Starting a Battle
1) Set up the Battlefield
Both players take turns placing terrain pieces on the battlefield, while agreeing on what types of terrain each piece is made up of. Terrain pieces cannot be placed within 3” of a battlefield edge. See the terrain guidelines for setting up terrain.
2) Determine Attacker
The players roll off. The winner decides which player is the attacker and which player is the defender.
3) Present Search Parties
Each player must divide their warband into three search parties as evenly as possible. For example, a warband of 10 fighters would form two search parties of 3 fighters and one of 4.
Starting with the defender, each player then presents their search parties to their opponent, in order: as their first, second and third search party.
4) Determine Scenario
Wyrdcry battles are played according to a scenario, consisting of 3 parts: the deployment map, the victory condition, and the twist. In a standard battle, scenarios are determined by rolling once on each table below (or by using the scenario generator).
| D6 | Deployment Map | D6 | Victory Condition | D6 | Twist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ambush | 1 | Occupy | 1 | Mad Scribbles |
| 2 | Meeting Engagement | 2 | Escape | 2 | The Haunt |
| 3 | Chance Encounter | 3 | Defend the Find | 3 | Suffocating Smog |
| 4 | Stand Off | 4 | Wyrdstone Hunt | 4 | Falling Fish |
| 5 | Pile-in | 5 | Hidden Vault | 5 | Nightfall |
| 6 | The Trap | 6 | Reckoning | 6 | Wyrdcry |
5) Deploy Search Parties
The deployment map features two sets of deployment points, numbered 1 to 3, that determines where each search party is deployed to the battlefield. The white deployment points are for the defender, and the black deployment points are for the attacker.
The defender must decide the orientation of the deployment map, and then deploy their first search party at their first deployment point, followed by the attacker. The players then take turns deploying their remaining search parties at their respective deployment points, until all search parties not in reserve has been deployed.
Each time a search party is deployed, its fighters must be placed wholly within 3" of their deployment point on the battlefield floor.
Reserve Search Parties
If a deployment point is labelled ‘RND 2’ or ‘RND 3’, the search party is in reserve and will arrive in the reserve phase of that battle round. For now, place them to one side of the battlefield.
6) The Victory Condition
The victory condition specifies what the players must do to win the battle. If the victory condition instructs players to do things before the battle begins, such as placing objective markers or tokens, those things are done in this step.
7) The Twist
Twists are special rules that apply to the battle. If the twist instructs players to do things before the battle begins, those things are done in this step.
8) Start the Battle
The first battle round begins.