Choose a faction
Pick one of the six factions and its starting city.
See the factions →THE FIRST FIELD MANUAL / BEGIN HERE
Start Playing
Everything you need to get your first Age of Ash battle onto the table. No particular miniatures brand required.
THE PRACTICAL LIST
What you need
You can proxy the models and scenery for your first trial. The rules are experimental, so there's no need to buy an army before trying them.
TWO COMPLETE EXAMPLES
Follow the Battle Reports
See how a game flows over five rounds, with dice rolls, orders, shooting, hazards and objectives explained as they happen. The Fallen Reliquary features a radiation storm; The Drowned Causeway adds cryptids, artillery and relic extraction.
SIX STEPS TO THE TABLE
From an empty table to round one
Build your army
Start at 400 campaign points. Recruit your Captain, four Officers and two Core squads. Add extras within your allowance.
Open Army Builder →Set the battlefield
Place scenery, three objectives and a neutral three-mutant patrol at each objective.
Use the learning mission →Deploy both armies
Roll a D6 for table edges. Take turns placing formations and mark any Skirmishers held in reserve.
Deployment details →Give orders
Both Captains may issue up to two orders. Add one coloured token to the bag for every active formation.
Command rules →Draw and act
Draw a token. Its owner activates one matching formation. Repeat until the bag is empty.
Full activation rules →KEEP THIS OPEN BESIDE YOUR FIRST GAME
Quick Play: the rules in plain steps
This is the basic playable loop for a friendly test battle. Use your roster for each fighter’s numbers. The Field Manual covers special abilities, unusual situations and exact rulings.
- Set up and deployUse a 36 × 36 inch board, cover and three objectives. Put a three-mutant neutral patrol on each objective. Roll off for edges and alternate deployment.
- Command PhaseEach Captain may issue up to two orders. Reach a formation within 12 inches of the Captain or through eligible Officers. Declare any one-use Captain ability now.
- Prepare activationsPut one coloured token per surviving formation into a bag. Attached Officers use their squad’s token. Add one neutral token per mutant patrol.
- Draw a tokenWithout looking, draw one. That player activates a formation of the drawn colour. A formation acts once per round.
- Choose the actionA formation may Move and then Shoot or Manifest, or Charge and Fight. Measure distances in inches. Only attack targets in your weapon’s range and line of sight.
- Resolve an attackRoll D6 for each attack: Hit → Wound → Save → Damage. For Wound, Force above Toughness needs 3+, equal needs 4+, below needs 5+. An unsaved hit removes weapon Damage from Wounds.
- Check special diceA natural 1 on a D6 always fails and cannot be rerolled. A natural 6 to Hit automatically hits; if that hit wounds and its Save fails, add +1 Damage.
- Finish the roundKeep drawing until every token is used. Apply any radiation damage, check objectives and update victory points. An objective earns 1 VP at the end of rounds 2–5 only when cleared and uncontested.
- Round two eventAt the start of round two roll D20 once: 1–10 cryptid or 11–20 radiation storm. A cryptid acts before players. Consult the Bestiary or Crib Sheet for the event’s moves and effects.
- Complete five roundsKeep playing the same loop through round five. Compare victory points, record the result and surviving formations, then use Finish Mission & Upgrade Army to add earned points to your personal campaign allowance.
Already know the basics?
Skip directly to the tool you need. The rules, builder and Play Mode work in the browser; campaign records can be kept locally on your own device.