ArcWorlde: Second Edition – Version 1.

1 (March 2020)

Core Rules (Version 1.1 March 2020)

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ArcWorlde: Second Edition – Version 1.1 (March 2020)

Contents
Gentlefolk’s Code of BRAVERY - 33
Conduct - 6 MAKING A BRAVERY TEST - 33
BROKEN CHARACTERS - 33
Introduction - 7
ITEMS AND EQUIPMENT - 35
Setting up the Game - 18 ARCANITE - 36
What You Need - 18 OBTAINING ARCANITE TOKENS - 36

D6 IN ARCWORLDE - 18 SPENDING ARCANITE TOKENS - 36

EXAMPLE OF USING ARCANITE TOKENS - 37
The Warband - 19
GOLD (GP) - 19
MAGIC - 38
CHARACTER CLASSES - 19 CASTING SPELLS - 38
EXAMPLE OF CASTING A SPELL - 39
Stat Profiles - 20
CREATURES IN ARCWORLDE - 40
Playing the Game - 21 TAKING CREATURES IN YOUR WARBAND - 40
CREATURE-ONLY WARBANDS - 41
Setting up the Board - 21
SWORDS FOR HIRE - 44
The Round - 21 HIRING SWORDS FOR HIRE - 44
Movement - 2 HIRING CHARACTERS FROM OTHER

LEGGING IT - 22 FACTIONS IN YOUR WARBAND - 44

BEING PRONE - 23 Scenarios - 45

CHARGING – 23
SCENARIO 1 - ARCANITE HUNT - 46
Terrain - 24 SCENARIO 2 - TAKE OR HOLD - 47
SCENERY - 25 SCENARIO 3 - EXPLORATION INTO THE
UNKNOWN - 48
Feats - 26
SCENARIO 4 – VIP - 49
EXAMPLES OF FEATS - 28
SCENARIO 5 – HUNTERS - 50
Combat - 29 SCENARIO 6 - NEVER-ENDING HORDE - 51
MELEE COMBAT - 29 SCENARIO 7 - NIGHT AMBUSH - 52
DEFENDING HITS - 29 SCENARIO 8 - ESCAPE THE ARCSTORM! - 53
EXAMPLES OF MELEE COMBAT - 30
EXAMPLES OF RANGED COMBAT - 32
LEAVING COMBAT - 32

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Gentlefolk’s Code of Conduct

When visiting the realms of ArcWorlde, there are certain manners and etiquettes a player
should employ to get the most out of the game.
Joviality and good humour come first and foremost in these duels of wit, gallantry and
daring-do. Unbecoming behaviour should be frowned upon: whether it’s bemoaning a dice
roll, cheesing the rules to abuse a loophole in the game or generally just not being a good
sport.
There are certain aspects of ArcWorlde that involve roleplaying, and require you to use your
imagination in interpreting the rules in a way that brings your Characters to life. As such, this
is not the best game for win-at-all-costs, cut-throat tournament playstyles.
There is, of course, tactical depth and versatility, with a ruleset that the wily player can use to
their advantage, but the most important rule of ArcWorlde is that it is meant to be fun for
everyone involved.
If you accept these terms, sally forth into the wonderful realms of ArcWorlde!

Introduction
ArcWorlde is a narrative battle game where warbands, heroes and monsters are pitted against
each other in the field of combat.
There are beasts to slay, treasures to discover, objectives to capture and rival Commanders to
defeat. By using these rules, your imagination, and the wide range of ArcWorlde miniatures
available, you and your friends can play out epic tales within the eponymous fantasy realm.
However, ArcWorlde hasn’t been designed as a game that’s purely about win-at-all-costs strategy.
The core of ArcWorlde is the creation of amazing clashes for your Characters, and stories that
players will love and remember. As the Gentlefolk’s Code of Conduct states, the main objective
is having fun!
Each of your models on the board is a Character. These Characters, chosen by you, make up
your Warband, and it is up to you to name them as lovingly as you paint them. Although
ArcWorlde can be played as a one-off game, the power is also in your hands to create campaigns
of linked narrative events with your friends. That is when ArcWorlde is at its best, where each
character has a story to tell, and battles that will go down in history!
Players, it’s up to you – what adventures await you and your Warbands in this brave new world?

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What you Need

To play ArcWorlde, you will need:
 A copy of these rules, which, as you are reading this right now, I assume you have.
 Your ArcWorlde Warband, hopefully painted with love, and their Stat Profiles. These
can be found on the Warploque Miniatures website and can be either printed off or
displayed on a device of your choosing.
 A handful of six-sided dice and some Arcanite Tokens (see page 28).
 A table or gaming board and some terrain to make things interesting. For a great game I
would recommend an area of at least 3 feet by 3 feet, with enough terrain features to
maneuver around and interact with.
 And, most importantly, someone to play with. ArcWorlde is a game for 2 or more
players, so get your friends involved!

D6 in ArcWorlde
As with many tabletop games, the events that unfold in ArcWorlde are determined by the
rolling of dice. In this game, we use six-sided dice, also referred to as D6.
Under most circumstances, when a die is rolled a result of 4 or more counts as a Success. If
you are lucky enough to roll a 6, you have rolled a Critical, which counts as 2 Successes. A
result of 1-3 is known as a Failure. This means the roll was unsuccessful.
Successes are used to determine the outcome of various Actions in the game. The results of
these Actions are affected by the number of Successes you roll.
There are a number of events in the game that are not determined by Successes, but these
will always be clearly marked in the rules.

Re-Rolls
Some effects in the game allow you to re-roll D6. Multiple effects may be in play at the same
time, so there may be rare instances where you may re-roll the same die many times.

D3s
In some circumstances, a D3 roll is required. To do so, roll a D6. 1-2 counts as 1, 3-4 counts
as 2 and 5-6 counts as 3.

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The Warband
The Warband is your hand-picked group of miniatures, known in ArcWorlde as Characters, that
you field in a game. These Characters are chosen from Faction Rulesets, or from the
Bestiary/Swords for Hire Rulesets.

Gold (GP)
Warbands are constructed by ‘hiring’ Characters. Each Character has a Cost, and before the
game, the players agree on the GP total they have to spend on their Warbands. Games can be
of any size, but for small games, or if you are a beginner, a 300GP game is a good place to
start.

Character Classes
Characters are divided into various classes:
 Commander – The leader of your Warband. There may only be one Commander in your
Warband.
 Unit – The bog-standard trooper of your Faction.
 Elite – The more powerful, elite forces of your Faction.
 Irregular – A more quirky Character. Expect interesting rules.
 Heavy – The hardest hitting Characters of the Warband.
 Beast – A Character from the Bestiary that is on a 30 or 40mm base size.
 Monster – A Character from the Bestiary that is on a 50 or 60mm base size.
 Titan – A Character from the Bestiary that is on a larger than 60mm base size.
 Sword for Hire – An unaffiliated Character that you may add to your Warband.

Stat Cards
Each Character in ArcWorlde has a stat profile which describes how they work in the game.
This is just an overview, and will make more sense as you continue reading.

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1. Type – What your Character is.

2. Cost – This is the base cost of the Character, in GP. If you choose to equip the
Character with additional Items and Equipment, add the total Cost of them to the Cost
of the Character.
3. Class – What class your Character is.
4. Action Points (AP) - How many Action Points the Character can spend per Activation.
These points can be spent on Attacking, Legging It, Feats or other Actions.
5. Movement - How many inches a Character can travel when it does its free movement.
Some game mechanics may affect the Movement stat of a Character – note any changes
on the profile.
6. Bravery - How courageous a Character is in the face of danger. This is the total that
must not be exceeded on a 2D6 roll to pass a Bravery Test. Some game mechanics may
affect the Bravery stat of a Character – note any changes on the profile.

7. HP – The amount of undefended Hits the Character can take before it is Knocked Out.
As HP is lost in the game, you may note any changes on the profile, or use other tracking
methods such as dice or tokens.
8. Traits, Items & Equipment - Certain Characters will have Traits which alter the way
they can be played on the battlefield. In addition, Characters can be given Items and
Equipment such as weapons, armour and other objects. The rules for these will either be
found in the Common Abilities or Armoury section of their Faction Ruleset.

In addition, each Character will have a number of Attacks available to them:

9. AP Cost – The amount of AP a Character must spend to use this Attack.
10. Name – The name of the Attack.
11. Power – The number of D6s you roll when making the Attack. The more powerful the
Attack, the more D6s are rolled. Each Success equals one Hit, and a Critical is a Critical
Hit. A Critical Hit counts as two Hits and may unlock Special Rules for the Attack.
12. Special Rules – Any other effects of the Attack.

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Setting Up the Game

Before the game starts, arrange the game board to the desired layout. Then, depending on the
kind of game you wish to have, arrange your Characters in their deployment areas. This may be
within 6” of a particular terrain feature, or the edge of the board, it’s up to you, or the rules of
the scenario you are playing.
To see who deploys first, each player should roll a D6 until there is a winner. The winner
chooses to deploy first or second. Once the first Character has been deployed, take turns in
arranging your Characters on the board until all are accounted for.

The Round
A game of ArcWorlde is divided into Rounds, in which players take turns to Activate all of their
Characters.
At the start of a Round, all players must roll a D6 to determine the order of play. The player with
the highest number goes first, followed by the next highest and so on. If two players roll the
same number, re-roll until their is a winner.
Once a Character’s AP has been spent, the Character’s Activation ends. Once all of the
Characters on the board have been Activated, the Round ends and starts anew.
A standard game lasts for 5 Rounds. However, if after 5 Rounds all players feel there is still game
to be played, play another Round! Continue this until the game objectives have been completed,
or there are no more Characters of either player on the board.

Movement
Almost every Character in ArcWorlde can move about the board, whether it’s through open
ground or clambering over all that exciting terrain you’ve been longing to dig out the basement!
Movement is very simple –
Measure from the Character’s closest base edge to the point where you would like to move.
If the Character’s base fits, they can move there.
During its Activation, a Character may make a single movement up to its Movement stat in
inches for free. If a Character’s Movement stat is 5, it can move up to 5 inches.

Legging It
However, sometimes a little bit of extra speed is needed. If a Character has used its free
movement in an Activation, and has yet to make an Action, you may spend 1AP to Leg It.
To Leg It, roll a D6. The Character may move additional inches up to the value rolled. For
example, if a 4 is rolled, the Character can move an extra 4”. This can be a great way for
Characters to Charge into combat, or escape from danger!
However, there is a risk. If a 6 is rolled the Character is far too keen, and falls head over heels
onto the floor! The Character is counted as Prone (see page 24).

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If the Character succeeds in keeping its footing, you may attempt as many free Leg It rolls this
Activation as you feel brave enough to do. However, the chance of falling over increases by 1
(5+, 4+, 3+ etc) each time, so be careful!
If the Character stops to attempt an Action they cannot try another Leg It roll this Activation,
unless included in a Feat (see page 26).

Being Prone
A Character is counted as Prone if it has been knocked over or otherwise debilitated by an
Action.
When a Character is knocked Prone within their Activation, their Activation immediately
ends.
If a Character is knocked Prone, they remain Prone until they are Activated again. A
Character must spend 1AP, or sacrifice all Movement during the Activation, to dust
themselves off and stand up again.
Whilst Prone, a Character must roll two D6 on all Defence Rolls and choose the lowest
value. (see page 27 for Defending Attacks).
To show a Prone Character, either lay the miniature down on its side, or use a token if you
don’t fancy chipping your nice paintjob!

Charging
If a Character uses a Leg It roll to move into base contact with an enemy Character, this is
counted as a Charge. The Charging Character gets +1AP for this Activation.

Terrain
Terrain and scenery make a game interesting, and can greatly impact the events of the game.
There are three different types of terrain:
Open Terrain – No movement issues. This is open ground, with no obstructions.
Difficult Terrain – Any movement through this terrain is halved. This may be deep snow,
dense forest or even thick mud.
Impassable Terrain – The Character cannot normally move through it. This may be a fast-
flowing river, a sheer cliff or a swirling vortex of deadly magical energy. You know, regular
natural things.

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Scenery
Scenery in ArcWorlde is a very important part of the game. Not only does it make your gaming
board look ravishing, it also allows you as players to really make the most of the environment
when creating your adventures. Whether it is leaping from the treetops, vaulting over buildings
and structures, or even (accidentally) activating ancient portals to distant realms, the landscape
and features of the battlefield can help to get the creative story-telling juices flowing.
Such exciting actions, as well as many other amazing events in the game, are determined by Feats
(see page 26).

Feats
There are countless ways that your Characters can interact with the world. Special kinds of
movement, amazingly inventive Attacks, or even house rules you and your friends invent on the
fly to make things fun and interesting.
Luckily for you, if there is something really fun that you would like a Character to do that doesn’t
have written rules, you use the Feat mechanic to make it happen. The only limits to what Feats
can do is your imagination and the luck of the dice!
What is a Feat?
Simply put – a Feat is a custom Action that you, the player, have created. Feats can be attempted
by any Character, at any point in their Activation. There may be instances where certain rules
require pre-made Feats to occur, but these work in the exact same way.
Attempting a Feat
Before attempting a Feat, describe to your opponent(s) what you would like the Feat to be. All
Feats, and their difficulty, must be agreed on by all players before they are attempted.
Attempting Feats cost AP. Each AP spent allows you to roll one D6 to attempt the Feat. The
number of AP spent, and therefore the D6 rolled, to attempt the Feat must be announced before
the attempt is made.

The Etiquette of Feats

ArcWorlde is a narrative game, and as such relies on players wishing to create fun and
engaging stories in their clashes.
If your opponent attempts a Feat that would put you at a tactical disadvantage, but would be
an amusing addition to the game, consider allowing it for the betterment of the story you are
creating together.
If there is a genuine disagreement between players, keep in mind the Gentlefolk’s Code of
Conduct. We are all here to have fun, but that doesn’t mean you can abuse Feats to win and
take advantage of your opponent’s good nature.

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Feat Difficulty
Every Feat must be given a level of difficulty. This is based on how difficult you think the Feat
would be for the Character to accomplish:
Easy - Requires one Success.
Medium – Requires two Successes.
Hard – Requires three Successes.
Legendary – Requires four Successes.

Including Damage or Negative effects within Feats

Chances are that a lot of the fun stuff that players wish to attempt involves inflicting damage on
an enemy Character. This may include death-defying dives, jumping Attacks or even ridiculous
trick shots!
Any damage you include in your Feat causes +3 Hits per level of difficulty. For example, a Hard
Feat would cause 9 Hits. If there are multiple targets for the Feat, you must divide the Hits
equally between them, rounded up to the nearest whole number.
For example, a Legendary Feat, that causes 12 Hits, against 3 targets would land them with 4
Hits each.
If the Feat includes a negative effect that doesn’t actively hurt the target, such as distracting
them, or stunning them, the effect is applied if the Feat is successful.

Examples of Feats
One of the most fun Characters during playtesting was the Forest Troll. Here are some of the
antics we got up to in our games:

Easy Feat
The Forest Troll wanted to pick up an enemy Halfling Militia and throw him 6”. We figured
that this would be an Easy Feat, as the Halfling is small and easily throw-able by a massive
Troll.
The Troll player decided to spend 2AP to roll two D6s to attempt this Feat, and got a 5 and a
1. A success! The Halfling was hurled 6”, and took 3 Hits.

Medium Feat
The Forest Troll wanted to pick up an enemy Halfling Militia in base contact, and use him as
a weapon to beat another Militia that was causing him some irritation. We thought while that
would take some skill, it wouldn’t be an impossible thing for a Troll to do, so the players
agreed on a Medium Feat.
The Troll player decided to spend 2AP to roll two D6s to attempt this Feat, and got a 6 and a

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a 1. A success! One Halfling was battered with another, and the Troll Player allocated 3 Hits
to each.

Hard Feat
There was a big old tree in the middle of our game board, and the Forest Troll attempted to
push it over onto an unlucky Halfling below. We thought that would be a pretty hard thing
for a Troll to do, so they players agreed on a Hard difficulty.
The Troll player decided to spend 3AP to roll three D6s to attempt this Feat, and got a 6, a 4
and a 2. A success! The tree toppled over onto the Halfling, and it took 9 Hits.

Legendary Feat
In one game, the Forest Troll player wanted him to climb a massive tree and belly flop onto a
group of Halflings. The players all agreed that such a mighty Attack would not only make the
targets Prone afterwards, but the Troll himself would be Prone as well. After much laughing,
we decided it would take a Legendary Feat for the clumsy Troll to pull it off.
The Troll player, pretty determined to make this happen, decided to spend 6AP to get six
D6s to attempt it. After a drum roll, the player got a 6, two 4s, a 2 and two 1s. A success! The
Troll climbed up the tree, did a mighty belly flop onto the unsuspecting Characters, and all
four took 3 Hits each

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Combat
Every great story needs conflict, and the ones found in ArcWorlde are no exception.
Combat in ArcWorlde can be split into two different types – Melee and Ranged.
Melee Combat
Melee combat is when two noble combatants slug it out hand-to-hand, until one or both of them
either run away or are Knocked Out.
Unless stated otherwise, a Character must be in base contact to Attack another Character in
Melee combat.
When a Character is in base contact with an enemy Character during their Activation, the player
may choose an Attack to use. Each Character has one or more Attacks on their stat card, each
with different Power values and potential Special Rules.
Making a Melee Attack
To make a Melee attack:
1. Choose the type of Attack you wish to make, and deduct the AP cost.
2. Roll the number of D6 that the Power stat dictates. Each Success is a successful Hit! If a
Critical is rolled, it is a Critical Hit which counts as two Hits, and may unlock Special
Rules for the Attack.

Defending Hits
If a Character has received Hits, they must attempt to defend themselves with a Defence Roll:
1. If the Character has any Armour, deduct its value from the total Hits received.
2. Roll a D6. On a Success, one Hit is defended. On a Critical, two Hits are defended
Continue rolling until all Hits are defended, or a Defence Roll is failed. Once this
happens, any undefended Hits are deducted from the target’s HP.

Example of Melee Combat

Jeff the Halfling Militia wants to Attack Jaffa the Bayourk Brute.
He is in base contact, and decides to use Thrust, which costs 1AP. Thrust has a Power of 4,
so four D6 are used. The Halfling player rolls 3,2, 4 and 6, which results in two Failures, one
Success and a Critical. As a Critical counts as two Hits, Jaffa takes a total of 3 Hits.
The Bayourk player rolls a single D6 as they attempt their first Defence Roll. They roll a 4, a
Success! One Hit is defended, and they able to roll another Defence Roll. The second roll is a
3, which is a Failure. The remaining 2 Hits take 2HP off Jaffa, and he is reduced from 11HP
to 9HP.

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Health Points (HP)

Every Character has a set number of Health Points (HP), which are reduced by undefended Hits.
Each undefended Hit removes 1HP. If a Character runs out of HP, they are Knocked Out and
removed from the board.
Armour
Some Characters have protection from enemy Attacks, be it from sheets of armour, thick hide or
magical warding.
Certain Items and Equipment grant Armour to the Character they are given to. This Armour can
absorb Hits, lessening the damage taken by the Character. Deduct the Armour value from the
total number of Hits received from an Attack before Defence Rolls.
Some Attacks or Traits can Break Armour. If this is successful, reduce the Armour value by 1 for
the rest of the game.

Ranged Combat
Some Characters have Ranged Attacks, and can Attack a Character even when they aren’t in base
contact. Any Attack that has a range in its Special Rules counts as a Ranged Attack.
Making a Ranged Attack
Before the Attack rolls can be made, the Character must attempt an Easy Feat to aim. This roll
can be made if the Character can ‘see’ any part of the target.
Measure the distance between the attacking Character and the target. If the target is within the
range shown on the Attack’s Special Rules, they may attempt an Easy Feat to take the shot.
If successful, follow the exact same steps as Melee Combat. If unsuccessful, the shot misses.
A Character may not use a Ranged Attack if it is in base contact with an enemy Character, unless
that Character is the target of the Ranged Attack.
Shooting into Melee Combat
If shooting into Melee Combat, and a friendly Character is in base contact with the target, the
friendly Character is Hit with the Attack if the Easy Feat to aim is unsuccessful. If there are more
than one friendly Characters in base contact with the target, the nearest one to the shooter is hit.
Cover
Certain terrain features and scenery can help shield a Character from Attacks, and a Character is
counted as in cover if 50% or more of it is hidden.
If a Character is behind cover, two D6s are rolled on all Defence Roll attempts against Hits from
Attacks, and the highest value is chosen.
It should be obvious what scenery/terrain features provide cover. If anyone is being difficult,
refer them to the Gentlefolk’s Code of Conduct!

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Example of a Ranged Attack

Alrishe the Wild Elven Warchief wants to make a Ranged Attack against Big Jim the
Beastfolk Clanbeast, who is partly hiding behind a tree.
Before the game, the Wild Elven player equipped Alrishe with a Ranged Weapon from the
Armoury for 15gp, a throwing spear. This allows Alrishe to make a Ranged Attack with a 16”
range.
The Wild Elven player measures the distance between Alrishe and Big Jim. They are 4” apart,
so the attack is in range. Alrishe takes his shot, and the Wild Elven player decides to spend
2AP to attempt the Easy Feat required. They get a 6 and a 3, so the Feat was successful! The
Attack can now be rolled.
The Attack granted by the Ranged Weapon has a Power of 8, so eight D6 are used. The Wild
Elven player rolls a 2, two 3s, 4 three 5s and a 6, which results in three Failures, four
Successes and a Critical. As a Critical counts as two Hits, Big Jim takes a total of 6 Hits.
As Big Jim was hiding behind a tree, the players agree that he is in cover. The Beastfolk
player therefore rolls two D6s as they attempt their first Defence Roll. They roll a 4 and a 2,
and the 2, the lowest number, is discarded. A Success! One Hit is defended, and they are able
to roll another Defence Roll. The second roll is a 3 and a 1. The 1 is discarded, but it is still a
Failure. The remaining 5 Hits take 5HP off Big Jim, and he is reduced from 10HP to 5HP.

Leaving Combat
If a Character wishes to move out of base contact with an enemy, attempt an Easy Feat. If the
Character is in base contact with more than one enemy Character, the Feat difficulty increases by
1. If successful, the Character moves as normal. If unsuccessful, the Character remains where it
is, and loses 1HP per enemy Character in base contact.
.

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Bravery
On the field of battle, the only thing keeping one from running away is the strength of one’s
nerve. Only the most courageous can hope to stand and fight against the numerous terrors of
ArcWorlde, and often combatants are seen scurrying for cover when the going gets tough!
The Bravery stat represents the courageousness of a Character, and the likelihood that their
nerve won’t break in the face of overwhelming odds, or in the actual face of a bellowing Troll.
As such, a Bravery Test must be made by a Character (even outside of their Activation) when:
A friendly Character is Knocked Out within 3”.
An effect of a Spell or Attack causes them to make one.
When they come within 3” of an enemy Character with the Fearsome Trait.

Making a Bravery Test

To make a Bravery Test, the player must roll equal to or less than their Character’s Bravery stat
on 2D6. This roll represents the amount of fear the Character experiences. The higher the
Bravery stat, the more courageous the Character, and therefore the more fear they can withstand
before running away.
If a Character passes their Bravery Test, they stand firm and fight on. If a Character fails their
Bravery Test, they become Broken.

Broken Characters
When a Character’s nerve fails in battle, they attempt to run away as far and as fast as possible.
When a Character becomes Broken, even outside of their Activation, immediately move them a
distance equal to their Movement stat towards the nearest board edge, or the nearest piece of
terrain that could give them cover, whichever is closer.
Broken Characters must stay at least 3” away from the cause of the Bravery Test, such as the
origin of a Spell, the spot where their friend was Knocked Out, or a Fearsome Character.
If a Broken Character is unable to keep 3” away from the cause of the Bravery Test, they
become Prone as they cower in terror.
However, if a Character becomes Broken within their Activation, a wily player may opt to use a
Feat to devise a daring escape, if they have enough AP to do so!
If a Character is Attacked whilst Broken, they always count as Prone for their Defence Rolls,
regardless of if they aren’t.
Rallying a Broken Character
When a Broken Character is Activated, take a Bravery Test. If this is failed, they move their full
Movement again towards, or beyond the nearest board edge.
Leaving the Game Board
If a Character’s movement takes them beyond the edge of the game board, they have left the
game. They are removed, and are counted as being Knocked Out.

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Items and Equipment

Characters in ArcWorlde can be equipped with Items and Equipment before the game, or obtain
them on the battlefield. This may include weapons, armour, healing items and other such objects.
Each Faction Ruleset has an Armoury of Items and Equipment that your Characters have access
to.
Objects that can be carried by a Character are put into two categories:
Equipment – This includes most weapons and armour. Equipment cannot be removed from
the Character during a game, unless a special rule specifically states so. Equipment can be
picked up by attempting an Easy Feat.
Items – Can be all sorts of objects. Items can be picked up, dropped, given to friendly
Characters in base contact and taken willingly by friendly Characters in base contact by
rolling for an Easy Feat.
If a Character is Prone, an enemy Character in base contact may steal an Item they hold by
rolling an Easy Feat. A Character may only steal one Item a Round.

Using Items and Equipment

To use an Item, announce to your opponent that you are using it. Some Items can only be used
once, and are destroyed after use. Some Items are in effect until the player chooses to put them
away, or the Character loses possession of them. These characteristics will be explained in the
Item’s rules.
Equipment, such as Armour, is always in effect, as are weapons if the Character is only equipped
with one. If you have equipped your Character with two or more weapons, announce at the start
of their Activation which weapon they will be using. They may attempt an Easy Feat to change
their weapons during the Activation.
Beasts, Monster or Titans may not use Items or Equipment, unless the rules on those objects
specifically state that they can.

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Arcanite
Arcanite is a substance found throughout ArcWorlde and is thought to be gems of pure
solidified magical energy.
Arcanite is a valuable resource in ArcWorlde and is represented in the game by Arcanite Tokens.
Arcanite Tokens can be used to achieve special effects and can really turn the tide of a fight if
spent at the right moment.
Tokens can be placed on the battlefield for Characters to collect as part of a scenario, or are
obtained by defeating magical creatures. It’s up to you how many Tokens you have on the board,
or how they are obtained. Let your imagination go wild!

Obtaining Arcanite Tokens

Arcanite Tokens can be obtained by:
Purchasing them - You may buy Tokens before the game, using your gold allowance to
purchase them. The first Arcanite Token costs 25 GP, but each Token after that costs 10 GP
more than the last. These Tokens can be equipped by any Character in your Warband.
Purchased Tokens are not counted towards any scenario victory conditions.
Finding them - Arcanite Tokens may be found dotted around the battlefield, if you are lucky.
Tokens can be placed on the board for Characters to collect as part of a scenario, or are
obtained by defeating magical creatures. It’s up to you how many Tokens you have on the
board, or how they got there. Let your imagination go wild!
An Arcanite Token can be picked up by using an Easy Feat. Once collected, the Token is in the
Character’s possession and is classed as an Item (see Items and Equipment).

Spending Arcanite Tokens

Arcanite Tokens are nuggets of pure arcane power. An Arcanite Token can be spent by a
Character in their Activation. When spent, choose one of these effects:
 Grant +1AP to the Character for their Activation.
 Add an extra D6 to any roll.
 Allow another Spell to be cast.
To spend a Token, discard it and tell your opponent before applying the effects.

Example of using Arcanite

Elsbeth the Imperial Captain has spent 3 out of her 4AP in her Activation. She’d like to make
a Risposte Attack, but doesn’t have enough AP to do so.
Luckily, she found an Arcanite Token the Round before! Breaking it open, she is filled with
magical energy. The Imperial player chooses to give Elsbeth +1AP, and with 2AP to spent
she is able to execute a Riposte.

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Magic
Magic is a very real presence in ArcWorlde. Many beings have the ability to bend raw arcane
energy to their will, and use powerful Spells on the battlefield.
Characters that can use magic are known as Mages, and can cast all manner of Spells. Magic in
ArcWorlde is controlled in the game by the mystical and mysterious Tarot Deck; a pack of
particularly special cards that represent the fickle winds of fate.
You may use the official ArcWorlde Tarot Deck in your games, but a bog-standard pack of
playing cards will also do the job.

Casting Spells
Each Faction Ruleset has a Lore – a collection of Spells that their Mages can cast. Some
Characters, particularly Swords for Hire (see page 44), may have their own unique Lores, but
these will be included in their stat profile.
Each Mage can attempt to cast a single Spell per Activation by spending 2AP. However, Mages
may cast additional Spells by spending Arcanite Tokens (see Arcanite on page 36). Spells
powered by Arcanite Tokens do not cost any AP – the power comes from the Arcanite itself!
To cast a Spell:
Nominate the Spell the Character would like to cast. The Level of this Spell is the total number
required to cast the Spell.
Draw two cards from the Tarot Deck, and place them face up on the table.
Add the numbers on the cards together. Royal cards count as 10, and Aces can be either 1 or 11.
Jokers can be any number of your choice between 1 and 11. If the total isn’t high enough,
the player may opt to draw another card from the deck. Each extra card drawn costs 1AP,
even if using Arcanite.
If the total ever goes over 21, the Spell has become Overpowered.
Overpowering a Spell is a dangerous thing – the Mage loses D6 HP and all of their AP for the
Activation. However, the Spell is still cast.

Example of Casting a Spell

Barry the Battle Cook wants to cast a Spell. The Halfling player refers to the Grand
Cookbook of Bulbo Chubb in the Halfling Faction Ruleset, and decides to attempt to cast (or
in this case, cook) Bullox Burgers.
Bullox Burgers is a Level 17 Spell. This means that the Halfling player has to draw cards that
add up to 17.
The Halfling player draws two cards from their Tarot Deck and places them face up on the
table. They get a 7 and a 6, totaling 14.
This isn’t enough to cast Bullox Burgers. The Halfling player decides to spend one more of
Barry’s AP to draw another card. They draw a 5. The total now is 19, which is enough for
Bullox Burgers, and the Spell is successfully cast.
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Creatures in ArcWorlde
Warbands aren’t the only ones who roam the wilds of ArcWorlde, and many dangerous beasts
call this most dangerous of realms home. From the depths of the Mildaark Forest, to the
Drakensfaal Mountains, to even terrorising the lands of civilised folk, “here be monsters” can be
applied pretty much everywhere on the map.
Creatures are a core part of the ArcWorlde game. They can be played on their own, as wild
hunting packs or lone monsters, or ‘tamed’ as part of a Faction-based Warband. There are many
Creatures to choose from - the rules of which can be found in the Bestiary Ruleset that can be
downloaded from the Warploque Miniatures website.
All Creatures in ArcWorlde are categorised into one of three groups:
Beasts – Small to medium sized creatures, whose models are provided with 30mm or 40mm
bases.
Monsters – Large creatures, whose models are provided with 50mm or 60mm bases.
Titans – Utterly huge creatures, whose models are provided on whopping 120mm bases.
Taking Creatures in your Warband
Creatures can be taken as part of your Warband as if they were part of your Faction Ruleset, so
let your imagination go wild. It could be interesting to come up with a back-story of how a
Halfling Warband tamed a Troll, or how an Imperial Captain obtained his own flock of battle-
ready Grifflings!

Creature-only Warbands
If you would like to, you may play ArcWorlde with a Warband comprised entirely of Creatures.
To do so, build your Warband using Creatures from the Bestiary. Play as a hunting pack of
Death Kiwis, a lone and angry Forest Troll, or even a mighty Dragon, where multiple Warbands
may have to team up and take you down!
Creatures may not use Items or Equipment, such as weapons or potions, unless the rules on
those objects specifically state that they can do so. It’s very difficult to hold a sword properly
with big, clumsy paws...

Swords for Hire

In the dangerous, untamed lands of ArcWorlde, sometimes a little extra muscle is required. Many
warriors roam the countryside, offering their services for coin. Some are mighty lone heroes,
who have gained a name for themselves over decades. Some are unlikely adventurers, who find
themselves in sticky situations. And some are even from other Factions, who wish to make a
name for themselves in the wider world.
If you wish to add a little flavour to your Warband, there are many heroes in ArcWorlde you can
hire as part of your force.

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Hiring Swords for Hire

Any Faction may hire Characters from the Swords for Hire Ruleset, which can be downloaded
from the Warploque Miniatures website. For the duration of the battle, these Characters act as if
they have been taken from the Faction Ruleset for the Warband.

Hiring Characters from different Factions

In times of trouble, Factions may join forces to fight a common enemy. Perhaps they come from
a land where the two cultures mix, perhaps one Faction is in the thrall of the other, or maybe
certain Characters are just after some good old fashioned loot. Using Characters from different
Factions in your Warband is a great way to not only add a new challenge on the battlefield, but
also to use all of the miniatures in your collection.
If you are hiring Characters from a Faction in the same Kingdom (Civilisation, Nomad, Fae or
Undead) as your Warband, they may be hired as normal with no ill effects.
If you are hiring Characters from a different Kingdom, they may be a little more unruly. When
Activated, each Character must take a Bravery Test – if failed their AP this halved this
Round.
Making Warbands from lots of different Factions can be a lot of fun, with tons of scope for
exciting lore and story. However, before the game please check with your opponent if they are
happy for you to do so.

Scenarios
Games of ArcWorlde are rarely about just beating your opponent in combat. The best games
utilise many other objectives and scenarios, pitting your Warbands against each other in ways
other than just knocking each other out!

Many players come up with their own scenarios, depending on their warbands or the campaign
they are playing. However, to get you started, a few examples have been included in this book.
As the game grows more and more will be added, so check out the Warploque Miniatures
website for updates.

The scenarios provided with this book are meant to be a guide to help you set up your gaming
boards. Don’t forget to include lots of terrain to make things interesting, and feel free to design
and create your own exciting scenarios to play!

Victory Points (VP)

Victory Points are awarded during a game by achieving certain objectives, set out in the scenario
description. The player with the most VP at the end of the game is the victor! You could also
keep track of VP awarded across various games to create your own campaigns…

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Scenario 1 – Arcanite Hunt

After a particularly violent Arcstorm, crystals of shimmering Arcanite can be found scattered
across the battlefield. They must be collected at all cost!
Setting up the Board
Randomly place five Arcanite Tokens on the board, outside of any deployment zones. Players
deploy their Characters within 6” of opposite board edges.
Scenario Rules
Each Warband must collect as many Tokens as possible and deposit them in their Deployment
Zone.
Victory Conditions
1VP is awarded for each Arcanite Token in a Deployment Zone at the end of the game. Arcanite
Tokens that are purchased before the game do not count towards the VP total.

Scenario 2 – Take or Hold

An important structure is being held by a Warband against the attacks of another. Defend its
walls, or breach them!
Setting up the Board
Choose an area on the board. This could be a large piece of scenery that Characters can enter, or
it may be an area protected by walls or fortifications.
The defending player(s) start the game within this area. The attacking player(s) deploy within 6”
of any board edge.
Scenario Rules
Fortifications can be Attacked and repaired by Characters. Before the game, divide each
fortification into 6” sections, and allocate each one of these categories:
Light - Such as a wall of wooden stakes, or a door. May be damaged by any Attacks, and has
6HP.
Medium - Such as a brick wall. May only be damaged by Attacks of 3 Successful Hits or greater,
and has 15HP.
Heavy - Such as a thick stone wall. May only be damaged by Attacks of 5 Successful Hits or
greater, and has 30HP.
Impregnable - Such as the walls of a huge fortress. May only be damaged by Attacks of 8
Successful Hits or greater, and has 50HP.
Any Successful Hits are Defended as normal by the defending player(s). Once the fortification
reaches 0HP, Characters may move across it unheeded.

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Fortifications can also be repaired. A Character in base contact may spend 1AP to restore the
fortification’s HP by 1.
Victory Conditions
At the end of the game, 1VP is awarded to each player(s) for every 20% GP of their Warband
within the area, rounded up to the nearest 20% increment.

Scenario 3 – Exploration into the Unknown

A Warband ventures into an unknown place – what dangers, or treasures, await there?
Setting up the Board
Divide your board (roughly) into four or more equal sections. You can do this by using terrain or
scenery to mark out the areas.
Scenario Rules
The attacking player(s) deploy in base contact with the table edge. They must make their way to
the opposite edge by moving through each of the sections.
The defending player(s) Characters do not deploy at the start of the game. Instead, whenever an
attacking Character first enters a new table section, they may deploy up to d6 Characters
wherever they please in the section.
Victory Conditions
At the end of the game, 1VP is awarded to the attacker(s) for every 20% GP of their Warband(s)
that make it to the opposite table edge in the final section. 1VP is awarded to the defender(s) for
every 20% GP of the attacker(s) Warband(s) that don’t make it to the opposite table edge.

Scenario 4 – VIP
A person of great importance is being guarded by the warband. However, another wishes to
capture them, or set them free…
Setting up the Board
Before the game, decide whether the VIP is friendly to the attacking player(s), the defending
player(s) or is neutral. The VIP starts the game in the possession of the defending player(s), in
base contact with a friendly Character.
Scenario Rules
This scenario is based around a non-combat Character, the VIP. They cannot be Knocked Out,
and move by Legging It until they fail. However, they do not become Prone.
If the VIP is in base contact with a Character, they share any movement and they may only leave
base contact if the Character is Knocked Out, becomes Prone or allows them to leave.
The attacking player(s) must try to get the VIP in base contact with one of their Characters.

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If the VIP is friendly to the attacking player(s), if unaccompanied at the end of an Activation
they Leg It towards the nearest attacking Character. This may happen multiple times in a Round.
If the VIP is friendly to the defending player(s), if unaccompanied at the end of an Activation
they Leg It towards the nearest defending Character. This may happen multiple times in a
Round.
If the VIP is neutral, if unaccompanied at the end of an Activation they Leg It towards the
nearest board edge, staying as far as possible away from all Characters. If they reach the board
edge, they escape and are removed from play.
Victory Conditions
5VP is awarded to the player(s) in possession of the VIP at the end of the game. If the VIP is
unaccompanied, then no VP is awarded to anyone!

Scenario 5 – Hunters
In this part of the world live creatures with wonderful pelts that fetch a lofty price. However,
another warband has trespassed on your hunting grounds!
Setting up the Board
Place three or more Prey on the board, outside of any deployment zones.
Scenario Rules
If the Prey are on 30mm bases they have 6HP, if on 40mm bases they have 9HP, if on 50mm
bases they have 12HP and if on 60mm bases they have 20HP.
Prey move randomly around the board. At the start of each Round roll a D6 for each Prey to see
in which direction they move:
Backwards 2D6”
Left 2D6”
Right 2D6”
Forwards 2D6”
Diagonally Forwards Left 2D6”
Diagonally Forwards Right 2D6”
If Prey comes into base contact with a terrain feature, piece of scenery, the board edge or a
Character, they stop their movement.
The objective is to hunt the Prey, and obtain their hides. To skin Prey, it must first be Knocked
Out. If Prey is Knocked Out, leave them on the board. Prey may be skinned by attempting a
Medium Feat.
If successful, the Character is now in possession of a Pelt, which is a normal Item.
Victory Conditions
1VP is awarded to each player per Pelt they have in their possession at the end of the game.

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Scenario 6 – Never-ending Horde

A warband has stumbled into an enemy lair, and they are horribly outnumbered. The only
objective is to survive!
Setting up the Board
The defending player(s) deploy in the center of the board. The attacking player(s) deploy within
6” of any of the board edges.
Scenario Rules
The defending player(s) create their Warband as normal. However, the attacking player(s) control
random waves of Characters picked from their Faction Rulset(s).
At the start of each Round, the attacking player(s) roll a D6:
Deploy one Unit/Beast on a board edge of your choice
Deploy two Units/Beasts on a board edge of your choice
Deploy three Units/Beasts on a board edge of your choice
Deploy four Units/Beasts on a board edge of your choice
Deploy 5 Units/Beasts or one Irregular/Elite/Monster on a board edge of your choice
Deploy 6 Units/Beasts or one Heavy/Monster on a board edge of your choice

Victory Conditions
1VP is awarded to the defending player for every 20% GP of their warband still on the board at
the end of the game. 5VP is awarded to the attacking player if they manage to Knock Out every
defending Character.

Scenario 7 – Night Ambush

Many warbands attack in the dead of night, when their enemies least expect it! The darkness
hides their approach, and the defenders best be vigilant.
Setting up the Board
Place a campfire in the middle of the board. The defending player(s) deploy within 3” of this
scenery. The attacking player(s) deploy within 6” of the table edge, after the defending player(s)
have deployed all of their Characters.
Scenario Rules
It is pitch black, and the only sources of of light are equipped Torches, and the campfire.
Characters that are within 10” of the campfire, and within 3” of Torches can be seen, and
targeted by Attacks and Spells.
Whilst in unlit areas, when an attacking Character is Activated, roll an Easy Feat. If successful,
they do not make a sound, and may continue undetected. If unsuccessful, they cause a rustle in
the undergrowth, and may be targeted by defending Characters within 6”.

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Victory Conditions
At the end of the game, 1VP is awarded to each player(s) for every 20% GP of the enemy
warband they Knock Out, rounded up to the nearest 20% increment.

Scenario 8 – Escape the Arcstorm!

An important area lies on the battlefield. Within it contains salvation from the crackling
Arcstorm closing in all around!
Setting up the Board
Choose an area on the board. This can be marked out by a ring of tokens, or some other terrain
pieces. This area can be of any size, depending on how difficult you want the scenario to be, but
as an example use a 3” radius. Both player(s) deploy within 6” of the board edge as normal.
Scenario Rules
At the start of Round 2, every Character outside of the area takes 1 Hit. At the start of Round 3
they take 2 Hits. At the start of Round 4 they take 4 Hits and at the start of Round 5 they take 8
Hits.
Victory Conditions
At the end of the game, 1VP is awarded to each player(s) for every 20% GP of their warband
within the area, rounded up to the nearest 20% increment.

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Glossary
Action – An act that is made by a Character in the game.
Action Points (AP) – Points that, when spent, allow Actions to occur in the game.
Activate/Activation – When a Character is being controlled by the player.
Attack – The D6 rolls required to engage in combat with an enemy.
Beast – A Character from the Bestiary that is on a 30mm or 40mm base.
Bestiary – A list of creatures that aren’t allied to a particular Faction.
Character – A miniature.
Combat – The Action of attacking and defending.
Critical – When a 6 is rolled to Attack, on a Defence Roll or a Feat attempt. This counts as
two Successes.
Defence Roll – The D6 rolls required to stop Hits from deducting HP.
Faction – An army list used to make a Warband.
Failure – When 1, 2 or 3 is rolled on a D6 to Attack, on a Defence Roll or a Feat attempt
Feat – A special dice roll to attempt a range of Actions in the game. Can be Easy, Medium,
Hard or Legendary.
Health Points (HP) – The number of undefended Hits a Character can take before it is
Knocked Out.
Hit – When a Success is rolled on a D6 when attempting to Attack.
Knocked Out – When a Character’s HP is reduced to 0, and it is removed from the game.
Melee – Hand-to-hand combat that requires the Characters to be in base contact (unless stated
otherwise).
Monster – A Character from the Bestiary that is on a 60mm base.
Power – The number of dice rolled when making an Attack.
Prone – When the Character has been knocked to the ground.
Ranged Attack – An Attack that doesn’t require the Character to be in base contact.
Spell – A magical Attack that uses the ArcWorlde Tarot Deck to determine its success.
Success – When a 4+ is rolled on a die when attacking, defending or attempting a Feat.
Sword for Hire – A Character taken from the Swords for Hire Ruleset.
Titan – A Character from the Bestiary that is on a 120mm base.
Warband – Your group of playable Characters on the game board.

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