warfleets-advanced-rules

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Template Movement Rules

Template movement rules are optional rules that change how models move, using a set of standard templates instead of measuring distances. These rules also replace the standard game phases, allowing for simultaneous movement, combat, and destruction.

These rules add a new degree of challenge to Grimdark Warfleets, as players must plan out the movement of all of their ships and squadrons ahead of time, write the movement orders (secretly), and then move ships accordingly.

Changes to Movement

Under these rules, models use Move, Cruise, Hold, and Ramming actions, however the speed of each action determines how much “template distance” the model will move. For example, a ship with a move speed of 5” could move using templates “3↖️(bank-left), 2⬆️(straight)” resulting in 5” of “template movement”.

If a ship performs a cruise action, using templates up to its cruise speed, they may not fire weapons (as per the normal Cruise action rules).

Additionally, a ship that is performing a move action may pivot up to 90 degrees (as per normal Move action rules). Using templates, the pivot may be broken up into two “banks” such as ”2↖️(bank-left), 1↖️(bank-left)” or a single turn such as ”1⬅️(turn-left)”. Similarly, a ship performing a cruise action may pivot up to 45 degrees (as per normal Cruise action rules). This means that a ship performing a cruise action may not perform a “turn”, such as ”1⬅️(turn-left)”, since a turn template is pivot of more than 45 degrees.

Squadrons, as per standard rules, may pivot as many times as they like. This means that squadrons may turn or bank as much as their movement speed allows. For example, a squadron with a move speed of 10” could use move templates ”3↖️(bank-left), 1↖️(turn-left), 5⬆️(straight), and 1↗(turn right)” for a total of 10”.

The movement orders must be followed exactly during the next phase (movement phase).

NOTE - Numbered movement templates are used to represent movement speeds. If players are using standard X-Wing movement templates, then Warfleets ship speeds should be halved. This is because standard X-Wing movement templates are not measured in inches. But if players halve the speed of their warfleets ships/squadrons, then using standard X-Wing movement templates works pretty well.

New Game Phases

Under these rules there are four new phases which replace the standard rules round phases. Importantly, all ships (regardless of size) now plan, move, fire, and are destroyed at the same time (simultaneously). The new phases are: Planning, Movement, Firing, and End.

Planning Phase

Each player secretly writes movement orders for each model (ships and squadrons). Movement orders must be written to indicate which template(s) a ship will be using to move. For example, a medium ship’s orders may be written as “3↖️, 2⬆️” which means that a ship will first move using the “3 bank-left” template, and then move using the “2-straight” template - for a total of 5” of movement.

Another example might be orders written as “1⬅️, 5⬆️, 2⬆️” which means movement of “1 turn-left” template, then move “5 straight” template, followed by “2 straight” template - for a total of 8” of movement.

A template “movement sheet” is provided so that players may conveniently write orders for each model as the game rounds progress.

Movement Phase

After movement orders are written and players agree to move to the next phase. The movement phase begins and each player executes movement orders for all models. It does not matter who moves first or last, and players may take turns executing movement, or move their models at the same time, whichever they prefer.

Models move through or past all other models during template movement. However, if models are overlapping at their final positions, standard overlapping rules apply and should be resolved.

Ramming is successful if the ramming ships overlap the movement templates the target, or if the ramming ship overlaps the final position of the target. If either of these conditions are met, resolve ramming as per the standard rules.

Firing Phase

After all movement is completed, the firing phase begins. Each player rolls attack dice for all attacks across all of their ships, and defending players roll their defense dice, and marks damage to ships/systems as per normal attack/defense rules.

All ships fire are technically firing simultaneously which means that even if a weapon or system’s damage boxes are checked off, the weapon or system is not destroyed until the next (end) phase. This means that even a ship which has been shot or taken enough damage to be destroyed, it still gets to fire its weapons unaffected by the hits it is currently taking.

End Phase

Once all ships have fired all weapons, and damage boxes have been marked accordingly. Remove destroyed ships from the battlefield, and note any systems or weapons that have been destroyed. Then perform standard round cleanup activities such as removing activation and other tokens from the battlefield. Then, begin the next round starting with a new Planning Phase.

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