Hoplomachus: Remastered

To set up, place the double-sided arena mat in the center of the play area with the desired arena face up. Each player receives either the solid blue or red chips. The remaining faction chips are organized by color, and players select their factions. Each player places their hero (inactive side up) and four tactic chips (face up) in their camp area. Players then collect a black bag, add their remaining units to it, and draw four units face down into their camp. Three extra-thick neutral hero chips are identified, and one is randomly placed active side up on designated spaces at the ends of the favor tracks, with the rest returned to the box. Finally, all game dice are placed within reach of both players.

The primary objective is to be the last player with units in the arena. This can be achieved by either defeating your opponent's primary hero (the thicker unit that started in their camp) or by removing all of your opponent's active units from the arena. Strategic combat and control of key locations are essential to achieve victory.

Players take turns, starting with the first player and alternating. Each turn consists of seven steps: 1. Check Stone Hexes: If using the Pozzouli arena, players earn favor for units on stone hexes. 2. Deployment: Deploy one unit from your camp to a deployment hex in your color, placing health chips underneath it. Newly deployed units are 'dazed' and cannot move or attack this turn. 3. Tactic Placement: Play one tactic from your camp onto an eligible unit (not elite units), resolving its effect. Permanent tactics are placed under the unit, temporary tactics on top, and instant tactics are discarded after use. 4. Movement: Move any of your non-dazed units up to their maximum movement value. Units cannot enter hexes already occupied. 5. Abilities: Resolve any unit abilities (marked with 'A') in any order. Each ability can only be resolved once per turn. 6. Engage: Activate each of your non-dazed units once to either attack an enemy unit within range or use a special skill (marked with 'S'). 7. Replenish: If you have fewer than four units in your camp, draw units from your bag until you have four, or until the bag is empty. If any units were dazed, flip them face up.

Favor is gained by holding stone hexes (1 point for one unit, 3 points for two units) and by defeating enemy units (2 points per unit in Pozzouli arena). As your favor token advances on the favor track, you unlock rewards. These rewards include activating your primary hero, returning discarded tactics to your camp, or returning discarded units to your camp. When a reward space is reached, the player with the least favor gains a health bonus for one of their elite units or two health chips for a non-elite unit. If tied, the current player receives the bonus.

The game concludes immediately when one player achieves either of the victory conditions: defeating the opponent's primary hero or eliminating all of the opponent's active units from the arena. Units in combat are those currently on hex spaces in the arena, excluding those in camps or discard piles.