Undaunted 2200: Callisto
Undaunted 2200: Callisto Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Changes From Previous Undaunted Games
If you have played Undaunted before, here are the key elements that have changed:
- Control: Control works as in Undaunted: Stalingrad. You can take control of a space that your unit's combat counter is on (you cannot perform this action if your opponent controls the space and has a unit there).
- Dice and Elevation: Callisto uses d8s, d10s and d12s depending on whether you are targeting a higher (d8), level (d10) or lower (d12) target.
- No automatic hits: No faces on the dice are automatic hits. If you roll a 10, it simply counts as 10.
Components
- 68 Breaker cards, 67 LFA cards
- 13 Breaker personnel counters, 8 LFA personnel counters
- 21 Breaker control markers, 21 LFA control markers
- 2 Breaker standees, 5 LFA standees
- 7 'Ready' standee bases, 7 'Suppressed' standee bases
- 6 Building/Bunker markers, 3 Escape pod/Pit trap markers, 4 Comms markers, 6 Civilian/Prisoner markers
- 1 Initiative marker, 2 Commander markers, 4 Door markers, 4 Force markers
- 12 dice (4x d8, 4x d10, 4x d12)
- 1 Rulebook, 1 Scenario Book, 1 Solo Book
Cards
Cards in your deck represent the people, mechs, and vehicles in combat, the leaders behind the battle lines, other assets at your disposal, and the chaos and confusion of battle. You begin the game with some cards in your deck and others in your personal supply, as specified by the scenario. Playing combat cards from your deck lets you seize the initiative, move your units, and fire upon the enemy. Command cards, such as the LFA's Captain, let you bolster your forces by adding cards from your supply to your deck — but with every hit you take from enemy fire, you must permanently remove a card from your deck.
A unit is a small group of people or a piloted mech or vehicle. Each unit is represented by a single combat counter, and the individual personnel or crew in a unit are represented by two to five combat cards. A squad is a collection of units, typically under the command of a command card (a Sergeant or a Squad Leader). Squads are divided into two forces, which start the game in different positions. Both forces are controlled by the same player in a 2-player game, but by separate players in a 4-player game.
Combat Cards
Combat cards represent individual people, vehicles, and mechs under your command, and each is associated with a combat counter. A combat card shows its title (the role of the person or crew member), its initiative (the value when used to bid for initiative), its squad designation (the squad the person belongs to, or the mech/vehicle the crew member is in), its actions (the possible effects from playing the card), and a name (the name and call sign of the person depicted, which has no gameplay effect).
Command Cards
Command cards represent people and assets that are not represented on the board, such as commanding officers. They are not associated with combat counters. Command cards are distinguished from combat cards by an additional chevron on the initiative banner.
Interference Cards
Interference cards represent breakdowns in communication caused by the chaos of battle, made worse by spreading your forces over a large area. Interference cards cannot be used for anything except to bid for initiative. To remove them from the deck, you need to use the RECON action.
Board Spaces
Each scenario uses a board broken up into spaces, showing where your forces are fighting. The display to the side of the board shows the starting initiative, objectives, and starting counters for that scenario. Board spaces might house the following elements:
- Boundaries: the outer edge of the play area, which cannot be crossed nor targeted across by any unit.
- Elevation: determines which type of dice you roll during combat actions. Elevated spaces are indicated with a secondary dashed line and the elevation icon.
- Bridges: elevated sections within an unelevated space, indicated with a dashed outline and the bridge icon (see Bridges below).
- Impassable: spaces that cannot be entered by certain combat counters. Vehicle and mech units cannot enter spaces displaying the no-vehicle icon. No units (including personnel) can enter spaces displaying the impassable icon. In spaces with bridges, these icons apply at the elevation they are shown in.
- Objective points: the strategic value of the space. You control an objective point if you have a control marker (control side up) on its space. They are worth the number of points displayed.
- Cover bonus: the bonus added to a unit's defence when it is attacked in this space.
- Spawn points: the location where each force's combat counters are added to the board when bolstered into a player's deck during gameplay.
- Setup icons: which markers need to be added to the board during setup. Each scenario's key in the scenario book indicates which markers you will need.
Equipment
Some spaces contain special equipment, which personnel can use to perform combat actions or support actions. When a personnel unit is in a space they control that contains the equipment icon, you can play their combat card to perform the action associated with the equipment, which is shown to the edge of the board. This is instead of performing an action listed on the combat card or hunkering down. You cannot play combat cards representing vehicle or mech units to use equipment.
Bridges
Bridge spaces are divided into an elevated section (a deck) and an unelevated section (a foundation). The two elevated spaces touching the bridge's deck are its supports. The two sections of a bridge can have different defence bonuses and other properties. For example, the deck may be passable while the foundation is not.
- Movement: Units can only enter and exit a bridge's deck from one of its supports. Units cannot move directly from a bridge's foundation to one of its decks, or the other way around. Units can pass under the bridge's deck. The two 'halves' of a bridge's foundation make up a single connected region. A scouted space is always considered scouted at all elevations, regardless of any bridges.
- Combat: Units on a bridge's deck cannot attack units on the bridge's foundation, and vice versa. A bridge's foundation and deck count as a single space when calculating range.
- Long bridges: Multiple bridge decks may be connected to create a long bridge. In these cases, you can move from one deck to an adjacent deck within the same bridge.
Tokens
Combat Counters
Combat counters represent units on the board, which you control using your combat cards. Units of people are represented by personnel counters, while mechs and vehicles are represented by standees. A combat counter shows its title, its squad designation, its defence (the value your opponent must roll to successfully hit it — personnel units have a standard defence, standees have an armoured defence), its ready/suppressed status (personnel counters are suppressed when face down; standees are suppressed when a suppression base is attached), and a friendly defence bonus (a bonus provided to friendly personnel units in a standee's space, applied only when the standee is ready).
Unlike most units, each LFA mech unit has three types of combat card: navigator, gunner, and commander. These cards are linked to their combat counter through their squad designation.
Other Markers
- Initiative marker: indicates which player has the initiative this round and takes their turn first.
- Force markers: indicate which cards in your supply belong to which force. Place them during setup as indicated.
- Commander markers: used only in 4-player games, indicating which player on a team is the commander this round. This player draws an extra card and bids for initiative.
- Control markers: show which spaces you have scouted (your units can use a MOVE or GUIDE action to enter this space) and which you control (you can enter the space and you control any objective points in it). You are not limited by the number of markers.
- People markers: Civilian markers and Prisoner markers represent non-combat personnel on the board, referred to by some objectives.
Structure Markers
Structure markers represent infrastructure of key tactical significance which can be destroyed: comms towers, buildings, bunkers, escape pods, pit traps, and doors. Structures show an armoured defence value alongside any other icons associated with them. You can use an ATTACK action with the structure icon to target a structure. Use the armoured defence value indicated on the structure as the base defence and apply the range bonus as normal — do not apply any cover bonus or vehicle defence bonus. Determine which dice to roll by comparing the elevation of the structure and the elevation of the attacker, then roll the number of dice indicated by the ATTACK action. When a structure is successfully destroyed, remove it from the board.
Doors
Doors are a special type of structure. During setup, place a door marker over them to mark them as closed. Doors can be opened in two ways:
- By taking a DOORS action in one of the related equipment spaces on the board. This allows you to open one door of your choice, anywhere on the board.
- By performing a successful ATTACK action with the structure icon on the door, from either of the two spaces connected by it. This allows you to destroy the door.
When a door has been opened or destroyed, remove the door marker. Doors cannot be closed once they have been opened. Units are unable to move through closed doors. Units cannot attack units through a door, whether it is open or closed.
Setup
These rules describe the 2-player game (see Rules for 4 Players for the team game).
- Choose a scenario: Pick a scenario from the scenario book. It is recommended to play scenarios in order, starting with scenario 1, but they can be played out of order. Place the board for that scenario in the middle of the table. Check the scenario book for any rules reminders or special scenario rules before continuing.
- Choose a faction: Both players choose a faction and take all the cards, combat counters, force markers and control markers indicated in the scenario book for both forces in their chosen faction.
- Place tokens: Place the combat counters, control markers, and any additional tokens on the board as indicated by the board icons and the scenario book key, all the correct side up. Keep any unused control markers in a supply near the board.
- Take initiative: Give the initiative marker to the faction indicated on the board.
- Assemble decks: Find the 'Starting Cards' table in the scenario book for your faction. Take all cards marked as 'Deck', shuffle them, and place the deck face down in front of you. Leave a space next to it for a face-up discard pile.
- Assemble supplies: Find all cards marked as 'Supply' for your faction and place them nearby, face up. Use the force markers to group cards by force and then by squad. The content of your supply is open information.
- Return remaining cards: All leftover cards can be returned to the box.
- Play: Check the objectives for each faction shown on the board, and start round 1.
How to Play
Play takes the form of a series of rounds, during which both players play cards to move units, attack opposing units, and grab objectives. Each round consists of three phases:
- Draw cards
- Determine initiative
- Player turns
Once the last phase is complete, the round is over and the next round begins. This continues until a player has won by satisfying an objective.
Draw Cards
Both players draw four cards from their deck to form a hand. Whenever you need to draw a card but your deck is empty, shuffle your discard pile into a deck. Never shuffle the cards in your play area into a deck.
Determine Initiative
Both players secretly select one card from their hand and reveal it simultaneously. The player who selected the card with the highest initiative takes the initiative marker, flipping it so it shows their faction's symbol; that player performs actions first this round. In the case of a tie, the player who already has the initiative marker keeps it. Both players discard their chosen card to their respective discard piles.
Player Turns
The player with the initiative marker plays cards from their hand, one at a time, into a play area in front of them. Once they have no more cards in their hand that they can (or wish to) play, their turn ends. All cards left in their hand and all cards in the play area are moved face up into that player's discard pile. The player without the initiative then takes their turn in the same way. You cannot save cards in your hand for future rounds.
Whenever you play a card, use it to do one of the following:
- Card action: choose one of the listed actions and perform it in full.
- Ready: if the unit associated with the card is suppressed, ready it.
- Hunker down: return the card to your supply.
Placing combat counters: Each unit belongs to a force, as specified by the scenario. When you take a card action with a combat card and the corresponding combat counter is not on the board, immediately place that counter in the space showing its force's spawn icon, then perform the action as normal.
Interference: You cannot play Interference cards during your turn. You can select an Interference card when determining initiative. The only way to remove an Interference card from your deck is to take a RECON action. Usually, an Interference card stays in your hand until the end of your turn, when you discard it as normal.
Hunker down: When you hunker down, return that card to your supply. It is then no longer part of your deck until you choose to take a BOLSTER action to add it again. Be careful when hunkering down with a card that has the BOLSTER action, because you might not be able to add it to your deck later. You cannot hunker down with Interference cards, and you do not place a combat counter when you hunker down.
Suppressed: When a personnel unit is suppressed, flip it face down; when a standee is suppressed, attach a suppression base. Suppressed units cannot perform actions. When you play a combat card associated with a suppressed unit, instead of performing actions you must either (a) ready the unit by removing the suppression base or flipping it face up, or (b) hunker down to return the card to your supply.
Card Actions
When the name of an action is followed by X, the action has a numerical value (for example, MOVE 1). When followed by X and a squad symbol, the action has a numerical value and a squad that the action must be applied to (for example, BOLSTER 1).
Movement Actions
- MOVE X: Move the unit's combat counter up to X spaces. All spaces you move to or through must be scouted or controlled by your faction. If a vehicle has the transport icon, you may transport friendly personnel counters with it: when the vehicle performs the Move action, choose up to X friendly, ready personnel counters in the vehicle's space and move them into the new space with the vehicle standee. You cannot transport suppressed units or other standees. A vehicle or mech cannot move to or through a space with the no-vehicle icon.
- SCOUT X: Move the unit's combat counter up to X spaces. If any space you move to or through does not contain one of your control markers, place a control marker there scouted-side up. For each control marker placed during this action, take an Interference card from your supply and place it in your discard pile. If there are not enough Interference cards, take as many as available.
- GUIDE X: Choose any one friendly personnel unit and move its personnel counter up to X spaces. If the card specifies a squad, you must move a counter from that squad. All spaces you move into must be scouted or controlled by your faction. You cannot guide a suppressed combat counter.
Support Actions
- BOLSTER X: Take up to X cards from your supply and add them to your discard pile. If the card specifies a squad, take cards from that squad only.
- COMMAND X: Draw up to X cards from your deck and add them to your hand. You can play those cards as normal this turn. If your deck runs out, shuffle your discard pile into a new face-down deck and continue drawing. Do not shuffle cards in your play area into your deck.
- CONTROL: Take control of the space that the unit's combat counter is on (you cannot perform this action if your opponent controls the space and has a unit there). Flip your control marker to its controlled side. If your opponent controlled that space, also flip their control marker back to its scouted side.
- INSPIRE X: Choose up to X cards in your play area and add them to your hand. You can play these cards as normal this turn. If the card specifies a squad, choose cards from that squad only.
- PATHFIND X: Choose up to X spaces. Each space must be adjacent to at least one other chosen space, and at least one of them must be adjacent to a unit in the designated squad. If any chosen space does not contain your control markers, place a control marker in each such space on its scouted side, taking an Interference card from your supply for each marker placed (take as many as available if short). PATHFIND never causes a unit to move.
- RECON: Choose an Interference card from your hand and set it aside; it will not be used for the rest of the scenario. Then draw a card from your deck, which you can play as normal this turn. If your deck is empty, shuffle your discard pile into a deck and continue drawing. If you have no Interference cards in your hand, you cannot perform this action.
Combat Actions (ATTACK X / PULSE X / SUPPRESS X)
When you perform any combat action, take the following steps.
1. Choose target. Choose any eligible enemy combat counter on the board. If the action has a personnel icon, you must target a personnel unit; if it has a vehicle/mech icon, you must target a vehicle or mech unit; if it has both icons, you can target either type.
- Range: Combat actions with a range icon have a restricted range — the target must be within X spaces of the attacking unit. A range of 0 can target a unit in the same space as the attacker only.
- Area attacks: When performing a combat action with the area icon, choose a space within range rather than an individual unit. All enemy combat counters of the indicated class(es) in that space are targeted. Perform a separate combat action against each, in any order. Do not perform attacks against friendly units or structures in the space.
2. Determine total defence value. A combat counter's total defence value is the sum of its base defence, any cover bonus, additional cover bonuses, and the range bonus:
- Base defence: the value printed on the combat counter.
- Cover bonus: the value printed on the space the combat counter is in.
- Additional cover bonus: the value printed on certain structures or combat counters in the same space.
- Range bonus: the number of spaces between the combat counter and the attacker, not including the attacker's space.
3. Roll attack dice. Determine which type of dice to roll by comparing the elevation of the attacking combat counter and the target:
- Low target (d12): if the attacker is in an elevated space and the target is in an unelevated space, use the green 12-sided dice.
- Level target (d10): if attacker and target are both elevated or both unelevated, use the black 10-sided dice.
- High target (d8): if the attacker is in an unelevated space and the target is in an elevated space, use the red 8-sided dice.
Roll the number of dice indicated by the value of the combat action. If any die shows a number equal to or greater than the total defence value, the combat action is successful. How many dice succeed does not matter. No face on a dice is an automatic success, unlike in previous Undaunted games.
4. Determine results. If the action was unsuccessful, it ends. If successful, the result depends on the type of action:
- ATTACK: You inflict a casualty on the targeted unit. Your opponent must find a card matching the attacked combat counter and place it face down in their casualty pile: if possible they remove it from their hand; otherwise from their discard pile; otherwise from their deck (then shuffle their deck). If they have no card of that unit in their deck, the unit is neutralised instead — remove the combat counter from the board, remove all matching cards from the supply, and place the counter in front of you (the attacker). You can only inflict one casualty per ATTACK, no matter how many dice succeed. If there is more than one matching card in a searched area, the defender may choose which to place in the casualty pile. If you inflict a casualty on a mech, the defender may remove a navigator, gunner, or commander. You may check your own casualty pile at any time, but not your opponent's.
- PULSE: Inflict a casualty as with ATTACK. In addition, you may move the targeted unit into an adjacent space that is scouted or controlled by the opponent. If you move a suppressed unit, ready it. Any civilian marker in the same space must move with the moved combat counter.
- SUPPRESS: No casualties are inflicted. Instead, suppress the attacked combat counter (flip a personnel unit face down, or attach a suppression base to a standee). If the counter is already suppressed, the action has no effect.
Game End
Each scenario specifies one or two possible victory conditions. As soon as a faction achieves one of its victory conditions, the game ends immediately without completing the round. In the first scenario, both players' objective is to either control 5 objective points or neutralise 3 enemy units. Later scenarios introduce other primary objectives, and each player's objectives may be different.
- Control objective points: If you control a space, you control all the objective points on that space. If you control the number of objective points listed in your scenario overview, you win immediately.
- Neutralise enemies: The scenario tells you which enemy combat counters (specific counters, or a number of counters) you need to neutralise to win. To neutralise a combat counter, remove it from the board by performing successful combat actions. When you neutralise a combat counter, place it in front of you.
Rules for 4 Players
This section explains how to play with four players, in two teams of two. The game is played the same way as the 2-player game, with the following exceptions. Any communication with your teammate must be open, so that your opponents can hear it — you may not communicate secretly, which includes passing notes and showing each other your cards.
Setup
Each player chooses a force and builds their own starting deck and supply as outlined in the scenario. However, they share a supply of Interference cards with their teammate. One player on each team is designated as the commander and has the command marker. At the start of the game the commander on each team is the player with the Captain (LFA) or the Supervisor (Breakers) in their starting deck. The role of the commander alternates between the players throughout the game.
How to Play
Play takes the form of a series of rounds, each with the same three phases (Draw cards, Determine initiative, Player turns).
- Draw cards: The two commanders draw four cards from their deck; the two non-commanders instead draw three cards.
- Determine initiative: Only the commanders bid for initiative, exactly as in the two-player game. The team whose commander wins the initiative takes actions first this round.
- Player turns: Players take turns in the following order: (1) the commander of the team with the initiative, (2) the opposing commander, (3) the remaining player on the team with the initiative, (4) the remaining player on the opposing team.
Transferring command: When you would move the Captain (LFA) or the Supervisor (Breakers) into your discard pile for any reason, instead place it in your teammate's discard pile, then give your teammate the commander marker. From the next round, they will be the commander. Remember that the commander draws more cards, bids for initiative, and always takes their turn before their teammate.
Changes to actions: You can use the BOLSTER action to target your teammate's supply, as long as any squad restrictions are met; cards bolstered from a teammate's supply go to their discard. You can use the COMMAND action to target your teammate's deck, as long as they are yet to play this round; cards commanded from a teammate's deck are drawn into their hand (COMMAND cannot target an opponent's deck). Anything that impacts or targets 'friendly personnel' includes your teammate — for example the GUIDE action, or transporting their units.