Set-Up

1. Royal Decree Selection – Exclude the “Spy” card and shuffle the rest of the 6 cards remaining. Then
select 3 at random available for both sides for playing as usual.

2. Fortification Card Selection – Play as usual the Set-up: Randomly select one fortification card, place
the 4 fortifications on the board as indicated on the map and place the remaining to form a supply

3. Assemble AI Bag - Shuffle ALL the cards of the Base Game, Nobility Expansion and Siege Expansion
together and select four at random. Place these cards on the left side of the board face-up. Place 2 coins
of those cards and the Initiative Marker in the AI Bag. Then set the remaining coins to the left side of
the board to form the AI’s supply.

4. Draft – Shuffle again the rest of the unit cards and then draw 6 at random. Then select 4 to be your
cards. Set up your bag like a traditional 2-player game of War Chest.

5. Place Control Markers – Take 6 control markers each for you and the AI. Place 2 control markers for
each side on the board like a traditional 2-player game. Now, you are ready to play. The AI goes first.

The AI’s Turn

1. Reload – If the bag is empty, place all coins from the AI’s discard pile back into the bag and add a Royal
Coin to the bag. There is no limit for extra Royal Coins. Feel free to use any unused coins.
2. Draw – Reveal a coin, and use it according to the “On Coin Reveal”flowchart
3. Discard – If the revealed coin was not Deployed or Bolstered, place the coin into the AI’s discard face-up.

Definitions Notes
“Order of Priorities” – A numerical list of criteria. If the Turns – There is no initiative. Instead,
first criterion applies to one and only location/hex/enemy take turns with the AI. When you have
unit, then use that criterion to select your target. no coins, draw back up to three and play
Otherwise, move to the second criterion, using only those a coin all in one turn.
locations/hexes/enemies that applied to the first, and so
on down the list. Bolster – The AI will never bolster its own
unit. Exceptions: See Knight Notes in the AI
“Closeness” – This refers to the hex/location/enemyunit Attack maneuver, Siege Tower in the AI
that is the least number of hexes away, counting around Deployment, and Berserker, Herald and all
any occupied spaces. If Total Tie of Closeness occurs, Siege expansion units in the AI Movement
you must consider the hex with the upper edge closest maneuver.
to one horizontal side of the center hex.

This is an unofficial solo variant.

 AI Deployment
Deploy – Place the revealed coin onto an unoccupied friendly location, determined by order ofpriorities:

1. Closest to a neutral/enemy location fortified or not.

2. Closest to an enemy location without fortification.
3. Closest to a neutral fortified location.
4. Closest neutral location without fortification.
5. Closest to an enemy location with a fortification.
6. Closest to an enemy-occupied location without fortification.
7. Closest to an enemy-occupied location with a fortification
8. Closest to the center hex.
9. If Total Tie: The hex with the edge closest to the horizontal line edge of the center hex.

Scout Note: The Scout should Deploy based on the above criteria, but considering all hexes adjacent to
friendly units to be an “unoccupied friendly location.”

Earl Note: After Deploy the Earl must Move, with the AI Movement criteria, if possible.

Siege Tower Note: When Siege Tower is deployed, it must be immediately Bolstered with a coin from the
supply, if possible.
 AI Recruitment
Recruit – Move a coin from the AI’s supply to its discard, according to order of priorities:
1. The unit with the most remaining coins left in the supply.
2. The unit with the most coins removed from play.
3. The unit that was most recently maneuvered, without considering coins left in the supply or
removed. If there are no coins left to recruit, the AI passes.

Mercenary Note: If a Mercenary unit is in play you must Recruit, if possible, a Mercenary unit and then
make a Maneuver with the Mercenary deployed, forgetting the standard formula of AI Recruitment.

Royal Coin Note: When Royal Coin recruits a new Mercenary unit, the deployed unit must Maneuver.

AI Proclaim

Proclaim Action –Select a Royal Decree, if the action is possible, by the following order of the
below list. If the card is not in play or the action is not possible, continue to the next.
1. Guard.
2. Sacrifice.
3. Enlist.
4. Reinforce.
5. March.
6. Redeploy.

Place one the three AI Proclamation Seals into the card selected. None can choose a Decree which already
has one a Seal on it. When IA has placed its 3 Seals on the 3 Royal Decrees available, eliminate from the
game the Initiative Marker. If AI can not choose any of the 3 Royal Decrees because the action was not
possible or the card was already selected, Discard the Initiative Marker and Draw another coin as a new
turn for the AI.

Guard and Sacrifice Notes: If more than one unit is available for attacking, all units attack.

Enlist Note: Recruit 2 units using twice the AI Recruitment criteria.

Reinforce Note: Choose one eliminated unit as well as the AI Recruitment criteria and add it to the Supply

March Note: Choose all Bolstered units and use the movement criteria for each one.

Redeploy Note: Evaluate it like a Movement action: If one unit can move to a closest a location using this
Proclaim, then use it with the AI Movement criteria. If two or more units can Redeploy, choose the that was
most recently maneuvered.

Herald Note: The Herald takes a Maneuver action after every Proclaim.

Earl Note: As usual, the Earl takes a free Proclaim Action, if possible, when controls a location.

AI Bannerman Ability

When a Bannerman makes a Maneuver choose an adjacent enemy unit, if able, and move it one space
back to his previous position.
If more than one adjacent enemy unit are present, choose the unit that was most recently maneuvered.
 AI Movement
1. Target – Select a target enemy/neutral location, determined by the following order of priorities:

1. Closest location, not occupied for friendly units.

2. Enemy location without fortification.
3. Closest neutral fortified location.
4. Closest neutral location without fortification.
5. Enemy location with fortification.
6. Enemy-occupied location without fortification.
7. Enemy-occupied location with fortification.
8. Location closest to the center hex.
Targeting should always occur before each movement.

2. Move – Move one hex closer to the target. If two or more hexes fit this criterion, priority is
determined in the following order:

1. Hex closest to another enemy location.

2. Hex closest to another neutral location.
3. Hex closest to an enemy unit.
4. Hex closest to the center hex.

Light Cavalry Note: After the Light Cavalry moves, it should move again toward the same target
according to the 2. Move step. If further movement toward the target is obstructed, skip this.

Cavalry Note: After the Cavalry moves, if it can attack, it should attack according to the Attack
maneuver.

Ensign Note: If there are others units under the Tactic of Ensign, reconsider the Target closest location
for these units, including Ensign, and Move the unit with the closest location founded.
Remember that, preferably, if Berserker is within range and enemy is nearby, it must Move and Attack

Royal Guard Note: If Royal Guard is in a controlled friendly location, and the Royal Coin is played to
Move, consider its tactic for recalculate the target of the movement, and if it is closest, Move with it.

Archer and Lancer Note: If at the final 2. Move step the Archer / Lancer is adjacent to an enemy unit,
undo this move and make a new move forgetting last hex in the flowchart. If no move is founded
without finishing adjacent to an enemy unit, forget the flowchart and move the Archer / Lancer to the
safest hex where the first enemy unit founded is within range the Archer´s / Lancer´s Tactic.

Footman Note: If only one unit of Footman is deployed out of the initial friendly locations and a new
coin of the Footman is using for moving, instead of moving, Deploy it in a free friendly location if
possible. Later, each unit of Footman will be evaluated separately.

Berserker Note: If Berserker is deployed out of the initial friendly locations and a new coin of the
Berserker is using to move, instead of moving, Bolsters it.

Mercenary Note: If a new coin of Mercenary is using for moving, first Recruit a new Mercenary unit, if
possible, and then Move with the deployed unit. If Recruiting is not possible, move as normally.
 AI Movement (Continuation: Expansion Units)

Bishop Note: As Mercenary, The Bishop must first Recruit a new unit, if possible, using the AI
Recruitment criteria, and then the Bishop moves. If a friendly Mercenary is deployed, Bishop must
Recruit a Mercenary unit, if possible. Then, resolve the Bishop action first and later the Mercenary´s.

Herald Note: If there is an adjacent unbolstered friendly unit, Bolsters it with a coin from the supply,
instead of moving. If not possible or Bishop is one of the enemy units, then the Herald moves. If there
are two or more units adjacent, choose the unit that was most recently maneuvered.

Sapper Note: If Sapper is not bolstered, it is deployed out of the initial friendly locations and is not
going to move right now into a new location, instead of moving: Bolsters it. If Sapper moves into a
location, a fortification must be built immediately in that location, if possible. On the other hand,
whenever the Sapper is adjacent to an enemy location, occupied or not, the fortification must be
attacked, if Sapper is already Bolstered.

Trebuchet Note: If Trebuchet is not bolstered and it is deployed out of the initial friendly locations,
instead of moving: Bolsters it. As Archer and Lancer Note, If at the final 2. Move step the Trebuchet is
adjacent to an enemy unit, undo this move and make a new move forgetting last hex in the flowchart.
If no move is founded without finishing adjacent to an enemy unit, forget the flowchart and move the
Trebuchet to the safest hex where the first enemy unit founded is within range the Trebuchet´s Tactic

Siege Tower Note: If Siege Tower is deployed out of the initial friendly locations and is not bolstered,
Bolsters it, instead of moving.

War Wagon Note: If War Wagon is not bolstered and it is adjacent to a friendly unit: Bolsters War
Wagon, instead of moving. If it is already bolstered, Move with AI criteria the adjacent friendly unit and
then the War Wagon to the vacate space, as its Tactics explains. If there is no adjacent unit, move as
normally.

AI Standard Abilities
Use standard rules for every unit. For example, Pikemen: The adjacent attacking unit lost one coin. Or
Warrior Priest: When controls a new location or attacks an enemy unit, take a new unit coin out of
the bag, and use it to take a new action.

AI Control for winning the game

Berserker Note: Consider all bolstered coins of the Berserker to Move and Control a location that would win
the game. Consider Ensign´s tactic for this purpose if Berserker is within its range.
 AI Attack
Attack – Attack an enemy unit, determined by order of priorities:
1. Adjacent unit. (Crossbowmen, Archer, Lancer, Berserker and Trebuchet)
2. Unit on a friendly location.
3. Unit on an enemy location.
4. Unit on a neutral location.
5. Unit closest to the center hex.
Enemy unit targeting should always occur before each attack.

Knight Note: If an AI’s unbolstered unit would attack your Knight, it bolsters that unit instead.

Swordsman Note: After the Swordsman attacks, it should move according to the AI Movement maneuver
unless it is already on a neutral or enemy controlled location.

Crossbowmen, Archer, Lancer and Trebuchet Note: All this units should be considered “able to attack” if an
enemy unit is in range of its tactic.

Marshall Note: If there are others units under the Tactic of Marshall, reconsider all these units for AI
Attack in the flowchart, including Marshall if needed, and remember Berserker bolstered combination.

Mercenary Note: If a Mercenary unit is adjacent to an enemy unit and AI is using another new unit coin
neither attacking nor Controlling win the game, then you must Recruit, if possible, a new Mercenary unit
and then Attack with the Mercenary Deployed unit. If Recruiting is not possible, play as normally.

Royal Guard Note: If Royal Guard is attacked, remove a coin from its supply, rather from the unit.

Berserker Note: Consider all bolstered coins of the Berserker to Move and Attack a nearby enemy/s at the
same time. If Ensign or Marshall are in play within its range, play their abilities for move and/or attack
and start the combination of all bolstered coins.

Bishop Note: As Mercenary, The Bishop must first Recruit a new unit, if possible, using the AI
Recruitment criteria, and then the Bishop attacks. If a friendly Mercenary is deployed, Bishop must
Recruit a Mercenary unit, if possible. Then, resolve the Bishop action first and later the Mercenary´s

Siege Tower Note: : If Siege Tower is bolstered and there are two or more adjacent enemies, or an
enemy bolstered, or an enemy inside a fortification, use the AI Attack criteria for attack twice.

War Wagon Note: : If any friendly unit adjacent to War Wagon is attacked by an enemy, remove a coin
from the War Wagon instead from the friendly unit.

Difficulty Levels Credits

Beginner – Play as described. Solo variant rules designed by Seth McBride. Board Game
Intermediate – Start with a Royal Coin Geek user Dreadpirate404. Credit to Omar Dabard (BGG
alreadyin the AI bag. Jephque) for AI recruitment mechanics. Credit to Raúl
Martínez (BGG Raulone) for including the mechanics for
Advanced – Start with 2 Royal Coins
the Nobility and Siege Expansion.
already in the AI bag.
All credits and inspiration go to the fantastic game
For extra Royal Coins, feel free to use designers Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson for
any unused coins. making such an incredible game!