Rules: Chain Mail

**Chain Mail: Adventures of Earthshine**

The world of Earthshine is broken. The chasm has brought on many new challenges and we hope that you can help us solve them. Join us in the underworld to gain the glory you deserve.

## General Information

Player Count: 1-4 Players

Suggested Age: 10+

Game Length: 60 Minutes

## Components

#### Starter Pack

* 4 Hero Cards
* 1 Time Card
* 1 Resource Card
* 1 Turn Card
* 1 Cube Card
* 4 Status Effect Mini Cards

#### Variable Components

Multiple options for these components have been released through the BGOTMC packages in 2019
* 1 Map
* 1 Monster Card
* 1 Quest Card
* 1 Treasure Card
* 1 Character (every second month)

#### Player-provided Components

* Three 6-sided dice
* Tokens to replace the Cube Card (optional)
	+ 1 Party token (Green disk)
	+ 4 Character cubes in each of 4 colors (Suggested: Blue, Yellow, Orange, Purple)
	+ 5 Health cubes (Red)
	+ 4 Resource cubes (Green)
	+ 1 Time cube (Green)
	+ 2 Enemy cubes (Grey)
	+ 3 Treasure cubes (Gold)
	+ 5 Quest cubes (Black)

## Characters, Monsters, Quests, and Maps

### Characters

The following characters have been released for Chain Mail:
* Argos, the Cleric (Starter Pack)
* Celynia, the Shepherd (February 2019 BGOTMC)
* Faylyn, the Ranger (Starter Pack)
* Jix, the Witch (Starter Pack)
* Orind, the Craftsman (Oktober 2019 BGOTMC)
* Remont, the Mushketeer (June 2019 BGOTMC)
* Runa, the Brute (December 2019 BGOTMC)
* Samear, the Thief (Starter Pack)
* Xander, the Wizard (April 2019 BGOTMC)
* Zoella, the Astrologist (August 2019 BGOTMC)

### Maps

The following maps have been released for Chain Mail:

* Bitterport Bay (May 2019 BGOTMC)
* Cave of Reina (Oktober 2019 BGOTMC)
* Everstorm Valley (April 2019 BGOTMC)
* Heart of the Chasm (September 2019 BGOTMC)
* Sea of Fortune (March 2019 BGOTMC)
* Shifting Sands (February 2019 BGOTMC)
* The Crypt of Zafinn (November 2019 BGOTMC)
* The Dragon's Mouth (January 2019 BGOTMC)
* The Glass Mirror (July 2019 BGOTMC)
* The Swamps of Sorrow (August 2019 BGOTMC)
* Underking's Domain (December 2019 BGOTMC)
* Wildfire (June 2019 BGOTMC)

### Monsters

The following monsters have been released for Chain Mail:
* Ancient Ooze / Plague Rats (February 2019 BGOTMC)
* Basilisk / Snakes (June 2019 BGOTMC)
* Chain Devil / Shadow (Oktober 2019 BGOTMC)
* Feast Worm / Changeling (December 2019 BGOTMC)
* Fungal Cluster / Wild Mushroom (May 2019 BGOTMC)
* Giant / Orc Grunt (August 2019 BGOTMC)
* Goblin Shaman / Orc Zombie (July 2019 BGOTMC)
* Golem / Bats (March 2019 BGOTMC)
* Silver Robot / Temporal Spiders (September 2019 BGOTMC)
* Skeletons / Necro Lich (January 2019 BGOTMC)
* Wildwood / Warthogs (April 2019 BGOTMC)

### Quests

The following quests have been released for Chain Mail:
* A Call to Arms (May 2019 BGOTMC)
* A Problematic Pest (September 2019 BGOTMC)
* All Seeing is Believing (August 2019 BGOTMC)
* Smoke & Mirrors (December 2019 BGOTMC)
* Tangles and Teeth (June 2019 BGOTMC)
* Tears of Earthshine (April 2019 BGOTMC)
* The Empty Cauldron (July 2019 BGOTMC)
* The Five Lost Children (March 2019 BGOTMC)
* The Goblin King (February 2019 BGOTMC)
* The Haunting of Wesley Crag (Oktober 2019 BGOTMC)
* The Sacred Mask (January 2019 BGOTMC)
* Welcome to Darkhill (November 2019 BGOTMC)

### Treasures

The following treasure cards have been released for Chain Mail:
* Blood Diamond (April 2019 BGOTMC)
* Cavern Map (September 2019 BGOTMC)
* Elixir of Ogre Strength (May 2019 BGOTMC)
* Enchanted Hourglass (November 2019 BGOTMC)
* Frostbite (July 2019 BGOTMC)
* Horn of Escape (Oktober 2019 BGOTMC)
* Iron Shield (February 2019 BGOTMC)
* Lightning Wand (December 2019 BGOTMC)
* Plate Armor (August 2019 BGOTMC)
* Resurrection Stone (June 2019 BGOTMC)
* Ring of Good Fortune (March 2019 BGOTMC)
* Winterthorn (January 2019 BGOTMC)

## Setup

Each player chooses a character, until 4 characters are chosen.
Choose a map, and place it in the center of the play area.
Place the time, resource, and turn/battle cards near the map, showing the turn reference side face-up.
Choose a quest card, a monster card, and a treasure card and place them near the map.
Place cubes as follows:

* Place the Party Token (green disk) on the #1 space on the map card.
* For each of the four characters, place two character cubes on each characters' starting spaces (highlighted in black), and place one underneath the turn card. Place the remaining four character cubes (one of each color) next to the resource card. These additional cubes may be unlocked as the game goes on.
* Place one red health cube on the top heart of each character card, signifying full health, and the remaining red health cube next to the monster card.
* Place one green resource cube on each of thes starting spaces (highlighted in black) of the resource card.
* Place one green time cube on the time track at 22, unless stated otherwise in the quest instructions.
* Place one grey enemy cube next to the turn card, and the remaining grey enemy card near the enemy card.
* Place the up to three gold treasure cubes by the treasure card - one cube per possible use of the epic treasure shown on the card. For example, the Iron Shield can be used three times, so you would place three cubes next to the card, but the Ring of Good Fortune has an ongoing effect, so you would place only a single cube to show that there is only a single ring.
* Place the five black quest cubes by the quest card.
* Follow any additional instructions on the Quest, Monster, Map, or Treasure cards.

You are now ready to begin!

## Gameplay

The game will be played in a series of turns in which you do the following, in order. Use the turn card as a quick reference and also to track your characters' actions.

1. Stay or Move
2. Roll for Trouble
3. Adventuring or Battle
4. End of Turn

### Stay or Move

Choose whether the party will stay in the current space or move.

* Stay - Spend 1 food to stay in the space you are in.
* Move - Move to an adjacent space. You may not move through a wall unless a character is on a Pick Lock icon on their card. Then, check the map to see any terrain modifiers.

### Roll for Trouble

Roll one die for each skull icon in the space you are in, plus one additional die if you just moved into this space. Check the results.

* DOUBLES = Trap
	+ If doubles are rolled, you have triggered a trap. Check the map to see the immediate effect.
* ANY 6's = Battle
	+ If any die shows a 6, you will enter battle. See Battle section below.

If no Battle takes place, proceed to Adventuring.

### Adventuring

Each character takes a turn in any order the player(s) would like.

A turn consists of manipulating the character cubes according to the character-specific rules. If you move to a battle icon during this time, then you are preapring for potential batter on the next turn. If you move to an adventure icon, take the action immediately.

When a hero has completed their turn, take the hero cube that is next to the Turn card and place it on an Activated Hero space.

If a hero has fallen (reached 0 health) due to terrain, effects, traps, or anything else, they will not take an action that turn.

Once all characters have taken their turn, proceed to End of Turn.

### Battle

When a battle occurs, you will use the back side of the Turn card. Each character and the monster will have their own column (no two cubes can ever be in the same column). Everyone begins in the battle row, though characters may work their way into other rows (prep, flank, hide, taunt) for a variety of reasons.

**Determine Monster**

Roll a single die to see which monster shown on the Monster card you will be battling. Each monster card will show the range of dice for each monster type. If you roll a number shown in black, you have been ambushed.

Place the red health cube on top of the specified health, and place any additional cubes that might be called for on the monster card. Also, take a moment and note any special powers the monster may have.

**Place Character Cubes**

First, place the grey monster cube on their location, as highlighted on the monster card, then place the character cubes:

* AMBUSH: If, when rolling to determine the monster, you rolled a number shown in black, randomize the four character cubes and place them into the battle line.
* NO AMBUSH: If you did not roll a number shown in black when determining the monster, place the character cubes into the battle line in an order of your choice.

**Quick Attack**

Any character who previously prepped for battle (they moved onto a battle space in the previous turn), in order from left to right based on their cube's position on the Battle card, may each make an immediate attack against the monster.

**Battle Step 1: Monster Attacks**

Roll a single die to determine the monster's attack.

The monster card will show the range of the monster, and if the die result matches a space (or spaces) on the battle card, the character occupying that space will take damage. Each monster shows how much damage they deal on a successful attack.

When a character takes damage, reduce their heart track by the amount of damage that was dealt.

If any fallen heroes are hit by the monster attack, the party will lose 1 resource of their choice, maximum of 1 resource per monster attack, regardless of the number of fallen heroes that are hit.

**Battle Step 2: Characters Attack or Move**

Characters, in order from left to right according to cube position on the battle card, may each take one action: Act or Move.

**Act**
If you chose to act with a character, you will move cubes on the character card using that character's normal rules for cube movement. If you land on a battle icon, the character attacks immediately, as long as they are in a row which allows Battle actions. If you land on an adventure icon, it will take effect as long as they are in a row that allows Adventure actions.
HIDE: Adventure actions only
PREP: Adventure or Battle actions
BATTLE: Battle actions only
FLANK: Adventure or Battle actions
TAUNT: Adventure actions only
Additionally, the bottom two rows (Flank and Taunt) provide additional bonuses.
FLANK: Melee attacks are also diagonal.
TAUNT: If any characters are attacked, the character in this row will take the damage instead.
After moving onto a valid Battle action, you must roll a single die equal to or higher than the monster's defense value.
**Move**
Instead of Acting, you may choose to move a character one space up or down within their column on the Battle card, or switch places with any other character (their cubes do not need to be adjacent).
If you swap places, it takes effect after the second character's movement action, and counts as the movement action for both characters that turn.
If the monster has not been defeated, return to Battle Step 1. The next round of battle begins and the monster attacks.

If the monster has been defeated, take the rewards shown on the Monster card and go to End of Turn.

If a hero has fallen (reaches 0 health), they are removed from battle. Their cube remains in position, but another character may swap positions with it on their turn.

### End of Turn

At the end of the turn, you will do the following, in order:

1. Reduce the time track by 1.
2. Remove up to one status effect.
3. Revive any fallen heroes to full health, and reduce the time track one additional step for each hero that was revived.
4. If you have time remaining, start the next turn.

## Game End

The game ends if either of these conditions are met:

* All four heroes fall in the same battle.
* You reach the final box of the Turn card when advancing the time at the End of Turn

## Scoring

The final score for a game is calculated by adding the value of the current Time track square, plus one point for each resource gained (food, money, experience, and levels).

## Credits

Design: Jason Tagmire & Jason Greeno

Art: Marty Cobb

Graphic Design: Jason Greeno

Writing: Bryan Fischer