How a turn runs

1 · Initiative

Each side rolls 2d6 once per turn. The loser acts first in each phase that follows; the winner reacts.

2 · Movement

Sides alternate moving one unit at a time, initiative loser first. The winner moves last, reacting to known positions.

3 · Combat

No alternating here: the initiative loser declares and resolves all of its attacks, then the winner does the same. Damage marks off immediately, but its effects wait for the End Phase, so a unit destroyed this phase still makes its declared attack.

4 · End

Apply heat from this turn’s fire, resolve shutdowns and other end-of-turn effects, then start the next turn.

Making an attack

Roll 2d6 against a target number. TN = Skill + attacker movement + target movement + range + terrain + heat. On a hit, deal the card’s printed damage for the range band.

Base

Attacker’s Skill (printed on the card; PV is already priced for it).

Range

Short (to 6") +0 · Medium (to 24") +2 · Long (to 42") +4 · Extreme (past 42") +6 where extreme-range play is used.

Attacker moved

Stood still (or immobile) −1 · jumped +2 · anything else +0.

Target moved

+ the target’s TMM. Add +1 more if the target jumped. A target that did not move adds nothing.

Target immobile

−4 (shut down, or otherwise unable to move).

Woods

+1 when the target occupies woods, or intervening woods sit more than 2" from the attacker. Alpha Strike has no light/heavy woods split.

Partial cover

+1 when part of the target (a third to two-thirds) hides behind blocking terrain. Woods never grant cover; depth-1 water does.

Attacker heat

+ the attacker’s current heat level, weapon attacks only (see Heat).

Physical attacks

Ground units in base contact may attack physically in the Combat Phase instead of shooting, one physical attack per turn.

Standard

Roll against Skill with the usual movement modifiers; damage equals the attacker’s Size. The MEL special adds +1 to it.

Charge

Ground-move into base contact (+1 TN): damage equals the attacker’s Size plus half its own TMM, rounded down. The attacker takes half its TMM in return, plus 1 against a Size 3+ target.

Death From Above

Jump onto the target (+1 TN): deals Charge damage plus 1, with a bonus critical roll even if armor holds. The attacker takes its own Size in damage, or Size plus 1 on a miss.

Heat

Only units with an OV value and the heat scale track heat.

Building heat

Firing with Overheat (OV) damage, and external sources like flamer attacks (HT), mark heat boxes in the End Phase. Skip weapon fire for a turn and all heat clears; standing in water sheds one level.

Running hot

Each heat level adds +1 to this unit’s weapon attacks (never physicals) and subtracts 2" from its Move; at heat 2 or more its TMM also drops by 1. Jumping ignores the Move and TMM penalties.

S · Shutdown

At S the unit shuts down: no movement or attacks next turn, and it counts as immobile (−4 to be hit). It restarts with heat cleared in the following End Phase.