The Adventure Wargame

A stand-alone game Powered by

 INDEX
CREDITS
Lead Designer & Writer: Ivan Sørensen
Based on Forgotten Ruin by Anspach & Cole • Additional Compilation & Writing: Gunter, Robillard
Editing & Layout: Richard L Gale • Art Director & Project Manager: Chris Birch
Cover Art: Tommaso Renieri • Interior Art: Shrey Asada, Storn Cook, Jon Gibbons, Jeremiah
Humphries, William Liberto, Tommaso Renieri, Joe Solito, Dean Spencer, Phil Stone, Christian Quintot
With special thanks to: The NWG playtest team and Jason Smith
For Modiphius Entertainment: Studio Painters Production Operatives
Chief Creative Officer Callum France, Rosie Williams Thomas Bull, Rebecca Cartwright,
Chris Birch Studio Terrain Designer Louis Hartley-Edwards, Jake
Chief Operations Officer Julian Jeratsch Skinner-Guy, Christopher Leigh
Rita Birch Lead Graphic Designer Assembly Team
Managing Director Akha Hulzebos Elaine Elizabeth Hughes, Nichola
Cameron Dicks Principal Graphic Designer Jones, Michelle Richards
Head of Brand Michal E. Cross Tool Makers
Samantha Webb Graphic Designers Luke Gill, David Hextall,
Anthony Morris
Head of Creative Services Jane Robertson, Stephanie Toro,
Jon Webb Chris Webb, Mark Whittington, Community Managers
Leigh Woosey Lloyd Gyan, April Hill
Head of Product Development
Błazej Kubacki Audio & Video Producer PR Manager
Head of Finance Steve Daldry Sophie May
Luc Woolfenden Senior Development & Editorial Translations & Publishing Manager
Senior Creative Manager Manager Matt Timm
Kieran Street Bryce Johnston Distribution & Key Accounts
Logistics & Production Manager Editorial Manager Manager
Peter Grochulski Robert Hebblethwaite Gary Moore
Lead Art Director and Studio Games Designers Sales Account Manager
Coordinator Jack Caesar, E M Moriarty Matt Vann-Hinton
Rocío Martín Pérez Community & Design Assistant Marketing Coordinator
Art Director Dom Westerland Shaun Hocking
Ariel Orea Scheduling & Design Assistant Marketing Manager
Photographer Justin Talsma Shareef Dahroug
Fátima Martín Pérez 2d20 Developer Marketing Assistant
Lead 3D Designer Nathan Dowdell Georgie Reeve
Jonny La Trobe-Lewis RPG Design Assistants Customer Support Team Leader
Senior 3D Designers Chris Dann
Andy Douthwaite, Jess Gibbs
Joana Abbott, Domingo Díaz Fermín, Customer Support Representative
Senior Project & Events Manager
Chris 'Chrispy' Peacey Jagdeep Thiara
Daniel Lade
Senior 3D Plastics Designer Operations Assistant
Senior Project & Process Manager
Colin Grayson Stephanie Catala
Gavin Dady
3D Designers Webstore Manager
Project Managers Apinya Ramakomud
Ben de Bosdari, Sean Bullough
Jamie MacKenzie, Ben Maunder,
Jim Johnson, Haralampos Tsakiris Financial Analyst
Valya Mkrtchyan
Senior Ops & Logistics Manager
John Wilson Accounts Payable Manager
Ofelya Mnatsakanyan
Factory Manager
Modiphius Entertainment Ltd, Accounts Receivable Specialist &
Martin Jones
39 Harwood Road, London, SW6 4QP Finance Coordinator
Senior Production Operatives Hollie Shepperson
United Kingdom Drew Cox, Warwick Voyzey
Tel +44 207 736 7020
Lead Production Operative Product No.: MUH098V004-PDF
www.modiphius.com Jake Pink, Miles Turner ISBN: 978-1-80281-131-5
Forgotten Ruin is Copyright © 2022 by Galaxy's Edge, LLC. Forgotten Ruin: The Adventure Wargame mechanics are copyright Modiphius
Entertainment Ltd.. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including
photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the express written permission of the author and
publisher, except where specifically permitted by law. Artwork and graphics © Galaxy's Edge LLC. Five Leagues From The Borderlands
artwork on pages 1-15, 39, 45, 46, 49 (lower image), 51, 68, 76, 84, 87, and 123 copyright Modiphius Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.
The Modiphius logo is a registered trademark of Modiphius Entertainment Ltd., 2022. Any unauthorised use of copyrighted material is
illegal. Any trademarked names are used in a fictional manner; no infringement is intended. This is a work of fiction. Any similarity with
2 actual people and events, past or present, is purely coincidental and unintentional.
 CONTENTS

The Adventure Wargame

1: INTRODUCTION & SQUAD CREATION Activations ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 36
Introduction��������������������������������������������������� 6 Movement ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 37
The Adventure Ahead of You������������������� 10 Dashing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 37
Basic Principles ������������������������������������������� 11 Entering Hand-to-hand... ... ... ... ... ... . 37
Basic Structure����������������������������������������� 11 Moving Up and Down... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 37
Time Keeping ������������������������������������������� 11 Dropping Down... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 38
Common Sense AI����������������������������������� 12 Leaping ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 38
Resolving Rules Questions������������������� 12 Random Movement... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 38
Soldiers and Enemies and More ������� 13 The Edge of the Table ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 38
Miniatures Handling ��������������������������� 14 Archer Mobs ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 38
Measurements������������������������������������������ 14 Leaving the Battlefield... ... ... ... ... ... ... 38
Dice Basics ����������������������������������������������� 15 Conditions ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 39
Modifiers ��������������������������������������������������� 15 Combat ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 40
Random Selection����������������������������������� 16 Shooting ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 40
Random Directions ������������������������������� 16 Target Selection ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 40
Squad Creation ������������������������������������������� 17 Attack Dice... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 40
The Squad��������������������������������������������������� 17 Hitting the Target ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 41
The Platoon ����������������������������������������������� 18 Great Hits ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 41
How Ranks Work ����������������������������������� 19 Hand-to-hand Combat... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 42
Starting Profile ��������������������������������������� 19 The Follow-up Move... ... ... ... ... ... ... 43
Known Personalities������������������������������� 20 Multiple Weapons ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 43
Your Main Character ��������������������������� 22 Multiple Combatants... ... ... ... ... ... . 43
Equipment Load Out ��������������������������� 22 Sweeping Attacks... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 43
Alternate Types of Squads ������������������� 22 Hit Resolution... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 44
Story Points ��������������������������������������������������� 23 Saving Throws... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 44
Field Exercises����������������������������������������������� 24 Luck ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 45
Difficulty Factors������������������������������������������� 26 Explosions... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 46
Fire Support... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 47
2: COMBAT RULES Leadership Tactics... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 48
Terrain Rules ����������������������������������������������� 30 Spells ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 50
Terrain Types ������������������������������������������� 30 Enemy Action Phase ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 54
Difficult & Impassable Terrain ��� 30 Enemy Movement... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 54
Line of Sight������������������������������������������������ 31 Morale ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 54
Cover ����������������������������������������������������������� 31 Villain Plans... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 55
The Battle Round ��������������������������������������� 33 Big Monsters ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 56
The Reaction Roll ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 33 Monster Points... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 57
Snap Fire and Delays ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 34 Monster Actions... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 57
Aggression Phase ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 34 The Armory ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 58
End Phase... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 36 A Tactical Primer... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 62
3
 CONTENTS

3: CAMPAIGNS 6: ENDING THE BATTLE

Readying the Campaign ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 64 Ending the Battle... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 112
Create Your Squad... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 64 Sudden Death Check... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 112
The Map ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 64 Abandoned Battle ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 112
High and Low Magic... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 66 Outcomes ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 113
Campaign Duration... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 67 Post Battle Sequence... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 114
Campaign Flow ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 67 Step 1: Injuries ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 114
Step 2: Check for Villain Creation . 115
Victory Points ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 68
Step 3: Check for Villain Destruction
Campaign Sequence ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 69
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 115
Step 1: Take a Rest... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 69 Step 4: Check for Monster
Step 2: Request Help from Allies... ... 69 Destruction ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 116
Step 3: Commit Soldiers to Step 5: Get to Know Your Squad ... . 116
Side Tasks ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 71 Step 6: Character Advancement ... . 117
Step 4: Determine Next Battle Step 7: Field Promotions... ... ... ... ... 119
Location ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 73 Step 8: Replacements ... ... ... ... ... ... 119
Step 5: Prepare for Battle ... ... ... ... ... . 73 Step 9: Consequences of Failure ... 120
Prepare for Battle Sequence ... ... ... ... ... . 73 Step 10: Gain Support Points... ... ... . 121
Step 1: Mission Requirements... ... ... . 74 Step 11: Exposure ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 121
Step 2: Mission Objectives... ... ... ... ... . 75 Step 12: Loot... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 121
Step 3: Support ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 77 Step 13: Gather Kit... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 122
Step 4: Terrain Set Up ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 78 Step 14: Sort out Your Equipment. 123
Step 5: Place Investigations ... ... ... ... 82 Step 15: Update the Map ... ... ... ... ... . 123
Step 16: Get Ready... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 123
Step 6: Assign Battlefield Edges and
Loot ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 124
Deploy ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 82
Transformations... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 132
Step 7: Battle Conditions... ... ... ... ... ... 83 Transformation Upgrades ... ... ... ... . 133
Step 8: Determine Personal Task... ... 85 The Arcane... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 133
Ready for Battle ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 85 The Centaur ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 134
Investigations ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 86 The Cursed... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 134
Special Missions... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 88 The Divine ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 135
The Green ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 135
4: FINAL BATTLES The Minotaur ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 136
Prepping the Final Battle ... ... ... ... ... . 94 The Savage... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 136
The Location ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 94 The Scaled ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 137
The Journey ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 94 The Scoundrel ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 137
The Arrival... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 94 The Skyborne... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 138
The Artifacts... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 94 The Swarm... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 138
The Final Battle ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 96 Campaign End... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 139

5: THE ENEMY 7: APPENDICES

Generating the Enemy... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 98 The Game Did Something Strange!... . 142
Step 1: Determine Enemy Type ... ... 98 Miniatures ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 143
Step 2: Champions ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 102 Other Ways of Playing ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 148
Step 3: Mob Size... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 103 Creating AARs ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 153
Step 4: Mob Training ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 103 Adaptation Notes ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 154
Step 5: Check for Villains ... ... ... ... 104 Designer Notes... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 156
Platoon Sheet ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 158
Step 6: Deploy Mobs... ... ... ... ... ... ... . 105
Monsters ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 106 INDEX ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 160
4
 INDEX

CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION &
SQUAD creation

5
 Introduction

INTRODUCTION
All enemy elements are currently heading straight for our position
from several points on the compass. It would be naive in the extreme to think
they are not going to hit us in the next twelve hours and hit us hard with everything
they’ve got. The enemy force is numbered at upwards of five thousand.
We are two hundred rangers and special personnel plus
a highly trained flight crew and three civilians.
– Forgotten Ruin

Welcome to Forgotten Ruin: The rather than demanding an entire day to

Adventure Wargame, an exciting get through.
adventure pitting heavy firepower against
It is oriented towards solo gaming,
the monsters and magic of a fantasy
allowing you to play on your own time,
world. Of course, things get complicated
though inviting a friend for cooperative
when the person manning the machine
play is easy as well.
gun is also a were-tiger.
Within this book, you will find everything
needed to play from a rules perspective.
Simply add whatever miniatures you
like, and you are ready to adventure. I
suggest reading this chapter carefully
as it outlines some basic principles that
underpin the game.

Adventure Wargaming
Traditionally, a wargame is a military
affair between armies of troops facing
each other in a pitched battle. Both forces
are usually picked from an army list
and, once you are done playing, they go
back in the box (or on the shelf) and the
next time you play is unconnected from
the last. At Nordic Weasel Games and
Modiphius Entertainment, we use the
term ‘adventure wargaming’ to describe
a very different beast.
First, it is player-friendly: You can pick
whatever figures you would like to use;
you can play on a compact gaming space
(3x3 feet is recommended), and the game
is played in a modest amount of time
6
 Introduction

More importantly, the game is played as that took down a troll the other day,
an open-ended campaign. Your rangers saving the rest of the squad from being
have Objectives to achieve, both in the wiped out. Or the guy who can’t shoot
big picture and on a mission-by-mission straight. Or the lieutenant who never
basis, but the cost of those Objectives may gets hit.
turn out to be too steep.
An adventure wargame is not strictly
You will create your own smaller goals, balanced. In Forgotten Ruin: The
such as gaining more experience for Adventure Wargame, as with the
a particular character or making it original books series, there is no points
through this mission so you can get some system in sight. While the game strives
replacements. for a degree of balance to make things
fun, you are governed by more realistic
As you play, the games will link together
concerns: You only have so many troops
to create an overarching story where
to deploy and if you take too many losses
seemingly random events start to
now, you will be short later.
connect. This is even more effective
because your characters are carried over The enemy may show up with only a
from one battle to the next. Instead of a few scouts or they may launch an all-out
faceless army, that sergeant is the one assault. Some battles will be brutally

7
 Introduction

difficult, others will be merely target A 5X Experience

practice for your squad.
Forgotten Ruin: The Adventure Wargame
Part of the excitement is rolling with these is part of a series of game rules
punches and making the most of them. collectively known as “Five X” or “5X”.
Do you battle it out to the last soldier or These are solo-oriented campaign games
do you conduct a fighting retreat? played with miniatures, and consist of
Five Parsecs from Home, Five Leagues
I think you will find it an exciting ride.
from the Borderlands, and other titles.
The game rules are similar enough
Solo Gaming that you should have little difficulty in
Forgotten Ruin: The Adventure Wargame picking up the game quickly if you are
is written to be played as a solo game. an old hand, however read the new rules
The game system includes instructions carefully: A lot of things work slightly
for how the enemy will move and attack differently to accommodate the style of
as well as how to resolve each step of combat and adventure of the Forgotten
the campaign turn. The aim is for the Ruin setting.
experience to be as “out of the box” as
possible, meaning if you follow the steps
provided in the game rules you will not Connection to the Book
have to create anything else. However, Series
the game is very amenable to creating The game is based principally on the first
fun, interesting characters, enemies, novel in the “Forgotten Ruin” series by
and moments. Jason Anspach and Nick Cole. A force of
US Army Rangers are sent on a mission
The rules can be enjoyed in cooperative
to the future to save humanity but find
play as well by splitting up the available
themselves embroiled in a brutal war
soldiers between the players. For
against a foe that seems to be straight out
example, each player takes one fire team,
of a classic fantasy adventure story.
with one player also taking the squad
leader, or a third player runs the squad Soon, modern firepower and military
leader and any additional figures. This tactics will have to contend with an
lets you play together and face off against onslaught of orcs and monsters, and
the evil monsters as a team. If you find the rangers will need all their courage,
this option is a bit easier than playing creativity, and firepower to survive.
alone, you can always use the difficulty
This game can be thought of as an
adjustments provided in the rules to tailor
alternate story, taking place side by side
your experience.
with the book series, following a platoon
Other options for playing together include with a set of original characters (yours!)
having one player take control of the that must survive in this world.
villains (you can take turns doing this) or
The appendices include designer notes on
even having a Game Master create special
the adaptation.
scenarios. These are all fantastic ways in
which to explore the world of Forgotten
Ruin in miniature.

8
 Introduction

Alternate Squads and It is a fantastic way to stay in touch while

Settings still being able to play games on your
own terms and schedule. Whether it is on
While the original stories featured US
social media, gaming forums, or blogs,
Rangers, you may want to do a different
there is a wealth of options out there
unit or even nationality, whether you
to check out, and it can be incredibly
served in one or just really like the look.
inspiring to see what other gamers are
You might even want to try playing the
up to.
game with a WW2 Rangers squad or a
handful of science fiction figures you have
sitting around (after all, the original story Where to Keep Up with Us
also featured science fiction elements, so
You can check in on the game – and
almost anything is viable).
other games in the Five X range – at
The rules are agnostic regarding the www.modiphius.net
specific miniatures you choose, so you
You can pick up the novel series at all
can substitute the correct weapons and
major book retailers.
use a bit of best judgement. For example,
for a second world war squad, the assault You are always welcome to contact
rifles are instead M1 rifles, the anti-tank the author of these rules at
weapon is a bazooka, and so forth. We [email protected] if you
recommend not trying to adjust the have questions, suggestions, or just want
weapon profiles to make the weapons to let me know how your game went. I try
stronger or weaker unless you really feel to answer email daily.
you have to.
If you want to support Nordic Weasel
The important part is to have fun with Games further, please consider doing so
your campaign and selecting the figures at www.patreon.com/nordicweasel
you are really happy to use is a big part
of that.
A Special Thank You
A thank you goes to Jason Smith for his
Social Solo suggestions, help with brainstorming
Solo gaming does not have to be a lonely ideas, and his keen eye for what makes a
experience. game fun. Thank you to Chris Birch for
allowing me to write this project, and, of
Over the last few years, a phenomenon
course, to Jason Anspach and Nick Cole,
has sprung up that we have dubbed
authors of the “Forgotten Ruin” series.
“social solo” gaming. Essentially, this is
playing games solo but discussing them And to you, the fans, for showing that
online with other gamers. Solo gamers narrative miniatures gaming is worth
are sharing photos of their gaming tables, doing.
writing up or blogging reports of their
games, sharing the stories they create, and
showing off the miniatures they paint up
for each battle.

9
 Introduction

THE ADVENTURE AHEAD OF YOU

The orcs were frightening, hairy beasts bristling with fangs, claws,
leather armor wrapped in dark rags, and literally wicked-looking scimitars
they tried to slash us with. But swords as deadly as they appeared,
couldn't shoot back at us. They didn't have AK-47s or PKMs.
– Forgotten Ruin

The world was collapsing. A mysterious pushed the wrong button. Maybe you
ailment was enveloping reality, were flung far into the voids of time.
turning people into monsters and Whatever the reason, your expeditionary
causing technology to fail. They said force finds itself stuck in a savage world
it was a nano-plague and that it was filled with creatures straight out of
doubtful we would survive it. Not you mythology and fantasy literature.
or me, all of us. Mankind as a whole.
Your platoon finds itself on its own.
A secret military project was assembled
Isolated from your comrades, all you
to send an expedition into the near
have is each other. Somewhere out there
future, after the nano-plague had
are your friends: If you can find them,
subsided, to help rebuild.
maybe you can also find some answers.
Something went amiss. Maybe the Until then, its business as usual.
Quantum Singularity Tachyon gate was
Does the field manual say anything
not configured correctly. Maybe it was
about the correct procedure for firing a
tampered with. Maybe someone just
rocket launcher at a troll?

10
 Introduction

BASIC PRINCIPLES
This chapter explains core ideas of how Time Keeping
we do things in “5X” games, as well as
We use three measures of time in the
giving you the basics if you are new
game:
to tabletop gaming. You might want
to give this a look even if you are a ” The first is the campaign turn (or
seasoned veteran. simply ‘turn’). Each turn has a single
tabletop battle and can represent
anything from a few days to a week
Basic Structure or two.
The game is a solo experience, meaning
” The second is the battle round (or
you as the player control your forces
‘round’). This is used only in tabletop
against opposition controlled by the “AI”
battle and is enough time for every
through game mechanics. Consequently,
figure on the table to do something.
the game is self-paced, allowing you to
It might be a few seconds up to a few
progress faster or slower as you see fit,
minutes depending on what is going
and suited to your schedule and desired
on at the time.
degree of challenge.
” Finally, we have the mission.
As you play, your squad will gain
A mission is one tabletop battle
experience as well as magical abilities,
from start to finish. There is always a
you will find loot, and you will face off
mission every campaign turn.
against more and more dangerous foes
in tabletop battles with your
miniature figures. Components of a Mission
The tactical parts of the game, played
The campaign has victory conditions
with your miniature figures, consists
built in, though you may prefer playing
of missions, each of which is a single
a shorter campaign. If so, start out by
encounter with the enemy. During each
playing a set number of campaign turns
mission, you will have Objectives to
or until you have claimed a particular
accomplish to defeat the enemy and gain
number of map areas.
victory. These are randomly generated and
may include tasks like fetching important
things off the battlefield or pushing
through the enemy lines.
The battlefield will also have
Investigations: These are points of
interest that may reward you – or unveil
further dangers – as you explore them.
Both Investigations and Objectives
should be marked by placing a suitable
token on the table.

11
 Introduction

Common Sense AI May and Must

The rules are written intentionally: If the
The game relies on the player injecting
game says you may do something, you
a certain degree of common sense into
may also choose not to. If the rules say you
proceedings. The AI rules for how the
will or must do something, you cannot
enemy moves and fights makes them
choose not to.
fairly predictable, in order to make the
game play quickly, but they are still We often say that a character is rolling
meant to represent sentient beings. something or doing something. As our
As such when moving and placing the little toy soldiers are not actually sapient
enemies, you should be bearing this (or so they like us to think) this is of
in mind. If moving directly towards a course just colorful language to avoid
soldier would put an orc in the open saying “the player then rolls” all the time.
but moving 1" to the left they would be
in Cover, they should be placed in the I Made a Mistake!
position that offers Cover for example. You just started a new round when you
realize you forgot a monster ability last
This is ultimately a personal decision, and
round. Don’t worry. In a big campaign
you may of course have more fun if the
game, it is inevitable that you slip up
enemy is dumber than expected or more
somewhere. Maybe you forgot to add a
cunning than expected. Some players
bonus, or you missed an enemy ability
prefer to ignore the AI mechanics and just
during the last battle.
do whatever seems like the best move for
the enemy every turn. Whatever the case is, always move
forward.
You may even have another player control
the AI with the cunning plans (or lack It is rarely worth going back and trying
thereof) that can entail. to redo a bunch of things that already
happened. In most cases, small mistakes
won’t seriously affect your campaign as
Resolving Rules Questions things tend to even out over time. Make
This is a big game with a lot of moving a note going forward and keep moving
parts and it is easy to get a little on. If you received an advantage you
overwhelmed at first. If you are not sure shouldn’t, add a few extra bad guys to the
how something is supposed to work, next battle.
take a moment to read the rules section
If it is something big, then make a few on-
again. In most cases if you apply the rules
the-spot adjustments to get things back
literally, you will get an answer.
on track. Maybe you awarded way too
If this doesn’t help, try to envision what much XP, so skip XP next battle, or maybe
either makes the most sense (within the you should have faced more enemies last
magical realism of the game world) or time, so add them this time.
seems to be the intended way for things
Whatever the situation, avoid going back
to work.
and trying to undo events, especially if
If all else fails, you are welcome to email they happened several campaign turns or
the author or you might prefer to make a battle rounds ago. Make a correction (if it
ruling on the spot. is truly needed) and move on.

12
 Introduction

Weird Situations Soldiers, Enemies, and More

In a procedurally generated game, it is
A figure on the table is generally referred
inevitable that strange things happen. It
to as a “character” when we mean
is up to the player to decide what happens
the entity in the game world, and a
then. In most cases the game will be more
“figure” when we specifically refer to the
fun if you take a moment to think about
miniature itself on the table.
how the result can be interpreted. For
example, a golem probably cannot roar The term “soldier” always means one of
to call more of its golem friends to battle, the figures commanded by the player,
but maybe the golems are all fitted with while “enemy” always means one of the
magical alarms that lets them converge bad guys you are fighting against. These
on a foe. are controlled by the game system.
If a particular specific result bothers you, We use the term “opponent” to mean a
you can change it to a different outcome character that is hostile to the character
that fits better or modify the rule slightly in question. In other words, the enemy
so that it works for you. For example, if are your opponents while you are the
you roll a spider villain that can cast the opponents of the enemy.
Hellfire spell you might change that to a
When two characters are fighting each
different outcome from the same table if
other hand-to-hand, we refer to them
you feel that fits better.
as “combatants”. A character is only a
You may prefer to just embrace the combatant while that fight lasts.
strangeness and chalk it up to a magical
If this all seems a little abstract, don’t
world: Of course, an evil spider
worry. You will get the hang of it quickly
can cast spells, and of course
and it avoids confusing phrases like “the
golems emit a fierce war cry
enemy then targets
when they go into battle!
the nearest enemy”.

Key 'rule of thumb’: In general, Most enemies

special cases supersede regular cases. attack in groups we
If an item or ability modifies refer to in the game
how a core rule works, the item or as “mobs”. The
ability takes precedent. members of a mob
move and fight
as a cohesive
entity.

Some particularly
mean enemies are called
“villains”. These are more
powerful and feature
special abilities.

13
 INDEX

Miniatures Handling Measurements

When figures are moved, they should All measurements in the game are
always be placed in a way that allows the given in inches as this is an established
figure to stand comfortably. If a position is convention in miniature gaming. Players
a little precarious, such as on the edge of a who prefer metric measurements may
terrain feature, you may want to move the opt to multiply all distances by 2.5 to get
figure back a little bit and then just put a centimeters.
marker on the true location to avoid the
When measuring distances between
figure falling over and being damaged.
figures measure to and from the closest
Figures are said to be “in contact” when point of the base, never from any point on
the bases are touching (also known the figure itself.
as “base contact”). This is particularly
relevant for hand-to-hand combat. As
some figures have very dramatic poses,
it can sometimes be difficult to get them Measure base to base
to line up correctly. If the attacking figure
has sufficient movement to reach base The exception may be if you have an
contact, hand-to-hand combat can be unusual figure that is placed on a much
engaged in even if the figures cannot larger base than it occupies. If so, you may
physically be positioned correctly due to prefer measuring to and from the body of
the pose of either figure. the figure instead of the edge of the base.
The player can always measure before
deciding where to move or shoot, and can
check distances at any time.

14
 INDEX

Dice Basics Modifiers

During combat, dice rolls are generally Rolls are often modified by bonuses
six-sided dice (D6). Typically, you are or game circumstances. Simply add all
trying to roll equal or above a particular applicable modifiers to the die roll. For
target number. For example, if the rules example, a roll of a 3 with a +2 modifier
say you have to roll 5+, then a roll of is a final score of a 5. Modifiers cannot
a 5 or a 6 is a success. Often, multiple reduce a roll below a 0.
dice are rolled at the same and each
Note that modifiers can make a roll
compared to the target number, for
succeed automatically or make a roll
example for rapid-fire weapons that get
impossible. Unlike some games you may
multiple attacks per turn.
be familiar with, there is no “6 always
If the rules say to roll 2D6, 3D6, etc., succeeds, 1 always fails” rule.
roll that number of dice and add them
The rules may state that something
together. For example, a 2D6 roll of 2 and
happens on a natural roll of a specific
6 is a total score of 8.
number. This means the dice must show
The campaign rules make use of D100 that number before modifiers are applied.
rolls. This is done by a rolling a pair of A roll of a 1 with a +2 modifier is both a
ten-sided dice (D10) and reading the first natural 1 and a score of 3, while a 4 with
die as the tens and the second die as the a +2 modifier is a score of 6 but is not a
ones. For example, a roll of 3 and 8 is a natural 6.
score of 38. Likewise,
If the game allows you to reroll a die,
A 0 and 7 would be a 7. pick it up and roll it again. The original
score is ignored for all purposes, and
A 7 and 0 would be a 70.
you must use the new score unless the
A 0 and 0 is read as 100 (although often game specifically says you can pick
still noted on random tables as 00). either outcome.
You can get special “percentile” dice to A reroll on a D100 roll means both dice
use, but the author has always opted for are rerolled.
using the darker colored die as the tens
and the lighter as the ones.

15
 Introduction

Trackable Resources Random Selection

As you play, your squad will accumulate
If you need to randomly determine a
several different resources, including:
result from a number of options (and if
Story Points: These help you tweak the there isn’t a table covering the options
game world a little in your favor, as well as already), number them sequentially from
guide the story. See page 23. one and up, then roll any appropriate
die and count from the left rerolling any
Victory Points: A method of tallying your
“missing” numbers. For example, to pick
campaign success See pages 67-68.
from five terrain features, roll a D6 and
Luck: Luck allows a figure to avoid reroll if you get a 6.
casualties or situations that might be
detrimental to them. See page 45.
Random Directions
Support Points: Spend these during battle
If something has to move in a random
to gain fire, tactical, sniper, and other
direction or a random direction has to
forms of support in battle. See page 77.
be determined, roll a ten-sided dice: The
Kit Points: Spend these at the end of a raised tip indicates the direction. You can
mission to add weapons, armor, medical also purchase special “direction dice” if
supplies and more to squad. See page 122. you prefer a little bit of custom kit.
Aggression: Your enemy’s increasing Random directions can be fiddly on a
Aggression score tracks when they deploy dense table so a little interpretation
a new scheme against you. See page 34. may be required. You can avoid
some of the difficulties
Exposure: Absorbed into this new world,
by making sure to roll 3
7

your squad will experience changes and

develop fantastical abilities. See page 121.
as close to the point of 0 5
origin as possible.
8

16
 SQUAD CREATION

SQUAD CREATION
To play the campaign, you will need a
squad. These are the soldiers that you Name Generation
will rely upon in battle. Simply follow the Over the course of a campaign, you will
steps in this chapter one by one, and by require a lot of names. While you can
the end you will have everything you need make up your own, many people find it
to begin playing. helpful to use an online name generator
or a list of baby names. You can always
To get started, print out a copy of the
generate 10 at a time and then pick the
platoon sheet (see page 158).
best ones.

The Squad During missions, your fire teams can set

The squad is the core of the game and up as you see fit and are not required
consists of nine soldiers that you follow to move or fight together (being highly
as you adventure in the game world. trained elite soldiers). You may find that
keeping fire teams together in the battle
The squad is organized into:
makes a lot of sense, however.
” 2x fire teams, each of which has
Players should note that if you are basing
1x fire team leader and
your squad on a famous military unit, you
3x soldiers
can adjust the squad size to fit the correct
” plus a squad leader. size for that unit, or just use nine soldiers
regardless, since this is what the game
Go ahead and name everybody at this
is balanced around. Players preferring
stage, and note them on your platoon
a more challenging experience might
sheet, with the fire team leader the first
use a smaller squad size to increase the
soldier in each fire team.
difficulty of the campaign.

PLATOON SHEET
Fire Team
1 Turns Difficulty Factors
Platoon Leader Campaign
Injured Advancements Name
Name Luck Story Poin ts
Gear Reactions Luck
Reactions Victory Points Injured
Speed Gear Advance Fire Team
Speed Support Points ments 2
Combat Name
Abilities Skillsure Points
Combat Skill ToughnesExpo Abilities
s Reactions
Toughness Wits Allies Used Speed
Wits Combat
Name Villains Skill
Platoon Sergeant Reactions Luck Toughnes
s
Injured Advancements Injured
Name Luck Speed Gear Advance Wits
men ts
Gear Combat
Reactions Skill Name
Speed Toughnes Stash Abilities Reactions
s
Abilities Wits Speed
Combat Skill
Toughness Name Combat
Skill
Reactions Luck Toughnes
Wits Injured s
Speed Gear Advance Wits
Squad Leader men ts
ents
AdvancemCo mbat Sk Name
Luck Injured ill
Name
Reactions
Gear
Toughnes
Wits
s
Abilities Reactions
Speed
17 G
Speed Combat
Abilities Name Skill
Combat Skill Reactions Toughnes Ab
Luck s
ness Injure
 SQUAD CREATION

The Platoon Types of Soldiers

We divide unit soldiers into two types:
Your squad is part of a larger force
Grunts and known personalities
called a platoon. In most armies, a
(explained further on page 20). For most
platoon consists of 3 squads as well
game purposes they are all soldiers and
as a commander and possibly some
move and fight in a similar manner. The
additional weapons. You will not have to
difference is that grunts are just that:
generate details for all of those troops,
Soldiers. They have the standard profile
however. The rest of the platoon exists in
for a starting character and no special
the background and will furnish you with
quirks, though they may be a Leader.
more soldiers here and there.
We recommend that you name the
The following pages will explain how
grunts in your squad.
your forces work, and take you through
the process of creating your characters The known personalities are those we
and filling out your platoon roster. know a little bit more about. Think
First, detail the platoon leader and the of them as the main characters in a
platoon senior sergeant, giving each of television show where you see lots of
them a name. These two individuals may people pass by and some of them you
accompany you on missions, but are not know by name, but there are certain
normally part of your squad. people you know a lot more about: These
known personalities receive additional
The Platoon Leader attention when you create your squad,
Typically a lieutenant, this is the and they are eligible to advance
person in charge of the whole through battle experience.
platoon. They are picked for their
leadership ability and tactical Using your Veteran Roster
perspective. They are a Leader in If you have completed a prior
the game rules, granting you campaign, you will have a sheet
an additional Initiative die at of previous soldiers known as
the start of each battle round the veteran roster. You may
when they are accompanying select up to two soldiers from
you into battle (see page 78 that sheet when you set up
for more). a new campaign. They are
carried over with their old
The Platoon Sergeant profile, transformations,
Also called the platoon NCO and so forth.
(Non-Commissioned
Note that the soldiers
Officer), this is a senior
selected do not need to
sergeant who helps
have been from the same
run the platoon, and
squad originally and they
is often a seasoned
do not have to be assigned
veteran with plenty of
to the same position or
experience. When
weapons that they
they accompany
originally held.
you into battle, they
grant you an additional use of
Leadership Tactics (see page 48).
18
 SQUAD CREATION

A regular “soldier”
“fire team leader”
“squad leader”
“platoon sergeant”
How Ranks Work “platoon leader”

We do not worry too much about the

specific ranks in question. Typically, a Starting Profile
platoon leader is a lieutenant while a
Each of your soldiers has a basic profile
squad leader is a sergeant; however, this
depending on their position.
can vary across armies and branches
of service. Additionally, during combat The numbers on the profile are used to
operations, it is not unusual for someone measure various functions in the game.
to end up filling out a position that Think of them as a numeric estimate of
normally would be run by someone of a how tough, strong, fast, and trained a
different rank. For this reason, we tend to soldier is. These values can change as you
use the position and not the actual rank. play the campaign game.
In case you need to know who has the Reactions: This measures the ability of
higher rank, the following list applies your soldiers to respond quickly and to
from highest to lowest: preempt enemy actions.
Platoon leader -> Speed: The distance a soldier can move on
Platoon sergeant -> the gaming table each turn.
Any squad leader ->
Combat Skill: This is added to all combat
Any fire team leader ->
dice rolls.
Any other soldier
Toughness: If a soldier gets hit in combat,
However, feel free to identify individual
the enemy is trying to roll equal or above
characters as you see fit. If your backstory
this number to hurt you.
means your ‘platoon sergeant’ likes to be
addressed as 'Major’, and your platoon Wits: This is added to certain dice
leader’s a colonel who wandered the rolls such as achieving Objectives and
wrong side of a dimensional rift, so be it! performing non-combat tasks.

Position Reactions Speed Combat Skill Toughness Wits

Soldier 2 5" +0 3 +0
Fire team leader 3 5" +0 3 +1
Squad leader 3 6" +0 3 +1
Senior sergeant 3 5" +1 4 +0
Platoon leader 4 6" +0 3 +1
19
 SQUAD CREATION

Known Personalities D100 Character trait

You begin the game with 3 known 21-25 Encouraging
personalities: One will be your squad 26-30 Resourceful
leader, one will be a fire team leader and 31-35 Independent minded
one will be a regular soldier (from either
fire team). Everyone else begins as a grunt. 36-40 Observant
41-45 Dependable
Each personality receives two character
traits generated by rolling D100 on the 46-50 Imaginative
Character Traits table below. If you roll 51-55 Self-controlled
the same trait twice, they only receive that 56-60 Impulsive
single trait, but also receive a roll on the
Knacks table. 61-65 Brave
66-70 Loyal
Character Traits table 71-75 Friendly
D100 Character trait 76-80 Skeptical
01-05 Optimistic 81-85 Supportive
06-10 Aggressive 86-90 Insightful
11-15 Logical 91-95 Accepting
16-20 Helpful 96-00 Confident

Character Knacks table

D100 Knack Effects
01-25 Crafty The character may take their action before moving, if desired.
If the selected action or weapons attack would limit movement,
these limits must still be adhered to.
26-50 Healthy If the character is injured and must miss battles, reduce the
recovery time by 1 turn.
51-75 Determined Once per battle before the soldier would roll a D6 to accomplish
a non-combat task, you may roll twice and pick the best score.
76-00 Flexible Once per battle you may either move twice but not take an
action or take two actions but not move.

Character Traits in Play The situation must fit under the

Once per battle round, when a character character trait, though it is up to you to
performs an action that would fit within a interpret this. You may wish to treat this
character trait of themselves or a soldier mostly as a roleplaying exercise or you
within 6" and Line of Sight, you may opt may opt to be stringent.
to modify the result of a single die up or
Traits can be used out of combat as well,
down 1 point after rolling the die. Only a
in which case a character that is sent off
single die can be modified in this fashion
on their own cannot rely on the traits of
(even if multiple dice were rolled) and
anyone else.
only once per battle round.
20
 SQUAD CREATION

Minor Personality Aspects D100 Personality aspect

(optional rule) 47-48 Over the top demeanor
You may generate a minor aspect for
49-50 Complete mess
each known personality. These do not
affect gameplay and are instead strictly 51-52 Thinks about food a lot
for flavor purposes. They can have some 53-54 Constantly checks their
interesting overlap with character traits. equipment
If a personality aspect seems to be at odds, 55-56 Is never sure what to do
you may change it or come up with an
interesting explanation. 57-58 Frequently jokes
59-60 Very quiet
Minor Personality Aspects table
61-62 Is having the time of their life
D100 Personality aspect 63-64 High strung
01-02 Talks constantly 65-66 Always looking for a drink
03-04 Always talks about “after we 67-68 Can sleep anywhere
get home”
69-70 Overthinks things
05-06 Rarely thinks before they talk
71-72 Loves snacks
07-08 Always has a bad feeling
about this 73-74 Is bad with names

09-10 Constantly quotes that one movie 75-76 Rarely gives their opinion

11-12 Talks to themselves 77-78 Customizes their kit

13-14 Always talks about their 79-80 Always asking to borrow things
hometown 81-82 Always shares their food
15-16 Regrets signing up 83-84 Fascinated by animals
17-18 Has a trinket they are always 85-86 Hot tempered
fiddling with 87-88 Can talk to anybody
19-20 Is cheap 89-90 Strong sense of responsibility
21-22 Loud 91-92 Easily rattled
23-24 Asks a lot of questions 93-94 Very organized
25-26 Risk taker 95-96 Sticks with their friends
27-28 Suspicious of everything 97-98 Often changes their mind
29-30 Often forgets things 99-00 Self-conscious
31-32 Writes everything down
33-34 Complains every chance they get Pivotal Events
35-36 Good listener Dramatic events can result in a person
changing as a response. You are welcome
37-38 Adapts quickly
to add, change, or reroll a character’s
39-40 High opinion of themselves personality aspect any time you feel it
41-42 Always seeks out company would suit the story. When doing this, it
43-44 Stoic personality often works best to roll twice and pick the
result that you feel fits events the most.
45-46 Loner
21
 SQUAD CREATION

Your Main Character Alternate Types of Squads

Select one of the three known personalities If you prefer to use an alternate approach
to be your main character. This character, to things, you will have to substitute in the
more than anyone else, represents you in appropriate weapons. We recommend not
the game. You could even name them your being hung up on the exact performance
own name, but it is usually better to come of a given weapon. Just look at the
up with something different, just in case general type: If you want to use a WW2
your hero dies horribly. squad instead, count each weapon as its
closest comparison: WW2 US Rangers
They begin the game with 1 point of Luck
would have M1 rifles instead of the M4
(explained on page 45).
or M16, but they can be treated the same;
a bazooka stands in for the anti-tank
Equipment Load Out weapon, and so forth.
Your squad begins with the following. Even if you are not an expert on military
firearms, a careful look at the various
Each fire team receives:
weapon types in the game should allow
” 2 soldiers with assault rifles. you to match things up in a way that
makes reasonable sense.
” 1 soldier with assault rifle and
grenade launcher Some players will not be interested in
portraying a specific military unit. If
” 1 soldier with squad automatic
so, you have the advantage that you can
weapon
purchase any military figures you like and
The squad leader receives: put them to use. As before, you should
have no problem adapting any figures
” Pistol and assault rifle.
you find since the weapons are already
fairly broad categories. We encourage you
Weapon Options
to have fun with the figures you are most
You may opt to swap out some of your
excited about.
equipment at this stage:
When using generic figures like this, we
” You may swap one of your grenade
suggest that you use the standard squad
launchers for a sharpshooter’s rifle.
organization presented in this rulebook.
” You may replace up to two of your
If you want to modify the way squads
assault rifles with shotguns or
are organised, bear in mind that this can
submachine guns.
change the balance of the game, especially
if the amount of firepower changes
Extra Squad Weapons
significantly. Just go into your modified
One soldier in the squad has an anti-tank
campaign expecting that you may need to
weapon in addition to their primary
tweak a few other things here and there,
weapon. They must be armed with an
such as enemies encountered or rewards,
assault rifle, shotgun, or submachine gun.
and you should be fine.
Note: You receive one anti-tank weapon
for the squad, not for each fire team.
Military weapons are detailed further on
pages 58-61.
22
 SQUAD CREATION

STORY POINTS
A procedurally generated combat game Story Point Usage
can be exhilarating because you never Each Story Point may do any ONE of
know what is going to happen, but it the following:
can also throw something completely
” When one of your characters
devastating at you. Players tend to take
attempts any action in combat that
two different views of this: Some enjoy
requires a D6 to be rolled, change
the feeling of an adventure where you
the result to any number you like. If
truly don’t know what will be on the
multiple dice are rolled, only one can
other side – sometimes you simply have
be changed.
to retreat to fight another day. Others
prefer a story where the outcome is ” When you are attacked, you may
probably going to be okay. avoid all effects of the attacks of one
enemy figure in one battle round.
We offer Story Points as a way to tailor
the game experience more to your liking. ” When making a D100 roll on a table,
Think of Story Points as the rules giving you may roll twice and pick either
you permission to experiment with the outcome. In the event you roll the
outcomes a little bit. While this is an same result again, pick any outcome
included part of the game rules, you may you like on the table.
opt not to use it if you prefer a more
” Upgrade a soldier to become a
unflinching game experience.
known personality.
Story Points are earned and spent as you
” Upgrade a soldier to gain an Advance
play. Once a given point is spent, it is
(see page 117).
not regained, though you can earn more
later on. ” Gain 2 Exposure (see page 121).
You begin with 5 Story Points. ” Gain 1 Support Points (see page 77).
A Story Point may be spent to do several ” Gain 1 ally roll (see page 69).
different things. You will note that some
” Increase the number of available
of these are very mechanical, while others
replacements in the campaign by one.
are more open-ended. You may opt to use
only the mechanical ones if you want your ” If it makes sense to your story to have
game to be more “by the book”. an event happen, have it happen! This
can include picking a specific type of
enemy to fight for a battle, having an
ally show up to help you, acquiring a
specific item, and so forth.
Note that some players love making their
own lives difficult. A change that would
make the game more difficult without
giving you any benefits does not have to
be paid for.
23
 SQUAD CREATION

FIELD EXERCISES
When you have read through all the Exercise 1: Basic Combat
combat rules and created your squad,
” Pick one of your two fire teams
we recommend you start your journey
(four soldiers in total) and set them
by playing through these field exercises.
up on one side of the table.
These omit many of the detailed rules but
allow you to get a feel for how movement, ” You will be facing two mobs of
combat, and the turn sequence works. If four orc warriors each, which will
you are a veteran miniatures gamer, you deploy opposite you (see page 104).
can skip this chapter, but we suggest that Separate the mobs by about 4".
you take this opportunity to get to grips
” Use the Movement and Combat rules
with the rules.
(pp.37-47).
You should use the actual squad you are
” Do not use Leadership Tactics,
going to play with in the campaign, but do
Aggression, Investigations,
not use any other campaign rules: You do
Objectives, or anything else yet.
not roll for injuries, gain advancements,
and so forth. ” The objective of the exercise is to
destroy all of the orcs.
For each exercise, you need a table space
that is about 24"x24".
Exercise 2: Infantry Tactics
Pick five terrain pieces that look like they
” Pick the other fire team that you did
fit together, such as five big rocks, and
not use in Exercise 1. Also add your
spread them out around the table.
platoon sergeant.
Add two or three more pieces of terrain
” You will be facing two mobs:
after each exercise.
1x 6 orc warriors and
Set up the two sides 18" apart. 1x 6 orc archers (see page 54).
The archers must be set up in Cover
24" (see page 31). Place some trees or a
18" low wall for them to skulk behind.
Two mobs ” You may use a single Leadership
ENEMY BATTLEFIELD EDGE
PLAYER BATTLEFIELD EDGE

(numbers depending
on exercise) Tactic in this mission (see page 48).
” The objective of the exercise is to
Fire team(s) destroy all of the orcs.
(numbers depending
on exercise)

5 similar terrain pieces

+2-3 other terrain pieces

24
 SQUAD CREATION

Exercise 3: Patrol in Force Completion

Congratulations, soldier, there may be
” For this mission, you receive the full
hope for you yet! Now clean off your kit
squad of both fire teams and the
and get back to barracks!
squad leader.
You are now ready to begin the
” You will be facing two mobs:
campaign. You receive 2 Support Points
1x 5 orc warriors and
immediately as a reward for paying
1x 5 orc archers.
attention in class, allowing you to go
One of the warrior mobs should
into your first campaign battle with a
set up out of sight behind a terrain
bit of extra help. Support Points can be
feature and the archers should set
cashed in for benefits in combat such as
up in Cover.
fire support or additional help and are
” You may use a single Leadership explained on page 77.
Tactic in this mission.
” The objective of the exercise is to
move to the center of the table and
have a soldier spend an action
there, then retreat off your own
battlefield edge.

25
 SQUAD CREATION

DIFFICULTY FACTORS
This chapter provides a range of options If you are introducing the game to a new
to make the game easier or more player or someone not familiar with
challenging. miniatures gaming, it may be a good
idea to use a couple of the options to
We suggest that you begin the game using
ease into things.
the rules as written, then once you have
some experience with how the game You can pick any number of options
mechanics work you can go back and try below, though note that options that are
some of these options. Of course, if you directly contradictory cannot both be
already know you want a more heroic selected. The Heroic options make the
experience or a more grueling one, feel game easier while the Gritty options
free to jump right in. make the game harder.
For players who enjoy keeping track, you
can calculate a simple Difficulty Factor.
Do not be Afraid to Come Back
An unmodified game has a Difficulty
Many of these options won’t make as much
Factor of 0. Each Heroic option reduces
sense until you know how the game works.
the Difficulty Factor by the listed amount
You can always come back to this section
while each Gritty option increases it.
when you are ready. If you are uncertain
after reading this section, just leave it If you complete a campaign, you can
alone for your first campaign. track the Difficulty Factor and resolve to
increase it next time.

26
 SQUAD CREATION

Another way of using this system is to Note that if you are not too worried
use it as a purchase system. If you want to about keeping track of your play
have a particular Heroic option, you need throughs, you can simply pick the
to “buy” it by also picking Gritty options options you think would be most
until the Difficulty Factor is 0 (or whatever fun. The score is strictly for your own
score you want to play at). education and does not affect gameplay.
If you are playing alongside a friend and
Each option modifies the Difficulty
want to compare results, you will want
Factor by the number of points listed.
to use the same Difficulty Factor, though
you might select different options.
Heroic Options table

Option Effect Difficulty

Factor
Adjustment
Less lethal One soldier per campaign turn may reroll their -1
injury roll.
More Support Add 1 Support Point at the start of campaign -1
turns 3, 6, and 9.
Lucky heroes Upon becoming a known personality, add -3
+1 Luck to the soldier automatically, including
at creation.
Fewer enemies Reduce all enemy mob sizes by 1. -1
Less attention It requires 12 Aggression Points to cause a roll -1
instead of 10.
Increased Story Begin with 2 extra Story Points. -1
Points
A kind of magic You may always choose which Transformation -2
you receive instead of rolling but cannot pick
one you already have. If you choose to roll, you
can receive one you already have.
Easier monsters Monsters with 5 or fewer Monster Points -1
receive 1 less, those with 6+ receive 2 fewer
Monster Points.

27
 SQUAD CREATION

Gritty Options table

Option Effect Difficulty
Factor
Adjustment
Reduced Story Points Begin with only 3 Story Points. +1
Story Points are not used at all. +3
Larger mobs Add +1 figure to all mob sizes. +1
More champions Add +1 when rolling for enemy champion +1
generation.
Tougher champions Champions receive 2 Monster Points. +1
Villains receive a total of 3 Monster Points.
Slow recovery Add one campaign turn to all injury recovery +1
times.
Increased Aggression Add +1 additional Aggression Point each +1
battle round.
Limited manpower Your replacement limit is 10 soldiers, instead +2
of 15.
On your own* You can call on allies only once. +1
You cannot call on allies. +2
Earned support You only receive Support Points if you won the +1
previous mission.
Tougher monsters All monsters receive 1 Monster Point extra. +1
Danger zone For each soldier within 1" of an Investigation +1
or Objective, add +1 Aggression at the end of
the turn.
Escalation Each time an Aggression event occurs, reduce +2
the requirement for the next event by 1 (to 9, 8,
and so forth). It cannot go below 5.

*Events may bypass this rule.

Victory Point Modifier

When determining your Victory Points at
the end of the campaign, a multiplier is
used. The multiplier starts at x1.0. Each
point of Difficulty Factor changes it ±0.1
up or down.
For example, if you earn 8 Victory Points
and used a Difficulty Factor of +2, you
would multiply by 1.2 for a final Victory
Point score of 9.6.

28
CHAPTER 2:
combat rules

29
 COMBAT rules

TERRAIN RULES
This was just Tuesday for them.
Never mind all that supernatural otherworldly horror. It was Tuesday for Rangers.
– Forgotten Ruin

Terrain Types provide Cover (see page 31). Examples:

mud, water, and lava pools.
Gaming terrain can take a wide range
of forms and shapes, and different
Block
players will enjoy building very different
Block terrain can be climbed or otherwise
collections to use in their games. We use a
interacted with, but figures cannot enter
broad set of definitions to handle terrain
it. Block terrain prevents Line of Sight.
by assigning each terrain piece to a
Examples: boulders or locked buildings.
category. Before fighting your battle, take
a few moments to evaluate what you want
Interior
each terrain feature to count as.
An enclosed terrain piece that figures
can enter. Examples: buildings, tunnels,
Linear
and caves.
Any long, wide feature that a miniature
cannot generally be placed on top of.
Interaction with Terrain
Examples: stone walls, fences, or
Block and Linear features can generally
hedgerows.
be climbed.
Individual Area features can be entered, as can many
A single piece of terrain that a figure Field features.
cannot climb. Examples: barrels,
The “Movement” rules chapter discusses
individual trees, or signposts.
movement in detail.
Area
Difficult and Impassable Terrain
Features that cover a larger space on the
Some terrain features may be designated
table and which miniatures can be placed
as Difficult terrain. This affects the
inside. Area features block Line of Sight
speed at which figures can cross such
(see page 31). Some may be designated as
terrain. Difficult terrain will consume an
Difficult terrain (see below) if they are
additional 1" of movement allowance for
challenging to move through. Examples:
every full 2" moved in it. Difficult terrain
forest, bushes, and rubble.
includes features such as forest, swamp,
rubble, and sand. Figures that fly may do
Field
so without reduced movement.
Similar to an Area feature, except that
such terrain does not block Line of Sight. Impassable terrain cannot be crossed by
Field features may also be designated any figure.
as Difficult if they challenge movement,
Some figures move by flying and may
or Impassable if they cannot be moved
ignore terrain features.
through at all. Field terrain cannot
30
 COMBAT rules

Lines of Sight and Cover Cover

A figure is considered to be in Cover if:
A Line of Sight is an imaginary line
between two figures establishing whether ” The Line of Sight to the figure is
they can see and fire upon each other. partially obscured by a piece of
In most cases, visibility is obvious. If in terrain.
doubt, lean down and take a look from
” A Linear obstacle is between the
behind one of the figures to get a “true”
shooter and target. This does not
Line of Sight. If you can see the whole
apply if the shooter is within 1" of
figure, then they can be fired at with no
the obstacle and the target is more
penalty. If you are uncertain, and the
than 1" from it.
positioning is awkward, a laser line tool,
or a length of string pulled taut can be ” The target is within an Area feature.
used to check.
Being in Cover benefits the target by
Lines of Sight are considered mutual by making it more difficult to be hit with
default. If you can see them, then they can ranged attacks. This is discussed in the
also see you! combat rules.
If a figure is obscured by certain types Miniature figures are often in dramatic
of terrain that they are adjacent to poses, and it is best to ignore raised
(within 1"), it is assumed that figure arms, legs, and other extremities that are
is using it to avoid being hit by an sticking out of Cover, when the figure is
attacker, in which case, they gain the clearly placed behind a terrain feature.
benefit of Cover. Other than that, however, the game
usually flows best if you are generous:

Line of Sight and Cover Forest (Area terrain)

NOT TO SCALE
B
Enemy A is hiding in a forest but is at the edge A
and so is visible. The red soldier and Enemy A
share Line of Sight. Enemy A also has Cover
because they are within an Area feature, 3"
but the soldier does not.
Enemy B is not at the edge so
is not visible. Enemy B and Enemy C and the red soldier
the soldier share no are both beyond 3" of a low
Line of Sight. wall that lies between them.
No Line of Sight exists unless
Low wall
one of them moves within 1"
(Linear terrain)
of the wall.
3"
Enemy D is within 1" of the
C wall, and so share Line of
Sight with the red soldier
D Enemy D has Cover because
Line of Sight this Line of Sight crosses the
No Line of Sight 1" terrain feature.

31
 COMBAT rules

If you are uncertain, assume a figure is If you are not sure, divide the distance
visible but in Cover unless it is clear it between shooter and target in half. Items
would not be visible at all. closer to the target than to the shooter
provide Cover.
Shooting across Linear Obstacles
Linear obstacles are ignored for Line Shooting Past People
of Sight purposes if the target figure If Line of Sight is partially obscured by
is entirely visible over them without another figure, Line of Sight is blocked
being obscured at all. This is typically regardless of which side the intervening
the case when the shooter is placed on a figure belongs to.
raised terrain feature, such as a rooftop.
Otherwise, Line of Sight exists, and the Area Features
target receives the benefits of Cover (unless Line of Sight into an Area feature such as
the shooter is within 1" of the obstacle). a forest terminates at the nearest edge
to the shooter. If a figure is placed in the
Shooting Past Things feature but is touching an edge, they can
In an intense firefight, the target is often see out and in turn be seen from that side
partially obscured by something such as of the edge.
a boulder or a tree. If the Line of Sight
Figures within an Area feature and not
crosses an individual terrain piece, Line
touching an edge cannot see figures on the
of Sight is not blocked as long as they are
outside, but all figures in an Area feature
at least partially visible.
can see figures within the same feature
It can be difficult to tell if a single terrain if they are within 3" of each other. You
item in the open like that provides Cover. cannot see across Area features otherwise.
32
 COMBAT rules

THE BATTLE ROUND

Each battle is split into a number of battle The Reaction Roll
rounds during which every character
The first step in each battle round is
on the table has a chance to act. A battle
to find out who acts when. The enemy
round is not a fixed period of time but
always acts in the Enemy Actions Phase,
may represent between a few seconds
but a Reaction Roll must be made for
of intense fighting and a few minutes if
your soldiers: Roll a number of D6 equal
things are quieter.
to the number of soldiers you currently
In each round you will carry out the have on the battlefield (ignoring those
following phases in order: who have become casualties or have
left) plus a D6 for each figure with
1. The Reaction Roll
Leadership (see boxout).
2. Quick Actions
Each die is assigned to one of your
3. Enemy Actions characters as you see fit. If you have any
dice left over, the rest are discarded with
4. Slow Actions
no effect.
5. Aggression Phase
” If the die assigned to a character is
6. End Phase equal to or below the Reaction score
of the character, they will act in the
Note that in some cases a phase may
Quick Actions Phase.
be empty. For example, if every soldier
is acting in the Quick Actions Phase ” If the die is higher than their
or if there are no enemies on the table Reaction score, they will act in the
currently. Technically, you still carry out Slow Actions Phase.
the phase, but of course nothing happens.
Note that spell-casters also use the
Take the opportunity to double check that
assigned die as the amount of magical
you did not miss anything, and then just
Power they have available (see page 50),
move on.
so make sure to assign a die that is high
enough to cast any spell you want to use.
Leadership
Every figure always acts every battle
Your squad leader has the
round. If a character is not assigned a
Leadership skill. If your platoon
die for any reason, they act in the Slow
leader is on the table, they also
Actions Phase.
have the Leadership skill (and it is
cumulative with your squad leader).
However your platoon NCO and any
fire team leaders do not.

33
 COMBAT rules

Snap Fire and Delays Aggression Phase

A character assigned a Quick Action die
This rule is not used in battles during
may forego acting in that phase. If so,
the first two campaign turns, though you
they may Snap Fire on an enemy while
may opt to use it straight away if you have
the enemy is moving. You may fire either
already completed a campaign.
before an enemy moves, mid-way through
their move, or at the end of their move. The enemy is both out to get you and
If firing on an enemy mob, move each has plenty of bodies to throw at you.
figure in the mob as noted above and then We measure their schemes through
resolve the shot. Mobs will try to spread their Aggression score.
out as much as possible if they are being
At the end of every battle round,
Snap Fired upon with explosives.
roll 1D6 to determine the amount of
Such fire is never considered to be aimed Aggression generated, and tally up
and the character cannot take any other the total score from round to round.
actions this round. A character that does If a villain is on an Objective or
not act in the Quick Actions Phase or Snap Investigation marker, add +1 to the
Fire may act normally in the Slow Actions score for each villain in such a position.
Phase instead.
Every time the score reaches or exceeds
10, roll immediately on the Aggression
table below and apply the result. The
score is then reset to 0 unless the table
says to do otherwise. Excess points above
10 have no additional effect.

Aggression table
D100 Aggression result
01-10 Replacements
Every mob on the table adds 1 additional figure. If there are currently no
mobs on the table, treat as “Reinforcements”, below.
11-20 Reinforcements
A new enemy mob arrives from their table edge. Roll 1D6:
1-3: They begin the game Unaware, but the new Aggression total is set
equal to the die roll.
4-6: They are Aware when they arrive, and Aggression is set to 0, as
normal. If the new mob would be the only mob on the table, it is
always Aware.
The mob size will be 1 lower than normal.
21-30 Renewed effort
The enemy mob closest to your table edge adds 3 additional figures.
If there are no mobs on the table, treat as “Ambush”, below.

34
 COMBAT rules

D100 Aggression result

31-40 Ambush
A new enemy mob is placed in or by the terrain feature nearest the center of
the table. It is automatically Aware. The mob size will be 1 lower than normal.
41-50 New wave
Remove every enemy mob and replace them with the same number of
new mobs (generated from scratch) arriving from their table edge. All
replacement mobs increase their figure count by +1. If any champions
are removed in this fashion, the new Aggression total is set to 1 for each
champion that was removed.
If there are no current mobs, treat as “Ambush”, above.
51-65 Revelations
Place a champion with each of two random enemy mobs. Each of these extra
champions you kill grants you 1 point of Exposure after the mission is over.
If there is only one mob, it receives a single champion. If there are no mobs,
treat as “Reinforcements” instead.
66-70 Hero
Randomly select a champion or villain which gains 2 Monster Points.
If none are present, upgrade one figure in a random mob to champion
status and give them 2 Monster Points. If the table has no mobs on it, treat as
“Monster”, below.
71-90 Monster
A monster arrives from a random neutral table edge.
91-00 Artifact
An enemy champion is placed with a random enemy mob. If you can kill this
champion in hand-to-hand combat or kill them by shooting and then reach
the location where they were killed, you receive a bonus Loot roll you may
use immediately.

Any new figures that arrive during this

step will act normally from the next battle Added Aggression Variety
round onwards. (optional rule)
If you prefer not to duplicate results
Champions placed with a mob are
during a battle, each result on the table
always of the same basic type, so an orc
can occur only once. If you roll a result
warrior mob will receive an orc warrior
you already had, take the first (lowest
champion, for example. (For more on
number) result that has not occurred yet
champions, see page 102).
in the current battle. This counter resets
each battle.

35
 COMBAT rules

End Phase Actions

When a character is activated, they may
During this point in the round, any “end
make a Move followed by an Action (such
of battle round” activities occur. If there
as firing a weapon, casting a spell, or using
are currently none of your soldiers on the
an item). Note that you are not required to
table, the mission ends immediately.
do both: A figure might want to only move
If you completed the last Objective in or to stand still and shoot. You may not
the mission during this round, make a change the order, however.
Sudden Death check (see page 112) to see
A figure contacting an opponent while
how the mission will end.
moving does not take an Action. Instead,
There may be other events that occur at they lose any remaining movement and
the end of a battle round. You may carry then fight in hand-to-hand combat (see
these out in any order you like, or in the page 42).
order most advantageous to you, applying
Other actions can become available as
the results of each in turn.
well as part of a scenario, Objective, or
If the game has not concluded yet battle interaction. For example, a soldier
(through no soldiers remaining on the finding some loot on the battlefield may
table or through the Sudden Death require an action to dig it up and claim it.
check), another round is played. The game
proceeds this way until it does end. Free Actions
Certain activities are considered Free
Activations Actions. A soldier may take a single Free
Action during their activation without
Within a specific phase, all of your
limiting their other activities. Soldiers
soldiers that activate in that phase can
taking the “Second Free Action” option
do so, in any order you like. When you
below may perform a total of TWO Free
select a soldier, they must finish all
Actions at the cost of their normal Action.
their activities before the next soldier
is selected, and when you select a new The most common use of Free Actions is
character you cannot go back to a prior to use Consumable items such as scrolls
one that phase. For example, any unused or potions.
movement ability or actions cannot be
held back for later in the round.

Action Description
Fire Fire any ranged weapon carried or throw a grenade. (See page 40.)
Dash Move faster. Only usable if you choose to also Move. (See page 37.)
Interact Attempt to resolve a Mission Objective that requires Interacting.
(See page 75.)
Spell-casting This action can only be taken by spell-casters. (See page 50.)
Tactical Awareness* Reduce Aggression by -1. (See page 34.)
Call Fire Support* If fire support is available, attempt to call it in. (See page 47).
Second Free Action Take a second Free Action (see above).
*Only one soldier per battle round can attempt this action.
36
 COMBAT rules

Dashing
A figure can use their Action to Dash. This
Normal Move allows them to move an additional 2".
This is increased to 3" if all
of the extra movement is in a
straight line.
Turn and
Normal Move Dash (+2") Figures with four (or more!) legs
add +1" to all Dash distances.
A character cannot enter hand-
Normal Move Dash (+3") to-hand combat when Dashing.

Movement Entering Hand-to-hand Combat

If a moving figure contacts an enemy, they
When moving, a figure can move up to
enter hand-to-hand combat. They lose the
their Speed in tabletop inches. Figures
ability to perform any other activities for
can move less if desired and can turn as
the activation.
often as they like. If a rule or circumstance
requires that a figure move at half- Hand-to-hand combat is resolved at the
pace (such as firing a weapon with the end of the current phase once every figure
Heavy trait), no rounding up or down is that activated this phase has had a chance
required: numerically halve the number to move and take actions. See page 42 for
of inches. For example, 5" movement how to resolve hand-to-hand combat.
halved would become 2.5".
Note that a character with the Flexible
When moving in Difficult terrain, every knack cannot fire and then move into
2" of terrain moved through uses up hand-to-hand combat as part of the
1" additional movement allowance (so same action.
moving 2" would cost 3" of movement).
Veteran “5X” players should note that
If insufficient movement allowance is
this works differently from Five Parsecs
available to pay the penalty. the figure
from Home or Five Leagues from the
must halt immediately upon reaching
Borderlands.
the 2" mark. If less than 2" of movement
takes place within the Difficult ground, no
Moving Up and Down
penalty is paid.
Vertical terrain features can be climbed
When interacting with buildings, it costs by paying a movement cost equal to
1" to move through a door or door-sized the feature’s height + 1". For example,
entrance point. Climbing through a climbing a 3" tall feature costs 4" of
window or window-sized hole costs 2". movement. This requires that the feature
is obviously climbable. Most natural
Human-sized figures can never move
features such as cliffs, trees, and so forth
through other figures unless they move
are, but a building may or may not be. Use
by flying.
the actual terrain model as a guide.
Monsters can push aside human-sized
Characters cannot climb as part of a
figures belonging to their own side as
Dash move.
they move.
37
 COMBAT rules

A figure cannot partially climb a feature. The Edge of the Battlefield

If you have insufficient movement to reach A soldier that intentionally moves to
the top, you cannot attempt the climb. As contact any battlefield edge is removed
a result, features taller than the available from play. They cannot return during
movement cannot be climbed unless there the mission but will rejoin your squad
is a ledge or platform part-way up. afterwards. This is commonly used to
retreat from a mission that has become too
Some features are Unclimbable, such as
hot. It does not have to be the battlefield
a sheer ice wall. This is up to the player to
edge you initially deployed nearby.
decide. You might want to take a moment
to look at your terrain features before the Enemies will not intentionally contact
game begins and decide what might not battlefield edges.
be climbable.
Events, spells, and effects can result in a
figure moving randomly. Enemies that
Dropping and Falling
contact the battlefield edge are moved
A character at the edge of a feature can
from play, while soldiers may opt to stop
jump down. Characters may also fall for
half an inch short or leave play.
various reasons. Measure the distance
down. Subtract 1" if you intentionally Note: No ability can intentionally push a
jumped down. A figure dropping over 1" figure off the battlefield.
ends their activation.
Archer Mobs
Every full 3" fallen inflicts a damage
Archer mobs should conduct movement
+0 Hit (see page 44). For example, a
with all of their figures first, then carry
character falling 7" would take 2 Hits.
out any shooting (instead of moving and
shooting with one figure at a time). For
Leaping
more on archer mobs, see page 54.
A character may try to jump over a gap,
chasm, or similar. This cannot be wider
Leaving the Battlefield
than 2", and the available movement
Your soldiers may move off the
allowance must be enough to reach the
battlefield by moving into contact with
other side. Roll 1D6: On a 1, the character
any battlefield edge. This removes the
falls, and may take damage (see Dropping
character from the battle, and that soldier
down, above). On any other roll they make
cannot return during this engagement.
the jump: pay the width of the gap from
the remaining movement allowance and Note that you do not have to specifically
carry on moving if desired. move off the battlefield edge you initially
set up near. Your soldiers are well trained
Random Movement to exfiltrate from a dangerous situation
Some events can cause a character to and can make it to safety under cover of
move randomly. If so, make a random darkness. They will rejoin you after the
direction roll and move the character battle and do not have to test for injuries.
in the indicated direction. If they would
collide with a terrain feature or another
character, they halt.
A randomly moving character contacting
an enemy enters hand-to-hand combat.
38
 COMBAT rules

Conditions Stunned Down

If a figure is both Stunned and
Stunned Knocked Down at the same time, treat
When struck in combat, a character the character as being Knocked Down.
may become Stunned. This is shown by After the figure activates next, remove
placing a small marker next to them. Up both the Knocked Down token and
to 3 Stun markers can be accumulated by one Stun token.
a figure; any in excess of that are ignored.
Unaware
When a Stunned figure activates, they
An enemy mob may begin the game
may either Move or take an Action, but
Unaware, representing them being half
cannot do both in the same activation.
asleep, busy doing some task, or confused
They may still take a Free Action.
about what is going on. If this is the case,
After the character finishes their they do not take any actions until they
activation, remove one Stun marker. become Aware:
Each time the mob would activate, roll
The Buddy Check 1D6, subtract 1, and tally the score (from
A character beginning a move or 0 to 5). You can place a ten-sided die
moving into contact with a Stunned next to the unit to keep track. When the
character can give up their Action total score reaches or exceeds 10, the
to remove 1 Stun marker from the mob becomes Aware and immediately
character they contacted. begins acting normally in the current
battle round.
If there are multiple Unaware mobs,
Knocked Down
each has its own tally.
Some game effects can cause a figure to
be Knocked Down. When the figure is If an Unaware mob takes a Hit for any
activated next, they cannot move from reason, is targeted by a spell, or a soldier
their location, but they may take an Action comes within 6" and Line of Sight of any
(except Dash) and can fight normally. member of the mob, they become Aware
immediately.
While Knocked Down, the figure is
treated as being in Cover from ranged
attacks. Once a figure has completed an
activation, they recover.
Duplicate knockdowns have no
additional effect.

39
 COMBAT rules

COMBAT
There are two types of combat: Target Selection
Characters may shoot at any target they
Shooting requires a ranged weapon such
like unless they are within 3" of hostiles,
as a rifle, bow, or machine gun, and is
in which case they must shoot at the
done by taking an Action. It consists of
closest target. The enemy always shoots
one character attacking a target.
at the closest visible character. If a mob
Hand-to-hand combat can be done by is shooting, they will spread their shots
any character by moving into contact with evenly across any soldiers that are within
an enemy (although having a hand-to- 2" of the closest target.
hand weapon such as a sword is highly
When shooting at enemy mobs, you must
recommended!). Hand-to-hand combat
target the closest figures visible in the
is simultaneous and either (or both)
mob. You cannot pick off a champion at
characters can end up getting hit.
the back, for example.
In addition, to these two types of
You cannot target a figure that is in hand-
combat, some spells have offensive
to-hand combat with a friendly figure.
capabilities. Spells are covered in the
This is typically only the case when figures
following chapter.
have moved into hand-to-hand combat in
the same phase, but the combat has not
Shooting yet been resolved.
When taking an Action, a character
Attack Dice
may fire a single ranged weapon that
A weapon receives a number of attack
they carry.
dice equal to the Shots rating of the
Note: Some weapons limit the ability of weapon, each of which can represent a
a figure to move in the same turn. For couple of arrows or a volley of bullets.
example, all weapons with the Heavy
Characters firing a weapon with multiple
Weapon trait cannot be fired if the figure
Shots may distribute them among figures
moved at more than half pace (see the
within 2" of each other. For example, if
Military Weapons table, page 59).
you have 3 Shots, you could shoot at three
different orcs that are within 2" of each
Stationary Shooting
other. Assign how many dice you want to
For the purpose of whether a figure has
assign to each target. When multiple Shots
moved, only count the current activation.
are taken, you can usually roll them all
Figures will often move around due to
simultaneously: Apply the highest dice to
follow-up moves after hand-to-hand
the closest target, and so forth.
combat or being pushed around by effects
on the table, but this does not affect their
ability to shoot.

40
 COMBAT rules

Hitting the Target Archery relies on volume of shots and not

When your soldiers shoot, for each careful aiming, at least when orcs do it!
Shot against a target, roll 1D6, and add
Target is in the open 5+
the Combat Skill of the firer and any
applicable modifiers. Target is in Cover 6+
The roll required to Hit for a soldier is: For every Hit, consult the Hit Resolution
section below (see page 44).
Target within 6" and in the open 3+
Target is in the open 4+ Great Hits
Sometimes you can strike true and make a
Target is in Cover 6+
more impactful Hit. This rule only applies
to your soldiers’ attacks, and does not
Example:
apply to Explosive attacks or the enemies.
Private Santiago opens up with a
squad automatic weapon, which Rolling a natural 6 represents a Great Hit:
gives 4 Shots. Santiago has a +1 Resolve the damage roll one additional
Combat Skill and the targets are in time against the target. For example,
the open (4+). The dice show a 2, 3, an anti-rank rocket would inflict 5 Hits
4, 6. Adding the +1 bonus to Hit and instead of the normal 4. Additional Hits
these become 3, 4, 5, and 7, giving us from Great Hits only affect the target
three Hits. figure, and cannot be applied to any
other figures.
Enemy archers shoot a little differently:
In the example above, Santiago scored
Each figure receives one shot, and they
one Great Hit.
do not add their Combat Skill to the rolls.
41
 COMBAT rules

Hand-to-hand Combat Any character that takes a Hit is

pushed back 1".
When characters make contact with an
opponent, they will fight in hand-to-hand All Hits are resolved as explained below
combat at the end of the current phase. (see page 44).
Unlike shooting, hand-to-hand combat is
simultaneous, with both sides trying to Example:
kill each other. A ranger with a +1 Combat Skill is
being attacked by an enemy with a
If multiple combats are going to take
+0 Combat Skill.
place, they can be resolved in any order
the player likes. Select any one of your The ranger is uphill, so counts as
soldiers and resolve their combat, then being on higher ground but does
move on to the next soldier and keep not have a sword or similar melee
going until all are done. weapon. This gives them both a +1
and a -1 modifier for a modified
Roll 1D6 for each of the two combatants
Combat Skill the same as their
and add their Combat Skill, as well as any
original Combat Skill: +1.
modifiers that may apply (all modifiers
are cumulative): The ranger rolls a 4, +1 for a total
score of 5. The enemy rolls a 3 for
” If a combatant is on higher
a total score of 3. The ranger wins
ground, add +1 to the score.
the combat and will push back their
” If the figure whose move did enemy 1" and inflict one Hit on them.
not trigger the hand-to-hand
combat is behind a wall or similar
obstacle, they add +1 to their score. Stuck
If a figure is unable to move back 1",
” An enemy fighting a Stunned
they take a second Hit and, if they
soldier receives a +1 to the score
survive, the attacker must instead
(no matter how many Stun tokens
back up. This typically only happens
the soldier has).
when pushed into a corner.
” Armaments: Enemies you
Note that characters are not Stuck
encounter are all equipped to
if there are other figures behind
fight hand-to-hand, whether with
them. In this case, they push
swords, claws, or other implements.
the figure out of the way (or slip
Your soldiers are limited to knives
through their legs to the other side
until they can find a better option.
if it’s a large monster).
Any soldier that does not have a
sword or similar melee weapon If a figure is pushed against a ledge,
must suffer a -1 penalty to hand-to- or falls, the defender may choose to
hand combat rolls. A pistol allows remain on the ledge (and count as
the soldier to avoid the penalty. Stuck) or drop down (and risk falling
damage – see page 38). Enemies
The character with the lower total score
always fall.
takes a Hit. On a draw, both characters
take a Hit unless one is a monster and one
is a normal sized character, in which case
only the normal character takes a Hit.
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 COMBAT rules

The Follow-up Move ” If the outnumbering side wins, they

A character that kills their enemy may Hit twice: Once from the combatant
move 2" in any direction as a free move. leading the combat and once from a
This cannot be used to enter hand- randomly selected other figure (even
to-hand combat unless the victorious if there are three or more figures).
character is a monster. Enemies will use
” On a draw, the leading figure and
this to move towards the nearest visible
the outnumbered figure are each
soldier or will take cover otherwise.
Hit once.
Multiple Weapons If at the end of the combat, the
A soldier may have more than one outnumbered figure is still in contact
suitable weapon for hand-to-hand with any opponents, the outnumbered
combat. The first time each battle round figure backs up 1", ending the combat
they engage in hand-to-hand combat, unless they opt to use the Sweeping
pick which weapon they have readied. attack option below.
They will use that weapon for the rest of
the round. Sweeping Attacks
If the outnumbered figure kills the
Multiple Combatants leading opponent and is now in contact
If a figure is in contact with multiple with a single remaining combatant, they
opponents, they must fight them may choose to immediately fight again
simultaneously. against the leftover opponent. Enemy
champions and monsters will always do
The lone figure fights as normal. The
this; regular enemies will not. Soldiers
opponents roll a number of dice equal to
may choose.
the number of their figures, then picks the
single highest die. In the event some of
the figures can reroll dice, you may have
Messy Combats
to roll each figure separately, then pick
Hand-to-hand combat always has
the highest final die.
the potential to be messy as figures
If the soldiers outnumber an enemy, you are crowded into spaces between
may pick which of your soldiers is leading terrain features or balancing on top of
the fight. something. In some cases, you may have
to move the figures a little for it to work.
Enemies will always lead with a champion
This can sometimes result in a figure
in preference to a figure in a mob. If you
having to back up a bit more than 1"
are fighting multiple opponents and one
when losing a combat.
is a champion, the champion will lead.
Otherwise, pick at random.
” If the lone figure wins, they may Hit
any one of their opponents. If they
are entitled to multiple Hits due to
an ability or item, they can distribute
the Hits among the targets as they
see fit.

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 COMBAT rules

Hit Resolution If the roll is equal to or above the saving

throw value, the Hit is deflected and has
Any time a character takes a Hit,
no effect. For example, a 5+ saving throw
regardless of how it happened, roll 1D6
negates a Hit on a roll of 5 or 6.
and add the damage rating of the weapon,
as well as any bonuses such as Great Hits. If the roll is below the saving throw
value, the Hit takes effect normally and
” Enemies always have a +0 damage
the roll against Toughness is made (see
rating unless their profile or special
Hit Resolution, above). Note that soldiers
rules state otherwise.
who pass a saving throw do not receive a
” In hand-to-hand combat. use the Stun marker.
damage rating of the weapon in
question. Soldiers fighting without Multiple Saving Throws
a hand-to-hand weapon count as If a character has multiple sources
+0 damage. of saving throws, do not roll for each
individually. Instead, the character
If the roll is equal to or above the
receives a single combined saving throw
Toughness of the target, they become
which is 1 point below the single best
a casualty and are removed from play.
saving throw provided. For example, a
Monsters lose 1 Monster Point instead,
character with a 5+ and a 6+ saving throw
and are removed from play once they
would receive a single 4+ saving throw
have lost all of their Monster Points.
instead. Note that the saving throw is only
If the roll is below the Toughness rating, ever improved by 1 point.
the attack is not sufficient to produce a
casualty. The attack may have caused a Saving Throw Negation
minor scrape or gone through the pants Some attacks do not permit saving throws.
leg instead of striking true. Enemies If so, all saving throws are ignored.
and monsters are not affected at all,
while soldiers receive a Stun marker Example of getting Hit:
unless they have 3 Stun markers My rangers have opened fire on a
already, in which case additional Stun mob of Toughness 4 enemies. We
tokens are ignored. score 2 Hits with our rifles and roll to
do damage. The dice show a 4 and a
5, meaning both Hits were effective.
Saving Throws If the enemies do not have a saving
Some figures receive a saving throw due throw, they are both removed as
to armor, scaly hides, magical defenses, or casualties.
other protective measures. This is always
expressed as a die roll target number. A In this case, the enemies have a 6+ saving
typical heavy suit of medieval armor like throw so two dice are rolled with each 6
a brigandine or heavy mail hauberk might indicating that the shot was deflected by
grant a 5+ saving throw, for example. their armor.
Whenever a figure with a saving throw is
Hit, roll a D6:

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 COMBAT rules

Luck
Luck and Multiple Attacks
Some of your soldiers may have Luck.
Resolve all Hits from a single mob, villain,
This can be that uncanny knack to always
or monster, then spend Luck. If a soldier is
duck at the right time or just being
Hit three times by archery by a single mob
fortunate. Among soldiers, any number
in one round, they still only pay a single
of things may be declared lucky or
point of Luck.
unlucky from eating a particular type of
food to saying a particular word. It may
just save your life! For any special scenarios you create, Luck
will avoid any incident that produces a
In battle, a soldier with Luck may ignore
casualty, including automatic ones such
an incident that would cause them to
as falling into a pit of lava. The character
become a casualty. Each point of Luck
should be placed in whatever position
allows one such lucky break per battle.
is nearest to the event, but which would
The character may immediately make
be safe (they didn’t fall in after all, they
a normal move in any direction as they
landed on a ledge or similar).
dodge, weave, or tumble. If the attack had
an area of effect, the character is moved Luck does not protect from any source
out of the area of effect in any direction of unpleasantness such as magical
the player chooses. paralysis, shapeshifting, or teleportation.
If you have a special scenario where an
evil lich teleports you to the dungeon of
seven thousand dragons, Luck won’t stop
it (but may be awfully handy when you
do arrive).

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 COMBAT rules

Explosions All figures fully or partially within

the blast radius are Hit automatically.
Weapons such as grenades produce an
You can use the base of the figure to
explosion. To attack with an explosive
determine if they are within the blast
weapon, place an impact point within
area or not.
range and Line of Sight, and then make a
single Hit roll normally. Count the attack Figures that have partial terrain (or
as being against Cover if there is any another figure) between them and the
intervening terrain between the attacker impact point or which are on higher
and the impact point. or lower ground with some partial
protection (such as a trench) are Hit on
A miss causes the impact point to move
an unmodified D6 roll of a 4+. Explosions
1D6" in a random direction, while a hit
do not extend through intact walls.
lands exactly where it was intended. If
the impact point would move across Resolve the attack using the damage of
an obstacle that is taller than the target the weapon, as normal.
figure, it impacts there instead.
Saving throws apply normally to
The blast radius of both your hand explosive damage, but any figure that
grenades and grenade launcher is 2". successfully saves is Knocked Down (they
You can use a circular template or just weather the blast instead of getting to the
measure it out. ground in time).
Note that using explosives near your own
Grenade Targeting troops can be quite dangerous, and due to
Thrown and launched grenades do not their limited range, hand grenades can be
have to target the closest figure in a mob. very unpredictable!
You may place the impact point anywhere
within the target mob.

Smaller Tables (optional rule)

If your gaming space is small, you may
have figures bunching up more than
normal. If explosive weapons feel a
little too good, amend the rule so that a
figure is Hit automatically if their base is
completely within the blast radius and
on a 4+ roll if they are partially within.
Figures that are partially within the
blast and have terrain in the way are Hit
on a 6+.

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 COMBAT rules

Fire Support
"Steel Eight One, this is One Four. Request
fire mission on TRP oh-eight-zero.”
– Forgotten Ruin

You may be supported by mortar fire

during your missions. If you have fire
support (when the scenario details say it
is available), any character may attempt
to call it in as an Action. Only one attempt
is permitted per battle round.
Whenever a character tries to call in a fire
mission, roll 1D6 + Wits for the character:
If the roll is equal to or above the
target number, the fire mission arrives
immediately. Otherwise, it is unavailable
this turn.
The target number for fire support to
arrive is initially 4+. Every time a fire
mission has been called successfully, the
target number is increased by 1. Once
the target number is high enough that
none of your soldiers can succeed at the
attempt, fire is no longer available.
For example, if you succeeded on the
first attempt, the next attempt will
require 5+. If that next attempt results
in a 3, you do not succeed, and the
difficulty remains at 5+.
A successful call for fire allows you to aim
the fire mission anywhere in sight of the
soldier calling the fire. Place a marker
and roll 1D6. On a 5-6, it lands exactly
where you wanted it. Otherwise, it is
moved a number of inches equal to the
Danger Close!
die roll in a random direction.
You may not target fire support in such a
A figure struck directly by the marker way that any of your own soldiers would
takes 3 Hits at +1 damage and is Knocked be within the blast area if it is on target.
Down. All other figures even partially However, if the fire mission is moved
within 2" are Hit once at +1 damage, even randomly, it may strike your soldiers, in
if there is partial Cover between them which case they are affected normally.
and the impact point.

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 COMBAT rules

Leadership Tactics Once per mission, you may invoke one

of the following Leadership Tactics. Pick
You have access to a range of tactical
whichever Tactic will help the most. The
moves and doctrines to help win the
effects last for the current battle round
day. These represent the ability of your
and affect every eligible soldier on the
leadership to pick just the right moment
battlefield. Read the description of each
to push for extra effort or to lure the
Tactic carefully as some only target a
enemy in a preplanned tactical trap.
single soldier or only target soldiers in a
particular circumstance.

Tactics table
Tactic Description Effect
Light them up! Rapid, accurate Every soldier firing an assault rifle may shoot
fire to thin down twice this turn. This includes soldiers with a
the enemy grenade launcher if they fire the rifle portion of
their weapon.
Firepower! Optimal One soldier may shoot twice with one weapon
application of carried
heavy firepower or
you may throw or launch an additional grenade
this round.
Double time! Deploy into Every soldier may move an additional 3" as part
advantageous of their normal movement.
positions
Bring it down! Concentrate Select one target. All attacks against this target
fire to exploit that roll a natural 6 on the firing/hand-to-hand
weaknesses roll will score 2 Hits.
Get stuck in! Positions must Any of your soldiers in hand-to-hand combat
be carried by may roll two dice and pick the best score.
assault
By sections! Low-level unit Instead of rolling for Initiative, set half the dice
tactics (rounded up) to 2s and the other half (rounded
down) to 4s.
Mortars! Indirect fire You may immediately fire a mortar attack
support using the Fire Support rules (p.47). One Action
is required, but no roll is required to call the
mission. This option can only be selected if you
do not have fire support in the mission already
and must be targeted from your squad leader,
platoon sergeant, or platoon leader.
Shut your Stealth and The mission Aggression score does not increase
mouths! discretion for any reason this round.

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 COMBAT rules

In some cases, you may be permitted to

use multiple Tactics in a battle. You cannot
select the same Tactic more than once per
battle, however.
You can invoke a Tactic at any point of the
round, but it will usually be most effective
if used earlier in the round so more
soldiers can benefit from it.
There are two approaches to using Tactics.
You might use them to get the desired
game effect and overcome the monsters
or you might use them as a reflection of
the kind of unit you are playing and the
leaders in charge of it. Take a moment to
consider the personality of your squad
and platoon leaders when selecting
an option. Maybe there is a clear
preference they might have!

49
 COMBAT rules

SPELLS
I spent much of that night just thinking about the ‘intel’ I’d secured
off the dead sorcerer. Our high-value target. That’s what PFC Kennedy had called the
man we killed out there in the night. No—Kennedy had said ‘wizard.’ Not ‘sorcerer.’
Where was the line between such things?
– Forgotten Ruin

A wide range of spells are available to the may be unable to cast a spell at all if their
curious and the slightly obsessed alike. available Power is less than the cost of any
Soldiers with the ability to use magic of their spells.
may cast one spell per battle round as an
You cannot cast two spells in one Action,
Action. They may select from any spell
even if you have enough Power to do so.
available to them. You do not have to
choose which spell you want to use Note that enemies with spells do not use
ahead of time. this system. Instead, they may cast a spell
every time they activate. However, they
must still use an Action to do so.
Note for Experienced Wizards
Unlike in some fantasy games, there is no
Spell Range
memorization system or limited-use spell
Spells with a range in inches can affect
slots. This helps move the game along,
any target or point within that range
especially when multiple spell-casters may
that is visible to the caster. Note that any
be in the squad.
features that affect visibility also affect
spell range. For example, if an event limits
visibility to 8", the spell caster cannot cast
Casting Spells spells on targets more than 8" away.
When the spell-casting figure activates,
the Initiative die is also the amount of Spell Targets
Power you have available. The character Each spell on the Spell table lists what
may cast any one spell with a Power score type of target and how many it affects.
equal to or lower than the Power the Spells affecting a “target point” can be
character has available. aimed at any point on the ground that is
within range and Line of Sight.
For example, if you assigned a 3 to the
spell-caster, they have 3 Power and may If a spell affects multiple targets, they can
cast any spell with a Power cost of 3 or be selected from any figures visible to the
less. (You may want to leave Initiative caster and within range. They do not have
dice next to such characters to help you to be from the same mob unless the target
remember.) number is enhanced (see below). You can
always choose to affect fewer targets if
Excess Power cannot be saved up, but
you like.
some items and features may modify the
amount of Power you have available each
battle round. In some cases, a spell-caster
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 COMBAT rules

Spell Resistance ” Extending: Spells with a range

Some spells can be resisted through given in inches can be extended.
willpower, counter spells, or plain luck. If Each extra point of Power spent
the Resist column in the Spell table says adds +6" range.
“Yes”, each affected target rolls to resist:
” Additional Targets: Spells that
Roll 1D6 for each target figure and add affect a given number of figures can
their Resistance score. A final score of 6+ strike additional targets if they are
means they were not affected by the spell targeting a single mob. Each extra
while a lower roll means they are. point of Power spent affects +1 target,
but only when targeting mobs.
If a spell affects multiple targets, each will
roll to resist individually. This can result ” Boosting: Spells that can be
in only some targets being unaffected. resisted can be boosted. For each
extra point of Power spent, modify
Note that Resistance rolls can succeed
the Resistance roll by -1. This
automatically (if the Resistance is +5 or
affects every target of the spell.
greater after all modifiers are applied) or
fail automatically (if the Resistance is -1
Attack Spells
or lower after all modifiers are applied).
Some spells attack by inflicting damage.
These are treated like Hits in combat, but
Spell Enhancement
do not have a Hit roll. Make saving throws
If the available Power is greater than
(unless negated by the spell) and roll
that required by the spell, extra Power
against Toughness normally.
can be invested to enhance the spell. Any
combination of the following options can
be selected:
Spell Flavor
Spells are described with a name and
effect only – without description of its
manifestation –allowing you to envision
them in any way you like. Magic Dart
might be the typical glowing magic arrow,
but it could also be a bolt of flame, a
psionic assault, or a flurry of silver knives
that the spell-caster conjures up.

51
 COMBAT rules

Spell table
D100 Spell Power Range Targets Resist
01-06 Magic Darts 3 18" 3 figures No
Each target is Hit automatically for +0 damage.
07-11 Earth-grasp 4 12" 1 figure Yes
The target cannot move or shoot on their next activation, though they will
fight normally if attacked in hand-to-hand combat. Monsters are prevented
from moving but may still shoot.
11-15 Flicker 2 12" 1 friendly soldier No
The target can move through terrain features and solid obstacles when they
next activate.
16-20 Upheaval 4 12" 1 target No
A terrain feature up to 2x2" can be moved up to 6". It can push figures out of
the way but causes no damage. Figures on the terrain feature are Knocked
Down.
21-25 Ice Blast 5 18" Target point No
Produces a 2" radius area of effect with +0 damage. All figures in the blast
are Hit, even if there is partial Cover or intervening figures.
26-30 Meteor Strike 6 12" Target point No
Produces a 3" radius area of effect with +0 damage. Each figure even partially
within the area is Hit on a D6 roll of 4+ and struck for +0 damage. All figures
Hit are Knocked Down.
31-34 Protective Boon 3 12" 1 friendly soldier No
Target gets a 4+ saving throw against all attacks. The spell ends when a saving
throw fails or when it is cast again.
35-39 Toxic Cloud 4 12" Target point Yes
Creates a 5"x2" wall of gas that blocks vision. Any figure that contacts the gas
at any point must resist or take a +0 damage Hit that ignores saving throws.
The spell lasts for the current turn and all of the following turn. Enemy mobs
that would move through the area roll 1D6. On a 1-3, they move through the
gas; on a 4-6 they move around. Enemy villains and other special figures
always move around.
40-43 Fearful Image 4 8" 1 mob No
The mob rolls 5 Morale dice immediately. Mobs that have special rules
regarding morale apply those rules to this check normally.
44-47 Charm Minion 4 12" 1 enemy Yes
Only works on members of a mob. The target figure immediately moves
and activates as directed by the caster (although never self-destructively). It
recovers immediately after doing so.

52
 COMBAT rules

D100 Spell Power Range Targets Resist

48-51 Enrage 3 12" 1 enemy Yes
When the target activates next, they must move directly towards the spell
caster as quickly as possible to enter hand-to-hand combat if possible. They
may not cast spells or make any ranged attack.
52-56 Mute 6 12" 1 enemy spell caster Yes
The target cannot cast any spells for the rest of the battle. The caster of Mute
receives 1 Stun token.
57-61 Sudden Jig 2 18" 3 mob enemies or 1 villain Yes
The targets take a full move in a random direction immediately. This does not
prevent them from acting normally on their activation.
62-66 Dense Fog 3 24" 1 mob Yes
Make a single Resistance roll for the mob. If it fails, the mob must reroll all
successful archery Hits once when it next activates.
67-72 Lightning Blitz 4 18" 3 figures within 3" No
of each other
Each figure takes a +0 damage Hit. Ignore saving throws.
73-78 Magic Punch 2 12" 1 enemy Yes
The target takes a +1 damage Hit and is Knocked Down.
79-83 Refresh 3 18" 1 ally No
Remove all Stun tokens.
84-86 Shake Terrain 3 18" 1 terrain feature No
All figures in contact with, within, or on the terrain feature are Knocked
Down.
87-92 Mirror Image 3 6" Special No
This spell creates a copy of the caster. The copy activates at the same time and
may move normally, but cannot take any actions.
The caster may use the copy for all Line of Sight and range purposes
when casting spells and the copy can perform any actions required for
Investigations and Objectives. If hit by an attack or contacted in melee, it
dissipates.
Casting the spell again nullifies any existing copy.
93-97 Teleport 3 24" Self No
The caster immediately appears anywhere within 6" of another soldier.
98-00 Bane 4 18" 1 enemy Yes
All Hits against the target receive +1 damage. Lasts for the rest of the battle.

53
 COMBAT rules

ENEMY ACTION PHASE

Enemy Movement on the Enemies will Dash when activating in
Battlefield the open and moving towards Cover;
otherwise, they move at normal pace. If a
Enemy figures all act during the Enemy
melee unit activates within two moves of
Action Phase. Similar to soldiers, they
your soldiers, they will Dash to close as
always Move before taking an Action.
much as possible. Archers will not Dash
While your soldiers always act if they have an option to shoot at soldiers
individually if desired, enemy grunts are during their activation. If they cannot see
organized into mobs. or reach any soldiers, they will always
Dash to get to a firing position.
All figures within a given mob must try to
remain within 1" of each other at all times, Enemy characters act individually as do
forming a coherent unit. (Don’t worry any creatures that are rated as monsters.
about measuring exactly, eyeballing it
is fine.) Mobs may separate further to
navigate terrain or engage soldiers in Morale
hand-to-hand combat, as well as when While your soldiers are willing to do
taking casualties. This does not penalize whatever it takes to complete the mission
them, but they should try to regroup next and protect their comrades, enemy mobs
time they move. are not always so well motivated.
Enemy mobs will act in one of two ways, At the end of each phase, all enemy mobs
depending on whether they have melee must test for Morale if they suffered
weapons or missile weapons. any casualties during the phase just
completed. If you find that you often
Mobs with melee weapons will always
forget which mobs have to test, you may
attempt to move towards the nearest of
wish to place tokens, lie the casualty
your soldiers to get into hand-to-hand
figures down, or place a red die showing
combat with as many soldiers as possible.
the number of kills sustained by the mob.
They will attempt to use Cover when
moving up but if they are within double Tally up the number of figures from the
their movement range of any of your mob that were killed during the phase,
soldiers, they are overcome by bloodlust and roll that number of D6s. Every 1
and will move directly towards you as on the Morale dice causes a figure to
quickly as possible. be removed (as they panic and flee the
battle), and that die is then rolled again.
Archer mobs will move to find Cover
Keep rolling until none of the dice
within sight and range of the nearest
show a 1.
soldiers, and then shoot at them. If a
choice has to be made between being Figures should be removed from the back
able to shoot or being in Cover, they of the unit first. Champions (see page 102)
will always prefer to shoot. Archers will are always skipped, which can sometimes
not close the distance beyond what is result in the champion being left as the
required to be able to shoot. only figure remaining.
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 COMBAT rules

Note: Some enemies are Fearless: They Villain Plans

will not check Morale for any reason. This
During the campaign you may have
will be noted in The Enemy chapter.
encountered villains, particular enemy
leaders with a heightened interest in
Direct Morale Dice
ruining your day (see page 115). If you have
Some events can cause Morale dice
a villain on the table, they will act towards
to be rolled. For example, the Fearful
a specific purpose based on their own
Image spell requires five D6 to be rolled.
plans and motivations.
These dice are simply added to any dice
required due to casualties, and the total Each game, the first time a villain
can be rolled at once, without the need to activates to move, roll 1D6 on the table
separate them. below to determine their goal. Villains
will engage targets that are between them
Additional Morale Dice and their goal. If a villain is attacked or
Certain events or abilities can potentially comes within less than a double move of a
increase the number of Morale dice. visible soldier, they will change their goal
These have no effect unless a test was to eliminate that target, then roll again on
required already. the table after doing so.

Example: D6 Villain Goal

A soldier has the War Cry 1-2 Move towards the nearest
Transformation upgrade, which Objective
adds a Morale die to mobs within 8".
A mob required to roll 2 dice (due to 3 Move towards the nearest
casualties) would have to roll Investigation
3 dice instead, but a mob that took 4 Move towards the nearest soldiers
no casualties would not be 5 Move towards the center of the
required to roll. battlefield
6 Move towards a randomly selected
leader (fire team or platoon)
55
 COMBAT rules

Villains Reconsider
(optional rule)
Each time a villain is activated, roll
1D6: On a 1, they reconsider their
plan and roll again on the table on
the previous page. On any other result,
they stick to their existing plan.

A villain that has reached a location

they were aiming for will remain
there, moving to engage
soldiers within a double
move of them.
If the target is no
longer applicable, such
as the Objective being completed
by the soldiers, they will instead
target the last soldier to strike
them with an attack, and the
nearest soldier otherwise.
Note that a villain that
is on an Objective or
Investigation marker will
generate +1 Aggression at
the end of the battle round.
Rampaging: Monsters cannot be stopped
by just standing in the way. When a
Big Monsters monster moves, it will fight hand-to-hand
Certain creatures are noted as being combat with each soldier it encounters.
monsters. These receive certain special If a soldier wins, the monster halts, and
considerations in the game rules to damage is dealt normally.
account for their size, ferocity, and
On a draw or a monster win, the soldier
unpredictable behavior:
is pushed 1" out of the way as the monster
Dangerous: Monsters that roll a finishes any movement. Note that the
natural 6 on their combat die always monster still takes a Hit on a draw.
inflict a Hit on the soldier even if they
A soldier that has already been engaged in
lose the combat. If the soldier’s combat
hand-to-hand combat during the monster
roll is higher than the monster, they
move cannot be engaged again by the
will still inflict a Hit on the monster and
same monster that battle round (but the
potentially stop it moving, as noted in
soldier could engage the monster on their
Rampaging, below.
own when they activate).
Plodding: Monsters do not Dash. They
Sturdy: Monsters cannot be Knocked
only move at their basic movement speed.
Down.
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 COMBAT rules

Specific Monster Traits Example:

In addition to the the general monster If a soldier fires at a monster with
traits described above, many monsters 3 Monster Points and scores 2 Hits,
have other monster traits specific to both of which roll equal to or above
them, some of which may overrule the Toughness of the target, 2 MP
general traits. See the full monster are deducted, leaving 1 MP.
statistics on pages 99-101.

Monster Points Monster Actions

All monsters have a Monster Point For figures that count as monsters,
(MP) rating which indicates how many roll 1D6 each time they are activated, and
successful Hits that score equal to or consult the table below. Add +1 to the roll
above their Toughness it takes to kill if they lost any Monster Points during the
them. When reduced to 0 Monster Points, current battle round. (Only a single +1
the monster is destroyed. A monster can applies, even if multiple MP were lost).
keep fighting at full efficiency until it is
reduced to 0.

Monster Action table

Result Action Description
1-2 Summon The monster activates magical signals, roars in rage, calls on
its minions, or otherwise makes a racket. The monster remains
in place and does not make any ranged attacks. Add +1 to the
Aggression score. If the mission does not use the Aggression
rule, the monster simply screams in rage, looks around
stupidly, rips apart a nearby tree, eats a stray goblin, or looks
even more menacing.
3-6 Move to The monster will move in such a way that it would
Attack contact as many soldiers as possible during its movement.
See the monster combat rules (page 54) for details.
7+ Go Berserk As “Move to Attack”, but it will activate twice in a row this
battle round.
Note: Monsters with ranged attacks will use them if they fail to contact any opponents
while moving. They always target the closest visible soldiers.

Streamlined Play Option

If you prefer to reduce the number of dice
rolls, you can omit the monster and villain
action rolls and simply have them act like
any other enemy figure.

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 COMBAT rules

THE ARMORY
This section contains the rules and Military Weapons
profiles for the various weapons that you
This list covers the military hardware
will be employing in battle. Weapons are
your troops come equipped with. The
rated according to the following values:
Squad Creation chapter explains what
Range: The tabletop range in inches. weapons you can begin the game with
Targets beyond this range cannot be (page 22).
selected. If two values are given, use the
While military fiction is often enamored
lower if the soldier is moving and the
with clarifying whether a given rifle is
higher if the soldier is stationary during
the Mark II or Mark IIa, we’ve stuck to
their activation.
broad terminology here. This is both more
Shots: The number of attack dice rolled. welcoming to new players and serves to
If this says “Explosion”, the weapon uses make the game adaptable.
the Explosion rules (see page 46).
While the rangers in the Forgotten Ruin
Damage: The value added to the D6 when novel have access to more technology,
rolling against the Toughness of the target. with drones and other kit, your platoon
must make do with mostly what you can
carry on your backs.
Realism Note: Weapons
Weapon ranges are compact to allow play
on a smaller gaming table. Ordnance Limits
Note that grenades are limited in usage
Many of these weapons are team weapons
to two per battle round, whether thrown
requiring a loader in real life to help the
or launched. This is an abstraction to
weapon function optimally. We don’t
account for limited ammunition available,
require this in gameplay to help avoid
and saves us from tracking who still
having to track who goes with which heavy
carries how many grenades.
weapon.
If you prefer to keep strict track, begin
Also, the firepower gap between a modern
the campaign with 6 grenades for each
military rifle and a crossbow is much
grenade launcher, and 2 hand grenades
greater than is reflected in the rules. Don’t
for each soldier. You may redistribute
worry about it too much; in playtesting,
grenades between missions but
this has generally been the most flexible
launched and thrown grenades are not
option to account for the combination of
interchangeable. If you use this method,
miniatures and table space.
you have no restriction on usage per
round, and it is up to you to conserve or
let fly as the situation demands.

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 COMBAT rules

Military Weapons table

Weapon Range Shots Damage
Pistol 6" 1 +0
A sidearm used for close-quarters fighting, typically in
desperate
Close-quarters weapon: +1 to Hit when firing. Does not count
as unarmed in hand-to-hand combat. circumstances.
Assault rifle 24" / 36" 1 +0
The standard rifle used by your soldiers.
Aimed fire: If the shooter does not move, they may reroll a
natural 1 on the Hit dice.
Sub machine gun 12" 2 +0
A compact, fully automatic weapon used for close-quarters
fighting.
Shotgun 12" 1 +1
I like to keep this handy for close encounters.
Boom stick: Any target that passes a saving throw against a
Shotgun is Knocked Down. (Yes, this is a cinematic rule).
Sharpshooter’s rifle 24" / 48" 1 +1
A high-powered rifle with a scope for sniping.
Precision weapon: +1 to all Hit rolls.
Piercing: Ignore saving throws.
Squad automatic 18" / 36" 4 +0
weapon A light machine gun feeding from a belt or a box magazine.
Heavy weapon: The shooter cannot fire if they move beyond
half speed.
Stability: Range is 18" if the shooter moves, 36" if stationary.
Anti-tank weapon 15" 1 +4
A compact anti-tank rocket weapon.
Heavy weapon: The shooter cannot fire if they move beyond
half speed.
Warhead: +1 to Hit versus monsters. The weapon inflicts
4 Hits on the target. A non-monster target is Knocked Down.
If a mob enemy is killed by a Hit, extend a line up to 2"
directly behind them. Any figure in the path is Hit once for
+2 damage.
Piercing: Ignore saving throws.
Limited ammo: Only 2 shots per battle.
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 COMBAT rules

Weapon Range Shots Damage

Hand grenades 6" Explosive (2" radius) +0
Typical “pineapple” grenade thrown by hand.
Heavy weapon: The shooter cannot fire if they move beyond
half speed.
Explosive: 2" radius explosion.
Ammo restriction: Only 2 soldiers per battle round may
throw or launch a grenade.
Grenade launcher 15" Explosive (2" radius) +0
Attaches underneath a rifle barrel for added firepower.
Heavy weapon: The shooter cannot fire if they move beyond
half speed.
Under-barrel: The soldier is also armed with an assault rifle
and may fire either weapon when activated (but not both).
When firing the rifle, 2" radius explosion.
Ammo restriction: Only 2 soldiers per battle round may
throw or launch a grenade.

” Soldiers using a sword do not suffer

Realism Note: Anti-tank
the -1 unarmed penalty to hand-to-
Weapons
hand combat.
Anti-tank weapons use a shaped charge
warhead to burn through the target. ” Swords hit with +0 damage.
They do not really produce a huge
explosion like they do in the movies. Large Swords (and so forth)
A two-handed sword, axe, or similar.

Medieval Weapons ” Soldiers using a large sword do not

suffer the -1 unarmed penalty to
While a volley of automatic weapons fire
hand-to-hand combat.
is typically a decent answer to angry orcs,
commanders are advised to become well ” A character using such a weapon
acquainted with the sorts of medieval adds +1 damage in hand-to-hand
implements the orcs might use to kill you. combat, but does not inflict a Hit if
the combat ends in a draw as these
Swords (and so forth) weapons are slow to swing.
This category includes all single-handed
Both bonuses apply to enemies and
melee weapons that are not otherwise in
soldiers using such a weapon.
another category.
If both combatants are using large
These weapons are part of the profile
weapons, a draw ends with neither side
of enemy figures. All enemies carry this
scoring a Hit.
weapon if nothing else is stated.

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 COMBAT rules

Poisoned Weapons
A dagger or similar weapon, dripping No Weapon Looting
with corrosive poison. You cannot loot weapons from the
enemies you kill during the campaign. It
” Poisoned weapons strike with
is assumed that their weapons are either
+0 damage, but two dice are rolled
unsuitable for human use, damaged
and the highest result applied.
during the fight, poisoned, or covered in
” The metabolism of the enemies sinister runes that no doubt would have
you are fighting is quite strange, dire results on anyone attempting to use
and they are unaffected by poison them. No Jenkins, put that down.
(though they are still affected by the
weapons themselves).
” These weapons have a range of 18"
and Hit with +0 damage.
Bows and Crossbows
Any number of devices that use muscle ” Bows and crossbows do not add
power or simple mechanical power to Combat Skill to the roll when used
launch arrows and bolts. While bows by the enemies.
typically shoot faster and crossbows tend
There is no inherent benefit to your
to hit harder, in game terms we treat
soldiers using these (although special
them the same.
scenarios could benefit from bows due to
their lack of noise), but magical versions
may be acquired.

What about this Very

Specific Type of Weapon?
All melee weapons fit into the two
basic groups based on whether it is
single-handed or double-handed. For
example, most maces, warhammers,
and single-handed axes are counted
as swords, while huge battle axes and
polearms are counted as large swords.
You don’t have to name them that
way, of course – that’s just how they
function within the rules.
Some miniatures are cast with very
large weapons that they nevertheless
wield single handedly. You may
treat these in any way you like.

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 COMBAT rules

A TACTICAL PRIMER
The world of Forgotten Ruin can be a Choose the right weapon for the task.
dangerous place, and it is worth keeping a Shooting anti-tank rockets at infantry
few pointers in mind: while your riflemen try to fight off a huge
monster is unlikely to be successful. Plan
Stick together. Soldiers operate in fire
where your heavy weapons need to go in
teams for a reason and having a single
order to be effective and get them there.
soldier way off on their own means they
are likely to get swarmed and overrun. Take time to consider your options.
Ideally your soldiers should be operating There is no rush to complete a battle
at least in pairs. round as quickly as possible. If you are
in a difficult situation, take a moment to
Deploy and move elements to support
examine the state of the battlefield and
each other. Battle manuals talk about
the resources at your disposal. Forgotten
overlapping fields of fire, which means
Ruin provides a wide range of tools in
that two weapons are positioned so
the form of equipment, tactics, spells,
they can both fire at a central target. It
and character abilities. There will almost
also means if one of your groups gets
always be some option available that you
in trouble, you can fire on whatever is
did not think of.
bothering them from another angle.
Recognize if you need to retreat.
Don’t get bogged down. Once the
Most engagements have a very thin
Aggression clock starts ticking, the
barrier between when you can still
enemy will not stop coming, and you are
salvage things and when it is too late.
better off getting a move on. Every battle
Always bear in mind that if the situation
round should see you making progress
looks bad now, it is likely to be much
towards one of your Objectives, whether
worse in two more rounds.
it is advancing on it or clearing away
enemies nearby.
Use “leapfrogging”. This small unit
tactic uses one element to provide fire
support while another moves forward.
When the forward element reaches
their destination, they can then fire,
while the rear element moves up. As
many weapons are more effective from
a stationary position, this allows you to
keep up a steady base of fire while still
making progress.

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CHAPTER 3:
CAMPAIGNS

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 CAMPAIGNS

READYING THE CAMPAIGN

The campaign is played in a series of The Map
campaign turns during each of which you
Your campaign will need a map of the
will fight a mission and then determine
area you are adventuring in. Your platoon
any outcomes from your action, such as
has landed far from where any of your
experience, injuries, and rewards. To get
comrades did and the land around you
your campaign started, simply go through
does not look recognizable at all. You will
this chapter step by step.
have to explore the landscape to find your
comrades, and it looks like it will be a
Create Your Squad battle every step of the way.
First, go through the instructions in Squad You can draw a map yourself either by
Creation (see page 17) to prepare your hand or using one of the many software
squad for the game. options available for RPG purposes.
You can also choose to use an existing
map from a game world (or even use a
Soldiers from the Platoon real-life map, maybe turned sideways or
In some campaign circumstances, you may upside down). Using a local map of where
find positions in your squad temporarily you live, but making the names more
covered by a soldier from elsewhere in fantastical can be a lot of fun. Some place
the platoon. Normally this replacement names may suggest themselves quite
will have the starting profile and no readily: If you live near Phoenix in the
advancements of any kind; however, they United States, you might turn that into
may potentially earn advancements, items, Phoenix Vale, for example.
or transformations while fighting in your
The map can be as intricate or as basic
squad. If so, you should track that this
as you like: Some players get lots of
happened. Any time you have a member of
enjoyment out of tinkering with the
the platoon join your squad temporarily,
map, while others just need a basic idea
you may opt to have it be any soldier you
of where everything is in relation to
already know.
each other.
Divide your map into 12 regions. They do
not have to be of identical size. You can
use a square or hex grid, or you can make
them irregularly sized as you prefer. If you
look at your map, you will probably see
some obvious places to draw the regions
based on features such as mountain
ranges or rivers, which tend to be natural
boundaries between areas.

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 CAMPAIGNS

If your map already has a grid (many Terrain table

RPG maps have hexes, for example) then
D100 Terrain type
you can make each region a few hexes
in size depending on the overall size of 01-15 Plains
your map. For example, if your map is 16-30 Forest
a huge world map, you might choose to 31-40 Mountains
play out your campaign in one particular
part of it. This can be really fun when you 41-45 Desert
play subsequent campaigns and play in a 46-55 City
different part of the world. 56-65 Ruins
You do not have to fill in the entire map. 66-70 Swamps
It is fine to have some unclaimed areas 71-80 Wasteland
that are not assigned to anything. These
areas will be unpopulated wasteland 81-90 Underground
where the campaign will not take place 91-95 Arctic
(or alternatively may be peaceful areas 96-00 Jungle
not overrun by monsters). Only the parts
of the map you draw regions on is part of
If you use random rolls, the mixture of
the campaign.
terrain may end up feeling unrealistic.
Once you have set up your regions, make Some are not bothered by this (it’s a
sure that each has a clear terrain type magic world, so of course ice tundras and
chosen from the Terrain table on this jungles can be next to each other), but
page. If your map is blank, you can fill it in if it feels too weird, find a map region
as you like or you can roll on the table. If that looks out of place and swap it with a
your map already has terrain drawn on it, different location on the map. Do this the
all you need to do is to match each region least number of times it takes to get the
with the most appropriate type from the map to feel like it fits together.
table. If a region has multiple terrain
types, you can either choose a dominant
type, pick what is most interesting or adds Adapting to Your Collection
the most variety, or you can roll randomly You may find that some of these results
when you arrive there. require terrain you do not own at
all. If this is the case, adapt the table
Example: by swapping out those results for
My map has a city in the desert. something else. For example, if you do
I decide that when I travel there, not have any model buildings yet, you
I will roll a D6, with 1-2 being a might treat all rolls of ‘City’ as ‘Plains’
desert battle and 3-6 being a and ‘Ruins’ as ‘Forest’.
city battle.

In some cases, you may have to pick

whatever is closest to an entry on the
table. Don’t sweat it too much. The terrain
type will add a basic terrain factor to the
battles taking place there (see page 30).

65
 CAMPAIGNS

High and Low Magic Select two regions on your map and
nominate one as being high magic and
The power of magic often fluctuates with
another as being low magic. This will
the land. Spell-casters pay close attention
affect spell-casting when you play in that
to such circumstances.
region by making spells easier or harder
A high-magic region is suffused in to cast respectively (see page 81).
magical energies, making it easier to
You can roll randomly to assign both
draw in the residual power to fuel a
(rerolling if you pick the same both times),
spell. Spell-casters often feel slightly
or you may find that a particular area on
giddy when they are in such an area.
your map looks like it should be more or
High-magic regions are often vibrant,
less magical (if you identify a big faerie
with strange-looking plants and crystals
forest, that is usually a perfect place).
growing out of the ground.
If you are playing in a game world that
A low-magic region, on the other hand,
you want to resemble the setting of a
might feel dull and ashen to a person
particular fantasy book or game, you can
attuned to magical energies. Such areas
adjust this as you see fit.
are often rocky and grey even to the
casual observer. They tend to make spell-
” A high-magic world should have
casters feel cranky and short-tempered
3 high-magic regions and
as they struggle to access the powers they
1 low-magic region.
take for granted.
” A low-magic world should have
3 low-magic regions and
1 high-magic region.
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 CAMPAIGNS

Campaign Duration It is worth thinking about your

objectives at the beginning of the
The campaign lasts for a total of 12
campaign, so you have something in
regular campaign turns plus a final
mind, but don’t feel locked into an idea.
battle at the end.
You may decide that tallying Victory
Once this is at an end, Victory Points are Points is not your idea of fun even if you
tallied up to determine how successful started that way, or you may decide that
you have been. You can compare your you would actually like to know how
Victory Point total to how your friends well you did after all. If you are not sure,
have done or replay to compete against count up the Victory Points just in case,
the same score. Victory Points also affect as it is easier to do so and not need it
your ability to carry soldiers forward than to try and count backwards.
into a new campaign. Victory Points are
If you get to the end and you had a great
discussed further on page 139.
time because of that one moment when
Of course, points are not everything you shot a rocket launcher at a dragon,
(and for that matter you may opt not then mission accomplished.
to count at all). We strongly encourage
players to pick their own objectives as
well: You may follow a specific character Campaign Flow
(represented by a favorite miniature) Certain campaign turns have special
and see if they can survive the campaign. considerations to take into account, listed
You might look back and see how you in the table below.
feel about what you achieved, or you may
Turns that have an entry in the ‘Special
simply play to have a good time and blow
Mission’ column indicate a particularly
up a bunch of orcs.

Campaign Special Mission Mob Notes

Turn Size
1 – 5 Do not use the Aggression rule.
2 – 5 Do not use the Aggression rule.
3 – 5 Aggression rolls are used from
this point onwards.
4 Special Mission (see page 88) 6 –
5 – 6 –
6 – 6 –
7 – 6 –
8 Special Mission 6 –
9 – 6 –
10 – 7 –
11 – 7 –
12 Special Mission 7 –
Finale The Final Battle (see page 94) 8 –
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 CAMPAIGNS

difficult task: A Special Mission or Final Victory Points

Battle (explained fully on pages 88 and
Victory Points (VP) are earned as follows:
94 respectively). If there is no Special
Mission, play out a standard mission Every mission where you +1 VP
that turn. completed your Objectives
Mob Size indicates the number of figures Every villain defeated +1 VP
in each enemy mob you place on the Every Special Mission +1 VP
battlefield. Note that events and conditions completed
can modify this number up or down.
Final Battle won +2 VP

Additional Special Battle All awards are cumulative: Completing

If you prefer to have more variety in your the Objectives of a Special Mission
missions, you may opt to have special where you defeated a villain would be a
battles happen in turns 3, 6, 9, and 12 total of 3 VP.
rather than the normal schedule of 4, 8,
You can think of your Victory Points as
and 12.
how well you have freed the area from
evil monsters, a measure of your fame
and fortune, or how thoroughly you
Determine Difficulty Factors have disrupted the enemy activities.
(optional rule) It may even be a measure of all of the
If you wish to use any Difficulty Factors in above combined.
your campaign, go to The Difficulty Factors
chapter (page 26) and pick them now. You
do not have to do this if you prefer not
to worry about it. If you skip this step,
everything will function as explained in
the main game rules. This is often the best
option for your first campaign game.

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 CAMPAIGNS

CAMPAIGN SEQUENCE
The game is played in a series of Step 1: Take a Rest (once)
campaign turns, each of which can Once during the campaign, you may
represent from a few days to a few opt to take a rest. The squad finds a safe
weeks as your platoon searches for their location, settles in, and takes a few days
comrades and tries to make a difference to recuperate and repair their kit. This
in lands overrun by evil monsters. allows every injured soldier in your
squad to tick off one turn of recovery.
Each campaign turn features a single
You then proceed with the next step
tabletop battle where you will carry
below as normal.
out a mission and fight the enemies
and monsters.
Step 2: Request Help from Allies
You will carry out the steps in this chapter You are not alone in this strange land. You
at the beginning of each campaign turn. may send out a soldier to look for allies
Follow each step, in order, until you are and aid. You may do this 3 times during
directed to move to the next chapter. the campaign. It is up to you when you
wish to ask for help, but you cannot do so
in two consecutive campaign turns.
Roll D100 and consult the table below to
determine what kind of help you find.
Ally Assistance table
D100 Ally Effects
01-09 Treasure An old treasure hunter tells you where there is a buried chest
hunter of valuables... or at least they are pretty sure that was the
case. In the next mission, if an Investigation grants any Loot,
roll twice the first time only, and receive both items.
10-19 Healer A kind-hearted healer restores one of your injured soldiers
to full health. If none of your soldiers are recovering from
injuries, the Healer will offer to come back the first time you
do need them.
20-25 Armorsmith A talented smithy creates a custom suit of armor for you.
This can only be worn by one soldier, chosen by you, but they
receive a 5+ saving throw and no movement reductions.
26-33 Scout Elven scouts reveal the enemy positions to you. In the next
mission, a randomly selected mob begins the battle Unaware.
34-40 Raiders Dwarves raid one of the enemy camps. In the next battle, the
enemy receives 1 less Aggression each battle round.
41-46 Teacher A scholar has much to offer, even to people from so far away.
A grunt of your choice may be turned into a known
personality (see page 20).

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 CAMPAIGNS

D100 Ally Effects

47-55 Cleric The blessings of the gods seem like a useful thing to have.
A random squad member gains 1 point of temporary Luck.
Temporary Luck stays until used, but if you have both regular
and temporary Luck, the temporary point is always used first.
56-61 Weaponsmith A master forger offers to create you an excellent blade. This
counts as a normal sword but adds +1 to all damage rolls.
62-68 Worried They say a monster is prowling these parts. If you choose
villager to go after it, the enemy will have a random monster arrive
from the middle of a neutral battlefield edge at the start
of Round 3. If you kill the monster, you receive 3 points of
Exposure and 2 rolls on the Loot table in addition to any
normal rewards.
69-77 Traveler The traveler tells you where the enemy is concentrating. If
you choose to take them on, you will face an additional mob
at the start of the next battle, though the extra mob begins
Unaware. If you completely destroy at least 2 mobs, you get
an additional Loot roll.
78-81 Curious A short-winged lizard tells you that it has fallen through
creature space and time. You have no idea what it means but you
may add 2 points of Exposure as you realize everything is
possible.
82-88 Diplomat The diplomat needs to get to somewhere and would like your
help. If you assist them, they are added to your squad next
mission. They carry no weapons and have the basic profile.
They act as part of your squad. If the diplomat can exit across
the opposing battlefield edge, you may roll for a Loot item.
On a 36" battlefield, you may roll twice and pick either of the
two items as a reward.
89-97 Pet One of the soldiers makes a creature friend which is now
part of your squad. They have:
Agility 2, Speed 8", Combat Skill +1, Toughness 4
and count as a grunt with a +1 damage melee weapon for
all game purposes. They cannot Investigate, complete
Objectives, or use any equipment. They get an additional
+1 Combat Skill bonus if they initiate a hand-to-hand combat.
You can use a wolf, lizard, tiger, or any other figure you like.
They do not progress or gain experience in any way.
98-00 Mystic A strange wanderer tells you about “congealing strands from
residual magical energies”. You wonder if they are in the
right place, but one spell-caster in your squad may learn one
random spell. If you do not have a spell-caster, they offer to
come back when you do.
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 CAMPAIGNS

You may bring back the Mystic and the

Healer if you cannot use their services
immediately. You may do this
whenever you like and does not
count as an additional use of the
ally or prevent you from using an
ally that campaign turn.
If you encounter the same ally result
more than once, it can be taken to be
the exact same character, and you should
probably name them. Some players may
enjoy painting up a model for these
characters, but there is no need to do so
as they will not feature on the battlefield
(except for the Pet, which will require a
figure to represent it in battle). they are trying to aid you in your quest.
Meanwhile a repeat of the same ally
Allies also allow you to build out the story,
could be taken as the same character who
suggesting patterns in the events you roll.
has become a steady friend of the unit.
If you keep encountering a particular
type of ally, maybe your soldiers have
Step 3: Commit Soldiers to
befriended a nearby community and
Side Tasks
You may send soldiers from your
squad to carry out secondary tasks
that present themselves. This prevents
them from accompanying you
into battle, but can result in other
advantages being gained.
Roll D100 twice on the Side Tasks table
(see page 72) and pick which of the
options you would prefer. You cannot
select both.
The soldier that is sent cannot take
the battlefield during this mission.
Instead, their position will be filled
by a grunt from the platoon. They will
have the same military weapons as the
soldier they are replacing and the
starting profile but will lack any
upgrades or Transformations. If you
already know platoon members
who have gained advances or
Transformations from previously
joining your squad, you may pick
any one of those to fill in.
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 CAMPAIGNS

Side Task table

D100 Side task Effects
01-10 Help the locals Roll 1D6+Wits.
On a 4 or less, you do not receive anything.
On a 5+, you receive one additional use of an ally this
campaign. It may be used next turn even if you used it
this turn.
11-20 Conduct research Gain 2 points of Exposure. You may add the Wits score
of the soldier to the total gained.
21-30 Help with alchemy Roll 1D6+Wits.
On a 4+, you may roll on the Loot tables for a random
potion (see page 128). Note that you only receive one
even if the entry indicates two potions.
31-45 Follow a lead Roll 1D6+Wits.
On a 5 or less, you have leads on one random
Investigation token next mission.
On a 6+, you have leads on two.
The Investigations you have leads on add +2 to the roll
when a soldier checks it out.
46-55 Gather intel Roll 1D6+Wits.
On a 5+, you may use one additional Tactic next battle.
56-70 Provide Roll 1D6+Wits.
reconnaissance
You may ignore that number of Aggression points
next battle. These are always the first points earned
for any reason.
71-85 Assist the platoon Roll 1D6+Wits.
weapons teams
On a 5 or less, gain 1 point of Support.
On a 6+, gain 2 points of Support.
86-00 Assist the platoon You may reduce the recovery time of one injured soldier
medic by one campaign turn. If the soldier has a Wits bonus,
they may aid an additional soldier for each +1 (but the
same soldier cannot recover more than one step).
A soldier that fully recovers this way can fight normally
this turn.

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Step 4: Determine Next Battle You can roll on the Location Draw table
Location (right) to determine what is drawing you
In the first turn of the campaign, you can to the next location. This roll is only for
either pick a map region at random or flavor purposes.
choose where you would like to begin the
If desired, you can also roll on the
campaign. In subsequent turns, you may
Location Travel table (below) to
travel to any adjacent region for the next
determine the method of travel. This is
mission. If you have already explored
strictly for flavor and to flesh out your
every adjacent region, you may move to
narrative.
the nearest unexplored region.

Location Draw table

D100 Draw
01-10 One of your scouts returns and reports that there is a threat
11-20 You are contacted by someone requesting your help
21-30 Someone you have met is in trouble and needs your help
31-40 You receive a message from an enemy taunting you
41-50 You encounter a column of refugees pleading with you
51-60 One of the soldiers has a strange premonition
61-70 You see a magical vision in a lake
71-80 A powerful magical being materializes and asks you to go
81-90 The platoon leader decides it is the best option
91-00 Nobody can explain why, but you end up there

Location Travel table

D100 Adjacent region Far off region
01-25 Travel on foot Travel on flying mounts (pegasus, griffon)
26-40 Travel on horseback Find a teleportation circle
41-55 Travel on exotic mounts Wizard teleports you
(lizards, giant wolves)
56-70 Elves show you a hidden path Wizard casts Flying spell
71-85 Escorted by knights Druid temporarily transforms you into
flying animals
86-00 Ship, if possible; travel with Ship, if possible; airship, if not
caravan otherwise

Step 5: Prepare for Battle Proceed to Prepare for Battle Sequence

When you arrive in the region you will (page 74) to determine how to set up the
inevitably find yourself beset by monsters details of the next combat mission.
and evil-doers.

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PREPARE FOR BATTLE SEQUENCE

When you undertake a mission, you must Step 1: Mission Requirements
determine the circumstances you will be If this is one of the first two turns of the
fighting under. Whether it is scouting the campaign, generate a single Objective,
area, making contact with a vital person, skip this table, and move directly to
or making off with something valuable, Step 2. Otherwise, roll D100:
staying focused on your Objectives is the
key to success. Mission Requirements table

Follow each step, in order, to determine D100 Requirements

the mission details. 01-40 Generate one Objective.
You must complete it to win the
Optional Steps mission.
Some of the steps listed below are 41-60 Generate two Objectives.
optional. They will make the mission more
varied and fun, but they also mean there is Both must be completed to win
more stuff to keep track of, and the game the mission. You may do so in
becomes more complicated. It is up to any order.
you if you want to use these components. 61-70 Generate two Objectives.
You do not have to make that decision
To win the mission you must
for the entire campaign right now. For
complete either one.
each optional step you can choose to use
it or not as you see fit, and you may use a 71-85 Generate two Objectives.
different combination of optional steps in They both must be completed,
the next mission. and in the order you generated
them.
86-00 Generate one Objective.
When you have completed it,
generate a second Objective
that must now be completed to
win the mission.

Once you know how many Objectives you

are generating, move to Step 2.

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Step 2: Mission Objectives future rounds get a +1 bonus for each

Roll D100 for each Objective that must be prior failed attempt on that Objective
generated and consult the table below to (regardless of which soldier attempted it).
find out what you are trying to achieve.

Interact Duplicate Objectives

Several Objectives require an Interact If you roll the same Objective twice you
action. A soldier must be in contact may choose to reroll one. If so, the new
with the terrain feature and roll a 4+ roll stands, even if it is the same. A second
on 1D6+Wits to do so successfully. Only “Hold Off the Enemy” Objective is treated
one attempt is permitted per feature in as no Objective.
a single battle round, but attempts in

Mission Objectives table

D100 Objective
01-15 Scout the Area
Randomly select two terrain features that are not within 8" of your own
battlefield edge. A soldier must successfully Interact with each feature. Once
both features are scouted, the Objective is complete.
16-30 Investigate the Area
You must Interact successfully with the terrain feature closest to the center of
the battlefield. If you succeed, the Objective is completed. If you fail, you must
complete a “Scout the Area” Objective instead.
31-40 Advance through the Area
Assign any number of your soldiers to carry cargo. Soldiers carrying cargo
cannot Dash, but can otherwise fight normally. At least two soldiers must exit
across the opposing battlefield edge to complete the mission.
If a soldier becomes a casualty, they drop their cargo and another soldier can
pick it up by moving into contact and taking an Action. A soldier can carry
only a single cargo at a time.
41-55 Retrieve Something
Randomly select one terrain feature that is not within 8" of your battlefield
edge. A soldier must Interact with the terrain feature. If they succeed, they
pick up the valuable item and must now move it to their starting battlefield
edge to complete the mission.
If the interaction fails, the nearest enemy figure has the item. That unit will
now focus on trying to move off the enemy battlefield edge, which causes the
mission to fail.
An item carrier that becomes a casualty will drop it on the ground. The enemy
will not pick up the item once it has been dropped.

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56-70 Interact with Something

Randomly select one terrain feature that is not within 8" of your battlefield
edge. A soldier must Interact with the terrain feature. Each failed attempt
generates 2 points of Aggression immediately. Once you have successfully
interacted, the Objective is completed.
71-80 Hold off the Enemy
You must fight for 5 rounds. At the end of each battle round from 5 onwards,
if no enemy figures are on your side of the table or once the number of
enemies killed or removed due to Morale reaches 20, you complete this
mission. Monsters count as half their Monster Point score, rounded up. For
example, a monster with 6 MP counts as 3 figures.
If this Objective is generated during the mission, the round count begins at
that point, but kills are counted from the beginning.
81-90 Capture a High-value Target*
Randomly select an enemy figure that is carrying a valuable bit of intel. If you
kill them in hand-to-hand combat, you can pick up the intel automatically.
Otherwise, it is dropped when they die or flee due to a Morale check, and you
must move to pick it up. Once you have the intel you complete the Objective
by moving to your starting battlefield edge. The enemy will not pick up
dropped intel.
91-00 Eliminate a High-value Target*
The target is not revealed until the first Aggression table roll. After placing
any additional troops required by the Aggression table, randomly select
a champion or monster currently on the table (and any random figure, if
neither are available). The target must be killed to complete the Objective. If
this Objective is generated during a battle mission, the target is not revealed
until the next Aggression roll.
In Campaign Turns 1 and 2, select from the initial enemies deployed.
*High-value targets are always Fearless and unaffected by Morale dice.

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Step 3: Support You are not required to take Support at

While the world is big and the enemies all if you want to save up your points for
are many, no soldier fights alone. You later, but once you have rolled the dice,
are part of a military force and can draw the points are spent.
upon help during your battles.
Support table
Support is acquired through Support
Points. If you completed the Field D100 Support
Exercises, you begin with 2 Support 01-40 Fire support
Points; otherwise, you will begin with 0
Support Points for your first mission. You 41-50 Sniper support
receive Support Points after each mission 51-65 Logistical support
as well as from a range of other events 66-80 Planning support
and options.
81-90 Platoon sergeant
You may expend Support Points to buy 91-00 Platoon leader
rolls on the Support table below. Each
point buys one roll. You may spend
Fire Support
multiple points to roll additional times
You will have fire support during the
with each point buying one attempt. Any
mission (see page 47).
duplicate results are ignored, and the
points are spent. You cannot spend more
Sniper Support
points after rolling.
You will be accompanied by a sniper.
For example, if you pay 3 Support Three times during the battle, when one of
Points, and roll “Fire Support” twice your soldiers is acting, you may have the
and “Planning Support” once, you would sniper take a shot as well. You cannot take
receive both types of Support and still pay more than one sniper shot in the same
a final cost of 3 points. battle round. This can be resolved before
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or after (but not during) the actions of Step 4: Terrain Set-up

the soldier that is currently active, and The setup of table terrain is an important
the target must be visible to the soldier. element of the game. In general, it is
Snipers may target any figure in a mob as better to make your battlefield fairly
long as it is within Line of Sight. dense with terrain for the figures to
move around and through, giving them
Snipers Hit automatically with +1 damage
interesting tactical options; in such
and negate saving throws.
terrain, your soldiers can move to keep
enemies in or out of sight or try to funnel
Logistical Support
the villains in particular directions.
You receive 3 loads of additional
ammunition for this battle. They do not The terrain you select should loosely
have to be assigned to a specific character. match the region you are playing in. For
Any soldier can use a load of ammo as a example, if you are playing in a forest
Free Action and may roll two additional region, you should have lots of trees and
shots when firing. Does not apply when woodland features on your gaming table.
attacking with explosives. If in doubt, try to have roughly half the
terrain match the region. Of course, you
Planning Support can always be creative, such as having a
Due to superior intel and planning, you village within a forest.
have gained an advantage over the enemy.
We have opted not to provide exact
When you have fully deployed, you may
terrain types due to the huge variety
select one enemy mob that begins the
possible, allowing you to play using
game Unaware.
as wide a collection as possible. What
matters in play are the types of terrain
Platoon Sergeant
discussed previously: Linear, Individual,
The platoon sergeant accompanies you
Area, Field, Block, and Interior.
for this mission and is deployed as part of
your squad. You may use two leadership You can build a table in whatever manner
tactics this mission, but you cannot use you like, though if you prefer a more
the same Tactic twice. systematic approach, you can use the
table provided below.
Platoon Leader
Begin by dividing the play area into
The lieutenant decides to tag along for
roughly 1'x1' squares. A typical 3'x3'
this mission and is deployed as part of
battlefield would create 9 squares. For
your squad.
each square, roll 1D6 on each of the two
The platoon leader always has the tables below:
Leadership skill.
D6 Terrain
1 1 Large (5"-8") Block
2 1 Large (5"-8") Field
3 1 Large (5"-8") Area or Interior
4 2 Medium (2"-5") Blocks or Areas
5 2 Medium (2"-5") Areas
6 1 Medium (2"-5") Block or Area
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D6 Terrain When you know what you need, pick

1 2 Medium (2"-5") Blocks or Areas out suitable pieces from your collection.
Don’t fret if you don’t have exactly the
2 2 Medium (2"-5") Blocks or
right thing, as substituting will be fine. As
Areas, plus 2 Linear
you populate the table, try to put similar
3 3 Linear pieces options near each other. For example, if
4 1 Medium (2"-5") Block or Area, you have a whole bunch of big rocks, try
plus 1 cluster of scatter terrain. putting them near each other while you
put all the huts and houses on the other
5 1 Medium (2"-5") Block or Area,
side of the table.
plus 1 Linear
6 Cluster of Individual terrain If you would like to use a large
centerpiece such as a wizard’s tower or a
huge demonic portal, try to put it near the
” Area features are usually forest or
center of the battlefield. If you put it out
similar.
on the sides, it is unlikely to feature much
” Blocks are usually boulders or in the game at all. Of course, you may
otherwise impassable terrain. enjoy the look of fighting near a wizard’s
tower instead of around it!
” Linear features are usually fences,
hedges, or walls, 4-6" long. Once you have filled your table with
terrain, grab a handful of what we call
” Individual terrain here means a
“scatter” – single trees, bushes, small
handful of individual features, such
rocks, and so forth – and put them
as 4-6 small boulders or single trees.
around the table to enhance the look or
fill in a few gaps. For visual appeal, a few
tufts of flock can be put around the table.

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Region Terrain Rules (optional) Plains

The type of terrain present in the region Open spaces with good Lines of Sight.
will add a special condition to the battle No special rules apply.
as indicated below. You may omit this
rule if you prefer to simplify gameplay a Ruins
little bit. Ruins often contain valuables: At the
end of the mission, if you completed any
Arctic Investigations, you receive one additional
The intense cold drains your energy. Any Loot roll (not one per Investigation).
soldier that becomes a casualty and needs
You must add +1 every time you roll for
to recover from injuries must recover for
Aggression during the mission as the
one additional campaign turn.
place is no doubt crawling with foes.
City
Swamps
A city’s back alleys represent an
The ground is a thick mire. All movement
unpredictable environment to fight in,
speeds are reduced by 1" if the figure
but you may be able to take advantage
begins the move on the battlefield surface.
of this. All initially deployed enemies
Figures on raised terrain features, such as
begin the battle Unaware. Place an
the roof of a building, are not hindered.
additional Investigation in the center of
This affects both friends and enemies, but
the battlefield.
figures with wings are unaffected.
Desert
Underground
The intense heat prevents any soldier
The battle takes place within a cave or
carrying a squad automatic, anti-tank
a series of caves. Visibility is limited to
weapon, or grenade launcher from taking
8" due to the darkness. Fire support is
the Dash action.
impossible, and any such result is treated
as no support.
Forest
As the area is heavily overgrown, visibility
Wasteland
is limited to 16" maximum.
The deep wilderness is quite isolating,
and you may be able to complete the
Jungle
mission without attracting too many
In the thickets, it can be difficult for both
enemies. Every time you roll for
sides to identify their targets. All attacks
Aggression apply a -1 modifier to the
against targets more than 8" away grant a
die roll.
6+ saving throw to the target.

Mountains
There are a lot of rocks and boulders to
hide behind. Any figure in Cover from a
ranged attack receives a 6+ saving throw.
The normal rules apply for figures with
more than one saving throw.

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Magic Influence Special Terrain table

High Magic D100 Terrain
” In a high-magic region, spell-casters 01-05 A group of statues
always receive 1 more point of Power
than the Initiative die they were 06-11 Giant crystals
assigned: For example, if the die 12-17 Giant mushrooms
assigned was a 3, you receive 4 Power. 18-22 Crater or pit
” Enemy spell-casters add +1 to Hit 23-27 Obelisk or standing stones
when making a magical attack. 28-31 Tower

Low Magic 32-35 Small garden

” In a low-magic region, spell-casters 36-40 Strange pond
always receive 1 less point of Power 41-46 Broken statue
than the Initiative die they were
47-50 Monster skeleton
assigned (minimum 0).
51-55 Giant plants
” Enemy spell-casters roll 1D6 each
time they cast a spell or make a 56-61 Site of an old battle
magical attack. On a 1, the spell fails 62-66 Grave markers
to work. 67-70 Execution site
71-74 Beast lair
Special Terrain (flavor option) 75-80 Burned down building
Who knew what was coming next? 81-85 Painted stone
Something horrible probably. 86-91 Strange tree
This place, the Ruin they called it,
this was a truly terrible place. 92-95 Harmless ghost
One star. Would not recommend. 96-00 Strange flowers
– Forgotten Ruin
If you do want the feature to have some
small game impact, roll 1D6 upon
If you enjoy a more whimsical approach
reaching a special terrain feature for the
to your gaming table or like having some
first time in a mission:
prompts for what to build next, you can
roll on the Special Terrain table. This has ” On a 1, increase Aggression by +2
a collection of interesting features that immediately.
you can add to any gaming table. They
” On a 2-4, it has no effect.
do not directly affect gameplay and are
primarily meant as inspiration, though ” On a 5-6, you earn 1 point of
they are a prime opportunity to concoct a Exposure.
scenario special rule or ability.
The special terrain only ever has that
As an easy option, place the special effect once.
terrain where an Objective or
Investigation is placed to make it look
more interesting and help tell the story of
your battle.
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Step 5: Place Investigations Step 6: Assign Battlefield Edges

Place 4 Investigation markers on the and Deploy
battlefield. Each is placed halfway Roll 1D6 and add the Wits score of the
between the battlefield center and highest-ranking soldier you have with
the center of a battlefield edge. These you on the mission (even if a lower-
represent points of interest that you ranking soldier would be better):
will want to search during the battle.
On a roll of 6 or better, you may choose
See page 86 for explanations of how
which battlefield edge you will begin on.
these work.
On a score of 5 or lower, you must select
You can use any suitable token or marker,
randomly (if you have particular seating
but the game looks more interesting if
arrangements just pick randomly from
you use crystals, tombstones, statues,
the battlefield edges you can actually sit
a tiny creature figure, or something
at). The enemy will always deploy from
similarly interesting to look at. If
the battlefield edge opposite yours.
you have nothing at hand, pick a few
interesting pebbles from the yard or take Set up your soldiers along your own
a couple of spare miniatures and paint battlefield edge, up to 3" onto the table
them grey to look like statues. if your table is 24" across, or 6" onto the
table if your table is 36" across or more.
You may set up as you like, with fire teams
being set up together or spread out as you
see fit.
If your squad is accompanied by anyone
such as the platoon leader, set them up
normally at this stage as well.

BATTLEFIELD EDGE

HALF DISTANCE
FROM EDGE TO
CENTER

HALF WIDTH OF
BATTLEFIELD
BATTLEFIELD EDGE

BATTLEFIELD EDGE

Investigation Marker

3" on a 24" table

PLAYER SET-UP ZONE PLAYER SET-UP ZONE
6" on a 36" table

PLAYER’S BATTLEFIELD EDGE

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Step 7: Battle Conditions D100 Battle Condition

(optional) 31-35 Low alert
This step is optional. Battle conditions
A random enemy mob that
are additional factors that apply to a
would normally begin Aware
mission. Think of them as a mission
instead begins the battle
modifier that can make the mission
Unaware.
easier or more difficult. You can decide
whether you want to use this for any 36-40 Fewer foes
given mission, but once you roll the dice, All enemy mob sizes are
you must apply the result. reduced by 1 for the duration of
If you wish to use this rule, roll D100 on the battle.
the table below. The result applies for the 41-45 Easy investigations
duration of the battle. Modifiers to factors Add +1 to all Investigation rolls.
are generally cumulative.
46-50 Vital Objective
Battle Conditions table A randomly selected
Objective grants 1 Story Point
D100 Battle Condition immediately upon completion.
01-05 Low visibility 51-55 Quick entry
Visibility is reduced to 8". If Each of your soldiers may take
the battle has multiple sources two moves in Round 1. Only
of reduced visibility, use the the second move is counted for
single lowest score. the purposes of weapons fire, so
06-10 Medium visibility a soldier that moves once, then
Visibility is reduced to 12". If remains stationary, will fire as
the battle has multiple sources if they were stationary.
of reduced visibility, use the 56-60 Surrounded
single lowest score. Deploy the first 3 enemy mobs,
11-15 Weak magical winds with one at the center of each
All Resistance rolls against battlefield edge you are not
spells are +1. deploying from. Any additional
enemies as well as any units
16-20 Strong magical winds
that arrive from the “enemy
All Resistance rolls against battlefield edge” randomly
spells are -1. pick one of the three edges to
21-25 Reduced enemy attention arrive from.
When rolling for Aggression
increase each round, reduce
the die roll by 1.
26-30 High alert
The enemy begins the battle
with 3 points of Aggression.

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D100 Battle Condition D100 Battle Condition

61-65 Independent monster 76-80 Opportunity
Randomly determine a All initial enemy mobs reduce
monster and place it in the their size by 2 figures, but
center of the battlefield. any mobs that arrive due to
The monster moves at the Aggression rolls will have an
beginning of each Enemy Phase additional figure.
and will attack whichever 81-85 Cautious entry
figures are nearest, regardless
In Round 1, only soldiers
of size. The enemy will attack
activating in the Fast Actions
it normally if it is the closest
Phase can Move or Dash,
target. If enemy monsters
though other actions are
are present, they and the
permitted normally.
independent monster will
always target each other in 86-90 Nervous foes
preference to other targets. Any time a mob tests Morale,
The independent monster can roll one additional die. This
summon more monsters by has no effect on foes that do not
Roaring normally. These will normally test for Morale.
also be Independent. 91-95 Villainous attention
66-70 Low on supplies After rolling for villains
You may only throw grenades normally (see page 104), if any
twice in the game. villains remain on your roster
and are not present for the
71-75 Loot cache
battle, a randomly selected
A random Objective awards an villain shows up as part of the
extra Loot roll after the battle, enemy force.
if you complete it.
This has no effect if you do not
know any villains.
96-00 High-value Objective
A randomly selected Objective
grants 1 Victory Point upon
completion.

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Personal Task table

D100 Personal Objective
01-15 Kill an opponent in hand-to-hand combat
16-25 Kill 3+ opponents with a single attack
26-35 Do not get hit by any attacks
36-50 Succeed in at least one Investigation
51-60 Kill an enemy champion
61-75 Move to the center of the battlefield
76-80 Inflict a kill with the first attack made
81-85 Do not engage in hand-to-hand combat
86-00 Attack every round if enemies are visible

Step 8: Determine Personal Task Ready for Battle

(optional) You are now ready to fight! Go to
This step is optional, and you may want to Chapter 5: The Enemy (page 97) to
omit it the first couple of times you play determine what you are up against. 
in order to keep the game simpler.
A personal task is something that one of
your soldiers must attempt to achieve.
If you wish to use personal tasks,
randomly select a soldier from among
those deployed in the mission, then
roll on the table above. If the soldier
successfully performs the task during the
mission, you receive 1 Story Point.
If you don’t mind keeping track, you
can allow personal tasks to remain
until they are completed, but
a given soldier can only
have one at a time. If your
random selection is a
soldier that already has
an unfinished task, you
may keep the original
task or drop it for the
new one, but you cannot
take both.

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INVESTIGATIONS
The mission area is often full of The enemy ignores Investigations when
unexpected sights that are worth checking they move, and cannot interact with them
out. You may insist on sweeping these in any way unless a rule specifically states
for possible benefits and rewards or you otherwise. Investigation markers do not
may stay well clear to avoid more trouble. exist in the game world, so they do not
When you set up your mission you also inhibit movement, provide Cover, prevent
place a number of Investigations around Line of Sight, or interfere with any other
the table (see page 82). game function.
Your soldiers can check out an
Investigation by ending a move within 1"
of the marker. They do not have to touch
it or spend an action; simply to move
within range is enough. Immediately
upon completing that move, roll
1D6+Wits for that soldier:

D6+Wits Investigation
1-3 Search required
Place the die you just rolled
next to the Investigations marker
with the rolled result showing.
At the end of each battle round, if at least one soldier (which can be
different from the one that uncovered the marker) is within 1" of the
Investigations marker, increase the die face by +1. Note that an Action is
not required to increase the score by one, just that a soldier is within range
at the end of the battle round.
Once it is a 4 or greater, the Investigation is revealed: Roll D100 on the
Investigation Outcome table.
4+ Reveal
Roll D100 on the Investigation Outcome table to see what you have found.
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Investigation Outcome table

D100 Investigation Outcome
01-25 Exposure
You are exposed to mystical energies.
Add +1 point of Exposure to your total. If this brings your total to 3 or more
points, you must immediately pay for and roll for Transformation (see
page 133) for the soldier investigating the marker. If the soldier is already
Transformed, the Exposure is added to your campaign total, but you may
choose to buy an upgrade for that soldier immediately if you now have
enough points.
Increase the Aggression score by +1 immediately.
26-40 Tactical insight
You have gained a valuable insight in how to fight in this strange world or
found a unique opportunity to influence the battle.
You may use one additional Leadership Tactic this battle, though you may
not duplicate any previously used Tactic.
41-50 Loot
Someone buried something interesting here.
A soldier must spend an Action to dig it up. Roll on the Loot table; the soldier
in question can use the item right away.
Increase the Aggression score by +2 immediately.
51-80 Some useful bits
You may add +2 Kit Points after the mission.
81-00 Something bad is happening.
The bad guys are up to something, and you have stepped into a trap.
Count the remaining Objectives and Investigations and pick one of them at
random. The selected target will generate 1 additional point of Aggression
every battle round until it has been completed or otherwise removed from
the battlefield.

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SPECIAL MISSIONS
There will be a total of three Special Step 2: Mission Objectives
Missions during campaign turns 4, 8, Roll D100 on the Mission Objectives
and 12 (optionally 3, 6, 9, and 12 instead). table (Special Missions) for each
These are modified from the normal Objective that must be generated and
missions you will undertake and use a consult that table for the specifics of what
modified setup sequence. you are trying to achieve.
All Objective rules work exactly as
Step 1: Mission Requirements
per the normal mission rules, but the
Roll D100 on the Special Mission
probabilities have been modified to
Requirements table for an overview of
represent a more high-risk environment.
what you must accomplish. (Note that this
The full text for each Objective has been
table is modified from the earlier Mission
repeated from the convenience.
Requirements table on page 74).

Special Mission Requirements table

D100 Requirements
01-30 Generate two Objectives.
Both must be completed to win
the mission. You may do so in
any order.
31-50 Generate two Objectives.
They must be completed in the
order you generated them.
51-70 Generate three Objectives.
Then select two of them and
remove the third. Both must be
completed in any order.
71-85 Generate three Objectives.
You must complete any two of
the Objectives in any order.
86-00 Generate one Objective.
When you have completed that,
generate a second Objective
that must now be completed to
win the mission.

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Mission Objectives table (Special Missions)

D100 Objective
01-05 Scout the Area
Randomly select two terrain features that are not within 8" of your own
battlefield edge. A soldier must successfully Interact with each feature. Once
both features are scouted, the Objective is complete.
06-10 Investigate the Area
You must Interact successfully with the terrain feature closest to the center of
the battlefield. If you succeed, the Objective is completed. If you fail, you must
complete a “Scout the Area” Objective instead.
11-20 Advance through the Area
Assign any number of your soldiers to carry cargo. Soldiers carrying cargo
cannot Dash, but can otherwise fight normally. At least two soldiers must exit
across the opposing battlefield edge to complete the mission.
If a soldier becomes a casualty, they drop their cargo and another soldier can
pick it up by moving into contact and taking an Action. A soldier can carry
only a single cargo at a time.
21-40 Retrieve Something
Randomly select one terrain feature that is not within 8" of your battlefield
edge. A soldier must Interact with the terrain feature. If they succeed, they
pick up the valuable item and must now move it to their starting battlefield
edge to complete the mission.
If the interaction fails, the nearest enemy figure has the item. That unit will
now focus on trying to move off the enemy battlefield edge, which causes the
mission to fail.
An item carrier that becomes a casualty will drop it on the ground. The enemy
will not pick up the item once it has been dropped.
41-50 Interact with Something
Randomly select one terrain feature that is not within 8" of your battlefield
edge. A soldier must Interact with the terrain feature. Each failed attempt
generates 2 points of Aggression immediately. Once you have successfully
interacted, the Objective is completed.
51-65 Hold off the Enemy
You must fight for 5 rounds. At the end of each battle round from 5 onwards,
if no enemy figures are on your side of the table or once the number of
enemies killed or removed due to Morale reaches 20, you complete this
mission. Monsters count as half their Monster Point score, rounded up. For
example, a monster with 6 MP counts as 3 figures.
If this Objective is generated during the mission, the round count begins at
that point, but kills are counted from the beginning.

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 CAMPAIGNS

D100 Objective
66-80 Capture a High-value Target*
Randomly select an enemy figure that is carrying a valuable bit of intel. If you
kill them in hand-to-hand combat, you can pick up the intel automatically.
Otherwise, it is dropped when they die or flee due to a Morale check, and you
must move to pick it up. Once you have the intel you complete the Objective
by moving to your starting battlefield edge. The enemy will not pick up
dropped intel.
81-00 Eliminate a High-value Target*
The target is not revealed until the first Aggression table roll. After placing
any additional troops required by the Aggression table, randomly select
a champion or monster currently on the table (and any random figure, if
neither are available). The target must be killed to complete the Objective. If
this Objective is generated during a battle mission, the target is not revealed
until the next Aggression roll.
In Campaign Turns 1 and 2, select from the initial enemies deployed.

*High-value targets are always Fearless and unaffected by Morale dice.

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 CAMPAIGNS

Step 3: Support Step 6: Determine Special

Support functions exactly as in a regular Mission Conditions
mission. Roll D100 on the Special Missions
Conditions table to determine the type
Step 4: Terrain Setup of conditions for this Special Mission. If
All terrain setup and rules work exactly as you roll a result you have had previously
in a regular mission. in this campaign, roll again (each Special
Mission should be unique).
Step 5: Place Investigations
There are no Investigations in a Special
Mission, so skip this step.

Special Mission Conditions table

D100 Condition
01-10 Enemies closing in!
The squad deploys as they see fit within 6" of the center of the battlefield.
Each enemy mob is placed at the center of a different, randomly selected
battlefield edge. Enemies arriving during the battle arrive from a random
battlefield edge as well.
11-20 We are getting rushed!
The enemy generates 2 additional points of Aggression each game round, but
cease collecting any points after the third roll on the Aggression table.
21-30 We’ve detected an isolated advance guard!
The enemy begins with one additional mob and all mob sizes are increased
by +1; however, the enemy receives no points of Aggression in this battle.
31-40 Patrol contact!
You can deploy no more than 5 soldiers from your squad this battle (before
support is generated). The enemy receives 1 less Aggression per round.
41-50 Enemy encampment!
All initial enemies are set up within 8" of the center of the battlefield, spread
fairly evenly, and are set up first. You may have your soldiers deploy within 3"
of any battlefield edge, spread out as you see fit.
During Round 1, no enemies may move, but they may shoot if eligible.
51-60 Uncertain Objectives!
At the end of each battle round, one Objective that is marked on the
battlefield is moved 6" in a random direction. If the Objective is in a terrain
feature, the feature moves as well!
If none of your Objectives are battlefield-oriented, reroll one Objective until
you have at least one.

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 CAMPAIGNS

D100 Condition
61-70 Traps!
Before deploying either side, scatter 20 markers around the battlefield fairly
evenly.
Any figure that moves within 1" of one of these trap markers rolls 1D6: On a
1-2, nothing happens. On a 3-6, they immediately take a +0 damage Hit. In
both cases, the marker is removed.
Enemy mobs that do not have a champion will set off traps if they cross them
and will take no special precautions to avoid them.
71-80 Sleeping monster!
Randomly generate a monster and place it D10" from the center of the
battlefield. The creature is inactive/resting/drunk/asleep. The enemy will
refuse to move within 3" of it. If you approach within 3", or a gunshot passes
within 2", or the creature is struck, it wakes up and joins the enemy.
If you do kill it, you receive an extra Loot roll after the battle.
81-90 Treasure trove!
Put 6 markers in a circle around the center of the battlefield, each about
12" from the center point. When a soldier moves into contact with a marker,
remove it and roll 1D6+Wits. On a 6+ you receive a Loot roll (usable
immediately, if you like) and generate 3 points of Aggression. On any other
score, nothing happens.
91-00 They are coming in groups!
It takes 15 points of Aggression to trigger a roll on the Aggression table
(see page 34), but once reached, make two rolls and apply both.

Step 7: Assign Battlefield Edges

and Deploy
This functions exactly as a regular
mission except where modified by the
Special Mission condition.

Step 8: Battle Conditions

Skip this step for Special
Missions.

Step 9: Determine
Personal Task
This step can be used
at your discretion. If so,
it works as in the regular
mission.

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CHAPTER 4:
FINAL BATTLES

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 Final Battles

FINAL BATTLES
You have come this far braving evil of black stone towers stand over it,
sorcerers and perhaps the occasional festooned with crimson banners.
dragon. Your soldiers have seen more
An old druid who has been leading
than they ever expected, and some have
you here explains that the enemy is
lived to tell the tale. You have finally
well entrenched but that there are also
gotten a lead on where the rest of your
powerful artifacts within the structures.
comrades landed, but between you and
It is up to you whether you want to hunt
them lies a pit of hell and despair. As
for the artifacts or plunge straight into the
you check your weapons, the enemy is
enemy fortress.
massing for one final confrontation.
This time, there are no tricks and no
clever ploys: It is a pitched battle against The Artifacts
the hordes of darkness, and they don’t You may seek out up to three artifacts
seem inclined towards a peaceful here: The Ring of Spell-casting, the
solution. Sword of Destruction, and the Staff of
Disintegration. You can decide to go after
one, two, or all three, and you don’t have
Prepping the Final Battle to decide how many you want to pursue
up front.
The Location
The final battle will take place in a Once you opt to go to the final battle,
randomly selected region other than the you cannot come back and select an
one you are currently in. You are welcome artifact, however.
to pick one that seems particularly fitting
if you have a story or vision in mind. The Artifact Battles
Each artifact battle is a pitched battle.
The Journey
You have some time to reflect and Set-up:
regroup as you travel to the final ” The two sides set up on a 3'x3'
destination, as well as seek help from battlefield with a minimum of 24"
sympathetic spell casters. between the two forces.
You may select any two soldiers ” The terrain should be fairly
recovering from injuries and have them cluttered, with statues, pillars,
recover completely, regardless of how rubble, and other debris everywhere.
many turns of recovery they had left.
The Enemy:
The Arrival ” Your opposition will consist of three
You arrive in the region near where you mobs each consisting of 7 figures +
undertook a mission not so long ago, 1 champion. Randomly select
but the area is unrecognizable: The trees them from the encounter table
are withered and worn, any structures (see page 103) to see what you are
have crumbled into ruins and a number facing in each artifact battle.
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 Final Battles

” Each mob will roll on the Mob Artifact battles allow progression and
Training table (see page 103). recovery after each of them, but you do
not receive any Victory Points.
” Additionally, each enemy force will
include one randomly generated
The Artifacts Themselves
monster (see page 107). The monster
does not act in the first two turns of The Ring of Spell-casting
the battle, unless fired upon. This can be worn by any character capable
You may generate the enemy mob of casting spells. It adds +1 to the Power
types and monster for each artifact score of the character each battle round.
battle first, before deciding whether
to pursue them or not. The Sword of Destruction
This magical melee weapon grants +3 / +3
Mission Objective: to Hit and damage.
” At the center of the opposing
battlefield edge is a treasure chest The Staff of Disintegration
containing the artifact. If a soldier This is a single-use item. It projects a
can reach this, you can claim the line 12" long and 1" wide. Any figure in
artifact. The mission ends when you the path is killed with no saving throws
have left across the initial battlefield (if one of your soldiers gets in the path
edge you deployed near or when you they disappear forever). Terrain is
have destroyed every enemy. destroyed if struck by the beam, with
larger features collapsing into rubble.
” There are no Objectives or
Monsters take 1D6 Monster Points of
Investigations, and no Aggression
damage automatically.
rolls are made.

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 Final Battles

The Final Battle The Enemy

The opposing force will be tremendous:
Once you have completed all three artifact
battles or have decided to not pursue any ” You will face a total of 6 mobs:
more, you take on the final battle, and
• 3x 8 figures, all warriors.
there will be no more campaign turns.
• 3x 7 figures, each with a champion
This is another pitched battle. No
These will roll on the Mob Training
Objectives or Investigations are placed.
table.
You do not roll for Aggression. There is
no mission here other than to kill or ” The enemy should be deployed in
be killed. two lines with the warriors in the
front row and the second row 4"
Set-up behind them.
” The battlefield should leave at
” The enemy will not test for morale.
least 30" between the two
This is a fight to the death.
opposing forces.
Do not leave any resource untapped.
” You may deploy your squad as
You win this mission if you have any
normal, as well as a full second
soldier standing at the end and every
squad. The second squad has the
enemy is dead. Regardless of the
standard starting weapons and basic
outcome, proceed to the Campaign End
profiles. They do not feature any
section (see page 139).
advances of any kind. Any remaining
members of the platoon including
any characters who have advanced
while fighting in your squad are
assumed to be on rear guard duty.

96
CHAPTER 5:
THE ENEMY

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 THE ENEMY

GENERATING THE ENEMY

I saw everything.
Every heaving orc. Every angry giant. Every evil troll. Every raging ogre. The little dog
dragon things that were constant harriers. The wicked centaurs firing their poison
arrows. The shadow riders in black, with probably nothing more than bones beneath
those ragged shrouds and shadowy hoods.
– Forgotten Ruin

This chapter explains how to generate the

opposition of a given mission. Follow each What’s in a Name?
step, in turn, and you will have a horde of You may not have the exact miniatures
monsters to fight against in no time. the game calls for, or you may have a
really cool set of figures you would like
Step 1: Determine Enemy Type to use but which are not represented on
Roll D100 on the Enemy Encounter table the encounter table. You can always swap
below to determine what type of enemy out the figures for something different.
you are fighting. This will provide you As long as you keep the same profile and
with their basic combat profile as well as rules, nothing will be amiss. For example,
any special rules that apply. you have a boatload of fantasy Vikings
and would like to use them, but you rolled
Please note that the enemies are not
up orcs. No problem, just place Vikings
intended to be equally dangerous: Some
instead of the orcs, but use the same
are more dangerous to face while others
values. If you have to slightly change a
will be relatively weak. Also note that
special rule to fit better, this is usually
since there are more enemy types than
no problem at all either: Try to swap
there are campaign turns you
advantageous rules for another advantage
will not encounter every type.
and swap flaws for another flaw.
This helps keep the campaigns
unpredictable. If you want to adjust the profile,
raising one value and lowering
another is usually fine, but be
We’ve Been Here Before
careful about enemies
If you are returning to a region,
with profiles at the
you have previously fought in,
extreme ends of the
the enemy type will always
spectrum. An enemy
be the same as it was the first
with +3 Combat Skill
time. If you don’t remember
and very high Speed will
what it was, you can pick
probably be extremely
any prior type you like.
dangerous and a
Of course, if you prefer,
Toughness 6 is rarely
you can just roll again.
fun for regular
enemy grunts.

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 THE ENEMY

Enemy Encounter table

D100 Enemy Speed Combat Skill Toughness Resistance Champion
01-05 Kobolds 5" +0 3 +0 5+ *
Diminutive humanoids with both canine and reptilian features.
Traps: In each of the Quick and Slow Phases, the first soldier to move within
8" of a kobold at any point of their move must roll 1D6. On a 1-2, they step in
a trap and are Knocked Down. They can take no other actions during that
activation but can act normally in future rounds.
06-10 Goblins 5" +0 3 +0 5+ *
Renowned for their cruelty, goblins are not fond of hand-to-hand combat.
Hail of arrows: When setting up, goblins receive 2 archer mobs instead of 2
warrior mobs. The third is rolled randomly.
11-15 Orcs 5" +0 3 +0 4+ / 6+ *
Burly humanoids with a war-like demeanor
War Rage: Orcs are prone to bubbling over with aggression. At the start of the
Enemy Phase, randomly select an orc mob. It must move at top speed towards
the nearest soldiers to engage them in hand-to-hand combat. The orcs will not
care about Cover, but have +1 Combat Skill for the rest of this phase.
16-20 Lizardfolk 5" +0 4 +0 5+ *
Tough reptilian humanoids clad in scaly armor
Tough hide: Lizardfolk receive a 6+ saving throw against all combat damage,
but not against spells.
21-25 Evil elves 6" +1 3 +1 3+ *
Elven warriors sworn to dark gods of pain and murder
Elite archers: Elf archer mobs may reroll 2 missed shots each time they
shoot.
26-30 Skeletons 4" +0 3 +0 6+
It’s like something out of an old adventure film.
Traits: Fearless, Undead.
Fragile: A soldier rolling a natural 6 on the hand-to-hand combat roll will
destroy a skeleton without needing to roll against Toughness. This negates any
potential saving throws.
31-35 Zombies ** 4" +0 4 +0 NA
You all know these guys. Aim high.
Traits: Fearless, Undead.
Shambling: If zombies encounter any obstacle while moving, they must halt
but can then move across it without penalty next time they are activated.
Hordes: At the end of each battle round, randomly select a zombie mob and
add one additional figure to it.
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 THE ENEMY

D100 Enemy Speed Combat Skill Toughness Resistance Champion

36-40 Ghouls ** 5" +1 4 +0 NA
Creepy semi-dead that feast on corpses. Don’t let them touch you.
Traits: Undead.
Paralysing touch: A soldier struck by a Ghoul is Knocked Down.
41-45 Wolves ** 6" +1 4 +0 5+
Frightening, intelligent killer wolves.
Instinct: Wolves are never Unaware, even if a rule would dictate otherwise.
46-50 Spiders ** 5" +1 4 +0 NA
Horrible eight-legged creatures with fangs that drip venom.
Skitter: Spiders do not suffer any movement reductions due to terrain.
Poison: Hand-to-hand Hits from spiders do not allow saving throws.
51-55 Evil dwarves 4" +1 5 +2 4+ / 5+
Like the good variety but far meaner.
Stubborn: Dwarves cannot be Knocked Down for any reason.
Crossbows: Dwarf archery attacks add +1 damage.
56-60 Hobgoblins 5" +0 4 +0 3+ / 5+*
Taller than other goblinoids, hobgoblins fancy themselves professional
soldiers.
Trained: Unaware Hobgoblins add +2 to the rolls to become Aware.
61-65 Evil humans 5" +0 3 +0 4+ / 6+ *
Clad in strange robes and armed with weapons engraved with dark runes.
Cursed weapons: You cannot use Luck against their attacks.
66-70 Beast folk 6" +1 4 +0 5+
Half-animal tribes folk with a warlike demeanor.
Throwing weapons: Each beast folk that moves into hand-to-hand combat
when active will hurl a throwing weapon at the target before moving. This
Hits on a natural 6 only and is resolved like an archery attack. If their target
is removed, they may attempt to charge a different soldier but cannot throw
another weapon this action.
71-75 Constructs ** 4" +1 5 +1 NA
Magical statues, suits of armor, or similar creations.
Traits: Fearless.
Armored: 5+ saving throw in hand-to-hand combat, 6+ against spells or
weapons fire.

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 THE ENEMY

D100 Enemy Speed Combat Skill Toughness Resistance Champion

76-80 Berserkers 5" +1 4 +1 5+
Often orcs or hobgoblins who have entered a furious death rage.
Traits: Fearless.
Berserk: When a Berserker conducts a Follow Up move, they may enter a new
hand-to-hand combat and can do this any number of times per phase.
81-85 Cultists 5" +0 3 +0 3+ *
Despicable fools in league with the dark powers.
Chanting: During each Aggression Phase, count the number of cultists on
the table, then roll 3D6. If the roll is equal to or below the number, the enemy
receives Aggression points equal to the lowest of the three dice.
86-90 Walking plants 4" +0 4 +0 NA
Mobile and hostile plants attacking with spiked tendrils.
Traits: Fearless.
Difficult to destroy: When killed, place a marker at that location, or place
the figure lying down. A soldier moving into contact with a “dead” plant can
destroy it as a Free Action (in which case, remove the marker/figure). At the
end of each battle round, roll 1D6 for each marker. Every 1 is recovered, and
the plant becomes active again. Lone plants form a mob on their own unless
they are within 2" of a figure in an existing mob.
91-95 Giant bugs ** 5" +1 3 +0 NA
Entirely too many legs and entirely too large.
Chitinous shells: 6+ saving throw.
Skitter: Bugs do not suffer any movement reductions due to terrain.
96-00 Huge lizards ** 5" +1 5 +0 5+
Fierce lizards prowling for anything edible, including soldiers!
Huge fangs: They bite for +1 damage.

*  See ‘Sorceror Champions’ boxout, Enemy characters have a profile just like
page 102. your soldiers, though it differs slightly:
** This unit cannot ever be an archer. Speed: The tabletop movement rate.
Other foes can be archers even if it
Combat Skill: The value added to hand-
seems strange. This might indicate
to-hand combat rolls. Note: Enemies do
shooting spikes, spitting acid, or
not add Combat Skill to archery attacks.
magical darts.
Toughness: You must roll equal to or over
Fearless: The unit is not subject to Morale
this value to inflict damage.
tests for any reason.
Resistance: This is added to rolls to
Undead: Any items or abilities that have
resist spells.
special effects against Undead apply.
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 THE ENEMY

Step 2: Champions Please note that champions are always

Each mob is checked to see if it is led by a part of the mob, not additional figures
champion when it is placed on the gaming that are added to it. Champions receive all
table. This is usually an experienced special abilities and benefits of the mob
fighter and can be represented by a more they are in.
dangerous-looking figure or by a figure
Champions gain the following
with a different weapon from the rest of
adjustments:
the mob. If your orc mob has swords, you
may want to use a figure with a mace as ” Increase Combat Skill by +1
their champion, for example.
” Increase Resistance by +1 point
Roll 1D6 per mob, and if the roll is equal
” Gain 6+ saving throw against all
to or above the champion score listed in
Hits. If the mob already has a saving
the Enemy Encounter table, one of the
throw, apply the rules for Multiple
figures will be a champion.
Saving Throws (see page 44) by
Some units have two numbers listed. lowering the saving throw by
If the D6 result is equal to or above the one point.
higher number, the mob will have two
If the enemy type is one that obviously
champions.
has no real intelligence, the champion is
the biggest and meanest creature in the
Example:
group. We use the term champion for
If the champion roll says 4+ / 6+,
simplicity.
a roll of 1-3 would indicate no
champion, a 4-5 would indicate
one champion, and a 6 would
indicate two champions.
I roll a 4 for a mob of orcs which
means they have one champion.
Since my orc figures mostly have
swords, I pick out a figure with a
huge mace instead.

Example
Orc Champion
Sorcerer Champions Move: 5"
If the champion roll on the table is marked Combat Skill: +1
with a †, roll an additional D6 for each Toughness: 3
champion. A 6 indicates they are a sorcerer. Resistance: +1
War Rage
Sorcerers will cast Bleeding Curse every
time they activate. This Hits the closest If Sorcerer
visible soldier on a 3+, regardless of Cover, Champion,
and strikes with +0 damage. The Curse + Bleeding Curse
ignores all saving throws. (see boxout, left)

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 THE ENEMY

Step 3: Mob Size

Unless otherwise indicated, you will face Mob Variation Roll (optional)
3 enemy mobs at the start of the battle. If you don’t mind extra dice, a D6 can be
rolled for each mob when it deploys or
The campaign turn will inform how large
arrives from the battlefield edge:
enemy mobs are. This can be modified by
certain game events. For simplicity every D6 Variation
mob is the same size.
1 It arrives with one less figure.
Step 4: Mob Training 2-5 It arrives with the expected size.
All mobs are of a particular type, which 6 It arrives with one additional
determines their basic make up. The figure.
first two mobs deployed on the table are
always warriors that lack any special
abilities or modifiers. For any additional You may track what mobs have which
mobs set up at the start (usually one) and training on paper or by putting a small
all mobs that arrive as reinforcements marker next to them, but a lot can also
during a battle, roll D100 on the Mob be done by carefully selecting the right
Training table to determine their role. miniatures. For example, if you need some
orc assassins, maybe use an evil-looking
cloaked figure as their champion.
Mob Training table
D100 Mob Notes
training
01-30 Warriors The standard enemy specimen.
No changes to the basic profile.
31-60 Archers Enemies with bows or crossbows.
The mob has ranged weapons and will attack using archery.
Enemies with a ‡ after their name on the Enemy Encounters
table treat this result as Warriors.
61-70 Runners Particularly fast enemies.
Add +1" to Speed.
71-80 Assassins Knives or fangs drip with poison. Stay clear.
The mob has poisoned weapons: When rolling for damage, an
enemy with poisoned weapons rolls twice and uses the highest.
81-90 Heavies Thick hides or layers of armor.
The mob receives a 6+ saving throw (or adds +1 to an existing
saving throw).
91-00 Breakers Brute force and ignorance are surprisingly effective.
The mob has Large Weapons: +1 damage but does not inflict a
Hit on a draw.
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 THE ENEMY

Step 5: Check for Villains Step 6: Deploy Mobs

Have any villains been generated in Measure 21" from your own battlefield
your campaign so far? If not (or all have edge and place a line of 6 markers
been killed), skip this step. Otherwise, distributed roughly evenly at that
roll 1D6 and add the number of villains distance. If you have the option, use
currently listed on your campaign record. markers numbered 1 through 6.
For example, if you have 2 villains in the
Roll 1D6 for each mob and count left to
campaign, you would roll 1D6+2.
right, placing each mob at the marker that
” On a 5 or less, you will not encounter is indicated, with all figures within 2" of
any villains in this battle. the marker in a line or group as you prefer.
” On a 6 or 7, one villain shows up. If two mobs of the same type and training
(such as orc warriors) are both placed at
” On 8+, two villains show up.
the same marker, they are merged into
Pick randomly from the villains generated a single large mob. Mobs with different
in your campaign. Note that villains can trainings (such as orc warriors and orc
(and usually will) show up accompanying heavies) are not merged. Set them up 1"
a different enemy type than the one apart in two lines, Warriors in front, but
they were created from. For example, a otherwise arranged as you see fit.
Hobgoblin villain may accompany a pack
If you are facing more than three mobs
of evil wolves.
at the start, the first three begin the
game Aware. Any additional mobs begin
Unaware when deployed on their own.
If required, randomly pick which mobs
start Unaware. If a mob is merged into an
existing mob upon deployment, the new
combined mob will have the same state of
awareness as the existing mob had.
If present, each villain will set up within
2" of a randomly selected mob. Villains
are always Aware. Please note that the
villain is not part of the mob and will
move and fight independently.

Example Orc Champion

(Sorcerer) (Villain)
Move: 5"
Combat Skill: +1
Toughness: 3
Resistance: +1
War Rage
Sorceror: +Bleeding Curse (see page 102)
Villain: +1 ability (e.g. Warding Spells,
see page 115); +2 Monster Points

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 THE ENEMY

Villains, Mobs, and Monsters

Villains are recurring characters created from
a returning Champion (see page 115), and thus
tied to Mobs. ‘Monsters’ (covered in the next
section) are more solitary creatures, not usually
integrated into a fighting force. As written,
the rules wouldn’t see a whole forest of tree
monsters attacking an orc stronghold, for
example. (That would just be silly.) At the end of
the day, however, this is your campaign!

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 THE ENEMY

MONSTERS
The giant twisted, groaning titanically, and fell back toward the far shore,
hitting the water with a terrific splash and crushing a bunch of his buddies.
In the darkness and sudden quiet Brumm muttered, "Carl Gustaf don't care.”
– Forgotten Ruin

The worlds of Forgotten Ruin are full of Repeat Encounters

gigantic, horrifying monsters that would If you generate a monster type you have
love nothing more than to eat, stomp previously battled in this campaign, it is a
on, or maul your soldiers. Monsters can tougher and meaner version. Each repeat
appear on the battlefield for a number of encounter increases the Monster Point
reasons, such as Aggression rolls. value by +1. Note that this only applies
between missions, not if multiple of a
To generate a monster, roll D100 on the
monster is encountered during a
Monster table opposite.
single mission.
If you are painting up figures for use in
your campaign, you may prefer rolling up
the first three monsters in advance so you
can paint the figures. That way you can
just take the next creature when the
rules say you need one. As the various
villagers and locals would no doubt tell
you stories of the terrible beasts that
lurk in the world, this is quite fair.

Monster Difficulty
Some monsters are extremely scary,
and you are unlikely to prevail against
them. Evaluate carefully if you really
need to fight a beast that shows up,
or if it is better to focus on your
Objectives or beat a
hasty retreat.

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 THE ENEMY

Monster table
D100 Monster Speed Combat Tough. Saving Resist MP Monster
Skill Throw Traits
01-04 Giant spider 6" +2 4 6+ +1 4 Poison
A massive spider with poison-dripping mandibles. If only you had a ring of
invisibility.
05-08 Ogre 4" +1 5 – +0 5 Humanoid,
Hurl
A brutish and burly creature with a worryingly large club.
09-12 Troll 4" +2 4 – +1 4 Knit wounds
Long-limbed humanoids that recover from injuries in moments.
13-16 Giant 5" +3 5 – +1 6 Hurl
A huge humanoid with a penchant for crushing and stomping on smaller
creatures.
17-20 Golem 4" +3 5 5+ +2 5 -
An artificial being animated by magic. Hideously tough.
21-24 Specter 6" +2 5 6+ +2 4 Ethereal,
Humanoid,
Fear, Undead
With its black robes and ghostly visage, it reminds you of a book you read once.
25-28 Elemental 4" +2 5 5+ +3 6 Aura
A being of pure elemental matter, usually summoned by some magician and
let loose on the world.
29-32 Dinosaur 5" +4 6 6+ +1 6 Rend
They looked a lot less frightening at the museum!
33-36 Tentacle horror 4" +2 4 – +3 8 Tentacles,
Knit wounds
A thing out of a primordial hellscape.
37-40 Giant scorpion 5" +3 5 6+ +1 4 Poison
A chitinous horror with a poison sting and grasping claws.
41-44 Tree monster 3" +4 5 6+ +1 6 Hurl
It’s like those big walking trees in the movie, except these are not very nice
at all.
45-48 Sphinx 5" +2 5 – +3 6 Perplex, Roar
A lion-like beast that is fond of mesmerising riddles.
49-52 Vampire 6" +5 5 – +3 5 Humanoid,
Aura, Undead
A blood-sucking horror of the night and with superhuman strength to boot.

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 THE ENEMY

D100 Monster Speed Combat Tough. Saving Resist MP Monster

Skill Throw Traits
53-56 Manticore 6" +2 5 – +1 5 Projectiles
A mixture of animals, all of them angry. Its tail can hurl powerful spikes at you.
57-60 Swarm 5" NA NA – +1 NA Swarm
A screeching swarm of small animals, biting, and stinging anything in range.
61-64 Evil conjurer 4" +1 4 – +2 3 Humanoid,
Wizard,
Conjurations
A petty wizard. What they lack in spell selection they make up for in their
tendency to bring more enemies down on your squad.
65-68 Fire wizard 4" +1 4 – +2 3 Humanoid,
Wizard, Fire
An old-fashioned spell-slinger, crackling with fireballs.
69-72 War construct 4" +3 6 5+ +2 8 –
A huge, animated suit of armor covered with spikes and blades.
73-76 Undead giant 5" +4 5 6+ +1 6 Undead
A massive skeleton animated by foul spells.
77-80 Demon 5" +4 5 5+ +3 6 Fear
A minion of an evil god, the waves of dread emanating from it are palpable.
81-84 Massive Worm 5" +3 5 6+ +1 8 Poison
Awfully large teeth at the front end and a venomous sting at the rear.
85-88 Roc 8" +3 5 – +1 8 Flight
Like an eagle but of truly abominable size.
89-91 Lich 4" +2 5 5+ +3 5 Humanoid,
Undead,
Fear, Wizard,
Conjurations
A terrible undead sorcerer long overdue for some high explosive treatment.
92-94 Skeletal dragon 5" +4 5 6+ +2 8 Fear, Undead
Who had the bright idea to reanimate a dragon once it had finally died?
95-97 Wyvern 6" +4 6 6+ +1 7 Poison, Rend
A dragon-like creature with a poisonous stinger. At least it doesn’t appear to
breathe fire.
98-00 Dragon 6" +5 6 5+ +4 10 Flight, Rend,
Fear, Fire
The mightiest and most majestic creature you have ever seen. Unfortunately,
it is bearing down on your position.

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Speed: The movement rate of the monster. A soldier that has already been engaged in
Monsters do not take Dash moves. hand-to-hand combat during the monster
move cannot be engaged again by the
Combat Skill: Added to hand-to-hand
same monster that battle round (but the
combat rolls. All monsters with +3 or
soldier could engage the monster on their
better will strike with +1 damage.
own when they activate).
Tough. (Toughness): Roll this or greater to
Sturdy: Monsters cannot be Knocked
inflict damage.
Down.
Saving Throw: If a roll is listed here, the
monster has armor and receives a saving Specific Monster Traits
throw against each Monster Point it would Aura: Soldiers who activate within 4" of
otherwise have lost. the monster must roll 1D6+Toughness.
Unless they score a 7+ they are unable
Resist: The bonus added when resisting
to move or Dash but may take Actions
spells.
normally.
MP (Monster Points): How many
Conjurations: Add +1 Aggression every
successful damage rolls are required to
battle round. This is cumulative for each
destroy the monster.
monster with this trait.
Monster Traits Ethereal: The monster cannot have its
MP reduced by more than 1 point per
General Monster Traits
battle round, regardless of how many
Remember, unless modified by other
attacks hit it.
Monster traits below, all Monsters have
the following general monster traits: Fear: If the monster is facing towards a
soldier within 12", the soldier is -1 to all
Dangerous: Monsters that roll a
hand-to-hand and ranged attack Hit
natural 6 on their combat die always
rolls, regardless of the target. Monsters
inflict a Hit on the soldier even if they
have a frontal 90-degree field of facing.
lose the combat. If the soldier’s combat
roll is higher than the monster, they Fire: As a ranged attack, the monster
will still inflict a Hit on the monster and places an Explosion centered over a
potentially stop it moving, as noted in random soldier in sight. Do not roll to
Rampaging, below. Hit. Move the marker 1D6" in a random
direction and then resolve as a normal
Plodding: Monsters do not Dash. They
Explosion attack with a 2" radius and
only move at their basic movement speed.
+0 damage.
Rampaging: Monsters cannot be stopped
Flight: When the monster moves, roll 1D6.
by just standing in the way. When a
On a 5-6, it will Swoop. It moves at double
monster moves, it will fight hand-to-hand
its movement distance in a straight line
combat with each soldier it encounters.
towards the nearest soldier (and past). All
If a soldier wins, the monster halts, and
soldiers in the path must roll 1D6+Wits.
damage is dealt normally.
Those failing to score a 5+ are Knocked
On a draw or a monster win, the soldier Down and take a +0 damage Hit.
is pushed 1" out of the way as the monster
A Swooping monster does not make any
finishes any movement. Note that the
other attacks during the activation.
monster still takes a Hit on a draw.
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 THE ENEMY

Humanoid: The monster does not use the of the initial target but may not attack the
Rampaging rule above. Instead, it moves same target more than once per round.
and engages a single opponent in combat
Rend: Hand-to-hand strikes from the
similar to a non-monster figure.
monster ignore saving throws except
Hurl: If a soldier is struck in hand-to- those that originate from magical armor.
hand combat but does not become a
Swarm: The Swarm cannot be engaged
casualty, the monster throws them 1D6+1"
in hand-to-hand combat and moves
in a random direction. The soldier is
in a random direction each activation.
Knocked Down, as is any other figure
Any figure from either side within 1" of
they happen to land on. Soldiers can be
the Swarm at the end of its move is Hit
thrown on top of terrain features.
automatically (+0 damage).
Knit wounds: At the end of each battle
When attacking a Swarm, roll 1D6 for
round, the monster regains 1 Monster
each Hit. On a 6, the Swarm is Weakened.
Point, though it cannot recover to more
If it was already Weakened, it is
than 1 MP below the amount it began the
destroyed. Attacks have no other effect,
battle with.
and it cannot be affected by spells or
Perplex: A soldier activating within 9" magic items other than those that cause
and sight of the monster must roll 4+ on direct damage. The Swarm cannot be seen
1D6 to act normally. On a 1-3, they can or moved through by either side.
move but cannot attack.
Tentacles: If the monster does not contact
Poison: If the monster rolls a 6 in hand- any soldiers during its move, it may lash
to-hand combat, roll 1D6: On a 6, the out and fight hand-to-hand combat with
attack strikes a piece of equipment the two nearest soldiers within 4".
or pierces the target’s clothes. The When using its tentacles, the
soldier is pushed back 1", but not monster only counts as +1
otherwise hurt or Combat Skill but does not
Stunned. On any take any damage if it is Hit.
other roll, they
Undead: The monster
become a casualty
counts as Undead for the
regardless of
purpose of all rules that
Toughness or saving
have special effects
throws. Luck applies
against Undead.
as normal.
Wizard: When
Projectiles: If the
activated, the
monster does not
wizard will move
attack in close combat,
to cast their spell
it may shoot at the
while keeping the
closest visible target
opponents at range.
within 12". Roll to
They will always try
hit as per a bow
to use Cover and
shot. The monster
will never enter
may attack up to 2
hand-to-hand
additional soldiers
combat willingly.
that are within 1"
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CHAPTER 6:
ENDING THE BATTLE

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 RESOLUTION

ENDING THE BATTLE

To the east the sky was getting light,
and I could hear great bests trampling off through the night, smashing trees
and tearing them down as they fled for the river and the dark shadows of the wilderness
beyond. Seeking caves and dark places they thought we would not go down into.
We'd won. For now.
– Forgotten Ruin

The battle can end in one of two ways: Abandoned Battle

In addition to the normal conditions, a
Sudden Death Check game will end if, at the end of the battle
If, at the end of a battle round, you round, there are none of your soldiers
have just completed the last Objective on the table. If this is the case, the game
(including any that were not required to be ends immediately, regardless of any other
completed), roll 2D6 on the table below: circumstances.

Sudden Death Check table Note that while this typically occurs due
to casualties, your squad can also move
2D6 Outcome off the battlefield to end the encounter
2-4 The mission ends immediately as sooner. This can be helpful if you are
your soldiers slip away before the facing opposition that is far too strong.
enemy arrives in huge numbers. Part of being an effective commander is
understanding when it is worth fighting
5-10 The mission continues for
to the bitter end and when to cut your
3 more battle rounds or until
losses. Remember, the enemy will not
you have moved every soldier
stop coming, no matter how long you
off a battlefield edge, whichever
keep shooting.
comes first.
11-12 As 5-10, but a bonus Objective This only applies to your soldiers.
is generated immediately. If you Clearing the table of enemies will not
complete this within the next end the battle due to the Aggression
3 battle rounds, you receive an mechanic, but you should take advantage
additional post-battle reward, of the time to secure your Objectives and
and the mission then ends get out of there.
immediately. After 3 rounds, the
battle still ends.
This roll is done only once
per mission, at the earliest
opportunity when it applies, and
cannot be delayed or avoided.
Note that Investigations do
not count as Objectives for the
purposes of Sudden Death.
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 RESOLUTION

Outcomes Better Part of Valor

When a battle ends, you will have won the Dying and completing this mission
mission if you completed the Objectives will prevent you from completing any
correctly. Otherwise, you did not win. No missions tomorrow. In battle you must
other factors – such as killing enemies constantly balance risk and reward.
not specified by an Objective or clearing Rangers go into battle expecting that
Investigations – affect victory. any day could be their last, but as their
commander you need to keep the grand
Note that you will still receive rewards
plan in mind.
after a mission even if you did not win,
though victory brings better rewards, A battle may turn out to be easier than
of course. expected: Everything goes well, the fire
support is right on target, and you breeze
Make sure to set aside any soldiers that
through the mission. Other days, you are
became casualties during the battle, as
barely holding on and then the dragon
they may suffer from long term injuries.
shows up.
Soldiers that moved off the edge of the
battlefield are not casualties, and will You could end a mission early by
return to your squad just fine. moving every soldier off the table, if it
goes haywire.
Proceed to the Post Battle Sequence
(page 114) to resolve the various outcomes.

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POST-BATTLE SEQUENCE
After each battle you will carry out this Known Personalities:
post-battle sequence to determine the Roll D100 on the table below, rolling
result of the mission. Proceed through separately for each soldier.
each step in order.
Known Personality Injury table
Step 1: Injuries D100 Casualty Effect
Soldiers that became casualties during
your mission must test to see what the 01-15 Dead Pour one out for a
effects of the injuries were. A soldier fallen comrade.
that was taken out of action may have 16-35 Seriously The soldier will
suffered only relatively minor injuries or injured have to sit out the
they may have been seriously injured or next two battles
even killed outright. before they rejoin
your squad.
We handle this slightly differently
depending on whether they are a grunt or 36-65 Lightly The soldier will
a known personality. injured have to sit out the
next battle before
Grunts: they rejoin your
Take a number of D6s equal to the squad.
number of grunt casualties and roll them 66-00 Okay The soldier was
all at once: unconscious or got
a few bruises. They
Every 1 results in one grunt being either
recover fully before
killed or so badly injured that they
the next battle.
cannot participate in the campaign
any further.*
So... Who’s Got the Ring?
On 2-6, they recover and rejoin your
Regardless of whether they are a grunt
squad just fine.
or known personality, if a soldier is
*If you wish to know exactly what killed, roll 1D6 for each magic item they
happened for flavor purposes, roll the die carried. On a roll of a 1, it was destroyed.
again: A 1-2 is dead, a 3-6 is a long term Otherwise, you may transfer it to your
injury. These characters are removed equipment Stash (see page 123).
from your squad and will not rejoin it.

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Step 2: Check for Villain Creation Survival Explanation table

Did you “kill” any champions in the D6 Result
mission? If you did so and you achieved
your Objectives, there is a chance some 1-2 Badly wounded and crawled
of the defeated champions will return to away in the darkness
haunt you as a more powerful villain. If 3 The creature you killed was
the mission was a failure, skip this step. actually a decoy
Roll 1D6 for each champion you defeated: 4-5 Their life was restored by
If any of the dice show a 6, that champion dark magic
survived and becomes a villain. Note 6 At the last minute they were
these down on your campaign roster. teleported away
You may devise any explanation for how
they survived, or roll 1D6 on the Survival Each villain should be named something
Explanation table. suitably sinister. It is up to you if you want
to use the same figure you used originally
or paint up a special figure.
Villains gain 2 Monster Points on their
profile and a randomly selected ability
from the Villain Ability table below:
Villain Ability table
D6 Ability Effect
1 Precise strikes Attacks by the villain ignore saving throws.
2 Hellfire spell The villain may shoot hellfire. This Hits on a 4+ regardless
of Cover or Combat Skill, has unlimited range, and Hits with
+2 damage.
3 Enchanted The villain gains a 4+ saving throw.
defences
4 Leadership Any mob within 6" of the villain becomes Fearless.
5 Warlord If the villain is present at the beginning of a battle, all mobs
deployed initially will have one extra figure.
6 Warding spells Enemies within 8" of the villain gain a 6+ saving throw.

Step 3: Check for Villain ” On a 1, they escaped (you can use

Destruction the flavor table in the previous step,
If you defeated a villain during the last if you like) and remain on your
mission, there is a chance they have been campaign roster. Increase their
permanently brought down. Roll 1D6 for Monster Point score by +1 each time
each villain you defeated: this happens.
” On 2-6, they have finally been
defeated. You receive 1 Story Point.

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Step 4: Check for Monster Step 5: Get to Know Your Squad

Destruction As the campaign progresses, you will
Did you kill any monsters? If so, your become familiar with more of the soldiers
exploits are sure to spread quickly that make up the squad. Think of this like
throughout the lands. a television show where each episode
features a different character.
” Monsters with 5 or fewer Monster
Points grant you 1 Story Point when Select a grunt in your squad. They
you kill them. become a known personality and
immediately roll twice on the Character
” Monsters with 6 or more Monster
Traits table on page 20. This works
Points grant you 1 Story Point when
exactly as when you create a new
they have lost half their Monster
character at the start of the campaign.
Points and 1 additional Story Point
when you have destroyed them. If every squad member is known, you can
instead note down the details of a soldier
Story Points are only awarded based on
elsewhere in the platoon, in case you get
the final score at the end of the battle. You
to meet them later.
cannot gain points multiple times from a
monster that somehow regains some of its
Monster Points.

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Step 6: Character Advancement

Any skilled commander understands the Campaign Turn 1
importance of having experienced, battle- Did you just complete the first turn of
hardened troops at their disposal, and the the campaign? Your main character (that
best way to obtain that experience is in you picked during Character Creation,
the heat of battle. see page 22) automatically gains one
advancement in addition to the soldier
Select one known personality that fought
you pick to receive one. Note that you
in the battle. You can do this based on
cannot assign both advancements to the
who you would like to improve, who did
same character.
something particularly cool (or lucky!) in
the battle, or anything else you like.
Immediately roll D100 twice for them on
Learning How to Wizard
the Advancement table below and choose
It is possible for a soldier to learn how to
the result you like best. If you roll the
cast spells from a scroll, but it is much less
same advance twice, you must take it. If
likely than through Arcane Transformation
any result would advance a score beyond
(see page 133). In the Post-battle Phase,
the maximum, make that roll again.
you may attempt to learn from a scroll.
Roll 1D6. On a 5-6, you learn the spell and
Advancement table
are now a wizard. On any other roll, the
D100 Advancement spell is burned up and lost, and you made
01-15 Increase Reactions by +1 no progress.
(maximum 5). You can try as many times as you like,
16-30 Increase Speed by +1" provided you have enough spells on
(maximum 8"). scrolls.
31-45 Increase Combat Skill by +1
(maximum +3). A given soldier may receive only two
46-60 Increase Toughness by +1 advancements over the course of the
(maximum 5). campaign. Soldiers carried over from
a veterans roster can receive one
61-70 Increase Wits by +1
advancement during the course of each
(maximum +4).
campaign they play as veterans.
71-80 Gain 1 point of Luck
(no maximum). Spell-caster Advancement
81-00 Gain a new skill rolled on the Spell-casters do not receive Advancements,
Skills subtable on page 118. but instead receives a new spell (rolled
If you roll a skill you already randomly on the Spell table, page 52).
have, either select any skill Spell-casters cannot receive any other
from the table or receive advancements or skills, though they may
1 point of Luck (your choice). retain any they already had.
If you roll a spell you already have, you
may instead select any spell you like, but
as the spell-caster is researching it, you
do not receive it until after the following
mission is completed.
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 RESOLUTION

Skill subtable
D100 Skill Effect
01-15 Runner The soldier can push themselves to the limit when running.
When Dashing, the bonus move is equal to your normal
movement speed.
16-30 Covering The soldier has become an expert at quickly getting into
fire position to fire.
The character may move a full move and fire a weapon with
the Heavy trait, or Dash and fire a non-Heavy weapon. In both
cases the attacks will Hit only on a natural 6.
31-45 Heads down The soldier has practiced their ability to fight effectively from
even minimal cover.
When Hit by archery attacks, you receive a 4+ saving throw.
46-60 Parry The soldier has learned how to fight effectively in hand-to-
hand combat.
In hand-to-hand combat, you may reroll an enemy combat die
once per phase.
61-70 Motivation The soldier has become a pillar of the squad, inspiring their
comrades.
When the character activates, one other character within 6"
and Line of Sight can remove 1 Stun token.
71-80 Redeploy The soldier has gained an increased level of tactical
awareness.
If the character is assigned a Reaction result of 1, they may
immediately swap places with another soldier within 6". This
occurs before either character activates. It does not matter
when the other character would activate.
81-90 Rapid fire The soldier has practiced their ability to engage multiple
targets rapidly.
If the soldier is stationary and firing a weapon with 1 Shot per
attack, they may fire twice.
91-00 Keen eyes The soldier has mastered identifying threats in poor light
conditions.
If visibility is limited, the soldier can see 6" further.

What if no Advancement are eligible to advance due to already

is Possible? having 2 advances. In this case, pick
In some rare cases you may have no any personality you like. If you have
known personalities that also fought in no options at all, you must forego the
the battle you just completed or which advancement.
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 RESOLUTION

Step 7: Field Promotions If you have more than a single vacancy,

If your squad leader died, select a fire roll 1D6 for each vacant spot beyond the
team leader in the squad to replace first, with a replacement arriving on a 5-6.
them. They receive the Leadership skill
immediately. The fire team leader position
Squad Sizes
is then filled by a regular soldier from the
A squad has 9 soldiers. If you are playing
same fire team.
with a different type of unit than current-
Squad leaders that are recovering from day Americans, adjust this number to the
injuries are not replaced. Someone else correct squad or section size for that force.
takes their spot temporarily and is only
in the role for a short while and therefore
It is very possible you will have to go
does not receive the Leadership ability.
into battle short of a full squad. It is also
If your platoon NCO or platoon leader possible you end up with additional
dies, they are replaced. Roll 1D6: On a soldiers once some of them recover
5-6, one of your soldiers is selected (any from their injuries. If you end up with
soldier that is not the squad leader can more than nine soldiers at any point,
become platoon NCO, only your squad you must send the excess back to the
leader can become platoon leader). platoon. However, you should keep notes
These promoted characters retain any of those soldiers. Next time you receive
advancements and rewards they received replacements, you pick from any soldiers
while in your squad. If your squad leader that were previously in your squad, if any
is promoted, another soldier must be are available.
promoted into that slot.
As you play, you may have soldiers in
the platoon that have received items or
A New Outlook on Things rewards while fighting in your squad. If
Promotions hopefully bring out the there are, you may always pick one of
best in people. Roll on the Character those soldiers as replacements.
Trait table (page 20) and then choose
if you want to replace an existing Example:
trait with the new one. I am down three soldiers after the
last mission: one is dead and two are
injured and recovering.
Step 8: Replacements
I get one replacement automatically
If you have vacancies in your squad due to
and then roll 2D6. Rolling a 2 and a
injuries, the platoon might send you some
6, I get one more replacement.
new faces. Think of the rest of the platoon
as a general group of people that exist
beyond your immediate experience and Replacement Limits
from which replacements may be sent The platoon only has so many soldiers to
when required. go around to maintain 3 squads. You can
take a maximum of 12 replacements over
Tally up how many vacancies you have in
the course of the campaign.
the squad currently. There is a vacancy if a
soldier has died or is currently recovering
from injuries. If a you have a vacancy, you
receive one replacement.
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 RESOLUTION

Step 9: Consequences of Failure

Skip this step if this is the first turn of the
campaign.
If the mission you just played was a
failure, you will suffer a consequence as a
result of enemy efforts intensifying. Roll
D100 on the table below. Any champions
added by this table are in addition to the
existing mob size.

Failure Consequence table

D100 Consequence Effects

01-15 Enemy strength Their numbers are surging.
increases
In your next battle every mob that is deployed at the start
of the game adds 1 additional figure to their total.
21-35 Elite enemies The enemy has dispatched some particularly tough mobs
to take you out.
Next battle, a random warrior mob rolls twice on the
Mob Training table (page 103) and receives both benefits.
If you roll a duplicate, the second roll instead grants an
additional champion figure.
36-45 Time is of the The enemy is closing in and you will need to make haste.
essence
In your next battle, every round after Round 5 generates
+1 Aggression.
46-55 Enemy officers The enemy is using their victory to organize their forces.
In your next battle, randomly select two mobs that will
each begin with one additional champion figure.
56-70 Reduced support The platoon needs to focus elsewhere.
You receive no additional Support Points this turn (Step
10), and if you have any unspent points, you lose 1 of them.
71-85 Reduced Kit Resources have to be stretched more thinly to contend
with the enemy forces.
You receive no Kit Points this turn (Step 13), and if you
have any unspent points you lose 2 of them.
86-00 Hurried into There is insufficient time to rest before you have to go
action back into the field.
Randomly select one soldier recovering from injuries.
They do not recover this campaign turn.

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Step 10: Gain Support Points Step 12: Loot

You always gain 1 Support Point The world is full of marvelous magical
automatically. If your platoon leader things, from enchanted swords to
accompanied you on the mission and did alchemical potions, and stranger objects
not become a casualty, gain an additional yet. After each battle, you may roll once
Support Point. on the Loot tables (see page 122) to see
what you found.
Support Points accumulate until
you spend them. Track them on your Magical items tend to be attuned to
campaign roster. willpower and determination (not to
mention being lucky). If you succeeded
Step 11: Exposure in your mission, you roll twice and
The longer you spend in this world, then choose which of the items you
the more you begin to be a part of want to receive.
it. As that progresses, your soldiers
Missions may occasionally generate a
will start to experience changes and
bonus Objective when rolling for
develop fantastical abilities. Exposure
Sudden Death. If it did and you
is tracked for your squad as a whole,
completed the additional Objective,
with all Exposure Points earned going
you receive both items rolled on the
into a single pool tracked on your
Loot table.
campaign roster.
There are other possibilities to obtain
You automatically earn
Loot which are detailed in the rules as
1 point of Exposure in
they occur.
any mission that lasts
for 3 battle rounds or
longer. Certain events in
the campaign can also
award additional points
of Exposure. Regardless
of the source, they are
pooled into a single resource
pool until you spend them.
See the Transformations
chapter (page 132) for ways to
spend your Exposure points.

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Step 13: Gather Kit Earning Kit Points

You have only limited supplies available, You receive 1D6 Kit Points every mission
but you just might be able to talk your as long as the mission lasted for at least
way into some military goodies. Likewise, 3 battle rounds. If you win, you may roll
your soldiers will come across interesting twice and pick the better score.
things in monster lairs or bartered from
All items must be carried by a specific
villagers, and be able to kit-bash some
character to be usable. Characters can
much needed upgrades from scrap.
carry only one of a specific type of kit, but
After every mission, you receive Kit Points can carry multiple types.
and may spend them on any items you like
from the Kit List table below. Kit Points
can be saved up.

Kit List table

Kit Cost Effects
Medical pack 2 Extra bandages and painkillers.
Single use as a Free Action. Remove 1 Stun marker
from up to 2 different soldiers within 6".
Melee weapon 2 A sturdy sword or axe.
Counts as a sword in hand-to-hand combat.
Heavy melee weapon 3 A sturdy sword or axe that is also quite large.
Counts as a large sword in hand-to-hand combat.
The soldier cannot carry a squad automatic or
anti-tank weapon.
Lucky trinket 6 Lucky trading game card or similar.
Grant 1 point of Luck to a soldier that has none.
Only usable once and a soldier cannot carry multiple
at the same time.
Armor 3 Padded coat or mail shirt.
6+ saving throw.
Heavy armor 4 Coat of plates, brigandine, or similar armor.
5+ saving throw but -1" movement.
Ephemera 3 Stuff they’d probably sell in a new age shop.
Single use. As a Free Action, increase Power by +2 for
spell-casting. Only one Ephemera can be used by a
character per battle round.
Assorted tools 2 Maps, tools, and other stuff that might come in
handy.
Single use. You may reroll one Wits test.

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Step 14: Sort Out Your Equipment

Once you know what your squad will look The Stash
like for the next battle, you can rearrange As you play, you may end up with items
your weapons and equipment. If you had you don’t have a specific use for at that
casualties, their weapons remain available moment. These go in your Stash. The Stash
to you and can be reassigned. The primary is the pool of gear you have available, but
weapons of your squad are the assault which is kept at the base. At this point, any
rifle, submachine gun, and shotgun. Each excess items can be left in the Stash, and
figure with one of these primary weapons stashed items can be retrieved for use.
allows you to take one soldier armed with
Items in the Stash cannot be used during a
a squad automatic, sharpshooter’s rifle,
mission but are safe and cannot be lost.
or grenade launcher.
One sharpshooter’s rifle can be
swapped for a grenade launcher or the Step 15: Update the Map
other way around. After fighting through a region, it can be
marked as clear using any method you
One soldier with an assault rifle, sub-
like, such as crossing it out or planting
machine gun, or shotgun can swap for
a flag on the map. Your actions have
another of those three options.
helped the people living here gather
Magic items and mission gear can be their strength and retake the region
stashed or issued to any soldiers you like. from the monsters.
Items that are stashed can be retrieved
after any future mission. Step 16: Get Ready
You are now done with your campaign
Note that magical items can be alluring:
turn and ready to begin the next one!
If you want to transfer a magic item from
a soldier who currently has it (whether Review the Campaign Flow (see page 67)
to the Stash – see boxout, above – or to see what is happening next. If the turn
to another soldier) and they are not you completed was before Turn 12, the
currently recovering from injuries, roll next turn is waiting for you. Some players
1D6. On a 1, they refuse to do so, though prefer to prepare the next mission in
you may try again after a future battle. advance before they stop for the day,
while others enjoy doing that as part of
the next day of gaming.
If you just completed Turn 12, turn to
Final Battles (page 94) to find out how it
is all going to go down.

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LOOT
One end of the staff had been carved into the head of a dragon, its snout wide and toothy
and malevolent, its carved eyes glittering with dark destruction. Even the wood itself
was unsettling, its patterns and whorls seeming more like other places than mere
textures in the grain. Worlds and hidden rooms if you looked close enough.
– Forgotten Ruin

When the rules say you have earned one character and can be used at any time
or more Loot rolls, they are resolved using by any member of your squad. Using a
the tables in this chapter. Roll D100 for Consumable item is a Free Action.
each Loot roll and check the tables to see
Permanent items cannot be used until
what item you receive. All rolls lead to
they have been assigned to a character.
sub-tables that require an additional roll.
This is normally done during the
When you win a mission, you may roll campaign post-battle sequence. If you find
twice and pick. Determine all details of an item during a battle, it can be issued
each item before choosing. immediately to any character within 2"
of the point where it was found, and used
Items are either Consumable or
right away. Otherwise, it is added to your
Permanent. Assume all items are
campaign Stash.
Permanent unless described as
Consumable. Consumable items do Permanent items may grant bonuses to
not have to be carried by a specific specific functions, act as weapons, or give
special abilities that can be activated.
Each item will explain if it is used
Specific Carry (realism option)
automatically, or requires a Free Action or
Players who struggle with the abstraction
a Combat Action to use.
of unassigned items moving between
figures may prefer that Consumable items A character can carry any number of
are carried by specific soldiers and can Permanent items but cannot use more
only be used by that soldier. than one for any given action. For
example, even if you have three magic
swords you are lugging around, you will
have to pick which one you use when
Form Factors Do Not Matter
you fight in a hand-to-hand combat,
Other than the general category of item,
though you could switch swords between
the exact form factor is not important
combats if desired.
to the game and a given magic item can
take any form you like. This is particularly Typically, you will do better if you share
useful for players that want their your items throughout the squad to
miniatures to closely resemble their in- maximize their benefits.
game reality.

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Loot table Magical Weapons

Weapons must be carried by a character
D100 Item group
to be usable. Each weapon is indicated as
01-20 Magical Weapons and subtable being either a melee weapon or a missile
(right and page 126) weapon and can only be used in the
21-35 Magical Armors (see Magical appropriate type of combat.
Armors subtable, page 127) A D6 can be rolled on the following
36-45 Scrolls (see Scrolls subtable, subtables to determine the nature of a
page 128) particular melee or missile weapon, if you
46-65 Potions (see Potions subtable, like. This is only for flavor purposes and
page 128) another option may be to determine the
characteristics first and then decide what
66-80 Staffs (see Staffs subtable,
form the weapon takes. A character with a
page 130)
magical melee weapon is not considered
81-00 Various (see Various Items to be unarmed in hand-to-hand combat
subtable, page 130) and does not suffer the -1 penalty to hand-
to-hand combat.
Magical missiles use the normal Hit roll
and benefit from Combat Skill as well as
magical bonuses.

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To generate the weapon’s details, roll once The damage bonus is added to the roll
on each of the Weapon Type, Hit Bonus, against Toughness.
and Damage Bonus subtables below.
All magical weapons receive one special
Magical Weapon Type subtable ability. Roll on the appropriate subtable
below:
D6 Weapon type
1-4 Melee (roll below) Magical Weapon Special Ability subtables

5-6 Missile (roll below) D6 Melee abilities

1 Quickness. Once per phase, you
Magical Weapon Type (Melee) subtable may follow up into contact and
D6 Weapon type fight again.
1-2 Sword 2 Parrying. You may force the
enemy to reroll one hand-to-
3 Axe
hand roll per phase.
4 Mace or hammer
3 Deep strikes. A roll of a 6 in
5 Spear hand-to-hand combat inflicts 2
6 Dagger Hits.
4 Strength. Cannot be Stunned.
Magical Weapon Type (Missile) subtable
5 Guarding. 6+ saving throw.
D6 Weapon type
6 Slaying. If the weapon
1-3 Bow successfully damages a monster,
4-5 Crossbow it loses 1 additional MP.
6 Sling
D6 Missile abilities
Magical Weapon Hit Bonus subtable 1 Destruction. Roll twice for
damage and pick the best score.
D6 Hit bonus
Against monsters, Hit twice
1-3 +1 instead.
4-5 +2 2 Piercing. Ignore saving throws.
6 +3 3 Keenness. A 6 on the damage
roll inflicts 2 additional Hits on
The Hit bonus applies to the Hit roll when
the target.
shooting a missile weapon and the hand-
to-hand combat roll for melee weapons. 4 Fear. If the shot kills a figure in
a mob, roll 2 additional Morale
Magical Weapon Damage Bonus subtable dice.
D6 Damage bonus 5 Seeking. If you have Line of
Sight, the target always counts as
1-2 +1
being in the open and visibility
3 +2 limits do not apply.
4-5 +1 normally, +3 versus monsters 6 Impact. Non-monster targets
and champions. are Knocked Down when
6 +1 and Hits twice struck.
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Magical Armors Armor of Deflection

Armor must be carried by a character to
Arrows deflect right off the surface of
be usable. Each character can wear only
this armor.
one piece of armor and cannot remove it
or replace it during a battle. You cannot All archery Hits on the character must
combine magical and regular armor. The reroll the Hit die once.
exact form of the armor is up to you; it
may be a mail shirt, a chest plate, helmet, Armor of Hurry
or anything else you like. A coat of armor that seems to implore
you to get into the fight.
All armor from this table provides a
5+ saving throw. The saving throw always matches the
battle round number: 1+ in Round 1;
Magical Armors subtable 2+ in Round 2; and so forth.
D100 Armor Armor of Movement
01-15 Armor of Movement A particularly light suit of armor. It
16-30 Armor of Deflection actually enhances your ability to move.
31-40 Armor of Brightness Adds +1" to normal movement and +1" to
41-55 Armor of Sturdiness Dash movement.
56-65 Armor of Retaliation Armor of Resilience
66-80 Armor of Alliance This armor repels almost anything that
81-90 Armor of Hurry strikes it.
91-00 Armor of Resilience Your Toughness counts as 1 point greater
than normal (to a maximum of 6).
Armor of Alliance
A stalwart protective item that Armor of Retaliation
emboldens your friends. Brimming with malevolent magic,
this armor seeks to destroy those that
All friends within 6" gain a 6+ saving
attack it.
throw.
If the character is struck in hand-to-hand
Armor of Brightness combat, the attacker also takes a Hit with
When enemies are near, this armor the same damage modifiers and effects.
shines with a fierce brightness though the
shine is only visible to your enemies. Armor of Sturdiness
This armor is extremely heavy, but the
Hand-to-hand opponents that roll a
material is particularly dense and solid.
1 on the combat dice lose the fight
automatically and take 1 additional Hit to The character cannot Dash, but the
the normal outcome of the melee. armor provides a 4+ saving throw and
the wearer cannot be Knocked Down
for any reason.

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Scrolls Potions
Scrolls have spells on them. For each spell Potions are Consumable items. Any
on a scroll, roll once on the Spell table character may drink a potion as a
(see page 52). A scroll may have multiple Free Action, and the effects are applied
copies of the same spell if you roll the immediately. Some potions can be used
same result. outside of combat if the rules say so.
Scrolls are Consumable items but require If the entry says “2x” it means you find
a normal Interact Action to use. Select two potions.
one spell on any of your scrolls and cast it
You can try to drink less of a potion. If
as if the character taking the Action was
so, roll 1D6. On a 1-2, it has no effect,
casting it. The spell is automatically cast
and the entire potion is now used. On a
with the exact Power required.
3-6, you can get one more use out of the
Each spell can be cast once only. potion before it is all gone. A potion will
never give more than one additional use
Scrolls subtable through this rule.
D100 Scroll
Potions subtable
01-25 1 spell
D100 Potion
26-45 2 spells
01-15 Healing
46-55 3 spells
16-20 2x Healing
56-65 1 spell. If the spell has a range
in inches, double it. 21-35 Strength
66-75 1 spell. If the spell affects a set 36-45 Leaping
number of targets, double it. 46-55 Ghost Form
76-85 1 spell. If it normally could be 56-65 Fire Breath
resisted, it cannot. 66-75 Shrinking
86-95 2 spells, but you can cast only 76-80 Unidentified potion
one of them
81-85 2x Unidentified potions
96-00 4 spells
86-95 Holy water
96-00 Unstable potion.

Fire Breath
A delicious concoction, heavy on ginger.
The character immediately spews a burst
of flame. Draw out a straight line 6" long:
Any figure touched by the line is struck
with +2 damage. Undead (including
vampires) are Hit twice.

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Ghost Form Leaping

A translucent drink, slightly minty. A slimy draught with an acrid smell.
The character cannot attack or be attacked Instead of moving normally, the character
except by spells. They cannot pick up can leap up to 6" in a straight line. They
items, but anything they currently carry may leap up onto terrain features, down
can be kept. Ghost form characters from features, or across gaps or figures.
can move through terrain features
unhindered but cannot climb up on Shrinking
things, and will fall harmlessly to the It only has a slight taste.
ground if they are on a terrain feature
The character becomes tiny. They can
when they drink the potion.
move at only half speed but cannot attack
Each time the character activates, roll a or be attacked while tiny. The potion lasts
D6: On a 1, the potion expires. If it expires for this and 2 more activations.
within a solid obstacle, you become a
casualty. Strength
A thick brew, bubbling disconcertingly.
Healing
For the rest of the mission, the character
A rejuvenating elixir, tasting faintly like
adds +1 to both Combat Skill and damage
berries.
rolls in hand-to-hand combat only, and
Can be given to a character after a battle will Knock Down any non-monster foes
to ignore one roll on the Injury table. they strike. They may move and fire with
This must be used before rolling on the weapons with the Heavy trait.
Injury table.
Unidentified potion
Holy water This could be anything, really.
You are definitely not meant to drink this.
The effect is unknown though you
This can be thrown at an Undead can make some guesses. When drunk,
mob within 6". Roll 4D6, with each roll again on this table to determine
4-6 destroying one figure in the mob the effects of the potion. If you roll
automatically. The figures closest to the “Unidentified” or “Unstable”, you may pick
thrower are Hit first. If thrown at an any potion type you would like it to be.
Undead monster, each 4+ inflicts
1 Monster Point of damage. No saving Unstable potion
throws apply. The smell is a bit off.
If you find holy water from an Roll again on this table to determine
“Unidentified” potion, you may keep it the type. If you roll “Unidentified” or
until you are ready to use it. “Unstable”, you may pick any potion type
you like. When you choose to drink the
potion, roll 1D6. On a 1, it turns out it
didn’t work at all.

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Staffs Lightning Bolt

Staffs are Permanent items and must
Draw a line 18" long. Any figure it
be carried by a character to be used. A
passes through is Hit for +1 damage.
character can only carry a single staff.
Monsters are Hit twice. The bolt stops
You can use the staff as an Action. Some
when it contacts a terrain feature. Non-
staffs have limited uses. If so, you must
monster figures are also Knocked Down.
keep track and once it is used up, it is
destroyed. Paralysis
Staffs with per battle uses last A single figure within Line of Sight cannot
indefinitely, but unused activations move or attack when next activated. If
cannot be saved up. targeting a monster, it cannot move but
can make missile attacks if normally able.
Staffs cannot be used in hand-to-hand
combat. Petty Air Elemental
Staffs subtable When used, two friendly characters
within 12" and Line of Sight can swap
D100 Staff positions.
01-15 Illumination (1D6+3 uses)
Recovery
16-40 Fire Bolt (1D6+1 uses)
A single soldier recovering from injuries
41-50 Paralysis (1 use per battle) may reduce their recovery time by
51-60 Recovery (1 use per campaign 1 campaign turn.
turn)
61-70 Petty Air Elemental (1 use per Various Items
battle) Items in this category can be almost
71-100 Lightning Bolt (1D6+1 uses) anything. Read the descriptions of the
items carefully. Permanent items (P) must
Fire Bolt be carried by a character to be usable.
A target point within Line of Sight is Various Items subtable
struck by the bolt. A figure struck directly
takes 3 Hits with +2 damage. D100 Item Uses

All figures within 2" are Hit once for +0 01-10 Stone of Shattering 1
damage. 11-20 Magic Hourglass 1
Undead figures take 1 additional Hit in 21-30 Cloak of Distortion P
both cases. 31-35 Summoning Chime 2

Illumination 36-40 Horn of Horrors 1

For the rest of the battle, all visibility 41-50 Leaping Boots P
penalties are removed. 51-55 Pearls of Time 2
56-70 Dust of Evasion 1
71-75 Chime of Disappearance 2
76-85 Enchanted Oil P
86-00 Sorcerous Tool P
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Chime of Disappearance Magic Hourglass

Usable twice. The user and any soldiers Single use. Select up to 3 soldiers within
of choice within 9" are immediately 6" and Line of Sight. One may be the user
removed from the battle. If they were of the item. Each soldier immediately
the last soldiers on the battlefield, the activates. These activations are a bonus
mission ends. Note that this does not in addition to their normal activations in
affect enemy figures. the round.

Cloak of Distortion Stone of Shattering

Continuous while worn. The wearer Single use. Select a terrain feature within
cannot be shot at by enemies more than 9" and Line of Sight. It crumbles into
9" away. rubble. All figures within or touching the
feature take a +0 damage Hit. Figures
Dust of Evasion above ground level fall as well. All affected
Single use. Used before a battle to give figures are Knocked Down.
every soldier in the squad a 5+ saving
throw for one entire battle. Summoning Chime
Usable twice. Roll on the Monster
Enchanted Oil table (page 107): The indicated creature
Permanent. Any one weapon of choice shows up anywhere within 6" of the
can be enchanted if it is not already user and fights on your side for the rest
enchanted or magical. The weapon adds of the battle. It activates in the Slow
+1 to all Hit and damage rolls. Weapons Actions Phase.
with multiple shots receive this bonus to
only a single shot per attack. Pearls of Time
Usable twice. Target a figure within 6" and
Horn of Horrors Line of Sight. They are frozen in time for
Single use. Select a mob within Line of the rest of the current and all of the next
Sight and roll 10 Morale dice against it. battle round. While frozen, they cannot
Any survivors become Fearless for the take any actions and cannot be attacked or
rest of the battle. targeted by spells or items in any way.

Leaping Boots None of their abilities apply,

e.g. Aggression increases.
Continuous while worn. The character
does not move any faster, but can move Sorcerous Tool
through the air, landing on terrain
Permanent. If carried by a wizard, they
features within movement range and
add +1 to their Power score each round.
ignoring terrain as they go. They can also
For example, if their Reaction die was a 3,
move “through” any human-sized figures.
they have a Power of 4.

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TRANSFORMATIONS
When I began to dream in Elvish, it was then I knew I could speak it.
And it was when the orc horde overran one of the fighting positions along
First Platoon's sector on the east side of the island the Rangers were defending
that I knew we weren't in Kansas anymore.
– Forgotten Ruin

Transformations allow your soldiers to well as from a range of other sources.

truly become part of the fantasy world. At your discretion, it costs 3 or 4 Exposure
Whether it is learning to cast spells or Points to earn a Transformation (see
assuming a fantastical form, the result is below). The Transformation always
sure to be spectacular. happens to a random soldier who does
not already have one.
Transformations are earned with
Exposure Points. These are earned as Transformations will occasionally match
you take on missions as explained in the up with the outlook and talent of a
Post-Battle Sequence (see page 114), as particular soldier:
” If you paid 3 points, you roll once
No Spell-caster in the Squad? on the table below and receive the
If none of your soldiers can cast spells result of the roll.
currently, you may opt to take The Arcane
” If you paid 4 points, you roll twice
instead of rolling randomly. Please note
and can pick either result. If you roll
that you cannot roll and then opt to pick
the same result twice, you must pick
The Arcane.
that one.

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Transformation Upgrades
Once the magical change has begun, it
seldom stops. The nerd in the platoon may
enjoy pointing out that this is “just like
that card game I play” but whatever the
reason, you have to understand what this
offers to be successful in battle.
All Transformations can be upgraded by
spending additional Exposure Points. As
long as you have the available points, you
may do so at any point, even mid-battle.
Apply any new abilities immediately.

Main Transformation table

D100 Transformation
01-11 The Arcane
12-19 The Centaur
20-28 The Cursed
29-38 The Divine
39-48 The Green The Arcane (wizard, etc.)
49-58 The Minotaur The character is blessed with arcane
insight.
59-68 The Savage
” Randomly select 3 spells that the
69-76 The Scaled
character can use from now on.
77-86 The Scoundrel
” Future advancements for this
87-93 The Skyborne
character must be used to buy
94-00 The Swarm new spells.
Upgrades:
The Miniatures Challenge The Sight: [+1 Exposure] Add +2 to the
Of course, you will need a suitable Wits score of the character.
miniature to use for the new soldier.
Spell Acquisition: [+3 Exposure]
This can be solved by using an
The character immediately learns any
appropriate figure from a fantasy
spell of your choice.
role-playing game, but enterprising
modelers can get a lot of fun out of Apprentice: [+2 Exposure] One character
kit-bashing minotaurs with rocket with no Transformations becomes Arcane
launchers and so forth. The entries themselves and begins with 1 spell
are open-ended, so you can exercise selected at random from those known by
as much creativity as possible in this character.
adapting cool miniatures.

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The Centaur The Cursed (Werewolf,

The bad news about having a horse body Weretiger, Wereboar, etc.)
is that you need two pairs of boots. The character can shape-shift into a
dangerous animal such as a tiger or wolf.
” The character increases their Speed
by +2" when moving in a straight Shapeshifting takes an action and must
line and always adds +3" to their be done after the battle has started. No
Dash moves. die roll is required. The character cannot
change back during the battle.
” Another soldier can ride on their
back and will move when the ” While in animal form, the character
centaur moves. Shooting from cannot use any weapons but has
horseback counts the shooter’s natural melee weapons (teeth and
Combat Skill as +0. Mounting up claws) adding +1 to both the Combat
or dismounting takes an action. If Skill and damage rolls. They Hit
the centaur becomes a casualty, the twice versus any monster.
rider is placed where they fell.
” The character can add their full
” In hand-to-hand combat, only the movement when Dashing in animal
centaur fights, not any mounted form, instead of only moving +3".
soldier (your soldiers are not
” The character receives a 6+ saving
trained knights) but you may add
throw against all attacks in both
any magical weapon bonus of
human and animal form.
either character (only one weapon
can be picked). Upgrades:
Upgrades: ” Brutal attack: [+1 Exposure]
In animal form, if the character
” Stomp: [+1 Exposure] If a hand-to-
rolls a natural 6 on the damage
hand combat by rider or centaur
roll, the target does not receive any
ends in a draw, the centaur can
saving throws.
decide to Stomp. The soldiers are
not Hit, and the target is Hit with ” Regeneration: [+2 Exposure]
+0 damage (regardless of any The character cannot be
weapons used). Stunned, and rolls twice,
picking the best result, when
” Leap: [+2 Exposure] The soldier
rolling for post-battle
may replace a Dash move
injuries. This benefit
with a Leap of 1D6+1".
applies in human
The Leap must be in
form too.
a straight line and
can clear any figures
or obstacles up to
normal human
height. A rider can
be dropped off at any
point of the Leap.

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The Divine (Cleric, Paladin, etc.) The Green (Elf, Halfling,

The character is suffused with divine Plant Person, etc.)
energy. The character feels a new connection to
the wild things.
” The character may negate any
magical attack aimed at themselves ” They do not suffer any terrain
or a soldier within 6" and Line of penalties due to forest or other
Sight on a D6 roll of a 4+. natural features and ignore all
darkness penalties.
” Once per battle when another
soldier within 6" would become ” The character receives a bow and
a casualty, the Divine soldier may may shoot it in place of a military
recite a chant or prayer, negating the weapon. Unlike enemy bows, the
Hit completely. Only one character character adds their Combat Skill to
can be protected in this fashion even shots. They strike with +1 damage,
if the attack struck multiple targets. ignores Cover, and a natural 6 to Hit
will ignore saving throws.
Upgrades:
Upgrades:
” Inspire Awe: [+1 Exposure] When
the character activates, select a mob ” Keen Archery: [+1 Exposure]
within 6" and roll 3 Morale dice. When stationary, the character may
The effect applies even if the mob shoot twice when using their bow or
would be Fearless or is otherwise any magical ranged weapon.
unaffected by Morale tests,
” Infiltration: [+2 Exposure]
though champions remain
The character may choose to begin
immune as normal.
the game off the battlefield. They are
” Divine Aura: assigned Initiative dice normally.
[+2 Exposure] When they are active, they may
The character and choose to remain off the table or to
all allies within arrive. When they arrive randomly,
6" receive a select a soldier on the battlefield,
6+ saving throw. then place the Infiltrator anywhere
you like within 6" of them. The
Infiltrator cannot move
when they arrive, but
may shoot (counting as
stationary) or be placed
directly into hand-to-hand
combat. All shooting and hand-
to-hand combat rolls receive a
+1 on the round they arrive.

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The Minotaur The Savage (Hyena-folk, etc.)

The character wakes up as a hulking The character's bestial nature expresses
half-bull beast. itself in bestial features: claws, fangs, and
bloodthirst.
” They can move and fire normally
with weapons with the Heavy trait, ” Increase Toughness by +1
and, if engaging in hand-to-hand (maximum 6).
combat during their activation, they
” The character can enter hand-to-
may roll the combat dice twice and
hand combat with a Follow Up move
pick the best score.
and may fight immediately when
” They increase their Toughness score doing so. This can occur only once
by +1 (maximum 6). per phase.
Upgrades: ” When fighting monsters in hand-
to-hand combat, a natural 6 on the
” Hulk: [+2 Exposure] The character
damage roll allows another damage
ignores the first Hit each battle
die to be rolled (and thus additional
that would make them become a
Monster Points to be lost). This can
casualty.
trigger multiple times.
” Horns: [+1 Exposure] The character
Upgrades:
has a natural melee weapon that
Hits for +1 damage. ” War Cry: [+1 Exposure] Any mob
that tests Morale for any reason
within 8" of the soldier must add
one additional die to the number
rolled.
” Blood Instincts: [+2 Exposure]
The soldier rolls two dice in
hand-to-hand combat and
picks the best of the dice.
If both dice score a 6, an
additional Hit is inflicted
(for a total of 3 due to the
Great Hit rule).

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The Scaled (Lizard-folk, The Scoundrel (Thief, Bard, etc.)

Fish-folk, etc.) The character has gained a strange
Covered in heavy scales, with a thick, combination of luck and foolishness.
spiny, or finned tail.
The character cannot receive a saving
” The Scaled get a 6+ saving throw throw due to armor or any other type of
against Hits and do not suffer any protection. Instead, whenever anything
movement penalties in water or hostile strikes the character, such as
swamp features, including Swamp an attack or spell, they may attempt to
regional terrain. Dodge. Roll 1D6, with 5-6 avoiding the
threat and allowing the character to
” They can move at normal pace
move a single base move in any direction
through Impassable water features
immediately. The Dodge roll is not a
though they cannot attack or be
saving throw and cannot be negated by
attacked while within a water
attacks that prevent saves, nor can it be
feature.
modified up or down by any effect or rule.
Upgrades: Dodging applies to all types of traps and
natural hazards.
” Tail Slap: [+2 Exposure]
After successfully striking a mob Upgrades:
enemy in hand-to-hand combat, you
” Thieves’ Luck: [+1 Exposure]
may Knock Down both the target
Whenever the character makes
and another figure of the same mob
a Wits test of any kind, they may
within 1".
opt to reroll if they do not like the
” Cold-blooded: [+1 Exposure] result. The Wits reroll has a fixed
The character does not suffer any +1 modifier, regardless of what the
penalties from being in Desert actual score was. Other modifiers
regional terrain. Additionally, they apply normally.
get +1 Reactions in Desert, Swamp,
” Silent Movement: [+1 Exposure]
or Jungle regional terrain.
If the character does not shoot when
” Thick Scales: they activate, they are hidden and
[+1 Exposure] cannot be shot at or targeted by
The saving spells until the Scoundrel activates
throw is again. They can be attacked
improved normally in hand-to-hand combat
to 5+ and and can be targeted normally by
ignores the enemy archers or spell-casters
Rend monster within 8". Note that an enemy that
ability. is not within 8" will ignore the
Scoundrel for all purposes.
” Use Cover: [+1 Exposure]
If the Scoundrel is in Cover, they
can Dodge archery attacks on a
4+ instead of the customary 5+.

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The Skyborne (any Variety of

Bird-person)
The character has a huge pair of wings
allowing limited flight.
” They no longer take any falling
damage, and can ignore obstacles,
chasms, and terrain penalties when
moving.
” They may add 3" to the range of any
thrown hand grenades.
” If on a raised terrain feature, the
character can glide instead of
moving normally. The character
lands on any lower position (or the
ground) within a horizontal distance
equal to double the height of their
The Swarm (Mantis-folk,
position. For example, if they are 3"
Spider-folk, etc.)
above ground level, they could land
A horror with a chitinous exo-skeleton
anywhere within 6" (measured on
and multiple limbs.
the ground).
” Receive a 5+ saving throw versus all
Upgrades:
Hits, and immunity to all types of
” Wing Buffet: [+1 Exposure] poison attacks.
Any opponent that rolls a 1 on
Upgrades:
their hand-to-hand combat dice is
Knocked Down. They take 1 Hit, in ” Venomous: [+2 Exposure]
addition to any normal outcomes of Enemies that are Hit in hand-to-
the battle. hand combat roll twice against
Toughness and use the worst result.
” Take to the Sky: [+2 Exposure]
This does not work against Undead.
The character may fly into the sky
by spending both their Move and ” Multi-limbed: [+1 Exposure]
their Action. On any subsequent The character can use two weapons
activation, they can land anywhere in hand-to-hand combat. Apply the
on the table as a Move and take damage and any magical abilities of
an action normally. The character one weapon only (but the character
cannot use any flying abilities at all can choose each melee), and add a +1
for the next two battle rounds. modifier when rolling for hand-to-
hand combat to account for the other
weapon. When fighting with two
weapons, the character adds +1 to
saving throws against hand-to-hand
combat Hits.
” Chitinous: [+1 Exposure]
The saving throw improves to 4+.
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 RESOLUTION

CAMPAIGN END
Outside it was dark now. The air was getting cold. And the island and the forest
were dead silent. No drums. Not even the smell of smoke from out there in the woods.
But you could feel something coming. Feel the length of the long night already
stretching out into a never-seeing-the-sun-rise-again moment.
You could feel that they were coming now. Coming for us.
– Forgotten Ruin

Did you win the final battle? You Outcome Victory Points
emerge triumphantly as the evil keep
Every mission where 1 VP
collapses around you. Blood-soaked
you completed your
and battered, you have freed this world
Objectives
from a grave evil and can enjoy a few
moments of quiet. Every villain defeated 1 VP
Every Special Mission Additional
Did your squad all fall? Your heroic
completed +1 VP
efforts have allowed the locals to mount
an assault and drive the enemy out of Final Battle won Additional
their lands. Your wounded soldiers are +2 VP
rescued from the rubble and thanked
All awards are cumulative.
profusely for their effects.
Please note that the Artifact battles do not
Either way, the survivors are able to
award any Victory Points, but the final
recuperate, gather their thoughts, and
battle does.
make contact with the rest of the ranger
force. Your adventure has come to an If you achieve fewer than 5 Victory Points,
end… for now. the campaign has ended in defeat. You
may save a single soldier of your choice to
When you have played out the conclusion,
the veteran roster (see page 140).
the campaign has come to an end. Reflect
on how you came out of it, how your
favorite characters did, what your favorite Victory Point Modifier
moments were, and what it all felt like. When determining your Victory Points at
the end of the campaign, a multiplier is
All unspent resources such as Story
used. The multiplier starts at x1.0. Each
Points, Support Points, Kit Points, and so
point of Difficulty Factor changes it ±0.1
forth are lost.
up or down.
All kit, weapons, and magic items are
For example, if you earn 8 Victory Points
discarded, even if currently carried by a
and used a Difficulty Factor of +2, you
character.
would multiply by 1.2 for a final Victory
You now tally up your Victory Points to Point score of 9.6.
see how well you performed:

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 RESOLUTION

In future campaigns you should strive to Create or Update Your

beat your prior best score, but as long as Veteran Roster
you end up with at least 5 Victory Points,
If you won (5+ Victory Points achieved),
you succeed.
you may save any of your soldiers to
your veteran roster, a sheet of past
Story Point Bonus soldiers you may choose to use in future
campaigns (you may dedicate a spare
Every 4 Victory Points you earned gives
platoon sheet to this purpose). You are
you one additional Story Point which
not required to save all of them if you
may be listed on your veteran roster.
only want to keep certain soldiers. For
These can be taken at any point in any
example, a grunt that never gained any
future campaign. When each is used
advances may not be important to keep.
up, it is gone and will not be replaced,
though there is no limit to how many If you lost (fewer than 5 Victory Points),
you can earn over the course of playing you may save just ONE soldier of your
multiple campaigns. choice.
When you begin a new campaign, you
Final Advances may pick up to two soldiers from your
veteran roster to carry over.
For every 6 Victory Points you earned,
you receive one Final Advance. This can When saving a character roster, include
be taken as either an experience advance, any Final Advances from this section,
or an upgrade for a Transformation but do not save any kit, equipment, or
(regardless of cost). It can be applied to magical items obtained. Such things must
any soldier just like a regular be earned again in the new campaign.
advance, turning them into In essence, what you are saving is the
a known personality in the character profile and any skills and
process, and allows you to get Transformations gained. Upgraded
one of your grunts up to Transformations are saved
speed so they can be in their upgraded form.
a more attractive
option on your roster
in a future campaign.

140
CHAPTER 7:
APPENDICES

141
 APPENDICES

MY GAME DID SOMETHING

STRANGE!
The game may throw some unexpected Remember that events do not stack
elements your way. If you are not sure up. For example, one figure moving
how to proceed, this section provides a or attacking may make it possible (or
few pointers: impossible) for another figure to do
something they were previously intending
A game event may refer to something
to do that round. For example, if a figure
that is not possible, such as an increase
makes an attack that kills an opponent,
in Aggression in a mission that does
another figure could now move through
not use the Aggression rule. If so, any
that space or select a different target.
impossible parts of the effect are simply
ignored. For example, the Loot result on
the Investigation table causes 2 points of Key 'rule of thumb’: In general,
Aggression to be earned, which would be special cases supersede regular cases.
ignored in the first two campaign turns; If an item or ability modifies
however, you would still receive the Loot. how a core rule works, the item
or ability takes precedent.
If a lot of things appear to be happening
simultaneously and it is getting confusing,
stand back and resolve things in the order
in which they were initiated. If you work
through things one at a time you will
usually be able to make sense of it.
If two things appear to make each other
impossible, whichever was initiated
first should take precedent. If they are
completely even, try to do your best. In
most cases you can either let the events
cancel out or you could roll randomly to
pick which takes precedent.

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 APPENDICES

MINIATURES
Selecting Miniatures There are other scales, such as 6mm and
10mm, though they are less common for
You will need two batches of miniatures
skirmish gaming.
to play the campaign: Military figures
for the soldiers and fantasy figures for Plastic figures for model builders are
the bad guys. Luckily, both are readily usually indicated as 1:72 scale, 1:35, or
available on the market. For military similar. These figures are quite cheap and
figures you can use figures from cold war can make good gaming figures, though
and modern-day wargames ranges while finding fantasy creatures can be very
any range of fantasy figures will do just difficult. Nominally, 1:72 figures should fit
fine. As figure ranges often fall out of fairly well with 20mm metal figures.
availability and companies occasionally
When buying monsters in particular,
close up business, we have opted not to
don’t neglect that a figure can often work
make specific recommendations here.
out of scale. A small but mean lizard in
Figures are usually described as being in 28mm scale can be a fearsome monster
a particular scale, such as 15mm or 28mm. on a 15mm battlefield, for example.
This is the height of the figure, typically
Suitable gaming figures can often be
measured from the feet to the eye level.
found in unusual places: Toy stores often
Note, however, that manufacturers often
have containers full of plastic lizards,
have some variation from each other and
frogs, insects, and so on which make
two figures that are both nominally 15mm
excellent monsters to fight.
may in fact not fit perfectly together,
though on a gaming table the differences If physical miniatures are not your style,
are usually not a big deal. you can also find sets of print-and-play
paper miniatures available for sale. Many
15mm figures are very popular for
of these are aimed at roleplaying gamers,
historical gaming and are quite cheap.
so fantasy creatures are easy to find. Then
They also do not take up a substantial
you can simply print out as many as you
amount of storage space and will allow
need for a particular game. Other options
your gaming table to feel quite large.
include liberating some figures from an
28mm is the scale associated with many old board game.
fantasy and science fiction miniatures
You will have to make some decisions in
games. These figures are often elaborate,
advance about how open-ended you want
and reward effort when painting them
to be with your figures. Some players
in detail.
find that part of the fun of the game is
Both will work well for your collection painting up new miniatures for each
and will offer you a range of options. encounter to match what they are fighting
Even if you opt to use 3D printed figures exactly, while others are happy to use
instead of purchasing metal, resin, or the orcs from last game as hobgoblins
plastic figures, they are usually indicated this time and the skeletons can stand in
as being best for a particular scale. for zombies. At the far end of the scale,
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 APPENDICES

the orcs might be skeletons now! Neither Converting Miniatures

way is wrong, it all depends on what your
It is almost certain you will run into
time and budget allow and what you are
a situation you do not have a suitable
looking to get out of the game.
miniature for. Transformations tend to
Quite a few gamers use procedural games make this happen as your sniper suddenly
as a way to either get more figures in their sprouts wings. You may opt to not worry
collections painted (or to add more figures too much about this. After all, characters
to their collections), which can be quite come and go and spending time
useful in its own right! meticulously converting a figure only for
them to die in the next battle can be quite
a punch to the gut.
Picking Bases
If you enjoy tinkering with models,
Plastic figures usually come with bases, in
however, you may find the challenge to be
which case you can just use those. Metal
quite exciting. And after all who wouldn’t
figures may have a cast on their bases,
want to own a minotaur holding an M249
but typically you will want to attach them
squad automatic weapon?
to a larger base to make the figure more
stable, as well as easier to handle. The process of modifying miniatures is
called converting (or occasionally “kit
Round bases are traditional for skirmish
bashing”). Essentially, you use pieces of
gaming and since you do not need to
different miniatures to build what you are
know exact facing of figures in the rules,
trying to achieve. This can mean swapping
they will work great here. The exact base
out the heads of two figures, replacing
size won’t matter, though 20-25mm across
one weapon with another or even a more
is common. In general, if your bases are
complex build using pieces from a range
reasonably similar in size, it won’t matter
of figures. Long-term gamers tend to
a lot if some are slightly larger or smaller.
accumulate a substantial amount of spare
The thickness of the base is mostly a parts and trinkets (lovingly referred to as
matter of personal tastes: A thicker base a “bits box”) from old miniature kits you
is easier to grab, and some people enjoy have assembled and occasionally random
the feeling of the figure being more like items you find around the house and
a board game piece, while others prefer might one day find a use for.
a thinner base that doesn’t draw as
As many modern figure kits are made
much attention.
from plastic, conversion can be quite
Bases are made from a range of materials easy: The plastic can be cut or filed to fit
with plastic, acrylic, metal, and wood all and simple plastic glue (poly-cement) will
being available. Again, these are mainly a bond the pieces together very strongly.
question of personal taste. When working with metal figures, it will
tend to require a bit more work to cut
things apart, and super glue is required.
When working with resin figures, be
careful: Filing or cutting resin releases a
lot of very unpleasant dust that you do not
want to breathe in. Make sure to work in a
ventilated room and wear facial protection.
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 APPENDICES

Getting Started on Painting Get a couple of brushes in different sizes.

There is no need to buy expensive brushes
Painting your miniatures is a big part
when you are just starting out. A few basic
of making the game come alive. It also
synthetic hair brushes will be fine until
creates a sense of achievement when you
you learn what you like to paint with. You
see your creations come to life. Painting
will want both a slightly larger brush, a
can be daunting, but there is no need to
couple of fine but not too thin ones for
worry: Getting started is very easy and
general work, and a fine-detail one.
you can improve your skills quickly.
Lastly, invest in a wet palette. This allows
It is okay to decide in advance what
your paints to last much longer while you
standard of painting you want to reach
are working with them and will save you a
and be comfortable with. If painting turns
lot of paint in the long run.
out to be something you love, then you
have a potentially lifelong hobby in front
Painting Steps
of you. If you just want your figures to
The first step is to prime your figure.
look acceptable on the table, you can rest
This is also called base coating or
assured that the techniques to achieve an
undercoating. The best way to do this is to
okay figure done are easy to acquire.
use special paint called “primer”, though if
A wealth of beginner's guides is you can’t find any you can also use a thin
available online. This section is only layer of regular paint. The purpose of the
intended to get you started and to primer is to help your paint job adhere
remove a bit of the mystique from the better and resist damage more easily.
process. It is the method the author Specially made primer paint helps “bite” a
uses to get a lot of figures table-ready in little, so the paint jobs will look good.
as little time as possible:
Priming is usually done in white or black.
White can be easier to work with as it
Paints and Brushes
doesn’t obscure details, though it’s less
Always use acrylic paints when starting
forgiving of mistakes. Your colors will tend
out. Craft store paints can be okay,
to look a bit brighter on a white undercoat.
but paints formulated specifically for
Black primer gives darker, deeper colors
miniatures painting will often have a
and works well for figures with metal or
wider range of colors so you don’t have
earth tones. As a compromise, the author
to mix anything. It is a good idea to buy
often uses a pale grey.
a starter set with different colors if one
is available. Acrylic paints mix just fine, Once your primer is dry, start painting
but if you use a particular color a lot, it in all the base colors you are intending
can be frustrating to try and capture the to use for things like uniforms, weapons,
same shade each time you have to mix a exposed flesh, helmet, and so on. It is
new batch. There’s no inherent reason to easiest to start from the lowest point of
stick to a single manufacturer for paints, the figure and work your way out so that
though once you are used to a particular if you get a bit of paint on the raised areas
consistency you may prefer it. If you are you will paint them over later. While you
looking to rely on your local hobby store, paint, make sure to thin down your paints
look at what their main ranges are and a little. It is better to go back over a piece
pick one of those. a second time than to slather on a thick
layer of paint that obscures the figure.
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 APPENDICES

When all the pieces on the figure have brighten your bases and the entire paint
been painted, it is time to do some dry job, making the figure look really amazing
brushing. This can work both to add – an easy way to jazz up a quick paint job.
highlights to raised parts of a figure, as
There is a near-infinite number of
well as do wonders on features such as fur
painting techniques to get figures looking
or armor. This is best done with a separate
like little works of art. Once you have an
brush as it can be rough on the bristles.
idea what you are doing and what you are
Get a bit of paint on a brush and wipe it
trying to achieve, there is a whole world of
on a paper towel until it is almost all gone,
painting tips, techniques, and tutorials out
then roughly brush over the area. The
there waiting for you.
raised edges will pick up traces of paint.
For armor, a black primer with metal dry
brushed over it will look good. Getting Started with Terrain
When you are happy, and things have Terrain serves a mechanical purpose in
dried completely, add a wash. Washes presenting obstacles for movement and
are a very thin but highly pigmented concealment from weapons fire. It also
paint. When brushed on, the wash will helps reinforce the story of the game
pool in the recesses of the figure, adding world. If your game takes place among
definition. It is great for picking out details village houses and fenced in fields, it will
in things such as facial features or subtle feel completely different from a game set
parts of a weapon. You can make your in the wilderness with forest features and
own washes but when starting out it is wild terrain.
recommended to just buy a couple of pots.
You can purchase a lot of ready-made
When you have a finished figure, make terrain both made specifically for
sure to treat the base. At the least you wargamers and for railroad modelers.
should paint it (green is traditional) but There are also ample guides to build your
it will look nicer if you afterwards cover own from cardboard, wood, Styrofoam,
it in PVA glue and then sprinkle flock and more. Many gamers find that they
over it. Flock is a sort of fine sawdust-like enjoy the challenge of building terrain
material, usually colored green, available pieces as much as they do painting figures
from any gaming supply store. Make sure or playing the game!
to paint the base before doing this or the
color of the base will shine through. You
can add tiny pebbles, bits of static grass,
or mix in different colors of flock to

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 APPENDICES

To get started, an easy build project is The keen-eyed terrain collector can
to use foam board (or similar). Cut out often find all manner of unexpected
squares, then cut a jagged pattern from terrain hiding in plain sight: From an
corner to corner of each square so you unusual garden rock to a few leftover
end up with two roughly triangle shaped miniatures painted grey and used as
pieces. Attach these edge-to-edge in an statues; the only limiting factor is your
“L” shape to a base and they will make up imagination. Just make sure you have
the corners of a ruined building. You can room to store all of it!
combine pieces like this in any pattern
you like to make an entire ruined city to
battle over. The Weasels Mantra
“Two okay painted armies on okay
It is a good idea to plan your terrain
terrain will look great in aggregate”.
projects in advance so you get a nice
variety of types but also so you can plan What this means is that you do not have
a cohesive look. For example, if you start to paint every figure to masterly levels
out collecting mostly natural features, or have photo-realistic gaming terrain. If
you will ensure a realistic looking table all of the figures in the game are painted
and will probably want to continue with to a reasonable table standard with
this theme. However, you can slowly start finished bases, and you have a table with
developing other options, for example by terrain, even if it is quite average, the
adding a few farmhouses which can then result will still be a very nice-looking
be the springboard for a village theme, game that you will feel good about and
and so forth. can take pride in.
Don’t neglect that this is a fantasy It also serves as a reminder that you will
setting. You can get all manner of get more bang for the buck, visually, to
cool crystals and rocks from home complete everything to a reasonable
decoration stores. A great source is your standard. Often, people make the mistake
local pet store: The fish tank section of spending a lot of effort on painting
will often have collections of fantastic their figures but then using cardboard
looking plastic rock formations that look boxes and CD cases for terrain, or lovingly
quite alien. Even a few such paint their figures while
pieces can enhance the feeling leaving them on paint-
that this is a strange world not stained black plastic bases,
like our own. completely undermining
the hard work.

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 APPENDICES

OTHER WAYS OF PLAYING

Playing Cooperatively Players should be aware that facing an
opposing player is likely to be more
There are two common ways for two
difficult than facing the game system
players to play the game together at the
normally. As such, you can award
same time.
one additional Story Point for every three
The first is to simply split the squad battles you play. If you want more variety,
between you. Each of you takes half the have the players alternate their roles, so
squad, and when any other soldiers are in even numbered missions player A is the
accompanying you into battle you can squad and player B is the enemy, and vice
assign them as you see fit. versa in uneven numbered missions.
During tabletop battles, each player Of course, these options can all be
oversees their own soldiers while you combined for a cool multiplayer
either agree on what to do during the adventure with an enemy player and two
campaign steps or assign particular squad players, allowing a whole gaming
steps to each player. This can work with group to experience the game together.
more than two players, but the number
of figures per player can start to get a
little thin. A player with only two soldiers Shared Campaigns
might be knocked out of the battle pretty You may opt to play a shared campaign,
quickly, for example. An option is to have meaning two or more players are all
a third player as the Officer. They make contributing to the same overarching
all the campaign decisions, command any narrative. This type of campaign can even
platoon elements that join the squad, and be played online. You do not have to be in
hand out the initiative dice. the same physical location to play.
The second possibility is to let one player This can be done in a number of ways.
command the enemies. This does not At the simplest, your squads are just
modify how the enemies are generated or part of the same platoon, undertaking
any basic deployment restrictions such missions alongside each other. You can
as enemies being Unaware. The “enemy add your Victory Points together or you
player” will simply control the enemy can compete. This works best if you use
figures when they would normally be able the same map and fight the same enemies
to act, and is free to move and fight within each time, allowing you to share your
the normal rules. An enemy player can experiences after each battle.
activate their forces in any order they like
As an additional fun option, when a
but enemies cannot take any actions they
temporary soldier shows up in your
would not normally be able to perform
squad, ask your friend to provide you with
under any circumstances. For example,
someone. You can even trade items and
the enemy cannot pick up a machine gun
soldiers with each other. For example, you
and start using it!
might offer a few extra Kit Points to your
friend to help them out.
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 APPENDICES

If you have three players, you will make

up the entirety of the platoon, and
there are no other soldiers available.
This can be particularly challenging
if a squad comes out of a fight with
severe casualties and can make for
a very tense club game, especially as
you get to the end of the campaign and
manpower is tight.
In a shared campaign, you will have
to maintain a rough schedule so that
you are progressing through the
campaign turns at the same pace. It is
beneficial to have one player handle
the administrative details, keep
everyone on pace, and facilitate any
transfers and communications.
It is recommended to keep a central
point of communication such
as an internet chat server or
message board, so everyone
can report on their games
and talk.
Objectives to achieve. Such a special
Custom Scenarios scenario could be played as part of a
campaign, but can also be played as
The setting of Forgotten Ruin lends
a stand-alone experience. The GM
itself extremely well to creating your
might instruct the players to pick
own adventures, whether it is to add a
2 Transformations and assign 2 advances,
special challenge to your campaign, or
and then make them face the terrors
whether you are creating a scenario for
of the Pit of Infinite Despair. If you are
another player. A fun way to play is to
running a scenario for multiple players
have one player act as the Game Master
with their own campaign, you might even
(GM) while one or more players then
let each of them bring a couple soldiers
control the soldiers and fight against
from their own games.
monsters controlled by the GM. In this
case, the role of the GM is not to win A group could even create an entire
a competitive battle but to create a custom campaign where every scenario is
entertaining and memorable experience a special or unique one.
for everyone involved.
When preparing scenarios, try to keep
Such scenarios can include unusual things to 2 or 3 special conditions. If there
combinations of enemies, modified or are too many special cases to remember,
custom enemies created specifically for it both becomes difficult to play the
the scenario, or scary new monsters. The game and can also make the players feel
scenario will also typically involve special like they cannot rely on anything. If you
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 APPENDICES

are just starting out, don’t worry about

keeping a scenario fairly basic: Start
with a typical battle scenario
and then tweak a couple of
things to get an interesting
outcome.

Example:
You set your
scenario inside a
ruined temple. As
a special hazard,
anyone firing a
machine gun or
using explosives
risks of causing
parts of the temple
to collapse. The first
time this happens,
you place rubble
around the table
to block Lines
of Sight but,
the second time,
the soldiers might be flattened by
the collapsing ceiling. The goal of
the scenario is to locate a hidden instead of just being loaded up with
treasure and once a soldier does ultra-powerful killing spells.
so, they get a cool magic wand you
If you are the GM, be careful not to do
have invented. However, two ogres
overdo it on a favorite villain. While it
that are living in the temple will also
can be a lot of fun, the game is ultimately
show up and try to eat the soldiers.
about the soldiers, and you should not
overshadow them. There is a fine balance
You don’t have to invent brand new things
between a recurring enemy and an
every time. You can get a lot of mileage
insufferable one.
out of taking an existing creature and
renaming it, or tweaking one of its profile Unique scenarios can also present a great
numbers by a point up or down. way of introducing unique rewards such
as new magical items, transformations, or
A classic trick from fiction is to have
skills. Be careful with adding things that
a recurring evil character that is
are too powerful: It is easy for the game to
encountered multiple times. They can be
enter a power spiral where increasingly
loaded up with cool special abilities and
dangerous monsters are introduced to
attacks, with their powers evolving a bit
contend with ever more destructive spells
each time they show up. Consider a range
and items. If in doubt, limited or single-
of options here such as curses, paralyzing
use items are a good solution: A very
or teleporting characters, and so on,
powerful magical item that is only usable
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 APPENDICES

once can get you out of a sticky situation, The best way to use active GM-ing is
but it won’t stick around to cause to make the world feel more alive by
potential problems down the line. allowing the players to do things not
normally possible in a miniatures game.
Even if you are playing on your own,
For example, someone may want to
you can still create unique scenarios to
set something on fire to smoke out the
fit into your campaign. You can use the
enemies holed up in a cave. As the GM,
existing campaign rules as a guideline.
you can judge whether that plan ought to
For example, you might create a
work and what is required for it to do so.
Special Mission inside a volcano. Since
If the plan has a chance of failure, have
this is more dangerous than normal,
them roll 1D6 and try to get equal to or
you might then increase the mission
above a target number. Wits scores can
rewards slightly.
be used as a modifier in most cases.
If this all seems intimidating, start out
You can make a task have multiple
very small: Think about the story you are
steps (such as having to retrieve
trying to have happen and then make a
something first) or requirements (only a
single game change to accommodate that
specific character has the correct tools),
story. For example, you have some cool
but it is best to keep it to two or three at
dark elf crossbow figures, so you say that
the very most.
they must stand still to shoot but if they
roll a 6 to Hit they score 2 Hits. Players should have clear expectations
of what is going on: If an action has no
Creating scenarios does not have to be
chance of working (you can’t set a fire
a big, difficult process, and it can be
because the villain bound a bunch of air
immensely rewarding in getting a game
elementals to the stone pillars), don’t have
experience that is uniquely yours.
them roll to do so. Just inform them that
it doesn’t work and let them figure out a
The Active GM different plan.
Game Masters can normally be described Likewise, be aware of basic probabilities:
as active or passive. A passive GM sets up If an action requires more than one
the scenario as explained above and then die roll to succeed, the odds are much
just runs the game, but does not generally lower than you might expect. An action
make any decisions during the battle. requiring three successful rolls becomes
If you wrote into the scenario that the very unlikely to work. To do the math
villain has an escape route, then they do, quickly, multiply the odds by each other.
otherwise they must fight it out according
If the first action succeeds 3 out of 6
to the rules.
times, the odds are 50% (3 ÷ 6).
An active GM tends the game similar to
If the second action succeeds 4 out of
how the GM in a roleplaying game does:
6 times, the odds drop to 33% for both
This might mean creating things on the
actions succeeding (3 ÷ 6 times 4 ÷ 6).
fly to make the game more interesting or
to respond to the actions of the players. As the GM, it is up to you if you want to
As with special rules in the scenario, limit adjust the difficulty of a scenario while
this to make it more interesting and to it is going on. Personally, I prefers not
avoid players feeling frustrated that they to. After all, there will be another battle
do not know what to expect. soon enough, and you can always make
151
 APPENDICES

that a little more difficult. If you want to Virtual Tabletops

interfere, try to do so in a limited fashion
For the forward-thinking gamer, virtual
that feels believable. If the players are
tabletops are always an option. Most of
wiping out the opposition early on,
these programs are aimed at RPG players
have one more mob of elite enemies
but can be used by miniatures gamers as
show up from a deep forest on the map.
well. You will have to find assets that are
Conversely, if the players are having a
usable for your characters, enemies, and
hard time of it, let them know that the
the various terrain options, though a lot
platoon will lob a few mortar shells their
of players have done much of the hard
way, but they only get one go of it.
work for you.
A good solution is to tie the event
Once it is all set up, it basically lets you
to something else to make it more
play a miniatures game within a virtual
interesting. A villain breaking off an
3D environment, making it a perfect
attack to leave is not really believable, but
option for players who are limited in their
the villain trying to make it to the center
available space or when you cannot have
of the table where the players suddenly
a full table set up. Since you are going to
see a magical, glowing light means they
be engaging in a fantasy environment,
now have a distracted villain, but also a
there are a number of assets created for
choice to make. Advantages can be tied to
roleplaying games which you can take
this as well: For example, the bonus fire
advantage of.
support comes, but someone needs to get
on high ground to set off the flare.
It can help to prepare a few of these
options in advance. For example, when
setting up the scenario, you might have
both an easier and a tougher option in
mind that you can implement, if you feel
the situation of the table warrants it.
You can also prepare things to just
spice things up. If the players do not go
anywhere near a particular
building, maybe a war party
of gnomes with crossbows pops
out and starts shooting at anyone in
range, or a creature picks up the magic
crystal you used to mark one of the
Objectives and wanders off with it.

152
 APPENDICES

CREATING AARS
AAR is a military term that stands for As many figure painters enjoy showing
After Action Report. It is used to describe their progress on a particular project,
a report on a battle that just concluded, planning and painting your enemies
and is often used by wargamers to also makes for good, sharable moments,
tell stories about their exploits on the and it is a good way to get feedback on
tabletop. Miniatures gamers tend to call interesting miniatures you may not be
them Battle Reports. aware of.
One of the most enjoyable ways to play Photos of your gaming set up are
solo games is the Social Solo where you generally included and most miniatures
play the game on your own but then share gamers love seeing photos of lovingly
the results online. This can occur on social built gaming tables and figures (especially
media, chat servers, or forums. since it is a good excuse to go look for
new figures for your own games). This is
An AAR can be as detailed as you like.
also outstanding motivation to do more
Some players prefer capturing every
painting or to improve on those figures
event and die roll, while others prefer to
you rushed to the battlefield!
keep things “big picture” and just capture
the key moments. Many enjoy writing it
out into an actual story that retells the
events or add a few bits of fiction text to
illustrate a particularly fun moment.

Battle Round 2: ins in

I moved PFC Jamison and Ser geant Henderson over to theorcrus as they
they could fire on the
order to get into a position where
approached. was
res behind the rubble, but I en
There were a lot of orc miniactu Weapon would bother the m ough
hoping the Squad Automatisurv ivors prett y easily.
that we could mop up the had
this round but the Sergeantd him
Jamison did not have a target emies on the far side, so I ha take
Line of Sight to one of the en cigar.
a shot but it came up a 1, so no
ng, Sarge?”
“You getting anythi y slipper y.
g – th e sm al ler orcs are pretthe
“Not a damn peeled. When the first horned lmsetof 5.56
th in
Keep your eyes hind those rocks, I want 10 round
emerges from bed face”
right in its stupi
“You got it, Sarge”.
153
 APPENDICES

ADAPTATION NOTES
Adapting any premise from one From these two decisions arose the idea of
medium to another (in this case from having the player’s force separated from
novel to adventure wargame) always the rest of the rangers and trying to fight
requires some careful thought about their way back. This also cuts down on a
how to proceed. little bit of the hardware and high-tech
gadgetry which tends to be more fun
One of the earliest decisions was to let the
in literature than in gameplay, such as
player create their own squad with their
drones and Claymore mines.
own personalities. If you have a favorite
from the book, you may be surprised This also explains why you may end up
how often the dice conspire to give you seeing completely different creatures to
a character that fits your favorite, but a those the heroes encountered in the book.
big part of adventure wargaming is to The novel takes place in a modest amount
establish a personal connection to troops of real estate, so it would make sense that
and characters that are uniquely yours. they only encounter certain creatures.
When you finally meet up, your rangers
For a miniatures game, a challenge from
will have quite a story to tell!
the first novel is that the rangers spent
a lot of time defending in place. That Within the realm of the Forgotten Ruin
works to create very tense and exciting novels (and fantasy literature in general),
scenes in a novel, but on the tabletop, it a vast array of creatures and spells are
would end up feeling repetitive. Instead, possible. Since our perspective in a
the player undertakes an array of miniatures game is tactical combat, some
missions that brings them into contact cuts had to be made while other creatures
with the enemy. and spells were added.

154
 APPENDICES

Similarly, the choices of creatures,

enemies, and transformations had
to fit the dual requirement that
people will want to use favorite
miniatures in their game and that
the option should be possible to
represent at all. The result is that I
have used broad types that should
be easier to make line up with a
given figure collection.
One of the core feelings of the
novel is the contrast between high-
powered military firepower and the
legions of orcs and other monsters.
Of course, we could not ask players
to paint up hundreds of enemies for
the game, so things needed to be scaled
down. In turn, as your rangers do not have
direct access to the Forge from the book,
they are assumed to be rationing their
ammunition and supplies, which limits
the amount of ultra-firepower you can
put out in a given engagement. The M249
machine gun is capable for a rate of fire
exceeding 800 rounds per minute, which
sounds great until you realize you only
have 900 rounds left.
Similarly, while pitting armored vehicles
against giant monsters is attractive in
theory, such vehicles present issues of
balance as well as tiresomely demanding
fuel be tracked in addition to ammo.
If you have such models to hand, you
might opt to place the vehicle model
on the table to serve as terrain, having
exhausted its ammunition and fuel in an
earlier engagement.
It was important to capture the military
feel in different ways, however, and the
combination of Leadership Tactics and
heavy weapons should do so nicely.
Being able to pull off a critical tactic
at just the right moment is endlessly
satisfying, particularly if you can pull off
an unlikely win in the process.
155
 APPENDICES

DESIGNER NOTES
Getting a chance to write something If you are new to these mechanics, you
you never would have thought of can be should find them approachable. Pay
extremely rewarding. Forgotten Ruin is particular attention to the turn sequence.
such a wild concept that it simultaneously Who moves now and who moves later
feels both very fresh and so obvious for a can often have a big impact on how your
miniatures game: High firepower versus turns play out. Experienced ‘5X’ players
the evil hordes of a fantasy world. Part will find that this game is not completely
of why it works so well for wargamers symmetrical; for example, we don’t track
is the transgressive effect of combining Stun markers for the enemies. The Knock
miniatures that normally aren’t used Down status is also new, allowing a bit
together. Seeing a fire team of US Rangers more of a cinematic vibe to the game
face down a mob of axe wielding orcs is as combatants get thrown around or
just plain fun! knocked off their feet.
Mechanically, I knew the game would use The armory is comparatively small in
the core mechanics from the Five Parsecs Forgotten Ruin: , but the weapons are
/ Five Leagues games. In the end I opted generally more powerful than what
to stick fairly close to Five Parsecs from you are used to. It is a fool's errand to
Home due to the firepower-oriented game accurately model the fire superiority of
play. Additionally, since we were going to a modern military rifle compared to a
have quite a few figures on the table, I was bow and the game does not really attempt
cautious about how much detail would be to do so. The military weapons do have
too much for players to handle. individual niches, and successful combat
against the hobgoblins will require
using each weapon to its advantage.
Concentrated firepower will win
battles, but you must deal with two
other concerns:
First, the enemy will not relent. The
Aggression mechanic means that more
reinforcements are incoming, and they
may well be quite unpleasant. Second,
you are here to accomplish a mission.
Whereas in the other campaign games
in the series you are looking at the
longer picture, in Forgotten Ruin you
are a soldier first and foremost. While
the missions may involve wizards and
dragons, they are still missions.

156
 APPENDICES

I decided to focus on the procedural In this game, campaigns have a set

generation for missions rather than duration. When you have gone through
creating distinct scenarios. Setting up the last turn, you are faced with the end
a mission can be somewhat dice-heavy game. This feeds back into every other
but some of the steps are optional. The part of the game: You only have a set
end result should be a very wide variety number of advances, resources, and
of possible tasks and, as unexpected transformations to obtain, and because
components interact with each other, your soldiers are not impervious, putting
the challenge should be fun and all your upgrades into a single soldier can
unpredictable. Of course, at some level be high-risk if they then die. Tactically
any wargame mission comes down minded players may look at the time
to “shoot the other guys”, but there is frames involved and plan ahead.
potentially more going on if you want to
In any solo game there is a temptation to
be successful.
try to “solve” the game – any game system
The campaign follows the familiar has optimal solutions and superior
structure of pre-game, battle, and options. Some players enjoy figuring this
post-game segments. The emphasis has out, while others prefer prioritizing the
shifted a little towards the battle: The story and only picking the options that
fights are both larger (a typical encounter feels like they fit the best. As thousands of
might be 9 soldiers vs 15 or so enemies) people play a game, they will inevitably
and there is more going on in general. A find elements that are exploitable to
battle can easily escalate out of control give players an edge. While some of the
when a dragon shows up. Conversely, more obvious cases can be closed off by
the player also receives some pretty cool the designer, if you need to game a game
tools to play with: The combination of system, you don’t need to hunt down all
Leadership Tactics, character traits and of them: You are the person with a pencil
knacks, transformations, spells, magic and the character roster, so if you prefer
items, and old-fashioned firepower can to give everyone a Combat Skill of +7 that
be quite potent, and the successful player is all up to you!
will combine them in interesting and
One important final factor that is
unexpected ways.
perhaps easy to miss is the presence
Advancement comes in multiple of character traits. This is a little more
forms. Due to the large squad size, we open-ended than people may be used
opted not to rely on experience points to in a miniatures game, but is a neat
for Forgotten Ruin: The Adventure mechanic to add flair to a tense encounter.
Wargame. This also means that the As written, the mechanic comes into
level of advancement will be pretty play when a 1-point difference to the roll
uniform across a campaign. In return, would make a difference. This is a fitting
the player gets to pick who receives level for something like this.
the advancement, which you can use to
I hope you enjoy this game and that you
beef up a strong character or reward
have as much fun playing it as we had
someone who had a lucky shot in the
creating it.
last fight. Transformations open up a
whole range of opportunities for players Peace and love.
to really get creative.
Ivan Sørensen.
157
158
Platoon Leader
PLATOON SHEET
Name Luck Injured Advancements Campaign Turns Difficulty Factors
Reactions Gear Story Points
Speed Victory Points
PLATOON SHEET

Combat Skill Abilities Support Points

Toughness Exposure Points
Wits Allies Used

Platoon Sergeant Villains

Name Luck Injured Advancements
Reactions Gear
Speed
Combat Skill Abilities Stash
Toughness
Wits

Squad Leader
Name Luck Injured Advancements
Reactions Gear
Speed
Combat Skill Abilities
Toughness
Wits
Permission is granted to make copies of this form for personal use. It can also be downloaded from www.modiphius.net/pages/ForgottenRuin
 159
Fire Team 1 Fire Team 2
PLATOON SHEET

Name Luck Injured Advancements Name Luck Injured Advancements

Reactions Gear Reactions Gear
Speed Speed
Combat Skill Abilities Combat Skill Abilities
Toughness Toughness
Wits Wits
Name Luck Injured Advancements Name Luck Injured Advancements
Reactions Gear Reactions Gear
Speed Speed
Combat Skill Abilities Combat Skill Abilities
Toughness Toughness
Wits Wits
Name Luck Injured Advancements Name Luck Injured Advancements
Reactions Gear Reactions Gear
Speed Speed
Combat Skill Abilities Combat Skill Abilities
Toughness Toughness
Wits Wits
Name Luck Injured Advancements Name Luck Injured Advancements
Reactions Gear Reactions Gear
Speed Speed
Combat Skill Abilities Combat Skill Abilities
Toughness Toughness
Wits Wits
 INDEX

Index
A battle round 11, 33
battlefield
Cover 31
Use Cover (upgrade) 137
AAR see after action report battlefield edge 38, 82, 92 Covering Fire (skill) 118
Actions 36 battlefield/table size 6, 82 Crafty (knack) 20
Free Actions 36 leaving the battlefield 38 cultists (enemy) 101
Move Action see Move beast folk (enemy) 100 Cursed (transformation) 134
activations 36 see also Savages custom scenarios 149
active GM 151 (transformation)
adaptation notes 154
Advancement 117
berserkers (enemy) 101
bird-person see Skyborne
D
Final Advance 140 blast radius 46 Damage 58
no Advancement possible? 118 Block (terrain) 30 Dangerous (trait) 56, 109
spell-caster Advancement 117 Dash (action) 36, 37
Blood Instincts (upgrade) 136
adventure wargaming 6 Delays 34
breakers (mob type) 103
after action report (AAR) 153 demon (monster) 108
Brutal Attack (upgrade) 134
Aggression 16, 34
buddy check 39 Deploy 82
added Aggression variety 35
Deploy Mobs 104
Aggression Phase 34
allies 69 C Desert (region terrain) 80
designer notes 156
AI 12
Anspach, Jason 8 Call Fire Support (action) 36 Determined (knack) 20
Apprentice (upgrade) 133 campaigns 63 Dice 15
Arcane (transformation) 133 campaign duration 67 attack dice 40
see also spell-caster campaign end 139 Direct Morale Dice 55
archer mobs 38, 54 campaign flow 67 Morale dice 54
archers shooting 41 campaign sequence 69 Difficult (terrain) 30
archers (mob type) 103 campaign turn 11, 64 Difficulty Factor 26, 68
Arctic (region terrain) 80 readying the campaign 64 determining Difficulty
Area (terrain) 30, 32 shared campaigns 148 Factors 68
armaments 42 casting spells 50 dinosaur (monster) 107
armor (kit) 122 cat-folk see Savage Divine (transformation) 135
magical armor 127 Centaur (transformation) 134 Divine Aura (upgrade) 135
heavy armor (kit) 122 champion 102 door 37
armory 58 character 13 dragon (monster) 108
assassins (mob type) 103 character Advancement 117 dropping down 38
assorted tools (kit) 122 character traits 20
artifacts 94-95
artifact battles 94
Chitinous (upgrade) 138
City (region terrain) 80
E
attack dice 40 climb 37 elemental (monster) 107
Aura (trait) 109 cleric (ally) 70 elf see Green (transformation)
Aware 39 cleric (transformation) End Phase 36
see Divine (transformation) enemy 13, 97
B Cold-blooded (upgrade) 137 generating the enemy 98
Cole, Nick 8 Enemy Actions 33
bard see scoundrel
base contact 14 combat 40 Enemy Action Phase 54
basic principles 11 Combat Rules 29 enemy movement 54
basic structure 11 Combat Skill 19 ephemera (kit) 122
battle combatants 13, 42 equipment 22, 123
abandoned battle 112 multiple combatants 43 Ethereal (trait) 109
artifact battles 94 commander 18 evil conjurer (monster) 108
battle conditions 83 conditions 39 evil dwarves (enemy) 100
battle outcomes 113 Conjurations (trait) 109 evil elves (enemy) 99
ending the battle 111, 112 consequences of failure 120 evil humans (enemy) 100
prepare for battle 74 constructs (enemy) 100 explosions 46
tabletop battle 69 war construct (monster) 108 Exposure 16, 121
see also Final Battle Consumable item 124 Exposure Points 132
160
 INDEX

F Healthy (knack) 20
heavies (mob type) 103
lieutenant 19
Linear (terrain) 30
falling 38 Heavy weapon (weapon trait) 59 Line of Sight (LoS) 31
Fear (trait) 109 heavy melee weapon 122 lizardfolk (enemy) 99
Fearless (trait) 55, 101 Hellfire 115 lizard-folk see Scaled
Field (terrain) 30 help from allies 69 (transformation)
field exercises 24 heroic options 26-27 location draw 73
field promotions 119 higher ground 42 location travel 73
figure 13 high magic 66, 81 logistical support 78
Final Battle 67, 93, 94, 96 Hit 41, 42, 44 Loot 121, 124
prepping the Final Battle 94 Great Hits 41 low magic 66, 81
Final Battle set-up 96 to Hit 41 Luck 16, 45
Final Battle enemy 96 Hit resolution 44 Luck and multiple attacks 45
Fire (action) 36 hitting the target 41 lucky trinket (kit) 122
Fire (trait) 109 hobgoblins (enemy) 100 lycanthrope see Cursed
Fire Support 47, 77 Horns (upgrade) 136 (transformation)
Call Fire Support (action) 36 huge lizards (enemy) 101
Hulk (upgrade) 136
fire team 17
fire team leader 19 Humanoid (trait) 109 M
fire wizard (monster) 108 Hurl (trait) 110 main character 22
fish-folk see Scaled hyena-folk see Savage manticore (monster) 108
(transformation) mantis-folk see Swarm
Five X (5X) 8
Flexible (knack) 20
I (transformation)
map 64
Flight (trait) 109 impact point 46 update the map 123
follow-up move 43 Impassable (terrain) 30 massive worm (monster) 108
Forest (region terrain) 80 in contact see base contact measurements 14
Forgotten Ruin novels 8, 155 Individual terrain 30 medical pack (kit) 122
Infiltration (upgrade) 135 melee weapon (kit) 122
injuries 114
G Inspire Awe (upgrade) 135
messy combats 43
miniatures 143
game master (GM) 149 Interact (action) 36, 75 adapting to your collection 65
active GM 151 Interior (terrain) 30 converting miniatures 144
passive GM 151 Investigations 11, 86 getting started on painting 145
gameplay/game styles Investigation markers 82 miniatures challenge 133
other ways of playing 148 items see equipment miniatures handling 14
playing cooperatively 148 items, miscellaneous magical paints and brushes 145
shared campaigns 148 see various items picking bases 144
social solo 9, 153 selecting miniatures 143
streamlined play option 57 J minor personality aspects 21
ghouls (enemy) 100 Minotaur (transformations) 136
Jungle (region terrain) 80
giant (monster) 107 mission 11, 69
giant bugs (enemy) 101 components of a mission 11
giant scorpion (monster) 107 K Mission Objectives 75
giant spider (monster) 107 Keen Archery (upgrade) 135 mission requirements 74
Go Berserk (monster action) 57 Keen Eyes (skill) 118 see also Special Mission
goblins (enemy) 99 Kit Points 16, 122 mob 13, 54, 104
golem (monster) 107 Knacks 20 mob size 103
Green (transformation) 135 Knit Wounds (trait) 110 mobs with melee weapons 54
grenades see weapons, grenades Knocked Down 39 mob training 103
gritty options 26, 28 known personalities 18, 20, 114 mob variation roll 103
grunt 18, 20, 114 kobolds (enemy) 99 monsters 56, 106
monster actions 57
H L monster destruction 116
monster difficulty 106
halfling see Green large swords see weapons Monster Point (MP) 44, 57
(transformation) Leadership (skill) 33, 119 monster traits 109
hand grenades see weapon, Leadership Tactics 48 independent monster 84
grenades Leap (upgrade) 134 Morale 54
hand-to-hand combat 37, 40, 42 leapfrogging 62 additional Morale dice 55
Heads Down (skill) 118 leaping 38 direct Morale dice 55
healer (ally) 69, 71 lich (monster) 108 Motivation (skill) 118
161
 INDEX

Mountains (region terrain) 80

Move/movement 36, 37
Q Sight, the (upgrade) 133
Silent Movement (upgrade) 137
dropping down 38 Quick Actions 33 skeletal dragon (monster) 108
enemy movement 54 skeletons (enemy) 99
moving up and down 37
Silent Movement (upgrade)
R Skyborne (transformation) 138
Slow Actions 33
137 Rampaging (trait) 56, 109 Snap Fire 34
Move to Attack (monster randomizing sniper support 77
action) 57 random directions 16 soldier 13, 19
Multi-limbed (upgrade) 138 random movement 38 types of soldier 18
mystic (ally) 70, 71 random selection 16 solo gaming 8
see also Dice sorcerer 102
range 58
N Ranger units, real-world 9
special cases 13, 142
Special Mission 67, 68, 88
name generation 17 ranks 19 Special Mission conditions 91
natural roll 15 field promotions 119 Special Mission requirements
Rapid Fire (skill) 118 88
O Reactions 19
Reaction Roll 33
additional Special Battle 68
specific carry (realism option) 124
Objectives 11 Redeploy (skill) 118 specter (monster) 107
duplicate objectives 75 Regeneration (upgrade) 134 Speed 19, 37
ogre (monster) 107 regions 64 spell-caster 117, 133
opponent 13 region terrain rules 80 casting spells 50
see also enemies Rend (trait) 110 spell-caster Advancement 117
orcs (enemy) 99 repeat encounters 106 Spell-casting (action) 36
ordnance limits 58 replacements 119 no spell-caster? 132
request help from allies 69 spells 50, 52
P Resistance see Spells, Spell
Resistance
attack spells 51
learning how to wizard 117
paladin see Divine rest 69 spell acquisition (upgrade)
Parry (skill) 118 retreat see battle, abandoned 133
Permanent item 124 Ring of Spell-casting 95 spell enhancement 51
Perplex (trait) 110 Roc (monster) 108 spell flavor 51
personal task 85 round 11 spell range 50
see also side task Ruins (region terrain) 80 Spell Resistance 51
pet (ally) 70, 71 rules questions 12, 13 spell targets 50
phases 33 making a mistake 12 sphinx (monster) 107
Aggression Phase 34 may and must 12 spider-folk see Swarm
End Phase 36 weird game situations 13, 142 (transformation)
Enemy Action Phase 54 Runner (skill) 118 spiders (enemy) 100
Quick Actions 33 runners (mob type) 103 squad 17, 18
Reaction Roll 33 alternate squads 9
Slow Actions 33
pivotal events 21 S alternate types of squads 22
get to know your squad 116
Plains (region terrain) 80 Savage (transformation) 136 squad creation 17
planning support 78 saving throws 44 squad leader 19
plant person see Green multiple saving throws 44 squad sizes 119
(transformation) saving throw negation 44 Staff of Disintegration 95
platoon 18 Scaled (transformation) 137 staffs 130
platoon sheet 17, 158 scrolls 128 starting profile 19
platoon leader 18, 19 Scoundrel (transformation) 137 Stash 123
...as Support 78 Second Free Action (action) 36 Stomp (upgrade) 134
platoon sergeant 18, 19 settings, alternate 9 Story Points 16, 23
...as Support 78 shooting 40 Story Point bonus 140
Plodding (trait) 56, 109 shooting across linear Story Point usage 23
Poison (trait) 110 obstacles 32 stuck 42
see also weapons, poisoned shooting past people 32 Stun marker 44
post-battle sequence 114 shooting past things 32 Stunned 39
potions 128 stationary shooting 40 Stunned Down 39
Power 50 Shots 58 Sturdy (trait) 56, 109
Projectiles (trait) 110 side task 71, 72 Sudden Death check 36, 112
pushed back 42 see also Personal Task Summon (monster action) 57
162
 INDEX

Support 77
fire support 47, 77
Unclimbable 38
vertical terrain 37
W
Call Fire Support Thick Scales (upgrade) 137 walking plants (enemy) 101
(action) 36 thief see Scoundrel war construct (monster) 108
logistical support 78 Thieves’ Luck (upgrade) 137 War Cry (upgrade) 136
planning support 78 time keeping 11 warriors (mob type) 103
platoon leader support 78 Toughness 19, 44 Wasteland (region terrain) 80
platoon sergeant support 78 trackable resources 16 weapons
sniper support 77 traits bows and crossbows 61
Support Points 16, 77, 121 character traits 20 extra squad weapons 22
Swamps (region terrain) 80 monster traits 109 grenades 58, 60
swarm (monster) 108 weapon traits 59
grenade targeting 46
Swarm (trait) 110 transformations 132
heavy melee weapon 122
Swarm (transformation) 138 transformation upgrades 133
tree monster (monster) 107 large swords 60
sweeping attacks 43 magical weapons 125
Swoop see Flight (trait) troll 107
turn 11 medieval weapons 60
Sword of Destruction 95 melee weapon (kit) 122
swords see weapons
U military weapons 58, 59
multiple weapons 43
T Unaware 39 poisoned weapons 61
Unclimbable (terrain) 38 realism notes 58, 60
table size 82
Undead (trait) 101, 110 swords 60
tabletop battle see battle
undead giant (monster) 108 weapon looting 61
Tactical Awareness (action) 36
Underground (region terrain) 80 weapon list 59
tactical primer 62
Tactics see Leadership Tactics weapon options 22
Tail Slap (upgrade) 137 V weapon traits 59
Take to the Sky (upgrade) 138 very specific weapons 61
vampire (monster) 107
target selection 40 Weasels mantra 147
various items 130
tentacle horror (monster) 107 Venomous (upgrade) 138 werewolf see cursed
Tentacles (trait) 110 veteran roster 18, 140 window 37
terrain rules 30 Victory Points (VP) 16, 67, 68, 139 Wing Buffet (upgrade) 138
Difficult terrain 30 Victory Point modifier 28, 139 Wits 19
getting started with terrain 146 villains 13, 55, 104 Wizard (trait) 110
Impassable terrain 30 check for villains 104 learning how to wizard 117
interaction with terrain 30 villain creation 115 wolves (enemy) 100
magic influence 81 villain destruction 115 wyvern (monster) 108
region terrain rules 80 villain goal 55
special terrain 81
terrain set-up 78
villain plans 55
villains reconsider 56
Z
terrain type 30, 65 virtual tabletops 152 zombies (enemy) 99

TABLES INDEX Location Draw table 73

Location Travel table 73
Magical Armor subtable 127
Special Mission Requirements
table 88
Special Missions Conditions
Actions table 36 Magical Weapon subtables 126 table 91
Advancement table 117 Military Weapons table 59 Special Terain table 81
Aggression table 34 Minor Personality Aspects Spell table 52
Ally Assistance 69 table 21 Staffs subtable 130
Battle Conditions table 83 Mission Objectives table 75 Sudden Death Check table 112
Character Knacks table 20 (Special Missions) 89 Support table 77
Character Traits table 20 Mission Requirements table 74 Survival Explanation table 115
Enemy Encounter table 99 Mob Training table 103 Tactics table 48
Failure Consequence table 120 Monster Action table 57 Terrain table 65
Gritty Options table 28 Monster table 107 Tool table 125
Heroic Options table 27 Personal Task table 86 Transformation table (main) 133
Investigation Outcome table 87 Potions subtable 128 Various Items subtable 130
Kit List table 122 Scrolls subtable 128 Victory Points table 139
Known Personality Injury Side Task table 72 Villain Ability table 115
table 114 Skill subtable 118 Villain Goal table 55

163
 Quick Reference

QUICK REFERENCE
Phase Order Monster Actions
1. The Reaction Roll Roll 1d6 (+1 if Monster lost MPs this round).
2. Quick Actions
3. Enemy Actions Result Action
4. Slow Actions 1-2 Summon: Monster stays in place;
5. Aggression Phase does not make ranged attacks.
6. End Phase +1 to Aggression, if applicable.
3-6 Move to Attack: Monster moves
The Reaction Roll
so that it contacts as many
Roll xD6 equal to no. of active soldiers on
soldiers as possible during its
battlefield plus each fig. with Leadership.
movement. Note: Monsters with
Assign one die to each character.
ranged attacks use them if they
” If die is equal to/below their Reaction fail to contact any opponents,
score, act in Quick Actions Phase. targeting closest visible soldiers.
” If the die is higher, they act in the 7+ Go Berserk: As 3-6, but activate
Slow Actions Phase. twice in a row this round.

Character Actions Villain Goal

Fire: Ranged weapon (p.40).
Dash (p.37). D6 Villain moves towards...
Interact (p.75). 1-2 nearest Objective
Spell-casting (p.50). 3 nearest Investigation
Tactical Awareness*: -1 Aggression. (p.34)
Call Fire Support* (p.47). 4 nearest soldiers
Second Free Action (p.36). 5 center of the battlefield
*Only one soldier/round can attempt this. 6 random squad/platoon leader

Military Weapons table

Weapon Range Shots Damage Traits
Pistol 6" 1 +0 Close-quarters weapon
Assault rifle 24" / 36" 1 +0 Aimed fire
Sub machine gun 12" 2 +0
Shotgun 12" 1 +1 Boom stick
Sharpshooter’s rifle 24" / 48" 1 +1 Precision weapon; Piercing.
Squad auto. weapon 18" / 36" 4 +0 Heavy weapon; Stability
Anti-tank weapon 15" 1 +4 Heavy weapon; Warhead;
Piercing; Limited ammo.
Hand grenades 6" Explosive +0 Heavy weapon; Explosive;
(2" radius) Ammo restriction.
Grenade launcher 15" Explosive +0 Heavy weapon; Under-
(2" radius) barrel; Ammo restriction.
For weapon trait definitions, see full Military Weapons table, pages 59-60.
164
 INDEX
FROM THE SAME AUTHOR AS
FORGOTTEN RUIN: THE ADVENTURE WARGAME

Hitting the Target

When soldiers shoot, for each Shot,
roll 1D6 + Combat Skill + any mods.
The roll required to Hit for a soldier:
Target within 6" and in the open 3+
Target is in the open 4+
Target is in Cover 6+
For enemy archers, each figure
receives one shot but do not add • RPG-LITE ADVENTURE WARGAME •
their Combat Skill to the rolls.
Target is in the open 5+
Target is in Cover 6+

Hit Resolution
When a character takes a Hit, roll
1D6 + the weapon’s damage rating
In the third edition of Ivan Sorensen’s fantasy rule set,
+ any bonuses (e.g. Great Hit).
you command a warband of adventurers fighting
” Enemies use a +0 damage against sinister forces threatening to
rating unless stated otherwise. envelop the land in darkness.

” Hand-to-hand combat uses This RPG-lite adventure wargame gives you procedurally
generated fantasy campaigns, with skirmish battles
the weapon’s damage rating.
where you hunt down foes, sneak into enemy camps,
Soldiers without a hand-to- crawl through cavern complexes, track down terrifying
hand weapon use +0 damage. monsters, and engage in multi-stage quests.
If the result is equal to or above the
target’s Toughness, they become a ” Fast-moving miniatures-agnostic rules, developed
casualty and are removed. Monsters specifically for solo and co-op adventure wargaming.
lose 1 MP instead, and are removed
Five Leagues

” Create a warband of diverse origins and

from the Bor
derlands
• 3rd Editio
Five League

n•
The last tomb

follow their story! Develop their skills,

was crawling

from play once they lose all MPs.

lost Tring there, with Grave
of the deep blasted by Walkers, the
woods. But eldritch fi tower held
and recruit for now, the re, while Artum fell as a fey sorcerer
, we
any village is safe. we ran from
we’ll take the travelers from the the trolls
woods, then inn who fancy Tonight, we’ll restock
can rest, but bring a the gear,
there are already down that cursed share of the coin. Tomorro

gain spells and magical weapons!

Five Leagues worrying rumors tower for good. w
from the Borderla from the next Maybe then
a warband valley… we
of heroes and nds is a
adventurers, solo adventure wargame
s from the

creeping malice,
and explore
and exciting a grim world where you take the role
• 3rd Edition
The whole quests� full of monsters of
campaign is

•
different enemy generated , enemies,
number of types, 17 unique procedurally, with
ways� foes, and 6 each battle
created from

If the result is below Toughness,

take on quests As you play, you will scenario types
that can play over 100
explore the
loot��� or die and jobs� Your warband game world, out in
gruesomely will discover new a wide
in brutal combat� gain in experienc
The game is e and power, locations, and

” Explore and map the game world,

playable with and find wondrou
foot gaming any miniature s
table, making s you own,
or for whom it ideal for and can be
this is their players who played on a
handful of fi are just getting 2x2 foot or
suitable enemiesrst miniatures game� started on 3x3
to fight� All you need fantasy
is 6 figures gaming,
Borderlan

” Fast-mov for your heroes

ing miniature and a

enemies and monsters are

adventure s-agnostic
wargaming, rules, developed

meet fellow travelers, discover

a handful of with specifically
six-sided dice, a procedurally generatin for solo and
” Create a pair of percentile g campaign co-op
a warband dice, some world� All you
origins, and of hard-as-n paper and need is
follow their ails adventur pens�
” Explore story! Develop ers, whether
and map their skills, human or one
fearful villages, out the game world, gain spells of 5 other
and brooding meet people and magical
” Undertak on the weapons!
lairs, all the
e epic while engaging road, discover ancient

ancient ruins, fearful villages,

they are revealedquests, face off against in ruins,
fearsome monsters desperate battles�

unaffected; soldiers receive a Stun

” A host of to you�
random tables , and foil enemy
plans
ds

new adventur and as

es in a living, systems provide unexpect
” Includes breathing world ed challenge
several options that unfolds s and seeds
mechanics to tailor the before your for
to add your game difficulty eyes�
own narrative to your tastes,

and brooding lairs.

elements� as well as

ANCIENT LA
The

marker (ignore any beyond the 3rd).

ISBN 978-1-80
ISBN 978-1-80 281-038-7

ND
281-038-
7

Solo and C0-o

MUH095V001
Printed in Lithuania Adventure p
OF Wargaming
9 781802

DUST
9 781802 810387

” Undertake epic quests, face off

810387

against fearsome monsters, and

Saving Throws foil enemy plans as they are revealed
If a figure with a saving throw value to you.
is Hit, roll a D6: ” Generate unexpected challenges and
adventure seeds in a living, breathing • EXPANSION 1

If the roll is equal to or above the

•

world that unfolds before your eyes,

value, the Hit has no effect. through content-generating tables.

If the roll is below the value, make ” Tailor the game difficulty to
your tastes with mechanics to add
the roll against Toughness during your own narrative elements.
Hit Resolution, above. Note: soldiers
” Expansion PDFs now available.
who pass a saving throw do not
receive a Stun marker.
Find out more aT www.MODIPHIUS.net
165
 The Adventure Wargame
The battlefield has never looked like this!
A time of danger, a secret mission, mysterious tech, and now you and your
platoon of rangers are in a strange world inhabited by orcs, sorcerers, and dragons!
Forgotten Ruin: The Adventure Wargame takes you to the strangest
battlefield yet, pitting state-of-the-art firepower against fantastical monsters.
Just hope the orc horde runs out before the ammunition does!
Based on the Forgotten Ruin book series, the rules are powered by the ‘Five X’ game system
from Five Leagues from the Borderlands and Five Parsecs from Home, unleashing the
same solo adventuring thrills. Command your squad while the game rules control your
enemies as they move and fight. You can even play with a friend by splitting your squad into
two fire teams or designating one of you to control the enemy like a Game Master.
This adventure wargame offers an exciting mix of tabletop tactics for miniature figures and
randomly generated campaign play, providing a unique, story-rich experience.

Inside this book you will find: ” Rules to turn enemy champions into
recurring villains.
” Full rules for miniatures combat on
strange battlefields including powerful ” Campaign rules, objectives, and
heavy weapons, leadership tactics to rewards, including magical treasures,
customise your squad, spells, and advancements, and, best of all...
off-map fire support.
” Transformations! Ever wanted to be
” Stats for an array of foes to fight: a centaur with a machine gun? An elf
20 enemy forces with 6 different types sniper? Or just a squad leader with
(such as Assassins or Archers) as well a spell book? Your soldiers will not
as 20 huge monsters to challenge your remain the way they were and the
firepower. changes can be quite unpredictable!

A stand-alone game powered by

Five Leagues from the Borderlands

MUH098V004
Printed in Lithuania