armor and final damage as described in Apply Damage above.
Inherent damage prevention abilities such as Armor or Recover may be used against passive damage.
If an action causes a unit to suffer passive damage they may perform a damage prevention action for the passive damage as normal.
If an action causes a unit to suffer damage from multiple sources (e.g. from the attack action and from a fall) they may perform a damage prevention action for each source of damage separately.
Example: A unit takes 6 damage and is pushed into an object by the attack taking a further 3 passive damage. The unit already possesses Armor 2. It uses an action that grants them Armor 2, so their total armor now counts as Armor 4. The Armor 4 reduces the damage taken from the initial attack to 2. The unit may then choose to use another damage prevention action that is separately applied to the passive damage from hitting the object.
Knights & Cyphers
Relic Knights and Questing Knights are the epic heroes of the Relic Knights game. The universe revolves around these proud warriors.
Questing Knights are individuals who have only recently bonded with their cypher. They are just beginning to master their powers and hope to prove themselves worthy of gaining a Relic.
Relic Knights have proven their worth to their cypher and been gifted with the awesome might of a Relic. These death dealing constructs take the knight's already formidable powers to undreamed of levels.
Cyphers are the key to the Knight's immense power. They are pure manifestations of esper and their knight's psyche. Cyphers bond to their chosen Knight and give them access to the untold powers of the universe. It is also cyphers who eventually gift their knight with the ancient constructs known as Relics.
Knights
Knights have four unique abilities that distinguish them on the battlefield: cypher [name], cypher bond, cadre ability, and esper expression.
Cypher [Name]. All knights are joined by a specific cypher. When a knight is recruited their named cypher is automatically recruited as part of the same cadre.
Cypher Bond. The knight is bonded to the cypher listed on the knight's reference card with the ability, Cypher [Name]. At the beginning of their activation, the knight automatically gains 1 held esper if they can draw LoS to their bonded cypher.
Cadre Ability. A Cadre Ability is a special action or ability that a knight grants to their entire cadre, including the knight. The cadre ability functions exactly as if it were printed on the cards of the units in the cadre.
If your cadre includes multiple knights, only the cadre ability of the Leader is used. The other knight's cadre ability is ignored.
Cyphers do not gain, and cannot benefit from cadre abilities.
Esper Expression. Esper expression is an ability unique to Relic Knights. When a Relic Knight possesses held esper, they benefit from the effects described in their esper expression.
The effect of an esper expression scales with the amount of held esper the knight possesses. The effect of a knight's esper expression is determined by the amount of held esper they possessed at the beginning of each step of each active player's turn: beginning of the turn, initial move, action, follow-up move, and clean-up. Once the effect of the esper expression is determined it does not change until the next step of the turn, regardless of changes to the knight's held esper total.
Example: At the beginning of Kisa's Action she possesses 3 held esper. Any held esper she spends during the action will have a value of 4 esper instead of the normal 2. She spends 2 of her held esper during her action. During her follow-up move she possesses only 1 held esper so the value of any esper she holds is now 3.
Cyphers
Cyphers cost no points, their value is included in their knight's points cost.
Cyphers do not possess attack and defense skills and do not draw cards when making attack and defense actions. Cyphers only use esper from their controlling player's hand or any held esper they possess.
A cypher cannot be targeted by any attack unless that action can specifically be used against cyphers. Cyphers are affected by area of effect markers, support actions, and other effects unless otherwise specified.
Cyphers do not possess a health attribute and are only removed from play when their knight is destroyed.
Victory Conditions. Cyphers are ever testing their knight's abilities. Because of this they rarely take direct action towards achieving a knight's goals.
Cyphers may not be chosen to fulfill model specific victory conditions (e.g. Assassination or Defense of Life).
Cyphers may not retrieve or carry tokens for any reason.
Cyphers may not interact with objective markers.
Squads
The universe is full of warriors and soldiers. These brave men, women, chee, aliens, and monsters do not possess the raw power of the many heroes and villains they are forced to do battle with. To help ensure success (and survival) they band together in squads, hoping that the many can overcome the few.
Squads have several unique rules that govern how they function on the battlefield. This section will cover how to recruit and use these potent units.
Recruiting
Squads are groups of models that function as a single unit. A single tracker and reference card are used to represent the entire squad and every model shares a single set of attributes and skills. When a squad's tracker card is moved to the active slot the entire squad activates.
A squad's point cost is listed with two values, X(+X). The first number is the base cost that you must spend to recruit the squad into your cadre. The second number is the cost per single model you may spend to increase the number of models in the squad by one, up to the squad's maximum size.
Squad Size
Every squad possesses the trait, Squad X(X). The first number is the number of models that the squad possesses when you pay the base point cost for the unit. The second number is the maximum number of models that may be fielded in the squad.
Example: Swordsworn have a point cost of 5(+1) and are Squad 3(5). The player pays 5 points to recruit the squad. The squad begins with 3 models. The player may then pay 1 additional point per model to increase the number of models in the squad up to a maximum of 5.
Cohesion
All models in the squad must form a single unbroken chain where each model is within 3" of at least one other model in its squad. This is called cohesion. (See Cohesion Fig. 1 and Fig. 2).
Broken
During the game effects like forced movement or destroyed models can cause a unit to no longer be in cohesion. When a squad is no longer in cohesion it is broken. (See Cohesion Fig. 3)
A broken squad must use any free move it makes to attempt to move back into cohesion by the shortest route possible.
A squad that is broken may not perform an action of any type, including drawing additional cards or taking defense actions.
Immediately after a unit returns to cohesion it may function normally.
Elevated Terrain
When a squad is interacting with elevated terrain, cohesion is determined from base to base as normal. The squad is allowed 6" of vertical distance to maintain cohesion. Elevated terrain is discussed in Terrain, page 53.
Deployment
A squad must always be deployed in cohesion.
Movement
Every model in the unit can be moved as part of the squad's initial and follow-up movement.
Each model uses the Speed attribute listed on the squad's card for its individual movement. Each model must complete its movement before another model in the squad is moved.
Squads that begin a free move in cohesion must end the move in cohesion.
Free Movement
If a squad is subject to an effect that grants free movement then all models in the squad may move.
Actions
Only one action can be taken per squad, no matter how many models are in the squad.
When a squad initiates its action designate one model in the squad as the active member. The active member is the source of the action. All effects of the action are then resolved using the active member for reference.
Held esper can be used in all actions taken by the squad, regardless of which model is selected as the active member.
Some actions can only be taken when a specific model in a squad is selected as the active member. When that is the case it will be listed on squad's card.
Figure caption (Active Member Fig. 1): Model D has been selected as the active memeber [sic] of the squad. It is used as the source of the action when resolving all aspects of the actions against Target F.
Figure captions (Cohesion Fig. 1 and Fig. 2): This squad is in cohesion. Cohesion Fig. 3: This squad is Broken.
Targeting a Squad
An active unit may target a squad so long as it can see at least one model in the squad. Designate one model in the squad to be the target of the action for the purposes of resolving effects. The area within 6" of the target's base, including the target, is the danger zone. (See Danger Zone Fig. 1)
Ranged and Psychic Attacks
When performing a ranged or psychic attack, models in the danger zone that are in the active unit's LoS may be affected by the attack.
Some models have ranged or psychic attacks that don't require LoS. In this case, all models in the danger zone may be affected by the attack.
Melee Attacks
When performing a melee attack all models in the danger zone may be affected by the attack.
Forced Movement
If a squad is subject to forced movement, determine the target and danger zone as normal. All models in the danger zone are moved.
AoE forced movement effects only affect squad models in the area.
The squad suffers Damage 3 for each model stopped by an object of size 2 or greater.
Area of Effects
Whenever any model from a squad is subject to the effects of an AoE, the entire unit is affected.
The effects of an AoE are only applied once, regardless of the number of models from the squad that are in the AoE.
Applying Damage
A squad's health is represented on its card by multiple health tracks. Each track represents the health of a single, non-specific, model. The squad only uses a number of health tracks equal to the number of models in the squad. Any excess health tracks are ignored.
Once an effect's total damage has been determined, the squad determines their total armor (if any). A squad's total armor is determined for the unit as a whole, not per model.
The squad subtracts their total armor from the total damage. This is the final damage.
Determine the number of models in the danger zone. This is the number of health tracks that may be damaged.
Record the damage taken on the squad's tracker card beginning with any previously damaged health track. When a health track is completely filled apply additional damage to the next health track until all damage has been applied.
If there is damage beyond the number of models in the danger zone, any excess damage is ignored.
Removing Casualties
For each health track that is filled the owning player chooses an eligible model from the squad that is destroyed and removes it from play.
Once all models in a squad have been removed from play the squad is counted as destroyed and its tracker card is removed from the dashboard.
Healing
When a squad is affected by a healing effect (e.g. Heal, Recover) health tracks that have been completely filled in may not be healed.
Coordinated Attack
All models in a squad are considered to have the Coordinated Attack ability as described in Abilities, page 30.
Cover
If at least half of the models in the danger zone have cover, then the entire squad is considered to have cover.
Squads and Victory Conditions
Designate one model from the squad as the active member when interacting with objectives and tokens.
Squads may not interact with objectives or tokens while broken. If the squad has retrieved a condition token, it must immediately drop the token after any effect that causes it to become broken.
When a squad drops a token place the token on the battlefield anywhere in contact with a model from the squad.
When depositing a token, any model from the squad may be chosen as the active member.
Full rules for victory conditions are found on page 23.
Figure caption (Danger Zone Fig. 1): Model A is targeting a squad. It chooses E to be the target. The danger zone is the area 6" around and including Target B. D, E and F can be affected by Model A's action. C cannot be affected because it is out of Model A's LoS, even though it is in the danger zone. B cannot be affected because it is out of the danger zone. [Transcriber's note: the printed caption names Target B as the centre of the danger zone although it states that Model A chooses E as the target; reproduced as printed.]
Terrain
The objects on the table that represent things like trees, buildings, hills and other features of the battlefield are collectively referred to as terrain. In general, pieces of terrain are passive objects that do not move or directly interact with other objects.
Terrain Basics
When creating the battlefield, all terrain must be given a size. The terrain's size will be used to determine if the terrain blocks LoS and how difficult it is for models to move over it.
To determine a piece of terrain's size you can use the rough guide of 1" in height equals 1 point in size. This is not a hard and fast rule though. It is best to go through each piece of terrain on the table with your opponent before the game to determine its size.
Different parts of terrain can possess different sizes. Things like building walls will have a different size than the floor of the building.
Terrain cannot be targeted by an action, suffer damage, or be destroyed unless it has the wreck-it trait discussed below.
Terrain cannot be activated or take any action.
Open Ground
Normal flat, unobstructed terrain is considered open ground. Open ground does not hinder your movement in any way. The following objects are considered open ground:
- The basic surface of the battlefield (i.e. the table)
- The horizontal surface of any piece of terrain (e.g. walkways or platforms)
- Sloping surfaces (e.g. ramps or hills)
Elevation
When a unit contacts terrain that is smaller in size than itself, treat any change in elevation as open ground, ignoring the vertical distance moved.
When a unit contacts terrain with a size equal or greater than itself the unit cannot ignore the vertical distance moved. In these cases a model must either climb or scale the piece of terrain.
Climb
To climb, a model must count the vertical distance they move (up or down) in addition to any horizontal movement they make. The final, total, distance moved cannot exceed the unit's speed skill.
A model cannot climb a piece of terrain if it does not have enough movement to reach a flat surface to place its model on.
Example: A size 2 unit, with a speed 8 initial move wishes to climb a 4" tall building. The unit spends 2" moving into contact with the building. It then spends 4" to climb to the top of the building. Once at the top of the building it has a remaining 2" of movement it can use.
Scale
When a unit contacts terrain with a size too great to climb, it may scale the terrain. To scale a piece of terrain the unit must be in contact with the terrain at the end of its initial move.
The unit then spends both its action and its follow-up move to scale the terrain. Place the unit in contact with the edge at the top (or bottom if scaling down) of the piece of terrain, regardless of its height. The unit may not move horizontally when scaling other than what is necessary to place the unit's base(s) on top of the terrain.
In order for a squad to scale a piece of terrain, at least one model must be in contact with the terrain. All other models in the squad must be within 3" of the terrain. All models must be able to be placed at the top, in cohesion.
Falling
If a unit is subject to a forced movement that causes them to fall from an elevation that they would normally have to climb or scale, they suffer falling damage.
If a unit falls from terrain with a size equal to or greater than the unit's size they suffer Damage 3.
If a unit falls from terrain with a size greater than twice the unit's size or more they suffer Damage 5.
A unit will never suffer falling damage from a piece of terrain that they would not have to climb or scale.
A model may not voluntarily cause itself to fall using free movement.
Units suffering damage as a result of falling may use damage prevention actions or abilities as described in Passive Damage, page 18.
Measuring
When measuring between objects on different elevations, measure the diagonal distance between each object's base.
Jumping
Jumping allows a unit to move from terrain to terrain without requiring the unit to climb up and down. The distance between these two pieces of terrain is called the gap. A unit may only jump gaps.
When a unit contacts the edge of a piece of terrain during a free move it may choose to jump the gap to another piece of terrain that is nearby.
A unit may jump any gaps so long as its base can completely clear the gap using any free movement it has remaining. A jump must always be a straight line, directly from the edge of the original piece of terrain, across the gap, to the edge of the opposite piece of terrain.
If the unit is jumping to a piece of terrain with a different size than the one it is currently on, add the vertical distance to the horizontal distance moved to determine if the unit can make the jump.
Traits
After creating the battlefield you may assign individual pieces of terrain specific traits to further enhance how it impacts the game.
Terrain is not required to have a trait. Complex pieces of terrain can have multiple traits. Traits can even be applied to specific areas of a piece of terrain to cause different effects depending on where the unit is in the terrain.
Broken Ground. Broken ground is terrain that causes uneven footing or is otherwise slow or difficult to move through. Broken ground can include water features, treacherous ruins, or even the cautious movement through a minefield.
Units ending their initial move in broken ground cannot make a follow-up movement.
Crystal Growth. Terrain with crystal growth has been overrun by the esper crystals that precede the Calamity. Esper crystals grow anywhere, any piece of terrain can have crystal growth.
Units beginning their activation in contact with a piece of terrain with crystal growth gain 1 held esper.
Fortified. Fortified terrain has been reinforced to increase its defensive capability. Fortified terrain can include reinforced walls, hardened bunkers, and shield generators.
A unit in contact with a piece of fortified terrain increases all defense skills by 1.
Protection [X]. Most pieces of terrain provide some form of protection. Terrain with protection shields and prevents damage from being inflicted on units behind it. Protection includes hedges, barricades, bunkers, trenches, and other defensive positions.
When a unit has cover from a piece of terrain with protection the unit increases its armor by the number indicated. When you give a piece of terrain the protection trait you must assign it a number value indicating how much protection it provides.
Windowed. Windowed terrain has gaps, windows, portals or some other feature that allows units to see through it. Windowed terrain can include office buildings, parking garages, cages, and blasted out ruins.
Windowed terrain does not block LoS.
Protection Examples
- Protection 1: Dense wood or thicket
- Protection 2: Concrete barriers, ruins, non-military buildings
- Protection 3: Trenches, military buildings
- Protection 4: Ship blast doors, bunkers
Victory Conditions
Victory conditions are special tasks or goals that players must accomplish to achieve victory. Each victory condition a player accomplishes is worth victory points (VP). Depending on the game size being played, players need to gain a specific number of victory points to win the game (i.e. Encounter and Skirmish 8 VP, Conflict and Battle 12 VP). [Transcriber's note: the printed book names the larger game sizes "Conflict" here and "Clash" in Game Setup; reproduced as printed.]
During each player's Clean-up both players determine which victory condition(s) they have accomplished (if any) and add the number to their victory point total. When a player has gained the required number of victory points they are the winner and the game ends.
Victory points are never lost, even if later events in the game cause the condition to be undone.
Example: If a player has achieved the "Secure Perimeter" Primary Condition they will retain their 5VP even if later in the game they no longer have the necessary secured tokens.
There are three types of victory conditions: Destruction, Faction, and Scenario. Destruction and Faction conditions can be accomplished by all players in every game you play. Scenario conditions are determined for each player during Game Setup.
Wipeout. If a player's entire cadre is destroyed they lose the game, regardless of the number of victory points earned.
Objective Markers
Objective markers (objectives) represent various objects, locations, or goals that are important to your cadre. Each player always deploys three objectives: one primary objective and two secondary objectives. These markers cost no points and are used in every game.
In addition to the marker rules found in Objective Markers page 11, objectives also have the following special rules.
Objective marker attribute cards (Primary Objective and Secondary Objective): the printed cards show three unlabelled stat icons with values. Primary Objective: 2, 50, 3. Secondary Objective: 1, 50, 3.
Destroy. Objectives can be attacked and destroyed normally by enemy units. Objectives have no defense skills and do not draw additional cards.
Heal. Objectives can be healed normally by friendly units. In addition, any unit in contact with a friendly objective may use their action to heal it. To heal an objective the unit may spend one or more Held Esper; for each Held Esper spent heal 3 damage on the objective.
Power. A unit may use their action to add one power token to any single objective (friendly or enemy) they are in contact with. An objective may have any number of power tokens, friendly or enemy. Power tokens may not be retrieved. There are three types of power tokens: infuse, sabotage, and secure.
An objective with a power token is called a powered objective. Powered objectives create effects that cover the entire area within 3" of the edge of the objective, including the objective itself. A unit within 3" of the edge of objective gains the powered objective's effects.
Infuse. Infused objectives have been charged with esper. To add an infuse token the unit must spend 1 Held Esper. A unit in the area of an objective powered by one or more friendly infuse tokens gains one free esper of any type when performing their action. This esper may only be used to initiate their action and may not be used for presses.
Sabotage. Sabotaged objectives have been damaged or subverted to the enemy's benefit. Sabotage tokens may not be removed. A unit in the area of a friendly objective powered by one or more sabotage tokens, friendly or enemy, reduces all defense skills by 1.
Secure. Secured objectives have been claimed by a cadre as their own. An objective may only ever have one secure token on it at any time. When a unit adds a new secure token to an objective the previous one (if any) is removed. A unit in the area of an objective powered by a friendly secure token gains Armor 1.
Drain. A unit in contact with an objective may use their action to drain an objective. When a unit drains an objective one enemy infuse or secure token is removed.
Condition Tokens
Most victory conditions require that you interact with or create tokens of a specific type (e.g. conservation tokens, cargo tokens, etc). These tokens are called condition tokens. Only friendly condition tokens can be interacted with or used to fulfill a victory condition unless specified otherwise.
Retrieve. A unit may retrieve a condition token by ending its initial move in contact with an objective. The unit may then take its action to retrieve a token.
If a friendly condition token is on the battlefield a unit may retrieve the token by ending its initial or follow-up move in contact with the token. The unit may then retrieve the token without using its action.
When a unit has retrieved a condition token, place the token on the unit's tracker card. The unit carries the token until it either drops or deposits the token.
A unit may only carry one condition token at a time.
Drop. At the beginning of their initial or follow-up move, a unit carrying a condition token may choose to drop it.
If a unit carrying a condition token suffers damage that causes them to lose health, then the unit immediately drops the token.
When a unit drops a token place the token on the battlefield anywhere in contact with a model in the unit.
Deposit. To deposit a condition token a unit carrying a token must end their initial or follow-up move in contact with the deposit location specified by the scenario condition. Remove the token from the unit's tracker card.
The condition token has been deposited. Once a condition token has been deposited it is removed from play and cannot be interacted with again.
Primary Conditions
5 Victory Points. Use the primary esper type on the card flipped when determining scenario conditions to determine your primary condition.
Creation - Conservation. To accomplish Conservation you must retrieve one conservation token from three different enemy objectives and deposit all three at your own primary objective.
Law - Secure Perimeter. To accomplish Secure Perimeter you must place secure tokens on your primary objective and on three enemy objectives. The objectives must all possess the secure tokens at the same time.
Corruption - Espionage. To accomplish Espionage you must place three sabotage tokens on a single enemy's primary objective and one sabotage token on each of their secondary objectives.
Entropy - Tear It Down. To accomplish Tear it Down you must destroy either one enemy primary objective or two enemy secondary objectives.
Chaos - Heist. To accomplish Heist you must retrieve three heist tokens from one enemy primary objective and deposit them at any board edge.
Essence - Grand Conjunction. To accomplish Grand Conjunction you must place three infuse tokens on an enemy's primary objective and three infuse tokens on your own primary objective. The objectives must all possess the infuse tokens at the same time.
Secondary Conditions
3 Victory Points. Use the secondary esper type on the card flipped when determining scenario conditions to determine your secondary condition.
Creation - Defense of Life. After deployment your opponent must choose one unit in your cadre. Place a life token on that unit's card. To accomplish Defense of Life, you must deposit the life token at any point along the board edge furthest from the unit's starting position. A unit may not voluntarily drop a life token.
Law - Siege. After deployment you must place a secure token on all three of your objectives. To accomplish Siege all three of your objectives must have friendly secure tokens when any opponent draws through their Esper Deck for the first time.
Corruption - Assassination. Before deployment have your opponent choose one non-knight unit in their cadre as the unit carrying the intel. To accomplish Assassination, you must destroy the unit carrying the intel.
Entropy - Carnage. To accomplish Carnage you must destroy three enemy units.
Chaos - Anarchy. To accomplish Anarchy you must place a sabotage token on five different objectives, friendly or enemy.
Essence - Realign. To accomplish Realign you must place at least one infuse token on three different enemy objectives. The objectives must all possess the infuse tokens at the same time.
Transcriber's note: in the printed book the Secondary Condition block (the six conditions above) appears a second time on page 25 with identical text, and its Chaos and Essence entries also continue at the top of page 26. The repeated copy is not reproduced here.
Darkspace Condition
3 Victory Points. If a void card is flipped when determining scenario conditions then both players may attempt to accomplish the darkspace condition. After one player has accomplished a darkspace condition no other player may accomplish it for the remainder of the game.
Void - Calamity. When a unit is in contact with an enemy objective they may use their action and spend 1 Held Esper to retrieve a calamity token. A unit carrying a calamity token may not voluntarily drop it and may not gain or use Held Esper.
A unit may deposit a calamity token on any enemy model. The enemy model immediately loses any Held Esper on its card. The token is then removed from play.
To accomplish Calamity you must deposit three calamity tokens on enemy models. After Calamity has been accomplished no additional calamity tokens may be created.
Wildspace Condition
3 Victory Points. If a wild card is flipped when determining scenario conditions then both players may attempt to accomplish the wildspace condition. After one player has accomplished a wildspace condition no other player may accomplish it for the remainder of the game.
Wild - Crystal Harvest. When a unit is in contact with a friendly objective they may use their action and spend 1 Held Esper to retrieve a crystal token. A unit carrying a crystal token gains one free esper of any type when performing their action. This esper may only be used to initiate their action and may not be used for presses.
When a crystal token is dropped it is destroyed and removed from play.
To accomplish Crystal Harvest you must destroy three crystal tokens, either by your own units voluntarily dropping them or by causing enemy units to drop them. After Crystal Harvest has been accomplished no additional crystal tokens may be created.
Faction Conditions
2 Victory Points. Faction conditions represent iconic or common goals that a faction tries to accomplish any time they go to battle. The faction condition is determined by the faction of the cadre's leader. Cadres led by Radiant or Void knights may choose any single faction condition from a faction with the same affinity. You may accomplish your faction condition in any battle you play.
Lap Time - Cerci Speed Circuit. To accomplish Lap Time you must complete any other non-destruction condition before you draw through your Esper Deck for the first time.
Justice - Shattered Sword. After the first of your units has been destroyed, note the unit that destroyed them. This unit is now the accused. To accomplish Justice you must destroy the accused unit. If the accused is a cypher, you must destroy the cypher's knight.
Transport - Black Diamond. Retrieve two cargo tokens from your primary objective. To accomplish Transport you must deposit the cargo tokens at any point along the board edge furthest from your primary objective.
Slave Raid - Noh Empire. Every time you destroy an enemy model place a slave token in contact with the model before removing it from play. To accomplish Slave Raid you must retrieve at least one slave token and deposit it at your primary objective.
Booty Raid - Star Nebula Corsairs. Retrieve booty tokens from any number of enemy objectives. To accomplish Booty Raid you must deposit two booty tokens at your own primary objective.
Attune - Doctrine. To accomplish Attune you must place an infuse token on two enemy secondary objectives and one infuse token on your own primary objective. All objectives must possess the infuse tokens at the same time.
Destruction Conditions
Destruction conditions reward the player for destroying enemy units. Destruction conditions are accomplished as soon as the required unit has been completely removed from play. If one of your other victory conditions also requires that you destroy a unit, you will receive victory points from both that condition and the relevant destruction condition.
Knight Slayer. 3 Victory Points. Knight Slayer is accomplished any time you cause an enemy knight to be destroyed. If multiple knights are being played you may accomplish this condition multiple times.
Unit Killer. 1 Victory Point. Unit Killer is accomplished any time you cause an enemy unit to be destroyed. This condition may be accomplished multiple times, once for each unit you destroy.
Reference
Boosts
Boosts represent the myriad forms of technology, gear, or artifacts a cadre will bring to battle. Boosts are markers that you may purchase for your cadre in addition to other units.
A player may include any number of boosts in their cadre; but may not include more than two of any boost with the same name.
The printed boost entries below each begin with a number in a circle icon; the book does not label this number, and it is reproduced as printed.
- 2 - Ammo Drop: Friendly units within 3" of Ammo Drop increase their ranged attack skill by 1.
- 2 - Combat Stimulants: Friendly units within 3" of Combat Stimulants increase their melee attack skill by 1.
- 1 - Dampening Field: Friendly units within 3" of Dampening Field gain Armor 1.
- 4 - Darkfield: Friendly units within 3" of Darkfield gain cover and Stealth.
- 1 - Esper Condenser: At the beginning of its activation a friendly unit in contact with Esper Condenser may gain 1 Held Esper; then immediately remove the marker from play.
- 3 - Kinetic Dampener: No unit, friendly or enemy, within 3" of Kinetic Dampener may make a follow-up movement.
- 3 - Medikit: A friendly unit in contact with Medikit may use its action to flip 3 cards. Heal 1 damage for each point of Creation.
- 2 - Proximity Mine: When any unit, friend or enemy, moves within 3" of Proximity Mine that unit suffers Damage 4. After resolving damage remove the marker from play.
- 2 - Psychic Amplifier: Friendly units within 3" of Psychic Amplifier increase their psychic attack skill by 1.
Esper Actions
- Esper Cleansing: A unit with Esper Cleansing may spend 1 Held Esper to remove a single AoE token in LoS from play.
- Esper Thief: A unit with Esper Thief may target an enemy unit in LoS that possesses Held Esper. Remove 1 Held Esper from the target. The active unit gains 1 Held Esper. Esper Thief may target cyphers.
- Transfer Esper: A unit with Transfer Esper can choose to transfer some or all of its Held Esper to friendly units. Remove any amount of Held Esper from the active unit's card. For each point of Held Esper removed, a friendly unit may gain 1 Held Esper. A unit may transfer its Held Esper to multiple friendly units. Transfer Esper does not require LoS.
Traits
- Agha: The unit is an Agha, also known as demon hounds, or Hounds of Nozuki. Agha are the most common Noh beast of war.
- Beast: The unit is an animal, monster, or other low intelligence creature that must be bred or trained for war.
- Black Dragon: The unit is a member of the Black Dragons, Black Diamond's elite heavy infantry.
- Blessed: The unit is a member of the Blessed, the Noh Empire's priest caste.
- Castellan: The unit is a Castellan pattern mecha. The Castellan is a versatile military mecha exclusive to the paladin orders of The Six Peers.
- Chee: The unit is a member of the Chee species. The Chee species is entirely artificial and mechanically created and then given sentience by access to the Chee Interspace Network. The level of intelligence a Chee possesses can vary dramatically depending on the neural matrix given to it by its parents at the time of creation.
- Codebreaker: The unit is a member of the Codebreaker Project, a secret operation seeking to unlock and harness the origins and power of the cyphers.
- Codifier: The unit is a member of the Codifier order. Codifiers are the Doctrine's most common academy trained and sanctioned esper users. Codifiers can be found throughout Doctrine space and see to many of its duties.
- Construct: The unit is created and functions due to artificial, nonmechanical, means. Typically this is the result of esper infusion or binding with an inanimate object. Constructs can have varying degrees of intelligence and sentience based on their purpose and the methods used in their creation.
Order of Operations
The printed Order of Operations is a numbered sequence of steps. Its steps are reproduced in the printed order and numbering.
-
Game Setup
- a. Game Size
- b. Recruit Cadre
- c. Hero and Villain
- d. Scenario Conditions
- e. Create Battlefield
- f. Deployment (all steps begin with Villain)
- i. Deploy Objectives
- ii. Deploy Boosts
- iii. Deploy Units
- g. Set Ready Queue
- i. Villain sets the queue
- ii. Hero sets the queue
- iii. Any additional players set the queue
- h. Draw First Hand
- i. Hero takes first turn, proceed to 2.
-
Beginning the Turn
- a. Move leftmost unit to the active slot.
- i. Slide all ready models left
- ii. If active unit has Linked choose if it will be used
- 01. Place the linked unit in the linked slot
- b. Resolve beginning of activation effects.
- a. Move leftmost unit to the active slot.
Abilities
-
Act As One: Models in a squad with Act As One are always considered to be in cohesion and are never broken. Units with Act As One must deploy in normal 3" cohesion and then may move further apart with later movement.
-
Aegis: If a unit with Aegis is in the window between an enemy making a ranged attack and another friendly unit, the friendly unit gains Armor 1.
-
Armor [X]: A unit with Armor reduces the damage taken from each source by the number indicated. If the unit benefits from multiple effects that grant Armor, all of the sources are added together to determine the unit's total Armor.
-
Backlash [X]: (After Action) When a unit makes an attack on a target that has Backlash, the active unit suffers an amount of damage equal to the number indicated. If the target was removed from play as a result of the attack Backlash has no effect. Backlash takes effect regardless of the type of attack that is used.
-
Belligerent: All units, friend or enemy, that stop in contact with a unit with Belligerent suffer Damage 3.
-
Blast [X]: (After Action, Forced Move) When a model is affected by Blast all models, friendly or enemy, within 3" of the target model are pushed directly away from it by the number of inches indicated. The target model is then pushed the same number of inches directly away from the source of the Blast.
-
Brutality: When a squad with Brutality inflicts damage on an enemy unit with a melee attack, the damage is increased by 2 for each additional model from its squad that is in contact with the target instead of 1 as normally granted by Coordinated Attack.