City of Ash

To play a game using this battlepack, you’ll need the Core Rules. The Core Rules explain the basics of Warhammer Age of Sigmar, such as how to move your models and how to use abilities. You can find the Core Rules in the Core Documents section of the App.

You don’t need the Advanced Rules to use this battlepack

Each player in a Spearhead battle is the commander of a Spearhead army. A Spearhead army is a set of units that comes with its own rules and warscrolls.

Within every Spearhead army’s rules, you will find the army composition. This lists which units are included in the Spearhead army and who the general is. Unlike other Warhammer Age of Sigmar armies, the composition of a Spearhead army is fixed and cannot be changed.

Every Spearhead army has one or more battle traits. These are powerful and thematic abilities that apply to some or all of the units in the army. For example, the ‘Ranger Doctrines’ battle trait enables the Sentinels of Embergard to strike and reposition to gain a powerful tactical advantage, while the ‘Cloaked in Shadow’ battle trait grants Crixxit’s Kill-Pack the unparalleled ability to pursue and eliminate the enemy’s leaders.

Every Spearhead army has a choice of 2 regiment abilities, each of which provides the army with a different strength in battle.

Every Spearhead army has a set of 4 enhancements to pick from. These are upgrades for the army’s general that make them more powerful in a variety of ways.

The warscrolls for all of the units in each Spearhead army are included in this battlepack. Although Spearhead warscrolls are similar to the warscrolls found in battletomes, they have been tailored to work specifically with Spearhead and cannot be used with other battlepacks.

Some units in Spearhead have the Wizard or Priest keyword. If you are familiar with other battlepacks, it is important to note the Magic module in the Advanced Rules (see Core Documents) is not used in Spearhead. As a result, there are no unbinding rolls and no chance of miscasts (among other things). Spells and prayers are resolved like any other ability.

Spearhead battles are fought on realm battlefields. Once the players have picked their Spearhead armies, they must agree on a realm battlefield to use. Each realm battlefield comes with a matching Spearhead deck, along with a battleplan that explains how to fight a battle on that realm battlefield.

A realm battlefield is 30" × 22" and double-sided, with each side corresponding to a different location in the Mortal Realms. In this edition of Spearhead, each side of the board represents a different part of Embergard, the City of Ash. On one side of the board, scouting forces meet in a standoff at the Shattered Crossroads. On the other side, regiments hold one another in a siege around the ruins of the Ashen Bastion.

Spearhead decks are sets of cards that are used in Spearhead battles. Each realm battlefield has its own Spearhead deck. Each Spearhead deck consists of 2 twist decks (one for each side of the realm battlefield) and 2 battle tactic decks (one for each player).

Each twist deck is made up of twist cards. A twist is a special rule that applies to the battle round being played. Each deck of twist cards corresponds to a specific side of the realm battlefield.

Each battle tactic deck is made up of battle tactic cards. The rules on each are split into 2 parts: a battle tactic and a command. You can either score the battle tactic at the end of your turn if you meet its conditions (to gain victory points) or you can use the command on the card for a more immediate benefit. You cannot do both, so choose wisely!

Each command will say when it can be used and what effect it has. After the effect has been resolved, the card is discarded. You can issue multiple commands to the same unit in the same phase.

Each realm battlefield has a corresponding battleplan. The battleplan is a set of instructions on how to fight the battle and how to determine the winner.

You can find the battleplan for the City of Ash realm battlefields in the Battleplans section.

In every City of Ash Spearhead battle, the armies fight around 2 large terrain features.

Before the armies are deployed, each player will set up 1 large terrain feature wholly within their territory and on a corner of a rectangular objective.

Each large terrain feature has the following passive abilities:

COVER: Subtract 1 from hit rolls for attacks that target a unit that is behind or wholly on this terrain feature, unless that unit charged in the same turn or has the FLY keyword.

UNSTABLE: Models can move across but cannot be set up on or end any type of move on any part of this terrain feature that is more than 1" tall.

The Shattered Crossroads realm battlefield is split by straight roads and has a large circle in the middle called the junction. For rules purposes, the junction is considered part of the roads (but not vice versa).

In this battlepack, scouting forces fight over the ruins of Embergard searching for valuable treasures. These are represented by 5 relics, which have powerful effects that can turn the tide of battle.

Each time the rules tell you to place a relic, it must be placed wholly on the battlefield, more than 3" from all enemy units and more than 6" from all other relics.

Relics are contested and controlled in the same manner as terrain features (Core Rules, 32.3) and have the Unstable terrain ability (see 4.0 Terrain and the Shattered Crossroads).

Each relic has a unique ability that can be used by both players:

In Spearhead battles, objectives are printed on the surface of each realm battlefield. The Shattered Crossroads battlefield has 4 small rectangular objectives and 1 large circular objective. The Ashen Bastion battlefield has 4 small circular objectives and 1 large rectangular objective.

Objectives with terrain features on them are fortified objectives. While every model in a unit is contesting a fortified objective, that unit is in Cover.

In Spearhead battles, while a model is on an objective (wholly or partially), it is contesting it.

The small objectives are named after Sigmarite symbols: Ghal Maraz (the hammer), the Twin-Tailed Comet, the High Star and the Great Wheel.

Some units have the REINFORCEMENTS keyword. These units can be brought back to the battlefield after being destroyed as replacement units (Core Rules, 24.2).

If any of your units have the REINFORCEMENTS keyword, you can use the following ability:

Units with the Reinforcements keyword have this icon in the top-right corner of their warscrolls for ease of use.

1. Roll off. The winner chooses who is the attacker and who is the defender.

2. The attacker picks their regiment ability and their enhancement. Then the defender does the same.

3. The defender chooses which side of the realm battlefield the players will fight on: the Shattered Crossroads or the Ashen Bastion.

4. The defender picks 1 of the deployment maps on the right and chooses which territory belongs to which player.

5. The defender sets up one large terrain feature wholly within their territory and on a corner of a rectangular objective, then the attacker does the same. The objectives on which the terrain features are placed then become fortified objectives.

6. The defender picks one of the starting relics (see below) and sets it up wholly within their territory. The attacker then sets up the other starting relic wholly within their territory.

On the Ashen Bastion realm battlefield, the starting relics are the Battered Barricade and the Inconspicuous Manhole.

On the Shattered Crossroads realm battlefield, the starting relics are the Barrel of Emberstone and the Crate of Aqua Ghyranis.

Do not deploy armies as described in the Core Rules. Instead, the attacker sets up all the units in their army first, followed by the defender. Each unit must be set up wholly within friendly territory and more than 6" from enemy territory.

The battle lasts for 4 battle rounds.

This battle uses the City of Ash Spearhead deck. One player takes the twist deck that corresponds to the side of the battlefield the players are fighting on, shuffles it and places it face down next to the battlefield (the other twist deck is not used).

Then, each player takes 1 battle tactic deck, shuffles it and places it face down where they can reach it during the battle.

The following sequence is resolved at the start of each battle round:

1. If it is the first battle round, the attacker chooses who will take the first turn. In any other battle round, the players make a priority roll (Core Rules, 12.0).

2. Determine the underdog (Core Rules, 12.0).

3. The twist card is drawn.

4. The players draw battle tactic cards.

5. Any abilities with the Start of Battle Round timing are used.

One twist card is drawn at the start of each battle round. Follow the rules on it as soon as it is drawn.

At the start of the first battle round, each player draws a hand of 3 battle tactic cards.

At the start of each subsequent battle round, each player draws battle tactic cards until they once more have a hand of 3 battle tactic cards. Before they do so, they can discard any number of battle tactic cards in their hand. Cards are discarded face-up.

If the player who went second in the previous battle round wins the priority roll and chooses to go first, it is called seizing the initiative. When a player seizes the initiative, they do not draw any battle tactic cards for that battle round unless they are the underdog and the difference in victory points between the two players is 5 or greater.

Each player scores victory points at the end of each of their turns as follows:

• Score 1 victory point if you control at least one objective.
• Score 1 victory point if you control two or more objectives.
• Score 1 victory point if you control more objectives than your opponent.
• Score 1 victory point for each battle tactic you completed this turn.

The player with the most victory points at the end of the battle is the winner. If the players are tied on victory points, the battle is a draw.

Hidden in the Ashes is a mini campaign comprising three linked Spearhead battles played between two players, who are each trying to recover a hoard of emberstone buried at a secret location in Embergard. Spearhead games typically take around an hour to complete, so this campaign will probably take an entire afternoon or evening to play through.

This campaign uses the City of Ash battlepack rules in addition to the rules in this section.

Before starting the first battle in a Hidden in the Ashes campaign, the players roll off. The winner picks a Spearhead army to use for the entire campaign, so they should choose wisely. Then, their opponent does the same.

While this campaign has been designed to be played with the Sentinels of Embergard and Crixxit’s Kill-Pack, you should feel free to use any Spearhead armies you like. After all, there are nefarious agents and hostile warbands of many different factions lurking in the ruins of Embergard!

This campaign comprises three linked battles that are played in the order shown below.

Battle 1 - Smouldering Skirmish (Ashen Bastion)
Battle 2 - Blazing Blockade (Shattered Crossroads)
Battle 3 - Final Conflagration (Ashen Bastion)

When playing this campaign, instead of using the City of Ash battleplan pre-battle sequence, use the sequence below.

1.  Unless specified otherwise, roll off. The winner chooses who is the attacker and who is the defender.
2.  The attacker picks their regiment ability and their enhancement. Then the defender does the same.
3.  Unless otherwise specified, the defender chooses which territory belongs to which player.
4.  The defender sets up one large terrain feature wholly within their territory and on a corner of a rectangular objective, then the attacker does the same. The objectives the terrain features are placed on then become fortified objectives.
5.  The defender picks one of the starting relics and sets it up wholly within their territory. The attacker then sets up the other starting relic wholly within their territory.

After each battle, your army has a bit of time to recuperate, recover their wounded and, if necessary, recruit replacement warriors. Therefore, your army starts at full strength in the next battle.

During the campaign, each player should keep track of their total number of victory points. This is the combined number of victory points they have scored in all of the battles fought so far.

Do not deploy armies as described in the Core Rules or the City of Ash battleplan. Instead, the defender sets up all the units in their army first, wholly within their territory. Then the attacker sets up all the units in their army, wholly within their territory and more than 6" from enemy territory. The defender chooses which player takes the first turn.

The starting relics for this battleplan are the Battered Barricade and Ulguan Steel Caltrops.

If a twist requires a player to place the Ulguan Steel Caltrops, that player must instead place the Inconspicuous Manhole.

If one player has more total victory points than their opponent, the rules below apply for this battle:

• Do not roll off to determine the attacker and defender. Instead, the player with fewest victory points chooses.

• The player with most victory points picks 2 starting relics to use in the battle.

• If a twist requires a player to place a relic that is already on the battlefield, that player must instead place the Barrel of Emberstone or Crate of Aqua Ghyranis (if that relic is not already on the battlefield).

If one player has more total victory points than their opponent, the rules below apply for this battle:

• Do not roll off to determine the attacker and defender. Instead, the player with the most victory points is the defender.
• One of the starting relics in this battle is the Barrel of Emberstone and must be set up first at the centre of the battlefield. The other starting relic is picked by the player with the most victory points and is set up by the defender wholly within the defender’s territory (the attacker does not set up a starting relic).
• If a twist requires a player to place a relic that is already on the battlefield, that player must instead place the Battered Barricade or Inconspicuous Manhole (if that relic is not already on the battlefield).

If one player controls the Barrel of Emberstone at the end of the battle and that player has more total victory points than their opponent, they win a major victory. Their warriors return to their hideout to work out a plan to share the reward among the survivors.

If one player controls the Barrel of Emberstone at the end of the battle and that player has fewer total victory points than their opponent, they win a minor victory. While they escape with a decent amount of emberstone, their paymaster will require more treasures! Their adventuring days are not yet over…

If neither player controls the Barrel of Emberstone at the end of the battle but one player has more total victory points than their opponent, they win a minor victory. They slink back to their hideout, empty-handed but ready for the next adventure.

Any other result is a hard-fought draw!

In this series of questions and answers, the rules-writing team respond to players’ queries and explain how the rules are intended to be used.

Q: Are relics counted as terrain features for abilities such as ‘Strike and Fade’?
A: No.