Setup

To set up a game of the Runewars Miniatures Game, proceed through the following steps in order.

1. **Build Armies:** For a standard game, each player builds an army that costs 200 or fewer points. See more info.
2. **Define Play Area and Gather Components:** Establish a 3' by 6' play area on a flat surface. The players sit across from each other on the 6' edges of the play area and place their units, cards, and command tools off the play area. Then, they assign ID tokens to their units if necessary.
	* The edges of the play area and all area outside the play area are treated as obstacles.
	* The recommended play area is 3' by 3' for a game using only the core set.
3. **Determine First Player:** The player whose army has the lowest point total chooses which player starts as the first player; the first player takes the round counter, sets it to “1,” and places it near his edge of the play area. If both players’ armies have the same point total, choose random which player chooses the first player.
4. **Choose Deployment and Objective:** Separately shuffle the objective cards and deployment cards, then deal three of each faceup on the play area. The first player chooses one of the six cards and discards the other two cards of the same type as the card he chose. Then, the other player chooses one of the remaining three cards and discards the two cards not chosen. The two chosen cards determine the deployment and objective for the game and are placed near the play area.

The player that chose the deployment card chooses either the red or blue deployment area as his own; the other player is assigned the remaining deployment area. Players measure out their respective deployment areas indicated on the chosen deployment card and mark them with the deployment markers.
5. **Place Terrain:** Shuffle the terrain  cards together. Then, deal out a number of cards equal to the number listed next to the defensive terrain icon on the chosen deployment card. Set aside the terrain pieces indicated on the defensive-terrain half of the dealt cards. Repeat this process for the number shown next to the dangerous terrain icon as well.

Then, starting with the player who chose the deployment card, the players take turns choosing pieces of set-aside terrain and placing them on the play area until all of them have been placed. Terrain cannot be placed at range  1–2 of the edge of the play area, at range 1–2 of other terrain, or touching either deployment area.
6. **Resolve Objectives:** Resolve any “Setup” instructions described on the chosen objective card.
7. **Deploy Units:** Starting with the first player, the players take turns deploying a single unit from their army within their respective deployment area. Players continue taking turns until all units have been deployed.
8. **Prepare Supply:** Remove the deployment markers from the play area. Place the boon tokens, bane tokens, wound tokens, and objective tokens in separate piles near the play area to create the supply. Then, shuffle the morale deck and place it facedown near the play area along with the range ruler, movement templates, and dice.
9. **Prepare Energy Tokens:** The first player prepares the energy  pool by casting the five energy tokens near the play area.

## FAQ

* **What happens if there is no legal placement option for a piece of terrain due to deployment zones or range to play area edges or other terrain?**
​​​​​​​If players cannot place a piece of terrain, that terrain is not placed in the play area.