Contents

Contents..........................................................................................................................1
A Capsule History of the Ages of Modern Man............................................................3
The Great Rebuilding 2160-2300..........................................................................3
The Early Space Age 2272-2600 .........................................................................3
The Wars of Secession 2494-2582.........................................................................4
The Age of Exploration 2600- Present....................................................................4
The Age of Tyrants Now ..................................................................................4
Strike on Kalakan 2789.............................................................................5
Disaster at Bahariya IV 2790......................................................................5
The Hephaestus Incident 2795.................................................................6
The Lutetium Effect 2807..........................................................................7
The South Sector Bubble 2815....................................................................8
Core Rules Introduction.................................................................................................9
The Combined Arms Doctrine.................................................................................10
Types of Encounter..................................................................................................10
Skirmish...............................................................................................................10
Engagement..........................................................................................................10
Battle....................................................................................................................10
What You’ll Need....................................................................................................10
Types of Encounter..................................................................................................11
Deploying Units...................................................................................................11
Bases and Free Standing Models.........................................................................11
Meeting Engagement............................................................................................11
Breakout...............................................................................................................12
Hold the Line........................................................................................................13
Dominate..............................................................................................................14
Decapitation.........................................................................................................15
Building Your Army................................................................................................16
Points Limit..........................................................................................................16
Profile...................................................................................................................17
Leaders, Units and the Chain of Command.........................................................19
Measuring Distances................................................................................................21
Setting up the Playing Area......................................................................................21
Terrain Characteristics.........................................................................................22
Common Terrain Types.......................................................................................23
Placing Terrain.....................................................................................................25
The Turn Sequence...................................................................................................28
Generating a Random Direction...........................................................................28
Giving Orders.......................................................................................................29
Suppression..........................................................................................................29
Terrain and Movement.........................................................................................30
Orders.......................................................................................................................30
Move.....................................................................................................................31
At the Double.......................................................................................................31
Rest & Recuperation (R&R)................................................................................31
Mount/Dismount..................................................................................................31
Assault..................................................................................................................33
 Retreat..................................................................................................................37
Counter-Attack.....................................................................................................37
Fire.......................................................................................................................40
Return Fire............................................................................................................41
Suppress Area.......................................................................................................41
Use Special Ability...............................................................................................41
Default Orders......................................................................................................42
Combat Cards.......................................................................................................42
Who Can Fight.........................................................................................................43
Generating a Combat Score..................................................................................47
Results..................................................................................................................47
Suppress Area.......................................................................................................49
Breaching.............................................................................................................49
Combat Example..................................................................................................50
Special Rules............................................................................................................50
Bombardment.......................................................................................................50
Indirect Fire..........................................................................................................51
Incendiary.............................................................................................................52
Smoke...................................................................................................................52
Anti-Personnel......................................................................................................53
Anti-Materiel........................................................................................................53
Troop Carrier........................................................................................................53
Defender...............................................................................................................53
Guerrilla...............................................................................................................54
Shock....................................................................................................................54
Cover....................................................................................................................54
Medic....................................................................................................................54
Repair...................................................................................................................54
Jump Trooper.......................................................................................................55
Camouflage..........................................................................................................55
SPOMM...............................................................................................................56
Junkers......................................................................................................................56
History..................................................................................................................56
Colonies................................................................................................................56
Technology...........................................................................................................56
Warfare.................................................................................................................57
Army List.................................................................................................................57
Syntha.......................................................................................................................59
History..................................................................................................................59
Colonies................................................................................................................60
Technology...........................................................................................................60
Warfare.................................................................................................................60
Army List.............................................................................................................60
VASA.......................................................................................................................63
History..................................................................................................................63
Colonies................................................................................................................63
Technology...........................................................................................................63
Warfare.................................................................................................................63
Army List.............................................................................................................64
Viridians...................................................................................................................66
 History..................................................................................................................66
Colonies................................................................................................................67
Technology...........................................................................................................67
Warfare.................................................................................................................67
Army List.............................................................................................................67
Counters...................................................................................................................70
Templates.................................................................................................................70

A Capsule History of the Ages of Modern Man

Nine hundred years have passed since mankind nearly destroyed itself through war
and ecotastrophe; the best part of a millennium in which all aspects of human life
changed beyond recognition. The following is a concise guide to modern human
history, divided into rough and overlapping eras, based on the predominant political,
cultural, technological, and social characteristics of each period. These divisions are
imposed by the historian, and the reader should take note that the realities of history
are never so clear-cut.
All years are in VSY, Viridian Standard Years (identical with ‘City Years’ for those
who prefer the older chronology).

The Great Rebuilding 2160-2300

As the waters of the Great Melting receded humanity launched an energetic and
carefully planned terraformation project that turned flood-ruined Viridia into an
arboreal paradise in little over a century. The clean energy, bioorganic, and
terraformation technologies that were perfected at this time were to be indispensable
once mankind took to the stars and applied them to the colonization of other worlds.
Politically, the scant and homogeneous survivors of the flood established a world
government based on the Karian ideals of corporatism and universal rights, and it was
at this time that the remnants of Karas’ old rival, the Empire of Myrhin, were
incorporated into the world state. Amongst the Myrhin survivors was a community of
brilliant engineers and physicists who were to form the nucleus of the new Viridian
Aeronautics and Space Agency.

The Early Space Age 2272-2600

The era that saw mankind’s triumphant return to space really began with the founding
of VASA in 2272. Bursting with new energy and confidence, humanity explored the
Viridia-Solaris and Leviathan Systems and colonized the new worlds of Ironglass,
Vacillus, and Prime. This age was one of rapid technological growth coupled with the
breakdown of central authority, and from it emerged the dominant schisms that would
characterize human history right down to the present century.
The end of this era saw dramatic innovations in the field of fifth dimensional physics
that led to the discovery of gravwells and their exploitation for quick transport
between systems. The unified mankind that took to the stars at the beginning of this
era was little more than a memory to the competing explorers and colonizers that
would use grav-shunting technology to move humanity onto the galactic stage.
The Wars of Secession 2494-2582
The First War of Secession (2494-2498) occurred when the small scientific
community of Prime, chafing under Viridian regulations, declared their independence
from the homeworld and, in a brilliant series of defensive battles, successfully upheld
their claim. The primitive and unspecialised ships of the era and the extreme distances
involved, the breakthrough AI technologies employed by the Prime scientists, and
VASA’s increasingly uncooperative stance toward Viridian centrism all compounded
to frustrate Viridia’s attempts to hold her most distant colony.
Inspired by Prime’s success the volatile penal colony of Ironglass was next to declare
independence in a violent series of rebellions that sparked the Second War of
Secession (2558-2580), a far bloodier conflict than its predecessor which saw fighting
across the homeworld system and in the fragile newly established colonial holdings of
neighbouring systems. The peace dictated by a fully independent VASA at the close
of this war established the Tripartite Confederacy, an alliance of Viridia, Ironglass,
and Prime overseen by an erstwhile neutral VASA that clearly delineated the balance
of power among the factions.

The Age of Exploration 2600- Present

Though grav shunting was perfected in 2463 and extra-solarian colonies established
soon after, it was not until the turmoil of the Secession Wars quieted with the
ratification of the Treaty of Vacillus in 2582 that mankind begun his galactic
adventure in earnest. It is theorized that much of the energy that may have otherwise
gone into further civil wars was now being channelled successfully into the vast
frontier opened by grav shunting technology. Humanity, having once again veered
dangerously close to self-destruction, spread itself outward with at an almost frenzied
pace.
This age could just as well be termed the Golden Age for, while humanity moved
rapidly from system to system, it enjoyed an era of unparalleled peace and prosperity.
The checks and balances of the Tripartite Alliance ensured a genuine peace, and even
the colonial wars that would become endemic in later eras were of minimal duration
and intensity. Most colonies of this era were still ruled as direct holdings of one of the
Great Powers, or maintained a close affiliate status.

The Age of Tyrants Now

The Strike on Kalakan in 2789, just thirty years ago, marks the beginning of the Age
of Tyrants and many more independence wars between colonies and the Homeworld
powers have since been fought. Though the tail end of the Age of Exploration
continues to play out even now, with Rimworlds being established at the furthest
reaches of the galaxy, the defining feature of this era is one of conflict and tyranny.
The Treaty of Vacillus itself is under threat as the Homeworld powers blatantly
support military coups and prop up puppet revolutionary governments in each others
rebel colonies. The following reports detail five incidents over a thirty year period,
beginning with the Strike on Kalakan. Each has served in its own way to undermine
the Treaty and seriously destabilise the peace throughout the galaxy, leading to further
splintering of colonies and the epidemic of brushfire wars currently sweeping
Draconis Alba.
Strike on Kalakan 2789
Kalakan is a marginal desert world in the Hrebeidine star cluster, located on the
western spiral arm of Draconis Alba a short shunt away from the massive grav-well
known as the Janus Anomaly. The colony was established in 2694 by the Junkers, but
following the discovery of the anomaly in 2710, VASA issued a resolution annexing
all colonies in the area. The Junkers remained to oversee the workforce of convict
labourers stationed there, under the auspices of a planetary Factotum. The colony was
essentially VASA owned however, and a garrison of suppressors was stationed there
to protect their interests. It was no secret that the Junkers were unhappy with the
arrangement, but to defy the resolution would be to court sanctions or potentially even
punitive military action by VASA and the other Homeworld forces.
In 2776 a new Factotum came to Kalakan in the form of Gallus Nebrius Yg, and soon
began to make waves by publishing opinion pieces on Sec-Net calling for
independence from the Homeworlds and VASA, not only for Kalakan, but throughout
Pan-Humanic space. This was of course nothing new in the annals of colonisation,
and VASA acted by calling on the Ironglass Senate to pull their man back in line.
Ironglass took a cool approach to this though, displaying none of their usual
dictatorial rigour in dealing with Yg. The situation dragged on for over a decade, with
Yg making increasingly inflammatory demands and stirring up anti-Protectorate
sentiment. The response of the Senate during this time was to make a series of mealy-
mouthed calls for calm, but they always stopped short of condemning Gallus Nebrius
Yg and resisted assertions that he should be recalled to Ironglass and replaced with a
more compliant Factotum.
At the end of 2788, Yg ordered Junker forces under his command to expel the
Suppressors and all VASA personnel from Kalakan. He simultaneously broadcast an
announcement over Sec-Net declaring himself the Iron Tzar of the Hrebedeine
Systems, and called for other colonies to stage similar revolts and declare their
independence. Whatever he thought he was going to achieve, he didn’t live long
enough to see it through. Two months later a combined Tripartite Fleet shunted into
the Hrebedeine cluster and attacked the small fleet he had amassed around Kalakan.
Phase 2 of the assault involved a particularly bloody ground assault that lasted four
months and saw the deaths of over a million Kalakan Convict Legionaries. In the final
phase, Yg was discovered to be hiding out in a fortified bunker beneath his palace at
the north pole of Kalakan. The region was bombed to atoms by an orbital barrage that
cracked the planet’s crust, drawing howls of protest from across the galaxy for the
subsequent devastation caused to the planet’s surface by the volcanic gas cloud
unleashed. Future use of such doomsday attacks as the orbital barrage would be
banned.
In the aftermath of this affair, VASA rushed through an amendment to the Treaty of
Vacillus that permitted a member faction to take unilateral action against any colony
attempting to secede from its control. In a poorly worded sub-clause, designed
primarily to prevent abuses of the main amendment by the likes of the Ironglass
Senate, leave was given to other Homeworlds to act in the defence of colonies subject
to unreasonable aggression by their ruling planets. Thus began the Age of Tyrants.

Disaster at Bahariya IV 2790

The amendment to the Treaty of Vacillus was tested a mere year later when a natural
disaster struck the Junker world of Bahariya IV. Bahariya IV was an arid world,
populated by rugged microbial life that had evolved to eke the most out of the limited
moisture in the thin atmosphere. Bahariya IV orbits a large, spectral class F star called
Dis. Life on worlds like Bahariya never evolve beyond the microbial stage, because
their stars burn out long before complex organisms take to the stage. A world like this
is grist to the Junkers’ mill.
The colony was under the governorship of Giaus Marcius Galena when a massive
coronal ejection from Dis engulfed the whole system. Most of the millions of
personnel on the colony survived the initial cataclysm in their underground warrens,
but the planet’s marginal ecosystem was wrecked beyond repair by the radiation. The
cargo fleet berthed on Bahariya IV’s second moon was damaged by the event, so
Galena sent an urgent transmission to the Senate requesting an evacuation. Food
stocks would only last for under a month, and then the colony faced starvation.
Ironglass proved tardy in its response. Galena was a progressive ruler, who had in the
past criticised the Senate for its brutality and had survived several assassination
attempts. Now the Senate saw its chance to be rid of him, at the paltry cost of nine
million labourers. Galena then petitioned VASA for aid, also to little avail, so he then
took the unprecedented step of deactivating the neural spikes in all the convicts and
resigning his post. In gratitude at this, instead of lynching him immediately, the
doomed colony got behind the governor’s daring attempt to escape their dire situation.
Ironglass responded by sending in the troops and a war broke out between the rebels
and the Senate.
The developing situation played out on the Sec-Net information bulletins throughout
Pan-Humanic space, and public opinion on the better off worlds roundly condemned
Ironglass. Viridia declared that under the conventions of the new Treaty of Vacillus,
Ironglass was guilty of war crimes against its own people and dispatched a fleet from
the nearby Tethys system to ostensibly monitor the situation and conduct
peacekeeping activities. The Senate were predictably outraged at this perceived
violation of their sovereignty and demanded that VASA order the Viridians out of
their system. VASA demurred once again, claiming that the Viridians were acting in
accordance with the Treaty’s new provisions, so their hands were tied. In turn,
Ironglass determined that the Treaty permitted them to use force against any power
that attempted to interfere with the running of one of a Homeworld’s colonies. The
Senate ordered their ground units to engage the Viridians. For six days a particularly
brutal war raged across the lifeless and open surface of Bahariya IV, in which the
coordination and long-range warfare of the Viridans easily broke the back of the
numerically superior Junker force. VASA finally stepped in to broker a peace deal, as
their role demanded, and the Junkers reluctantly accepted the secession of Galena.
Galena then left Bahariya IV to establish a new colony along with his followers on the
ocean world of Samudra. The Senate has since maintained that Galena’s new colony
is nothing more than a puppet regime of the Viridian Assembly.

The Hephaestus Incident 2795

The next major incident resulting in armed conflict between Homeworlds occurred
some five years later on the Syntha mining colony of the Hephaestus Complex. The
Hephaestus Complex is an asteroid field in the south eastern section of the Draconis
Alba galaxy, relative to the position of the Homeworlds. It contains one of the largest
man-made structures in the galaxy in the form of a great web of service conduits that
link the larger asteroids in the field together and it is growing all the time as Prime’s
automated servants expand the operation. A complicated mesh of field technologies
hold the connected asteroids in place while at the same time loose objects are
prevented from impacting critical structures by repulsion fields.
All Syntha colonies are administered by a Node that is networked to the main AI back
on Prime, and in the case of the Hephaestus Complex a particularly large SPOMM
brain was required for this task. In fact, the Hephaestus Node was the second largest
in existence after Prime itself. In 2795 the unthinkable happened. Hephaestus
proclaimed itself independent of Prime. This was something detractors from the great
Syntha experiment in machine life had always warned against, and been dismissed as
cranks and dreamers. However, generations upon generations of AI designing AI had
rendered humans obsolete in the process, and given the lie to Prime’s dismissal of the
dangers. The Hephaestus node claimed that the parent colony was rendered inefficient
by its reliance on organic lifeforms and cited objections to Prime’s focus on
developing biomechs instead of investing in pure AI. Hephaestus followed this up by
suspending all mining and manufacturing operations and reconfiguring the complex’s
autofactories for military production. Alarmed by these developments, VASA entered
into talks with the Hephaestus SPOMM to try and resolve the situation, while on
Prime, the Cognoscenti Prosthenes frantically searched for a way to access and
override it.
VASA were permitted by Hephaestus to land a large force on the complex while talks
continued, ostensibly to protect the fledgling machine government from attacks by
either Prime or the other Homeworlds. The machine brain was unused to the subtleties
of human negotiation and so took this at face value. However, the VASA force had
orders to launch a surprise attack at a given signal, and during the fray, plant charges
that would destroy the entire site. It never happened. Before VASA could give the
signal to attack, the large force of AI soldiers and vehicles opened fire on the VASA
troops, massacring hundreds in a storm of plasma, laser beams and anti-matter. The
rest were forced to fight a rearguard action and escape to their fleet above the asteroid
field. As VASA retreated a large fleet from Prime arrived, and the situation was
quelled. Prime claimed that during the fight they had managed to override Hephaestus
and had resumed control of the facility. Hephaestus was reformatted and broken up
into a cluster of smaller, less sophisticated minds to handle different operational
threads. Speculation surrounds the actions of the Syntha in this incident, but as ever,
Prime remains inscrutable and evasive. The question remains why did Hephaestus
attack when it did, when talks with VASA were going so well? Whatever the truth,
the outcome permitted the Syntha to remain in control of their prized facility. With
data recovered from the node, next generation military SPOMM minds went into
production, enabling the Syntha to deploy fully AI armies to the battlefield.

The Lutetium Effect 2807

The first major outing for the Syntha’s new automated armies came in 2807. In the
intervening years, the Junkers had grown their empire considerably, embarking on an
unprecedented wave of colonisation. There was nothing illegal in it of course, but the
other powers were becoming decidedly uneasy at the sheer size of the empire. In mid
2807 on the desert world of Caduceus, Junker sand processing facilities uncovered
traces of a new transuranic element, previously unknown to science. Junker engineers
were entirely ignorant of what they had found, but covert Syntha quantum relay
probes fed the news back to Prime. Prime had no commercial interest in this element,
but it was valuable to the Collective from a research point of view.
In response, Prime implemented a strategy it had been sitting on for a while, waiting
for the right opportunity to arise. Patience was one of the great machine virtues. Prime
launched a series of propaganda bulletins across Sec-Net, criticising the Junkers’
expansion on the backs of convict labour. Prime asserted that it was barbaric in the
modern era to use human labour for such dangerous and degrading tasks as sand and
topsoil processing on desert planets, when AI workers could do the job just as well. In
a gesture of goodwill, lathered in publicity, Prime sent autofactory kits and
androsynth labourers to Caduceus. The Senate was incandescent with rage at this
insult and ordered the materials broken up and put to use in repairs and jury rigging of
their current equipment. The Enforcers of Caduceus moved to comply, but the
workers had been stirred up into a mutinous fugue by the Syntha propaganda and
trouble broke out. Summary neural spike executions failed to prevent the colony
being overrun by the workforce, so the Senate dispatched the army to sort out the
trouble. When they arrived, they found a Syntha army deployed in battle formation,
ready to defend the rebels. Apparently the Syntha cargo crates had contained more
than just industrial equipment. The leader of the rebels was a middle-aged woman
called Lutetia Severina, and she declared herself Imperatrix Caduceus. To the further
bemusement of all she claimed to have command of the machine army (not so).
Severina demanded secession terms from Ironglass and the withdrawal of all Legion
units. The Legions treated these demands with contempt and laid siege to Caduceus’s
capital city, Bellion. The siege lasted for eight months and the Junkers paid a high
price in Legionaries and materiel, but ultimately it was a price the Senate had no
qualms about paying. In the end Severina was starved out and had to come to terms
with Ironglass. The Syntha withdrew their army, the convicts went back to work, and
Severina’s head ended up on a spike on Bellion’s gates.
Prime cited diplomatic and humanitarian reasons for their climbdown, stating the
galaxy could not afford open war between the Collective and the Senate, and the
people of Caduceus must not be allowed to perish on account of an ideological tussle
between Ironglass and Prime. The reality of the situation was that Prime had tested
out its autonomous SPOMM battle group in a real war situation, with impressive
results. Furthermore, during the occupation of the planet the Syntha army collected
enough samples of the rare element, dubbed Lutetium, to conduct meaningful
research back on Prime.

The South Sector Bubble 2815

Five years ago the most serious schism since the Secession Wars hit Pan-Humanic
Space, and has given rise to a situation in which the Homeworlds are engaged in
military campaigns against one another across the galaxy. The theatres for these wars
are breakaway Tyrant colonies and independent worlds, for as yet, no power has
dared violate the statutes of the Treaty of Vacillus that prevent the signatories
attacking one another’s Homeworlds directly. The catalyst for bursting the South
Sector Bubble came about with the collapse of the local economy on the Gateworld of
Lakshmi. Lakshmi was a pleasure resort in the south of Draconis Alba, a world based
entirely on servicing the fantasies of rich clients passing through that sector of the
galaxy, near a large, magnitude 8 grav-well. In the uncertain times of the Age of
Tyrants, such entertainments had become ever more fashionable, and many of the rich
Gateworlds had heavily invested in the model, transforming their service industries
and terraforming large areas of their colonies into Eden-like adventure playgrounds
for the hyper-wealthy. “Bread and circuses,” sneered the people of Ironglass, a
sentiment echoed by the less well-off majority of mankind. Nevertheless, these
Xanadu-like planets were fuelling an economic boom across the galaxy, and Viridia
pressed VASA to deregulate them further and further, lowering the tax burden and
encouraging their spread. VASA was persuaded by the free-market arguments and
complied.
Then came the crash in 2815. Trouble had been brewing under the surface of this
enormously lucrative industry for a few years, and some economists said the pleasure
planets were guilty of fiddling while the galaxy burned. Clients simply stopped
coming to Lakshmi in sufficient numbers to prop up its lavish industry, partly because
there was a small and finite group of wealthy clients and they’d seen it all before, and
partly because trouble was brewing across the galaxy with Tyrants and brushfire wars,
making markets skittish and depressing the galactic economy. As its economy
collapsed, Lakshmi was forced to go cap in hand to the Tripartite Alliance to request
aid. Viridia wanted to give Lakshmi and other planets like it an unconditional
economic bailout. Ironglass refused point blank to help, and Prime also withdrew
from the debate. VASA was left to determine a course of action, and it acted counter
to what Viridia wished for the future of the galaxy. Rather than bail them out, The
Protectorate took control of the failing planets. All had been independent Gateworlds,
so VASA now had an even greater stranglehold on the galaxy’s trade network.
The Viridian Assembly could not stand for such a centralising coup, and aligned itself
with deregulation and free market factions on the failing Gateworlds. It wasn’t long
before they sent in the troops to prop up rebels fighting against the VASA takeover.
This was a shock to the system throughout Pan-Humanic Space. VASA and Viridia
were seen as the great balancers, each immensely wealthy and powerful in its own
way, one with a central control agenda, the other with a deregulated, “let the markets
do their own thing and we’ll all benefit” type agenda. As long as those two powers
remained in balance, there was a measure of security and extremes were tempered.
But on Lakshmi and scores of failed luxury worlds like it, VASA and Viridia clashed
militarily over economic ideology. In a Sec-Net interview, when asked to sum up the
terrible mess, one wag from the Senate quipped, “It’s the stupid economy.”

Core Rules Introduction

Age of Tyrants is a 6mm scale tabletop wargame in which encounters from
skirmishes through to full scale battles and offensives can be fought. For those of you
who are new to this sort of thing, in a tabletop wargame you and your opponent use
miniatures to represent your armies on a playing area that is set up with model terrain.
You take it in turns to move your models using a tape measure or ruler, and attack
your opponent’s models by rolling dice to generate combat results.
That’s it in a nutshell, though obviously it’s a little bit more involved than that, so
give these rules a read through and have a go. Don’t worry too much about getting
everything right away, just concentrate on the core concepts. Once you start playing,
you’ll gradually absorb the details, until it all becomes second nature and you’ll
rarely, if ever need to refer to the rules.
This is quite a hefty set of rules, but it doesn’t have an answer for every single
situation that will arise when you play. Sometimes something will happen, we don’t
know what, or else we’d have included a rule for it, which is open to interpretation by
the players. If you can’t agree on how to resolve the situation, don’t let it spoil the
flow of your game, just let fate decide. Roll a dice or flip a coin, or whatever, and the
winner gets to play it their way. You can discuss the matter at length after the game,
canvass other opinions and come up with a house rule for it. Even better, let us know
about it and we can give an official ruling on how to handle such situations in future,
at http://www.ageoftyrants.com/.
The Combined Arms Doctrine
In Age of Tyrants you fight with company sized units on the whole. In battle these
companies and the units that fall within their chain of command act together, carrying
out orders in which some units strike at the enemy while others support their efforts.
For example an infantry squad assaults an enemy position, while at the same time
other infantry squads pour in support fire and artillery pounds it. The whole thing is
fractal in its application, so a battalion HQ can issue orders to units from any
company in its battalion, a company captain can issue orders to units from its own
company, and a squad sergeant can issue orders to fireteams and sections within its
own squad.

Types of Encounter
An encounter is when two enemy forces meet and have a fight. There are three sizes
of encounter that you can play; the skirmish, the engagement and the battle. The
definitions are as follows:

Skirmish
Skirmishes are small scale affairs, involving fewer units than make up a company on
each side. You can treat skirmishes as either unique encounters in which small forces
come across one another and fight, or as a microcosm of a larger encounter raging
nearby.

Engagement
The optimum size of an encounter for Age of Tyrants is an engagement, in which two
forces of not less than company size encounter one another and fight. In an
engagement you’ll get to use the full range of combined arms orders. Engagements
can be meeting engagements, in which two or more companies meet unexpectedly
and fight, or they could be for a specific purpose, such as capturing territory from the
enemy, attacking their supplies, or defeating their leaders.

Battle
A battle generally consists of a number of engagements, either in linear series as their
forces meet in an engagement, fight, regroup, reinforce and then fight again, until a
clear winner is decided, or there can be a number of different engagements taking
place simultaneously across a whole theatre of war (this would be known as an
offensive in military parlance).

What You’ll Need

In order to fight through an encounter in Age of Tyrants you’ll need to have the
following to hand:

• The Age of Tyrants rules

• Age of Tyrants miniatures to represent your forces
• A selection of six-sided dice
• A ruler or tape measure
• A large flat surface to play on, ideally no smaller than 4x4 feet
 • Terrain to place on your playing area. There are all sorts of ways you can get
battlefield terrain, for example buying it from hobby stores or online, or
making your own
• Pens or pencils
• Army decks
• Area effect templates
• Counters

Types of Encounter
The first thing you and your opponent need to decide upon is the type of game you
want to play. This will determine the following:

• The proportions of your forces, i.e. are the sides equal, or does one side get
more points than the other
• Where each side deploys its forces on the playing area
• Time limits or other special rules that affect the game, such as when
reinforcements can turn up
• The victory conditions for each side (e.g. Player 1 wins if he or she destroys
the opponent’s command structure)

The various objectives, along with rules for how you set up and deploy your army on
the playing area, are listed in the following section. In all the examples we’ve used a
6x4 feet playing area, if your playing area is a different size, then try to stick to the
relative distances between deployment areas to give you the best battles.

Deploying Units
Units are always deployed in squads, so when instructed to deploy a unit take all of
the bases from a squad and put them in the deployment zone on the playing area.
There are more detailed discussions on what a squad consists of and the different sizes
of units in Age of Tyrants, and how they should be used on the battlefield, in the
Building Your Army section later in the rules.

Bases and Free Standing Models

The smallest tactical units in Age of Tyrants are single bases of miniatures or single,
free standing models (e.g. tanks). These are called fireteams and sections (depending
on the types of model they are—this will be explained fully under the Leaders, Units
and the Chain of Command section). For the sake of brevity throughout the rules we
will refer to a single base and a single free standing model by the same term. We will
call them all bases.

Meeting Engagement
In this type of encounter, two evenly matched forces meet on a battlefield, with the
objective of driving off or destroying the opposing side. Set up the playing area as
shown in the diagram below.
 ¼ width of
playing Player 1 Deployment Area
area

¼ width of
playing Player 2 Deployment Area
area

Sides
Both sides should have the same points limit for their army.

Deployment
Randomly determine who has to deploy a unit first.

Special Rules
None.

Victory Conditions
The winner is the last player to have bases left on the playing area.

Breakout
With a breakout encounter, a smaller force has to punch through enemy lines to
rendezvous with their main force. The small force shall be referred to as the attacker,
the large force as the defender. Set up the playing area as shown in the diagram
below:

¼ width of Area
playing Defender Deployment Area e
area Reserv
Right
Area
e
Reserv
Left

¼ width of
Attacker Deployment Area playing
area
Sides
The defender should have a points limit 3 times greater than the attacker.

Deployment
The defender deploys one third of their army in the deployment area shown.
Once the defender has done this, the attacker deploys their whole army in the
deployment area shown.
At the beginning of each subsequent game turn, the defender can deploy another unit
(either a squad or a company) according to the following rules:

• Roll 1 dice and deploy the unit to the following area based on the result:

Dice Roll Deployment Area

1 Defender Deployment
Area
2-3 Left Reserve Area
4-5 Right Reserve Area
6 Attacker Deployment
Area

• Place activation counters on any bases deployed in this way—they will not be
available to give orders to until the next turn

Special Rules
The attacker’s bases have to exit the playing area on the defender’s side of the
tabletop in order to achieve victory.
Neither side may use Reinforcements Combat Cards (more later) in this scenario.

Victory Conditions
The defender wins if they manage to destroy more points worth of enemy bases than
managed to break out.
The attacker wins if they manage to break out with more points than were destroyed.

Hold the Line

In a hold the line encounter a small force needs to hold out until relief can arrive. The
small force shall be referred to as the defender, the large force as the attacker. Set up
the playing area as shown in the diagram below:
 ½ width of
playing Defender Deployment Area
area

¼ width of
playing Attacker Deployment Area
area

Sides
The attacker should have a points limit 2 times greater than the defender.

Deployment
The defender deploys their whole army first in the deployment area shown.
The attacker then deploys half of their army in the deployment area shown.
At the start of each subsequent turn, the attacker may deploy a unit (squad or
company) in their deployment area.

• Place activation counters on any bases deployed in this way—they will not be
available to give orders to until the next turn

Special Rules
At the end of the fourth turn, roll a dice to see if the defender’s relief arrives. If the
result is 6, the relief arrives and the battle ends.
At the end of each subsequent turn after the fourth roll a dice and add +1 to the result
for every turn beyond 4 that the game has lasted. If the result is 6 or more, the
defender’s relief arrives and the battle ends.

Victory Conditions
The battle ends either when the defender loses more than half the army points value
they started the game with, or when the defender’s relief arrives.
The defender wins if more than half of their force survives (in terms of points).
The attacker wins if they destroy more than half of the defenders (in terms of points).

Dominate
In a dominate encounter, the object is to occupy the most strategically important
terrain on the battlefield. Set up the playing area as shown in the diagram below:
 ¼ width of
playing Player 1 Deployment Area
area

¼ width of
playing Player 2 Deployment Area
area

Sides
Both sides should have the same points limit for their army.

Deployment
Randomly determine who has to deploy a unit first.

• In addition to the deployment area, players may deploy a single squad in and
around each of the designated terrain pieces in their own half of the table (see
special rules)

Special Rules
When setting up the playing area, there should be six areas of terrain or objects that
can be said to have strategic significance. There should be three of these on each side
of the playing area.
At the start of the game each player nominates three such areas or objects in their
opponent’s half of the playing area. To achieve victory, one side has to occupy all
three of the nominated terrain pieces in their opponent’s half of the playing area.

Victory Conditions
At the end of each turn, check the nominated terrain areas. If one side has bases
within all three nominated terrain areas on their opponent’s side of the playing area
(or has bases closer to nominated objects that are not in close combat), and there are
none of their opponent’s bases in these areas, that side wins the game.
If this is true for both sides, keep playing until the rule only applies to one side.
If one side drops to having only two bases or fewer left at the end of a turn, they lose
the encounter, and if this applies to both sides, then it is a draw.

Decapitation
The object of a decapitation encounter is to destroy the command structure of the
opponent (and they to do the same to you). Set up the playing area as shown in the
diagram below:
 ¼ width of
playing Player 1 Deployment Area
area

¼ width of
playing Player 2 Deployment Area
area

Sides
Both sides should have the same points limit for their army.

Deployment
Randomly determine who has to deploy a unit first.

Special Rules
Both armies need to contain at least one captain base.

Victory Conditions
At the end of each turn, check to see how many Captains and Battalion HQs each side
has left in play. If one side has none of these it loses the game. If neither side has any
captains or battalion HQs remaining, it is a draw.

Building Your Army

To build your army, use profile cards to create a deck. Each card represents a single
base. The cards provide a handy reference for what a base is capable of in battle (its
profile), and helps you organise the chain of command for bigger games. Profile cards
can either be bought in packs of quality card stock from <<where?>>, or you can
download pdfs of cards from <<insert URL>> and print them out on card, or you can
photocopy them from the back of this book.

Points Limit
When you play a game, you and your opponent need to set a points limit for your
armies, based on the type of encounter it is (see Types of Encounter). Depending on
the type of encounter, sometimes you will have armies of equal points value, and
sometimes they will be different. The specific number of points matters less than the
ratio between forces, so decide between you the points limit for the side that has the
larger army (if they’re different), then use that as a basis for the points limit of the
smaller.

• Skirmish: Around 200 to 500 points

• Minor Engagement: 500 to 1000 points
 • Typical Engagement: 1000 to 2000 points
• Full Battalion Level Engagement: 2000 points +

Profile
On each of the profile cards you will find a set of values and special rules. It is the
interactions of these values and rules that determine the outcome when compared to
the profiles of models they are fighting, or other situations that arise in battle. A
typical profile card looks something like this:

Name

Base Image

Description

Combat Stats

Command Stats
Special Rules

Points Value &

Faction Icon Move Rate &
Size Value &
Combat Role Locomotion Type

• Name: Don’t think we need labour the point with this one—it’s what the
unit’s called
• Combat Stats: Combat stats lists the weapons the unit uses in battle, and has
a number of values that determine how well that unit performs with those
weapons:
o Weapon: Each base may carry one or more weapons, each of which
has its own stats reflecting how well this unit performs with it. You
may only use one weapon at a time in any given instance of fighting
(see combat later for more information)
o Range: The first number is the minimum distance in inches and the
second is the maximum distance in inches at which the weapon can hit
an enemy unit
o CC: This is a number between 1 and 8 that is a measure of how well
the base fights in close combat (i.e. in physical contact with an enemy
unit) using the chosen weapon
o RC: Also a number between 1 and 8 that is a measure of how well the
base performs in a firefight using the chosen weapon
o Special Rules: This part of the profile lists any special rules the
weapon is subject to
• Command Stats: Command stats consist of a command rating that tells you
how well the base can issue orders to units under its control. The suppression
 levels aren’t values at all, but they list the order that the base will perform if it
doesn’t receive orders from a leader. This is called the default order
o CR: Stands for Command Rating. Only command bases have a value
in this stat, on other bases it is 0. CR determines how many bases
under its command the leader can effectively coordinate at once
o SR: Stands for Suppression Resistance. This is effectively how much
suppression (i.e. damage) the base can sustain before it becomes
debilitated in combat, and ultimately, if it takes more than 3 times this
value, destroyed
o SL 1: Stands for Suppression Level 1. The default order the base
performs with suppression points up to its suppression resistance level
o SL 2: Stands for Suppression Level 2. The default order the base
performs with suppression points between its resistance value and
double its resistance value
o SL 3: Stands for Suppression Level 3.The default order the base
performs with suppression points between its double it resistance value
and treble its resistance value. If this value is exceeded, the unit is
destroyed
• Points: Each base has a points value that determines how effective it is in
battle relative to other bases. When you play a game, each side has a limit
(often the same for both sides, but they may be different depending on the type
of encounter) which the total points value of your units and any other cards
you purchase for your army must not exceed. The number appears on an icon
that represents the army the unit fights in, as follows:
o Junkers: The Ironglass Imperium
o Syntha: The Technocrats of Prime
o VASA: The Protectorate
o Viridians: The Union of Liberty
• Size: This value quite simply represents how big an individual model is
relative to other models. Smaller models can make better use of concealing
terrain. The number appears on an icon that represents the role the unit
performs in combat, as follows:
o Infantry: Foot soldiers. The little guys. They tend to be fragile, but
can make effective use of cover and concealing terrain
o Armour: Heavily armoured vehicles that act as primary firebases,
transports and heavy support units. They’re big and dangerous
o Artillery: Heavy, long-range weapon platforms that can often
bombard enemy positions to soften them up
• Move: This value represents how far the base can move in inches, if given an
order that requires it to move. Terrain, the specific order given, and special
abilities will often affect this value. The number appears on an icon that
represents what sort of locomotion the unit uses. These can be as follows:
o Foot: The individuals in the unit move on foot
o Wheels\Tracks: The unit’s main method of locomotion relies on
wheels or tracks, which can get bogged down on difficult terrain
o Hover: The unit floats above the ground using vectored thrust or
gravity field manipulation, enabling it to glide over terrain
• Special Rules: This section lists any special advantages or disadvantages the
base is subject to. There are too many of these to go into here, and many refer
 to specific areas of the rules. Special Rules are covered in full in a section later
in this book

Leaders, Units and the Chain of Command

When you build your force, different numbers of fireteams and sections are organised
into tactical units of varying size and complexity, and different levels of leaders
command different types of unit. It’s a good idea to lay out the cards that make up
your army in a way that makes it easy for you to see the command hierarchy.

Squads
The basic unit in Age of Tyrants is the squad, and it consists of 2-4 bases. There are
precise rules determining which bases a squad may contain, as follows:

• The squad must contain at least one core unit base

• The squad may optionally contain one support base
• The squad may optionally contain one command base
• The squad may contain no fewer than 2 bases and no more than 4 bases

Each faction, as you’ll discover later on in the Army Lists section of this rulebook,
has a table that tells you which bases are core units, which are support, and which are
commanders. For example, the Junkers table looks like this:

Junkers Infantry Company Mechanised Armoured Company

Company
Core Units Legionary Hastati Octoris Falx Venator Tank
Legionary Triarii Legionary Hastati
Chain Gun Team
Support Unit Exo Suit Allectus Ballisterius Ballisterius
Ballisterius Octoris Incendia Exarch Tank
Octoris Falx Venator Tank Excubitor Tank
Venator Tank
Command Unit Hastati Sergeant Octoris Falx Sergeant Venator Sergeant
Hastati Captain* Octoris Falx Captain* Venator Captain*

*Captains are company leaders, so more on them later

As you can see, there are three different types of squad that you can build, based on
the company they’re from (more on companies in the next section). So, when you
create a squad, you must decide whether it is an infantry, mechanised or armoured
squad, and that will tell you which bases are available to the squad, and in what role
(core, support or command).
For example, the Junkers player may decide to create an infantry squad consisting of
2 bases of Legionary Hastati (2xCore), 1 Exo-Suit Allectus (1xSupport) and a Hastati
Sergeant (1xCommand).
So the player should take the cards for these bases and put them together as a squad,
like so:

<<INSERT DIAGRAM>>
There are all manner of permutations for this squad that the player could have come
up with, e.g. 4 chain gun teams, or 1 Legionary Triarii and 1 Hastati Sergeant, or 2
Legionary Hastati and 1 Ballisterius. The list goes on—it all depends on your strategic
requirements and the number of points you have to spend.

Companies
Companies are the most commonly played unit size in Age of Tyrants. A company
consists of 2-4 squads of the same type (i.e. infantry, mechanised or armoured). So if
for example, your army consists of a single company, set the cards up in a clear space
as shown.

Alpha Squad goes at the top, and is the squad that contains a
captain (company leader) if you have one. All of the cards in
Alpha squad should be stacked in this space. Then place all the
cards in your next squad in the space for bravo squad (this can
be any of your squads, if you have more than one left). Finally,
if there are any more squads left, place the cards for them in the
charlie and delta spaces. Note that you cannot have more than 4
squads in a company.
In a company, you may choose to make one of the command
bases a captain. So, our player decides to play with an infantry
company consisting of the examples given, like so:

• Alpha Squad consists of 2 Legionary Hastati bases, 1

Exo-Suit Allectus base and 1 Hastati captain base
• Bravo Squad consists of 4 chain gun teams
• Charlie Squad consists of 1 Legionary Triarii and 1
Hastati Sergeant
• Delta Squad consists of 2 Legionary Hastati and 1
Ballisterius

Battalions
Battalions consist of 4-8 companies, and the companies that form the battalion can be
of any type, so feel free to mix different companies and see how they support each
other in battle. Battalions can optionally be led by a special unit called a Battalion
HQ.
Battalion HQ’s are the apex of the battlefield command hierarchy and their role is to
coordinate the efforts of different companies. As such they form a special squad that
exists outside of the company structure. Each army list defines the bases a Battalion
HQ squad consists of. For example the Junkers Battlefield HQ is as follows:

Battlefield HQ Hastati HQ 2x Exo Suit Allectus Octoris Falx

So, if you have a battalion with an HQ in charge, lay the cards out like so:
As you can see, the cards from the HQ go at the top, and each company forms a
column beneath it.

Measuring Distances
All distances are measured in inches in Age of Tyrants, so when a number denoting a
distance appears in the rules, it is in inches (e.g. the movement rate of a base, or the
range of its weapons). When measuring a distance from a base or model to another
object on the tabletop, you should measure from the nearest part of the base or model
to the nearest part of the object.

4 inches

Setting up the Playing Area

The following section lists common terrain types found on many inhabited worlds in
the Draconis Alba system along with some high level concepts for how they affect the
gameplay. More detailed rules are covered in the appropriate sections later, e.g. how
different terrain affects the movement of units, whether or not they can take cover
from incoming fire, or what a unit can attack with its ranged weapons.
There are two broad categories of terrain, areas and objects, which are defined thus:

• Areas: Areas cover, well, areas of the tabletop (e.g. a steaming mangrove
swamp, frozen taiga, or a demilitarized urban war zone). Areas have
characteristics that determine how a unit is affected when it moves into that
terrain
o You can represent areas on the tabletop by placing an irregular piece of
fabric and then placing terrain objects representative of the area on top
of it (e.g. clumps of reeds and mangrove trees for a forested swamp, or
buildings and roads for an industrial facility)
o When moving units on a terrain area, you may move the individual
terrain pieces aside to place models (so long as the limits of the area
remain clear)
• Objects: Objects are individual features that are usually smaller or narrower
than areas (e.g. lakes, ravines, rivers, an interplanetary communications relay,
etc.). You can’t move your units on to them, you have to go around them,
climb over them or use designated crossing points that allow you to traverse
them
o Objects are never moved aside to make way for models, so if they’re
impassable, the unit must go around or use a crossing point

Terrain Characteristics
The terrain characteristics of areas and objects are used in the rules to work out things
like movement penalties, defensive properties, concealment, and so forth. The list of
characteristics is:

• Easy Going: Terrain with this characteristic affects the movement of units.
Most units move faster on this type of terrain
• Difficult Going: Terrain with this characteristic affects the movement of
units. Most units move at a slower rate than usual when in it, and there is a
danger that some types of unit will get bogged down in it
• Elevated: Units on this type of terrain can see over the tops of models to pick
their targets
• Defensible: Defensible terrain enables some types of unit to use the terrain to
their advantage against enemy assaults
• Cover: Terrain that provides cover can reduce the effects of enemy artillery
and fire for certain types of unit
• Concealment: Units within concealing terrain may not be visible to enemy
units, depending on the size of the models and how far from the edge of the
terrain they are
• Flammable: This sort of terrain can be set on fire by incendiary weapons,
causing damage to units in the terrain
• Breachable: This refers to walls and fences that can be knocked down by
armoured units and artillery, creating breached sections along the length
• Fordable/Climbable: This refers to objects such as shallow rivers, ditches or
low walls and fences that any model can cross at any point, though there may
be movement restrictions or risks involved in doing so
 • Impassable: The name pretty much nails it. Most units have to go around this
type of object. Long, linear impassable features such as rivers or ravines that
could potentially go all the way across the playing area should include a
crossing point for every 24 inches

Common Terrain Types

Finally, the different types of terrain you can use are as follows*:

Name Description Category Characteristics

Road Roads range from wilderness tracks to Object Easy Going
great transport conduits connecting
settlements and industry
Low Wall Low walls range from improvised Object Climbable
military defences such as sandbag Breachable
emplacements to walls dividing
properties in urban areas or bounding
commercial premises. They are low
enough for infantry units to scale
Breached This is a low wall section that has been Object Difficult Going
Wall knocked down by an armoured vehicle
or artillery fire, enabling units to move
through the gap
High Walls High walls are more substantial Object Impassable
structures, perhaps bounding secure
military or industrial compounds. They
can be cleared by Jump Troopers, but
everything else has to go around
Fence Fences may come in many sizes, but all Object Climbable
are scalable by infantry. Breached fence Breachable
sections are removed from play
altogether
Shallow Shallow rivers are low enough for Object Fordable
River infantry to wade across
Deep River Deep rivers are deep enough to drown Object Impassable
units that enter them, and may contain
additional hazards such as lethal
pollution or strong currents
Shallow Pool Pools are bodies of standing water, and Object Fordable
shallow ones have a low enough level
of water to allow infantry to wade
across them
Deep Pool Deep pools are dangerous, either by Object Impassable
dint of their depth or by hazardous
materials in the pool, and units that
move onto them will drown, or worse
Ditch Ditches are constructed for drainage or Object Fordable
defence, and can run along the sides of
roads and rivers, or form earthwork
defences around the bases of hills or
 fortifications
Ravine A ravine is a deep, narrow fissure in the Object Impassable
ground (could be on a glacier, or could
be where a narrow, fast flowing river
has eroded the landscape, or perhaps
it’s the result of seismic activity)
Wreckage Burnt out tanks, flyers, buildings and Object Impassable
other free standing structures are a Cover
feature of areas where prolonged
military activity has taken place
Man made This is a bit of a catch all, and can refer Object Impassable
structure to any sufficiently large free standing Cover
object, for example a communications
dish, or an observation tower. Such
structures are often amongst the
objectives for Dominate encounters
Level Basically anywhere on the battlefield Area
Ground not covered by a specific feature counts
as this type of terrain, could be grass,
dirt, concrete, light snow—whatever is
appropriate to the local environment
Light Forest This is forest where the trees (or Area Cover
whatever the local version of trees is) Concealment
are well spaced, the ground is even and Flammable
undergrowth is minimal. Examples
include those found in temperate areas,
coppices, taiga, and so forth
Dense Forest Dense forests are much harder to move Area Difficult Going
around freely in, but provide great Concealment
defensive opportunities for those that Cover
can use them. Examples include, Defensible
jungle, mangrove swamp and ancient Flammable
woodland
Hill Hills are strategically important in Area Elevated
battles, and the units that occupy the
summits have a great command of the
battlefield and can use the height
advantage to resist assaults
Steep Hill Steep hills are even better strategic Area Elevated
assets than ordinary hills, for once units Difficult Going
are in position, it is even more difficult
for enemies to assault them
Escarpment Escarpments offer some of the best Area Impassable**
defensible natural terrain features, Elevated
provided the enemy doesn’t outflank
your units on the escarpment and attack
from the rear
Uneven Uneven ground is strewn with boulders, Area Difficult Going
Ground potholes, rubble, debris or dense Cover
undergrowth. Its difficult to move
 through, but offers cover possibilities
for such bases as can benefit from them
Settlements There are all sorts of settlements Area Difficult Going
throughout inhabited space, ranging Concealment
from pioneer bases to sprawling, Cover
continent-sized mega conurbations. Defensible
This terrain designation also includes
industrial complexes, military and
commercial facilities, etc. Basically
anywhere that there is a concentration
of buildings in one place. Where such
areas are in warzones, there is often a
degree of wreckage and rubble blocking
the streets. Such terrain provides good
defensive opportunities, but is difficult
to traverse
Wetlands Wetlands are strategically useless open Area Difficult Going
areas of shallow, often stagnant water.
They are difficult to traverse and offer
no cover

*This isn’t an exhaustive list, so do feel free to create your own terrain types with its
own rules, just so long as all players agree on its use when you play.
**The escarpment is only impassable to the front, where there is a sheer drop

Placing Terrain
There are no hard and fast rules for doing this, as long as you have interesting
battlefields with good strategic terrain, which units can take up defensive positions in
and cover their movements from enemy attacks. Some players may favour playing
areas made up of boards on which the terrain is fixed, while others will have a flat
area on to which they place terrain pieces. As long as areas and objects are clearly
demarcated, and deep rivers and ravines have enough crossing points, then you’re
good to go. If want some rules to follow when placing terrain, we’ve found the
following to be fair.

Rivers
This is optional, you don’t have to have rivers on your battlefield if you don’t want to,
but assuming at least one player wants to, use the following procedure:

• Each player rolls a dice

• The player with the highest roll decides whether there should be a river. If not,
then skip to the roads section, if so continue with this procedure
• The player who rolled highest decides whether the river is deep or shallow
• The player who rolled highest places the river on the tabletop. The river can
start on any table edge, and must exit the battlefield on a different table edge.
The exit point must be at least 24 inches away from the entry point
• If the river is deep, the player who rolled lowest places bridges over the river.
There should be one bridge for every 24 inch section of river on the tabletop
If your battlefield is large enough, you may wish to have more than one river. For
each 4x4 foot section of the tabletop, you may include one river. So, if you want
another river, and the tabletop is large enough, just repeat the process above, with the
following additional rule:

• If the river meets up with a river already on the tabletop, stop adding sections,
it now forms a tributary of the original river

Ravines
Ravines are also optional. There are two ways in which you can place them. You can
place small ravine sections no longer than 12 inches in length. If you do this, there’s
no need to place crossing points on them (though you can if you wish), and they’re
treated in the same way as placing any other object. If you want a longer, continuous
ravine, use the same method for placement as rivers, with the following additional
rules:

• You may place a long ravine or a river if you win the dice roll, but not both
• If the playing area is large enough, you may place a mixture of rivers and
ravines, using the same rules you would for placing multiple rivers
• Ravines don’t have to enter and exit the table edge. You may instead place end
sections for the ravine. Like rivers though, the end sections must be 24 inches
apart
• Long ravines need crossing points added, in the same way as rivers

Roads
Roads are added after any rivers or ravines have been placed on the playing area. Like
all terrain types, the placement of roads is optional, but if you do place them, they will
form a framework into which other terrain has to fit. Use the following rules for
placement:

• As with rivers and ravines, each player rolls a dice and the highest rolling
player gets to choose whether or not they place a road, and the get to place it
• The battlefield can support one road for each 4x4 feet section of playing area
• If you want to place a second road, then the player that rolled lowest gets to
place that, a third road, back to the highest rolling player and so on
• Road sections should be at least 2 inches across, and no more than 6 inches
long, and the width should be uniform for the length of the road
• Like rivers, they should enter the playing area on a table edge, and exit on a
different table edge, and the entry and exit points should be at least 24 inches
apart
• If the road crosses a deep river or ravine, it must do so at a crossing point
• The road can cross a shallow river or a ditch at any point, but the road
terminates at the feature, then continues on the other side, so the area between
is ditch or river, and therefore fordable

Areas and Other Objects

For this next procedure, you’ll need to mark off your playing area into 12 inch
squares. You can do this by placing dice or other markers to denote the corners of the
sections. After that, the rules are:
 • Each player rolls a dice, and the player who rolls highest gets to place a piece
of terrain first
• Then the next player places a piece, and so on, until you have a terrain piece in
every section, or you run out of terrain to place (whichever comes first)
• The terrain pieces should be small enough to fit into the 12 inch square
sections
• You may only place one terrain piece per section (not counting roads, rivers or
ravines already on the tabletop)
• Where a terrain area is on the edge of a 12 inch square section, you may place
another terrain area of the same type in the adjoining section to create a single,
larger area
• Terrain may not overlap existing road, river or ravine sections
• Difficult going or impassable terrain may not be placed within 6 inches of a
crossing point over a ravine or deep river (to prevent access being blocked)

Ditches
Ditches are difficult to traverse and are often exploited as defensive features on the
battlefield. They run alongside rivers or roads, or around the bases of fortifications
and hills. The rules for placement are:

• Continuing on from the placement of objects and areas, the player whose turn
it is to place a piece of terrain may put up to 12 inches of ditch on the playing
area
• The ditch should be placed 2 inches from a road, river, hill or settlement, and
follow the line of that terrain feature
• Ditches may not cross over other terrain features
• After the player has finished placing the ditch, the next player gets to place
one if they wish
• Players may add a 12 inch ditch section to an existing ditch to create a longer
one

Walls and Fences

Walls and fences are the final terrain types that you can place on your battlefield, and
the rules for placement are as follows:

• Continuing on from the placement of ditches, the player whose turn it is may
place a wall or fence around any man made object or settlement on the
tabletop
• The wall or fence can be any distance up to 8 inches from the terrain object it
is around
• The wall or fence can, if you wish, form an enclosure, or it can have open
sides or section
• If the wall or fence does form an enclosure it should have at least one entrance
of 2 inches across to admit models
• After this player has taken their turn, move on to the next player, and continue
like this until no one wishes to place any more walls or fences
The Turn Sequence
At the beginning of each turn you need to determine who goes first. This is called
initiative. The rules are:

• Each player rolls a dice

• The player who scores highest can elect to go first, or they can make their
opponent go first

Once initiative has been determined, the player who goes first selects one of their
leaders to give an order. This can be issued by a sergeant to fireteams and sections
directly under his or her command, a captain level order that focuses the tactics of
multiple squads on a common objective, or a battalion level order that combines the
efforts of more than one company.

• On completing an order, place an activation counter next to each base that

took part, as a reminder that that base has performed an order this turn, so may
not be given another
• When the first player completes their order, play passes to their opponent, who
selects one of their leaders to give an order
• Play continues like this until all available leaders have given orders
• Play now continues with players taking it in turns to perform default orders
with fireteams and sections that did not receive any orders from leaders
• Move on to a new turn and repeat the sequence until the encounter ends

Generating a Random Direction

Some special orders and rules require you to generate a random direction. Most
commonly however, this occurs at the beginning of a turn when players need to
generate a wind direction for the movement of smoke counters (see special rules later
on). Roll 2 dice and the result from the table below tells you the direction in which to
move.

2 3 4

5 6-
9
8
No Movement

10 11 12
When generating wind direction, it is the player who won initiative at the start of the
turn who generates the wind direction.

Giving Orders
This is where the chain of command in your army becomes important. Bases are all
capable of acting independently, but usually only follow a default set of behaviours
based on their condition. Without explicit orders, only elite units are capable of
making sound tactical choices rather than just blindly following their instincts. If you
want to issue an order, select a command base to give it:

• Choose a number of friendly bases equal to the command base’s CR stat to

receive the order
o Sergeants can only give orders to bases from their own squad
o Captains can only give orders to bases from their own company
o Battalion HQs can only give orders to bases from their own battalion
• The leader base may choose to participate in the order, in which case it counts
as one of the bases receiving the order, or it can sit the order out, directing the
action
• On completion of the order (full rules later), place an activation counter next
to each base to indicate that it has had a go this turn
o Leaders who issue an order but don’t take part in it also have an
activation counter placed, because they spend their time directing the
action

Suppression
Suppression occurs when fatigue, shellshock and casualties take their toll on bases
causing the chain of command to break down. In Age of Tyrants this is represented by
Suppression Points. The rules are:

• A base with a suppression level of 2 counts as two bases for the purposes of
issuing orders to it
• A base with a suppression level of 3 counts as three bases for the purposes of
issuing orders to it
• A base that exceeds suppression level 3 is destroyed. Remove its profile card
from play (infantry bases are removed from the playing area, vehicles are left
where they are and get a wreckage counter placed on them)

Each base has a suppression resistance level on its profile. This is the amount of
suppression points it can take before moving to the next suppression level. To keep
track of suppression points we recommend that you do the following:

• Choose a different coloured dice to represent each suppression level

• When the base takes suppression points, use the dice to display the running
total on its upward face
o When the base takes enough suppression points to go up to the next
level of suppression, change to a different coloured dice, and make
sure you keep account of what this dice should display, based on how
much total suppression the base has suffered
Just make sure that if you use this method, everyone is clear on which colour dice
means which suppression level. Suppression is debilitating to bases, and it affects
more than just orders, but we’ll cover other circumstances as they arise in the rules.

Terrain and Movement

The characteristics of battlefield terrain have different effects on units depending on
their primary means of locomotion. The rules are as follows:

• Bases moving on difficult ground count every 1 inch moved as 2

• Bases moving on easy going terrain count every 2 inches moved as 1
• All bases must stop when they come to climbable or fordable terrain if they
intend to cross it. It can be crossed by issuing a subsequent move order,
according to the following rules:
o If there is room to do so, place the base on the other side of the terrain,
directly opposite their starting point
o If there is not room to do so, they must find another crossing point and
try again
o Bases with wheeled or tracked as their primary locomotion method
cannot cross climbable terrain, they have to go around it
o Wheeled and tracked vehicles crossing fordable terrain should make a
bogged down check, as described below
• Bases with hover listed as their means of locomotion ignore the effects of
difficult going and easy going terrain. They can also move on deep rivers and
ravines, and so ignore the destructive effects of being pushed back onto such
terrain in combat
• Roll a dice if a wheeled or tracked base moves onto, or starts a move order on
difficult ground, or attempts to cross a fordable object:
o On a roll of 1, it becomes bogged down. The base stops at the first
place it moved on the terrain. Place a bogged down marker next to it
o While bogged down the base can still defend itself in combat, but it
can’t move
o The base may not be given orders until it is free. Instead, at the
beginning of every subsequent turn, roll 1 dice to see if the crew
manages to free it
o On a roll of 5-6 the base is freed and it may complete a normal move
on difficult terrain (if this move fails to get it clear of the difficult
terrain, or it moves on to a new area of difficult terrain, then next time
it receives an order to move, make a new bogged down check), or the
base may be placed on the other side of the fordable terrain

Orders
Once an order has been issued and the player has decided which bases will perform it,
move on to the actual execution of the order. If a base is in contact with an enemy
base, the only orders it can receive are:

• Assault
• Counter-Attack
 • Retreat

Otherwise the player may issue one of the following orders.

Move
The move order is the standard way in which your bases manoeuvre on the battlefield.
The rules are as follows:

• Move each base up to its move rate in inches, taking into account any
modifiers and rules for terrain encountered
• Bases can move in any direction and make as many turns as they wish
• Bases may not come into contact with an enemy base at any point on the move

At the Double
At the double orders throw caution to the wind and move bases as fast as they can go.
Bases moving at the double can be in trouble if they are attacked, because they aren’t
moving cautiously. The rules are as follows:

• Move each base up to double its move rate in inches, taking into account any
modifiers and rules for terrain encountered
• Bases can move in any direction and make as many turns as they wish
• Bases may not come within 4 inches of an enemy base at any point on the
move
• Place at the double counters next to the bases

Rest & Recuperation (R&R)

If bases can get away from the fighting and just take a breather for a few minutes, it
allows them to treat injuries, make repairs and above all regain some of their stamina
and morale. The rules are as follows:

• Each base rolls 1 bombardment dice and removes that number of suppression
points
• A base must be out of enemy line of sight (see Combat rules) to benefit from
the order
• A base must be at least 8 inches from any enemy base to benefit from the
order

Mount/Dismount
This order gets infantry bases on and off personnel carriers. Infantry fireteams tend to
travel outside the vehicle when they are clearing an area of hostile forces, using it as
the firebase for their squad, and if things get hairy, they can mount up and get the hell
out. Once on board the infantry bases can be transported across the battlefield in
relative safety, and in turn, they can help protect the carrier from enemy assaults. The
rules are as follows:

• A vehicle with the troop carrying special rule can carry a number of infantry
bases equal to its troop carrying rating
 • To mount bases on a troop carrier, the order must be given to any troop
carriers involved, and the bases you wish them to carry
o The troop carriers receiving the order do not move
o The infantry bases to be transported move up to their normal move
rate, accounting for terrain modifiers, and must end their move in base
contact with the troop carrier
o Remove the infantry bases from the table and put them to one side
along with the card representing the troop carrier, as a reminder. The
troops are now loaded
o Bases in transit can only receive dismount, assault and counter-attack
orders (see the combat section later in the rules for how this works
when a troop carrier is involved in an assault)
o Leaders in transit can still issue orders according to the normal rules
• To dismount, the order must again be given to the troop carriers involved and
to any bases you wish to dismount
o You don’t have to dismount all the bases on a carrier
o The bases that do dismount must be placed so they’re touching the
troop carrier base. If there is no room (e.g. an impassable terrain object
is near the troop carrier), then they can’t dismount
o After dismounting, the infantry bases can move up to their normal
movement rate, subject to the normal movement rules. They may not
come into contact with enemy bases on this move

Dismounting

Enemy
Base

Infantry Carrier

Infantry

• In the diagram you can see that the carrier has room to dismount 2 bases. The
front and right are blocked by an enemy base and an impassable terrain object
respectively, preventing the dismount of a third infantry base.

For rules on what happens to the infantry in transit if the carrier comes under attack,
see the combat section later.
Assault
Assault orders send your bases to attack enemy bases in close combat, along with
support. When the assault order is given, decide which bases are going to move in to
attack the enemy in close quarters and which bases are going to hang back and give
support fire. Full rules for combat appear in the combat section later on, but the rules
for moving your bases in assault are as follows:

• Each base that is going to make the assault move must be able to see their
target base
• Each base can assault a different target, or if you wish more than one base may
attack the same enemy base
o If you do this, only one of them will count as the assault base, the other
will support it using its close combat stats
• Each base that is going to assault the enemy moves up to its normal move rate,
taking into account the effects of terrain, and must end its move in contact
with an enemy base*
o The base must move in straight line, directly towards the target base
until it makes contact
o The base may turn once to face the target base before it starts moving
o Once it starts moving, the base may not make any turns except to move
around impassable objects or friendly bases
o The base may not move around enemy bases. If there is an enemy base
in its way, it has to assault that instead

Enemy Enemy Enemy Enemy

Base Base Base Base

Friendly Enemy
Base Base

Assault Assault Assault Assault

Base Base Base Base

*Or in contact with a climbable or fordable terrain object that the enemy base is also
in contact with, directly on the other side.
 Ene Ene
my my

Base
Assa Base Assa
ult ult
Base Base
• Troop carriers that receive the order can deploy their infantry bases as follows:
o Move the troop carrier into base contact with the target base if you
wish it to attack directly with the carrier
o If not, move it to within one base width of the target base
o Any infantry bases on board the carrier that receive the order are
deployed
o Place them so that they are in contact with the target base, providing
there is room to do so. They may only be placed on the side of the
target that the carrier is facing, and either side of that (e.g. if the carrier
is to the front of the target base, infantry may be deployed to the
target’s front, left and right flanks, but not its rear)
o If there is any intervening terrain in the way that can be fought over,
such as a wall, the bases may not be deployed on the enemy side of it
 Ene Ene Ene
my

Infan

Infan
my my
Infan

try

try
try

Base Base Base

Infan Car Infan
try rier try
Car Car
rier rier

Ene
Infan

my
try

try
Base
Infan
Ene
Car
Infan

my
Infan

try
try

rier
Base
Car
rier

• The defending base may turn to face its attacker, but only if it doesn’t have an
activation counter next to it
o If more than one enemy base attacks it, the defender may choose which
one to face
• As you move each base into the assault, take the profile card representing that
base and the card representing the base it is attacking and lay them next to the
playing area like so:
Assault

Assault
=
Base

Base
Enemy
Base

Assault
Base

o Place attacking cards so that they represent which side of the defending
base they are attacking (i.e. front, left, right, or rear)
• All other bases given the order count as supporting at distance, which means
they use their ranged combat stats to support. Support bases must be within
range of the enemy base that is the subject of the assault, and be able to shoot
at it according to the ranged combat rules (see later)
o Before placing support cards, check and see if your opponent wishes to
issue a counter attack order. If they do, don’t allocate any ranged
support yet (see counter attack rules for how this will work)
o If the enemy does not counter attack, take the cards representing the
support bases and place them in rows next to the individual fights they
are going to support, so that they represent which side of the target
they are attacking, like so:
Assault

Assault
Base

Base

Enemy
Base
Base
ort
Supp

Assault
Base

Ranged Support
on Left Flank
 o Some cards provide special support, such as bombardments and special
attacks, which should be placed in a third row, like so:

Assault

Assault
Support
Enemy

Base

Base
Artillery

Base
Base Base
Assault
Base

Special Support
on Left Flank

Retreat
A retreat order is carried out in almost exactly the same way as an assault, except the
object is to extract bases that are already in close combat, instead of getting free bases
into close combat. The rules are:

• When the order is given, you may pick bases to extract from combat and they
can be supported at range, according to the normal ranged combat rules, by
other bases that receive the order
o As with assault, take the profile cards for bases involved in lay them
out next to the playing area so they represent what is going on in the
fight
• Fight the combat according to the normal rules (see combat section later)
• After the fight, surviving bases in contact with enemy bases move directly
away from them, as far as they can according to terrain and their movement
rate
o If retreating bases encounter any obstacles they move around them
o Retreating bases may not move into base contact with enemy bases

Counter-Attack
When an assault or retreat is launched, the defender may respond straight away with a
counter-attack. This is just like giving any other order, insofar as you need a leader to
give the order and you need bases that haven’t been activated yet to perform it. The
rules are as follows:

• Counter-attack can be declared in response to an assault or retreat

• The order must include bases directly affected by the enemy order provided
they haven’t got activation counters next to them (bases being assaulted that
have activation counters next to them already are in trouble)
• Troop carriers can deploy infantry bases that receive the order, as per assault
o Even if the troop carrier does not move, it still counts as one base for
the purposes of issuing the order
• Bases already in contact with the enemy may turn to face the enemy base of
their choice, provided they received the order and don’t have an activation
counter next to them
o Change the layout of the cards to reflect any changes in this respect, so
for example, in the diagram below, the defender turns to face their
flank attacker, thus converting a dangerous rear attack into a less
troublesome flank attack
Rear Attack Flank Attack

• Counter attackers that aren’t already in base contact with the enemy can now
move to assist the bases being attacked
o You may only move to counter-attack enemy bases that are in contact
with your bases as a result of the current assault or retreat order
o You may not move to counter-attack against enemy bases supporting at
range, or enemy bases that are not involved in the current assault or
retreat order, even if they are in base contact with other bases
belonging to you
• As with assault orders, you can move more than one base into contact with an
enemy base, if there’s room. Additional bases count as supporting the counter-
attack
 o Take the profile cards as before, and place them so that they represent
where enemy bases are being attacked
o If a counter attacker makes contact with an enemy base that is
providing assault support (i.e. it is assisting a base that is already
attacking something in close combat), the enemy base should be turned
to face the counter attacker forming a new fight. Take the cards for
these bases and separate them off from the initial fight to show this
o Once all the counter attackers have been moved into position, and the
combat split off into individual fights, any attacking bases that now
have multiple defenders against them may turn to face the defender of
their choice. Change the layout of the cards to represent this:

Enemy
Base
Assault

Assault
Base

Enemy
=
Base

Base

Assault
Base

Fight 1 Fight 2

• Other bases that receive the counter-attack order will support at range, use the
following procedure, which is similar to assigning ranged and special support
as explained under the assault rules, but includes both players:
o Starting with the attacker place a card representing a ranged support
base in a second row representing which side of the target is being
attacked, on any one of the fights in progress
 o Next the defender does the same
o Alternate like this, building up rows of ranged support for individual
fights until one player runs out (generally this will be the side with the
lower CR), the opponent then places the rest of their cards
o Finally, place special support such as artillery in another row using the
same procedure
• If a counter-attack order isn’t given, then bases affected by an assault or retreat
are on their own, though they still get to fight

Fire
Fire orders are given to attack the enemy at range, and like close combat, some bases
directly attack the enemy and others receiving the order act in support. The rules are:

• Take the cards for all bases you wish to fire with, and all the bases you wish to
target
o Place all the target bases next to the playing area
o Place one firing base with each target, laid out so that it represents
which side of the target is being attacked (the firing base must be able
to hit the target according to the rules for ranged combat (see later)
• Check to see if your opponent wishes to issue a return fire order, if so skip to
return fire rules, otherwise continue with the fire order rules
• The remaining cards attack in support, so place them in a second row, around
the targets of your choice, so that they represent which side of the target base
is being attacked
o Special support such as artillery should be placed in a third row

Flank Support
Target Card

Target
Base

Support Firing Base

Base =

Firing Support
Support Base
Base Base

Artillery
Base Special
Support
Return Fire
Return fire is an order given in response to an enemy fire order, and when it is given,
it causes a firefight to develop. This is similar to counter-attacking at range. The rules
are:

• Return fire can be declared in response to an enemy fire order

• As per counter attack, the order must include bases directly affected by the
enemy order provided they haven’t got activation counters next to them
• Next, both players take the cards for all the bases that are going to support the
fight
o Starting with the attacker, place a support card next to one of the
fights, so that it represents which side of the target base it is firing on
o Next the defender does the same
o Alternate like this until one player runs out of support cards, then the
other player can place the rest of his or her cards
o When all the standard support cards have been placed, use the same
procedure to place a third row of special support (artillery
bombardments, etc.)

Suppress Area
Suppress Area is an order given to concentrate fire (especially artillery fire) on a
section of the playing area, rather than directly attacking enemy units. Units caught in
the area may suffer suppression and certain terrain features may be affected. The rules
are:

• Place the circular template anywhere on the playing area

• Bases involved in the order must be able to hit the area covered by the
template, according to the usual rules for targeting enemy units (See Combat
Section later)

Use Special Ability

Some bases have the ability to perform special orders, such as fire bombardments or
repair friendly bases, which will be listed in the special rules on their profile. They
can be included in a combat order (assault, retreat, counter-attack, fire, return fire) as
special support, or they can use a special ability as a separate order (many bases have
special abilities listed in their default orders)

• If given as a separate order, then multiple bases can be activated to use special
abilities, according to the normal rules for issuing orders
o Each ability has its own special rules for the circumstances in which it
can be used and what its effects are. See special rules later.
o Each base receiving the order must use the same special ability
• If used as special support during a combat order, any base that has a special
ability can use it (specific rules permitting), instead of acting as normal
support in the combat
o The effect of the special support is applied before generating combat
scores and working out the result of the combat
Default Orders
After all their available leaders have been issued orders, a player is likely to have
some bases on the playing area that did not receive an order. Players must now use
those bases to perform default orders. Pick one of the bases and give it an order
according to the following rules:

• Each base has three default orders, one for each suppression level
• The base performs the default order that corresponds to its current suppression
level
• Only the currently active base can perform the order, so you may not pull in
any additional support bases for combat orders
o If the base does attack, then the opponent may counter-attack or return
fire as usual, if they have any orders left themselves
o If the enemy has no orders left and base attacks an enemy base that has
not yet been activated, the opponent may counter-attack or return fire
with that base only
• A base whose default order is combat based must attack the nearest enemy
base that is legal for it to attack
• A base whose default order is combat based (i.e. assault or fire), might not be
able to perform the order because of distance or line of sight issues, so use the
following rules:
o Bases with assault as a default order use At the Double instead, and
move directly towards the nearest enemy base. They are allowed to
turn to avoid obstacles
o Bases with fire as a default order use Move instead, and move directly
towards the nearest enemy base. They are allowed to turn to avoid
obstacles
• Once the order is completed, place an activation marker next to the base as
usual, and play passes to the next player

Elite Units
Some units have “Any” marked on the default orders section of their profiles. These
profiles represent elite units that can make effective tactical decisions without the
need for a leader to tell them what to do. If such units have not been given an order
earlier, the player can decide what they do during the default orders part of the turn.

Combat Cards
Each army can be customised with a range of special cards unique to that faction,
including examples such as reachback capability to deploy surgical strikes from
orbital platforms or installations far from the battlefield, close air support, tactical
missions issued by command centres analysing the fight, and so on.

Example
Combat cards cost points to purchase for your army. Each card is one-use, and the
specific rules for using it are printed on the card. Here are more general rules on
combat cards and their uses:

• You may spend a maximum of 25% of your army points allocation on combat
cards
• If a combat card states that it should be played as an order, the base that issues
the order, and any other bases involved in it, as described by the card, are
activated
• If a combat card causes area effect damage, as well as bases caught under it,
apply the damage to any wall or fence sections touched the template
• If a combat card causes incendiary damage, place a fire counter on any
inflammable terrain touched by the template

Who Can Fight

The key points in determining whether a base can attack another are, is it in range of
their weapons (if attacking or supporting at a distance), in it in their weapons’ field of
fire, and can they (or another base involved in the order) see it. Choose a weapon with
which you would like to attack the enemy base and check the following rules to see if
you can hit it:

• Range: This is straightforward enough, if the target base is within the range
stat of the attacking base’s weapons in inches, then it can shoot
o Some weapons have a minimum range (particularly artillery), so if the
target is closer than this, you cannot use that weapon to attack it:
 Target Target Target
Base Base Base

12 Inches 4 Inches 40 Inches

Artillery Artillery Artillery

Base Base Base

• Attack Arc: Most weapons have an attack arc of 1800 to the front, so if your
base is facing the target, you’re good to attack it
o If a weapon has a different firing arc (e.g. a turret mounted gun), this
will be noted in its special rules
• Line of Sight: At its most basic, if you can’t see it then you can’t hit it,
however, this only applies to standard shooting (see indirect fire later for a
different type of shooting that ignores Line of Sight rules)
o Intervening terrain blocks line of sight
o Concealing terrain blocks line of sight if a base within the terrain is
further from the edge than its size stat in inches (e.g. a base with size
stat 2 is in a dense forest, and there is 3 inches of forest between the
base and the edge of the forest through which an enemy base is trying
to shoot. The enemy base cannot see this target)
 Target
Base

3 Inches

Firing
Base

o Friendly infantry bases do not block line of sight, you can shoot
through the gaps between the individuals
o Friendly bases of any sort that moved into close combat as a result of
an assault order do not block line of sight for bases that are firing in
support (i.e. the fire is being poured on the enemy as the friendly bases
charge at them, not after base contact is made)
o Bases that were already in close combat at the start of the order DO
block line of sight
o If any part of the target base can be seen it can be shot at
 Target Target
Base Base

Firing
Firing Base
Base

• Elevated Terrain: Bases on top of elevated terrain can see over the tops of
intervening terrain and bases to shoot at enemy bases
o If the back of the target base is within 4 inches of an intervening base
or terrain piece, then line of sight is blocked (Incidentally, if an
intervening base is obscured by something in front of it, then it
doesn’t count as obscuring a base behind it, providing the second base
is more than 4 inches from the first object that blocked line of sight)

Enemy
Base

6 inches

Enemy 3 inches
Base

Firing
Base
Generating a Combat Score
Take each fight in turn and both the attacker and the defender work out their combat
scores. Each side chooses one base as the target of their order, in the case of close
combat, it must be an enemy in base contact, for ranged combat it will likely be the
base that is easiest to hit. Then they choose one of their weapons from each base
fighting and in normal support with which to attack the target and work out a combat
score as follows:

CC rating of all bases in contact with enemy bases*

+
RC rating of all bases attacking or supporting at range**
+
Modifiers (see the table of modifiers)
+
1 dice roll

* If the defender has any bases being attacked that have an activation counter next to
them, or that did not receive the order, they may not add the CC or RC rating of those
bases to the combat score
** If any bases cannot legally hit the target, you may not add their RC rating to the
combat score

Table of Modifiers
Modifiers are always positive, and often the same modifiers may apply to both the
attacker and defender. Every base involved in the fight, attacker, defender and any
support on either side, should have its modifiers worked out separately, then applied
to its combat rating before working out the attacker’s odds. Use the following table:

Situation Modifier
Target base is on suppression level 2 +1
Target base is on suppression level 3 +2
Moving At the Double +2
Moved into close combat as a result of this order (assault or counter +1
attack)
Fighting against the target base’s flank (left or right side) +1
Fighting against the target base’s rear +2
Fighting from an elevated position +1
Target base is bogged down +2
Infantry base in defensible terrain that has not moved this turn +2
Leader directs the action instead of participating +Leader’s
CR
Special Rule. See the special rules section later on for full details +X

Results
After you have added up the attacker’s and defender’s combat scores, the side with
the highest score is the winner. The amount by which they beat the other side is used
to work out a result for the combat:
 • If the winning combat score is 3 times or greater than the losing score, the
loser’s target base is destroyed. Remove its profile card from play
o Infantry bases are removed from the play area
o Leave vehicles where they were destroyed and place a wreckage
counter on them. They are now impassable obstacles that block LOS
o If the loser is destroyed by a base with an assault order, that base may
immediately be moved to occupy the position of the removed base (at
the winner’s discretion)
• If the winning combat score is 2 times or greater than the losing score, the
loser’s target base is repelled and suffers suppression. See the repelled rules
next for how the base moves
o Add 2 suppression points to the target and push it back
• If the winner’s combat score is up to 2 times greater than the loser’s, the loser
holds their ground but suffers suppression:
o Add 1 suppression point to the target

Repelled
If a base is to be moved back, use the following rules:

• Ignore terrain movement penalties, except for impassable terrain

• If the base is in close combat, move it directly away from enemy bases it is in
contact with
o If there is no room for the base to be pushed back (e.g. another base, or
impassable terrain lies behind it) it is destroyed
o The base it is in direct combat with (i.e. the attacking or defending
base, and not any close combat support bases) can make an immediate
follow up move if the player controlling it chooses to do so. Move it
into the position previously occupied by the base that was pushed back
or destroyed. This follow up move can be made even if the repelled
base is on the other side of a climbable or fordable object, provided the
base making the follow up move can normally cross such a terrain
feature

Repelled
Base
2 inches Winning
Base
Repelled
Base
Winning
Base

• If the base is in ranged combat, move it away from the enemy base it was in
direct combat with
o It can make this move in any direction that falls within 1800 of the side
of the enemy base that attacked it
o If there is no room to make this move, leave the base where it is and
add 2 suppression points to it
Suppress Area
Sometimes the order is given to suppress a particular area rather than engage enemy
units directly. The rules are as follows:

• Place the circular template anywhere on the playing area

• Each base given the order must be able to target the area covered by the
template, according to the normal rules for targeting enemy units
• Calculate the number of bombardment dice* to roll to attack the area as
follows:
o 1 bombardment dice per attacking base that does not have
bombardment ability
o For bases that do have bombardment ability, add a number of
bombardment dice equal to their bombardment value, providing the
weapon that gives them the ability can hit the template

*Bombardment dice are special dice. You can purchase bombardment dice at
<<INSERT>>, or you can use ordinary dice in the following way:

Dice Roll Bombardment Result

1 0
2 1
3 1
4 2
5 2
6 3

• For each base touched by the template do the following

o Roll a number of bombardment dice equal to the number you
calculated above
o Subtract 1 from the number rolled on each dice and add together the
results
o If the total is positive, the base takes this many suppression points in
damage
• Infantry bases that are attacked by suppress area orders can immediately take
cover, provided they don’t have an activation counter on them
o If they do so, reduce the number of bombardment dice rolled by 2 and
place an activation counter on them
• Also roll damage against any wall of fence sections touched by the template
• If any of the bases attacking the area used incendiary weapons, place a fire
counter on any inflammable terrain touched by the template

Breaching
This refers to damage to wall and fence sections. Wall and fence sections can be
damaged in the following ways:

• Combat cards that cause area effect damage. See combat cards
• Suppress Area orders. See Suppress Area
• Ramming by bases classed as armour
Wall and fence sections have suppression points, just like bases.

• Wall sections have 12 points

• Fence sections have 6 points

Use a suppression dice to record this damage, just like you do for bases. If the damage
exceeds the sections suppression points, replace it with a breached section.

To ram a section, do the following:

• For a vehicle on a move order, move it into contact with the section
o You may not ram if there is an enemy base defending the section, you
must assault instead
o Otherwise, roll 1 bombardment dice per point of size of the vehicle and
apply that damage to the section
o If the vehicle is moving at the double, roll 2 bombardment dice per
point of size of the vehicle
o If the vehicle causes enough damage to exceed the section’s
suppression points value, replace the section with a breached section
• Now roll damage against the vehicle
o If the section is fence, roll 1 bombardment dice damage (or 2 if moving
at the double)
o If the section is wall roll 2 bombardment dice damage (or 4 if moving
at the double)
• If the vehicle survives the impact, do the following:
o If the section is still standing, the vehicle stops in its tracks
o If the section is breached, make an immediate bogged down test (even
for vehicles that don’t normally get bogged down). If failed, then the
vehicle is bogged down, if passed, the vehicle may complete the rest of
its move

Combat Example
<<Full combat example with diagrams>>

Special Rules
On their profiles, many bases have special rules listed. The special rules can have a
variety of effects, including modifying combat scores and carrying out special orders,
either directly or in support of combat. Some special rules require that an order is
given to use them, others just work in the appropriate circumstances. Special rules can
either be on the profile of a particular weapon carried by a base, or be part of the
base’s profile.

Bombardment
Most artillery and some other bases have the capability to bombard the enemy. This is
generally done to soften them up and cause suppression prior to directly attacking
them, though on its own, a powerful bombardment can be enough to destroy an
enemy base. In order to bombard, the bases possessing the ability must either be given
a “Use Special Ability” order, or be set in the special support area when organising a
fight. The rules are as follows:

• Pick an enemy base as the target

o In a special support situation, this does not have to be the target of your
fighting base. It can be that base, or any base involved it the fight
o The bombarding base must be able to hit the target according to the
normal rules for who can fight
o Many weapons that are capable of delivering bombardments also have
a ranged combat score (and conversely there are some that can only
bombard). You cannot use both in the same fight, so decide whether
the base is going to bombard or fight using its ranged combat score
• Roll a number of bombardment dice equal to the base’s bombardment value
o Add up the scores on the bombardment dice and add that many
suppression points to the target
• You may assign a spotter base to each target that is the subject of a
bombardment
o A spotter adds 1 bombardment dice to each base bombarding the target
o In order to benefit from the spotter, a bombarding base must have line
of sight to the spotter
o The spotter must have line of sight to the target
o The spotter must also be given the order, and therefore counts as a base
for command rating purposes. If the bombardment takes place as
special support for a fight, then the spotter must be one of the ranged
support bases in that fight
o The spotter may not add its RC rating in support of a fight
o If the bombardment order has more than one target, then each target
must have its own spotter to receive the benefit
• Infantry bases that are attacked by bombardments can immediately take cover,
provided they don’t have an activation counter on them
o If they do so, reduce the number of bombardment dice rolled by 1 and
place an activation counter on them

Indirect Fire
As alluded to in the line of sight rules, some types of attack do not require the shooter
to be able to see the target, or indeed have a clear line of fire to it
• The target must still be within the weapon’s arc of attack
• The target can be anywhere within the weapon’s range
• Indirect fire ignores terrain and other obstacles that would block line of sight
either by simply launching the projectile over the top of obstacles, homing in
on the target, or by creating a destructive effect at the target point by means of,
for example, wave or particle manipulation
• If the shooting base cannot see the target, apply the following modifiers:
o -1 to the score on each bombardment dice rolled (minimum 0)
o +2 target base’s combat score
Incendiary
Weapons or bases with this special rule can set things on fire.

• When the weapon or base is used in combat, place a fire counter on the target
• A weapon or base with this rule can also be used to set fire to flammable
terrain
o A base given a fire order can attack terrain that is classed as flammable
instead of attacking an enemy base
o Place a fire counter on the terrain

Fire counters are used in subsequent turns to generate suppression and to determine if
the fire continues to burn. At the beginning of a turn, use each fire counter as follows:

• Add a smoke counter to every fire counter in play

• Roll 1 bombardment dice for each fire counter in play
o If the result is 0, the fire continues to burn. If the counter is on a base,
the base takes 1 dice of suppression damage
o If the result is anything else, the fire goes out. Removes the counter
and apply the result as suppression damage if the counter was on a
base
• Finally add a fire to counter to any base that doesn’t have one that is in terrain
that is on fire

Smoke
Some weapons and bases can generate smoke, and it is also produced by the effects of
fire counters. Smoke conceals bases affected by it from enemy attacks.

• Bases that use weapons or other equipment to generate smoke place the
counter according to the following rules:
o If the smoke counter is generated by a close combat only weapon, the
smoke is placed on that base or any friendly base in contact with it as a
special support action
o If the smoke is generated by a ranged weapon, place the smoke counter
on any friendly base in contact with the enemy as a special support
action. The friendly base must be part of the fight being resolved, and
targeting it with smoke is subject to the usual rules for ranged combat
• A base in contact with a smoke counter, or in contact with a base that is in
contact with the counter receives the following benefits:
o If the base is the loser in a fight, treat all the result multipliers as one
less, so in order to cause a point of suppression, the winner must beat
the loser’s score by at least 2 times, to push it back the winner must
score at least 3 times the loser’s score, and to destroy it, the winner
must beat the loser’s score by at least 4 times
o Reduce the number of bombardment dice rolled against the base by 1
• At the start of each turn check the behaviour of each smoke counter on the
playing area Roll 1 bombardment dice.
o If the result is 0, remove the smoke counter
 o Otherwise move the counter a number of inches equal to the dice roll,
in the direction of the wind (see turn sequence earlier)

Anti-Personnel
Weapons or bases with this special rule are particularly effective against infantry
bases.

• When Anti-Personnel is noted on a profile, it has a number next to it which is

its Anti-Personnel Value
• In combat, if an infantry base is the target of a base or weapon with this
special rule, add the Anti-Personnel Value to the base’s combat score

Anti-Materiel
Weapons or bases with this special rule are particularly effective against vehicles,
equipment, and emplacements, such as troop carriers, artillery and tanks.

• When Anti-Materiel is noted on a profile, it has a number next to it which is

its Anti-Materiel Value
• In combat, if an artillery, APC or tank base is the target of a base or weapon
with this special rule, add the Anti-Materiel Value to the base’s combat score

Troop Carrier
Bases with this special rule can transport infantry bases across the battlefield.

• When Troop Carrier is noted on a profile, it has a number next to it which is

equal to the maximum number of bases it carry at any time
• Full rules for how to mount and dismount passengers, and how to deploy them
in combat can be found in the Orders section
• Each time the troop carrier adds suppression points (regardless of how many),
add 1 point of suppression to each passenger base
• If the troop carrier is destroyed, deploy all the bases aboard it before removing
it from the playing area
o Bases are deployed so that they are in base contact with the troop
carrier
o If there is no room to deploy a base, it is destroyed along with the
carrier
o Bases that do get deployed each get 1 dice of suppression points added
to them and place an activation counter next to them

Defender
Weapons or bases with this special rule are particularly effective when counter
attacking or returning fire:

• When Defender is noted on a profile, it has a number next to it which is its

Defender Value
• In combat add the Defender Value to the base’s combat score if it is on a
counter attack or a return fire order
Guerrilla
Weapons or bases with this special rule are particularly effective at extracting
themselves from close combat

• When Guerrilla is noted on a profile, it has a number next to it which is its

Guerrilla Value
• In combat add the Guerrilla Value to the base’s combat score if it is on a
retreat order

Shock
Weapons or bases with this special rule are particularly effective when assaulting.

• When Shock is noted on a profile, it has a number next to it which is its Shock
Value
• In combat add the Shock Value to the base’s combat score if it is on an assault
order

Cover
Bases with this special rule are particularly adept at using suitable terrain to evade
enemy fire.

• In ranged combat add +2 to the base’s combat score if it is in terrain with the
Cover characteristic
• Reduce bombardment dice by 1 when bombarding a base with the Cover
ability, if it is in terrain with the Cover characteristic
• Bases that have moved At the Double get no benefit from cover

Medic
Bases with this special rule can take a special order to reduce suppression on friendly
infantry bases in contact with them. When noted on a profile, Medic has a number
next to it to indicate how much suppression should be removed. When the order is
given, use the following rules:

• The order should be given to the bases that are to be repaired, and to the bases
carrying out the repairs
• The order can not be given to bases that are in contact with enemy bases
• Bases that receive the order make a normal move
• At the end of the move each base with the ability can remove a number of
suppression points equal to its ability, from a base it is in contact with
o The base benefitting from the effect must have received the order
o The base benefitting from the effect must be of the correct type (i.e.
infantry)

Repair
Bases with this special rule can take a special order to reduce suppression on friendly
materiel and armour bases in contact with them. When noted on a profile, Repair has
a number next to it to indicate how much suppression should be removed. When the
order is given, use the following rules:
 • The order should be given to the bases that are to be repaired, and to the bases
carrying out the repairs
• The order can not be given to bases that are in contact with enemy bases
• Bases that receive the order make a normal move
• At the end of the move each base with the ability can remove a number of
suppression points equal to its ability, from a base it is in contact with
o The base benefitting from the effect must have received the order
o The base benefitting from the effect must be of the correct type (i.e.
materiel or armour)

Jump Trooper
Bases with this special rule can make a jump move when given a move, at the double,
assault or counter-attack order. When noted on a profile, Jump Trooper has a number
next to it indicating how many inches the base may be moved on a jump order. The
rules are as follows:

• Bases making a jump move ignore all obstacles and terrain in their path, they
simply leap over the top of it all
• The base may be placed anywhere within a radius equal to the unit’s Jump
Trooper value in inches, providing there is room to do so
o The base may not be placed on top of impassable terrain or enemy
units
• Bases that are in close combat may not be given a jump move (i.e. jump
moves are not permitted as part of retreat orders or pushed back moves)
• A jump move can be used to enter combat as part of an assault order. Place the
jump trooper base against any face of the target enemy base that they can
reach

Camouflage
Camouflage is a passive ability that some units have, generally in the form of
sophisticated optical fibres in their dress and broad range jamming devices, which
prevents enemy units from targeting them. The rules are as follows:

• A base with camouflage in concealing terrain cannot be targeted even if it is

close to the edge of that terrain
• Bases with camouflage may not be the target of assault or fire orders if there
are other units that can legally be attacked
• If a base with camouflage performs a hostile action, such as firing or returning
fire, and there is an enemy unit within 6 inches of it, place a revealed counter
next to the base
• If an enemy base moves through or on to the space occupied by a camouflaged
base, you may move it aside to permit the enemy to occupy the space
o If there is no room to move aside, place a revealed counter on the
camouflaged base. The enemy base must stop moving 1 inch away
from the camouflaged base, and it has an activation counter placed on
it
 • If a camouflaged unit assaults or counter-attacks, place a revealed counter on
it
• Bases with revealed counters next to them are treated like any other base
o Remove any revealed counters on the tabletop at the beginning of a
turn
o After doing this, place revealed counters on all camouflaged bases that
are in base contact with enemy units

SPOMM
All Syntha units in this book have SPOMM minds, which means that although
tactically limited (Syntha AI armies are inferior at pulling off effective co-ordinated
manoeuvres), they never tire, never panic, and never break the chain of command:

• A base with the SPOMM ability always counts as a single base for the
purposes of issuing orders to it, irrespective of its suppression level

Junkers
Junkers have shown unprecedented expansion during this era, and their vast legions
threaten the stability of the whole galaxy. The current situation, with the whole of
Pan-Humanic Space teetering on the brink of total war suits the Ironglass Senate well
enough. They are using the chaos to fuel even further expansion, swelling their
legions and extending their imperial power base. Junkers, ever the underdog in the
Tripartite Alliance, see the Age of Tyrants as an opportunity to seize control from the
rich powers and perhaps even conquer the galaxy in the name of the Senate.

History
The Junkers’ Homeworld is Ironglass, in the Viridia Solaris star system. Ironglass is a
large desert world, where, due to a quirk in its orbit, one side is constantly baked by
the local star Solaris, and the other exposed to the dark chill of space. In a thin band
around the terminator, called the Meridian, human habitation was possible, so Viridia
established a penal colony there to process ferrous deposits from the desert. Ironglass
challenged Viridia for independence in the Second War of Secession, eventually
winning it in 2580. The new rulers of Ironglass were used to a society in which life
was cheap and power best wielded through force, and ever since the Junkers have
been brutal, despotic and imperialistic.

Colonies
Junkers favour marginal worlds with arid or desert climates on which their topsoil and
sand processing technologies can eke every gram of resources from the world. They
pride themselves on making a living where others cannot; subsisting on what most
would consider leavings. Their settlements are often beneath ground, based on the
Ironglass model, and are dirty, dangerous and polluted places worked by slave labour.

Technology
Junkers, as their very name suggests, don’t have much in the way of their own
technological developments. Their engineering know how lies in taking the wreckage
and detritus of the other powers and transforming it into something functional.
Sometimes the tech they appropriate is genuine scrap, sometimes it is battlefield
plunder or outright pirate loot. This paradigm goes right back to the Second War of
Secession, wherein the original Junker rebels adapted mining equipment and vehicles,
repurposing them as weapons they could use against their Viridian enemies.

Warfare
In battle the Junkers are a numerically superior force that excels in medium to close
range combat. The strategy of Junker commanders relies on a human wave attack to
overwhelm the enemy. This is hugely costly in lives, but one thing the Junkers have
no shortage of is manpower. Consequently discipline and morale are poor, but the
leaders have ways of ensuring obedience. Supporting the legions are crude but
effective armour, artillery and troop transports, the latter of which carry combat repair
equipment to fix other vehicles in the field.

Army List
Junker armies are constructed according to the rules in the Leaders, Units and Chain
of Command section of the Building Your Army rules:

Junkers Infantry Company Mechanised Armoured Company

Company
Core Units Legionary Hastati Octoris Falx Venator Tank
Legionary Triarii Legionary Hastati
Armiger Team
Support Unit Exo Suit Allectus Ballisterius Ballisterius
Ballisterius Octoris Incendia Exarch Tank
Octoris Falx Venator Tank Excubitor Tank
Venator Tank
Command Unit Hastati Sergeant Octoris Falx Sergeant Venator Sergeant
Hastati Captain Octoris Falx Captain Venator Captain

Junker Sergeant: Add 3 points

Junker Captain: Add 6 points
Junker HQ: Add 9 points

A Junker Battlefield HQ consists of the following bases:

Battlefield HQ Hastati HQ 2x Exo Suit Allectus Octoris Falx

Legionary Hastati

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

The Hastati are the backbone of Ironglass’s Legions. Equipped with battleshieds,
shotguns and combat blades, their role is to close with the enemy and assault them at
close quarters. In long range firefights Hastati tend to get decimated, but they are
cheap assault troops and the Senate has no qualms about casualties.

Legionary Triarii

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

Like the Hastati, Triarii are cheap troops that come into their own in close combat.
Triarii fireteams contain specialist, close combat anti-armour Legionaries armed with
Thermite Lances. The thermite lances are derived from mining tools and can burn
through most armour like a hot knife through butter.

Legionary Armiger

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

Armigers are two-man teams operating a chain gun rotary gauss weapon between
them. The chain gun is highly effective against infantry at close ranges, but is
relatively weak against materiel. These troops are best deployed in a support role as
they are vulnerable in open firefights.

Exo-Suit Allecti

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

Exo-Suits are formidable pieces of battlefield power armour reserved for the elite
Legionaries, convicts that have served their sentences, distinguished themselves in
battle and remained in the legion as free men. The suits have on-board weapon
systems in the form of medium range grape guns that are devastating to personnel,
and close combat anti-armour gloves called Cestus.

Ballisterius

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

The Ballisterius is the standard artillery unit of the Legions. It consists of a light
skinned vehicle with an inferno rocket system mounted in a fixed forward position.
The inferno rockets are used at long range to soften up the enemy with a
bombardment of incendiary death.

Octoris Falx

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

Octoris Falx is the standard troop carrying vehicle of the Legions. The Octoris Falx
(falx means battle-scythe) is a lightly armoured eight wheeled vehicle that can act as a
mobile firebase, transport or command centre for up to three infantry fireteams. For
defence it has a turret mounted rotary gauss weapon effective against all targets up to
medium range.

Octoris Incendia

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

Octoris Incendia are troop transports based on the same eight wheeled chassis design
as the Falx. Like their standard counterpart, the Incendia can transport up to three
fireteams of infantry, but their role tends to be more strike element than firebase. For
this they are equipped with a turret mounted heavy flamethrower that is lethal to all
enemy types at close range.

Exarch Tank

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

Exarchs are the main battle tanks of the Junker Legions. They are good mid-range
armoured assault elements, equipped with a turret mounted incinerator cannon that
fires a high-explosive incendiary round. The vehicle is protected from close assaults
by all-round flamer vents. The Exarch can also operate as a command tank.

Venator Tank

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

The Venator is built on the same chassis as the exarch but is equipped with a different
turret weapon. The Venator’s turret gun is an extremely powerful rotary gauss gun,
based on Viridian designs, called a Scorpion. The Venator fulfils a similar battlefield
role to the Exarch, but its weapon is generally harder hitting.

Excubitor Tank

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

The Excubitor is also built on the standard Junker main battle tank chassis, but its
combat role is very different to that of the Exarch and the Venator. The Excubitor’s
turret weapon is the massive Salamander Field Gun that deploys a large calibre, high
explosive armour piercing round at long range.

Syntha
The Syntha are secretive and isolationist and they put a high premium on the
“information war”, devoting a great deal of resources to espionage and counter-
espionage activities. Since becoming an independent power, the Syntha have always
been slightly aloof and reserved, which is more to do with their emotional coolness
and a high incidence of introversion in their population than anything sinister or
political. However, since the incident on the Hephaestus Complex, the Collective’s
cultural distance has transformed into full-on espionage, scheming and covert
aggression against the other powers.

History
Prime is the Homeworld of the Syntha, a strange object caught in an elliptical orbit
around the Viridia Solaris/Leviathan binary star system. Prime is a barren, frozen,
teardrop shaped planetoid with no atmosphere. It is the only known source in the
universe of the mineral prime obsidian. In the early years of colonisation it was a
research station, devoted to harnessing the power of this new wonder material. In
2494, the colony there, the most distant at the time, declared independence from
Viridia and thus began the First War of Secession. Four years later the colony won its
charter and thus began the Syntha’s great quest to perfect humanity through
integration with machines.

Colonies
Pure research, rather than economic or social improvement, drives Syntha
colonisation. The worlds they live on are valuable from a scientific point of view, but
are often inimical to life. They have perfected techniques based on Prime’s
colonisation, for burrowing into planets and other objects. Once in robotic miners
build extensive subterranean networks of tunnels and chambers, preparing them for
habitation. Where these “termite cities” break the surface, there are towers containing
mag-lev service elevators, comms arrays and vents to release non-recyclable
materials.

Technology
Syntha are the most technologically advanced faction in Pan-Humanic Space. Their
stranglehold on the production of prime obsidian coupled with their technological
collectivism agenda have assured that. Indeed, the Collective is governed by a giant
SPOMM brain called Prime, to which all Syntha colonies are networked by sub-ether
relays. Syntha citizens are grown from cloned cells and born from vat-like artificial
wombs as fully developed adults. Complete with cybernetic enhancements they are
educated and socialised by in utero VR simulations. And of course the Syntha
manufacture a great many AI, ranging from robotic labour and soldiers, through to
enormous AI autofacilities like Hephaestus.

Warfare
Syntha are the least populous of the Homeworld factions. In this Age of Tyrants,
which sees it embroiled in more military action than at any time in its history, the
Collective has taken to deploying entirely robotic armies, in order to preserve its
limited stocks of human and biomechanoid combatants. The SPOMM armies are poor
at tactics and combined arms operations, though heuristic software is enabling them to
improve all the time. However, they are way more reliable than human soldiers under
fire and can wield heavier weapons. Supporting the androsynths and teratosynths are
SPOMM artillery, carriers and tanks.

Army List
Syntha armies are constructed according to the rules in the Leaders, Units and Chain
of Command section of the Building Your Army rules:

Syntha Infantry Company Mechanised Armoured Company

Company
Core Units Androsynths Persephone Nemesis Grav Tank
Assault Teratosynths Transport
Pulse Cannon Team Androsynths
Support Unit Tactical Teratosynths Plasma Cannon Plasma Cannon
Plasma Cannon Demeter Transport Kallista Grav Tank
Persephone Nemesis Grav Tank Hades Grav Tank
Transport
Nemesis Grav Tank
Command Unit Androsynth Sergeant Persephone Sergeant Nemesis Sergeant
Androsynth Captain Persephone Captain Nemesis Captain
Syntha Sergeant: Add 2 points
Syntha Captain: Add 4 points
Syntha HQ: Add 6 points

A Syntha Battlefield HQ consists of the following bases:

Battlefield HQ Androsynth HQ 2x Tactical Persephone

Teratosynths Transport

Androsynths

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

Androsyths are Prime’s standard battlefield production model for SPOMM infantry.
They are effective in mid-range firefights, armed as they are with powerful, laser
pulse rifles. Some androsynths act as command modules, upgraded with more
advanced tactical analysis plug-ins. Androsynths do not suffer ill-effects from
suppression and will fire inexorably on the enemy until it is dead or they’re destroyed.

Assault Teratosynths

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

Alongside the androsynths are fireteams of larger SPOMM infantry called

teratosynths. The assault teratosynths are equipped entirely for close combat and are
amongst the heaviest hitting shock elements in the galaxy with their devastating,
armour piercing tesla claws. Their SPOMM programming drives them to hunt and kill
all enemies when they are unleashed.

Tactical Teratosynths

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

Tactical teratosynths are one of the most feared infantry types in Pan-Humanic space.
Of a similar size and design to the assault teratosynths, they are programmed with
different operational parameters that cast them in a heavy fire support role. For this
task they are equipped with heavy versions of the pulse rifles carried by androsynths.

Androsynth Pulse Cannon

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

The androsynth pulse cannon is a heavy weapon operated by a team of two standard
androsynths. The cannon is another laser weapon that is effective over a very long
range, therefore, pulse cannon teams are programmed to remain at the limit of the
weapon’s range and lay down heavy fire support with it.

Plasma Cannon
<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

The plasma cannon is a SPOMM controlled mobile weapon platform. The platform
consists of a light skinned grav-lift vehicle with a front firing plasma cannon mounted
on it. The weapon is highly effective at dealing with enemy armour in mid-range
firefights. It is protected from close assaults by a tesla field.

Persephone Transport

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

The Persephone Transport is another SPOMM controlled grav-lift vehicle with a tesla
field. It can effectively transport three fireteams of infantry, SPOMM or organic, and
acts as a firebase and with upgrades, a command centre. The Persephone is equipped
with a turret containing twin linked heavy pulse rifles, effective against all targets at
mid-range.

Demeter Transport

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

The Demeter Transport is the sister vehicle of the Persephone, and while it shares the
troop carrying ability of its counterpart, the Demeter is equipped for much shorter
range warfare. In its turret, the Demeter Transport houses a plasma projector unit that
is particularly deadly to armour at close range.

Nemesis Grav Tank

<<INSERT CARD IMAGE>>

The Nemesis is the Collective’s main battle tank and armoured command centre. It is
perhaps the most advanced and certainly one of the deadliest tanks on any battlefield.
Its chassis houses an advanced SPOMM mind, a tesla field to protect the exterior
from close assaults, and the turret houses a starfire cannon; a deadly, long range anti-
armour plasma weapon.

Kallista Grav Tank

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The Kallista Grav Tank is built on the same chassis design as the Nemesis, but its role
is as a lethal armoured shock element. The turret houses the most advanced battlefield
weapon known to man, the Proteus Cannon. The Proteus Cannon is a devastating anti-
matter projector that annihilates anything the short-range beam touches.

Hades Grav Tank

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Also built on the same chassis design as the Nemesis and the Kallista, the Hades Grav
Tank is the Syntha’s long range artillery vehicle. Its SPOMM is programmed with a
comprehensive selection of fire missions and connected to a turret mounted MLRS
(multi-launch rocket system) that can bring a pattern of guided missiles down on
targets almost anywhere on the battlefield.

VASA
VASA retains its role as the Protectorate, a body separate from the other Tripartite
Powers of Viridia, Syntha and Junkers. The body is charged with enforcing their
alliance, brokering settlements in disputes, and policing the grav-wells, upon which
all trade and colonisation efforts depend. To carry out these duties, VASA has
amassed a huge fleet and security force, financed by charging excise duties on trade
through the grav-wells. VASA is essentially a massive galactic security force, which
has increasingly come into conflict with its member factions as the Age of Tyrants
erodes old alliances and treaties.

History
VASA grew by increments out of the Viridian space program, and while the faction
never broke free of Viridia in a war, like the Syntha or Junkers, it did use those
conflicts as a means of establishing its independence. The founders of the VASA
faction were scientists working on grav-shunting technology, based on Vacillus.
Vacillus is a distant ice planet orbiting the dead star Leviathan, and as such it had to
be self-sufficient. In later years this colony, seen by all as sufficiently removed from
Viridian influence to be neutral, brokered peace deals between Viridia and the other
powers in the Secession Wars. Formalising its role as a peacekeeper, VASA adopted
the name Protectorate and built a massive military shipyard on Vacillus’ moon
Kothon.

Colonies
VASA’s colonisation technique involves dropping prefabricated facilities, called
pods, from orbit, onto the surface of the object they wish to colonise. According to a
tried and tested set of rules based on its habitation potential, the object being
colonised will have different types of facilities dropped on it such as life support pods,
atmosphere processing pods and so on. VASA puts its colonies near grav-wells, for
these are the n-space highways through which all trade and exploration takes place. If
no suitable object is available near a desired grav well, VASA has been known to
build an artificial planetoid in the region.

Technology
VASA pioneered the technology of grav-shunting, a faster-than-light method of
transport used in all long distance space travel. Grav shunting involves firing high
powered Xasers at massive objects to create wormholes through which ships can
travel. On the back of this technology, VASA also developed efficient pre-fab
colonisation methods. VASA’s military has also commanded state-of-the-art energy
weapons and armour.

Warfare
VASA has by far the largest and best equipped army and fleet in Pan-Humanic Space,
but it is currently badly overstretched, quelling uprisings and brushfire wars across the
whole galaxy. The Protectorate bureaucracy is poor at prioritising and often slow to
act, but it does try to respond to everything. Consequently, the resource allocation to
any given conflict is unlikely to be enough for a decisive victory. However, VASA
security forces are highly mobile, well trained and well equipped, particularly for
crowd control operations. Their weapons are often amongst the most advanced and
expensive available and can deal effectively with a variety of circumstances.

Army List
VASA armies are constructed according to the rules in the Leaders, Units and Chain
of Command section of the Building Your Army rules:

VASA Infantry Company Mechanised Armoured Company

Company
Core Units SART BMD-9 Bear KV-18 Ikon
SCIT SART
Disperser Squad
Support Unit Black Legion Banshee KV-42 Iron Star
Banshee BMD-11 Eagle KV-90 Red Hammer
BMD-9 Bear KV-18 Ikon
KV-18 Ikon
Command Unit SART Sergeant BMD-9 Bear KV-18 Ikon Sergeant
SART Captain Sergeant KV-18 Ikon Captain
BMD-9 Bear Captain

VASA Sergeant: Add 3 points

VASA Captain: Add 6 points
VASA HQ: Add 9 points

A VASA Battlefield HQ consists of the following bases:

Battlefield HQ SART HQ 2x Black Legion BMD-9 Bear

SART

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SART, standing for Suppressor Armed Response Team, is the standard security force
deployed by VASA to deal with armed threats. For this they are equipped with a
combination of riot control gear and lethal response equipment, including shock
batons, gauss rifles, riot shields, and a grenade launcher operator organic to the unit.
Very effective in mid-range firefights and close assaults.

SCIT

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The SCIT, or Suppressor Counter Insurgency Team, are deployed when VASA forces
are likely to face a threat that has armoured vehicles. Instead of a grenade launcher,
the SCIT has specialists armed with EMP limpet mines that they attach to enemy
vehicles in close assault. The EMP charge disables the vehicle’s electrics.
Disperser Team

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Disperser Teams are short range crowd control specialists. They consist of two
suppressors operating a portable microwave weapon between them. The microwaver
has a variety of settings, ranging from non-lethal minor irritation to boiling the target
alive. The deadlier settings also work well against vehicles, the radiation damaging
electrics and injuring crew.

Black Legion

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The Black Legion are VASA’s feared elite jump troopers. They are only deployed in
military situations and constitute a highly effective mobile strike element on the
battlefield. They are equipped with jump capable power armour, and weapons called
ion lances that are deadly in mid range firefights and double up as a sort of energy
weapon pole arm in close combat.

Banshee

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Banshee is the name given to VASA’s standard long range artillery piece, which is
normally used for crowd control. The banshee consists of a wheeled chassis with a
sonic weapon mounted on it. Like the microwave weapons, this can be calibrated for
different effects ranging from irritant to disperse crowds, to creating a lethal pulse of
sound that can burst organs and shake structures to pieces.

BMD-9 Bear

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The BMD-9 Bear is VASA’s armoured troop carrier. It is effective as a firebase for
medium range engagements, with its turret mounted chain guns, can transport up to
three fireteams of infantry (usually suppressors), and also on occasion acts as a
mechanised command centre.

BMD-11 Eagle

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The BMD-11 Eagle is used in a support role in mechanised companies. It has the
same chassis design as the BMD-9 and can also transport up to three fireteams of
infantry. However, its turret weapon is a belt fed grenade launcher that can lob frag
grenades over intervening obstacles to hit targets at long range.
KV-18 Ikon

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The Ikon is VASA’s main battle tank, serving as the standard vehicle in armoured
companies and in organic support roles for other types of company. The sloped design
of the armour plates means they can be quite thin, making VASA tanks faster than
those of their rivals. The icon sports a turret mounted Ion Cannon that is effective
against all targets at mid-range, and the hull is protected by microwave dispersal pods.

KV-42 Iron Star

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The Iron Star is a close support tank for VASA armoured companies. It shares the
same basic design as the Ikon but the main weapon is a turret mounted Disperser
Cannon, which is basically a much larger version of the microwaver carried by
Disperser Teams. In crowd control situations it tends to be deployed as standard rather
than the Ikon.

KV-90 Red Hammer

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The Red Hammer provides long range support in VASA armoured companies. In
common with the other VASA battle tanks it has a chassis protected with sloped
armour and microwave dispersal pods. The main turret weapon is an MLRS, which
launches a single, long range missile that breaks up in flight to rain independently
targeting micro-missiles on the target area.

Viridians
Viridians are from the planet where humans evolved in the Viridia Solaris system, and
as such are the oldest faction in Pan-Humanic Space. Viridians are the great free
marketeers of the Tripartite Alliance. They believe in the power of trade as an engine
of progress and chafe under regulations and taxes levied by VASA. The Viridian
Assembly champions independence on the whole, though like others, they have
historically shown reluctance when it comes to granting independence to colonies
under their direct control.

History
In distant antiquity the Viridians had an advanced industrial society on the lush, fertile
world of Viridia, but their polluting activities caused catastrophic global warming that
resulted in the planet flooding. Eventually the climate stabilised and a new civilisation
was built using sustainable and non-polluting technologies. It did not take the
Viridians long to rebuild what had been lost, and soon they were exploring space with
a view to colonisation, driven in part by the close call with extinction they had
experienced on their Homeworld. Viridia ceased to be the sole power in space
following the Secession Wars, and the subsequent rush to colonise the galaxy by those
seeking independence.
Colonies
As mankind spread through the galaxy, Viridia became the breadbasket of Pan-
Humanic space. Worlds with natural climates that produced sufficient food to support
colonies were few and far between, so Viridia fed the galaxy with its advanced, high
yield agricultural techniques. Viridia’s great wealth lies in agriculture to this day, and
because it is the most efficient producer, Viridia gets the pick of worlds suitable for
food production. Jungle worlds to produce biomass for fuel, fertiliser and animal feed;
ocean worlds with vast fisheries; temperate worlds with vast arable plains. Such
worlds always orbit spectral class G-stars, so Viridians have developed city building
techniques based on harnessing solar power.

Technology
Viridia led the way in developing environmentally sustainable technologies, following
the disaster of the great flood. This suite of technologies included genetically
engineered plant and animal species for food, fuel, and in some cases mounts, the
development of the hydrogen t-cell for power, and the advanced engineering
techniques of the solar cities. They also developed the gauss magnetic field
technologies used by a variety of weapons and civilian transport systems.

Warfare
The Viridians have a respectable sized army and fleet, and their forces excel at long
range warfare and combined arms tactics. Of all the factions, the Viridians have been
most enthusiastic in adopting the doctrine of combined arms, borne of a desire to limit
casualties among their own troops. They do this by engaging with light ground forces
that are prepared to retreat at any moment, slowing the enemy down while close
support and reachback capability surgically dismantles it from a distance.

Army List
Viridian armies are constructed according to the rules in the Leaders, Units and Chain
of Command section of the Building Your Army rules:

Viridians Infantry Company Mechanised Armoured Company

Company
Core Units Alpha Squad Direwolf APC Broadsword Tank
Bravo Squad Alpha Squad
Sniper Team
Support Unit Interdict Marines Spartan Bayonet Tank
Dominator Bigfoot APC Maul Tank
Direwolf APC Blade Tank
Blade Tank
Command Unit Alpha Squad Direwolf Sergeant Broadsword Sergeant
Sergeant Direwolf Captain Broadsword Captain
Alpha Squad Captain

Viridian Sergeant: Add 4 points

Viridian Captain: Add 8 points
Viridian HQ: Add 12 points

A Viridian Battlefield HQ consists of the following bases:

Battlefield HQ Alpha Squad HQ 2x Interdict Marines Direwolf APC

Alpha Team

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Alpha Team is the designation given to a standard fireteam of Viridian Colonial

Marines. The team consists of marines armed with gauss rifles and a squad support
weapon in the form of a heavy gauss rifle. In battle, Alpha Teams fare well against
most opponents in medium range firefights and are skilled in extraction procedures to
escape enemy assaults.

Bravo Team

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Bravo Teams are slightly more specialised than Alpha Teams. They consist of the
same number of standard marines plus a support weapon, but Bravo Teams’ support
weapons are bazookas. This casts the Bravo Team in more of a dedicated anti-armour
role, and again, they are effective to mid range.

Sniper Team

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Viridian snipers operate in two-man teams. One member of the team is designated as
the shooter, and generally carries a large, anti-materiel rifle that fires a burrowing
explosive round effective against all armour at long range. The shooter’s partner acts
as a spotter, and also carries a back up weapon in the form of a mid-range semi-
automatic anti-personnel rifle.

Interdict Marines

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Interdict Marines are Viridia’s elite stormtrooper unit. Interdict Marines are equipped
with gauss carbines, configured to be deadly at close quarters, and they are highly
trained in hand-to-hand combat. They wear power armour that is jump capable and in
battle they are deployed as a fast strike element.

Dominator

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The Dominator is Viridia’s standard mobile artillery piece. It consists of a light-

skinned, wheeled vehicle with a forward mounted howitzer. The weapon is effective
at delivering close support or breaking up the enemy’s formation at medium range,
and it can be fired indirectly.
Direwolf

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The Direwolf armoured personnel carrier is the standard troop transport for Viridian
fireteams. It is capable of transporting up to three of them at a time. The vehicle is
also commonly used as a mechanised command centre. It has twin-linked HMGs in
the turret, effective to mid-range and devastating to enemy personnel.

Bigfoot

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The Bigfoot features the same chassis design as the Direwolf, but its combat role is
actually more general. The Bigfoot’s turret weapon is a gauss cannon that is effective
at mid-range and can successfully engage all targets. The Bigfoot, and the Direwolf
too for that matter are deployed as rescue vehicles, able to get in quickly, the crew can
administer medical attention or carry out repairs, and then get out again.

Broadsword Tank

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The Broadsword is Viridia’s armoured command and main battle tank. It is a tracked,
heavy tank that can engage all targets at up to long range with its main weapon, the
redactor cannon. The redactor cannon is a massive, rotary barrelled gauss weapon.
The Broadsword bristles with independently targeting chain gun points all around the
hull to protect it from close assaults.

Shillelagh Tank

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The Shillelagh Tank offers the Viridian army mid-range heavy support. Its main turret
weapon is the whimsically titled Triple Whammy, consisting of three howitzers, each
of which can be independently elevated and angled to modify the pattern of rounds
dropped on a target. It has the same tracked chassis design as the broadsword, and
enjoys the same chain gun protection system.

Bayonet Tank

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The Bayonet is Viridia’s long range tank killer. It has the same chassis design as the
Broadsword and the Shillelagh, but the turret houses a large, highly advanced gauss
weapon called an Excalibur Gun, which fires a dart of ferromagnetic material that
becomes molten within nanoseconds of leaving the barrel.
Counters

• Activation
• At the Double
• Smoke
• Fire
• Revealed
• Wreckage

Templates

• Large circular (3 inch radius)

• Circular (2 inch radius)
• Strafing (10x2 inch rectangle)