Rulebook

2.4.1Faction Tags

Faction Tags identify a Unit’s allegiance. • Race Tags: Terran, Zerg, Protoss. • Sub-Faction Tags: Specific broods or organisations, e.g., Kerrigan’s Swarm, Raynor’s Raiders. • Function: During Army Building, a player may include only Units and Tactical Cards that share Faction Tags with the chosen Faction Card.

2.4.2Combat Tags

Combat Tags identify a Unit’s physical nature and tactical class. Type Tags: Armoured, Biological, Light, Mechanical, Psionic, Flying, and Ground. • Targeting: Some weapons can fire only at specific tags (e.g., "Target: Flying"). • Surge: A weapon’s Surge efficiency triggers only when the target has the Combat Tag listed in the weapon’s Surge Type (Part 8.7.4). • Bonuses: Abilities such as ANTI-EVADE (X) or PIERCE (X) often apply only against specific tags. Note: The Ground Combat Tag and the GROUND LEVEL elevation (Part 8.5.3) are distinct concepts. A Flying Unit standing on the playmat is at GROUND LEVEL but does not have the Ground Combat Tag. Throughout these rules, Ground in bold caps always refers to the Combat Tag. GROUND LEVEL always refers to elevation.

2.6.1Keywords

Keywords are written in BOLD CAPS (e.g. SIDEARM, PIERCE, HIDDEN). A keyword always means the same thing, regardless of the Unit in which it appears. Full definitions are in Part 11: Keyword Glossary and Definitions. Keywords do not stack. Gaining the same keyword twice provides no extra benefit. If a keyword has a numeric value (e.g., PRECISION (1) and PRECISION (2)), use only the highest value.

2.6.2The Priority

Specific Rules take precedence over General Rules. If text on a Unit Card, Mission Card, or Special Ability contradicts the Core Rules, the card or ability takes precedence.

2.7.1Active Abilities

Active Abilities are deliberate choices, a stim injection, a mode switch, a called shot. They require the Unit to be Activated, and must be triggered immediately before declaring an action or immediately after one fully resolves. A player cannot interrupt an action mid-flow to use one. A Unit in Reserves cannot use Active Abilities unless the ability explicitly states otherwise. Each named Active Ability may be used only once per Round by a specific Unit, unless it has the REPEATABLE keyword. Effects granted by Active Abilities expire at the End of the Current Round unless otherwise stated.

2.7.2Passive Abilities

Passive Abilities are always active. They represent innate traits, permanent equipment, or biological adaptations that require no decision to activate; they simply function as long as the Unit is on the battlefield. Like Active Abilities, Passive Abilities are inactive while the Unit is in Reserves, unless otherwise stated.

2.7.3Reaction Abilities

Reaction Abilities are the battlefield’s reflexes. They fire in response to a specific trigger, such as an incoming attack, an Enemy Charge, or a model being Destroyed, and allow a player to act outside the normal activation sequence. The catch is timing: a Reaction must be declared at the exact moment its trigger occurs. If the moment passes, the opportunity is gone. Each player may resolve only one Reaction per Activation. Each named Reaction Ability may be used only once per Round by a specific Unit. This limit applies across the entire Round (all Phases and all Activations). A single Unit cannot use the same-named Reaction more than once per Round, even on different triggers. Different Units may each use the same named Reaction once per Round. If both players want to react to the same trigger, the Active Player resolves their Reaction first. Like Active and Passive Abilities, Reaction Abilities cannot be used while the Unit is in Reserves unless stated otherwise. EXAMPLE: If a Zealot Unit is attacked. It may use Zealous Round OR Ground Armour, not both in the same Enemy Activation. If a Marine Unit is attacked, and it uses Infantry Armor for its Armour Roll, the Medic Unit behind will not be able to use its Life Support in the same Enemy Activation.

COHERENCY LINK

When placing models after a move, set the Leading Model first. Then set each remaining model one at a time, Wholly Within 3" of the Leading Model, and able to trace a Coherency Link to it. A Coherency Link is a chain of imaginary lines drawn model-to-model through models of the same Unit. Links cannot pass through models from other Units, terrain, or gaps that the Leading Model itself could not move through. A link may pass through Enemy models that the Unit is currently Engaged with. Any model that cannot find a legal position maintaining the Coherency Link is immediately removed as a casualty. In this example, a Unit of Marines In Coherency. All of its models are Wholly Within 3” of the Leading Model (marked in blue) with Coherency Links (marked in red) drawn from its other models to the Leading Model. The Marine model on the left links to the Leading Model through another model from its Unit to bypass the blocking terrain. In this example, a Unit of Marines with illegal placement. All models in the Unit are Wholly Within 3” of its Leading Model, but the model behind the wall (marked in red) cannot draw a Coherency Link to another model from its Unit without passing through the terrain shown. Since the model cannot draw a link through another model without passing through restricted terrain, the player cannot set the model here.

FLYING UNITS AND COHERANCY LINKS

When drawing Coherency Links for a Flying Unit, ignore terrain. Links may pass freely through terrain pieces of any Size, and may also pass through models from other Units.

OUT OF COHERENCY

If at the end of an action that repositions models, any model is not Wholly Within 3" of the Leading Model, the Unit is Out of Coherency. Out of Coherency Units cannot control or contest Mission Markers (Part 8.9.1).

DEPLOYMENT

Each mission establishes a Supply Pool, which is the maximum amount of Supply that can be on the battlefield at any one time. The Supply Pool starts at the value listed on the Mission Card and increases by the Supply Escalation value each Round. A player can only set a Unit in play from Reserves if the Unit's Current Supply Value is less than or equal to the Available Supply, which is the current Supply Pool value minus the total Supply of all Friendly Units already in play on the battlefield. At no point can the Total Current Supply of a player’s Units on the battlefield exceed the Supply Pool. In the final Round of play (as determined by the Mission Card), the Supply Pool is unlimited. All Units remaining in Reserves may be set into play without Supply restrictions, following the normal alternating activation sequence. MISSION MARKER CONTROL Supply determines who controls the ground. To determine control of a Mission Marker, each player calculates the Current Supply Value of all their eligible Units contesting that Marker (see Part 8.9.1 for full eligibility requirements), not the number of models, but their total Supply. The player with the highest total controls the Marker. A Unit with Supply 0 can control a Marker if no Enemy Units are contesting it. However, a Unit that is Out of Coherency can never control or contest a Mission Marker. Flying Units cannot Contest or Control Mission Markers, as they are airborne and do not hold ground.

TACTICAL MASS

Breaking away from a melee is a desperate act. A Unit that Disengages suffers a severe penalty: it cannot perform Ranged Attack or Charge actions in the following Assault Phase. The squad is too busy pulling back to mount an effective attack. However, if at the moment the Disengage is declared, the Disengaging Unit's Current Supply Value exceeds the Combined Supply of all Enemy Units it is Engaged with, this penalty is ignored. A superior force has the mass to pull away cleanly. A lone screening squad should slow the enemy, not shut them down entirely.

UNIT STARTING SUPPLY

Some Mission Cards award Victory Points equal to the Enemy Supply destroyed in a Round. In such cases, the Supply Value destroyed in that Round is added to the score during the Scoring Phase.

7.1.1Cover

Terrain pieces may block the Line of Sight between models. A terrain piece provides Cover in one of two ways: Full Cover: A terrain piece blocks Line of Sight if its Effective Size (Part 7.1.2) is equal to or greater than the Effective Size of both the attacker and the Target. Neither model can see over the terrain - Line of Sight is blocked. Direct Cover: If the Line of Sight trace passes through a terrain piece, and either the attacker or the target is Within 1" of that terrain, the Line of Sight between them is blocked, provided the terrain piece's Effective Size is equal to or greater than the Effective Size of the model that is Within 1". Each terrain piece is assessed for Cover independently. Terrain pieces do not combine their Effective Size or proximity. If no single terrain piece meets the requirements for Full Cover or Direct Cover, Line of Sight is not blocked, regardless of how many terrain pieces the trace passes through. In this example, a player checks Line of Sight from a Goliath (Size 3) to a Unit of five Marines (Size 2) through a ruined wall (Size 2). The wall is too short to block the Goliath’s view entirely - Full Cover fails. However, two Marines are Within 1" of the wall. Because the wall’s Size equals the Marines’ Size, the Line of Sight to and from those two Marines is blocked - they are not Visible to the Goliath, and the Goliath is not Visible to them. The remaining three Marines are too far from the wall and are Visible normally. ELEVATION DEAD ZONE If a model on HIGH GROUND (Size 3+) draws Line of Sight to a model at GROUND LEVEL that is Within 1" of the base of the same terrain piece, Line of Sight is blocked. This applies in both directions - neither model can see the other. CLOSE QUARTERS If both models are Within 1" of the same terrain piece and Within 3" of each other, Direct Cover, Elevation Dead Zone do not apply. Resolve Line of Sight normally using the standard trace (Part 7.1). In this example: a Marine on HIGH GROUND checks Line of Sight to a Zergling at GROUND LEVEL. The Zergling is Within 1" of the base of the same terrain piece the Marine is standing on, but the two models are more than 3" apart. The Zergling is too close to the foot of the cliff to be seen from above - Line of Sight is blocked. This works in both directions - the Zergling cannot see the Marine above it either. If the two models were Within 3" of each other, Close Quarters would apply, and standard Line of Sight rules would be used instead.

7.1.2Verticality and Effective Size

When a model stands on top of a terrain piece (such as HIGH GROUND): Effective Size is equal to the model Size plus the terrain Size. EXAMPLE: A Marine (Size 2) on HIGH GROUND (Size 4) has an Effective Size of 6. He can see over Size 5 walls that would blind him at GROUND LEVEL. Abathur’s TIP: HIGH GROUND is a powerhouse on the battlefield. When a Unit is on terrain with a Size of 3 or 4, the Effective Size of that Unit goes through the roof, letting it peer over barriers that would block the Line of Sight of Units on lower ground. The best position for ranged support is to utilise HIGH GROUND, as you can rain down fire from above. The downside, of course, is that Units on HIGH GROUND are exposed to just about everything, so only put Units there if they can handle whatever is coming their way. Ranged specialists with good Armour or Evade stats are the ones that really shine from HIGH GROUND, but Units with lower stats should remain on the ground if they want to stay hidden. Top-Down Perspective: Only terrain pieces that rise vertically between the two models' positions (as viewed from above) can block the shot. The horizontal surface a model stands on does not obstruct the top-down trace. Stacking Terrain: When a terrain piece is set on HIGH GROUND or MID GROUND, its Effective Size increases in the same way as a model’s - it gains the Size of the terrain it stands on. In this example, a Marauder (Size 2) is on HIGH GROUND (Size 3), giving it an Effective Size of 5. A ruined wall (Size 2) is also on HIGH GROUND (Size 3), giving it an Effective Size of 5. Because they have the same Effective Size, the Marauder cannot see over the ruined wall. The Roach (Size 2) at GROUND LEVEL cannot make a Line of Sight with the Marauder because the ruined wall (Effective Size 5) blocks it. However, the Hydralisk at GROUND LEVEL can make a Line of Sight with the Marauder because there is no obstacle in the way. In this example, the Goliath (Size 3) stands on HIGH GROUND (Size 4), increasing the Goliath’s Effective Size to 7. The wall (Size 2) set on HIGH GROUND has an Effective Size of 6.

7.1.3High Ground Cover

If all models of a Unit are standing on HIGH GROUND (Size 3 or larger terrain) with any part of their bases, the Unit becomes eligible to make an Evade Roll against all Ranged Attacks originating from a lower elevation. The attack originates from the lower elevation if at least one model of the attacking Unit isn’t standing on the HIGH GROUND with any part of their base. Exception: Flying Units never benefit from HIGH GROUND Cover, regardless of their physical position on the battlefield. Ranged Attacks made by Flying Units never originate from the lower elevation, regardless of their position on the battlefield.  DESIGNER’S NOTE: HIGH GROUND is already a strong position on the battlefield, thanks to the bonus from Effective Size and Line of Sight. However, a Unit occupying HIGH GROUND is also more Visible to almost everything on the table, creating a weakness. The Evade Roll provided to Units occupying HIGH GROUND reflects the defensive benefit of being in a raised position. It is more difficult to fire uphill. This provides players with a strong reason to occupy a raised position, aside from the Line of Sight bonus.

7.1.4Flying Units and Cover

When checking Line of Sight to or from a Flying model, ignore the Full Cover rule. Direct Cover and the Elevation Dead Zone rules still apply. For Cover purposes, treat a Flying model’s Effective Size as higher than the Effective Size of any terrain piece on the table. Because of this, terrain can never provide Full Cover against a Flying model and can never provide Direct Cover to a Flying model as the model that is Within 1" of terrain. However, a Flying model still obeys any Direct Cover or Elevation Dead Zone rule that applies to the other model in the attack. LOS and COVER SUMMARY TABLE:

LINE OF SIGHT - CORE RULES

COVER - FULL DECISION TABLE

IMPORTANT: Each terrain piece is evaluated independently for Cover. Pieces do not combine Effective Size or proximity - one piece must satisfy the full condition on its own.  |  GRASS unlike other Size 2 terrain, does not block movement but does block Line of Sight.

BLOCKING TERRAIN & ELEVATION - QUICK REFERENCE

7.2.1Engagement Restrictions

Models are Engaged only when all of the following conditions are met: • Combat Tags match: Ground models Engage only Ground models. Flying models cannot be Engaged by any model. • Terrain does not block: • Size 0–1 terrain: Engagement is possible across it. • Size 2+ terrain: Models cannot Engage through it. Even Within 1", a Size 2+ wall between them means they are not Engaged. • Models on HIGH GROUND cannot Engage models on GROUND LEVEL, and vice versa. • Models on MID GROUND can Engage models on HIGH GROUND or GROUND LEVEL only if both models are adjacent to the same ACCESS POINT connecting their respective elevations.

7.3.1Tokens

Tokens represent tangible battlefield assets - Creep Tumors, Corrosive Bile, and Shades. Treat them as Terrain (Size 0) with their own base. Models may move through Tokens, but cannot end movement overlapping them unless specified. Tokens are removed at the end of the Game Round unless stated otherwise. Always measure to the closest base edge of a Token.

7.3.2Markers

Markers are used to keep track of status or game states. Unlike Tokens, they have no physical presence. They do not block Line of Sight or movement. • Mission Markers are numbered Markers used on the battlefield during Setup at coordinates shown on the Deployment Card. Each Marker is 32mm in diameter and has two sides: Activated or Deactivated. Each one is colour-coded by number: Markers 1 & 3 are Red, Markers 2 & 4 are Blue, and Marker 5 is Neutral. • Activation Markers are set beside the Unit that has completed its turn in a Phase. They are double-sided with the arrow facing upwards, showing that the Unit has finished its turn in Phase 1 (Movement). The reverse side indicates that the Unit has completed its turn in Phase 2 (Assault). • Faction Indicators are used on Mission Markers to show which player controls that Mission Marker at any moment. Some Special Abilities utilise Faction Indicators to mark an area of the battlefield. • Buff/Debuff Markers are used to track effects and some statuses affecting the Unit. Positive effects are tracked with Buff Markers (Blue), and negative effects are tracked with Debuff Markers (Red). • Zone of Influence Markers are used to define the Zone of Influence when the Entry Edge doesn’t extend along the entire table edge. These are L-shaped corner markers that must be set exactly as shown on the Deployment Card. • First Player Marker is used to track which player has initiative. The holder chooses which player activates first at the beginning of each Phase. The Marker passes between players throughout the game, usually when a player Passes early in a Phase or when Victory Points are tallied at the end of the Round.

8.2.1Passing and Initiative

At any point during a turn, the Active Player may Pass instead of activating a Unit. A player must Pass if they have no eligible Units left. The first player to Pass in a Phase takes the First Player Marker for the next Phase. Once a player Passes, they cannot activate any further Units this Phase. The opponent then completes their remaining activations.

8.2.2Determining the First Player

Players Roll-Off (Part 3.2). The winner assigns the First Player Marker to either player for Round 1. DESIGNER’S NOTE: The Roll-Off winner can give the First Player Marker to their opponent - and this can sometimes be the right call. Going second in the Movement Phase means your opponent commits their Units first, allowing you to react. Going first in the Assault Phase rewards you for Passing early in Movement. Deciding who starts Round 1 with that Marker is itself a strategic decision, not just a formality.

8.3.1The Supply Pool

Reinforcements do not arrive all at once; Warp conduits take time to stabilise, Overlords require flight corridors, and Dropships queue on orbital approach vectors. The Supply Pool is the total available capacity that any commander may have at any instant, and this increases as logistics close the gap on the frontline. • Round 1: Supply Pool equals the Mission Card’s starting Supply. • Later Rounds: Supply Pool increases by the Supply Escalation value each Round. • Final Round: In the last Round of every game (as defined by the Mission Card), the Supply Pool becomes unlimited. All remaining Units in Reserves may be deployed without Supply restrictions, following the normal alternating activation sequence. • Hard Cap: Total Current Supply of on-table Units may never exceed the Supply Pool.

8.3.2Available Supply

A commander’s resources are only so plentiful. Every squad draws from the same pool of ammunition, bandwidth, and command focus. The resources you’ve committed so far will determine what remains available. Managing the gap between what’s been committed and what’s still accessible is what distinguishes a measured escalation from an army peaking too early. Available Supply equals the Current Supply Pool minus the Total Supply of Friendly Units on the Battlefield. A Unit can only be fielded if its Current Supply Value is less than or equal to the Available Supply. Units Destroyed in battle (or reduced by casualties) free up Available Supply for new arrivals.

8.3.3Deployment Restrictions

When a Unit arrives from Reserves, that Unit cannot end its arrival during that Activation inside the opponent’s Zone of Influence. This restriction applies to all forms of arrival, whether the Unit enters from an edge, arrives via a Warp Prism, or is summoned. Additionally, a Unit can never end a Deploy action Out of Coherency. If all models cannot be placed legally while maintaining Coherency, the Unit cannot be deployed in that location. Abathur’s TIP: When you begin, resources will be limited, and the board will still be taking shape. If you deploy a high-value Unit too early, it will be vulnerable to heavy fire before you have enough board presence to support it. On the other hand, holding Units in Reserve for too long will waste their potential. A good strategy is to start by deploying cheap Units to contest Markers and gather information, then deploy your high-value Units in Rounds 2 and 3.

8.4.1Activations

Orders are issued one at a time. A squad moves, a position is taken, and the Enemy reacts. Every activation is a commitment. On the Active Player’s turn, choose one: • Activate a Unit on the battlefield without an Activation Marker - perform a Move, Hold or Disengage action. • Activate a Unit in Reserves without an Activation Marker - perform a Deploy action to enter the battlefield. After the action, set an Activation Marker (Movement side) next to the Unit.

8.4.2Passing

The first player to Pass takes the First Player Marker for Phase 2. Set Activation Markers (Movement side) next to any Friendly on-table Units that did not activate. Abathur’s TIP: Making a Pass early in the Movement Phase is a game-changing move. The first player to make a Pass gains the First Player Marker for the Assault Phase and gets to shoot first. If you have already set up your key Units or have nothing left to deploy, make a Pass immediately. This allows you to gain perfect information as your opponent uses their activations, while you observe. However, moving too early means missing opportunities to manoeuvre, so it’s a constant balancing act between the benefits of information and maintaining flexibility.

8.5.1Hold

The Unit performs no action. Set an Activation Marker beside it. The Unit counts as Activated for the current Phase.

8.5.2Move

An Unengaged Unit changes its position on the battlefield.

8.5.3Resolving a Move

When a rule instructs a Unit to Move, Run, or otherwise reposition using standard movement, resolve it as follows: STEP 1 - THE LEADING MODEL • Choose a Leading Model and move it up to the Unit’s Speed (see Part 5.1 for split Speed values). Measure the actual path travelled. • The Leading Model may pass through Friendly models in its own Unit. • The Leading Model may not pass through Enemy models or Friendly models from other Units. Ground models may pass through a Flying model’s base as if it were not there, and vice versa. • The Leading Model cannot move through terrain of Size 2 or larger. • Follow Gap Clearance rules (Part 4.6). • The Leading Model cannot change elevation unless it passes through an ACCESS POINT. • The Leading Model may not end overlapping terrain or another model’s base. • The Leading Model’s entire base must end on the battlefield. • The Leading Model cannot end Within 1" (Engagement Range) of an Enemy Ground Unit. • No part of a base of the Leading Model can move more than its unit Speed value. STEP 2 - OTHER MODELS • Pick up all remaining models and set them In Coherency (Part 4.4) around the Leading Model. • These models are set, not moved - they may ignore intervening obstacles. However, they must end in a legal position: no overlapping bases, entire bases on the battlefield, and not Within 1" of an Enemy Unit. TERRAIN INTERACTIONS • Size 0 & Size 1: Pass through freely. Cannot end movement overlapping the terrain’s footprint. • Grass (Size 2 - special case): Refer to the GRASS keyword (Part 11) for the full rules. Grass does not block movement but does block Line of Sight, following the standard Cover rules (Part 7.1.1). If the Leading Model’s path of travel passes through or any model of a Unit ends on a Grass terrain piece, that Grass piece is immediately removed from the game for the remainder of the battle. • Flying Units: A Flying Unit moving over Grass does not destroy the Grass terrain piece. Flying models pass above the terrain, not through it. If any model of a Flying Unit ends on a Grass terrain piece, it is removed as normal. • Size 2 and larger: Cannot move through.  ELEVATION Models can stand one of three elevations: • GROUND LEVEL: Standing directly on the playmat. • MID GROUND: Standing on horizontal terrain of Size 1 or 2. • HIGH GROUND: Standing on horizontal terrain of Size 3 or larger. The model stands on Elevation if its base is at that elevation. If the model’s base is on multiple elevation levels, assume it is standing on the highest of those elevations. ACCESS POINTS connect different elevation levels. Models change elevation only by moving through an ACCESS POINT (examples: ladders, portals, doors). RAMPS are Size 1 MID GROUND terrain. A model on a ramp at any point along its surface is at MID GROUND elevation. Models cannot pass through a ramp freely - they may only enter and exit through the ramp’s two ACCESS POINTS (one at the base, one at the top) and may end their movement on the ramp. FLYING MOVE Units with the Flying Combat Tag ignore all normal movement restrictions. The Leading Model moves point-to-point, ignoring all terrain and models between the start and end. Other models may pass through a Flying model’s base as if it were not there. Flying Units and Engagement Range: • A Flying Unit may end its movement in Base-to-Base contact with Ground Units and vice versa - Flying models are never Engaged, and this proximity has no effect on either Unit’s ability to act. • Flying models are never Engaged (Part 7.2.1). A Flying Unit must end its movement at least 1" away from all Enemy Flying Units.

8.5.4Disengage

The most challenging manoeuvre a squad will ever make is to pull back under heavy fire. Losing the initiative on a pinned position demands calm discipline, swift action, and enough firepower to keep the pursuers at bay. An Engaged Unit withdraws from melee. • Move it following the standard Move rules (Part 8.5.3). • Any individual model that cannot end its movement strictly outside the Engagement Range of all Enemy Units is immediately removed and considered Destroyed. Other models in the Unit that successfully clear the Engagement Range remain unaffected - the Unit continues with its remaining models. • If the Leading Model itself cannot end its movement outside the Engagement Range of all Enemy Units, the Disengage fails. The Unit does not move, the Leading Model is removed, and the Unit’s activation ends. • A Unit that Disengages cannot perform Ranged Attack or Charge in the following Assault Phase - unless its Current Supply Value is greater than the Combined Supply of all enemies it was Engaged with. DESIGNER’S NOTE: The Tactical Mass exception to the Disengage penalty prevents small screening Units from holding up a much larger and more valuable force indefinitely. It should not be possible for a small group of Zerglings to hold up a Siege Tank locked in melee indefinitely. When the disengaging Unit has significantly more mass than its opponent, it has the mass to Disengage and still operate at full effectiveness. This creates a paradox: Units that slow down the Enemy have limited ability to stop them completely.

8.5.5Deploy

The moment boots hit the ground, there is no going back. Timing a deployment correctly can swing an entire flank. Timing it wrong feeds reinforcements into a meat grinder. A Unit from Reserves enters the battlefield. • Confirm the Unit’s Current Supply Value fits within the Available Supply. • Set the Leading Model in contact with the player's Entry Edge outside of the battlefield, then move it up to the Unit's Speed following standard Move rules (Part 8.5.3). • Treat the Entry Edge as a base of a Leading Model, then move it up to the unit's speed following standard Move rules (Part 8.5.3). • The Leading Model enters first. Set the rest of the Unit In Coherency. • The Unit cannot finish its activation within the enemy’s Zone of Influence. • Unit can never end a Deploy action Out of Coherency. If all models cannot be placed legally while maintaining Coherency, the Unit cannot be deployed in that location. UNITS RETURNED TO RESERVES Some rules will remove the Unit from the battlefield and return it to the Reserves. The Unit is not Destroyed; it has left the battlefield. When the Unit is returned to the Reserves, the Current Supply used by the Unit is released, and the Available Supply is recalculated from that moment onwards. The Unit keeps all the equipment it had when it left the battlefield. The Damage recorded by the Damage Marker that the Unit suffered before it was removed remains with the Unit. When the Unit is redeployed, it will carry the same Damage. Any buffs, debuffs, or mission effects with a set duration "until the End of the Round" and similar effects stay on the Unit. However, the clock does not pause just because the Unit has left. If an effect were to expire during Cleanup & Refresh (Part 8.9.5), it still would, whether the Unit is on the table or not. While in Reserves, the Unit keeps all its Active, Passive, and Reaction Abilities, but none of them function. They cannot be triggered, they produce no effects, and they cannot be used to pay costs or respond to events. They are on the card, not on the battlefield. When the Unit redeploys, all its abilities resume immediately unless an ability explicitly states otherwise. However, the Tokens and Markers that the Unit left behind on the battlefield will be removed, unless they have the STAY IN PLAY keyword. If the Unit was Activated during the current Phase, once it is returned to the Reserves, it will remain Activated and will not be able to take further action within the current Phase. Visual Example - placeholder

8.6.1Activations

On the Active Player’s turn, activate a Unit with an Activation Marker (Movement side) and select one action: Run, Hold, Charge, or Ranged Attack. After completing the action, set an Activation Marker (Assault side) next to it. Units still in Reserves cannot act during this Phase.

8.6.2Passing

The first player to Pass takes the First Player Marker for Phase 3. Set Activation Markers (Assault side) next to any Units that did not activate.

8.7.1Run

Sometimes the best use of a Unit's activation is not to fight at all. A squad repositioning to claim a Marker next Round, a flanking force closing the gap before a decisive Charge, or a screening Unit pulling back from an exposed position are all valid reasons to give up an entire Assault Phase activation without firing a shot. An Unengaged Unit moves across the battlefield following the standard Move rules (Part 8.5.3). The procedure is identical to a Movement Phase Move: Nominate a Leading Model, move it up to the Unit's Speed, and set remaining models In Coherency. All standard restrictions apply, including Gap Clearance (Part 4.6) and the prohibition on ending Within the Engagement Range of Enemy Units. Abathur's TIP: Running in the Assault Phase is one of the most underused tools available to a new player. If your Unit cannot reach a worthwhile target with a Ranged Attack or Charge, do not waste the activation on a Hold. Use the Run to close the distance for the next Round, reposition onto a Mission Marker, or pull back behind Cover before the Enemy can respond. Two Moves across two Phases (a Move in Phase 1 followed by a Run in Phase 2) will cover twice the ground of a single Move, and that extra distance can be the difference between contesting an objective and watching your opponent score it unopposed.

8.7.2Hold

The Unit does not take any action. Set an Activation Marker (Assault side).

8.7.3Ranged Attack

Fire is the language of the Assault Phase. A volley of Gauss Rifle rounds tears through a Unit caught crossing open ground. A Hydralisk spine salvo pins down an advancing squad behind a wall. A single Siege Tank shell lands among a cluster of infantry and scatters them. Every ranged weapon on the battlefield has the potential to reshape the fight before the enemy can close the distance, but only if the shot is aimed at the right target, at the right time, with the right weapon. A Ranged Attack is resolved in two stages. First, the attacking player selects a valid target and assigns weapons to it. Second, the attack is resolved through the three-pool system: dice move from the Attack Pool through the Armour Pool to the Damage Pool, with each stage giving both sides a chance to influence the outcome. Units with multiple weapon profiles may split their fire across different targets, resolving each weapon as a separate Batch. 1. TARGET ELIGIBILITY A valid target must meet all of the following criteria: • At least one Visible models from the target Unit isare Within the weapon’s maximum Range. Measure from the attacking model’s base to the target model’s base. • Only models Within Range to at least one and Visible model from the target Unit contribute dice to the Attack Roll. • The target’s Combat Tag matches the weapon’s target characteristic (Ground, Flying or All). • Engagement Status: An Unengaged attacking Unit cannot select an Engaged Unit as a target (except Spillover from Template Weapons - see Part 8.7.6). An Engaged attacking Unit may only target the Unit(s) it is currently Engaged with. 2. WEAPON SELECTION AND BATCHING Each model fires one of its available Assault Phase weapons. All models using the same Weapon Profile must fire at the same target - the player cannot split a single profile’s fire. A Batch consists of all models firing the same weapon at the same target. This same-profile, same-target rule applies to SIDEARM weapons as well - all models firing the same SIDEARM profile must target the same Unit, although that Unit may differ from the target of the Unit’s other weapons. If a Unit has multiple Weapon Profiles, it may fire at different targets - resolved in separate Batches. REMOVING DICE: When a Special Ability reduces the number of dice within a Batch, the player controlling the Unit resolving that ability chooses which dice are removed. Abathur’s TIP: Batch sequencing provides a slight advantage. By declaring and resolving each Batch individually, you can use the first Batch to weaken or eliminate your target, then modify the second Batch depending on the result. If your Unit has two weapon profiles, use the one more likely to eliminate your Damaged Enemy first. If that works out, your second profile can be used to engage a new enemy. Remember that if your models have the same weapon, they must fire at the same target. When building your army, Units with single powerful weapon profiles are more Damage-focused but less flexible, while Units with multiple profile Damage are more flexible with multiple targets. BATCH SEQUENCE: Declare the target of one Batch, resolve it fully, and then declare the next Batch. The player does not declare all targets simultaneously. DESIGNER’S NOTE: If a Batch Destroys the Enemy Unit your Friendly Unit was Engaged with, that Friendly Unit immediately becomes Unengaged (unless still Engaged with another enemy). Remaining Batches may target freely.

8.7.4Ranged Attack Resolution

Every attack is resolved by moving dice through three pools. Dice begin in the Attack Pool, pass through the Armour Pool, and end in the Damage Pool. Dice that survive the entire sequence inflict casualties. Attack Pool. Generate a number of dice equal to each attacking model’s Rate of Attack (RoA). Roll all dice in this pool against the weapon’s Hit characteristic. Each die that meets or exceeds the Hit value is a success. Move it to the Armour Pool. Discard all failures. Armour Pool. The defender rolls all dice in this pool against the target Unit’s Armour characteristic. Each die that meets or exceeds the Armour value is a success. Discard it. Move all failures to the Damage Pool. Some effects bypass this roll entirely: dice moved out of the Armour Pool by Surge or CRITICAL HIT are set directly into the Damage Pool without an Armour Roll. Damage Pool. Each die remaining in this pool inflicts Damage equal to the weapon’s Damage characteristic. If the target Unit is eligible for an Evade Roll, the defender rolls all dice in this pool against the Unit’s Evade characteristic before Damage is applied. Each die that meets or exceeds the Evade value is a success and is discarded. Remaining dice inflict Damage as normal. Resolve each Batch in sequence: 1. ROLL TO HIT • For each attacking model with an eligible target, add dice equal to the weapon’s RoA to the Attack Pool. • If the weapon has an S Dice characteristic, add one Surge Die (use a different colour). If there is no S Dice, the Surge Result is 0. • Roll all Attack Dice. Results equal to or higher than the weapon’s Hit value are successes. Move successful dice to the Armour Pool. DESIGNER’S NOTE: If dice in the same Batch have different modifiers, roll them separately. It still counts as the same Batch. 2. RESOLVE SURGE • Check if the target Unit’s Combat Tag matches the weapon’s Surge Type. If not, the Surge Die result is ignored entirely - discard it. No dice move from the Armour Pool at this step. • If it matches, move a number of dice equal to the Surge Die result from the Armour Pool directly to the Damage Pool. These bypass Armour entirely. Surge can never move more dice than are currently in the Armour Pool. Abathur’s TIP: Surge stands out as one of the most efficient sources of Damage because Surge Dice bypasses the entire Armour rolling process. Before firing off any Rounds, always check that the Surge Type of your chosen weapon aligns with the target’s Combat Tag. Using Anti-Ground Surge on a Ground target can double or triple your Damage output compared to firing at a Flying target with the same weapon. When building your army, be sure to select weapons with Surge Types that match the Combat Tags you are most likely to encounter. 3. ARMOUR ROLLS • The defender rolls all dice in the Armour Pool. • Results equal to or higher than the Unit’s Armour characteristic: success - discard the die. • Results lower than Armour: failure - move the die to the Damage Pool. 4. EVADE ROLLS Perform this step only if the target Unit qualifies: • A Special Ability or keyword grants an Evade Roll. • The target is Engaged and is suffering Damage from a Ranged Attack. If eligible, the defender rolls all dice in the Damage Pool. Results equal to or higher than the Unit’s Evade characteristic: success - remove those dice. Remaining dice are confirmed Damage. 5. RESOLVE DAMAGE AND CASUALTIES If there are no dice left in the Damage Pool, ignore this phase. • Multiply the remaining dice in the Damage Pool by the weapon’s Damage characteristic. • Add any previously accumulated Damage (from earlier attacks in this or previous Rounds), indicated by a Damage Marker. This total is the Total Damage. • Apply any Special Skills that reduce the Total Damage. • Remove casualties model by model. The defending player removes models from the target Unit, following these rules: • The attack cannot remove more models than the number of Visible models in the target Unit. • While Total Damage equals or exceeds a model’s HP, remove one Visible model and reduce Total Damage by that model’s HP. Repeat. • If all Visible models are Destroyed, discard remaining Total Damage - it does not carry over to non-Visible models. • If Total Damage remains but cannot Destroy the next Visible model, record it with a Damage Marker (e.g. a D6 set next to the Unit).

8.7.5Removing Models from Engaged Units

When the target Unit is Engaged, ignore standard Visibility rules. Whenever an Engaged Unit suffers casualties from any source, ignore standard Visibility rules and apply the following priority order instead. The defending player must remove casualties in this strict priority order: Priority 1: Models not Within the Engagement Range of any Enemy Unit. Priority 2: Models Within the Engagement Range but not in Base-to-Base contact. Priority 3: Models in Base-to-Base contact with an Enemy model. When selecting a model to remove at Priority 2 or 3, the defending player cannot choose a model if removing it would cause the Unit to stop being Engaged with a specific Enemy Unit - provided there is another valid casualty in any priority tier. In this example, Miniature B cannot be removed first (Priority 2) because doing so would break the Zealot Unit’s Engagement with the Hydralisk. Once only one valid casualty remains, the controlling player may choose either the last A or B. DESIGNER’S NOTE: The Engaged casualty priority system prevents the defending player from picking off models to escape Engagements they would rather not be in. Otherwise, an opponent could absorb Damage from shooting by taking the single model that is holding them in a difficult melee combat, effectively giving their Enemy a free Disengage action. The priority makes shooting at a melee force eat away at the outer models first, protecting the core of the melee until the Engaged models are removed.

8.7.6Template Weapons

BLAST TEMPLATE (BT) / FLAMER TEMPLATE (FT) 1. ALIGNMENT • BT: The template must cover as much of the target model’s base as possible. The centre of the target model’s base is the Target Point. • FT: The narrow end must be flush with the attacking model’s base edge and aimed at the target. The centre of the target model’s base is the Target Point. • Templates affect only models at the same elevation level as the Target Point. Flying models are not on any elevation level for template purposes. A template set at GROUND LEVEL does not affect Flying models, and a template cannot be set on a Flying model’s elevation level, unless the template weapon has Target: ALL or Target: Flying. Abathur’s TIP: Template weapons need careful placement. A well-timed Blast Template can hit two or three Units at once, causing spillover Batches in addition to the main Damage. Pay attention to turns when the Enemy has a "bunch" of Units around the same terrain piece or Mission Marker. Flamer Templates have a shorter range but almost always hit everything Within the cone, making them very effective against tightly packed melee Units. When facing armies that heavily rely on Templates, keep your Units at maximum Coherency and avoid having too many Units on a single objective. 2. DECLARING TARGETS Follow standard Target Eligibility (Part 8.7.3) with this exception: select one Enemy Unit as the Primary target - all models in that Unit covered by the template are the Main target. Every other model (Friendly or Enemy) covered by the template is resolved under Spillover, provided they share the same elevation and Combat Tag as the Primary target. 3. DETERMINING HITS A model is affected if all of the following are true: • Its base is partially or fully covered by the template. • It is on the same elevation as the declared Target Point. • A line traced from the target model’s base (BT) or Attacking Model’s base (FT) to the model’s base is not blocked by terrain piece (Size 2+). • It is an eligible target type (e.g., a Ground-only template does not affect Flying models, even if it is covered). 4. ATTACK POOL GENERATION • Main Target: Generate a number of Attack Dice equal to the number of Affected models in the target Unit, plus any weapon Rate of Attack modifiers. • Spillover (separate Batches per Unit): Generate a number of Attack Dice equal to the number of Affected models in that Unit only. Do not apply Rate of Attack modifiers. Do not apply Surge. 5. RESOLUTION • Roll to Hit as normal. Roll the generated Attack Dice for the Batch. Any result equal to or higher than the weapon’s Hit characteristic is a success and is moved to the Armour Pool. • Do not roll a Surge Die. For the Main target, the Surge Result equals the number of Affected models in that Unit. Spillover attacks do not generate Surge. • Apply Surge efficiency normally for the Main target if the Combat Tag matches. Do not apply Surge to Spillover. VISUAL EXAMPLE placeholder

8.7.7Charge

The last few metres are the longest. A charging squad crosses open ground with nothing between them and the Enemy but speed, aggression, and the hope that the dice fall right. An Unengaged Ground Unit moves into the Engagement Range of Enemy Units. 1. DECLARE TARGETS • All targets must possess the Ground Combat Tag. Flying Units cannot Charge or be Charged. • A Charge does not require Line of Sight. • Declare all intended targets before rolling. DESIGNER’S NOTE: Charges do not require a Line of Sight. This is because melee combatants are assumed to be able to detect threats through sound, vibration, and general battlefield awareness. Charges would require a Line of Sight if they didn’t, and attacking an opponent behind a wall or barricade would be impossible. This would make melee Units impossible to play in a map-heavy game. 2. DETERMINE CHARGE DISTANCE • Choose the Leading Model and nominate one model per target Unit as the Charge target. • Roll 1D6 and add it to the Unit’s Speed. This is the Charge Roll Distance. • Measure along the actual path of travel - bypass impassable obstacles. Follow Gap Clearance rules (Part 4.6). 3. SUCCESSFUL AND FAILED CHARGES The Charge succeeds only if the Leading Model can be legally set in a position that is: • Wholly Within the Charge Roll Distance of its starting point. • Within the Engagement Range (1") of every declared Charge target. • Not overlapping other bases or impassable terrain. • Not Within the Engagement Range of any Enemy Unit that was not declared as a target. If the Charge fails, the Unit does not move. Its activation ends immediately. Abathur’s TIP: A failed Charge means you’ve wasted your whole activation, so be sure to measure carefully before committing to a Charge. The Charge Roll is your Speed plus 1D6, so be aware of your minimum, average, and maximum ranges. If the target is right at the edge of your maximum range, you may want to consider whether a Move or Run this Round to close the distance will put you into position for a guaranteed Charge into them next Round. When you declare multiple Charge targets, remember that the Leading Model has to be Within 1" of all the targets you’ve declared to Charge at. Multi-charges are powerful but can be very risky - if the targets don’t line up just right, you’ll have wasted your whole Charge and won’t hit any of the targets. 4. EXECUTE THE MOVE Move the Leading Model into the valid position. Set it in Base-to-Base contact with the Charge target(s) if possible - otherwise as close as possible Within the Engagement Range. Set remaining models In Coherency - Coherency Links may pass through Enemy models the Unit is Engaged with (Part 4.4). None may end Within the Engagement Range of a Unit not declared as a target. Placement priority: • Priority A: Base-to-Base contact with declared target models (whenever physically possible). • Priority B: Within the Engagement Range of targets (if Base-to-Base is impossible). • Priority C: As close as possible to the Leading Model to maintain Coherency. Visual example multi charge-0 placeholder

8.8.1The Close Combat Attack

An Engaged Ground Unit attacks Enemy Units it is Engaged with. 1. CLOSE RANKS (Optional) Before rolling the dice, the Unit may press into the fight: • Choose a Leading Model and move it up to 3" - following standard Move rules (Part 8.5.3) with two restrictions: • The Leading Model must end closer to the Unit(s) it is Engaged with than it started. • This move cannot bring the Unit into Engagement with new Enemy Units not already Engaged at the start of this Phase. • Reposition the rest of the Unit into Coherency - Coherency Links may pass through Enemy models the Unit is Engaged with (Part 4.4). • Set models in Base-to-Base contact with Enemy models wherever possible. • If Base-to-Base contact is not possible, set models in Base-to-Base contact with Friendly models from the same Unit that are Within the Engagement Range. • Models already in Base-to-Base contact at the start of this step are not moved - they are physically pinned. • Models cannot use this move to Disengage from other Enemy Units. Abathur’s TIP: Close Ranks is a useful 3" move that many new players overlook. Use it freely: advance your Leading Model, pulling more of your team into Fighting Rank and Supporting Rank. The more models you have touching the enemy, the more dice you get to roll. Just remember that Close Ranks won’t get you into Engagement range from Unengaged Enemy Units, so plan ahead when beginning your Charges. And if you’re the target of a Charge, don’t forget that your Close Ranks turn can reposition your models to get as many as possible into the fight. 2. DECLARE ATTACKERS Determine which models may strike: • Fighting Rank: Within the Engagement Range (1") of an Enemy model. • Supporting Rank: In Base-to-Base contact with a Friendly model from the same Unit that is in the Fighting Rank. Line of Sight is not required. Eligible models strike the Enemy Unit as a whole. VISUAL EXAMPLE: PLACEHOLDER: 3. ROLL ATTACKS Resolve attacks using the same sequence as Ranged Attacks (Part 8.7.4) with this restriction: • Use only Combat Phase weapons listed on the Unit Card. • If a model has more than one eligible Combat Phase weapon, the controlling player chooses one. Note: Evade Rolls are only available in the Combat Phase if the Unit has a Special Ability or keyword that explicitly grants an Evade Roll against Close Combat attacks. FIGHTING MULTIPLE UNITS If Engaged with more than one Enemy Unit simultaneously: • Declare how Attack Dice are split between eligible targets before rolling. This declaration is binding - dice cannot be redistributed after the Hit roll. • Declare which target receives the Surge Die before rolling. The Surge Die cannot be split. 4. CASUALTY REMOVAL Follow the Engaged Unit rules (Part 8.7.5). 5. POST-COMBAT STATUS After casualties are removed: • If none of the Unit’s remaining models is Within 1" of an enemy, the Unit is immediately Unengaged. • A Unit freed from combat that has not yet Activated this Phase is no longer bound by mandatory Combat activation. It effectively Passes, but acts normally from the next Round. • In rare cases, a Reaction Ability or specific trigger may allow a freed Unit to act in the current Phase.

8.9.1Determine Mission Marker Control

IDENTIFY CONTESTING UNITS A Unit may Contest a Mission Marker only if all three conditions are met: • It is on the battlefield (not in Reserves). • At least one model is Within 3", has LoS to the Marker, and is on the same elevation as the marker. For the purpose of tracing LoS, assume that the Marker has Size 0. • The Unit is In Coherency. A Flying Unit cannot Contest or Control Mission Markers, regardless of its position or Coherency state. Abathur’s TIP: Mission Marker is controlled by the total Supply, not by the number of models vying for the Marker. A lone Elite Unit with high Supply will outvote an entire horde of cheap infantry. Hence, placing a high-Supply Unit on the objective can sometimes be a better strategy than scattering weakened Units across it. On the other hand, if your foe is holding a Marker with a single strong Unit, you must have the combined Supply to win the battle, not simply the numbers. It is also worth noting that a Unit at Supply 0 will still hold the Marker if no one contests it, so a weakened Unit is not necessarily useless. CALCULATE CONTROL For each Marker: • Each player sums the Current Supply Value of all their contesting Units. • The player with the higher total Controls the Marker. • A tie means the Marker is Contested - control does not change. • A Unit at Supply 0 may still Control a Marker if no Enemy Units contest it. STICKY CONTROL Set a Faction Indicator on each controlled Marker. Once a Marker is controlled, it remains under that player’s control - even if they move Units away - until the opponent actively reclaims it by ending a Scoring Phase with a higher contesting Supply total. A Contested result (tied Supply) never transfers control: the Marker stays with whoever currently holds it, or remains neutral if it has never been controlled. A Marker cannot become neutral again once a player has taken control of it. DESIGNER’S NOTE: Sticky Control means that a location becomes yours until the opponent re-takes it from you. This prevents the irritating problem in some wargames where you grab a location, push forward to grab another, and the first location reverts to no one in particular. It encourages bold play, taking what you want and holding it, and moving forward to take more. It creates a real strategic challenge, too, because taking a Marker forces the opponent to use real resources to take the objective rather than just waiting for you to leave.

MISSION MARKER - CALCULATING CONTROL

KEY RULE: Control is determined by Current Supply Value, not the number of models. A single high-Supply Elite Unit outvotes many low-Supply models on the same Marker.

MISSION MARKER - CONTESTING ELIGIBILITY

8.9.2Score Victory Points

Both players simultaneously tally VPs based on the Mission Card’s scoring conditions.

8.9.3End of Game Check

The game ends immediately if: • A Special Winning Condition is fulfilled. The player who meets it wins outright. • A player has no models on the battlefield and no Units in Reserves. The surviving player gains +10 VP. • The final Phase of the final Round (usually Round 5) is complete - proceed to Part 8.10.

8.9.4Resolve End of the Round Effects

Resolve all "End of the Round" abilities. The holder of the First Player Marker resolves their first. If a player has multiple "End of the Round" effects to resolve, that player chooses the order in which their effects resolve. Each effect is fully resolved before the next begins.

8.9.5Cleanup & Refresh

• Remove all Tokens and Markers except: • Tokens and Markers with STAY IN PLAY. • Damage Markers. • Mission Markers. • Faction Indicators that represent Control over Mission Markers. • Flip all Exhausted Tactical and Faction Cards back to their active (face-up) side.

8.9.6Determine Initiative

• Award the First Player Marker to the player with fewer Victory Points. • If tied, conduct a Roll-Off. The winner takes the First Player Marker. • Begin Phase 1 of the next Round. DESIGNER’S NOTE: The choice of initiative going to the player with fewer Victory Points is a "catch-up" mechanic. The player behind goes first in the next Round, giving them a chance to reposition and compete for objectives before the leading player can secure their position. This prevents a runaway lead where the player who starts ahead always remains ahead by an ever-widening gap. When the Passing mechanic is included (where the first player to Pass gets the First Player Marker for the next Phase), initiative is no longer a static advantage but a fluid resource.

9.1.1Engagement Scale

To ensure that forces are equal, players agree on the Engagement Scale before building an army:

9.1.2Selecting Race and Faction

The player chooses one of the three races - Terran, Zerg, or Protoss, and then selects a single Faction Card. This card forms the basis of the army, providing the initial organisation slots (e.g., Kerrigan’s Swarm 3× Core, 1× Hero, 2× Support) and determining which Units and Tactical Cards may be included. Faction Tag Eligibility Every card in the game features Faction Tags, which indicate the faction it belongs to. A Faction Card always displays a Race Tag (e.g., Zerg) and usually includes a Sub-Faction Tag as well (e.g., KERRIGAN’S BROOD). Unit Cards and Tactical Cards also carry their own Faction Tags in the same manner. When building an army, the player checks whether a Unit or Tactical Card is allowed by comparing its tags to the Faction Card. The rule is simple: every tag on the Unit or Tactical Card must also appear on the Faction Card. If even one tag does not match, that card cannot be included in the army. It does not matter how many other tags match; a single incorrect tag is enough to disqualify it. Cards with fewer tags than the Faction Card are perfectly fine. A Unit only requires its own tags to be present; it does not need to match every tag the Faction Card has. EXAMPLE: A player selects the Zerg Swarm Faction Card, which has one Faction Tag: Zerg. Zerglings (Faction Tags: Zerg) - Eligible. The only tag on the card is Zerg, and Zerg appears on the Faction Card. Kerrigan Swarm Raptor (Faction Tags: Zerg, Kerrigan’s Swarm) - Not eligible. Kerrigan’s Swarm does not appear on the Faction Card. Even in Zerg matches, a single missing or incorrect tag disqualifies the card.

9.1.3Minerals

Spend Minerals to recruit Units and purchase Upgrades. The total Mineral cost must not exceed the Engagement Scale limit. Unspent Minerals are lost.

9.1.4Vespene Gas

Spend Vespene Gas exclusively on Tactical Cards. It cannot be converted into Minerals. Unspent Vespene Gas is lost. EXAMPLE: At Standard scale (2,000 Minerals), players have 200 Vespene Gas (10%) to spend on Tactical Cards.

9.1.5Tactical Cards and Army Slots

Tactical Cards unlock additional Army Slots (Core, Elite, Support, Air, Hero) beyond those provided by the Faction Card. Tactical Cards may be purchased with Vespene Gas to increase the number of available slots. All Tactical Cards and the Faction Card are set face-up on the table before the game begins. Consult the Army Reference section (Part 12.11) for each Tactical Card’s Vespene Gas Costs. If a Tactical Card is marked as Unique, only one copy may be included in the army. EXAMPLE: A Barracks card opens additional Core slots for Marine Units. An Academy card opens Support slots for Medics.

9.1.6Mustering Units

Fill available Army Slots with eligible Units. Consult the Army Reference section (Part 12.12) for each Unit’s available Composition Options. Each Composition Option lists a model count and its corresponding Mineral Cost. The player must select one Composition Option per Unit, which determines the number of models in the Unit and its starting Supply Value, as shown on the Unit Card’s Supply Profile. A player cannot field a Unit at a model count that does not appear as a Composition Option. Each Unit occupies a number of Army Slots equal to its starting Supply Value. Pay the Mineral Cost for every Unit recruited. Unused Army Slots are lost. Consult the Army Reference section (Part 12.10) for each Unit's available Composition Options and Mineral Costs. EXAMPLE: A Zerg player chooses Kerrigan’s Swarm as their Faction Card, which provides them with 2 Elite Army Slots. The player can recruit one small Hydralisk Unit, as its Supply Value indicates that it occupies exactly 2 Elite Army Slots. If the player wishes to include a full-strength Hydralisk Unit instead, it will occupy 3 Elite Army Slots. Therefore, the player must add any Tactical Card to their army that provides an additional Elite Army Slot as needed.

9.1.7Purchasing Upgrades

Each Unit Card displays available upgrades on its reverse side. During Army Building, a player may purchase any number of upgrades listed for that Unit, paying the listed cost for each. There is no limit to how many upgrades a Unit may have, provided each is a different entry on the card. A purchased upgrade applies to every model in the Unit unless it has the SPECIALIST keyword. If the upgrade adds a new weapon or ability, all models gain it. If the entry shows ↑ FOR [Weapon Name], it is a replacement; every model carrying the named weapon loses it entirely and gains the upgrade weapon instead. SPECIALIST upgrades work differently. Only one model in the Unit may carry each SPECIALIST upgrade. The player nominates which model receives it during Army Building; all other models keep their original equipment. A Unit may not purchase the same SPECIALIST upgrade more than once, but it can buy two or more different SPECIALIST upgrades, each assigned to a different nominated model. Since a nominated model now carries a different weapon from the rest of the Unit, it resolves its attacks as a separate Batch during the Attack Sequence (Part 8.7.3). EXAMPLE: A player purchases a Rocket Launcher (SPECIALIST) and an AGG-12 (SPECIALIST, ↑ FOR C-14 Rifle) for a Unit of 6 Marines. One Marine is nominated to carry the Rocket Launcher alongside the C-14 Rifle. A second Marine is nominated to carry the AGG-12, losing their C-14 Rifle. The remaining 4 Marines keep their C-14 Rifles.

9.1.8Team Games

In multiplayer games (2v2, 3v3, Free-For-All), agree on a Total Mineral Value per team. Teams divide the budget among players as they wish, provided the team's total remains within the allowed limits. Each player builds their own army independently, selecting their own Faction Card and Tactical Cards. Teammates may choose the same or different Races.

9.1.9Summoned Units

Some Units, such as the Roachling, Point Defence Drone, and Pylon, have no Mineral Cost. These are Summoned Units: • They are not included in the Army List during army building and do not occupy any Army Slots. • They are not in Reserves at the start of the game. • Summoned Units cannot be deployed using the regular deployment rules. They are deployed only when a Special Ability, such as SUMMON, specifically puts them on the battlefield. • Once on the battlefield, treat them as Friendly Units for all rule purposes unless stated otherwise. • Summoned Units are not used for The Final Score. • Once on the battlefield, a Summoned Unit's Current Supply Value counts towards the player's Total Current Supply on the battlefield.

9.1.10Army Roster Visibility

Tournament Override: Organised tournaments may use their own roster visibility rules, which override the default rules below. Always check the Tournament Organiser’s rules pack before attending. Default: Open Lists By default, both players share their entire army rosters - including all Unit selections, upgrades, and weapon swaps with each other before the game starts. Since Tactical Cards and the Faction Card are already set face-up on the table, Open Lists go one step further by revealing exactly which Units and upgrades the opponent has selected. This enables both players to plan their strategy with full information and is the recommended way to play. Optional: Closed Lists Before the game begins, both players may agree to play with Closed Lists instead. If either player does not agree, default to Open Lists. Under Closed Lists, army rosters are hidden. Neither player is required to reveal their Army List or Unit upgrades before the game starts. The specific Units in a player’s roster are discovered during play as they are deployed. However, all Tactical Cards and the Faction Card must still be set face-up on the table before the game begins. Both players may inspect each other’s Tactical Cards and Faction Cards at any time. Once a Unit is set on the battlefield, the controlling player must immediately inform the opponent of any upgrades or weapon swaps that the Unit carries. This includes replacement weapons purchased through the Upgrade system (Part 9.1.7) or any other modifications that affect how the Unit behaves. The opponent is entitled to inspect the Unit Card and any associated Tactical Cards at any time while that Unit is on the table. Abathur’s TIP: While Open Lists are the default, we strongly recommend trying Closed Lists for the best StarCraft experience. The way Units are introduced to the battlefield one at a time mirrors the fog of war that defines StarCraft: you scout, you react, you adapt. Not knowing exactly what your opponent is fielding until it hits the table creates genuine tension and rewards sharp play. Before the first Unit ever hits the table, take a look at your opponent’s Tactical Cards and Faction Card. Each Tactical Card has its own set of Army Slots: Core, Elite, Support, Air, and Hero. These slots determine which Units can occupy them. By studying what’s on the table, an experienced player can make an educated guess about which Units are still viable in their opponent’s roster. The Barracks Tactical Card suggests Marines and Marauders. The Spawning Pool Tactical Card suggests Zerglings. The Robotics Facility Tactical Card suggests Colossi and Immortals. Reading your opponent’s Tactical Cards is your first act of scouting - just like in the video game.

9.1.11Representation and Disclosure

All models should, where possible, accurately depict the weapons and equipment listed on their Unit Card. A Marine equipped with an AGG-12 should carry that weapon on the model, not a standard C-14 Rifle. Accurate modelling allows both players to identify each model’s loadout at a glance. Where a model does not accurately represent its equipment - such as a model awaiting conversion, or a Unit carrying weapon swaps that are not visually distinct - the controlling player is obliged to declare all non-represented upgrades and equipment the moment that Unit is deployed to the battlefield. Furthermore, the controlling player must remind their opponent of any such differences before any action where this information could be relevant - including, but not limited to, declaring Charge targets, selecting Shooting targets, or committing to a critical activation. Both players have the right to full and accurate knowledge of all equipment on the battlefield at all times. Failing to disclose non-represented upgrades or equipment is considered unsportsmanlike conduct.

9.2.1Mission and Deployment Card Details

Mission Cards define the game’s victory conditions and pacing. Each Mission Card details Timing Windows for triggered rules, the Starting Supply and Escalation values that control the rate at which armies grow, the Game Length (usually 5 rounds), and any Additional Conditions such as instant win scenarios. Deployment Cards define the battlefield’s physical layout. Each Deployment Card details the battlefield dimensions, the coordinates for Mission Markers 1 through 5, the Entry Edge definitions for each player, and the Zone of Influence, which extends 6" inward from each player’s Entry Edge.

Summary Table

10.5.1Resources and Costs

Each faction has a separate resource type to spend on the faction’s abilities: Terran uses CP, Zerg uses BM, and Protoss uses PE. These resources are provided by Exhausting cards. Exhausting a Card: To pay for an ability’s cost, such as "Cost: 1 CP," the player must Exhaust a Ready card that matches the resource type of the cost, such as a CP card. Exhausting a card means flipping it face down, after which it is regarded as Exhausted. If the player cannot Exhaust enough cards to pay the entire cost, they cannot activate the ability. If a card generates more resources than are needed to pay for a cost, any excess resources are lost. Resources generated to activate one ability can not be saved or spent on another ability.

10.5.2Managing Card States

Every Tactical Card and Faction Card is in one of two states: Ready (face-up) or Exhausted (face-down). A Ready card may be Exhausted in two ways: the player Exhausts it to use a Active or Reaction Special Ability printed directly on the card, or the player Exhausts it to generate its Resource in order to pay for an ability located elsewhere (for example, on a Unit Card). Once a card is Exhausted, it provides no resources for the rest of the round, and its abilities cannot be used until it is Refreshed (flipped face-up) during Phase 4 Cleanup.

ACCESS POINT

Part of a Terrain that connects different elevation levels. Models moving through an ACCESS POINT can change their elevation.

ACTIVE PLAYER

The player whose turn it is to act.

ANTI-EVADE (X)

When resolving an attack with this weapon against Enemy Units, the target Unit suffers a -X Modifier to its Evade Roll for this attack (Part 8.7.4, Step 4).

ARMY SLOT

Army Slots determine how many and what types of Units may be included in an army. Each Army Slot has a specific type: Core, Elite, Support, Air, or Hero. Every Unit occupies a number of Army Slots of its designated type equal to its starting Supply Value. The Faction Card provides the initial pool of Army Slots. Additional Army Slots are unlocked by purchasing Tactical Cards with Vespene Gas during Army Building (Part 9.1.5). Unused Army Slots are lost - they cannot be converted, exchanged, or carried forward.

AVAILABLE SUPPLY

Available Supply is the remaining Supply capacity available for new deployments. It equals the current Supply Pool minus the Total Current Supply Value of all Friendly Units on the battlefield (Part 8.3.2). A Unit may only be deployed from Reserves if its Current Supply Value is less than or equal to the Available Supply. At no point may the Total Current Supply of a player's on-table Units exceed the Supply Pool. Units Destroyed or reduced by casualties free up Available Supply for new arrivals. In the final Round of the game, the Supply Pool becomes unlimited, and the Available Supply restrictions are lifted.

BLOCKING TERRAIN

Any terrain piece with an Effective Size of 1 or greater. Blocking Terrain obstructs Line of Sight according to the Cover rules (Part 7.1.1). Whether a model may move through that terrain is determined separately by the movement rules, terrain Size, ACCESS POINTS, Gap Clearance, and any relevant terrain keywords.

BUFF [Characteristic] (X)

The Unit gains a bonus of X to the specified characteristic until the End of the Round. • Target Number characteristic (e.g. Armour, Hit): reduce the value by X (easier to roll). • Value characteristic (e.g. Speed, RoA): increase the value by X.

BULKY

This weapon cannot be used to make a Ranged Attack while the Unit is currently Engaged (Part 8.7.3).

BURROWED

• BURROWED is classified as a Status. • A BURROWED Unit has the HIDDEN Status. • Its Size is treated as 0 for all purposes • Its Current Supply Value is treated as 0 for Disengage checks. • A BURROWED Unit cannot Control or Contest Mission Markers (overrides Parts 6.2 and 8.9.1). • While BURROWED, the Unit may only perform Deploy, Move, Disengage, Run, Hold and Close Ranks actions. Performing any of these (except Hold) immediately removes the BURROWED status. • BURROWED Units may use Special Abilities unless stated otherwise. • BURROWED Units may make an Evade Roll against every attack targeting them. • Other models may move through a BURROWED Unit’s models, provided they do not end Within the Engagement Range of the BURROWED Unit (overrides Part 8.5.3). • If a BURROWED Unit is Engaged at the start of the Combat Phase, it must be Activated but cannot perform a Close Combat Attack in its BURROWED state. The Unit may perform Close Ranks as its first step, which immediately removes the BURROWED status. Once the status is removed, the Unit completes the remaining steps of the Close Combat Attack normally. If the Unit does not or cannot perform Close Ranks, it does not attack. Enemy Units Engaged with a BURROWED Unit may attack it as normal regardless of its status.

BURST FIRE Y" (X)

When making a Ranged Attack against a target Within Y" of the attacking model, increase this weapon’s RoA by X for that attack.

COMBAT TAGS

Combat Tags are keywords printed on a Unit Card that identify a Unit's physical nature and tactical class. Type Tags: Armoured, Biological, Light, Mechanical, Psionic, Flying, and Ground. • Targeting: Some weapons can fire only at specific Combat Tags (e.g., "Target: Flying"). • Surge: A weapon's Surge efficiency triggers only when the target has the Combat Tag listed in the weapon's Surge Type (Part 8.7.4). • Bonuses: Abilities such as ANTI-EVADE (X) or PIERCE (X) often apply only against specific Combat Tags. Note: The Ground Combat Tag and the GROUND LEVEL elevation (Part 8.5.3) are distinct concepts. A Flying Unit standing on the playmat is at GROUND LEVEL but does not have the Ground Combat Tag. Throughout these rules, Ground in bold always refers to the Combat Tag. GROUND LEVEL always refers to elevation.

CONCENTRATED FIRE (X)

Attacks with this weapon may remove no more than X models as casualties. Once X models have been removed, discard any remaining Total Damage. It is not recorded as a Damage Marker and does not carry over.

CONTROLLING PLAYER

The player who commands a specific Unit, model, or Token. They make all decisions and roll all dice. Certain abilities (e.g., Neural Parasite) can transfer control; the new controller then acts in every respect as though the Unit were their own.

CRITICAL HIT (X)

Move X dice from the Armour Pool directly to the Damage Pool, bypassing Armour. CRITICAL HIT can never move more dice than are in the Armour Pool.

CURRENT SUPPLY VALUE

The Current Supply Value of a Unit is its Supply Value at this moment, based on the number of models remaining in the Unit as shown on the Supply Profile (Part 6.1). Update the Current Supply Value immediately whenever a casualty reduces the model count into a lower bracket. The Current Supply Value is referenced when checking whether a Unit may be deployed from Reserves (Part 8.3.2), when determining Mission Marker Control (Part 8.9.1), when evaluating Tactical Mass for Disengage (Part 8.5.4), and when calculating Victory Points for Supply-based scoring conditions.

DEBUFF [Characteristic] (X)

The Unit suffers a penalty of X to the specified characteristic until the End of the Round. • Target Number characteristic: increase the value by X (harder to roll). • Value characteristic: decrease the value by X (minimum 0).

DISPLACEMENT

The Leading Model may end a move overlapping this Token or Unit (overrides Part 7.3.1). If the Leading Model ends any Move, Deploy, Run, Charge, Disengage, Close Ranks or Special Ability move overlapping this Token or model, the controlling player of the Leading Model immediately sets it in Base-to-Base contact with the Leading Model. If Base-to-Base is not possible, set it as close as possible.

DODGE (X)

When this Unit is targeted by an attack, reduce the number of dice moved from the Armour Pool to the Damage Pool by Surge or CRITICAL HIT by X (minimum 0). Apply during the Resolve Surge step.

EFFECTIVE SIZE

A model's Effective Size is equal to its Size characteristic plus the Size of any terrain it is standing on (Part 7.1.2). A model at GROUND LEVEL has an Effective Size equal to its own Size characteristic only. A model on HIGH GROUND (Size 3+) or MID GROUND (Size 1–2) adds the terrain's Size to its own. Terrain pieces set on elevated surfaces stack in the same way- a terrain piece's Effective Size equals its own Size plus the Size of the terrain it stands on. Effective Size determines which terrain blocks Line of Sight through Full Cover and Direct Cover (Part 7.1.1). Flying models are treated as having an Effective Size higher than any terrain piece on the table for Cover purposes (Part 7.1.4).

ELEVATION LEVEL

Models can stand one of three elevations: • GROUND LEVEL: Standing directly on the playmat. • MID GROUND: Standing on horizontal terrain of Size 1 or 2. • HIGH GROUND: Standing on horizontal terrain of Size 3 or larger. The model stands on Elevation if its base is at that elevation. If the model’s base is on multiple elevation levels, assume it is standing on the highest of those elevations.

ENEMY

All Units, Tokens, and cards belonging to the opponent are Enemies. In team games, all opposing players' Units, Tokens, and cards are Enemies. A Unit may never target a Friendly Unit with an attack unless a rule explicitly states otherwise. Enemy is the opposite of Friendly and is referenced throughout the rules to determine valid targets, Engagement, and Mission Marker contests.

ENGAGED

A Ground Unit is Engaged when any of its models is Within 1" (Engagement Range) of any model in an Enemy Ground Unit, provided the following conditions are met (Part 7.2.1): • Combat Tags match: Ground models Engage only Ground models. Flying models cannot be Engaged by any model. • Terrain does not block: Size 2+ terrain between the models prevents Engagement, even if they are Within 1". Models on HIGH GROUND cannot Engage models at GROUND LEVEL, and vice versa. When any model in a Unit is Engaged, the entire Unit is considered Engaged. An Engaged Unit cannot perform a standard Move - it must Disengage (Part 8.5.4) or Hold. Engaged Units are also subject to restrictions on Ranged Attacks (Part 8.7.3).

ENGAGEMENT RANGE

The Engagement Range extends 1" horizontally from any model's base. When two Enemy Ground models are Within each other's Engagement Range, they are Engaged (Part 7.2). Engagement Range is measured horizontally from a top-down perspective, ignoring vertical height (Part 4.1). It is referenced when resolving Move restrictions (Part 8.5.3), Disengage (Part 8.5.4), Charge (Part 8.6.2), the Fighting Rank (Part 8.8.1), and PLACE effects. Melee weapons list E as their Range, indicating they may only strike targets Within the Engagement Range.

ENTRY EDGE

The table edge assigned to a player by the Deployment Card. Units enter the battlefield from this edge when deploying from Reserves.

FACTION TAGS

Faction Tags are keywords printed on Unit Cards, Tactical Cards, and Faction Cards that identify allegiance. • Race Tags: Terran, Zerg, Protoss. • Sub-Faction Tags: Specific broods or organisations, e.g., Kerrigan's Swarm, Raynor's Raiders. • Function: During Army Building, a player may include only Units and Tactical Cards whose Faction Tags all appear on the chosen Faction Card. If even one tag on the Unit or Tactical Card does not appear on the Faction Card, that card cannot be included. A Unit with fewer tags than the Faction Card is permitted- it only requires its own tags to be present (Part 9.1.2).

FIGHTING RANK

A model is in the Fighting Rank if it is Within the Engagement Range (1") of an Enemy model. Models in the Fighting Rank may strike with their Combat Phase weapons. See Part 8.8.1, Step 2.

FIRST PLAYER MARKER

A physical Token used to track which player has initiative. At the start of the game, the winner of the Roll-Off (Part 3.2) assigns the First Player Marker to either player for Round 1. The holder of the First Player Marker chooses which player activates first at the start of each Phase. The Marker changes hands in two ways: the first player to Pass during Phase 1 or Phase 2 takes the First Player Marker for the following Phase, and at the end of Phase 4 the Marker is awarded to the player with fewer Victory Points (Part 8.9.6). If Victory Points are tied, both players Roll-Off and the winner takes the Marker.

FLYING

Flying Units trade board control (no Mission Markers, no melee) for mobility and immunity to terrain. • A Flying Unit ignores all terrain for movement purposes. The Leading Model moves point-to-point, measuring horizontally. Other models may pass through a Flying model’s base as if it were not there, and vice versa. • A Flying Unit is never Engaged. Ground models cannot Engage Flying models, and Flying models cannot Engage other Flying models. A Flying Unit must end its movement at least 1" away from all Enemy Flying Units. • Flying model, ignore the Full Cover rule. Direct Cover and the Elevation Dead Zone rules still apply. Assume that Flying Units’ Effective Size is higher than the Effective Size of any terrain piece on the table. • A Flying Unit does not benefit from HIGH GROUND Cover (Part 7.1.3). • A Flying Unit cannot Control or Contest Mission Markers (overrides Parts 6.2 and 8.9.1). • A Flying Unit cannot Charge or be Charged. • A Flying Unit cannot participate in the Combat Phase (Part 8.8). • A Flying Unit ignores elevation. It does not use Access Points. For Cover and Line of Sight purposes, treat a Flying unit's Effective Size as higher than the Effective Size of any terrain piece on the table (Part 7.1.4). Terrain does not contribute to a Flying model's Effective Size. • A Flying Unit moving over Grass does not destroy the Grass terrain piece. If a Flying Unit ends on a Grass terrain piece, it is removed as normal.

FRIENDLY

All Units, Tokens, and cards belonging to the Controlling Player are Friendly to one another. In team games, all teammates' Units, Tokens, and cards are also Friendly. A Unit's own models are always Friendly to it. Friendly is the opposite of Enemy and is used throughout the rules to determine targeting restrictions, movement interactions, and ability eligibility.

GRASS

A terrain piece with a Size of 2 that follows special rules. Unlike other Size 2 terrain, Grass does not block movement but does block Line of Sight, following the standard Cover rules (Part 7.1.1). Grass is destroyed by the passage of war. If a Leading Model’s path of travel passes through or any model of a Unit ends on a Grass terrain piece during any movement action (Move, Deploy, Run, Charge, Disengage or Close Ranks), that Grass terrain piece is immediately removed from the game. It does not return during Cleanup & Refresh and cannot be replaced by any means. A Flying Unit moving over Grass does not destroy the Grass terrain piece. Flying models pass above the terrain, not through it. If any model of a Flying Unit ends on a Grass terrain piece, it is removed as normal.

GROUND LEVEL

One of the elevation levels. Model is on the GROUND LEVEL when it is standing directly on the playmat. Models on GROUND LEVEL cannot Engage models on HIGH LEVEL, and vice versa. Models on GROUND LEVEL can Engage models on MID GROUND only if both models are adjacent to the same ACCESS POINT connecting their respective elevations. A model at GROUND LEVEL has an Effective Size equal to its own Size characteristic only.

HEAL (X)

Remove X points of accumulated Damage from the Unit (reduce its Damage Marker accordingly). HEAL cannot return Destroyed models - it only reduces existing Damage. See also: RESPAWN.

HIDDEN

This Unit cannot be selected as the target of a Ranged Attack or any LoS-requiring Special Ability unless the acting model is Within 4" of it. A HIDDEN Unit is immune to the IMPACT keyword. A HIDDEN Unit may make an Evade Roll against every attack targeting it. • HIDDEN is classified as a Status.

HIGH GROUND

One of the elevation levels. Model is on the HIGH GROUND when standing on horizontal terrain of Size 3 or larger. Models on HIGH GROUND cannot Engage models on GROUND LEVEL, and vice versa. Models on HIGH GROUND can Engage models on MID GROUND only if both models are adjacent to the same ACCESS POINT connecting their respective elevations. A model on HIGH GROUND has an Effective Size equal to its own Size plus the terrain's Size.

HITS X (Y)

The affected Unit suffers X automatic hits. Set X dice directly into the Armour Pool and proceed immediately to Armour Rolls (Part 8.7.4, Steps 3–4). Treat the Damage characteristic as Y. These hits do not generate Surge.

IMPACT (X) Y

Immediately after this Unit completes a successful Charge, check every model in the Fighting Rank or Supporting Rank. For each eligible model, generate X Impact Dice: • If the model is in the Fighting Rank or Supporting Rank against only one Enemy Unit, all X dice go to that Unit. • If the model is in the Fighting Rank or Supporting Rank against multiple Enemy Units, the controlling player may split the dice between those Units. Roll the allocated dice for each target Unit separately (this is the Impact Hit Roll). For each result of Y or higher, set 1 die into the target’s Armour Pool. Proceed immediately to Armour Rolls. These hits do not generate Surge and treat Damage as 1.

IMPASSABLE TERRAIN

A terrain piece is Impassable if it has no Access Point connecting it to an adjacent elevation level. Models cannot move through, onto, or across IMPASSABLE TERRAIN, and no model may end its movement overlapping it. Models can move through Terrain of Sizes 0 and 1.

INDIRECT FIRE

Ranged Attacks with this weapon may ignore Line of Sight when selecting a target and resolving Damage. The target must still be Within Range. If the target is not within Line of Sight, it may make an Evade Roll against this attack.

INSTANT

Enemy Units cannot declare or resolve Reaction abilities in response to attacks made with this weapon.

LEADING MODEL

The Leading Model is a temporary reference point used to execute a Unit's movement. Whenever a Unit performs a Move, Deploy, Run, Charge, Disengage, Close Ranks, or any action that instructs the Unit to nominate a Leading Model, the Controlling Player selects one model in the Unit. Move the Leading Model first, measuring its exact path. Then set the remaining models in valid Coherency around the Leading Model's new position (Part 4.4). The Leading Model nomination ends once the action resolves. The Leading Model determines the Unit's Gap Clearance category and interacts with terrain restrictions (Part 4.6).

LINE OF SIGHT (LoS)

Line of Sight determines what a model can see and, by extension, what it can target with attacks and abilities. All Line of Sight checks are resolved from a 2D top-down perspective, looking directly down at the battlefield from above. To determine if a model can see a target, trace an imaginary straight line from any part of the acting model's base to any part of the target model's base. Vertical height is never factored into the trace. If the trace does not pass through any Blocking Terrain (any terrain piece with an Effective Size of 1 or greater), the target is Visible. No further checks are required. If the trace passes through Blocking Terrain, the target is not automatically hidden. Apply the Cover rules (Part 7.1.1) to determine whether that terrain actually blocks the Line of Sight: • Full Cover: The terrain's Effective Size is equal to or greater than the Effective Size of both the attacker and the target. Line of Sight is blocked. • Direct Cover: The trace passes through a terrain piece, and either the attacker or the target is Within 1" of that terrain, provided the terrain's Effective Size is equal to or greater than the Effective Size of the model that is Within 1". Line of Sight is blocked. Exception: If both the attacker and the target are Within 1" of the same terrain piece and Within 3" of each other, resolve Line of Sight normally. • Elevation Dead Zone: A model on HIGH GROUND (Size 3+) cannot see a model at GROUND LEVEL that is Within 1" of the base of the same terrain piece, and vice versa. The same Close Quarters exception applies. Each terrain piece is assessed independently. Terrain pieces do not combine their Effective Size or proximity. If no single terrain piece meets the requirements for Full Cover or Direct Cover, Line of Sight is not blocked, regardless of how many terrain pieces the trace passes through. A terrain piece's footprint is defined by its physical base or outermost edges viewed from above. Gaps, windows, doorways, and open interiors within the footprint do block the Line of Sight unless players agree otherwise during Battlefield Setup (Part 7.1). Flying models ignore the Full Cover rule. Direct Cover and the Elevation Dead Zone still apply. Treat a Flying model's Effective Size as higher than the Effective Size of any terrain piece on the table (Part 7.1.4). Line of Sight is mutual: if Model A can see Model B, Model B can see Model A through the same trace.

LOCKED IN (X)

When making a Ranged Attack with this weapon, add X to its RoA if the target Unit has Stationary Status.

LONG RANGE (X)

The maximum Range of this weapon increases to X". Measure each attacking model’s distance to the target individually: • Within normal profile Range: attack resolves normally. • Beyond profile Range but Within X": the model suffers a -1 Modifier to its Hit roll. If a Batch contains models at both Standard and Long Range, generate the total dice but roll the two groups separately to account for different Hit Target Numbers.

MID GROUND

One of the elevation levels. Model is on the MID GROUND when standing on horizontal terrain of Size 1 or 2. Models on MID GROUND can Engage models on HIGH GROUND or GROUND LEVEL only if both models are adjacent to the same ACCESS POINT connecting their respective elevations. A model on MID GROUND has an Effective Size equal to its own Size plus the terrain's Size.

MISSION MARKERS

Numbered Markers are set on the battlefield during Setup at the coordinates shown on the Deployment Card. Each Marker is 32mm in diameter and has two sides: Activated or Deactivated. Markers 1 & 3 are Red, Markers 2 & 4 are Blue, and Marker 5 is Neutral. Mission Markers are the primary scoring mechanism. At the end of each Round, players determine Control of each Marker by comparing the Total Current Supply Value of their eligible contesting Units (Part 8.9.1). A Unit may Contest a Mission Marker only if it is on the battlefield, In Coherency, and has at least one model Within 3" with Line of Sight to the Marker on the same elevation. Flying Units and BURROWED Units cannot Contest or Control Mission Markers. Control is Sticky- once a player Controls a Marker, it remains under their control until the opponent reclaims it with a higher contesting Supply total. A tied result never transfers control.

MODIFIER

A Modifier adjusts the Target Number of a roll. Apply all Modifiers before rolling (Part 3.4). • +X Modifier: Makes the roll easier by reducing the Target Number by X. • -X Modifier: Makes the roll harder by increasing the Target Number by X. Modifiers from different named sources are cumulative unless otherwise stated. A Target Number can never be modified below 2+ or above 6+. Modifiers adjust the Target Number, not the dice result. A natural roll of 6 always succeeds, and a natural roll of 1 always fails, regardless of Modifiers (Part 3.6). A Modifier is distinct from a Fixed Addition (Part 3.5), which generates a value rather than adjusting a Target Number.

Morph (Name)

The controlling player must have sufficient Available Supply. Set one (Name) model in Base-to-Base contact with a model from the active Unit, then remove that model from the battlefield. The (Name) model forms a new Unit and cannot be set Within 1" of any Enemy Unit. Place an Activation Marker next to the new Unit; it cannot be Activated for the remainder of the Round.

NON-LETHAL DAMAGE (X)

The Unit suffers X points of Damage. Add this amount effectively to the Unit’s Damage Marker. Do not remove any models, even if Total Damage exceeds a model’s HP. If the Unit subsequently suffers standard Damage, the combined Total Damage triggers casualty removal normally.

ON CREEP

A Friendly or Enemy Ground Zerg Unit is considered to be ON CREEP while it is Within 6" of any Creep Tumor Token or any model designated as a Source of Creep. While satisfying this condition, the Unit gains the ON CREEP keyword. This allows the Unit to trigger specific Special Abilities or Upgrades that require this state.

PIERCE [TAG] X

When attacking a Unit with the specified Combat Tag, treat this weapon’s Damage characteristic as X.

PINPOINT

Ranged Attacks with this weapon may target Engaged Enemy Units, ignoring the standard Engagement Status restriction (overrides Part 8.7.3, Step 1).

PLACE (X)

Choose a Leading Model. Remove it and set it Wholly Within X" of its starting position. Then remove and replace all other models in the Unit, maintaining Coherency (Part 4.4). PLACE ignores Gap Clearance, and elevation requirements. The Leading Model is removed and set directly, not moved along a path. However, they must end in a legal position and not Within the Engagement Range of any enemy model. Models using the PLACE effect during the Assault Phase may be set Within the Engagement Range of Enemy models (the Unit becomes Engaged) unless stated otherwise.

PRECISION (X)

After rolling to Hit, move up to X failed Attack Dice directly into the Armour Pool. Treat them as successful Hits for all purposes, including Surge.

READY

The default state of a Tactical Card or Faction Card. A Ready card is face-up, its abilities are available, and it may be Exhausted to pay resource costs or activate its Special Abilities. All Tactical Cards and Faction Cards begin each Round in the Ready state. Cards that have been Exhausted are returned to Ready during Cleanup & Refresh (Part 8.9.5).

REPEATABLE

This ability is exempt from the Once Per Round limit (Part 2.7.1). It may be used multiple times per Round and per Activation, provided all Costs and trigger conditions are met each time.

RESERVES

A holding area off the battlefield where Units remain until they are deployed. All Units begin the game in Reserves. While in Reserves, a Unit: • Cannot be targeted by attacks or abilities unless an ability explicitly states it affects Units in Reserves. • Cannot use Active Abilities, Passive Abilities, or Reaction Abilities unless the ability explicitly states otherwise. • Cannot Control or Contest Mission Markers. • Does not contribute its Current Supply Value to the player's Total Current Supply on the battlefield. • Retains all equipment, upgrades, and weapon selections assigned during Army Building. A Unit leaves Reserves when it is deployed to the battlefield via a Deploy action (Part 8.5.5). Some rules may return a Unit to Reserves during play- see Part 8.5.5 for how Damage, effects, and Supply are handled. In the final Round of the game, all Units still in Reserves that are not deployed are treated as Destroyed for scoring purposes (Part 8.10).

RESPAWN (X)

Return up to X Destroyed models to this Unit. • The return cannot increase the Unit’s Current Supply Value. Do not return a model if doing so would push the Unit into a higher Supply bracket. • Set each returned model in Base-to-Base contact with an existing model in the Unit. Returned models cannot be set Within the Engagement Range of any Enemy Unit. • If a model cannot be set legally, it cannot be returned.

SHIELDED

If a Shield value is present on a Unit Card, add it to the Hit Points (HP) of the first model. The Unit is Shielded. The Unit loses its Shielded Status when the Total Damage assigned to it exceeds its Shield value or when the first model in the Unit is removed. The Shielded Status is referenced by other abilities. Losing Shielded Status does not remove any remaining Hit Points, it only ends effects that require the Unit to be Shielded. Shielded Status cannot be restored by HEAL.

SIDEARM

When this Unit performs a Ranged Attack or Close Combat Attack, models equipped with this weapon may use it, ignoring the normal restriction of one weapon per model (Part 8.7.3). If a model is equipped with multiple SIDEARM weapons, it may use all of them in the same activation. Attacks made with each SIDEARM must be resolved in separate Batches. Because they are separate Batches, SIDEARM attacks may target a different Enemy Unit than the Unit's other weapons, subject to all standard target eligibility requirements.

SIEGE MODE

While a Unit has the SIEGE MODE Status, apply the following rules: • This Unit cannot perform the Move, Disengage, Run, Charge or Close Ranks actions. • Weapons profile with Siege Mode Status can only be used while this unit has SIEGE MODE Status. • While this unit has Siege Mode Status any other weapons can't be used. • When this Unit is returned to Reserves, it loses the SIEGE MODE Status.

SPECIAL ABILITY

A Special Ability is any named ability printed on a Unit Card, Tactical Card, or Faction Card. Every Special Ability falls into one of three categories: Active Ability, Passive Ability, or Reaction Ability (Part 2.7). • Active Abilities require the Unit to be Activated and are triggered immediately before or after an action. Each named Active Ability may be used once per Round per Unit unless it has the REPEATABLE keyword. • Passive Abilities are always in effect as long as the Unit is on the battlefield. • Reaction Abilities fire in response to a specific trigger. Each player may resolve only one Reaction per Activation, and each named Reaction Ability may be used only once per Round per Unit. All three types are inactive while the Unit is in Reserves unless the ability explicitly states otherwise. A Unit cannot be affected by multiple instances of the same-named Special Ability simultaneously.

SPECIALIST

A Unit may include only one model equipped with this weapon. Multiple upgrades configuring more than one instance of this weapon are not permitted (Part 9.1.7).

SPILLOVER

Additional hits generated by a Template Weapon that strike models outside the Primary target Unit. When a Blast Template (BT) or Flamer Template (FT) covers models belonging to Units other than the Primary target, those models are resolved as Spillover. Each affected Unit is resolved as a separate Batch. Spillover Batches do not apply Rate of Attack modifiers and do not generate Surge. Spillover may affect both Friendly and Enemy Units. See Part 8.7.6 for the full Template Weapon procedure.

STATIONARY

At the Start of the Round, all Units gain this Status. A Unit immediately loses this Status if any model in this Unit moves, is moved, or is PLACED for any reason.

STATUS

A category of keyword representing a temporary or persistent operational mode, condition, or statistic modifier affecting a Unit (e.g. BURROWED, SIEGE MODE). Unless stated otherwise, Statuses aren’t removed during the Scoring and Cleanup Phase. They stay on the Unit until they are removed by other means. A Unit’s active Status is visually tracked using Status Markers set next to the Unit: • Modes: Use Plastic Markers to track operational shifts (e.g. SIEGE MODE, BURROWED). Those Status Markers have STAY IN PLAY. • Other Statuses: Use Markers to track other effects affecting the Unit. Positive effects are tracked with Buff Markers (Blue), and negative effects are tracked with Debuff Markers (Red). Those Status Markers have STAY IN PLAY.

STAY IN PLAY

This Token, Marker or Ability Effect persists through Cleanup & Refresh (overrides Part 8.9.5). It remains until a specific condition removes it (e.g. destroyed or duration expires).

SUMMON (Unit Name)

Set the Leading Model of the named Unit in Base-to-Base contact with the Parent Unit. Set remaining models In Coherency. Models cannot be set Within the Engagement Range of any Enemy Unit. Set an Activation Marker next to the summoned Unit - it cannot be Activated during the Phase in which it was summoned. In subsequent Phases, this Unit must be Activated immediately after its Parent Unit’s activation ends, before the opponent’s next activation. The Summoned Unit cannot be set Within the opponent’s Zone of Influence. The player must have sufficient Available Supply. If the Unit’s Current Supply Value would cause Total Current Supply to exceed the Supply Pool, it cannot be Summoned. If the Parent is not present on the battlefield, this Unit can be Activated normally.

SUPPLY VALUE

The Supply Value of a Unit is the value shown on the Unit Card's Supply Profile corresponding to the Unit's current model count. A Unit's starting Supply Value is determined during Army Building by the Composition Option selected (Part 9.1.6) and defines how many Army Slots the Unit occupies. Supply Value is a dynamic characteristic- as casualties reduce the model count into a lower bracket on the Supply Profile, the Supply Value decreases. Update immediately when a casualty moves the Unit into a lower bracket. Supply is used for Deployment, Mission Marker Control, Tactical Mass, and scoring.

SUPPORTING RANK

A model is in the Supporting Rank if it is in Base-to-Base contact with a Friendly model from the same Unit that is in the Fighting Rank, but is not itself Within the Engagement Range of an Enemy model. Models in the Supporting Rank may strike with their Combat Phase weapons as though they were in the fight. See Part 8.8.1, Step 2.

TACTICAL MASS

A Unit has Tactical Mass when its Current Supply Value exceeds the Combined Current Supply Value of all Enemy Units it is Engaged with. A Unit with Tactical Mass ignores the Disengage penalty (Part 8.5.4): it may Ranged Attack and Charge normally in the following Assault Phase after Disengaging.

TOUGH (X)

When this Unit resolves an Armour Roll, change up to X failed results into successes. Treat them as meeting or exceeding the Armour characteristic - discard them without moving to the Damage Pool.

UNENGAGED

A Ground Unit is Unengaged when none of its models is Within 1" of any Enemy Ground model, or when terrain restrictions (Part 7.2.1) prevent valid Engagement despite proximity. Flying Units are always Unengaged. An Unengaged Unit may perform a standard Move, Run, Ranged Attack, or Charge without restriction. Only Unengaged Units may be selected to perform a Move action (Part 8.5.2).

VISIBLE

A model is Visible to another model if a valid Line of Sight trace can be drawn between them (Part 7.1). If the trace does not pass through any Blocking Terrain, the target is Visible without further checks. If the trace passes through Blocking Terrain, apply the Cover rules (Part 7.1.1) - the target remains Visible unless Full Cover or Direct Cover blocks the Line of Sight. A model with the HIDDEN keyword is not Visible to any model more than 4" away, regardless of Line of Sight.

WHOLLY WITHIN

A model is Wholly Within a distance only if its entire base sits inside that range - no part of the base may extend beyond the edge. A Unit is Wholly Within a distance only if every model in the Unit satisfies this condition. Wholly Within is a stricter requirement than Within and is used for Coherency checks (Part 4.4), certain ability areas of effect, and Mission Marker eligibility. When a rule specifies Wholly Within, partial overlap is not sufficient.

WITHIN

A model is Within a distance if any part of its base touches or crosses into that range. A Unit is Within a distance if at least one model in the Unit meets this condition. Within is a less restrictive requirement than Wholly Within. When a rule specifies Within without the word "Wholly," partial overlap is sufficient.

ZONE OF INFLUENCE

A restricted area of the battlefield extending 6" inward from a player’s Entry Edge, as defined by the Deployment Card. Where the Entry Edge does not run the full length of a table edge, the Zone of Influence is marked using Zone of Influence Markers set at the corners of the Entry Edge. Units arriving from Reserves cannot end their deployment Within the opponent’s Zone of Influence. This restriction applies to all forms of arrival - whether by standard deployment, transport, or SUMMON (Part 8.3.3). The Zone of Influence does not affect Units already on the battlefield. It does not restrict movement, block Line of Sight, or interact with any other rule once a Unit has completed its arrival.

TERRAN

Zerg

Creep cards:

Protoss

TERRAN STARTER

Units

Cards

TERRAN FOUNDERS EDITION STARTER

Units

Cards

ZERG STARTER

Units

Cards

ZERG FOUNDERS EDITION STARTER

Units

Cards

PROTOSS STARTER

Units

Cards

PROTOSS FOUNDERS EDITION STARTER

Units

Cards