Combat System
Formations & the Hex
Combat in this game is positional in a way most hex 4Xs are not: every hex tile carries one centre slot (the home unit) plus six edge slots (each shared 1:1 with the neighbour on the other side of that edge). The shared edge is both an occupiable position and the geometric location where combat resolves. A third unit on the shared edge between two centres stands in the engagement path; edge units are damaged first, the centre's leader is damaged last.
Forest-cover-on-attack, edge-count flanking, leader survivability, and edge-projected ZOC all derive from this geometry — they are not separate rules. The damage matrix and R/P/S system below layer on top of the positional model.
Armor Types
| Armor |
Description |
Examples |
| Unarmored |
No protection |
Civilians, scouts, most beasts |
| Light |
Minimal armor, high mobility |
Skirmishers, crossbowmen, berserkers |
| Medium |
Balanced protection and speed |
Swordsmen, spearmen, ram riders |
| Heavy |
Strong protection, reduced speed |
Defenders, plated warriors, armored cavalry |
| Plate |
Maximum protection, slow |
Rune Guardians, Ancestor Guard, Stone Golem Rider |
| Fortified |
Stationary defense |
City walls, buildings, emplaced siege |
Attack Types
| Attack |
Description |
Examples |
| Blade |
Slashing/cutting weapons |
Swordsmen, clansmen, battle axe |
| Pierce |
Penetrating weapons, ranged |
Crossbowmen, spearmen, rifles |
| Crush |
Impact/blunt force |
Shield bearers, war hammers, battering rams |
| Siege |
Heavy ordnance, area effect |
Catapults, cannons, trebuchets |
| Trample |
Charging mounted/beast |
Ram riders, boar lancers, war rams |
Damage Matrix
Values are damage multipliers (100% = base damage).
| Attack \ Armor |
Unarmored |
Light |
Medium |
Heavy |
Plate |
Fortified |
| Blade |
125% |
125% |
100% |
75% |
50% |
25% |
| Pierce |
100% |
100% |
125% |
100% |
75% |
50% |
| Crush |
75% |
75% |
100% |
125% |
150% |
175% |
| Siege |
50% |
50% |
75% |
100% |
100% |
200% |
| Trample |
200% |
150% |
100% |
50% |
25% |
0% |
R/P/S Archetype Matrix
Six archetypes form a non-circular counter web.
CAVALRY
↗ ↓
SIEGE ANTI-CAV
↑ ↓
HEAVY MELEE LIGHT MELEE
↖ ↗
RANGED
| Archetype |
Beats |
Neutral |
Loses to |
| Light Melee |
Siege |
— |
Ranged, Heavy Melee, Cavalry (open) |
| Heavy Melee |
Ranged, Anti-Cavalry |
Cavalry |
Siege, Light Melee (flanking) |
| Anti-Cavalry |
Cavalry (hard counter) |
Siege |
Light Melee, Heavy Melee, Ranged |
| Ranged |
Light Melee, Anti-Cavalry |
— |
Heavy Melee, Cavalry, Siege (outranged) |
| Siege |
Heavy Melee, Fortified |
Anti-Cavalry |
Light Melee, Cavalry |
| Cavalry |
Siege, Ranged |
Heavy Melee |
Anti-Cavalry (hard counter), Light Melee (tight terrain) |
Special Abilities
| Ability |
Effect |
| Trample |
Pushes enemy 1 tile on attack; +damage vs Unarmored/Light |
| Charge |
+50% damage on first attack if unit moved this turn |
| Pierce Armor |
Treats target as one armor tier lower (Heavy → Medium) |
| Cleave |
Splits damage across all adjacent enemies |
| Poison |
Deals damage-over-time after combat ends |
| First Strike |
Attacks before enemy if enemy is Melee type |
| ZOC |
Enemies entering adjacent tile must stop (Zone of Control) |
| Fortify |
Unit digs in; gains Fortified armor type next turn |
| Tunnel |
Can move through walls and underground without using connection points |
| Splash |
50% damage to tiles adjacent to primary target |
| Rage |
After killing a unit, gains +25% attack same turn |
| Morale Aura |
Adjacent friendly units get +10% attack |
| Suppression |
Halves enemy movement for one turn |
| Stun |
Target loses its next attack (not movement) |
Terrain Combat Modifiers
Defense Bonuses
| Terrain |
Unit defense |
Building defense |
Notes |
| Plains |
0% |
0% |
Baseline |
| Hills |
+25% |
+25% |
Elevation advantage |
| Mountain |
+50% |
+50% |
Natural fortress |
| Forest |
+25% |
0% (can't build in forest) |
Cover only |
| City |
+10% |
+10% |
Urban defense |
Siege Range Modifier (when firing FROM terrain)
| Terrain |
Range modifier |
| Plains |
0 |
| Hills |
+1 tile |
| Mountain |
+2 tiles |
| Forest |
-1 tile (obstructed) |
Siege Damage Modifier (when firing INTO terrain)
| Target terrain |
Damage modifier |
| Plains |
0% |
| Hills |
-25% |
| Mountain |
-50% |
Terrain Flip Conditions
Some counter relationships reverse based on terrain.
| Match-up |
Open terrain |
Forest / City / Tunnel |
| Cavalry vs Light Melee |
Cavalry wins |
Light Melee wins |
| Cavalry vs Heavy Melee |
Neutral |
Heavy Melee wins |
| Siege vs Light Melee |
Siege wins |
Light Melee wins (closes through cover) |
| Ranged vs Light Melee |
Ranged wins |
Light Melee wins |
Line of Sight
| Siege type |
LoS required |
Notes |
| Direct fire (Cannon, Railgun) |
Yes |
Blocked by Hills, Mountain, Forest, Walls |
| Arcing fire (Catapult, Trebuchet, Howitzer, Artillery) |
No |
Fires over obstacles |
Terrain between shooter and target:
- Hills: blocks LoS for tier 1-2 direct-fire siege; reduces effective range by 1 for tier 3+
- Mountain: blocks LoS entirely unless shooter is at equal or higher elevation
- Forest: blocks LoS; shooter must be adjacent to forest edge
- City walls: blocks LoS into city for direct-fire; arcing fire ignores walls
Army Composition Examples
| Composition |
Strength |
Weakness |
| Cavalry + Ranged |
Open field dominance, fast and mobile |
Forests, cities, any Anti-Cavalry |
| Heavy Melee + Siege |
Siege warfare, hard to break |
Cavalry flanks, Light Melee rushes siege |
| Light Melee + Anti-Cavalry |
Terrain defense, stops cavalry |
Open field, any Ranged |
| Ranged + Heavy Melee |
Balanced, hard to approach |
Cavalry flanks ranged, Siege outranges |
No single composition is complete. Every army has a terrain or unit-type gap that a prepared opponent can exploit.
