Pixel Tactics rules

Terms
Unit – your leader and all of your heroes. Forerunner – the hero directly in front of this hero. Supporter – the hero directly
behind this hero. Empty Slot – a slot in your unit that does not have a hero, leader, or corpse. Attack Power - A special effect
that is triggered with an ‘Attack’ Action. Attack Strength - The damage dealt by the hero’s attack. Lethal Damage – any
damage larger than the hero’s or leader’s Life Total.

Setup
1. Each player shuffles his deck and draws a hand of 5 cards. If playing matches, the players draw one extra card for every match
lost during the game.
2. Each player selects his leader secretly (turning up the side with the leader’s badge).
3. Each player reveals his leader and places it in the Leader (center) slot in his unit. If both players reveal the same leader, they
put both leaders on the bottom of their deck, draw a new card and choose a new leader.
4. Randomly determine the first player. The winner of the last game is the first player.
5. Place the First Player Current Wave card next to the first player’s Vanguard Wave. Place the Second Player Current Wave card
next to the other player’s Vanguard Wave.
Game Play
 The game proceeds in ROUNDS. Each round consists of three consecutive WAVES (VANGUARD FLANK REAR).
 In each wave, each player can carry out 2 ACTIONS.
 At the end of each wave, both players move the Current Wave Markers down to the row below.
 At the end of the round, the players swap the Current Wave cards and a new round begins.
 Each card can be used in 3 different ways: as a LEADER (only during Setup), as a HERO, or as an ORDER.
 Heroes have different colored POWERS corresponding to the current wave.

Actions
 Draw a Card There is no hand size limit. This action is not available if your deck is empty.
 Play an Order Play a card from your hand for its order (purple) effect, then discard the card. Effects that trigger
“when you play an order” take place after the order has resolved. ONGOING ORDER (scroll symbol) – The card is placed to
the side of the board and remains effective for a set amount of time. Ongoing orders can only be activated from a player’s
hand; they have no effect when triggered by another effect such as from Puppeteer, Mascot, or Doppleganger.
 Clear a Corpse Move a corpse to your discard pile. Discarded corpses cannot be revived.
 Recruit a Hero Play a hero from your hand (not from the deck) into an empty slot in the current wave. This hero
cannot attack during this wave.
 Restructure Move a hero from any wave to any empty slot in your unit. Moved heroes cannot attack during this
wave. Leaders cannot be moved.
 Attack with a Hero or Leader Choose a hero in the current wave (or your leader, if in the
Flank Wave) to take an attack action. A hero must have been alive and in its current position at the start of the wave to take
an attack action. A single hero or leader can attack only once per wave.
[Round 1 Ceasefire – Heroes and leaders cannot use attacks of any kind during the first round of play, including attack
powers and orders that provide extra attacks.]
MELEE ATTACK – Target the foremost opposing hero or leader in a single column and do damage equal to the attacker’s
attack strength (the red number on the sword symbol). Melee cannot be used if a friendly hero or leader is standing in front
of the attacker. A hero or leader is considered to be “in melee” if it is capable of making and receiving melee attacks.
RANGED ATTACK – Target any hero or leader and do damage equal to the attacker’s power. The attacker must have the
Ranged Attack ability. Ranged attacks can be fired over other allies and enemies, unless prevented by the INTERCEPT power
of the target’s forerunner in the same column. A hero with Ranged Attack can always choose to make a melee attack instead
if it is in melee. A power like the Mascot’s that allows another hero to make a ranged attack works even if the target does
not have the Ranged Attack ability.
ATTACK POWERS – Heroes (especially Rear Wave heroes) have powers that may be used in place of attacking (e.g., “Attack:
the opponent discards a card”). Attack powers still count as an attack action. Attack powers have a megaphone symbol in
their text boxes. While some effects state “when a hero attacks this unit”, attack powers are not considered to be “attacking
a unit” or “attacking a hero”. An attack generated by an effect does NOT count as an Attack action (e.g., Mascot’s attack
power).

Casualties
 Place damage counters when a hero or leader is damaged. A hero can continue to fight, act, and be healed DURING the
current wave despite any (including lethal) damage it receives.
 AT THE END OF THE WAVE, any hero with damage equal to or exceeding its life total is defeated. All damage is removed and
the hero is flipped face down, becoming a corpse.
 A hero that can transfer damage to itself can do so at any time and can transfer damage beyond its Life Total.
CORPSES
Corpses cannot attack, they do not block melee attacks, and new heroes cannot be played on top of them. Note that instant-kill
orders and attack powers like the Assassin don’t wait for the end of the wave to cause casualties.

Winning the Game

 If your leader has damage > its Life Total at the end of a wave, your unit is ROUTED and you lose the game.
 The two leaders are set aside, face down, and will not be reshuffled into their decks during future matches in the game.
 If both units are routed at the same time, the unit with more living heroes is the winner. If tied, the game is a draw.
 A single game consists of the best out of 3 or 5 matches.