ARENA
3-4 Players Fixed Start
By Kjeld
OVERVIEW
The game begins with each player controlling 1 of the 4 corner capital base hexes (all other capitals start neutral) and the associated capital city reserve. If you lose your last capital city you're out of the game.
Gather resources and outposts as you expand (see 'Special Locations'), but be aware that the terrain will affect your attack/defend strength and also the number of units you can have on a given hex (see 'Terrain Effects'). Later players in the turn order will start with substantially more units in hand (for reference, first player starts with 15, fourth player starts with 30).
GAMEPLAY RULES
Default fog is set to medium, some special territories can help you pierce the fog of war. You may return to unit placement from attack, but not fortify after attack (though you have unlimited fortifies per turn). You may hold any number of units in reserve and any number of cards in your hand. Card scale ramps slowly (5,5,6,6,7...10,11,13,14,16...).
SPECIAL LOCATIONS
Capital: Each capital has two territories, the base capital hex and a special fortified capital city. Both territories add 2 to defend dice. The capital base hex grants a bonus: +3 place-anywhere, +10 on self. Max units 50. The capital city serves as a defensive reserve. It will automatically refill at +10 units per turn, up to a cap of 50. The capital city may only be attacked from the capital base hex, and has an attack-only border back to the capital base hex with +2 to the attack dice. Penalty for owning multiple capitals: There is BOTH a -2 collector's bonus for capitals (-2 in hand for each pair owned) AND each capital is a -1 factory on each other capital.
Fortress [FS]: Adds 1 to defend dice. Bonus: +5 on self. Max units 35 (regardless of terrain type).
Village [V]: Bonus: +5 on self. Max units 35 (regardless of terrain type).
Place of Power [PP]: Each place of power gives a +2 place-anywhere bonus plus a place-anywhere collector's bonus of +2 for each pair of places or power you control. For example, controlling one place of power would give you +2, controlling two would give you +6, controlling 3 would give you +12, controlling 4 would give you +20, etc. Also, each place of power grants full vision up to three hexes away (excluding capitals).
Tunnels: Found only in hillly terrain, each tunnel connects to each other tunnel on the board at default dice (d7 v d7) -- note that you CANNOT fortify through tunnels, as they are attack only. Tunnels hold a maximum of 15 units.
RESOURCES
Timber [T]: Each tile with an axe icon gives you a +1 factory bonus on your capital(s) and a +2 factory bonus on all villages you control.
Ore [O]: Each tile with a shovel and pick icon gives you a +1 factory bonus on your capital(s) and a +2 factory bonus on all fortresses you control.
Wheat [WH]: Each tile with a wheat icon gives you a +2 factory bonus on your capital(s).
Fish [FI]: Each tile with a fish icon gives you a +2 factory bonus on your capital(s)and a +1 factory bonus on all fortresses and villages you control.
TERRAIN EFFECTS
Grasslands [G]: Attack with d8, defend with d7. Unit Max 50.
Swamps [S]: Attack with d6, defend with d9. Unit Max 15.
Forest [F]: Attack with d7, defend with d8. Unit Max 30.
Hills [H]: Attack with d7, defend with d8. Unit Max 25.
Forested Hills [FH]: Attack with d6, defend with d9. Unit Max 15.
Mountains [M]: Attack with d6, defend with d10. Unit Max 10.
Plateau [P]: Attack with d7. Defend with d7 against other plateaus. Against non-plateau terrains only: defend with d9. Unit Max 50.
Water [W]: Attack with d9, defend with d6. Unit Max 50.