Each player brings a pre-built army to the game created from the figures, bases, and unit cards in their collections. This army can consist of any number or types of units with a few restrictions.
First, each army's build total must be within a pre-determined build total limit. The standard built total limit is 7,000 points. Each unit has a build point cost found on the bottom right of its unit card. The combined total of each unit's build point cost in an army is that army's build total, which must be less than or equal to the built total limit.
Second, no army may have two of the same commander figure. A commander figure is a figure with a yellow circle color. Players may have any number of commander figures in their army, but no army may have two commander figures with a matching figure number. (Note: Two players may have the same commander figure in their respective armies.)
Lastly, while players are allowed to have any number of factions in their army, for each non-mercenary faction beyond the first that player gets 1 less order point a turn. For example, an army consisting of Egyptian and Mercenary units will get the full 8 order points a turn in the standard game. Another army consisting of Egyptian, Roman, and Han units will only get 6 order points a turn (-1 for each additional faction.) This only applies to unit types, which are indicated by the faction symbol on the lower left of a unit card. It doesn't matter which faction the individual figures in your units are from-- only the unit's overall faction.
Note: This was not a rule in the original rulebook. It has since been added.
As stated above, the standard game has a 7,000 point built total limit and 8 order points a turn. This is only a recommended setting, however, and players may decide on built point totals and number of order points among themselves. For more suggested variations go to www.arcanelegions.com.
Other common build totals are given in the table below.
| Build Points | Order Points | Victory Points |
|---|---|---|
| 5,000 | 8 | 15 |
| 7,000 | 8 | 21 |
| 10,000 | 10 | 25 |
Each unit must begin the game with the correct figures. Each starting slot on a unit must be filled with a figure with the same figure number as is on that slot. Non-starting slots (slots without a figure number) do not begin the game with any figures.