WAR IN URBAN BATTLE ZONES
A GAME BY JAKE THORNTON
WAR IN URBAN BATTLE ZONES
A GAME BY JAKE THORNTON
“If the citizens of the GCPS were to find out the threats that are lurking on the frontier, can you imagine the effect it would have? The losses in revenue? That’s why Containment Protocol works as it does. It stops the spread of the Plague, certainly, but more importantly it stops the spread of panic. That’s easily worth the occasional loss of a system.”
CONCEPT AND GAME DESIGN
Jake Thornton
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Guy Haley, James Hewitt
SPECIAL THANKS
Matt Gilbert
COVER ART
Luigi Terzi
INTERNAL ART
Heath Foley, Jonas Springborg, Luigi Terzi, Roberto Cirillo
SCULPTING
Ben Skinner,Bob Naismith,Dave Kidd, Derek Miller, Francesco Pizzo, Gregor Adrian, Grégory Clavilier, MKUltra Studio, Rémy Tremblay, Steve Eserin, Steve Saunders, Sylvain Quirion, Tim Prow
ADDITIONAL SCENERY
Antenociti’s Workshop, Armorcast, Quantum Gothic, Rust Forge
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Chris Webb
PHOTOGRAPHY
Ben Sandum
PAINTING
Chris Webb, Dave Neild, Golem Painting Studio, Winterdyne Commission
Modelling
PLAYTESTING
Bob Parnham, Chris Palmer, Geoff Savory, Matt Gilbert, Sam Dale, Stewart Gibbs, Tim Hancorn, Ronnie Renton With special thanks to the thousands of gamers who backed us on Kickstarter and the many more who joined in with our public Beta test. It’s you guys who make all this possible.
INTRODUCTION ... 1
Containment Protocol . . . 4 Deadzone . . . 4 Plague . . . 5 Game Components . . . 6Models . . . 8
Types of Model . . . 8 Model Positioning . . . 9How Much Room? . . . 9
Aggression . . . 9
Stat Cards . . . 10
Battlefields . . . 12
Cubes Not Squares . . . 13
Buildings and Cover . . . 14
CORE RULES ... 15
Dice Rolls . . . 16
Blank Stats . . . 16
Test Format . . . 16
Dice Rolling Sequence . . . 17
Doubling and Tripling. . . 17
Scatter . . . 17
Line of Sight . . . 18
Point LOS . . . 18
Area LOS . . . 18
Model’s Eye Views. . . 18
Level Differences . . . 19
Lying Down Models. . . 19
Measuring Distance . . . 19
Play Sequence . . . 20
Rounds. . . 20 Determine Initiative . . . 20 Turns . . . 21 End of Round . . . 21Actions. . . 22
Free Actions . . . 22 Command. . . 22 Move . . . 24 Climb . . . 27 Sprint . . . 27 Break Off . . . 28 Fight . . . 28 Get Mean!. . . 29 Shoot. . . 29 Blaze Away. . . 29 Aim . . . 30 Throw Grenade . . . 30 Overwatch . . . 31Battle Cards . . . 32
Card Types. . . 32 Card Play . . . 33 Card Notes. . . 33Damage . . . 34
Damage States . . . 34 Resolving Damage . . . 34SETTING UP ... 35
Choose Your Strike Team . . . 36
Prepare Your Strike Team . . 36
Prepare Your Battlefield. . . . 37
Determine Deployment . . . . 38
Start the Game . . . 38
Missions . . . 39
Mission Cards . . . 40
Winning . . . 43
Choosing A Strike Team. . . 44
CAMPAIGNS ... 45
Campaign Terms. . . 46Campaign Notes. . . 48
Starting A Campaign . 50
After a Battle . . . 52
Roster . . . 56
REFERENCE ... 65
Plague . . . 58
Enforcers . . . 60
Rebs. . . 62
Marauders . . . 64
Abilities . . . 66
Equipment . . . 76
Mutations . . . 79
Containment Protocol
In the vast sea of space claimed by the Corporation, some areas are far better controlled than others. Although they would never admit it, the ruling Council of Seven are not seen as the benign overlords they portray themselves as in every system and by every race. For some they are tyrants and dictators, and for others they are distant fools who fail to realise the wealth they hold. Whether it is insurrection, greed or alien invasion there are often times when the Council want all news from a system to simply stop while they resolve a problem. So, when things get seriously out of hand, when marauding pirate fleets seize a colony, when Rebels throw off Corporation shackles, when Veer-myn erupt from their tunnels or when a Plague breaks out, the Council of Seven order a Containment Protocol.
Deadzone
Containment Protocol is a well-organised process of damage limitation and control. It starts by removing the affected area from all maps, all navigation computers and all communications channels. Where a system of planets once span around their sun there is nothing but a blank space. At least, so it would seem to the outside universe. Of course, the planets still exist and so does the problem for the Council, it’s just that they now have the lack of public scrutiny they need to be able to deal with it as they please.
A cordon of Enforcer warships is positioned to monitor this space, ensuring that nobody enters or leaves without authorisation. Inside the Containment are one or more planets and perhaps many millions of human and alien citizens, all suddenly cut off from the wider Corporation. Those in transit between worlds find themselves suddenly without navigation aids as all their local maps are removed from the grid without warning. The lucky ones manage to find a habitable planet close by. The less lucky drift off into the darkness.
Cut off from outside help, many planets will gradually slip even further into lawlessness and chaos, so it is important to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. This may include the use of normal Corporation troops, though most such missions are given to the fanatically loyal Enforcers.
Even so, news of such measures inevitably leaks out and the borders can never be entirely secure. Without the normal security protection of the wider Corporation, such an area is too attractive a proposition to many different warring groups and the bribes to inform about them are huge. Rebels and Marauders are attracted by the wealth of Corporation spoils to be ransacked; Forge Fathers see a chance to plunder the natural resources of long-forbidden sites; yet others see it as a way to revenge or enrich or simply seek adventure. For those who are stuck inside the Containment Protocol it is a matter of life and death.
As far as the Council of Seven and their forces are concerned, a Containment Protocol is a problem to be solved – nothing more. The pirate fleet must be destroyed, the rebellion quelled, the aliens repulsed, the infection stamped out. None of these problems can be allowed to spread beyond the bounds of the Containment Protocol. The lives of those inside are not a consideration in the wider scheme of things. They are largely left to fend for themselves for the years or even decades it takes to resolve the problem. Even then, the Council may not want any witnesses...
Whilst this process and these areas are formally termed Containment Protocol, even the Council’s loyal Enforcers simply call them Deadzones.
Plague
Perhaps the most alarming cause that is hidden by Containment Protocols is outbreaks of the Plague. There are many virulent infections that can massacre colonies, but the most dangerous is not natural. It is simply known as the Plague and is the product of little-understood alien artefacts. These strange devices are scattered seemingly at random across Corporation space and beyond, infecting and mutating those who are not killed by the virulent mutagens they contain, turning the few survivors into crazed monsters that rampage across their worlds, killing and infecting any they find. News of such events causes mass panic in nearby systems as a few of these monsters retain enough of their old skills to use weapons, operate computers and pilot spaceships.
Miniatures
The Deadzone boxed game contains two factions – the Enforcers and the Plague, each represented by a set of highly detailed miniatures. More information on how to use these in your games can be found on page 8.
In addition, the Deadzone universe is continually expanding, with exciting new specialists for your forces, additional factions that add a twist to the game, and enigmatic mercenaries. Visit www.manticgames.com for more details.
The Battlefield
Deadzone is fought out over a battlefield represented by a gridded mat. This playing area (sometimes referred to in the rules as a board) is an 8 x 8 grid of squares onto which you place buildings and other scenery. Where this scenery is placed on the mat will have an impact on the game, as detailed on page 14.
Buildings and Cover
The futuristic constructions of Deadzone are a key part of the game, and the plastic tiles are intended to provide an infinite combination of buildings, making every game different. The tiles will need to be removed from the frames and joined using the connector pieces provided. You can construct larger buildings to block line of sight, and smaller ones to provide cover – the choice is yours. More information on these buildings can be found on page 14.
Set on the fringes of civilised space, Deadzone is a game of
futuristic battles fought among the ruins of human colonies
against a variety of alien threats.
Deadzone is played with model soldiers on a battlefield that is represented by a gaming mat and model scenery.
As a player you will take command of an elite Strike Team of human soldiers or alien warriors. Each turn you decide which of your models to move and what they will do, advancing across the board, shooting your enemies and picking up items of stray equipment as you go. Each player has a secret mission that they are trying to complete, and the first to do so wins the game.
Before we get into the rules proper, you will need to familiarise yourself with the components of the Deadzone game. An understanding of this foundation will make following the remainder of the rules easier.
Counters
Several things need to be tracked during a game, whether it is as simple as which models have had their turn, or as worrying as which of your models have been injured. There are also counters that represent items of equipment, game objectives and so on. The use of each type of counter is described in the relevant section of the rules.
Dice
All dice in Deadzone are 8-sided and are marked from 1-8. These are rolled just like normal 6-sided dice and the number facing up when it stops is the result. In most cases several dice are rolled simultaneously. However, each dice is read separately and the results are never totalled.
Note that the word “dice” is used here for both singular and plural. Normally the singular would be “die”, but in a game where people get killed so frequently this can be a little confusing.
Cards
Each faction has its own deck of cards. These are divided into three types:
Stat Cards: these list the game
values of the different models available to that faction. During the game you will use these as reference. More details can be found on page 10.
Mission Cards: these show
what you need to do to win the game. During a game you will have one of these to use as reference. More details can be found on page 40.
Battle Cards: these allow a
variety of extra actions. During a game you will have a hand of these cards to play. More details can be found on page 32.
Model is the general term for any playing piece and applies whether the model is a human, mutant, vehicle or an alien monstrosity. It does not apply to separate guns and items of equipment such as sentry guns. Although these playing pieces are models of the weapon, in game terms it is an item (see page 76), not a model.
Whenever a rule refers to a model it means the whole playing piece including any base that it may be attached to. It also includes any weapons, clothing, armour, tentacles, spikes, hairstyles, loincloths or anything else that is sculpted as part of that model.
If you are a veteran miniatures gamer and want to convert your model into a different pose then feel free to do so. The model will now be able to see and be seen in slightly different circumstances, but will find that the change of pose is as much of a hindrance as a benefit. Having tested the game with proxy models in a wide variety of poses, no position was found to be universally better than others. If you want to convert your models we recommend doing so because you enjoy the process or have a cool idea for a heroic pose rather than
imagining that this will provide any gaming edge. The collection of models you play with in an individual game is called your Strike Team.
Types Of Model
Models are divided into a number of categories depending on their place in their faction’s hierarchy. Due to the different levels of skill and training available the exact definition varies between factions. One faction’s Specialist might be another faction’s Trooper. These types are:
Leader: the leaders of a faction. For example, an
Enforcer Captain.
Specialist: models with unusual weapons, training or
equipment. For example, a Goblin Sniper.
Trooper: normal rank and file. For example, a Rebel
Human.
Rare: exotic aliens, experimental equipment or
highly-specialised models. For example, a Plague Teraton.
Unique: one-of-a-kind models, usually named
individuals. For example, the mercenary known as Wrath.
Model Positioning
In Deadzone, a model’s exact placement is very important. For this reason you can only move a model when the rules specifically require you to do so. The owning player always decides on a model’s exact position when it needs to change position for any reason. The reasons for the importance of the exact position of a model will become apparent when you read the rules about Line of Sight on page 18.
As well as being in a specific position, each model is also in a specific cube. You can place a model wherever you like on the board (see page 13), including partly over the lines that form the grid between cubes. In all cases, the centre of a model’s base defines which cube it is in. If this is not obvious, simply tell your opponent when the model is moved into position.
Both models are in the same cube even though the one on the right is partly overlapping the line. If a second or subsequent model moves into a cube it may not move another model out of the way unless there is nowhere else the moving model could be placed within that cube. If it must move a model in order to fit in then it must move friendly models in preference to enemy ones and only by the minimum required to fit the new model into the cube. Note, however, that this is quite uncommon and a moving model can almost always be placed somewhere in the cube, even if it isn’t necessarily where you want to go. Remember that the centre of the model’s base is what defines which cube it is in.
How Much Room?
Every model has a size listed on their Stat Card (see page 10). Each cube can hold up to four size 1 models (or equivalent – two size 2s, a size 3 and a size 1, etc) from a faction. This is an absolute limit and cannot be exceeded. So, if a Strike Team already had three size 1 models in a cube it could not move a size 2 model in until one of the others left.
If models from opposing Strike Teams want to fight in hand-to-hand combat then they need to be in the same cube. In this case both factions can have up to 4 size 1 models or equivalent in the same cube.
Half-width walkways can hold up to 2 size 1 models or equivalent from a single Strike Team per cube. This means that size 3 or 4 models cannot be placed in these cubes.
If possible, try to position opposing models in adjacent cubes so that they are not touching. This helps keep the situation clear.
Aggression
As well as stats, a model is defined by their current level of Aggression. This rises and falls during the battle in response to events that happen to the model. You will need to track the current state of the model’s Aggression throughout the game.
Aggression has 4 steps. From lowest to highest these are:
SUPPRESSED
The model is entirely focused on staying hidden from the incoming fire. Lie the model down to show this and place a Suppressed counter beside it.
A Suppressed model must Get Mean! to change its Aggression to Pinned. This will be the only action it can do in a turn it starts Suppressed. Remember that you can only Get Mean! once per turn.
PINNED
The model has taken cover from an immediate threat. It may take a while to decide that it is safe to advance once more. Lie the model down to show this. A Pinned model must Get Mean! as its first action if it makes any actions at all.
ALERT
This is the normal state for models in combat. The model is assumed to be in this state unless marked otherwise.
ENRAGED
The model is out for blood, angered by enemy action, artificial stimulants or innate rage. Mark the model with an Enraged counter.
An Angry Mob
At the start of each battle, a Plague player can choose the level of Aggression each model in his force starts at. This can be either Enraged or Alert and can be different for different models.
Shoot stat: Shows your model’s proficiency with ranged weapons. Fight stat: Shows your model’s ability to attack enemies up-close. Survive stat: Shows how likely your model is to endure enemy attacks. Armour stat: Shows how well-protected your model is against harm.
Each card has one or more Overwatch actions – see Overwatch on page 31 for details on how these are used.
Most models have one or more abilities which it can use during the game. These are listed in full in the Abilities section on page 66.
All of a model’s weapons and equipment are listed here, along with any relevant special rules. Each card shows a Points
value – this is the cost for including one of this type of model in your Strike Team.
There are five types of model: • Leader • Specialist • Trooper • Rare • Unique
See page 44 for how this effects force selection.
Models have a size value, from 1 to 4, which affects their ability to move around the battlezone. See pages 9 [how many models fit in a cube] and 26 [squeezing through gaps] for further information.
Size 1 Size 2 Size 3 Size 4
Command stat: Shows your model’s skill at directing other members of your Strike Team. The two numbers added together are called the Command Total.
Stat Cards
Each type of model has its own Stat Card. You only need one Stat Card for each type of model, not one for each individual model you are using.
Wrath
Throughout their long and noble history, there has never been a Judwan warrior or a Judwan murderer, and certainly nothing like the psychotic assassin known as Wrath. At least, not until now. The following information has been pieced together from a variety of sources, and the truth of the matter will probably never be known for certain. The few that did know the truth of this code 8 secret operation are mostly dead. The handful that remain are running for their lives or hiding where they think he cannot find them.
It seems that he was taken from his parents at an early age and raised as an assassin for the Council of Seven. Producing such unwavering killers was probably only one order issued among many others and was long forgotten by the time he was old enough to be sent on his first mission. Still, he was their work.
His first mission was almost his last as the Enforcers he accompanied nearly shot him on the spot for disobeying direct orders under fire. Despite his excellence in training and simulation, when it came to reality he would not kill. He was, after all, Judwan.
The programme leader was given a month to persuade his subject to see reason. Failure would not be a healthy option for either of them. From that point the means of persuasion became increasingly blunt and desperate. Hypnotism, indoctrination, and behavioural therapy were quickly replaced by surgery, implants and mind-probes. These failed too, so more were tried, as was simple torture to break his will – to force him to obey. After a month the programme leader claimed a great success. He had broken the Judwan. Turning around such a high cost investment was such good news that even one of the Council saw fit to inspect this most lethal of new weapons in their arsenal. Reports of this official demonstration are sketchy, but the results are clear. Today the assassin known as Wrath is the most wanted sentient in the galaxy. He is at the top of every Enforcers shoot to kill list and has been the target of no less than nine fleet sized actions. Small cities have been nuked in an effort to kill him, but he has slipped away quietly every time.
The main reason for this unusually costly pursuit is simple revenge. Wrath carries one of the Council of Seven’s ceremonial blades, and this he took from the dead hand of the Councillor himself. He cannot be allowed to live. His every breath is an encouragement to the Rebs and an embarrassment for the Council and the Corporation. The problem is that we was trained too well.
Deadzone is fought out over a battlefield that is represented by a gridded mat. This playing area is an 8 x 8 grid of squares onto which you place buildings and other scenery.
In this example, model A occupies a level 3 cube, B occupies a level 2 cube and C occupies a level 1 cube.
Cubes Not Squares
This scenery adds a third dimension to the battlefield and means that we are really dealing with cubes, not squares. Deadzone uses the term cubes throughout the rules as a constant reminder that you are fighting in three dimensions.
A cube is simply a 3” square in 3D, so it has a height of 3” as well as a breadth and depth. If you find it easier to call them squares then that’s fine, but remember that they have a height too. This is important as the volume of the cube is used for some rules, not just its square “footprint” on the mat.
The 8 x 8 grid of cubes represented by the mat is the lowest level of the playing area. As buildings get higher you can imagine them occupying a 3D volume in a series of 8 x 8 layers of cubes piled on top of each other. Each layer is 3” high. We can number these levels starting with the lowest one as level 1, the one above that is level 2, and so on.
In the sparsely populated planets of the far reaches of Corporation space, the settlements all tend towards a familiar look – built from the same prefab units that are supplied by Shensig Interplanetary to almost every colonist collective and security unit known to man. These boxy and utilitarian blocks are formed into storage units, barracks, workshops, offices, armouries, labs, holding pens, and medi-centres with equal ease. They are the defining architectural wonder of the Corporation and are commonly what alien races assume to be the pinnacle of human achievement. They are a far cry from the architectural marvels of the Core.
Whether a settlement is military, contractor or colonist it will be built in much the same way. First the construction bots lay down a foundation of concrete sections laced with multiweave for additional strength and with expansion buffers between slabs for thermal integrity. On top of this they then use the patented habtainers to construct the required buildings. These habtainers are designed to be used both as shipping containers en route to the new settlement and as habitats once they arrive. Their simple and robust cube form allows them to tessellate with maximum efficiency both in spaceship holds and within security perimeters. They are even moderately bullet proof.
When a Containment Protocol is declared the fighting is usually not long in following, and these battles almost always take place in and around Shensig habtainers. The reason is simple. Any alien artefacts must be reported to the local Corporation military, who can then examine them. This places the source of almost every single Plague outbreak within a Corporation base. That is where the Plague are most common and where the Enforcers must go to stamp them out. The plundering forces of Rebels, Marauders, Forge Fathers or Veer-myn don’t care about the swamps and backwoods of the planet as much as the high-tech resources and information that can be plundered from the abandoned Corporation bases. So they too head for the habtainer jungles of Corporation settlements…
Buildings and Cover
The scenery on the battlefield gives your models
protection from enemy attacks as well as vantage points from which you can see the enemy. This is important as most models can only hurt what they can see.
The scenery can be divided into two main types: buildings and cover. The difference is really one of convenience for the rules and in reality the troops would be using whatever they could find to hide behind, regardless of what it was originally.
Buildings are the larger remains of structures and can be several cubes tall or wide.
Cover is any small fragments of walls, barricades or other debris that offers protection within a cube.
Buildings
Wherever possible, always place buildings so that they fit exactly within one or more cubes, by placing the walls on the cube edges. This makes the rules run more smoothly, as you will see later. The model buildings designed for Deadzone are all based on a 3” template so that they fit the cubes perfectly.
Buildings are the basic framework of the battlefield and form the space in and around which you will be fighting. Exactly how you assemble them is up to you and is part of the fun. However, one good piece of advice is that it’s always more interesting to include a variety of heights and sizes of structure when you set up a battlefield. Another thing to be aware of when constructing your buildings is the difference between solid tiles and all others. Solid tiles are those without any trapdoors, windows or missing sections. These totally block movement across that cube edge. Of course, the
Deadzone buildings are part of a very flexible modelling system and so these sections could be ceilings or floors as well as walls. Sections that have some gaps in them
are passable by some models, depending on the relative size of the hole and the model trying to move through it. See page 26.
Cover
When you set up a battlefield, some cubes will contain small scenery elements such as barricades or ammo crates. These are physical objects that will block the ability of models to see and shoot at each other, just as any building will. However, in addition to this they may be enough to make a particular cube count as cover. Before the game starts, you and your opponent should agree which cubes count as cover. Each cube either counts as cover or it doesn’t. There is no middle ground. If a cube counts as cover then it doesn’t matter where in the cube the scenery that represents that cover is. However, it is always better for visual clarity to put the scenery clearly in one cube or another and not directly on the adjoining lines (unless you want that piece of scenery to denote that both cubes it’s in count as cover). By defining what is and isn’t cover before the game starts you avoid any awkwardness later. This only takes a moment and because most people play with the same friends and the same scenery every time, this quickly becomes second nature.
There is no hard and fast rule about how much scenery constitutes enough to be cover – it’s really just a matter of what looks right to you.
During the game, a model that is anywhere in a cover cube gets the benefit of being in cover regardless of whether it is standing behind a particular piece of scenery or not. The whole cube counts as cover.
In this diagram, cubes A, C and D are open. Cubes B, E, F, G, H and I count as cover.
At the heart of Deadzone’s rules is a simple dice rolling system. This is used whenever you Shoot an opponent, Throw a Grenade at them or Fight them in close combat, to name a few common uses. The following rules explain the way such tests are written and how to resolve them.
Test Format
With only a few exceptions (such as scatter on the opposite page) all dice rolls are resolved the same way. This is written in a standard format that describes:
• The number of dice to roll (usually 3). • The game stat each dice roll needs to equal
or beat to succeed (Shoot, Fight, Survive, etc). Occasionally this value will be fixed for everyone, and if this is the case then a number will be listed instead of a stat.
• If you have a choice between two or more stats, you must decide which one to use before rolling any dice as different choices have different modifiers and results.
• The target number (in brackets) of successful dice rolls to achieve the aim of the dice roll. • If this number is a “(1)” then you only need a
single successful dice roll to pass the check. • If this number is an “(X),” then the result is
compared to your opponent’s score to see who has won. This is called an opposed test. For example, a “3 dice Shoot test (X)” requires you to roll 3 dice against your Shoot stat and compare the number of successes you roll against the number your opponent rolls.
Blank Stats
If a model has a value of “-” for the required stat then it may not choose to make that test. If a model with a stat of “-” must use that value for a test then regardless of modifiers it rolls no dice and counts as making zero successes.
Dice Rolling Sequence
Dice rolls in Deadzone are resolved as follows unless otherwise stated:
1. Create your pool of dice by taking the number of dice listed for the test and applying any modifiers as necessary. Note that modifiers always alter the number of dice rolled, not the result of the test.
2. If modifiers reduce the dice pool to zero, you cannot make the test. Otherwise, roll all the dice.
3. Each dice that scores equal to or higher than the model’s relevant game stat (as listed in the test description) counts as a success.
4. Each dice that scores an 8 counts as a success and lets you immediately roll an additional dice. (If this dice is also an 8, roll another one – keep going until you roll something other than an 8.) 5. Apply the results of the test based on the
number of successes you have rolled.
To continue the 3 dice Shoot test (X) example above, if your Shoot stat was 6+ and you had +1 dice because your previous action had been to Aim, you would roll four dice...
...rolling 2, 5, 6, 8, you would have scored 2
successes and would be able to roll a further dice...
...rolling a 7, you would have scored 3 successes in total.
Doubling and Tripling
In some instances, doubling the target number or doubling your opponent’s total number of successes causes an improved effect. These are listed where they apply. So, a result of 2 or more successes when you need (1) is doubling, as is 4 to (2), 6 to (3) and so on.
When you are rolling an (X) test you need to double the number of successes scored by your opponent.
Tripling works just like doubling, but with rolling three times the target number or your opponent’s successes instead of twice.
Doubling and Tripling Against Zero
If your opponent rolls zero successes then a single success against them counts as the highest level of success described in the results. This will vary from test to test, but where both doubling and tripling are possible it will always count as tripling.
Scatter
Sometimes you will need to work out where an inaccurately thrown grenade lands or a rampaging model charges. Random movement of models or items is called scattering and is usually worked out with a single dice roll. Use the scatter diagram shown below. Move the model or item in question one cube in the direction indicated by the diagram below. The 1 is always considered to be furthest away and to the left of the rolling player, with the 8 closest and furthest to the right.
Scatter is always worked out initially on the same level. Then, if the model or item scatters into a cube that has no floor on that level then it will fall until it lands on something. If a cube has a partial floor, such as a half-width walkway or a floor with a trapdoor, then roll a single dice to see if the model or item has landed on it or fallen past. A roll of 1-3 means that the “floor” has been missed and the fall continues, a 4-8 means that the model or item lands on that level. In this way, a model or item may scatter into another cube on the same level, or fall into a lower level, but cannot scatter up.
If the scatter move is completely blocked by solid walls then the model or item simply bounces back into the original cube.
Items can always fit in a cube. If a model scatters into a cube that it cannot fit into due to the size limitations explained above, then it must bounce back into the original cube (if on the same level) or scatter again from that cube (if it has already fallen to a lower level). Models that fall or are thrown into walls may take damage. See the rules for whatever caused the scatter for more details.
A model needs to be able to see their target in order to attack it. In game terms this means that the target must be both in range and in Line of Sight (LOS).
LOS comes in two types and is explained here. LOS is essentially just a straight line between two points. As we’re simply deciding whether this model can see that target, both types of LOS use the head of the shooting model as the starting point. That is, after all, where he (or she or it) would be looking from.
The two types of LOS are:
Point LOS: use this when you want to Shoot at a specific
point such as an individual enemy model.
Area LOS: use this when you want to Blaze Away at a
whole cube rather than a specific model.
Point LOS
Point LOS is used for an attempt to Shoot a specific target. The pinnacle would be the sniper’s headshot. Point LOS is calculated by looking from the model’s perspective. If you take a model’s eye view, can you see the target model? Remember that “the model” includes the base of the model as well as any weapons, flamboyant hairstyles, tails, etc. Note that it doesn’t matter what is obscuring the target. It could be a piece of scenery, an enemy model or even a friendly one. The question is simple: can you see the target model – yes or no?
If you can’t see it at all then you do not have a Point LOS to it.
If you can see every last bit of the target model then you have a Clear Shot and this gets you a bonus. See page 29. The norm in this urban combat zone is that you will be able to see only part of the model and the clutter of the environment will obscure the rest. That allows a normal shot.
Area LOS
This is used for an attempt to keep the enemy’s head down or to drop in a round that has a blast area and so does not need to be perfectly accurate to do its job. Examples would be Blazing Away with an Enforcer’s heavy rifle, or throwing a frag grenade.
Area LOS is calculated by looking from the model’s perspective. If you take a model’s eye view, can you see the target cube? Remember that a cube is a 3D target, so the volume of the cube is as legitimate a target as the floor. You can therefore shoot through a window at a cube beyond.
In the case of Area LOS there are only two possibilities: you can either see it or you can’t. There is no bonus for a Clear Shot for Area LOS.
Model’s Eye Views
In most instances a LOS of either type is clearly possible or not. If there is any doubt then simply bend down over the table and look from the model’s viewpoint. A model’s eye view over the battlefield will often show unexpected obstacles and surprisingly clear targets that you hadn’t noticed from your normal “bird’s eye” view over the battlefield.
Level Differences
Often you will be firing at targets above or below you. These instances are more likely to need you to check the real LOS from the model’s perspective. They also cause some modifiers to the subsequent tests. However, the principles of LOS are the same whether you are on the same or different levels.
Lying Down Models
During the game some models will invariably end up lying down (to show that they are Pinned or Suppressed). How does LOS work to these models? Exactly the same as every other model. Lying down changes nothing as far as the rules are concerned.
Measuring Distance
When you need to work out how far a model can move or shoot you use the same method. Simply count the shortest route in cubes between where you start and where you want to move or shoot to. The distance/range is the number of cubes. You never count the cube you start in and always count the one you finish in.
When counting this way, you can move into any adjacent cube. Remember this is in three dimensions, so you can move diagonally up or down as well as diagonally on the same level.
Adjacent cubes: Though he can’t move to all of them,
the model on Level 2 is adjacent to 26 other cubes:
• 9x level 1 cubes (between the red and blue grids)
• 8x level 2 cubes (between the blue and green
grids)
• 9x level 3 cubes (between the green and purple
grids)
There is an easier shorthand method for working out ranges if doing this in three dimensions is unfamiliar at first. Just count the range as if the distance was all on one level, then count the difference in levels. The higher of these two numbers is the range – see the example below.
The distance between A and B is 2 cubes as the vertical distance (2 cubes) is greater than the horizontal distance (1 cube). The distance between A and C is 3 cubes as the horizontal distance (3 cubes) is greater than the vertical distance (2 cubes).
Deadzone’s sequence of play revolves around four core concepts: the Round, the Turn, Initiative and Activation.
Rounds
Deadzone is played in a series of Rounds. During a Round all the models on all sides get to act. Each model may only act once in each Round (unless a card or ability states otherwise). Each Round follows these steps:
1. Determine which player has the Initiative. 2. The player with the Initiative takes the first Turn. 3. The second player takes their Turn as per step 2. 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all the models on both
sides have been activated in this Round.
5. When all models have been marked as activated then the Round is over. Follow the steps under the End of Round section on the next page.
Determine Initiative
When a player is taking his Turn he is said to have the Initiative.
Some scenarios list which side starts with the Initiative and therefore takes the first Turn in the first Round. More commonly the scenario will not define a starting player. In these cases one player rolls a single dice. On a 1-4 that player starts; on a 5-8 their opponent begins the game with the Initiative.
In all following Rounds, the player that was first to finish activating his models in the previous Round starts with the Initiative.
Turns
During a Turn an individual player gets to act with some of his models.
A model’s Activation is its opportunity to move, shoot, fight, etc in a Round.
Normally you will have to activate at least one model in your Turn. However, if you have fewer models left to activate than your opponent then you may choose to pass the Initiative over to him.
If all your models have already been activated then you have no choice but to pass.
If you cannot pass, or choose to activate a model anyway, follow these steps:
1. Choose one model that has not yet acted this Round. 2. This becomes the active model. An active model can
choose to make either a single long action or up to two short actions in their Turn. On top of this, some results allow additional “free” actions.
A model that starts its activation in the same cube as one or more enemy models may only choose Fight or Break Off actions. In addition it may have a single active Battle Card played on it. When the player has finished with this model he must mark it with an activated marker to show that it cannot act again this Round.
3. Either act with another model or give the Initiative to your opponent.
4. In a single Turn you may act with a maximum number of models equal to your Commander’s command total. If your Commander is dead then use the highest remaining command total in your Strike Team (not counting mercenaries). For example, a Strike Team with a 2-1 Commander would be able to activate up to 3 models per Turn.
Note that you can choose to do nothing with a model in a Turn if you want to. This will still count as its activation and will still mark it as such.
End Of Round
When all models have been marked as activated then the Round is over. Follow these steps:
1. If a player has not used at least one Battle Card so far in this Round they must discard one of their choice from their hand now.
2. Each player takes a number of cards from his draw deck equal to the first number in his Commander’s command value. He then keeps a number of cards of his choice equal to the second number of his Commander’s command value. Any excess cards are placed at the bottom of his draw deck - not the discard pile. If the Strike Team’s Commander is dead then use the model with the highest remaining command value for this step instead. If the draw deck runs out then simply draw as many as you can. The discard pile is not reused.
3. If a player has no cards left to draw and no cards remaining in his hand then the game has timed out. See page 43.
4. If the battle is not over then remove the activation markers from all models and start a new Round at step 1.
The following pages are a list of the more common actions available to most models. A few rare types of action are limited to those with specific abilities and are described in those rules. See pages 66 to 75.
Important! A model may only perform each type of action once in a Turn. Free actions do not count towards this limit.
Free Actions
Free actions do not count towards a model’s limit for that Turn in either type or quantity. However, they are limited in other ways. A free action cannot trigger another free action of the same type. If the result says that a second free action of the same type is earned then ignore that part of the result. Note that you could earn two free actions of the same type in a single Turn if two separate short actions triggered one each. A free action must be taken immediately or it is lost. You may always choose not to take a free action if you want.
COMMAND (LONG ACTION)
A Command action is one of the few types of action that is limited in number. It is also unusual because it is not a single thing but a choice of options.
Only a model that is either a Leader or has the Tactician or Strategist ability can use a Command action.
Command Pool
At the start of a battle, work out the Strike Team’s Command Pool. This is the number of Command actions that they can use during the whole battle. Calculate the number as follows:
• Each Leader: +1 • Each Tactician: +1 • Each Strategist: +2
For example, imagine a Strike Team that contains one Leader that has no abilities and another that is a Strategist. The total Command Pool for the strike team would be 4: 1 for each Leader model (2) plus another 2 for the Strategist ability.
Use the command tokens to track the number of possible Command actions remaining in your Command Pool. Remove one token from the Command Pool each time a Command action is used. In addition, if a model that contributed to the Command Pool dies then the number of tokens it added are immediately lost.
If there are no tokens left in the Command Pool then the Command action cannot be taken.
Command Decision
When a model takes a Command action it must first take a command test.
Command is a variable dice 6+ test (1). Roll a number of dice equal to the model’s command total. For example, a 2-1 model would roll 3 dice.
Command fails: no effect.
Command succeeds: choose one of the following
options:
Energy: nominate a single unactivated
friendly model within 4 cubes to take an immediate free short action. They may choose any short action that is available to them. This action does not mark the target model as activated.
Pause: nominate an unactivated or
overwatching enemy model within 4 cubes. Mark it as activated.
Clarity: take the next Battle Card from the
top of your draw deck and add it to your hand.
Command doubles: choose one of the following
options:
Drive: nominate any single friendly model
(activated or unactivated) within 4 cubes to take an immediate free short action. They may choose any short action that is available to them. This action does not mark the target model as activated if it wasn’t already.
Indecision: nominate an unactivated or
overwatching enemy model within 8 cubes. Mark it as activated.
Planning: look through your discard pile and
choose any one card to add back into your draw deck. Reshuffle your draw deck.
Command triples: choose one of the following
options:
Inspiration: nominate any single friendly
model (activated or unactivated) within 8 cubes to take an immediate free short action. They may choose any short action that is available to them. This action does not mark the target model as activated if it wasn’t already.
Confusion: nominate an unactivated or
overwatching enemy model anywhere on the battlefield. Mark it as activated.
Cunning: look through your discard pile and
choose any one card to add to your hand.
Note that no LOS is required for any of these Command results.
Command Tokens
The double-sided command tokens can represent 1 or 2 points in the Command Pool.
MOVE (SHORT ACTION)
The model moves 1 cube. Alternatively, the model may spend a Move action to reposition itself within the same cube. If the model moves into a cube containing an enemy model then they must Fight it immediately. This is true regardless of the cause of the move. If there is more than one enemy model in the cube then the moving model only needs to Fight one and may choose which.
Moving on the Same Level
This can be into any of the 8 surrounding cubes on the same level that are not completely blocked.
The active Stage 3A model in the centre could move to any one of the surrounding cubes on that level apart from the one on the top centre and bottom right. Both are blocked by solid walls.
Changing Level
You can also move up or down a single level as part of the same Move action.
Moving down simply requires a clear path to the new cube. A model dropping more than a single level is falling and may suffer damage. See page 67. To move up there must be a full cube height wall to provide handholds to climb.
The following diagrams show where the wall needs to be in relation to the moving model. In order to climb straight up there must be a wall on at least one side of the cube.
In order to go up a level into an orthogonally adjacent cube there must be a wall to climb on the lower level, directly between the cubes. A solid wall in this position on the upper level will block the movement.
In this example the active Stage 3A in the centre can only move to one of the level 2 cubes.
Orthogonal and Diagonal: Orthogonal describes
adjacent cubes that share a common side with the original cube. A cube therefore has 4 orthogonally and 4 diagonally adjacent cubes on the same level. Orthogonal is also used for those cubes directly above or below those marked as such on the above diagram.
Note: In these diagrams, solid red lines are used to illustrate solid walls.
In order to go up a level into a diagonally adjacent cube there must be a wall to climb on the lower level, in one of four positions shown. Solid walls in either both closer or both further positions on the upper level will block the movement.
In this example the active Stage 3A in the centre can only move to one of the level 2 cubes.
In this example, the active Stage 3A in the centre is trying to get to the highest level of each cube. All marked walls are on the lower level.
The model can freely move to any of the level 1 cubes as none of them are completely blocked. The model can move to the two diagonally adjacent level 2 cubes at the bottom of the diagram as there are walls in at least one of the correct positions. There is no route to the level 2 cube in the centre left of the diagram as there is no wall between them to climb up.
Despite the position of the walls, the model cannot move to the level 3 cube as a Move action only allows a rise of a single level. If this was a level 2 cube then the model would be able to make the move.
Moving On Walkways
Walkways are half cube-width platforms. They can hold a total of 2 normal size 1 models, so size 3 and 4 models cannot use them.
They are treated as normal cubes for movement except when size 1 or 2 models, grenades or other items fall onto them. In this case roll a single dice. On a 1-3 the model or item has missed the walkway and has continued to fall. On a 4+ they have landed on the walkway. Size 3 or 4 models will always hit the walkway, take (and inflict) any appropriate falling damage, and then begin to fall again.
The half of the floor of the walkway cube that is empty space may be moved over without penalty as long as the moving model would normally be able to move to the first cube beyond it.
Moving Through Gaps
The Deadzone scenery has a number of windows, doorways and ruined gaps blasted through it. Some of these gaps are large enough for models to move through and others aren’t. Obviously the size of a model changes which gaps it can easily move through. As there are an infinite number of possible variations in scenery, especially if you have built your own, the following rules deal in broad categories. If there is any potential for confusion then it’s a good idea to talk through with your opponent which category each piece of scenery counts as before you start the game.
Cube
Size 1 Size 2 Size 3 Size 4
Solid no no no no Small window no no no no Average window yes no no no Door or large window yes yes no no Large door
yes yes yes no
Barricade
yes yes yes yes
The active Stage 3A model is able to move left and right to the level 1 cubes because you can move down a single level if there’s a clear path. The model can move down to the level 1 cube directly below its starting position for the same reason.
The model can move diagonally to the top left Level 2 cube as it is on the same level and the route is not completely blocked.
The model can move to the top right Level 3 cube as there is a wall to climb.
The model cannot move orthogonally to the top centre Level 3 cube as there is no wall to climb.
Who Moves The Models?
Whenever a model is moved the owning player decides on the exact position of the model within the cube. This is true whether the model is moved by an action, a blast, changing Aggression (standing up or lying down) or anything else.
A model cannot be moved when there is no game cause. In other words, you can’t decide to move a model just because it is in the way, or too exposed to enemy fire or anything else. You must use an action to move it or be responding to a change in Aggression, enemy weapon effects, etc.
Full Cubes And The Edge Of The Board
Models can only move off the board in two places: their own deployment zone and that of their opponent. Infiltrate mission goals require you to move off the board through the enemy deployment zone. This means that the model must be in a cube that is both within the opposing deployment zone and at the edge of the board. A single Move action will move the model off the board. Scour mission goals require you to move off the board via your own deployment zone. This works the same way as infiltrate, but in your deployment zone, not the enemy’s.
Note that deployment zones are considered to be at all levels and so a model can leave the battlefield on any level.
A model that leaves the battlefield cannot return. Apart from these specific instances, you should treat the edge of the board as a solid wall that blocks all movement.
A cube or walkway that the moving model could not fit into is also treated as a solid wall.
Picking Up And Carrying Items
Models with a Shoot of “-” or with the Beast or Hover ability cannot pick up or carry items. All other models can carry a single item counter.
When a model moves into a cube containing an item, but no enemy models, they may choose to pick it up. This applies whatever the cause of the movement. In addition, if a model spends a Move action repositioning within the same cube then they may also pick up an item in that cube.
If there is more than one item in a cube then the moving model must choose which to pick up. They can only pick up one at a time.
Items begin the battle face down, so that their type is unknown. Picking up an item allows a player to turn it over and look at what it is. Once an item has been revealed then it stays face up for the rest of the game even if it is dropped or swapped later.
If the model picks up an item then they may choose to keep it, drop it or destroy it. Models can carry up to one item at a time. If they pick up a new item they may choose which to keep and which to drop/destroy. An item that is dropped is placed in the same cube, face up. An item that is destroyed is removed from the game. A model that is Killed drops any item(s) they were carrying in the cube they died in.
Swapping Items
If a model could pick up an item then they can choose to swap an item they are already carrying with a friendly model in the same cube instead.
The active model gives an item they are currently carrying to the other model. If this other model cannot carry more items than it already has then they must either give one to the active model or drop one on the floor.
Only the active model spends an action in order to swap items. The other model can be already activated or yet to have its Turn when the swap takes place.
CLIMB (LONG ACTION)
The model moves 2 cubes and must move either up 2 levels or down 2 levels whilst doing so. If the model cannot make the change in level required then this action cannot be taken.
SPRINT (LONG ACTION)
The model moves 2 cubes on the same level. They cannot intentionally change level during a Sprint. Otherwise, the rules for movement are as listed under the Move action on page 24.
BREAK OFF (LONG ACTION)
A model that wishes to leave a cube that also contains one or more Alert or Enraged enemy models must themselves be Alert or Enraged and must use a Break Off action to do so. Whether the model moves or not depends on the results.
Break Off is a 3 dice Survive test (X)
The opposing player chooses one of the Alert or Enraged enemy models in the cube to resist the Break Off attempt. They roll a 3 dice Fight test (X).
Survive modifiers:
• +2 any friends in the same square (not 2 per model)
Fight modifiers:
• +1 any friends are in the same square (not 1 per model)
• +1 Enraged • -1 Injured
Compare the total number of successes to find the outcome:
Draw or Survive wins: take a free Move action.
Survive doubles: take a free Move action. In
addition, the Break Off attempt is only counted as a short action, leaving the model with one short action left this Turn.
Fight wins: the difference in number of successes
is the potential damage. Resolve this first at an additional AP1. Then, if the Breaking Off model is still alive, they take a free Move action.
Fight doubles: the difference in number of
successes is the potential damage. Resolve this at an additional AP1.
If a model Breaks Off into a cube containing an item but no enemy models then it may choose to pick it up. See page 27.
If a model Breaks Off into a cube containing enemy model(s) then they get a free Fight action as normal.
FIGHT (LONG ACTION)
If a model begins its Turn in the same cube as an enemy model then it may choose to Fight it.
If a model moves into the same cube as an enemy model then it will Fight for free as part of that action. This happens whether the movement is intentional (such as a Move action) or unintentional (such as being blasted into a new cube by a booby trap).
If there is more than one enemy model in a cube the active model chooses which one it will Fight.
Every model can Fight unless specifically mentioned otherwise. We can safely assume that these elite warriors are well trained in unarmed combat and/or are carrying at least a combat knife or similar to protect themselves with. The only additional weapons that can be used in a Fight are those with range F. If a model has more than one range F weapon then it must choose which one to use before any dice are rolled.
A model with a Fight stat of “-” may not choose Fight as an action or a response.
Fight is a 3 dice Fight test (X).
The target of a Fight action must choose to roll either a 3 dice Fight test (X) or a 3 dice Survive test (X).
Fight modifiers:
• +1 if moved into this cube in this action • +1 if any friends are in the same square
(not 1 per model) • +1 if Enraged • -1 if Injured • -1 if Pinned • -2 if Suppressed Survive modifiers:
• +1 if any friends in the same square (not 1 per model)
• -1 if Pinned • -2 if Suppressed
Compare the total number of successes to find the outcome:
Draw: MISS – no effect.
Fight wins: HIT - hits opponent. The difference in
number of successes is the potential damage.
Fight doubles: HIT - hits opponent. The difference
in number of successes is the potential damage. Winner gets a free Fight action if there are still opposing models in that cube, or a free Move action if none are left.
Survive wins: MISS – no effect.
Survive doubles: MISS - survivor gets a free
Move or Fight action. The Move action is made as if the survivor was not in a cube with an enemy model and does not require a Break Off test to leave the fight.
Important!: A model that is Pinned or Suppressed at the start of a Fight action involving it will recover to Alert automatically and without counting as a Get Mean! action. However, they will suffer the -1 for being Pinned or the -2 for Suppressed during that first Fight.
If a model injures or kills an opponent in a Fight they gain +1 Aggression.
GET MEAN! (SHORT ACTION)
This action immediately raises the model’s Aggression by one step along the scale Suppressed > Pinned > Alert > Enraged.
Raising your Aggression is the only way to stand up from being Pinned or to remove a suppression marker.
SHOOT (SHORT ACTION)
A model must have an attack with a Range number (not F) to take this action.
Ranges
Weapons have ranges listed as part of their description. A range of F means that the weapon can only be used with a Fight action against targets in the same cube.
Weapons with a number for Range cannot be used in a Fight.
Anything between one cube and the weapon’s listed Range in cubes is called combat range. Beyond that, up to twice the number listed, is called long range.
Tests may have negative modifiers when weapons are used at long range.
Long range is the maximum distance a weapon can fire.
The target must be within the maximum range of the weapon used to take this action.
Shoot targets a single model and requires Point LOS. Other models in the same or intervening cubes are not affected.
Shoot is a 3 dice Shoot test (X)
The target of a Shoot action must roll a 3 dice Survive test (X)
Shoot modifiers:
• +1 if the active model’s previous action this Turn was Aim
• +2 Clear Shot*
• +1 if on a higher level than the target • -1 if Enraged.
• -1 if at long range
• -2 if there are any friendly models in the target cube
* See page 18. To qualify as a Clear Shot, you must have a completely unobstructed view to the whole of the target model. Note that you can have a clear shot to a model in a cover cube. In this case both modifiers would apply.
Survive modifiers: • +1 in cover**
• +1 Pinned or Suppressed
** A model that is on a higher level than the active model is always considered to be in cover
Compare the total number of successes to find the outcome:
Draw or Survive wins: MISS - Attack misses. Shoot wins: HIT – the difference in number of
successes is the potential damage.
Shoot doubles: HIT – the difference in number of
successes is the potential damage. In addition, the target suffers -1 Aggression.
BLAZE AWAY (SHORT ACTION)
A model must have an attack with a Range number (not F) to take this action.
The target must be within the maximum range of the weapon used to take this action.
Blaze Away targets a cube and requires Area LOS. You can, therefore, Blaze Away at a model you cannot actually see with Point LOS.
In addition to the normal LOS rules, if both active model and target are on the same level then Blaze Away cannot trace LOS through a cube that is occupied by any Alert or Enraged models.
Blaze Away affects all the models in a cube, both friend and foe.
Blaze Away is a 3 dice Shoot test (X)
Each model in the target cube of a Blaze Away action must take a separate 3 dice Survive test (X) Shoot modifiers:
• +1 per supporting model*
• +2 if the active model uses an Ammo item. Survive modifiers:
• -1 in cover** • +1 if Enraged
• +1 if Pinned or Suppressed
** A model that is on a higher level than the active model is always considered to be in cover. A model that is in the target cube but which cannot be seen by the active model with Point LOS is always considered to be in cover.
Compare the total number of successes to find the outcome:
Draw or Survive wins: MISS - no effect.
Blaze Away wins: HIT - target -1 Aggression, eg
Alert to Pinned.
Blaze Away doubles: HIT - target -2 Aggression,
eg Enraged to Pinned.
Blaze Away triples: HIT - target -3 Aggression, eg
Enraged to Suppressed.
Blaze Away Damage
When you’re blazing away at a target there is always a chance that you might hit them even if your main aim is only to keep their heads down. To take this into account, use the following rule.
Any HIT result with a Blaze Away test may cause damage.
Work out the effects of the Aggression loss on the target. If all the loss has been used in reducing the target to Suppressed then no damage is caused. If however, the target is reduced to Suppressed and there is still a reduction in Aggression left over then each extra step causes 1 potential damage.
For example, if an Enraged model is tripled then it loses 3 Aggression. This reduces it to Alert then Pinned then Suppressed with no points left over. No damage is caused.
For example, if a Pinned model is doubled it loses 2 Aggression. This reduces it to Suppressed with one point left to lose. This extra point loss causes one potential damage. Resolve this damage as normal (see page 34).
Supporting Models
*A friendly model may support a Blaze Away action if it has not yet activated and it could have made a Blaze Away action of its own against the same target. A model that supports is marked as activated and does count towards the maximum number of models a player can activate in his Turn.
Cover
The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that cover is dealt with slightly differently in Deadzone. Against shooting it gives the target a better chance of surviving. That’s normal. But against Blaze Away attacks it actually makes it harder for the target to resist. Is that right? Absolutely. When you shoot at me I am less likely to be dead if I have a nice, thick wall to hide behind, so the modifier is in my favour. However, if you’re blazing away at me in an effort to pin me down then I’m far more likely to curl up and stay hidden (be Pinned or Suppressed) if I’ve already got some cover to hide in. Cover is nice and feels safe. Once they’re in it, people don’t like moving out of it. For Shooting this translates to a bonus for the target, but mechanically this must be a minus when it is Blazing Away.
AIM (SHORT ACTION)
A model must have an attack with a Range number (not F) to take this action.
The model remains in place and takes Aim. This adds a bonus to a subsequent Shoot action if it is made immediately afterwards in the same Turn.
THROW GRENADE (SHORT ACTION)
A model must have a grenade with a Range number (not F) to take this action.
The target must be within the maximum range of the weapon used to take this action.
The Judwan are a calm, peaceful race, each one following the ancient Mu’shen’wan path to spiritual enlightenment. A staggeringly large number of them are healers, using a mixture of dazzling technology and ancient medicine to care for those with whom they share the galaxy, but never asking for reward or recompense.
Throw Grenade is a 3 dice Shoot test (1) Shoot modifiers:
• -1 if Indirect weapon at combat range • -2 if Indirect weapon at long range
Throw Grenade succeeds: HIT – the grenade
lands in the target cube.
Throw Grenade fails: MISS – at combat range the
grenade scatters one cube in a random direction. At long range the grenade scatters twice. Roll separately for each scatter.
This action resolves where a thrown grenade ends up. What happens when it goes off in that cube depends on what type of grenade it is. See pages 77 to 78 for details of the different types and their effects.
Grenades are reliable and carefully built weapons that only explode when triggered. They do not detonate when the model carrying one dies or drops one to pick up something different.
OVERWATCH (LONG ACTION)
The model lies in wait for the enemy, carefully watching the approaches.
Place an Overwatch counter next to the model. The model remains on Overwatch until their Overwatch test tells you to remove it, they are Injured, Pinned or Suppressed, or they choose a new action in a subsequent Turn.
When an enemy model takes any action that begins or ends within Area LOS of the overwatching model then they may attempt to react.
Roll the following test to see if the model reacts quickly enough in the tumult of battle.
Note that any number of overwatching models may attempt to interrupt each enemy action, but that you must declare all of those that will try before you roll for any of them. Roll for and resolve each overwatching model one at a time in an order chosen by the owning player.
An overwatching model does not have to interrupt an enemy, and if there are several that could then it is always their owning player’s choice as to which ones, if any, make the attempt.
Overwatch is a 3 dice 6+ test (1)
Overwatch fails: remove the Overwatch counter. Overwatch succeeds: take the model’s Overwatch
action after the target has completed their action. Discard the Overwatch counter.
Overwatch doubles: take the model’s Overwatch
action before or after the target has completed their action. Discard the Overwatch counter.
Overwatch triples: take the model’s overwatch
action before or after the target has completed their action. The model remains on Overwatch - leave the Overwatch counter in place.
After The Overwatch Action
Once any Overwatch action has been resolved, the model that was interrupted may continue with their Turn provided that they have not been Pinned,Suppressed, Injured or Killed.
Each faction has its own deck of cards, and within this is a set of Battle Cards. . Some of these will form a Strike Team’s battle deck for use during a game. A player has a hand of cards drawn from this battle deck that he uses to aid his Strike Team. As the game goes on cards will be used and discarded, and new ones drawn. If a player’s deck runs out completely and he has no cards left in his hand, then the battle is over.
Card Types
Once a card has been played and resolved it is placed in a discard pile next to that player’s draw deck. The discard pile is never reshuffled and reused. Discarded cards are out of the game.
Battle Cards come in three main types: Active, Reactive and Hybrid. They are marked with the icons below.
Active cards may only be played during your own Turn.
Reactive cards can only be played in your opponent’s Turn.
Hybrid cards may be played in any player’s Turn.
