Both close combat and ranged combat orders are considered combat. During each of these orders players will roll combat dice that will result in their units dealing combat damage. Not all damage that a unit does in combat is combat damage-- only the damage as a result of the combat roll is combat damage.
When a combat order is given, the unit being given the order makes an attack against a target unit. The attack originates from a side and is directed at a side. In a close combat order these are the adjacent sides, and in a ranged combat order it is between the sides whose notches were used to measure the line of sight.
To give a close combat order to one of your units, choose an enemy unit that is adjacent to your unit. The chosen enemy unit will become the target of the attack. The side of your unit that is adjacent to the enemy unit is the side the attack is being made from. The side of the enemy unit that is adjacent to your unit will be the side being attacked.
A unit may only be given a close combat order if it has at least one ready attack die icon.
Next, pay the cost for the order. A close combat order costs 1 order point to give to a sortie and 2 order points to give to a formation. (Note: some special abilities may increase or decrease this cost.)
The attacker then rolls a number of red dice equal to the number of ready red attack die icons it has, along with attack dice granted (or removed) by special abilities. The defender rolls a number of white dice equal to the number of ready white defense die icons it has, along with defense dice granted (or removed) by special abilities.
If the attacker is attacking from a grey side, they roll three less attack dice. If the defender is defending from a grey side, they roll three less defense dice.
Once players roll their dice, each player arranges them from highest to lowest. If the attacker has rolled three dice with a result of 6, they get a critical hit, which increases the number of hits this unit scores by 1. Players apply any special abilities that affect the die roll, such as rerolls or anything that alters the results of the dice. Once those have been resolved, players re-adjust their dice from highest to lowest.
Compare the highest attack die to the highest defense die. If one side does not have a die, then compare the remaining die to a phantom die, which has a value of 2. If the attack die is higher than the defense die, the attacker gets one hit. If the defense die is higher than the attack die, the defender gets one hit. If a phantom die is higher than the die it is being compared to, however, no hit is scored. Then, move to the next highest die for each player and compare again until all dice have been compared.
Each unit then deals damage to the opposing unit equal to the number of hits it got. This includes any additional hit from a critical hit. For rules on how damage is dealt, see Dealing Damage.
Combat ends and the turn resumes.
A ranged combat order is very similar to a close combat order, though there are a few key differences.
A unit that is adjacent to an enemy unit may not be given a ranged combat order.
To give a ranged combat order to one of your units, choose an enemy unit that is in range. The standard range is six steps; you must choose a side of your unit that the attack will come from that is within six steps from the side of the enemy unit being attacked. All range measurements are made from notch to notch. The chosen enemy unit will become the target of the attack.
A unit may only be given a ranged combat order if it has at least one ready ranged die icon.
Next, pay the cost for the order. A ranged combat order costs the same as a close combat order: 1 order point for a sortie, and 2 order points for a formation.
The attacker then rolls a number of blue dice equal to the number of ready blue ranged die icons it has, along with ranged dice granted (or removed) by special abilities. The defender rolls a number of white dice equal to the number of ready white defense die icons it has, along with defense dice granted (or removed) by special abilities.
If the attacker is attacking from a non-blue side (red or grey) then they roll three less ranged dice.
If the defender is defending on a grey side, they roll three less defense dice.
Ranged combat is also subject to certain penalties:
- Firing into melee: In ranged combat the attacker rolls one less ranged die if the target of its attack is adjacent to a unit friendly to the attacker.
- Hindered: In ranged combat the attacking unit rolls one less blue die for each object hindering its line of sight. Line of sight is hindered by units (friendly or enemy) and hindering terrain.
- Blocked: A ranged attack may not be made when line of sight is blocked.
(See Line of Sight for more details.)
The lineup for ranged combat is the same as close combat. Once players roll their dice, each player arranges their dice from highest to lowest. If the attacker has rolled three dice with a result of 6, they get a critical hit which increases the number of hits this unit scores by 1. Players apply any special abilities that affect the die roll, such as rerolls or anything that alters the results of the dice. Once those have been resolved, players re-adjust their dice from highest to lowest.
As in close combat, compare the highest ranged die to the highest defense die. If one side does not have a die, then compare the remaining die to a phantom die, which has a value of 2. If the attack die is higher than the defense die, the attacker gets one hit. However, unlike close combat, if the defense die is higher than the attack die, the defender does not get a hit. And again, if a phantom die is higher than the die it is being compared to, no hit is scored. Then, move to the next highest die for each player and compare again until all dice have been compared.
Each unit then deals damage to the opposing unit equal to the number of hits it got. (Usually the defender will score no hits, as white dice don't normally score hits against blue dice.) This includes any additional hit from a critical hit. For rules on how damage is dealt, see Dealing Damage.
Combat ends and the turn resumes.
Special abilities that reference dice often use the convention, for example, of 1d6. The first number is how many dice to roll, and the second number is how many sides those dice have.
Whenever a die is rolled its number is considered that die's result. Phantom dice do not have results-- they have values. (The default phantom die value is 2.) Any ability that adjusts die results does not effect phantom dice as they have no results.
Some special abilities adjust the result of dice. The physical die itself is not adjusted, but the result of that die has is considered to be adjusted. Dice can be adjusted to be any number above 0. However, if a special ability would reduce the result of a die below 0, it is reduced to 0 instead. (If multiple abilities would adjust the result of a die at the same time it may be important to reference the timing rules.)
Furthermore, no other value in the game may be below 0. Players can’t have negative order points or victory points, and units can't roll less than 0 dice in combat.
When damage is dealt to a unit (either through combat or a special ability) the controller of that unit must then assign the damage to the figures on the base. Lethal damage must first be assigned to the figure on the unit with the most (or tied for the most) nonlethal damage on it. Lethal damage means that a figure has damage on it equal to or greater than its hit points. Usually only one figure on a unit will have damage on it at a time. However, in the event that two figures have damage on them, the one with the most damage on it must be assigned lethal damage first. If two figures are tied for most damage, the controller of the unit chooses which one to assign damage to.
Once all damage is assigned, it is all dealt simultaneously. Figures are downed as soon as they have lethal damage on them (damage equal to or greater than their hit points). Remove downed figures from the battlefield. A unit is defeated when it has no figures. Remove a defeated unit from the battlefield. This is true of both combat and non-combat damage-- all damage must be assigned using the same rules, and damage is dealt simultaneously. Each figure dealt lethal damage is downed simultaneously. (For example, if a special ability deals 3 damage to a unit, all 3 damage is assigned and then dealt simultaneously.)
If a unit takes damage and assigns that damage to a figure with multiple hit points, but not enough damage to down that figure, the damage stays on that figure until the end of the turn. Place a die next to that unit with a number representing how much damage is on that figure. Figures with damage on them are considered injured. That damage is on the figure, not the slot, so if the figure is later repositioned into a different slot the damage moves with it. At the end of each turn, all damage is removed from figures.
All damage has a source. In the case of combat damage the damage is coming from the unit that rolled the dice. Some special abilities will describe their source. If a source of damage from a special ability is unclear, however, it is considered to be coming from the unit with the special ability. Most damage is dealt by units, but if a figure deals damage the source is considered the unit that figure is on. If the source of damage leaves the battlefield before damage is dealt (for example, a special ability that requires downing the unit as an additional cost) the source is still that unit.
If a unit is destroyed, each figure in that unit is considered to have been downed. Any special ability that triggers when a figure is downed will trigger if the unit itself is destroyed, such as by a special ability.
