Or are you a battle-hardened veteran looking for a new challenge? Either way, open play games are one of the best ways to get started, providing you with almost limitless options and flexibility. Brilliant ideas are sometimes the simplest, and open play games of Warhammer Age of Sigmar epitomise this. Open play is a style of gaming that allows you to take to the battlefield with any army, made up of any Citadel Miniatures from your collection — no restrictions. All you need to play an open play game are your painted miniatures, their warscrolls, the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet, a set of dice, a tape measure, and a flat surface on which to play. Then, just set up your models and start having fun! You can add extra dimensions to your open play games by incorporating any of the rules or guidelines that appear in this and other Warhammer Age of Sigmar books, such as battleplans and Time of War rules. Alternatively, you can conjure up your own scenarios, creating new special rules or adapting existing ones to suit your needs.

This style of gaming is perfect for beginners, who may not yet own a complete collection of miniatures. Also ideal for those thinking of starting new collections, it allows battles to be fought with just a few units of the models you plan to collect, so that you can see how they perform on the tabletop. Open play games allow the broadest choice of army selection, allowing the greatest degree of freedom for collecting miniatures and building an army. Rather than structuring your collection around a particular allegiance see page , you can be inspired by the diverse and mystical nature of the realms, or simply by the models you most admire. You can even deploy every last miniature you own in a battle of apocalyptic proportions, or set yourself unusual challenges. Besides giving you freedom to do more on the battlefield, open play games are also perfect for battles between multiple players.

Here, a third player brings their scavenger packs of Crypt Ghouls into the battle. The creatures rampage around the table, gobbling up the fallen, or perhaps striking a nefarious bargain with one side or the other. In open play, the types of battles you fight are limited only by your imagination. With so much scope for fun and creativity, open play is one of the most accessible and enjoyable gaming styles, so what are you waiting for? Grab your miniatures and give open play a try! Multiplayer games help tap into this incredible variety and invite exciting, radically different styles of battle to boot. Warhammer Age of Sigmar games are conventionally played between two people, but battling it out with several players lends the game a somewhat different dynamic, and requires only a few easy modifications to the rules on the rules sheet.

Gathering around a tabletop in the thick of the action makes for a great shared experience, and including more players offers a host of practical benefits. Should you find yourself with three players on hand, a multiplayer battle means that no one needs to sit it out. Of course, the real joy of multiplayer games is the social aspect. One of the quickest ways to arrange a multiplayer game is for two or more players to join up and fight as a team. The Age of Sigmar is, after all, an age of grand alliances, and the Coalition of Death rules in this section are a great representation of this. Every new alliance brings with it a host of new challenges, from making the most of army composition by selecting complementary forces, to seeing that the armies fight in a mutually supportive manner.

In the perfect two-army alliance, the strengths of one army will counterbalance the weaknesses of the other, allowing the fighting styles of the two to work in unison to startling effect. A great example would be a team with Stormcast Eternals and seraphon — both Chaos-hating armies from the Celestial Realm of Azyr. By teaming up with the more lightly armed but magically enhanced seraphon, both armies gain power beyond their individual limitations. Team games can also be a boon for new players or those thinking about collecting a new army. Teaming up with a skilled veteran is a great way to learn the nuances of tabletop wargaming, while those dabbling with a new force can see how it might fight and fare in a larger game. A Games Master acts as the storyteller and grand manipulator, commanding the elements of the environment and the battlefield itself. As an impartial participant, they can indiscriminately hinder the warring parties however they see fit, from invoking wild storms and sigmarite comet strikes, to unleashing a stampede of rampaging monsters.

These brutal free-for-alls make for target-rich battlefields, and are great for impromptu mid-game deals and secret strategies. But beware — fighting multiple opponents means you have to always watch your back and defend on multiple fronts. However, it is equally enjoyable to play multiplayer games, either between teams of players, or between three or more players each striving separately to defeat their opponents! COALITION OF DEATH Two mighty confederations of warriors face off to do battle. Each consists of a coalition of armies, drawn together with the common purpose of defeating the opposing alliance. A Coalition of Death battle is fought between two sides, each consisting of a team of players. To play a Coalition of Death game, you must have three or more players.

The battle can be fought using any of the battleplans for Warhammer Age of Sigmar — all you need to do is split the players into teams, with each team taking one side in the forthcoming battle. We have also included two new battleplans in this book pages that are designed for use with the Coalition of Death rules. to the players on the same team are treated as a combined force during set-up and during the battle. GENERALS AND WARLORDS Each player picks a general for their army as normal. You must also pick one player from each coalition to be its warlord. This is often the player fielding the largest force. If, at any time during the game, the coalition cannot decide in what order to carry out actions, then the warlord has final say on the order of events. In addition, if a dice needs to be rolled for the team, the warlord makes the dice roll.

Where individual players would normally alternate taking actions, the teams alternate taking actions, with each player in the team being allowed to carry out their actions. For example, in the combat phase, each player on one team would be allowed to attack with one of their units, then each player on the other team, and so on. The same principle applies during setup. Finally, it is worth noting that attempts to unbind a spell are limited to one attempt per team, rather than one attempt for each player on the team. There is only ever one chance to unbind a successfully cast spell! You will soon learn that the key lies in coordinating your efforts.

It is very easy to focus on your own goals and desires, while not noticing that helping an ally could give your team victory. Split the players into two teams, using any method you prefer. The two teams can be made up of different numbers of players. Each of the players then chooses an army as described on the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet. Each player commands the models they have provided to the coalition, and is allowed to decide what they do, how they move and so on, and they make all of the dice rolls for their own units.

Despite this, the armies belonging FIGHTING THE BATTLE Instead of each player taking a turn during a Coalition of Death game, each team takes a turn. Because of this, a wise warlord will always take some time at the start of each round to look at the bigger picture and talk to their sub-commanders, in order to lead the alliance to victory. All are hated foes, and there can be only one winner. Each player must attempt to defeat all of their opponents, using any means at their disposal, in order to win the battle. After the first player has finished their turn, the players that have not yet had a turn roll a dice, rolling again in the case of a tie.

The player that rolls highest decides who will take the next turn in that battle round. After that player has finished their turn, the remaining players roll again to see who gets the next turn, and so on, until all of the players have had a turn. Then, the battle round is over and a new one begins. Each player then chooses an army as described on the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet. Each battle round is split into three or more turns — one for each player. At the start of each battle round except the first, players roll a dice, rolling again in the case of a tie.

The player that rolls highest decides who takes the first turn in that battle round. The player whose turn it is picks a unit to attack with. After these attacks are resolved, the remaining players each pick a unit to attack with, in an order decided by the player whose turn is taking place. Models can be used to attack any enemy models, not just those belonging to the player whose turn is taking place. The player whose turn it is tests first, and they then decide the order in which the other players will take their battleshock tests. The players attack in this order until all eligible units have attacked. No unit can be selected to attack more than once in each combat phase.

Remember that only one player is allowed an attempt to unbind a successfully cast spell — if several players wish to do so, then the player whose turn is taking place can choose which one gets the privilege of making the attempt. You must be able to set your foes against each other, form temporary alliances, and know when to stab someone in the back before they do the same thing to you. In other words, a successful general needs to be willing to use underhand ploys and tactics in order to win a battle! COALITION OF DEATH: KING OF THE HILL One army, horribly outnumbered and surrounded on all sides, must hold out as long as possible against a host of foes.

The defenders know that, although they are almost certainly doomed, if they fight well their tale will enter legend. It is best played over the course of several sessions, though dedicated players could complete it in a single day. The players must use the same army in each game that they play, and if any Time of War rules are used, the same ones should be used in all of the battles. THE ARMIES This is a battleplan for three to five players. Each player can field an army consisting of up to six units. The units being used cannot be larger than double the minimum size shown on their warscroll, and only one model in each army can have a Wounds characteristic greater than If a terrain feature representing a hill is available, set it up at the centre of the battlefield. The same battlefield is used for all of the games. SET-UP At the start of each game, split the players into two teams. One team commands the doomed defenders, and consists of a single player and their army.

The player chosen must be one that has not yet commanded the doomed defenders. The other team, known as the righteous avengers, consists of all the other players. The doomed defenders set up first, so that all models in their army are wholly within 12" of the centre of the battlefield. The righteous avengers set up second. Each player in the team picks a different edge of the battlefield, and must set up all of their models wholly within 9" of that edge, and more than 9" from any other edge. THE GENERALS Each player picks a general, as described on the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet. The righteous avengers must also pick a warlord. After picking their general, each player can roll on any allegiance abilities tables that they are allowed to use page VICTORY Keep a tally of the number of wounds the doomed defenders inflict on the enemy during the battle. If the doomed defenders manage to win the game, then they have achieved the most legendary of victories! Their commander immediately wins a major victory.

If, as is considerably more likely, the righteous avengers win the day, record how many rounds the battle lasted, and how many wounds the doomed defenders were able to inflict on the opposing armies, and then start the next battle in the series. If no player wins the series outright, the player who lasted longest as the doomed defenders is considered to be the winner of the series, and earns a major victory. In the case of a tie, the player who inflicted the most wounds as the doomed defenders achieves a major victory. If also tied for wounds inflicted, the tied players are considered to be joint winners, and each earns a minor victory. COALITION OF DEATH: THE FOG OF WAR Two forces march through the night to a foggy battlefield.

As the mist lifts, the armies find that they have become intermingled with units from the other side… THE ARMIES This is a scenario for three to six players, who are split into two teams after the armies have been set up see Creating the Coalition below. The battlefield is split into six territories as shown on the map below. SET-UP All of the players roll a dice, and the player who rolls highest must set up their army first. If there is a tie for the highest roll, all of the tied players roll again, until one player has the highest roll. After their army has been set up, the remaining players roll off again to see who sets up next. Continue doing this until all of the players have set up their armies. All the units that a player sets up must be placed in one unoccupied territory more than 6" away from any enemy models. After picking their general, each player can roll on any allegiance abilities tables that they are allowed to use see page CREATING THE COALITION LAURELS OF VICTORY After all players have set up, they must split into two coalitions.

Take a number of dice equal to the number of players. The dice must be in two different colours we have used red and white below, but any two will do. Players 3 4 5 6 Red Dice 2 2 3 3 White Dice 1 2 2 3 Place the dice in a mug or similar container, and then have each player draw one out at random. All of the players with a red dice are members of one coalition, and all of the players with a white dice are members of the other coalition. Each coalition now picks a warlord, and then the battle begins! TRIUMPHS Do not use the normal rules for triumphs. Instead, if one coalition has fewer players, then each player in it can roll on the triumph table.

Laurels of Victory are awarded during the battle as described below. The side with the most Laurels of Victory at the end of the fifth battle round achieves a major victory. Bloody Slaughter: Keep track of how many wounds each player inflicts during each battle round. At the end of each battle round, the player who inflicted the most wounds during that battle round earns 2 Laurels of Victory for their coalition. In the case of a tie, each of the tied players earns 1 Laurel of Victory. The Centre Ground: At the end of each battle round, the coalition with the most models within 6" of the centre of the battlefield earns 3 Laurels of Victory. Within moments, a bloody conflict erupts on all sides. THE ARMIES This is a scenario for three to six players, each with an army consisting of up to six units.

The battlefield is divided into six equally sized territories, as shown on the map below. SET-UP All of the players roll a dice, and the player who rolls highest sets up their army first. After the player that rolled highest has set up their army, the remaining players roll off again to see who sets up next. All the units that a player sets up must be placed in one unoccupied territory, and must be placed more than 3" away from any enemy models, and more than 12" from the centre of the table. TRIUMPHS Each player who won a major victory in their last battle may roll on the triumph table on the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet. battlefield earns one Laurel of Victory for each other player taking part in the battle. For example, in a battle with five players, a player would earn four Laurels of Victory for controlling the centre ground.

LAURELS OF VICTORY Laurels of Victory are awarded throughout the battle for slaying enemy forces, accomplishing heroic deeds, and capturing the centre ground. At the end of each battle round, the player who inflicted the most wounds during that battle round gains two Laurels of Victory, and the player who scored the second highest total gains one Laurel of Victory. In the case of a tie, all of the tied players earn the Laurels of Victory so if two players tied for the most wounds, both would earn two Laurels of Victory. The Centre Ground: At the end of each battle round, the player with the most models within 3" of the centre of the Cut off the Head: Players gain one Laurel of Victory each time an enemy HERO is slain gain three instead if an enemy general is slain.

VICTORY The battle continues for five battle rounds. If only one player has models remaining at the end of any round, they win a major victory. Otherwise, the player with the most Laurels of Victory wins a major victory. THE ARMIES This is a scenario for three to six players. The battlefield has six territories, each of which stretches 12" onto the battlefield, as shown on the map below. TRIUMPHS VICTORY Each player who won a major victory in their last battle may roll on the triumph table on the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet. To do this, add the current round number to the number of players and then add the roll of a D3 — if the total is 12 or more then the game ends.

Each player is allowed to bring on one unit of their reinforcements in each of their hero phases. The unit must be set up in the territory in which the player set up their army, with all models within 6" of the edge of the battlefield and more than 3" from any enemy models. When the battle ends, the player whose general is carrying the artefact wins a major victory. If the artefact is not being carried by a general, the player with the most models within 6" of the artefact wins a minor victory. If no player has the most models within 6" of the artefact, the game is a tie. THE ARTEFACT The artefact that is being fought over should be represented by a small counter, no larger than 1" by 1". A coin will do, but a suitable model representing the artefact is even better! Place the artefact at the very centre of the battlefield. SET-UP All of the players roll a dice, and the player who rolls highest sets up first. The player that rolled highest sets up three units from their army, and then the remaining players roll off again to see who sets up next.

Continue doing this until all of the players have set up three units from their armies. The three units that a player sets up must be placed in one unoccupied territory. All remaining units enter play as reinforcements as described below. Put the artefact next to the general to show that they are now carrying it. A general with the artefact keeps it until they flee or are slain, at which point they immediately drop the artefact in the exact position they occupied prior to being removed. Once dropped, the artefact can be picked up again. Their armies converge on the location, and the prize will go to the general who proves their overwhelming might in the resulting battle.

VICTORY At the end of each battle round, the players must check to see whether the game ends. When the battle ends, you must determine who controls each territory. To do this, each player adds up the Wounds characteristics of the models they have in the territory a model on the border must be allocated to one of the territories it is in, it does not count for more than one. The player with the highest total controls the territory. In the case of a tie, no player controls the territory. The battlefield is divided into seven territories, as shown on the map below. After the player who rolled highest has set up their army, the remaining players roll off again to see who sets up next. Each player can roll a dice to determine their territory, or simply choose.

The player who controls the most territories at the end of the battle wins a major victory. If there is a tie, the player who controls the central territory wins a major victory, even if they control fewer territories than any other players. If there is a tie, and no player controls the central territory, the battle is a draw, and nobody wins! The wearer can use the crown to unleash death and destruction upon anyone nearby. THE TOWER At the centre of the battlefield stands a tower — the Tower of Screaming Death — which is best represented by one of the following models: Deathknell Watch, Overlord Bastion, Skull Keep, Watchtower, or Witchfate Tor.

The player who rolled highest sets up their army, and then the remaining players roll off again to see who sets up next. THE TOWER OF SCREAMING DEATH A player that has a garrison in the Tower of Screaming Death in their hero phase is allowed to use the Crown of Command. When they do so, they must inflict D3 mortal wounds on each and every enemy unit on the battlefield! CAPTURING THE TOWER If a unit attacks the garrison of the tower in the combat phase and, as a result, the tower is left with no garrisoning models, then the attacking unit can immediately move into the tower and garrison it itself. Sometimes, they may decide it is prudent to evacuate the tower rather than be overwhelmed by a horde of angry foes.

To represent this, if the garrison is chosen as the target of an enemy attack in the combat phase, after the attack has been resolved, and providing the garrison unit was not slain, the garrison can abandon the tower. If they do so, they immediately exit the tower as if doing so in their own movement phase. The unit that was attacking them can then immediately take their place in the tower. VICTORY The battle continues until only one player has any models on the battlefield or in the tower. That player wins a major victory. Narrative play is all about enacting such tales on your own battlefield. Throughout the Mortal Realms, relentless battles of conquest and survival are being fought between the forces of Order, Chaos, Death and Destruction. Just as you might expect, recreating these sprawling conflicts on the tabletop is a hugely popular part of the Games Workshop hobby, allowing you to make the sagas truly your own. Put simply, narrative play is a gaming style that ties the battles you play on your tabletop to the stories of the Mortal Realms.

In this section you will find guidelines to help you build a themed army, play battles based on historical tales, and structure campaigns of linked games to tell an even more epic story. Most games of Warhammer Age of Sigmar tell a story. Every time players get together and talk about why their armies might be fighting each other, they are working out a narrative game. Once objectives have been decided, there are endless ways to build that story into the game. This element of planning and storytelling sets narrative play apart from open play, embedding the games firmly into the worlds of the Mortal Realms. The stories set out in the various Warhammer Age of Sigmar publications are there to provide a setting for your collections of Citadel Miniatures. Some of these tales are about specific individuals, like the famous Vandus Hammerhand of the Hammers of Sigmar, and some present events in a more open context.

All of them, however, can provide inspiration for games you might want to play. Recreating a battle from the history of the Mortal Realms is a great place to start, as there are so many different types of battles to choose from, such as fighting to retrieve a relic, stop a ritual or take control of a Realmgate. With only a little effort, however, it is just as satisfying to use those battleplans as frameworks for making up your own stories, tailored particularly to your own collections. Planning a narrative game is often just as fun as playing the game itself, as it lets you really unleash your imagination. Angered by the presence of strange armies, it shakes like a cornered animal, causing earthquakes, landslides and buildings to crash down upon the armies who march across it. The battleground could be a volcanic lair in a monster-filled forest, or a barren plain in the middle of a magicdraining blizzard.

for one game to planning a story that extends across several. Linking games together in a campaign provides scope for you to create your own saga. Once they have captured the sacred relic in one game, for example, the victor might find themselves being challenged to a rematch. This time, however, the victor has access to the power of the sacred relic and can use it against their foe! The only limitations to a narrative game are those of the narrative itself — which you get to create! Small and large armies, one-off games or campaigns, simple or complex additional rules — all of the parameters are up to you and your opponent, ensuring that the games you play build on and support the legends of your collections.

The Realmgate Wars series of books are a great example of this, and they provide a perfect jumping-off point for anyone interested in recreating events from that tumultuous period of the Age of Sigmar. These books provide battleplans that allow you to play narrative games based on the tales you read there, but they can also serve another purpose. With minor tweaks, these battleplans can help you construct your own narratives. For example, Battleplan: Raging Fury see page 26 describes a clash between the mighty Skarbrand and a force of seraphon, but if you wish, you can use it to represent any battle between a powerful beast and an army of smaller, but resilient, opponents. Perhaps a stranded Stardrake is fighting off a brutal mob of Bonesplitterz, or a band of Fyreslayers are attempting to bring down a lone Terrorgheist.

This battleplan can also be played as part of a narrative campaign. REALMGATE WARS: RAGING FURY Battles are usually fought between two armies, but this is not always the case in the Mortal Realms. Some battles will see a single monstrous opponent take on an army of foes — one gargantuan creature against a horde of smaller enemies! The blows that the monster strikes will smash down a score of its foes, but there will be plenty more to take their place, each one stabbing and slashing at the huge creature and slowly wearing down its mighty strength. In such a battle, the monster must rely on its brutal killing power, while its opponents will need to use more guile and planning, sacrificing some units in order to allow others the freedom to attack from range or use spells to bring the monster down.

However, no army can be expected to keep fighting against a monstrous foe indefinitely. Unless the monster is slain before too long, the warriors opposing it could start to lose heart, and eventually quit the battle altogether. Decide who will command each side before picking your armies. Standing at the centre of the battlefield is a single monstrous creature — it must be slain for you to win this battle! Although nothing in your army is capable of achieving this deed on its own, between you the monster can be cut down. You will have to sacrifice some of your warriors in order to slow the creature down, holding it in place by selling their lives as the rest of your army moves into position to deliver a final killing blow. The player who wishes to command the monster army simply picks one MONSTER to be their army. All around you stands an army of foes, but they are as ants to you, and you will punish them for the effrontery of challenging you.

You will smash them down, not giving them a chance to catch breath, until they realise the foolishness of fighting you in open battle and flee from your wrath. A piece of scenery must be placed at the centre of each quarter of the battlefield, as shown on the map below. In order to banish the monster, it must be lured towards a point on the battlefield where a gateway can be called forth to transport it away. SET-UP The monster is set up first, at the centre of the battlefield. The opposing player then sets up one unit from their army within each quarter of the table.

All the models from the units must be set up within their quarter, and more than 8" away from the monster. All of the remaining units from the army of foes are set up in reserve, and will arrive during the battle as described below. These points are each represented by a piece of scenery, as shown on the map on the previous page. Before setting up, the player commanding the army of foes must pick one of the pieces of scenery, and secretly note down their choice on a piece of paper. Their choice is revealed if the gateway is used. The gateway can be called forth once during the battle, if the monster arrive must be set up with all models within their area and within 6" of the edge of the battlefield, and more than 8" away from the monster. This counts as their move for that movement phase. is within 6" of the selected piece of scenery in a hero phase. Roll a dice, and measure the range from the monster to the scenery.

If the roll is equal to or greater than the range between the two in inches, the monster is drawn through the gateway and the battle ends. Otherwise, the battle continues, and the gateway cannot be called forth again. The Bravery of all units in the army of foes is reduced by 1 on the second battle round, by 2 on the third round, by 3 on the fourth round, and so on. FIRST TURN VICTORY Each player rolls a dice, and whoever rolls highest decides who will have the first turn in the first round. In the case of a tie, the monster player chooses. AN ARMY OF FOES The monster is surrounded by its foes. Although only a handful of foes are on the battlefield at the start, more units keep on arriving all the time. RAGING FURY The player in command of the army of foes is allowed to bring on units from their reserves each turn after their first. The monster can pile in and attack twice in each combat phase, instead of only once. In addition, the monster immediately heals one wound each time an enemy unit is set up on the battlefield.

Do not use any of the victory conditions from the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet. Instead, keep track of the number of models that are slain or that flee during the battle. The game ends and the monster wins a major victory if 30 or more enemy models have fled or been slain. If there are no foes on the battlefield at the start of a battle round, the monster has total command of the battlefield and also wins a major victory. The army of foes wins a major victory if the monster is slain, and a minor victory if it is banished. REALMGATE WARS: HOLD OR DIE Few tales are as dramatic as the heroic last stand. Outnumbered, facing desperate battle against an overwhelming foe, one force must dig in their heels and hold on until reinforcements arrive.

Whatever you decide, this is sure to be a battle loaded with tense, desperate drama. THE ARMIES Each player picks an army, and then they must decide who will be the invader and who will be the custodian. If one player has at least a third more models than their opponent, then they must be the invader. Otherwise, each player rolls a dice, and whoever rolls higher is the invader. The general of each army has a unique command ability, shown opposite, in addition to any others they have. Fortunately, help is near at hand, but you must still hold out long enough for it to arrive.

You will need to balance aggression with tenacious defence. Your objectives are for your surrounded force to survive, and for the enemy that surrounds you to be annihilated! If your general uses this ability, he, and all units from your army that are within 12" of him, cannot move, charge or pile in until your next hero phase. However, until then you can re-roll all failed save rolls for these units. The lands around you have long been subjugated, and you did not expect to suddenly find an enemy force in your midst. How or why it has arrived you do not know, but that matters very little to you — the enemy are outnumbered and surrounded, and will shortly all be dead! Your plan is a simple one, destroy the foe before any help can arrive to save them. If your general uses this ability, pick D3 units from your army that are within 12" of him.

Add 1 to all hit rolls and subtract 1 from all save rolls that you make for the units that you pick until your next hero phase. Broken plains are dotted with the ruins of long-destroyed settlements. The only vegetation that remains are small stands of deformed trees — no other living thing can survive in this desolate landscape for long. You can either generate the scenery for this battle as described on the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet, or use the example scenery shown on the map on the previous page. SET-UP Do not use the set-up instructions on the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet.

Instead, before setting up, the invader must split their army into a starting force and a set of reinforcements. There must be at least twice as many reinforcing models as there are starting models. Next, the invader must determine their starting territory. To do so, the invader chooses any point on the battlefield. The players then take it in turns to set up units. The invader can only set up units from their starting force, anywhere in their territory. FIRST TURN In the first battle round the invader decides who will have the first turn there is no need to roll.

One must be part of the starting force, and the other part of his reinforcements. The invader must pick an edge of the battlefield after set-up is complete, secretly noting their choice on a piece of paper. All the models in the reinforcement units must be set up within 6" of that edge, more than 3" from the enemy. DEFIANT STAND! VICTORY After set-up, the invader can select a TOTEM in their army and declare that this model will not move until the enemy are defeated. If the invader does so, that model cannot move during the battle, but whilst it is alive, friendly units do not have to take battleshock tests.

In addition, when damage is inflicted upon the TOTEM, the invader can inflict that damage on a friendly unit within 3" instead. Do not use any of the victory conditions on the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet. This battleplan provides a set of rules for recreating such a battle, one in which the war in the heavens is as key to victory as the one taking place on the ground. Perhaps a dread coven of Soulblight Vampires seeks to invade the Glimmersand Isles under a pall of arcane darkness, while a powerful aelven archmage must do his best to drive it back? The enemy have forced a passage into your most sacred lands. Such an affront cannot be allowed. You must meet the enemy in battle and destroy them utterly. THE ARMIES Each player picks an army, and then must decide who will be the corruptor and who will be the guardian. If one player has at least a third more models than their opponent, then they must be the corruptor. Otherwise, each player rolls a dice, and whoever rolls higher may choose which they will be.

After many long years of searching for the last hidden enclave of your rival, total victory is finally within your reach. You have been granted the honour of delivering the decisive blow. Cut down your enemies and slay the storm-empowered avatar that leads them to achieve ultimate victory this day and ensure that your master can wrest control of the heavens. If he does so, subtract 2 from the Bravery of any enemy units within your territory until your next hero phase as they are tormented by ethereal voices and horrific visions. If he does so, set up a new unit of up to 10 models in your territory so that it is more than 12" from the enemy. This unit is added to your army and must share at least two keywords with your general. It cannot move in the movement phase of this turn. The skies above the battlefield heave in conflict as godly powers vie for supremacy, their unearthly might bolstering the strength and resolve of the warriors fighting below.

Instead, split the battlefield into two halves across its width as shown on the previous page. First the guardian sets up their entire army, more than 12" from enemy territory, then the corruptor does the same. FIRST TURN Use the instructions on the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet to determine who takes the first turn. At the start of each battle round, before rolling to see who takes the first turn, each player rolls a dice and adds 1 to the result if there are any PRIESTS in their army. If one player rolls higher, the storm front moves 6" away from their edge of the battlefield see map , increasing the size of their territory. The storm front can also be moved if the enemy general is killed or wounded see Avatar of the Storm. The guardian adds 1 to the result of any hit rolls he makes in the combat phase for models that are entirely within his territory.

The corruptor adds 1 to the result of any wound rolls he makes in the combat phase for models that are entirely within his territory. If they slew the enemy general during the turn, the storm front moves 18" instead of 6". For each wound a general heals, the storm front immediately moves 3" away from his edge of the battlefield. VICTORY Do not use any of the victory conditions on the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet. If this has not happened by the end of the sixth battle round, the player whose territory is the largest wins a minor victory. If both players have equally sized territories, the result is a draw. REALMGATE WARS: CONSUMED Comradeship and bloody sacrifice are part and parcel of life in the Mortal Realms. THE ARMIES Battles such as this are a race against time. The rescuers must cleave their way through the enemy forces arrayed against them in order to reach their comrade before it is too late.

The ritualists must try to keep the rescuers at arms length, blocking their advances and holding them in place long enough for the ritual to be completed. Neither side can afford to pause or hesitate, for to do so will quickly hand victory to a more aggressive opponent. This battle can be fought using any two armies. After the players have picked their armies, decide who will be the rescuer and who will be the ritualist. One of your battle comrades has been captured by a hated enemy, and you have learnt that they plan to sacrifice him in a bloody ritual. This cannot be allowed to happen! You have gathered your army and set forth to save your comrade from this ignoble fate. However, when you arrive at the sacrificial site, you find that the ritual is already underway.

No time remains — you must attack now, fight your way past any of the enemy that try to stop you, and rescue your comrade before he is slain. He is just the victim needed to complete a blood ritual that will empower you and your followers, allowing you to defeat the rest of the enemy army once and for all. However, just as the ritual starts, an enemy rescue force has arrived. These upstarts must be held off long enough for the ritual to be completed so that ultimate victory can be yours! Set up a suitable piece of scenery in a corner of the battlefield to represent the sacrifice site, as shown on the map on the previous page. We recommend using a Dragonfate Dais if one is available. On the other hand, PRIESTS from the rescuing army are sickened by what they feel and hear. Such is their desire to smite down those responsible that they are driven into a battle frenzy! In one corner of the battlefield lies the sacrifice site, which is surrounded by an area of rocky ground.

Instead of setting up a unit from their army on the battlefield, the player in command of the rescuers can place the unit to one side and say that it is sweeping round to arrive on the flank of the main battle force. All of the models in these units must be set up within 6" of the table edges indicated on the map this counts as their move for that phase. Units can be brought into battle from either or both of the available table edges. SET-UP Set up the two armies as described on the Warhammer Age of Sigmar rules sheet, but using the territories shown on the map on the previous page. THE PRISONER Before set-up begins, the rescuer must choose a model from their army to be the prisoner they are attempting to rescue. Any model can be chosen as long as it is not the army general, and as long as it does not have a Wounds characteristic greater than 6.

The prisoner must be placed on the sacrificial site. The victim is bound hand and foot, and so cannot move, attack, cast spells or use abilities during the battle. The model performing the ritual must be within 1" of the sacrificial victim. Each time a step of the ritual is performed, roll a dice; on a 1 nothing happens this turn, but on a 2 or more the victim suffers a mortal wound that cannot be stopped in any way and cannot be healed even by abilities that normally allow mortal wounds to be negated or wounds to be healed. This is the only way the victim can be harmed — they cannot lose wounds or be affected by spells or abilities in any other way.

The stolen life force can be used by the general or PRIEST to empower themselves or a unit from their army that is within 16" of the victim. The ritual is completed when the victim loses their last wound and is slain. VICTORY FIRST TURN The rescuer has the first turn in the first battle round do not roll dice to decide. Instead, the ritualist wins a major victory if the ritual is completed. The rescuer wins a major victory if the ritualist is unable to complete the ritual — this occurs once the enemy general and all ritualist PRIESTS have been slain. THEMED ARMIES If your battles tell a story, your collected miniatures are its lead characters.

Building the narrative of your collection is a hallmark of the Games Workshop hobby, and opens the gates for all sorts of building and painting opportunities for making your miniatures look great on the tabletop. Themed armies are collections that are built around a common backstory or unifying concept, often one inspired by the tales of the Mortal Realms. For example, you might wish to represent a force you have read about in a Warhammer Age of Sigmar novel or battletome, such as those described in the following story about a clash between Nagash and Archaon. Equally, you can base your collection on a story entirely of your own creation. You can also theme your collection around more specific aspects of a narrative, such as a particular character or location. If you found a story about Mannfred von Carstein enthralling, you might wish to create an army with his model as a focal point.

Some hobbyists might be intrigued by the possibilities of more abstract themes, such as an army made entirely of flying models or cavalry. Whatever theme you choose for your army, you will find it a useful tool for making your collection look and feel like an organised force on the tabletop. This might be a horde of Blood Warriors tattooed with the mark of Khorne, or a clan of sylvaneth decorated with the whorls of Harvestboon Glade. Similarly, an army might be visually themed around a colour scheme you find particularly eye-catching, such as the turquoise and gold armour of the Celestial Vindicators Stormhost. Warhammer Age of Sigmar battletomes and painting guides provide a wealth of information on heraldry and painting schemes to inspire your collections and support their background.

FORGING ALLIANCES Alliances can be formed for many reasons: out of necessity, to ensure the survival of both parties; for honour; to repay a debt; to acquire an elusive treasure; or to take down an opponent too powerful for one force alone. The Grand Alliance books offer a great starting point for these alliances. While a themed army may well be made up entirely of models from the same Grand Alliance, this does not always have to be the case. The Mortal Realms are constantly shifting and changing, presenting surprising new challenges and opportunities all the time. As such, forces that may once have been sworn enemies might suddenly find themselves fighting side by side in the name of death and glory.

These arrangements might be alliances in name only, the participants coming together solely to achieve their goal. In such an instance, it would make sense for them each to retain their unique heraldry and colour schemes. Other alliances are more permanent, however, and are built upon a lasting bond. Such armies can be painted to have a common theme that will make them look like a coherent force. You could make your army out of two or more distinct groups within the same faction: mixing different Stormhosts, Fyreslayer lodges or sylvaneth glades, for example. It might require a combined force of Astral Templars and Hammers of Sigmar to take down a rampaging Orruk Megaboss, or the duardin of the Vostarg and Greyfyrd to defeat a devious Gaunt Summoner.

You can draw upon the colour schemes of these different collections to maintain their distinct appearance, using the appropriate battletomes as reference. One way to tie allied models together is to paint their bases in the same style. Not only do well-detailed bases transform a unit of painted miniatures, but all the models will be linked in a subtle but effective way. If you want the theme to be more pronounced, you can create cross-faction banners or heraldry, which allow you to identify your forces in the heat of battle. With a little imagination you can recreate these battles with your armies on the tabletop and find out if history will repeat itself, or if your command can alter the course of fate. After reading about a specific battle, many players become inspired and wish to use similar themes in their own games.

Perhaps they will attempt a heroic last stand or adopt terrain or victory objectives in line with what they have read. Some players may even take their inspiration a step further, wanting to replicate not just the flavour of the battle that inspired them, but recreate the conflict exactly. For example, perhaps you have read The Realmgate Wars: Quest for Ghal Maraz and wish to refight the last battle of the Heldenhammer Crusade. To replay it, you would need one army of Stormcast Eternals and another of Lords of Change accompanied by their minions. Vandus Hammerhand would be represented by the Lord-Celestant on Dracoth warscroll, while the warscroll for Kairos Fateweaver can be found in Grand Alliance: Chaos.

You can keep the action focussed on these two characters if you wish, or expand the conflict to involve a wider army. This is just one example of a historical battle you can fight, and you will find inspiration for countless others in our books, from battletomes to Black Library novels. There might be a whole chapter dedicated to the battle you want to fight, or you might only be working from a brief story hinted at on the pages of White Dwarf. Crossed swords on maps mark the sites of past battles, their names receding into legend.

Artwork provides a window into the Mortal Realms, offering astounding details that can be translated to tabletop games. The stories of the Age of Sigmar are filled with such material, a treasure trove of clashes between great armies, and the meeting of gods, heroes and monsters in battle. If there is no battleplan for the battle you wish to enact, you may want to make up your own rules to suit the scenario. For example, in the battle between Vandus Hammerhand and Kairos Fateweaver, it might be fun to introduce a rule for Ghal Maraz that matches the way the legendary weapon is described in the story. Ultimately, the more details you discover or create about the armies, terrain, strategies employed, and any special circumstances, the more enjoyable your historical battle will be. Inventing rules, army lists and a modelled battlefield is part of the fun. There are myriad ways to approach recreating a battle from the past.

There is no right or wrong method, and players should experiment to find what works best for them and their gaming groups. Unlike a pick-up-and-play match against a regular opponent, replaying a historical battle takes some degree of planning. How much depends on the scale of the battle you are trying to bring to life. On the following pages you will find two stories that have been taken from our books and turned into playable battleplans, to serve as examples of how this process can play out. You will see how the narratives have been expanded and rules created to suit them. At the end of this section, you will find an illustrated guide to the highlights of one of these battles, complete with photography, to inspire your own storytelling.

In many cases, there will already be a battleplan that represents the event. Effectively a ready-made historical battle, battleplans feature all you need to recreate the clash on the tabletop. Conversely, if a battle is recounted in less detail, further research and perhaps a little innovation is called for. THE CLEARING OF THE WAY The Realmgate Wars were marked by countless battles as the Stormcast Eternals were hurled from the Heavens to seize key locations across the Mortal Realms. There is plenty of inspiration for historical battles in our range of Warhammer Age of Sigmar books. Eleven times were they defeated. Upon the twelfth lightning strike came the Celestant-Prime and none could stay his wrath. Soon the way was cleared. Located in the Sunderflats of the Realm of Aqshy, the Realmgate had long ago fallen into the hands of Chaos.

The Sunderflats were rich in mortal tribes, and the Blood God saw that these peoples could serve him — either corrupted into the ranks of his legions as slaves, or as yet more skulls to pile at the foot of his throne. Khorne, ever hungry to assert his dominance over his brother gods, sent forth his legions to hold the Emberport, allowing none but his own minions access to the Realmgate and the rich lands surrounding it. Thus, for many centuries, daemon legions and Bloodbound war throngs descended upon the Sunderflats until the land was fraught with incessant war. Shortly after re-opening the Gates of Azyr and sending forth his Stormcast Eternals to the Brimstone Peninsula, Sigmar next directed his armies in the direction of the Emberport Realmgate to retake it.

Too long had Khorne held an iron grip upon the region. Across the Mortal Realms, the Stormcast Eternals claimed many triumphs. Such was not the case at the Emberport. Take the plunge into Warhammer Age of Sigmar with the Harbinger box. This is the ideal way to begin your journey into the Mortal Realms. Download the all-new app right now, for free. Fully updated and designed for the new edition, you can read rules, check warscrolls, and craft armies in one place. Keep up with all of the latest news by checking out the Warhammer Community site and social media channels. Play the video. Previous Slide. Get Started. The Mortal Realms. Starter Sets. Opens the item overlay. The perfect introduction to the Mortal Realms Opens the item overlay.

The heroic Stormcast Eternals Opens the item overlay. The vicious Kruleboyz orruks Opens the item overlay. The gaming accessories you need to start playing Opens the item overlay. A condensed rulebook with heaps of epic lore Opens the item overlay.

The Best Rules Yet. Build armies of plastic warriors, paint your models, and take them to the tabletop to play fast-paced games and tell your own stories within the Mortal Realms. Thinking about taking your first steps into the Mortal Realms? The Warrior box is the fastest way to begin, including a booklet to ease you into the game, a condensed rulebook, a game board and terrain feature, measurers, dice, reference cards, and two balanced skirmish-sized forces. Take the plunge into Warhammer Age of Sigmar with the Harbinger box. This is the ideal way to begin your journey into the Mortal Realms. Download the all-new app right now, for free. Fully updated and designed for the new edition, you can read rules, check warscrolls, and craft armies in one place.

Keep up with all of the latest news by checking out the Warhammer Community site and social media channels. Play the video. Previous Slide. Get Started. The Mortal Realms. Starter Sets. Opens the item overlay. The perfect introduction to the Mortal Realms Opens the item overlay. The heroic Stormcast Eternals Opens the item overlay. The vicious Kruleboyz orruks Opens the item overlay. The gaming accessories you need to start playing Opens the item overlay. A condensed rulebook with heaps of epic lore Opens the item overlay. Stage epic battles in the Mortal Realms Opens the item overlay. Conquer the Mortal Realms with two powerful armies Opens the item overlay. Order Now. Learn to Play Play the video. Guide to the Game. Warhammer Age of Sigmar: The App The ultimate companion for gaming in the Mortal Realms. Try it for free! Download Now. Where To Buy Order Now.

Find Your Store. Independent Stockists. Stay Up to Date Keep up with all of the latest news by checking out the Warhammer Community site and social media channels. Check out this brooding Cities of Sigmar project.

Coming in at pages, the hardback will extend beyond the essentials, but Games Workshop says the digital core book should at at least help you get familiar with the changes that third edition is bringing. is within 6" of the selected piece of scenery in a hero phase. The monster can pile in and attack twice in each combat phase, instead of only once. At the start of each battle round except the first, players roll a dice, rolling again in the case of a tie. The wearer can use the crown to unleash death and destruction upon anyone nearby.

Categories:

• Movies
• Soft
• Files
• Music
• Games