GRUNT:
Rules Clarifications

The following answers are from the game's publisher, and hence are "official." If you have any rules questions, please send them to the editor, and we'll work with the publisher to find out the official answers.

Q: The game is played in turns: your turn, my turn, your turn, etc. Is this correct?

A: Yes, the game goes by turns.

Q: Within each turn, do you move all of your units, then conduct combat with all of your units? Or can you move some, fight some, move some? Or do you move/fight with one unit at a time?

A: You may move them in any order desired, and initiate combats in any order as well. Thus you may move all of your units, then do all of your attacks; move a unit then attack with it, move a few units attack with one, move more units and attack with the rest...and so on. Just as long as a unit does not move after it has attacked and no units gets to move or attack twice.

Could I attack with a unit, then move it in the same turn?

No, a normal unit may move, then attack, but not atack and then move. Once a unit has attacked it is done for that turn.

Q: The back cover mentions "large pull out combat chart" - would this be the 4" x 5" combat reference card?

A: Yes, as large as little old Grunt could hold effectively.

Q: The back cover mentions that the game includes an "Army reference sheet." I don't have one in my copy.

A: The army reference sheet is on the inside of the back cover. It lists all of the stats that are needed for a character and puts them in a working order, simply so first time players have a guide to making their army. It does not pull out, but may easily be photo copied.

Q: Are attributes rolled for before every battle, or only when a unit first joins an army?

A: Only when the unit is first created, (joins the army). Those attributes may be added upon with the gaining of levels.

Q: It says that victory points are earned if a unit "survives to tell about it." Does this mean that it must survive that specific combat, or the entire battle?

A: To earn the victory point and get to draw a card, it must merely survive that specific combat. A level may only be gained at the completion of a game, so having multiple victory points can only help your army for future games. This gives the players a reason to want to play that same army again.

Q: The Victory Point table on pg. 10 is unlabeled, so that it's not obvious whether a Soldier who kills a General gets 2 points or 1. Looks to me like the left column is the victor, and the top row is the defeated unit. Is this right?

A: Correct. We really need to clarrify that one.

Q: It says that grunts "can never earn victory points, no matter how astounding their defeats." Are victory points earned for non-grunts which defeat grunts?

A: Yes. That means sending all of your Grunts forward as cannon fodder isn't always a good move, for it can allow the opponents to draw many battle cards.

Q: Since Grunts aren't listed on the Victory Point chart, can I assume you don't get points for killing them?

A: Actually, you do get 1 victory point, no matter what kills it.

Q: What size is a marker? (Obviously, if I'm buying markers with money points, I want very large markers...)

A: It merely needs to be large enough to effectively mark its existence and let a unit stand on it. The size would actually need to vary according to the size of figurines the gamers were using. While we recommended 25mm for the game, it is obviously open ended and can be played with any.

So for 25mm, would you suggest something about 1" square? Poker chip size?

Sounds like it would do just fine. I mostly depends on the figurines in use. If a figurine can effectively stand on top of the marker, then it is big enough.

Q: The cost list on pg. 15 mentions Shield Markers. What are these?

A: Us in our infinite idiocy managed to leave out the description of that one by mistake. A Shield Marker is a marker that may travel with a unit. It represents large shields that the soldiers may hide behind to defend themselves against archer attacks. The marker gives the unit +2 Defense Level against ranged attacks, but once the unit is damaged by such an attack, the marker is assumed destroyed.

Q: When you have multiple players, how do you handle the turns? Does each player get his own turn?

A: Yes. Each would simply roll initiative for each turn, which shakes up the order of movement and makes strategies more uncertain. I have seen it played with a set-turn order as well, though not as fun.

Q: On pg. 10, it mentions that you can force a "general surrender" on your opponent. How is this done? (The same sentence refers to a rules section called "Conquest" which doesn't seem to be in the book.)

A: A general surrender is simply when a player decides the losses he is taking are too great, and he no longer wishes to be attacked by a person. By surrendering to him/her, that player may no longer be a target, for the player in control of the attacking army would then want to force surrenders out of the other players. By simply choosing to surrender, the player may still be able to confront other opponents if it is a multi-player game. Or perhaps he wants to surrender to save the units of his precious army that has been with him for over (X) number of battles.

Conquest is merely when you lose control of your castle, which is mentioned on page 11. Once it is conquered, the player's army is done, his game over. This is another reason a player may chose to surrender, so as to avoid being conquered and remaining in the game. A player does not have to accept a surrender offer, but since castles prove very costly to take, it usually makes sense for the attacker to welcome the surrender.

Q: How does the game end?

A: Ideally, the game would end when one player has conquered or forced a surrender out of every other player. However, the reality of time constraints does not always allow it to be played out to this point. Thus when the players deem it time to quit, which would leave the victor as the player who had not surrendered, or at least surrender the least amount of times. We briefly mention this on page 15. And it is possible for there to be no victors. War is like that.

Q: Can a unit receive both the High Ground and Castle/City combat bonuses at the same time?

A: No. The castle and city bonuses are already assuming the natural defense advantages of the fortifications, including any high ground.

Q: Since a City has entrances, is it considered to have walls? Do these count for High Ground?

A: Well, yes, city walls are most definitely High Ground, but that is why the city grants a +1/+2. It surely isn't for the presence of taverns.

Let's say that you and I both have units fighting each other, within the same city. Do both units get the City bonus, or only the unit defending the City? Does it matter if one unit is on the "city wall," and another is in the city but not on the wall?

Page 19 under important note number 1, "Units in or on a city, castle or fortification marker get +1 added to their attack level and +2 to their defense level. Units invading a castle or city do not recieve this bonus."

Ah, but that's exactly my question - what's the definition of an "invading unit"? A unit outside a city, attacking a unit inside a city, is obviously an invading unit. But if two opposing units are inside the same city at the moment of combat, is either an "invader"? Or is an "invader" any unit which doesn't belong to the player who owns that city?

Basically, if you are the original owner of the city and have a unit there, it gets the bonus and the foe does not. I know that is rather simplistic, but the original rules were designed to be very simplistic. One of my future pet projects will be the rules for custom designing your city, from the outer walls, to archer towers, militia, traps and more. One of our optional rules already on our Grunt page is for investing money into a city to eventually increase its monetary yield. I think cities will be rather interesting once we have rules for custome design.

Q: It says that "each player chooses their territory based on army strength." Does this mean that the low-strength army gets first pick of territory?

A: The players dice to see who gets pick of starting territory (or, if the armies are unbalanced, the low-points army gets to pick first). Or, the player with the weakest starting army may choose to pick last, so as to know exactly who will be next to him. All depends how the gamers want to do it.

Q: Am I correct in assuming that the players place cities and castles after choosing territories?

A: Yes. There is strategy in the placement. They are safer being further back, but harder to reach from the front lines if a unit seeks the healing at a city. Plus new units will need to march further to become useful.

Q: On pp.12-13, it mentions placing Battlefield Markers at the start of the game. How do players get these before the game has begun? Can they spend Money Points from previous games to purchase markers in the pre-game period?

A: The players simply decide how many total markers they shall start with. The practical number would realistically vary, based upon table space and number of players, as well as point values for the armies. We usually start out with 20 markers of your choice, if playing with new armies.

Yes, saved money can buy additional markers before a game starts, but surely they are more strategically placed if bought when the exact need for them presents itself. Say, a supply marker for a really valuable, but hurt, retreating unit. Or a timely-placed fortification marker, to help an archer hold a key pass (high ground).

Q: Do the Multiple Attack rules apply only to melee combat, or do they apply to Archery combat as well?

A: Only to melee.

Q: Let's say one of my men is surrounded by 3 enemies, but it's my turn. Does this mean my guy can attack one of them (and he'll get a counter-strike), but that the other enemies can't attack since it isn't their turn and I didn't attack them?

A: You only have to confront the one. Multiple attacks may only be used when on the offensive.

Q: When a surrender occurs, and every figure gets a Victory Point, do they also get Battle Cards? (I presume not.)

A: Correct. That many cards would simply be over powering.

Q: Can a Battle Card be used on any figure, or only on the figure which earned it?

A: Any figure - even another player's, but only if that player OK's it.

Q: When you use the Training card, is the old unit permanently removed from your army? Does the new unit join your army?

A: The old charcter is gone for good. The new one joins the army and enters the game board as all units do, in your city or castle.

Q: Am I correct in presuming you can heal all units between battles?

A: Yes. It is hard enough fighting new battles if the previous one was costly on your army. Depending on what Recruiting method is used, Grunts can be replaced, but the other units are precious and hard to come by.

Q: Do rocks and trees have any effect on the game?

A: We typically give a +1 Defense bonus to any unit that is using rocks, trees or whatever to screen itself from an archer.