The Runewars Unofficial Strategy Guide by Wanderer999 Page 1

An unofficial in-depth strategic guide to the ultimate fantasy war game on any table

V1.0

The Runewars Unofficial Strategy Guide by Wanderer999 Page 2

Contents

About the game………………………………………………………………………………….……………………..………. 3

Game Setup……………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………. 3

Objectives…………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………. 5

Cities………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………. 5

Influence…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……… 6

Tactics Cards……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7

Resources………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8

Military Force………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………….. 9

Titles………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12

Heroes……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 14

Miscellaneous …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 20

Game Combos…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 21

The Four Factions

Uthuk Y’llan……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 22

Latari Elves………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….. 26

Waiqar the Undying…………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….. 29

Daqan Lords………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….. 31

A Coming Expansion………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 34

Credits…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….... 36

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ABOUT THE GAME

Unlike other war games such as Risk etc, Runewars does not focus on battles and in fact, players can actually win the war without a single battle between players! So then is this a good thing? It actually depends on what type of person you are. For me, this makes it more ‘realistic’ in the sense that in the real world, war is always detrimental to both sides, however way you look at it. You can experience this very same feeling when you play Runewars. Alas, battles are still inevitable in certain cases, and you have to make do with the resources given. The game is also smartly designed to allow enough backstabbing to occur, keeping every player on their toes. Cards like Favorable Alliance make one worry over whether or not your opponent will return the favor if you aid him and stuff like that. So then what makes the game tick if it does not focus on battles? Collecting Dragon Runes! Just six will win you the game, the war, and the world of Terrinoth. Sound easy? Not when there are so many traps out there like False Runes and even cities to contest for. To me, this game is the ultimate one can get, an incredible balance between having enough fun factors to consider, and yet not enough to make it over-complicated and time consuming.

GAME SETUP

Question: How epic is this boardgame and how far do its strategies stretch?

Answer: Right from the start, at the very beginning when the very fabric of the world of Terrinoth is formed. That’s how soon the strategizing begins.

If you are looking for a fair game with as equal a chance as possible for all players, you can all agree to shape the world together so that everyone gets as fair a start point as possible. This method also quickens the process of forming the world since you can all easily take apart something not right and replace it elsewhere instead of having to redo everything from the start if you were playing the proper method of 1 tile per player till everything is on the table.

Then again, if you play the proper method, you get to execute your strategies right off the bat. I always look at three things in three priorities, namely Cities and Safe paths, followed by Rich Lands and finally by Blockers.

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Cities and Safe paths:

Try to look out for places where cities connect directly. These are ‘safe’ paths for any army to easily travel through without much resistance, both from the start (when there are no neutrals) and at the end of the game (when no strongholds can be built) It’s a double-edge sword that allows you to easily gain land and travel fast at the start of the game, but gives your foes an opening towards the later part of the war. Of course, you can always Raze the cities and build a stronghold in their place should the need arise!

Rich Lands:

The next thing to look out for is resources. Try to scan the land even as it is being formed, for the high resource lands, such as 1 ore & 2 woods, or 3 foods. These resources will aid you greatly and give you a major head-start if you can somehow place your realm near them from the start.

Blockers:

The last thing to look out for are the water and mountain borders. As someone who goes the soft direction of using Influence or Heroes to win the game, these guys will surely aid you in one way or another during the game when your enemy realizes he has to walk a big round to reach your doorstep. On the other hand, if you are using a military strong faction like the Waiqar, you may want to ensure those borders block you as little as possible from your ‘victims’.

If you‘re the second player, try to force extreme results during map setup. As you are the first one to choose your start corner, you should ensure there is one area that is significantly better than the others.

-Graf

In Runewars, much depends on the initial setup of the board, as well as the location of a player’s home realm. Ask yourself the following when making this important choice: Will you have access to the resources you’ll need in the early game, namely food? Are you hemmed in by a choke point, a position that is both blessing and curse? Will you be surrounded by tough neutral creatures? Can you acquire quick access to a city? Will you be forced into competing with a neighbor too soon?

-FFG

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OBJECTIVE CARDS

There is nothing much to say here except that these guys grant a 100% chance of gaining a rune. If you look from the big picture, there is only that many ways to gain runes: -Turning in a Timmorran Shard using a Hero. -Earning a Dragon Rune via Winter Season event. -Completing an Objective Card. -Holding onto a land with a Dragon Throne. -Conquering lands with Dragon Runes. So with the above list, you will now understand the true impact of how important the Objective Card is. There are 2 cards out of 8 Spring season events that will grant you the chance to get another Objective Card, which is just about the only way you can get a new one (because everyone only gets one and it’s not ‘renewable’. Focus on completing your Objective Cards before Spring each year to stand a chance to get another Objective Card again.)

CITIES

A very straight-forward method of gaining valuables in the game. Cities are extremely versatile and should be viewed as something that can aid a player no matter what style of gameplay he has adopted. In this sense, the Daqan Lords are better suited to go for cities actively. In fact, in many games on my table, we have come to call the Daqan Lords the City Lords.

Another very important benefit of cities is their ability to gain neutral units to fight for you. This also helps to complete certain requirements that will gain a player a Dragon Rune too. (such as being allied to 8 neutrals) Beastmen are terrifying damagers and Razorwings make good Giant killers with their stun ability. Get a mix of these 2 guys into your original army troops and you will find that you have easily the mightiest army in the game. That being said, neutral sorcerers are not as powerful and you should go for other resources if the city only provides those types (circle based neutrals).

Go for your objective card early. At least keep it in mind. Completing it early gives you a much better chance of getting a second.

-Maggotbrain

Cities are very important in the beginning. You can use them to boost your ranks or get the extra Influence/Tactics cards you need. Don't let any player take control of too many cities or you will go bleak every time that player plays Rally Support.

-MeisterH

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INFLUENCE

Ahh yes, the Influence part of the game. How many times have the winner of the war used Influence to sail his way to victory… This is one of the two most powerful things in the game that can really win an entire war. The special thing about Influence is that it really is also something versatile! There is much one can do with a ‘horde’ of Influence. The most important function for Influence occurs during the Winter season when a Wizards’ Council bid takes place for a Dragon Rune. Another important way to use Influence is by using Diplomacy to defeat a group of neutral forces instead of using brute force. This links us to the Fate deck, which is used not only for battle, but also for questing and diplomacy.

The Fate Deck: (30 total)

Success cards: 4 copies

Silver cards: 8 copies

Failure cards: 18 copies

Remember that be it for battle or for questing or for diplomacy, you can always request to look through the discard pile of the Fate deck to see how many cards of which type are already played. Seeing all 4 success cards already in the discard pile, and still playing diplomacy in an attempt to convert neutral forces is sheer folly.

…some cities are more important than others. The 3-influence and 3-tactics cities are definitely worth having. Some cities aren't really worth spending a whole Rally Support order for, and they can actually be a disadvantage because you can't build strongholds there (thus, leaving them always somewhat easy to take). But if you can grab 2 or more cities, it's usually much more beneficial to use Rally Support often, especially if you can get a lot of influence or tactics out of them. Just don't get TOO attached to them, because they can be razed.

-sigmazero13

A bunch of neutrals in your way and you don't want to use too much of your army to get rid of them? Check through the fate-card discard pile. If it's full of red ones, then it might be worth using influence to either make them retreat or if you’re lucky - make them join you.

-MeisterH

Save influence for winter. Most important influence bids will take place in winter. -Graf

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TACTICS CARDS

The game changing mechanism – Tactics Cards. They can turn the tables on MANY occasions, but I will just mention the most obvious ones.

Battle:

During a battle, one must watch out for Blackmail (2 copies), Battle Cry (2 copies), Rally Cry (3 copies) and Summon Lightning (2 copies). Out of 50 total Tactics, there are 9 that are catered for changing a battle’s outcome. This is a pretty big percentage of 18%. From the start of a full 4-player game, there are already 10 Tactics Cards drawn (another big percentage of 20% of the total Tactics in the game) Crunching the numbers, one will get a 3.6% chance of drawing a Tactics card that can affect a battle. This also means that with 10 Tactics cards already on the ‘field’, there is a very high 36% chance of someone holding 1 such gem in his hand. If you happen to be the one, good for you. If not, be very careful when you notice someone acting outside of the typical MO. (Eg: Attacking you with but one unit, or defending a key location with minimal forces.) Of course there are other cards like Pillage etc, but these do not affect the battle directly and are considered ‘harmless’.

Titles:

There are only 2 Political Control cards in the game. Keep a sharp eye out for them! Someone might play the card, or you might have it in your hand yourself. When the appearance hits one, be bold on the titles but still take care not to invest too much Influence on protecting them. As soon as BOTH cards show up, go crazy with the titles. You are now assured that no one is going to kick your butt from the shadows.

Influence:

It doesn’t really pay to be BAD. In that sense, I mean not being very influential. (The demonic Uthuk comes to mind) Of the 50 Tactics, there’s the Favorable Alliance (2 copies), Proof Of Goodwill (1 copy) and Exploit Their Goodwill (1 copy). This means there are 4 cards that can benefit a player with low Influence. However, this is a meager amount that converts to 8% of the Tactics deck. (Not to mention that you don’t really gain too much Influence even when they are played) You’d be better off gaining Influence on your own using your Acquire Power Order or via cities (Rally Support). On the other hand, there is a unique single card called Pulling The Strings. This allows one to cheat and see how much others are bidding in an Influence Bid before bidding himself. It should not be wasted on trivial stuff except those bids that will gain a player dragon runes.

One of the reasons why tactics cards can be so crucial in a game is when a ‘zero defender’ battle happens. (A battle in which the defender has no units like in an empty stronghold or empty home realm hex.) And since a battle occurs in the instances, you can use Tactics cards. Sometimes you can have really useful ones like lightning storm or scorched earth or have some not so useful for the situation, but even if you don't have any good ones you can always pretend that you have.

-MeisterH

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RESOURCES

Food is critical for a player who has a decent army because he is limited by food to keep his units alive through Winter season. Know how much forces you intend to muster before committing yourself to gaining too much food that could otherwise be better spent on acquiring other resources. Wood is also important, not just for the Latari who wish to spam on archers, but also because you need wood to build developments. Of course, the amount required is minimal and you should only get enough to ensure that you can still recruit good units AFTER paying for that development you always wanted. Ore is the rarest resource in the game, and often used to gain your mightiest unit. While it is obvious to veterans that the Hexagon units are exaggerated and that wars are often won without even a single Hex dude gracing the table, it is also fun to play the game to its maximum potential – that means flaunting the power of your Siege Towers or crushing your foes with Chaos Lords!

Slowing down your enemies in early game might be crucial for a victorious game result. The “Hordes of the Things“ Tactics card (or “Horrific Rumors“) is a great method for this aim. If you start the game holding that card, you should fortify the area your opponent wants to conquer in his first year (or block those areas with activation tokens) using your Tactics card. This might ruin his early-game development.

-Graf

…having certain cards in your hand is nice because you know your opponent does NOT have them. In a recent game of mine, I had BOTH Coercion cards. Thus, I knew that my heroes could go wandering in enemy territory all they wanted, because I didn't have to worry about them being press-ganged into the opponent's service.

-sigmazero13

Try to focus on two resources. Keep in mind that you can only recruit from up to two resource dials, so it‘s better to get two high-resource dials and neglecting the third one than having a mediocre result on all three dials.

-Graf

In most cases, you don‘t have to harvest in your first year (especially if you build a stronghold later in that year). That few extra resources (and extra units) aren‘t worth burning an order, so better save that “slot” for another order.

-Graf

You don‘t need as much food as you might think. Clever movement management prevents starving out your army. Attack in winter and spread your units afterwards in spring or summer. If you‘re a coordinated player, 5 food will be enough for the mid-part of the game.

-Graf

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MILITARY FORCE

The ultimate necessity in all war games, Runewars included. Armies are what deter your neighbors from being too ambitious too early. They are also what will allow you to get to where you need to be, to secure a key position (for resources or for strategic blocking) or simply to keep your foes busy and divert their attention from what you are really doing in other more subtle ways like using your heroes to do quests and gain Timmorran Shards. The most important thing to note in armies for Runewars is the unit type. You must pay careful attention to each type (Triangle, Circle, Rectangle and Hexagon) and what they are meant for.

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I will give you a more in-depth detail on how much chance the unit types have of doing each action:

Triangle: (30 total) Rout 1 unit – 4 copies (13.3%) Deal 1 damage – 8 copies (26.6%) Special Ability – 6 copies (20%) Do nothing – 12 copies (40%)

Circle: (30 total) Rout 1 unit – 2 copies (6%) Deal 1 damage – 4 copies (13.3%) Special Ability – 12 copies (40%) Do nothing – 12 copies (40%)

Rectangle: (30 total) Rout 1 unit – 2 copies (6%) Rout 2 units – 3 copies (10%) Deal 1 damage – 6 copies (20%) Deal 2 damage – 4 copies (13.3%) Special Ability – 6 copies (20%) Do nothing – 9 copies (30%)

Hexagon: (30 total) Rout 1 unit – 1 copy (3%) Rout 2 units – 5 copies (16.6%) Deal 1 damage – 5 copies (16.6%) Deal 2 damage – 4 copies (13.3%) Deal 3 damage – 3 copies (10%) Special Ability – 6 copies (20%) Do nothing – 6 copies (20%) How to use the figures above:

With such numbers at your disposal, you can now tell that if you want your circle type necromancers to use their Reanimate-creating powers at least once, it would take 3 necromancers in a battle to safely say that at they will do so at least once (120% roughly) Or you can also calculate that in order to rout a particular neutral dragon, you’d need at least 16 circle type units to safely ensure doing so at least once since each circle type only has 6% chance of doing a rout – yup, not very wise. With this fact, you know that if you truly want to rout the dragon, bringing in rectangle or triangle type units are going to make things more even. (at 13.3% and 16% chance each)

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Balance Your Forces

Another important thing to note is to get a balanced mixture of your army. For example, 3 triangle berserkers from the Latari Elves with no other forces will be completely wiped out when the enemy forces deal 3 damage. Similarly, 2 mighty Chaos Lords alone will immediately topple as soon as the enemy performs 2 routs. On the other hand, by mixing 1 Chaos Lord and 2 berserkers, you can use your Chaos Lord to take the 3 damage (which does not kill it since it has 4 health), and rout your berserkers when the enemy forces you to do so. (still leaving 1 strength standing)

When playing Runewars, never neglect the creation of a strong army. I for one have more than one time lost a game horrendously because I thought a wall of neutrals would keep me safe long enough to build up an army if anything would happen and instead just went for hoarding loads of Influence. And now some people might say that armies aren't really that important since you don't have that many battles (which aren’t true in our games) You might want to reconsider that statement when someone else’s army is knocking on your door. Also, don't forget to put up a second stronghold early. You won't regret it.

-MeisterH

Build a second stronghold early in-game, at best during winter of the first year. This is crucial for your logistics as it‘s hard to get your troops from your home realm to the frontline without a close stronghold….

-Graf

Attack in winter. Your units will be un-routed and un-activated immediately when spring comes. -Graf

Reflect carefully which areas you really need. If you can‘t see any important reason why you should conquer an area, you simply shouldn‘t do it and save your order card for something more usefull. Always keep in mind that this game is about gaining Dragon Runes, not about conquering territory. Most new players just conquer area for area without a plan behind it – and lose the game because they neglect the more important factors. Keep in mind that your most important (and rare!) resources are your order cards. You can only play four per year, so don‘t waste them for conquering unimportant areas.

-Graf

In many cases, your best defense is delaying your enemies. Keep in mind that every army has only two orders per year to attack – so an attacker is much more limited by his order cards than by his amount of units. Your enemy will always attack with a majority of units, so there is often little use in protecting your borders with lots of troops (as your enemy will bring in more). Often it is better to occupy border areas with only one single triangle-unit. Your enemy will conquer that area, of course, but he will lose his order card for defeating one lousy unit while you keep your big army behind for the great strike back. Cleverly blocking your enemies’ paths with cannon fodder might be wiser than accumulating troops in one area. Always try to foresee where your enemies’ activation tokens will be in the current year so you can plan which areas will be blocked for your opponents for the rest of the year.

-Graf

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TITLES

There are three Titles in the game of the original Runewars game. We players like to think of them as the three jobs: The Diplomat. The Hero. The Warrior.

1) Diplomat (Primarch of the Wizard’s Council)

A soft touch more suited to the Latari Elves, this Title will allow one to benefit from Wizards’ Council events. How useful is this? Think of it this way: The seasons work alternately in terms of Wizards’ Council events. Spring has NO Wizards’ Council events. Summer has 5 out of 8 (a whopping 62.5%) Autumn has NO Wizards’ Council events. Winter has 6 out of 8 (75% chance) Key Factor: 5 of the 6 Wizards’ Councils directly reward the winner with a Dragon Rune. The 6th itself grants a Hero’s Reward, which may turn out to be a Timmorran Shard, and therefore a Rune too! An important Title card? You bet! But the usefulness varies depending on the period you acquire it. Gaining the Title in Winter or Summer will not net you immediate profits, and exposes you to Political Control for 1 extra season. On the other hand, gaining this Title in Autumn or Spring will give you a pretty high chance to immediately reap the Title’s benefits as soon as the next Season arrives. As with everything else in this game, strategy wins the game. If you are going to use military might to crush your foes and snatch runes from right under their nose using brute force, this Title is only going to waste your time.

The Diplomat: This strat is all about Influence. It works best in an easily defendable area, when cities are available. 6 of 8 winter cards will provide a rune. Get the "Wizard Council" card, and use orders "Rally Support" and "Acquire Power" whenever you can before winter. It helps to have cities. Build fortifications and an army to wall off your area but don’t be too aggressive. Pick up neutrals whenever you can (it reduces the cost of the hard-to-get runes, and lessens the time spent recruiting).

-Maggotbrain

In most cases, no one will focus on getting title cards in the first year – maybe you should. Getting the “Primarch of the Wizard’s Council“-title early in game offers great advantages.

-Graf

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2) Hero (Captain of the Heroes’ League)

Used mainly to exchange for Dragon Runes when your heroes have amassed a treasury of Rewards, but yet with no Timmorran Shards (poor you). This is also useful if you have a neutral Hero or differently aligned Hero. There are occasions when one is forced to release his Hero when the time comes and he finds himself without any Influence to spend on retaining his Hero.

3) Warrior (Lord Commander of the Warriors’ Guild)

This is definitely one for the military tyrant. The bonus of +2 Strength for a rune within the land is extremely powerful, not to mention that with this Title, one can scout the Rune out before the battle to confirm whether or not it is a False Rune. This way, none of your battles will be fought in vain should you decide to attack for the sake of the Rune in that area. To use this Title well, whenever you gain a Dragon Rune, you can deliberately place your newly gained False Rune at the lands bordering enemy territory so that during battle you will gain that +2 bonus.

Play the Hero Game: This strat is just plain fun. It works best when you’re not in a good position for the Diplomat. Rally Support in spring to make sure you have 2 heroes for the first summer. The goal is to always have 3 heroes. Get the "Captain of the Heroes League", it allows you to trade in rewards for Runes. As a bonus, find shards and hurry back to a stronghold for more runes. The best part is keeping your heroes close in a gang to kill and loot everyone else’s heroes. Try to corner’em 3 against 1.

-Maggotbrain

The Warrior: This one is tough. The last title card gives you +2 to strength in an area with a rune. So build your army and go get’em. This is a strat I always switch to if I am behind another player. It works well for giving you an edge when taking runes away.

-Maggotbrain

I also like this card when I am fighting FOR spaces with Dragon Rune tokens. Remember false runes count for purposes of the card...I really like this strategy as the Daqan lords. Between a fortress, the card and the occasional siege tower’s special ability, you can really hold onto or take spaces against superior forces. Don't neglect when using the Daqan Lords to play up the fact that the siege tower adds +2 STR. Even though units’ special powers are unreliable, it is after all, a mental game that you can make your opponent take into consideration!

-simpatikool

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HEROES

This is the section where we will cover on the heroes. Many players feel that it is best to just spend 1 Influence and get a hero when hiring a hero, instead of wasting extra Influence on allowing them an option to choose from more heroes. If you are up against beginner opponents, feel free. If you are facing veterans, pray your luck is enough to tide you over. Every hero is different and unique in his or her own way, and depending on your strategy, certain heroes actually complement your current direction much more than others. First we shall see the 6 heroes covered by the courtesy of FFG, all of which hail from another game Dungeonquest.

Tatianna “In the dark and untamed places of Terrinoth dwells my tribe, a proud and fierce sisterhood of warriors. For ages, we have stood self-sufficient and have had no need for the world of men. But each day the outside world encroaches further into our wilds. I have seen their weapons and magical artifacts. I have seen the treasures that could ensure my sisters will survive when we can no longer stand apart from the outside world. The others in my tribe say I am a

fool, but once I have enough gold, I will return to my people with magic and steel. A fool I may be, but my sisters must survive.”

Tatianna, a neutral-aligned hero, is a particularly nimble ranger who’s adept at grabbing loot and then avoiding the consequences. If added to your character lineup, she’ll be among the most dextrous characters in Runewars, boasting an impressive Agility rating of five. And although she shouldn’t be underestimated in combat, she has the additional ability of being able to cancel duels altogether. This means she’s ideally suited to complete an agility-based quest, then make the long trek back to a stronghold with less fear of being “mugged” on the way (and imagine if you also managed to get her the Cloak of Deception!).

Hugo the Glorious “I, Hugo the Glorious, plan to achieve an enduring fame unlike anything that has been known before. Other Knights of Kellos might be happy enough to boast of duels won or giants defeated, but I will put these stories to shame when I stand in the feast hall and tell of my mighty deeds. When I stand before them a war hero, men will gasp, women will swoon, and children with cower with

terror. No one who hears of my legendary quest will ever forget the name Hugo the Glorious!”

Taking the opposite approach is Hugo the Glorious, a neutral-aligned hero who will want to pick fights with opposing adventurers as often as possible. Every time he

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gains a new reward card, this battlefield bully gets to train an Attribute! This, in turn, may very well lead to greater success in acquiring even more reward cards, which will let him train again... and so on. His foes would do well to break this vicious cycle as early as possible!

Lindel “The many years of an elf’s life can weigh heavily upon him. From village to village I have wandered, hearing the sad tales of lost children, spouses, friends, and loved ones who have thrown their lives away fighting the dark forces of Terrinoth. I will endure it no longer. Once and for all, those who would cast the land in darkness must be stopped, and order must be restored.”

Another hero with a knack for training is Lindel, a good-aligned elf who is dedicated to ridding the world of the forces of evil. His centuries walking the earth give him a broad range of experiences, and over that time he has learned how to survive through painstaking trial and error. This theme is represented in his special ability, which lets him learn something new from every failure. This, along with a healthy amount of training, will give an edge when it comes to Attributes.

Brother Gherinn “The priests of Kellos took me in and gave me shelter. They asked me nothing of the many heinous crimes in my past. But like all members of the Brotherhood, in time I had to face the purifying fire, and all my many transgressions became evident in the form of scars and burns over much of my body. I am a different man, now. I follow a different path, but I cannot forget my past. Only an act of true

bravery, recovering the dragon runes and putting an end to this war, will free me from the shadows of my past.

Brother Gherinn is a powerful good-aligned priest of Kellos who is dedicated to performing penance. A firm believer in the cleansing flames of his order, Brother Gherinn’s faith in the light of Kellos gives him the power to smite his foes. He’s able to call down fire from the heavens... though he remains always uncertain which combatant the gods will deem worthy.

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Challara and Brightblaze “The roots of my noble family can be traced back long before the Dragon Wars. Some of the treasures scattered across the realm came from my ancestors, stolen by thieves and tyrants alike. The knowledge that my inheritance may be in the hands of my enemies has vexed me my whole life. I will use all of my considerable abilities to

acquire the dragon runes, and when I have them, I will use their power to ensure my family’s dominance forever.”

Challara, accompanied by her loyal pet Brightblaze, scours Terrinoth in search of her family’s lost wealth. And if she claimed a bit extra, who would stop her? This evil-aligned sorceress is perfect for harassing enemy heroes; by sending Brightblaze out to scout for enemies, she can start duels against foes in adjacent areas! Beware of Challara should she ever acquire the mythical Wings of Regrowth... then, no one could hide from her wrath!

Krutzbeck “Why should I worry? Haven’t found a fight yet that left me on the ground. So you say this war will be bloody, eh? Heh! To me a battle is just a good excuse to hit something. If I need to work for some noble so that I get to fight, so be it. But the hitting, that’s the important bit.”

Finally, the evil-aligned dwarf Krutzbeck is a berserker who’s always spoiling for a fight. His remarkably high Strength Attribute makes him deadly when wielding weapons like the Rage Blade or Frost Axe, but his foes have even more to fear than that: Krutzbeck has only to occupy the same area as an opponent to deal damage!

(Official Dungeonquest Hero guide as given from the actual gaming website at http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=1746)

If you have the Dungeonquest game, its all good for you regarding the above heroes. Alas, if you sadly do not have them, we still have the original 12 Runewars heroes to fall back on. These 12 heroes are divided evenly into three groups of alignments (4 each of Evil, Good and Neutral)

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We will touch on the good guys first.

Runewitch Astarra Health: 3 Str: 2 Agi: 2 Wis: 3 Ability: Look at rune tokens in areas adjacent to her at any time.

She is obviously a Scout and not a killer, meant to ensure that you choose your battles correctly and not waste them on false runes. Her low health and stats are also proof of this point.

Sir Valadir Health: 4 Str: 4 Agi:1 Wis: 2 Ability: Heal 1 damage or move 1 area when training during quest phase.

Hands down a Questor. His ‘free’ training allows him to overcome the weakness of his Agility and perhaps even his Wisdom too. Here we use the word ‘free’ because he still gets to move 1 area, or heal an injury that he sustained previously. 4 health to protect him from a sudden death from enemy heroes’ duels, he is perfect for collecting Shards and sending them back to base.

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Ronan of the Wild Health: 3 Str: 1 Agi:3 Wis: 3 Ability: Move up to 3 areas during quest phase.

I call his type Explorer. This is a very important type of hero that is also rare to acquire. Be glad if he comes into your service. He can open 1 additional area’s exploration token during every quest phase, which is very important during the start of the game when nothing has been explored yet. A lucky run-in with the Traveling Merchant will net you an instant Reward (or a Shard, gasp!) Explorers are useful not only for exploring, they are also important to act as ‘Executors’. By that I mean their quick mobility allows them to travel further than the norm, and use their weapon’s special ability such as Ice Storm on an enemy army.

Silhouette Health: 3 Str: 3 Agi:3 Wis: 1 Ability: Discard 1 quest card to draw 1 new one.

This is a Support type. Her below-average stats do not make her a good questor, and her health is low enough that it is risky for her to get Rewards. What then is she good for? She supports! What exactly does that mean? Ever seen a player use a hero to deliberately move into an area with a Temple and end the hero’s turn there without doing much else? That is what Silhouette is good for, to gain 2 free Influence every quest phase, and allow you to exchange bad quests for easier ones that your other heroes may attempt. She is useful without even moving!

The next 4 heroes are baddies.

Mad Carthos Health: 3 Str: 2 Agi:1 Wis: 4 Ability: Deal 1 damage to opponent at the start of a battle or duel in his area.

Support. Hands-down support. Same strategy as Silhouette. Without moving he can already do much. This is a very unique hero in the sense that he is the only one who can ‘participate’ in battles! Move him towards areas with imminent battles, and he will help kill off the enemy. With a wisdom of 4, he is also a natural Executor, who can rout as many as 4 units using the weapon Ice Storm. He is an extremely valuable gem, so watch out for his low health and keep him alive at all cost.

Battlemage Jaes Health: 3 Str: 1 Agi:3 Wis: 3 Ability: Destroy 2 triangle or 1 rectangle unit up to 1 area away during quest phase. Yet another Support. As with Carthos and Silhouette, he does not need to move to do his part for the war. In fact, if he is to be at his most useful, he should not move since doing so will cancel his ability. Camp him in a Temple and he will act like a sentry turret to gun down your foes who approach too close.

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Red Scorpion Health: 4 Str: 2 Agi:3 Wis: 2 Ability: When moving during quest phase, take 1 damage to move up to 4 areas. Finally, another Explorer. This one is more powerful than Ronan, but is limited by her health to use her powers. Fortunately, 4 is plenty and you just have to steer clear of pesky enemy heroes to be safe. As is true with all Explorers, they also make good Executors. Just remember to train her wisdom for maximum effect on executing the power of the weapons.

Varikas the Dead Health: 4 Str: 3 Agi:1 Wis: 3 Ability: Remove up to 2 damage from him at the start of a quest phase. A Duelist! He can hound any opponent’s hero and wear them down till they finally die without breaking a sweat. Use him to kill off other factions’ heroes and make yourself the only one in the position to gain Rewards and benefit from exploration tokens.

The last 4 are neutrals. Neither good, nor bad, but useful all the same.

Spiritspeaker Mok Health: 4 Str: 2 Agi:2 Wis: 3 Ability: Look at a hero’s Reward cards from as far as 1 area away during quest phase. A scout like Astarra, he can find out whether or not an enemy hero is worth killing. He should be played mainly for this purpose since he is a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. There are other heroes that fare better than him in each individual aspect.

Mordrog Health: 4 Str: 2 Agi:2 Wis: 1 Ability: Destroy 1 opponent’s triangle unit at end of quest phase. At last, we have a Killer – a deadly combination of both a Duelist and an aggressive Support! High health, with good ability! Move him actively onto areas with enemy forces and watch them die helplessly. He is also mighty in duels if you can equip him with a powerful Strength weapon.

Bogran the Shadow Health: 3 Str: 1 Agi:4 Wis: 2 Ability: Instead of dueling, take 1 damage and steal a random Reward from a hero in your area. A Support combined with a Questor gives you a…. Thief! He is good for accumulating Rewards and then running off to deliver them to his strongholds. Try to get ahold of the sneaky Cloak of Deception and he is nigh invincible in his role.

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One Fist Health: 4 Str: 3 Agi:2 Wis: 2 Ability: After receiving a Reward from questing, draw another Reward and choose 1 from both. A true blue Questor with good all-rounder attributes, and the ability to draw extra Reward cards to increase your chances of getting a Shard by DOUBLE. When you go for the Shard strategy, be sure to hunt specifically for this hero. 4 health also means he’s tough enough to safely deliver those hard-earned Shards.

MISCELLANEOUS

In most cases, you don‘t have to harvest in your first year (especially if you build a stronghold later in that year). That few extra resources (and extra units) aren‘t worth burning an order, so better save that “slot” for another order.

-Graf

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GAME COMBOS

There are several combos in the game, and I will help name some of the more popular and obvious ones here. I shall also name them in order of difficulty to execute. The last ones require more skills and timing.

Turn the Tide (Easy)

Place units in an area you want to defend, deliberately focusing on having different types. At the end of the battle, play Rally Cry to stand any routed forces and then use Battle Cry to gain a terrifying +4 Strength.

A Sudden Chill (Average)

Play the Rune of Teleportation during your hero’s quest phase and place him at the desired enemy territory. You will need him to have Ice Storm. You should already have an inferior force in an adjacent area. Play the Ice Storm and send your army in for a walk-over victory.

Return Nothing, Take Everything(Average)

Take over an enemy’s stronghold in Winter and immediately evacuate it in Spring the next year. Leave it that way for the remainder of the game, using it solely to gain resources from the area only. As soon as you are assaulted, throw a Summon Lightning and end the battle with Scorched Earth to ensure he does not get back his stronghold.

Combo Booster: Black Mail can be effective in adding to his pain, better yet if you have two copies.

Burst Into Your Backyard (Difficult)

Play Recruit Order during Summer, move Hero into area bordering enemy territory, and play Lost City. Then recruit new units into the new stronghold. In the next season, play Harvest Order with Brilliant Maneuver to build faction-specific development.

Combo Boosters: Reinforcements can increase your forces at the new stronghold. Horrific Rumors can be used to prevent the enemy from attacking your stronghold for an entire year, perhaps even allowing you time to repair the stronghold to its full +5 strength.

A Shepherd of Monsters (Difficult)

Use Strategize Order for the season. Play Flute of Possession to herd a strong group of neutrals into another adjacent area with equally strong neutral forces. Then move your hero in using the Strategize action and play Band of Brigands.

Combo Boosters: Horde of Things can add to the number of neutrals in the area, and Spread Dissent can further herd a 2nd area of neutrals into your target area.

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Uthuk Y’llan

The remnants of the Daqan forces gathered to begin the solemn work of burying their dead. Their capture of the Uthuk stronghold had been a costly one... too costly. Had it all been a trap? Would the vile

demon-worshipers really sacrifice so many of their own just to draw their enemies in? The fortification had made such a tempting target, seemingly undefended as it was. But as the knights made their way

into their newly claimed stronghold, the horrific truth became clear: the Uthuk had reduced everything of value to ashes. Even the servants had taken their own lives in a twisted ritual. Surveying the smoking

ruin, the Daqan Lords could only reflect with despair on the hollowness of their victory.

The Uthuk are a corrupt race of villainous abominations, so embrace your evil side and love every second of it!

The Uthuk Y’llan begin with more Tactics Cards than any other faction, and their Faction Sheet contains the most potential to earn more. Capitalize on this! Tactics Cards are a great way to inject a wickedly fun “gotcha” element into Runewars. But while they can carry devastating effects, their psychological value is perhaps even more effective. Whenever an opponent begins to consider aggression against you, grin knowingly and tap your massive deck of Tactics Cards against the table. Maybe even throw in a shrug, a chuckle, and a “Good luck with that!” It doesn’t really matter what you have... what matters is the perception of what you might have.

But how do you ensure a steady stream of new Tactics Cards coming into your hand? That begins with initial setup. When playing as the Uthuk, you might consider positioning yourself near whatever city will give you the most Tactics Cards on a Rally Support order, and near as much ore as possible (this will help facilitate your card income in the late game). Later, when you build your first development (ideally on your home realm’s Stronghold), build the Training Ground. Finally, every fall when you’re given the option of collecting Influence Tokens or a Tactics Card, choose a Tactics Card (a difficult sacrifice, yes... but necessary to this overall plan). Soon, you’ll have a suitably intimidating collection of dirty tricks up your sleeve, and your

opponents will look forward to your turn with dread and dismay.

To fully appreciate the value of Tactics Cards, let’s look at an example. One great way to both spread your empire and be a thorn in your opponents’ sides is to establish Strongholds in remote areas of the board. But won’t such a Stronghold be an attractive target, and be easily taken over? Not necessarily, if you have a flair for negotiation, intimidation, and deceit... but more on that later. You’ll find that a Tactics Card called Lost City is a great way to get a foothold near an opponent, but to pull off an especially impressive combo, you’ll also need a Brilliant Maneuver card. Here’s how the combo works:

In a given summer, send your Hero deep into enemy territory, the whole time assuring your opponents that he’s just

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harmlessly questing. Then, for that summer’s Order Card, choose Recruit. Wait for your turn to come around, and launch your trap! Before executing your Recruit order, play Lost City. Your new Stronghold will spring up just in time for a modest army of units to arrive to defend it, and if you're lucky enough to have a Reinforcements card, toss that in too!

Now, you’ve set up a remote Stronghold uncomfortably close to an enemy home realm... but you’re vulnerable; since your opponent will want you out of his back yard as soon as possible, he’s likely to launch a hasty counterattack. If you caught him off guard, you may have as little as one season before he’s able to respond. You don’t have much time to lose.

In the very next season, play a Harvest Order Card, the objective of which is to build a development in your new Stronghold (the Supremacy Bonus). No, you’re not entitled to that Supremacy Bonus (since you Recruited in the summer), but that’s why you saved that Brilliant Maneuver.

Here’s where the Uthuk Y’llan shine: for your development, build your defensive Bonus, the Hungry Spawn. This nasty little token, which deals four damage to attackers at the end of the battle, ensures that anyone who wants to evict you from your new home will incur heavy losses in the process. Additionally, inform your would-be attackers that you’re packing a Summon Lightning (Blackmail is also good) and a Scorched Earth, and if they try anything funny, you’ll blow the whole place! If you’ve got a hand of between five to ten Tactics Cards, you’ll have a plausible bluff, and since they will have to invest so much in taking over an area that may result in little real gain, they’ll think twice about picking a fight with your new Stronghold!

In short, armies are expensive, but threats are cheap. Your Stronghold should be able to hold its ground with relatively few real units, armed only with the threat of excessive expense to any potential attackers. In the end, it’s a win-win situation for the Uthuk Y’llan player. Either you keep your Stronghold (if only for a short time, it’s still profitable), or your enemy spends far more on removing it than you did on building it!

(Official Demonic strategy guide as given from the actual gaming website at http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=1072)

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The Myth Buster:

While it is true that the Uthuk do start with more Tactics cards than other factions, it is important to note that this is a mere head start. After countless wars, one will begin to realize that other factions can easily match if not surpass the Uthuk in terms of Tactics cards capabilities. Do not go thinking that just because you are Uthuk, you are the king of Tactics and no one else can beat you at it. It might even shock you to know that the Daqan Lords actually have a unit that can actively draw Tactics cards in battle, or that the Undead Waiqar faction has similar dial resource patterns as the Uthuk in terms of gaining Tactics, if not better! The method of gaining Tactics cards is universal throughout all factions. So beware when you flaunt your initial high amount of Tactics cards, it just might be pretty short-lived.

It is the responsibility of the Uthuk to maintain their strength on the Tactics cards and actively gain them. That being said, you will now ask so what then is the real advantage of being Uthuk?

Flesh Rippers They have the highest initiative unit in the game with the Fast ability – Flesh Rippers! If you get lucky enough to activate their power JUST ONCE (it works only once no matter how many times your rippers activate the power), you’d have an army of units worth almost that of initiative 5 units from other factions. Fast moving creatures with 3 health means an efficient army that can conquer lands safely in different directions, knowing you can rush the units back and forth where it matters. Warlocks The most destructive units in the game! They are the ONLY ones who can destroy more than one unit with every activation of their powers. In fact, they are the perfect counter to the otherwise invincible Necromancers from Waiqar.

Uthuk...Hey, Flesh Rippers are your bread and butter. A Special Ability Icon on initiative 1 and they are all 3 health. You now have a good damage absorber, allowing your berserkers and warlocks to maybe kill some stuff.

-simpatikool

As Uthuk, always have a few warlocks at the front lines, they're good at clearing out the small units and can be really hurt full to the Daqan Lords and Latari Elves since they both rely heavily on triangle and square troops.

-MeisterH

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Miscellaneous Issues:

As quoted from MeisterH above, do not go thinking that just because you are Uthuk, you are supposed to focus on Tactics cards alone. As is with Tactics, Influence is gained the same way throughout all factions. Whoever said the Latari monopolizes Influence!? To the Chaos Lords with those plant lovers!

If you want to join the influence race as the Uthuk, go for cities, it's one of their best ways to get influence.

-MeisterH

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Latari Elves

With a twisted pride, Varikas gazed across the blackened landscape of his homeland. From atop the highest tower of the stronghold, he reflected on the simple perfection of his master’s vision. A vast

mountain range protected them from the south, while to the north lay nothing but ocean. Hundreds of miles to the west, the war was going well; the enemies of Waiqar were falling by the thousands, only to rise again as his unholy servants. All was well... until he heard the faint sound of a war horn echo from

the southern mountains. Varikas spun around, gripping the edge of the battlement and squinting through the smoking air. “Impossible...” he muttered, backing away. At first, there were only a few, but soon the sky was filled with winged stallions, each one carrying an Elvish warrior clad in golden armor.

Before you can thrive with the Latari Elves, you must survive. As we’ll see below, the Elves are a late-game powerhouse... but they struggle a bit in the early game, particularly given their relative lack of food (they are the only faction whose food dial begins at two, rather than three). This must be addressed, as soon as possible, or you’ll find your first winter to be an especially harsh one.

Luckily, there are some steps you can take. First, during setup, try to position your home realm as close as possible to extra food. If you can’t manage to do this, then you’ll have to build a “Resources” development at your home realm stronghold, to pick up the slack on any future Harvest orders you play. Remember one important rule, though: this development can only provide a resource type that already appears in the area in which it was built. So don’t place your first stronghold in the wrong area of your home realm tile, namely the one area that doesn’t already produce food!

Once you’re over the initial challenge of scaring up extra food, you’ll begin to see that the strength of the Latari Elves is actually in wood (sure, they begin with less food than anyone else, but they begin with more wood). Why is this important? Two reasons: first, they can spend their extra wood on an early development more comfortably than any other faction, and second, because it makes the Archer their most abundant unit... and the Archer is deceptively powerful.

Consider this: the Archer is an “Initiative 1” unit, so it strikes first in battle... but even better, its special ability lets you choose where to apply its damage. That’s huge! Rather than letting your opponent apply the damage to his large units, where it may fail to make a difference, you can make the call. Which brings us to the second most abundant Latari Elf unit, the Warrior. The Warrior’s special ability lets you choose (again, this choice is key) a damaged unit and destroy it. Look at the potential synergy between these two special abilities; even with massive enemy units like dragons and giants, the Archers can set ‘em up, and the Warriors can knock ‘em down! Once you can get a sizable detachment of Archers and Warriors, you’ll have a relatively inexpensive force capable of taking down large foes.

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Influence is another area in which the Latari Elves excel. Their high starting Influence sometimes allows them to win ties in bids... but this isn’t something you should leave to chance. Make sure that you have the upper hand in Influence bids throughout the game by grabbing the title “Primarch of the Wizard’s Council” as early as possible. And don’t be cheap about it; the more Influence you drop on a title when you claim it, the harder it is to wrestle away from you. Go nuts... it’ll pay itself off soon enough.

That’s because whenever a “Wizard’s Council” seasonal event comes up, you collect more Influence (that’s arguably a greater benefit than winning ties, the other boost from this title). And since most summer and winter events are “Wizard’s Council” cards, you’ll soon have plenty of Influence to throw around... and this will help you dominate the late game.

(Official Elves strategy guide as given from the actual gaming website at http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=1112)

The Elves. You either love them or hate them. I have not met someone who finds them okay, or so-so. In my case? Love them.

The Myth Buster:

Just as the Uthuk are wrongly associated with being strongly in the direction of Tactics cards, the same goes for the Elves and their Influence. It is merely a head-start but the procedure of accumulating Influence is the same throughout all factions. Their true strong point? Assassination!

Archers

These guys are your pride and jewel of the pointy-eared army. They are the bane and nightmare of the deadly Necromancers of Waiqar. With initiative 1, the archers can use their Special Ability to target and kill the irritating necromancers before they even have a chance to raise any Reanimates. Having enough of these archers means that even if your opponent mixes his forces with both low and high initiative units, he is still as vulnerable since he can no longer choose to use his high initiative units to tank damage.

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Sorceress

Beware of having too many of these babes. They are honestly quite useless! Their ability only pushes back enemy units but cannot kill them. In a best-case scenario, they can keep using their powers until the enemy has nowhere to retreat and gets automatically destroyed from lack of place to retreat to. But let’s face reality and understand that it would be a one-in-a-million case. The worst case scenario is that your enemy forces in neighboring lands become reinforced and strikes back that much harder at you.

Pegasus Rider

The only other really good unit in your army, this expensive unit can tank damage well and also boast a powerful routing ability. At initiative 2, it is the fastest tanker in the game. This also means there is a chance for the Rider to rout a rival tanker unit before it can even act or tank damage.

Elves are the only race that has FAST & FLYING units, which gives you many opportunities to lead quick attacks behind enemy lines, wreaking havoc in badly supported home realms and making your opponent pay for every little mistake he made. It is also a race of big amount of starting Influence. That makes you far more advanced in the early stage of the game, where you can attract powerful allies like dragons and giants. The only true drawback is lack of food, so you may see yourself in a situation where there is no food around - but hey - every race could actually find itself in such a situation! Aaah and there is a thing - a hex thing that your army does not possess…

-Nazroth

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Waiqar The Undying

In the center of the encampment stood a structure of torn flesh, sheltering Waiqar’s high generals. Varikas the Dead reined in his shadowed steed and dismounted, striding quickly into the command tent. Inside, the pale, violet glow that surrounded Waiqar the Undying was the only light that illuminated the strewn maps and bloodied parchment; as well as the pile of gathered dragon runes. Waiqar turned.

“You are late,” he drawled, his withered hand motioning Varikas forward. “I have found it,” Varikas hissed, his black armor creaking as he approached. He produced a map. “The Latari hold the final rune in Dawnsmoor, and the Uthuk continue to press them. Both armies are vast.” Varikas leaned in frighteningly close to Waiqar. “Give me command. I will retrieve it.” Waiqar stared at him for a long moment, and then he slowly shook his head. He motioned to a cloaked figure hidden in the shadows, bringing the necromancer forward. “I will leave that in more capable hands,” Waiqar said wickedly. “Many...more capable hands.” Waiqar players have a lot of options before them. However, two elements of the faction are undeniably integral to making the most of this shambling horde: Necromancers and Reanimates. At first glance, the units available to Waiqar the Undying are not altogether impressive. With two of the four unit types being triangle and three units only able to take one wound each, it would seem that Waiqar players would be unable to rely on a military approach to victory. However, if used effectively, Waiqar’s armies can wreck havoc on other dragon rune seekers. First, let us look at the units available to Waiqar at the start of the game. With two Reanimates, one Necromancer, and one Skeleton Archer, Waiqar has the makings of a fine undead host. The Necromancer’s special ability should definitely be noted. Since the Necromancer is a circle unit type, there will be a higher chance for that special ability to be triggered, bolstering Waiqar’s forces mid-battle. Additionally, since the Reanimates are later in initiative order, they will get to act in the same battle in which they are raised! Beginning placement of these units can be crucial. Since the Reanimates and the Skeleton Archer are triangle types, it would be a good idea to separate them into different hexes, as triangle types are more likely to be targeted by special abilities (such as the Dragon’s ability to kill three triangle units). Another thing to consider is where each unit falls in initiative order. Since the Skeleton Archer is first in initiative order, it would be ideal to send him into battle with the Necromancer. That way, the Necromancer has some protection while he tries to muster up some walking corpses.

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When expanding your army, take a look at the resource dials. Waiqar doesn’t rely heavily on food to bring more heavy hitters to the table, although it is important to control hexes that provide food so you can feed excess forces during winter. Wood and ore are very valuable to the undead lord, giving him access to Necromancers, the intimidating Dark Knights, and more Tactic cards. Each resource has its distinct advantages, depending on the situation. Wood provides more versatility while ore packs a bigger punch. Since Waiqar the Undying starts with three Tactic cards, it is apparent that they are critical to his success. Don’t forget to refresh your hand of Tactics every so often because they provide many additional options. If you start to build up massive groups of Reanimates, the Summon Lightning card will be especially useful. And if you manage to amass a few armies of each unit type, Battle Cry will also help you overpower your foes.

(Official Undead strategy guide as given from the actual gaming website at http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=1239)

This faction is perfect for using Military might to win the game. The deadly necromancers can raise Reanimates all day long till the enemies drown in their corpses. One would enjoy using Waiqar purely from the ecstatic feeling of having an army that keeps coming and coming, instead of winning the game proper via using heroes or diplomacy and Influence actions. Believe me when I say I know Waiqar players who focus on fighting without purpose just to get that invincible feeling going.

Focus your resource collection on acquiring Necromancers and a couple of Death Knights. It is very important to have at least ONE Death Knight in each of your attacking forces so that you have a tanker to protect the fragile necromancers and their skeleton slaves. Ensure your food is at a high value because there is no other faction more ‘reproductive’ than the Waiqar, who often find themselves stuck at the limit of 8 units in an area. Of course, you do not really need food at the extreme 8, since Reanimates are ‘disposable’.

Of course, you can play a curve ball and secretly go for alternative ways to earn those precious Dragon Runes. But never ignore the fact that you have just about the mightiest army in the game. NEVER forget to draw Fate cards for Necromancers even if the enemy forces have been wiped out completely.

Death Knights

The necromancers are covered enough as it is. Instead I will give more insight to the undead riders. They not only tank damage well, but they also open an extra tactic for you in war – using different neutral types to fight alongside your forces! The special ability of the Death Knight allows you to rout the enemies based on how many different types you have still standing! That’s reason enough for you to get in those neutral guys.

…when playing as Waiqar, Necromancers are your most important unit. They don't fight well, so make sure you protect them with other units, but get your Necromancers in lots of fights - they will spawn a LOT of reanimates in the process. They only have one power-unit (the rest are pretty weak), but their real strength comes from overwhelming numbers - exploit that.

-MeisterH

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Daqan Lords

A cloud of leathery wings descended from the gray skies, swooping low over Baron Cathor’s company. They were bats, unnaturally large and numbered in the thousands. Their unearthly

screeches startled the horses, causing more than a few knights to be thrown from their mounts. “Steel yourselves!” the baron commanded. He crashed his gauntleted fist against his shield,

attempting to scare off the swarming bats. His men joined him and soon the black cloud dissipated. A horsed figure approached from the haze ahead.

“The undead have built a stronghold,” Sir Valadir stated confidently, motioning to the mists

from which he had emerged. “Looks like you might have arrived too late again, Lord Cathor.” He smiled mockingly. A rumble came from behind the company, catching Sir Valadir’s eye.

Three hulking war machines appeared through the gloom, followed by an even larger force of knights liveried in Cathor’s green and silver, carrying the Daqan banners of war.

Baron Cathor checked his horse and motioned for Sir Valadir to stand aside. “I would say we

were right on time then, wouldn’t you?”

The Daqan Lords are arguably the most balanced faction in Runewars. With three starting influence, two tactic cards, and a capable military, these barons are prepared and able to adapt to the shifting tides of war. While their strength lies in their versatility, their jack-of-all-trades approach can also be their downfall. This strategy article will help you to use their balanced nature to tilt the war in your favor, which requires a vigilant watch over your neighbors.

Set-up is a crucial stage of the game for the Daqan Lords. Take a look at what resources are available to you right away - meaning, within reach without overreaching and opening yourself up for attack. If food is plentiful, secure that hex and build a stronghold immediately. Then on

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your next harvest order, build a resource development. Regardless of your chosen strategy, you’ll want to build up an army quickly and you’ll need food to feed them. The first year is a good time to determine what your opponents’ strategies are. If opposing armies are being mustered it would be wise secure the Lord Commander of the Warrior’s Guild title as soon as possible. Since you have three starting influence, this shouldn’t be too much of a challenge, but be sure to replenish your influence so you can retain this title. It will be important when rune tokens start popping up around you. In addition, be sure to secure your strongholds with a couple Reinforced Walls developments to protect your holdings. Also, be sure to snatch up enough ore and wood to build your siege towers, which help you invade some opposing strongholds (particularly ones that have rune tokens in the same hex, if you

manage to maintain your title card). If a military approach does not look good early in the game, the Daqan Lords have a good head start on influence. Depending on your objective, surely one of the three title cards will be key to achieving it. Acquire power early in the game while you bolster your defenses. Keep your armies close together and create a wall to keep your opponents from invading your home realm while you slowly set out to achieve your objective. Use your heroes to your advantage by scouting out hidden rune tokens and keep a few tactics cards handy, which can be done by taking advantage of your knights in battle.

Overall, play off of your opponents. If you only worry about your own part in the war, you will easily open yourself up to your enemies. Since the Daqan Lords do not have an overall strength like the other factions, it’s important to watch the opposition and adapt to their decisions.

(Official Human strategy guide as given from the actual gaming website at http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=1304)

The most interesting thing about this faction is that it really is an all-rounder. While this is an advantage, it is also a disadvantage in that it is a master of none. As mentioned earlier, I strongly recommend for Daqan players to actively go for cities more often than they would if they were using other factions. Cities compliment the Daqan’s free style of play and allows a player to change from hording tons of Influence one season, to storing Tactics cards another season, only to recruit massive amounts of units and neutrals in preparation for an all-out war the next season.

Your main specialty here is being unpredictable in your ways of war. Take note that it is extremely easy to spam foot soldiers, and by throwing in an extra Siege Tower, you can easily defend any city from would-be invaders. As with the Waiqar, place food at a high level since your foot soldiers can be recruited in big numbers.

Take important note that the Daqan Lords also have the best faction-unique development in the game – Reinforced Walls. These walls will never be ‘used up’ as with other factions’ special

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developments, and they give better returns of +2 to Strength in place of special developments that deal 4 damage, which can be tanked by high initiative units to only lose 1 Strength.

Foot Soldier

Like I said, these guys are meant for spamming! Be careful not to have too many of them since they are not initiative 1, and there is a limit of 8 units per area. You just might end up depending too much on foot soldiers and have too little room left for other stronger units.

Knight

The other unit worth getting, the Knights are a bonus method of attaining precious Tactics cards. At 20% chance of activating their special, you should safely gain 1 Tactics card for every battle with at least 3 Knights. Like the necromancers, NEVER forget to draw Fate cards for them even if the enemy forces have been wiped out completely.

Siege Tower

In my opinion, fun to have but pretty useless. You would be better off filling your ranks with precious Knights, especially since you are already hard-pressed to contain the massive amount of foot soldiers spewing forth from your strongholds.

When playing as the Daqan Lords, remember to use the knights as much as possible for the chance of getting free Tactics cards and also be flexible in your play style, the Daqan Lords are especially adept at changing from all-out warfare to influence hording.

-MeisterH

The biggest thing I've found to help - Always asking myself "Where is my next Rune coming from?" If I can't answer that question then I know I am playing without focus, and wasting time. Don't be afraid to switch between strats throughout the game if something isn't working or an opportunity presents itself for easy runes. Most games won, come from gaining runes by working multiple angles. Which is best depends on starting position and resources as well as what your opponents are doing.

-Maggotbrain

The Runewars Unofficial Strategy Guide by Wanderer999 Page 34

A Coming Expansion

War continues to ravage the continent of Terrinoth. The free cities change hands and tyrants bleed the land dry with a death toll that has not been seen since the great wars of ages past. Each nation knows it cannot slow the passage of time, or the armies of their enemies without help. Therefore, each nation has made pacts of allegiance with entities who, until now, have remained passive. The once dormant Great Wyrms flap their long dead wings on blackened skies, while the ancients of the forest march forward against battalions of Novice Wizards who can finally practice their arts in the open, under political jurisdiction. They will be needed if the Sisters of Blood, who now march out from their mysterious Convent of Blood are to be defeated. Fantasy Flight Games is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of Banners of War, an expansion for Runewars! With over 50 new figures and hundreds of new cards and tokens, Banners of War builds on the strategy and diplomacy of the war for the dragon runes.

The Runewars Unofficial Strategy Guide by Wanderer999 Page 35

New forces, new heroes, new strategies

In Banners of War, players take fate into their own hands by adding new units to their armies, conscripting heroes to lead them, employing new tactics against their foes, and seeking out a legendary Lost City that promises untold treasure to the ruler who takes control of it. The way shall not be easy, however. It will take keen leadership and tactics to best the rival armies. They too are raising their banners to prepare the march, ready to meet your legions head on.

Mighty Rocs and ambitious Novice Wizards join the ranks of the Daqan Lords, while the Latari have formed a pact with ancient forest spirits, enlisting the aid of the mighty Leonx...and even the trees themselves. Meanwhile, the Uthuk sink ever deeper into corruption; covens of blood witches call upon ancient evils, including demons of gluttony with an insatiable appetite for suffering. And the lands of the Great Betrayer bear witness to further sacrilege: the Vampires of Bilehall have allied themselves with Waiqar, and the massive Great Wyrms, long-dead relics of the Dragon Wars, are rising again!

(Official Announcement as given from the actual gaming website at http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=2474)

The Runewars Unofficial Strategy Guide by Wanderer999 Page 36

Credits:

Forum Contributors:

Graf Maggotbrain MeisterH Nazroth sigmazero13 simpatikool

FFG for making the best war game to grace any table, ever. (Conquest of Nerath doesn’t come close in my humble opinion :p )

Lastly, the compiler of the Guide and author of it. Wanderer999 a.k.a Dominic Michael H.

If you have any questions regarding this Guide, or if you feel that you can help to contribute yet more material, you can contact me at thewanderer999@hotmail.com

Expect updates to this Guide when the new expansion graces our tables! Many strategies will change and more choices must be considered!