Fighting the Battle
A Warcry battle is fought in a series of rounds referred to as battle rounds, each of which is split into three phases: the initiative phase, the reserve phase and the combat phase. Once all phases have finished, a new battle round begins. The victory condition will dictate after which battle round the battle ends and the winner is decided.
- Initiative Phase
Players determine who has the initiative during the battle round, and then they decide how to use their wild dice. - Reserve Phase
In battle rounds after the first, reserve fighters may arrive on the battlefield. - Combat Phase
Players take it in turns to activate a fighter in their warband.
Initiative Phase
At the start of the initiative phase, each player rolls 6 dice. These dice are the initiative dice. After rolling, each player counts how many singles they have. A single is a dice with a score that does not match the score on any other dice in that player's roll.
The player with the most singles has the initiative. In the case of a tie, the players roll off and the winner has the initiative.
The remaining dice are referred to as ability dice, and can be used to perform abilities in the combat phase. If 2 of your ability dice have the same score, it is referred to as a [double]. If 3 of your ability dice have the same score, it is referred to as a [triple]. Finally, if 4 or more of your ability dice have the same score, it is referred to as a [quad].
At the start of each battle round, any remaining singles and ability dice from the previous battle round are discarded.
Wild Dice
After the initiative has been determined, each player receives 1 extra dice known as a wild dice. A wild dice can be used during the initiative phase to add to either a player's singles or ability dice.
The player with the initiative first declares how they will use each of their wild dice, followed by the player who does not have the initiative.
Wild dice can be used in the following ways:
- A wild dice can be used to add 1 to the number of singles the player has. In this case, it does not matter what the score of the wild dice is. Any number of wild dice can be used in this way and are discarded at the end of the battle round.
- A wild dice can be used to turn 1 of your singles into an ability dice [double], to improve a [double] to a [triple], or to improve a [triple] to a [quad].
In this case, the score of the wild dice is set to match the score of the single or ability dice it is paired with. You cannot add multiple wild dice to the same single or same ability dice (e.g. you cannot turn a [double] into a [quad]). Wild dice that are used in this way and that remain at the end of the battle round are discarded in the same manner as your other ability dice. - A wild dice can be saved to be used in a later battle round. If you choose to do so, place it to one side. In the next battle round, you can use that wild dice in addition to the one you gain in that battle round. Wild dice can be saved multiple times, and you can save multiple wild dice at once (for example, you could save up all your wild dice until the final battle round and then use them all at once!).
Seizing the Initiative
Once both players have declared how they will use their wild dice in the battle round, count the number of singles each player has once more. If the player without the initiative now has more singles than the player with the initiative, they now have the initiative instead. If the number of singles each player has is now tied (and was not previously), the players roll off and the winner has the initiative.
Reserve Phase
The reserve phase comes into play in battle rounds after the first. During the reserve phase, fighters in reserve battle groups may be set up on the battlefield. The deployment map will indicate which reserve battle groups come into play and in which battle round: ‘RND2' indicates that the specified battle group will arrive in the reserve phase of the second battle round, and ‘RND3' indicates it will arrive in the reserve phase of the third battle round.
Starting with the player with the initiative, players set up the fighters from the battle groups that are coming into play in that battle round wholly within 3" horizontally of their deployment point.
Some deployment maps have reserve deployment points that are situated off the battlefield. In these cases, there will be a deployment line next to that deployment point. Deployment lines mark either the length of half a battlefield edge or the length of a whole battlefield edge. If a deployment point has a deployment line, fighters from that battle group must be set up wholly within 3" horizontally of the marked portion of the battlefield edge.
If it is ever impossible to set up all the fighters from a reserve battle group (for example, due to the positions of enemy fighters), each fighter from that battle group must be set up one at a time, as close as possible to their deployment point (if it is on the battlefield map) or deployment line.
Combat Phase
In the combat phase, the players take it in turns to activate a fighter. The player with the initiative picks which player takes the first turn.
When it is a player's turn, they can activate 1 fighter in their warband. This is referred to as that fighter's activation. The player must pick a fighter to activate if they can, but cannot pick a fighter that has already been activated in that phase. If the player cannot pick a fighter (for example, if all their fighters have already been activated in that phase), they must pass. Then their opponent can activate a fighter or pass. Keep on taking turns to activate fighters until both players pass consecutively.
Actions
When a player activates a fighter, that fighter makes 2 actions chosen by the player from the list below. The player carries out the first action before deciding on the second. The fighter can make the same action twice in a row if the player wishes (for example, a move action followed by a move action).
Certain rules may allow for a fighter to make a bonus action. For example the ‘Rampage' ability allows a fighter to make a bonus move action and then a bonus attack action.
A fighter can make any number of bonus actions in addition to their 2 actions.
Abilities
In addition to their 2 actions, a fighter can use 1 ability. An ability can be used before the fighter's 2 actions, or after either their first or second action.
Reactions
Lastly, fighters can make reactions during an enemy fighter's activation, such as countering an attack or ducking for cover.
Ending The Battle
The victory condition will dictate after which battle round the battle ends and which player is declared the winner. When the battle ends, if neither player has achieved the victory condition, the battle is a draw and neither player wins.