Understanding and utilizing more than one type of damage is critical in building a strong Warband.

In Factions: Battlegrounds, there are 3 distinct types of damage: Melee damage (which is the most common), ranged damage, and spell damage. Units that have sustained damage (of any kind) but have not had that damage total exceed their health attribute are known as “wounded” units. Units that sustain more damage than their health attribute are eliminated, and the player that controls the unit that eliminated them scores Victory Points equal to that units gold cost. Making an attack of any kind, (melee, ranged, or casting a spell) ends the attacking unit’s activation.

Different units have different strengths or even immunity against different types of damage, so being able to use different types of damage is critical to success.

The amount of damage a unit has sustained or that a spell or ability can do, regardless of type, is represented by amount of damage and then the skull icon.

These icons indicate 1 damage, 2 damage, and 3 damage respectively.

DAMAGE BASICS:

INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO PORTION- MELEE DAMAGE, SPELL DAMAGE, SCORING POINTS: 7:15-8:45

RULEBOOK SCREENSHOT ON MELEE ATTACKS AND DAMAGE:

RULEBOOK SCREENSHOT ON RANGED DAMAGE:

RULEBOOK SCREENSHOT ON SPELLCASTING AND SPELL DAMAGE:

UTILIZING EACH DAMAGE TYPE:

While there are a lot of “offensive” abilities that utilize melee and ranged attacks and a wide variety of spell damage dealing spells to use, a skilled player learns to recognize the defensive abilities towards each type of damage. Identifying the abilities that help enemies minimize or outright avoid certain types of damage will enable you to quickly find a different type of damage source or attack plan to eliminate the unit.

MELEE-Any attack a unit makes on an adjacent space is known as a melee attack. Melee attacks are the “default” type of attack, and inflict the amount of damage equal to the attacking unit’s Attack attribute number (The number by the Sword Icon).

Abilities that defend or minimize melee attack damage:

PARRY: Your opponent must roll a 6-sided die when targeting this unit with any melee attack. If the roll is less than or equal to the Parry number, the attack or spell has no effect.

SPIKESKIN: Melee damage done to this unit is reduced by 1. Damage cannot be reduced to less than 1.

NATURAL TOUGHNESS: Ignore up to 2 melee damage. (1 use)

RANGED– Ranged damage is damage done from a space that is not adjacent to the target. Only certain units can use Ranged attacks, and those units have a brown bow icon in their attack attribute section. The number next to the brown bow demonstrates how many spaces a unit can still attack an enemy from. Ranged attack damage is equal to the unit’s attack attribute. Some ranged units can only make a ranged attack one time per game!

Here is an example:

Elf Archer can inflict 1 damage from up to 3 spaces away. If this damage is done from 2 or 3 spaces away, it is considered ranged damage.

SPELL DAMAGE: Any damage that is inflicted on enemy units by spending mana is known as spell damage. Most spells, like ranged attacks, can be done to non-adjacent spaces (the range of the spell is indicated by the blue bow icon.) Units that can use spells have the spell name and mana cost, as well as the amount of damage the spell can do. Unlike melee or ranged attacks, the spell inflicts the amount of damage indicated by the spell name, not the attack attribute. Some spells can have more than one target or effect an entire area. If you do not have enough mana required for a certain spell, you cannot cast it!

****ALL SPELLS ARE DETAILED FOR EACH FACTION ON THE FACTION OVERVIEW****

Here is how a spell will look on a unit card:

Defensive abilities that minimize or defend against spells and ranged damage are similar, with the most common one, EVADE, applying to both types of attacks.

Abilities that defend or minimize ranged attack damage and/or spell damage:

EVADE: Your opponent must roll a 6 sided die when targeting this unit with any non-melee attack. If the roll is less than or equal to the Evade number, the attack or spell has no effect. (Note that EVADE is the same as PARRY, but PARRY applies only to Melee attacks while EVADE only applies to range and spell attacks)

IMMUNE TO SPELLS: This unit cannot be targeted by spells.

IMMUNE TO RANGE: This unit cannot be targeted by ranged attacks.

SPELL WARD: Ignore up to 2 spell damage (1 use)

So, back to building a Warband: Good Warbands have answers to all of the problems that defensive abilities cause. You have an entire army of spellcasters and all the mana in the world and your enemy puts out one unit with EVADE and another that is IMMUNE TO SPELLS, you are suddenly in major trouble. The key is balance and flexibility. There are some units that are capable of inflicting effective damage of multiple types all by themselves, and though expensive these units can help you be prepared and adaptable.

Here are some examples:

Having units that can use different damage types and different types of attacks will help you find ways to consistently eliminate units and score victory points. Understanding the defensive abilities that could slow or disrupt your attacks, and how to work around them however, will help you consistently WIN!

What are some of your favorite units? Which ones do you think are the most useful? How about your favorite defensive ability? Reply away!!