⚔ BLOOD & BANNERS ⚔

Set up terrain using a specific scenario or build an interesting custom map.

Each player has a Home hex with a Portal. Place units as follows:

• First 4 units: Place in the 4 hexes adjacent to Portal closest to opponent
• Remaining units: Place adjacent to already-placed units

Activate each unit one at a time. A unit makes all of its actions before activating the next unit

Each activated unit may: Move then Attack (in that order)

If a unit has special Attacks, they may choose to use one special attack instead of their normal attack

If a unit has special Abilities, they may choose to use each special ability once per turn at any time during your turn. You may not use Abilities during other players turns. Only units that were activated may use any of their Abilities this turn

If a unit has an Essence, that takes effect no matter whose turn it is and whether or not that unit was activated

• Move up to unit's Move score (in hexes)
• May move less or remain still

• May move up or down 1 level per horizontal hex
• Cannot move between hexes with 2+ level difference

• A unit's movement ends once stepping into water, even if they have additional movement steps
• Stepping out of water takes an additional step, and is considered an additional level up. (A normal unit cannot step from water direclty onto a hill)
• A unit in water gets -1 Power

• Ice is slippery. Once a unit steps onto ice, they become Unsteady and begin Slipping.
• Unsteady: A unit that is slipping on ice gets -1 Power. They remain Unsteady as long as they are on the ice, even if their movement stops. If a unit is Unsteady (but not Slipping) and is engaged in combat with a unit that is not Unsteady or Slipping, the Unsteady unit does not get to take a free disengagement attack if the stable unit leaves combat.
• Slipping: When a unit is slipping, they must take their full movement each turn, and they cannot change directions.
• A slipping character does not get enganged in combat if they slide adjacent to another unit. If their movement gets stopped (so no longer Slipping) while adjacent to another unit, then they are engaged.
• If a unit is Slipping and moving, and their next step would land them on a different vertical level or on the same hex as another unit, there is a colision:
• If a unit collides with an enemy unit, their movement stops before stepping onto the already-occupied hex, and they are no longer Slipping or moving, but will still be unstead. Both units take one attack die of damage with no defence roll.
• If a unit is about to collide with or step through a friendly unit, they may choose to:
• Continue movement like normal. If the unit has enough movement and there is space on the other side of the colliding unit, the original unit may continue their movement like normal stepping onto the occupied hex and then continuing onto the next hex.
• Stop their movement before stepping onto the occupied space. Neither unit takes any damage. The unit that was in the process of moving is no longer Slipping or moving. Their movement ends for the turn. They are still Unsteady.
• Use the other unit to swing the moving unit in another direction.Step onto the occupied hex and then step to any adjacent square. The original unit is still Slipping, but is now moving in that direction instead.
• If a unit is about to move onto a hex that is a higher elevation than their current hex, their movement stops on the lower hex, and they are no longer Slipping. They are still Unsteady. A unit may not climb up elevation from one icy hex to another. They may climb up one level of elevation if the higher hex is not ice.
• If a unit is about to move onto a hex that is a lower elevation than their current hex, they fall onto the lower tile and continue Slipping. Take one Attack die of damage for each level of elevation dropped, with no Defense roll. If the lower tile is icy, continue Slipping in the same direction. If the lower tile is not icy, the unit's movement ends for the turn, and they are no longer Slipping or Unsteady.
• A unit may not step onto an icy hex if it is higher elevation than their current hex.

• Flying characters may ignore water and ice movement penalties.
• Flying characters may move up 2 levels difference, and down any number of levels difference.

Units are "engaged in melee combat" when adjacent to each other and within 1 level of vertical height difference.

If a unit moves away from melee combat, the opposing unit gets a free attack:

• Power 1 (regardless of attacker's actual Power)
• No defense roll allowed (automatic hit)

If a unit steps in poison, their movement ends. Each turn they are in poison, they get poisoned. Take one attack die of poison damage. The unit stays poisoned when leaving poison, and continues to make a roll every turn. Any swords rolled are damage (no defense roll). If you roll a shield, you are unpoisoned (unless still in the poison).

A unit that is slipping on ice gets -1 Power. They remain Unsteady as long as they are on the ice, even if their movement stops. If a unit is Unsteady (but not Slipping) and is engaged in combat with a unit that is not Unsteady or Slipping, the Unsteady unit does not get to take a free disengagement attack if the stable unit leaves combat.

• When a unit is slipping, they must take their full movement each turn, and they cannot change directions.
• A slipping character does not get enganged in combat if they slide adjacent to another unit. If their movement gets stopped (so no longer Slipping) while adjacent to another unit, then they are engaged.
• If a unit is Slipping and moving, and their next step would land them on a different vertical level or on the same hex as another unit, there is a colision:
• If a unit collides with an enemy unit, their movement stops before stepping onto the already-occupied hex, and they are no longer Slipping or moving, but will still be unstead. Both units take one attack die of damage with no defence roll.
• If a unit is about to collide with or step through a friendly unit, they may choose to:
• Continue movement like normal. If the unit has enough movement and there is space on the other side of the colliding unit, the original unit may continue their movement like normal stepping onto the occupied hex and then continuing onto the next hex.
• Stop their movement before stepping onto the occupied space. Neither unit takes any damage. The unit that was in the process of moving is no longer Slipping or moving. Their movement ends for the turn. They are still Unsteady.
• Use the other unit to swing the moving unit in another direction.Step onto the occupied hex and then step to any adjacent square. The original unit is still Slipping, but is now moving in that direction instead.
• If a unit is about to move onto a hex that is a higher elevation than their current hex, their movement stops on the lower hex, and they are no longer Slipping. They are still Unsteady. A unit may not climb up elevation from one icy hex to another. They may climb up one level of elevation if the higher hex is not ice.
• If a unit is about to move onto a hex that is a lower elevation than their current hex, they fall onto the lower tile and continue Slipping. Take one Attack die of damage for each level of elevation dropped, with no Defense roll. If the lower tile is icy, continue Slipping in the same direction. If the lower tile is not icy, the unit's movement ends for the turn, and they are no longer Slipping or Unsteady.
• A unit may not step onto an icy hex if it is higher elevation than their current hex.

A stunned unit suffers the following effects until the end of their next activation:

• Cannot move
• Cannot make disengagement attacks if an enemy moves away from melee combat
• Gets -2 Power

• May attack any unit within Range score (in hexes)
• Requires clear line of sight
• Terrain and units can block line of sight
• Cannot attack directly through a unit in straight line
• Can attack around or between 2 units if space exists and Range permits

1. Attacker rolls: Number of dice = Power stat, count Sword faces
2. Defender rolls: Number of dice = Defense stat, count Shield faces
3. Damage calculation: Swords - Shields = Wounds dealt
   • If result ≤ 0: No damage
   • If result > 0: Defender takes that many Wounds
4. Defeat: Unit defeated when Wounds ≥ HP

• 🏃 Move: Maximum hexes the unit can move per activation
• 🏹 Range: Maximum attack distance in hexes
• ⚔️ Power: Number of dice rolled when attacking
• 🛡️ Defense: Number of dice rolled when defending
• ❤️ HP: Health Points - wounds needed to defeat the unit

Special objects are scattered throughout the battlefield. A unit captures a Terrain Object by moving onto its hex. Once captured, the controlling player gains the object's benefits immediately.

Each object provides a specific benefit to its controlling player:

• Fire Crystal (Lava Biome): +2 Power when attacking Forest biome creatures
• Forest Crystal (Forest Biome): +4 Defense when defending against Water attacks
• Water Crystal (River Biome): +1 Power when attacking Lava or Fire biome creatures. +2 Defense when defending against Fire attacks

If a unit controlling an object is defeated or moves away from the object's hex, that player loses the object's benefits. The object remains on the battlefield until captured by another unit.