TACTICAL TITAN
CONTENTS
1.0 SUMMARY
TACTICAL TITAN is a tactical battle game based on Avalon Hill's TITAN. The game uses the character counters of the original game along with maps which are like mosaics of TITAN Battlelands. As in TITAN, each player starts with a Titan character and a small force. New characters are mustered by different mechanics, but using the same progression. Turn sequence proceeds like a TITAN Battle-Round on a much larger scale. New rules allow characters to heal damage taken during combat.
2.0 COMPONENTS
Tactical TITAN requires the character counters from one or more sets of the original TITAN game, and a map built out of TITAN Battlelands or otherwise constructed so that it is a mosaic of Battlelands. A number of new character types have been created, and counters to represent these must be made (the TITAN game provides blank counters).
You may wish to use more than one copy of the TITAN game, so that a game of TACTICAL TITAN can include more characters of certain types than are available in the original version. This is especially true of the Warlock, of which only six counters are provided in one game set.
2.1 Maps
A TACTICAL TITAN map has a hex grid and features the hazards found in the TITAN Battlelands. The entire area is partitioned into regions, which correspond to the Lands in the original game. The regions contain hexes of only one terrain type.
2.1.1 Terrain
The terrain type of a hex is determined by its region, and is important for both mustering and healing creatures. A region can be referred to simply by its terrain type; i.e a region with tower terrain is called a "tower"; a region with marsh terrain is called a "marsh".
Sea is a special type of region that always consists of all Water hexes; conversely, any Water hex is part of some Sea region, even if just a one-hex region.
2.1.2 Hexes
A hex can be referred to by terrain type; e.g. a "marsh hex" is a hex in a marsh. It can also be referred to by hazard type; e.g. a "bog hex" is a hex with a bog hazard in it, and will probably also be either a marsh hex or a swamp hex. A "clear hex" is a hex with no hazard in it, and could be in any region (except a Sea).
2.2 Characters
As in the original game, there is a limited supply of characters. Characters start the game in the muster pile, and when mustered enter play on the map in control of the mustering player. When slain, characters are placed in the dead pile.
2.2.1 Mustering Characters
Characters may only be mustered from the muster pile, not the dead pile; once all characters of a given type have been mustered into play, no more characters of that type may be mustered, even if there are some in the dead pile (exception: see 10.2).
A character can be mustered in a hex in which its type appears on the Masterchart for the terrain of that hex. Elementals can be mustered in hexes according to what hazards are in them, and Demons can be mustered in tower hexes. A hex in which a character can be mustered is termed a muster hex for that character.
NOTE: Angels and Archangels are never mustered, but earned through points, and consequently have no muster hexes; neither do Titans.
2.2.2 Titans
A player's Titan is his or her most important character. When a player's Titan is slain, that player is eliminated from the game. All characters belonging to the player are removed from play as if slain, entering the dead pile. The player whose character did the killing point of damage to the Titan earns half points for all characters eliminated in this way.
2.2.3 Special Abilities
Some character types have new special abilities. These are optional to use, but are recommended as they make the game much more interesting. The special abilities of the characters are listed on the Mastercharts. They are described in the rules below.
2.3 Scenarios
A TACTICAL TITAN map may have special rules and support some number of scenarios. The initial setup and the goals of the game are determined in part by the scenario.
3.0 SETUP
There are no fixed rules for game setup, because of the many ways that a TACTICAL TITAN map could be created. Some suggestions are described in this section.
3.1 Starting Tower Regions
Each player can have a starting tower region which consists only of seven hexes with walls (a center one surrounded by six others). These can easily be constructed by photocopying the Tower Battleland and cutting out the seven-hex tower. Then, each player can place their starting tower within some other region of the map, possibly creating a region within a region.
3.1.1 Starting Characters
Each player's starting characters should be a Titan, plus six Tower Creatures (i.e. Ogre, Gargoyle or Centaur) of the player's choice. These seven characters start inside the player's starting tower. With this setup, it is not possible to muster on the first turn, since the tower is full at game start.
3.1 Making a Map
A map can be constructed using paper with a hex grid large enough to accommodate the TITAN pieces. It can have any number of regions in any desired configuration. It is recommended that mapmakers use color to distinguish the regions (e.g. make marsh purple and swamp blue), and also mark the region borders with bold black lines. Regions should be large enough for two players to establish forces within them, so that both can muster. A minimum size of 12 hexes per region is recommended, but 20 or so is better.
On a pre-built map, there should be pre-determined starting locations placed symmetrically on the edges of the map. Players should roll dice to determine in what order they will place starting towers in these locations. Once everyone has placed a tower, each player places his or her starting forces in their tower.
3.2 Building a Map
Instead of using a pre-made map, players can construct a map out of TITAN Battlelands. Photocopy the Battlelands and then trim the paper down to just the hexes of the Battleland. Each Battleland becomes one region of the resulting map, which should be a mosaic in which each player has a starting location symmetrically located with respect to the other players.
The map can be constructed by having the players take turns placing one region at a time, choosing what type it will be, fitting a predetermined map shape. Or, each player could secretly record a configuration of regions in part of the map. If the number of regions in the mosaic pattern selected is not a multiple of the number of players, then some fair method of choosing the type of the extra regions should be determined.
3.3 Starting the Game
After map setup is complete, players should roll dice to see who goes first; play proceeds clockwise.
4.0 TURN ORDER
A player turn is something like a TITAN Battle-Round. Each player conducts his or her turn in four phases, in the following order: Healing Phase, Mustering Phase, Maneuver Phase, Strike Phase. The player taking the turn is considered the active player for the duration of the turn. At the end of the turn, the active player should declare the turn done.
4.1 Actions out of Order
A player may take an action out of order (e.g. making an overlooked muster roll after having moved some characters) with the consent of the rest of the players. A player may never take a neglected action out of turn; once a player's turn is over, all opportunities for action are forfeit until the player's next turn.
Allowing players to heal or muster out of order makes play easier and more friendly. However, players should be stricter when it comes to letting each other take actions out of order after the Strike Phase has begun.
5.0 HEALING PHASE
Any of the active player's characters which have taken damage may have a chance to heal during this phase. When a character heals X points of damage, X is subtracted from the points of damage indicated on the character by hit chits, and the chits updated appropriately. If a character is healed for more damage than it has taken, all of its hit chits are removed.
There are two ways to heal - from resting or from a character's special ability. A character may be healed by resting and by one or more special abilities at once in a turn.
5.1 Resting
A character may rest if it is not locked in contact with an enemy character and it is in a muster hex. Any character may rest if it is in a tower hex and is not locked in contact with an enemy character.
When resting, a character heals 1 point of damage. (Exceptions: see 9.2, Dragon).
5.2 Special Ability Healing
Some characters have special abilities which let them heal other characters. A character may use its special ability providing it is not locked in contact with an enemy character; it may use its ability on itself. It may heal another character which is locked in contact with an enemy.
5.2.1 Heal
Characters with this ability heal 3 points to an adjacent character.
5.2.2 Restore
Characters with this ability heal all damage to an adjacent character.
5.3 Regeneration
This is a character special ability. Characters with the ability may always heal by resting, no matter what hex they are in, and even if they are locked in contact. They heal 2 points of damage.
6.0 MUSTER PHASE
During this phase, the active player adds characters from the muster pile to his or her forces in play. There are two types of musters: region musters and summonings. Each is a chance to gain a new character by rolling a certain number or higher on two six-sided dice.
For each region in which the player has at least one character, the player may have a chance for a region muster. Some Demi-Lords have summoning special abilities that can be used in addition to the region musters.
6.1 Participating Characters
A muster requires one or more participating characters. Not every character a player controls may be eligible to participate in a muster on a given turn.
A character cannot participate in a muster if it is locked in contact with an enemy character. No character may participate in more than one muster per turn, not even two different kinds of musters. Characters that are brought into play during the muster phase may not themselves participate in any musters.
6.2 Region Mustering
A player may attempt one muster for each region in which he or she has characters of the types listed on the Masterchart for that region. These characters are the ones who are eligible to participate.
A character may muster a character of the same type or one of a lesser type, as shown on the Masterchart for the terrain. Several characters may muster a character of the next highest type; the exact number required appears on the Masterchart for the terrain. For each character type in a given terrain there is a target Muster-number. If the player rolls that number or higher on two six-sided dice, the character is successfully mustered.
If a player can muster a certain character type with characters of more than one type (e.g. two Ogres in a marsh and one Troll in the same marsh can each get a Troll), he or she may attempt that roll at a +1. A player can never muster more than one character in a region by region mustering, or gain more than +1 as a bonus for having characters of different types.
If the character is successfully mustered, it must be placed in an unoccupied hex in that region which it is not prevented from entering by hazards, and which is adjacent to one of the characters participating in the muster. If no such hex exists the muster attempt may not be made. The character may be placed adjacent to an enemy character, entering play locked in contact.
6.3 Summonings
Some characters have special abilities which allow them to muster certain characters not on the region Mastercharts - these are called summonings. If successfully summoned, these characters will appear in an unoccupied hex adjacent to the summoning character, subject to other constraints. To participate in such a muster, the summoning character(s) must not be locked in contact with an enemy character. If more than one character works together on a summoning, they all must be adjacent to the hex in which the summoned character will appear.
6.4 Declaring Musters
Players may attempt musters in any order desired, but must declare each muster and what type of character is being mustered before rolling the dice. It is suggested that players use the TITAN legion markers to denote all available musters, placing them in the hexes in which successfully mustered characters will appear, and then remove each legion marker as the roll is made. This insures that players won't miss a muster, or attempt a muster more than once.
7.0 MANEUVER PHASE
This phase is exactly like the phase of the same name in the original game's Battle-Round. Any or all of the active player's characters may move, subject to all of the restrictions from hazards and other effects in rules 11.2 - 11.7 in the The Law of Titan. A few new rules apply.
7.1 Slowed Characters
It is possible on a TACTICAL TITAN map for a character to be slowed more than once by hazards. If moving into a hex means being slowed twice or more, the hex moved into counts as three hexes entered. Even though a character with a Skill-factor of 2 may not move three hexes, it may, as its move, move from its starting hex into an adjacent hex when moving into that hex would cause the character to be slowed twice.
7.2 Teleportation
Lords may move by teleportation from a hex in a tower to any other hex on the map up to six hexes away, providing that hex is not occupied by a character or a tree. Any hazards in the hex teleported into that normally slow non-flying, non-natives also slow a non-flying Lord for this movement. Otherwise, the teleportation movement simply counts as one hex moved into.
7.3 Overstacking
Overstacking is a character special ability. A character which overstacks may coexist with one other friendly character in a hex. Place the overstacking character on top of the other one. If two characters in a hex have overstacking ability, either one may be on top. No more than two characters may occupy a hex using the overstacking rules.
8.0 STRIKE PHASE
This proceeds as does the Strike Phase in The Law of Titan, with the active player resolving strikes first and using rangestriking. Characters eliminated in this phase are removed from play to the dead pile, excepting Lords and Demi-Lords, which are returned to the muster pile.
8.1 Attacking an Overstacked Hex
When an enemy character strikes or rangestrikes into an overstacked hex, the defending player declares one of the two characters to be the target character. The attacking character must then roll its strike against that character. The attacker still has a chance to declare the attack using a higher Strike-number than necessary, and can carry over hits to the second character in the overstacked hex as well as to an adjacent character, subject to rule 12.4 in The Law of Titan.
When damage from a strike is carried over into an overstacked hex, the attacking character must be able to hit both creatures in the hex with the Strike-number rolled at. The defending player in that hex chooses which creature takes the carried over damage. If either character cannot be hit, the strike damage cannot be carried over into that hex.
When an overstacked hex includes a Lord, it may not be the target of rangestrikes from characters that would normally not be able to rangestrike a Lord.
If, at any point in a Strike Phase, one of the two characters in an overstacked hex takes as many hits as are necessary to slay it, the hex is no longer considered an overstacked hex. Subsequent attacks are made on the character which has not been slain as if it were alone in the hex, and damage can be carried over to that character, subject to the normal rules.
8.2 Scoring
At the end of every player's strike phase, there will be characters that were slain by one or more players. Every player receives points for the characters they slay, and a score is kept for the duration of the game.
The point value of a character is not computed in the same way as in the original TITAN. Instead, consult the table in section 11.0 for a character's point value.
As in the original game, a player's Titan gains a Power Factor for every multiple of 100 points achieved.
8.3 Acquiring Angels and Archangels
Whenever a player's score reaches a multiple of 200 points, he or she receives an Angel. At each multiple of 1000 points, the player receives an Archangel instead of an Angel. If a player receives points that raise his or her score more than one multiple of 200, the player gains an Angel (or Archangel if a multiple of 1000 was reached) for each multiple attained.
Angels and Archangels may come into play either adjacent to the player's Titan (in an otherwise legally entered hex), or in any unoccupied hex in the player's starting tower. They may come into play locked in contact with an enemy character. If the player's starting tower is completely occupied, and there are no unoccupied hexes adjacent to the player's Titan that can be legally entered, the Angels or Archangels that should have been received are lost.
It is possible that more than one player will receive Angels or Archangels at the end of a Strike Phase. The players should place their new characters starting with the active player, and proceeding clockwise around the table.
9.0 TACTICAL TITAN MASTERCHARTS
The number in the left column is the number of characters of that type needed to summon one of the next higher type. The number in the right column is the Muster-number needed to successfully muster the character.
All characters retain the abilities they have in the original TITAN. Any abilities listed for a character are in addition to these.
9.1 Master Musters
This optional rule allows players to gain a special character when they roll a 12 on a region muster.
A player cannot explicitly muster a Master Muster character, but must attempt to muster some other character in a region. If a 12 is rolled, the player may opt to take the Master Muster character (denoted in the Mastercharts by "MM") instead of the character that was originally being mustered.
A hex in a terrain in which a Master Muster character appears on the Mastercharts is a muster hex for that character. It may participate in region musters; all of the character types that can be mustered in the terrain are lesser compared to it.
Master Muster characters which are Demi-Lords or Lords do not go to the dead pile when slain; instead, they are returned to the muster pile. Those which are Creatures do go the dead pile when slain, and may be summoned by a Cleric like any other Creature.
9.2 Mastercharts
PLAINS
2 Centaur 6
2 Lion 8
Ranger 10
Overstacks in bog and clear hexes.
MM Ranger Captain
(6 *~ 4) Native to Bog. Overstacks in bog and clear hexes.
MARSH
2 Ogre 6
2 Troll 8
Ranger 10
MM Ranger Captain
(6 *~ 4) Native to Bog. Overstacks in bog and clear hexes.
WOODS
3 Centaur 6
2 Warbear 8
Unicorn 10
Heal
MM Druid
(5 4) Demi-lord. Heal OR give +1 to region muster in region in which Druid is located. Moves through and in trees as if they were clear.
HILLS
3 Ogre 6
2 Minotaur 8
Unicorn 10
MM Healer
(5 4) Demi-Lord. Restore. Native to slopes.
TUNDRA
2 Troll 7
2 Warbear 9
2 Giant 10
Colossus 11
Ignores terrain effects of bog and brambles.
MM Ice Witch
(6 ~ 4) Demi-Lord. Native to drift. Gains 1 die when striking or rangestriking and in drift hex; can rangestrike like Warlock.
MOUNTAINS
2 Lion 7
2 Minotaur 9
2 Dragon 10
Heals 2 points when resting in a Volcano hex.
Colossus 11
Ignores terrain effects of bog and brambles.
MM Salamander
(10 ~ 3) Demi-Lord. At the beginning of any Strike Phase, any enemy character in contact with Salamander that cannot enter a Volcano hex takes 1 damage. If in Volcano, gains 2 dice when striking or one die when rangestriking. Regenerates in Volcano.
SWAMP
2 Troll 7
3 Wyvern 9
Hydra 10
Regenerates
MM Venemous Wyrm
(9 ~ 3) Regenerates. Native to Bog. Any creature damaged by Venemous Wyrm takes an additional 2 points of damage at the beginning of the next Strike Phase.
DESERT
2 Lion 7
3 Griffon 9
Hydra 10
MM Bronze Wyrm
(10 *~ 3) Regenerates. Native to Dune and Sand.
BRUSH
2 Gargoyle 6
2 Cyclops 8
Gorgon 10
MM Manticore
(7 *~ 4) Native to Bramble.
JUNGLE
2 Gargoyle 6
3 Cyclops 8
2 Behemoth 10
Serpent 11
MM Allosaurus
(16 3) Native to Bramble.
SEA
2 Behemoth 9
2 Serpent 10
Kraken 11
(18 3) Cannot enter any hex that is not a water hex.
MM Sea King
(20 3) Lord. Cannot enter any hex that is not a water hex. Any Creature which can be mustered in a Sea region loses a Skill Factor when attacking Sea King.
TOWER
In the tower there is no progression; what is needed to muster is entirely different for each level. No bonus is given for being able to gain a character two ways, nor for already having a character of the same type.
w/ 1 of any character type:
Centaur, Ogre or Gargoyle 6
w/ 3 of any one character type:
Guardian 8
w/ Titan:
Warlock 10
Musters
MM Cleric
(6 4) Demi-Lord. Heal OR Summon Dead
10.0 SUMMONINGS
These are musters performed by Demi-Lords(s), and do not count towards region mustering limits. There is never a bonus gained for already having a character of the same type as the one being summoned.
10.1 Warlock Summonings
What can be summoned depends on the destination hex type. One participating warlock summons on a 12; 2 or more together on an 11. Elementals are Demi-Lords, and Demons are Lords.
Earth Elemental - Clear hex.
(15 2) Native to slope.
Water Elemental - Bog hex, Water hex or hex with River hex side
(10 ~ 3) Native to Bog, Water and River.
Air Elemental - Hex with top of cliff hex side
(8 * 4)
Fire Elemental - Volcano hex
(8 ~ 4) Can enter Volcano. Gains a die when striking or rangestriking in Volcano. Regenerates in Volcano. Takes 2 damage whenever it crosses a River hex side.
Demon - Tower hex
The exact demon is determined randomly:
1. (20 2)
2. (15 3)
3. (12 ~ 3)
4. (12 * 3)
5. (12 4)
6. (10 * 4)
10.2 Cleric Summonings
Clerics can attempt to summon any Creature from the dead pile (including Master Muster Creatures), into any adjacent clear hex. The chance of mustering is dependent on the Creature's point value. Two or more participating Clerics roll on a +1 bonus.
Point Value Chance
10 7
15 8
20 - 30 9
35 - 50 10
55 - 60 11
70+ 12
11.0 CHARACTER POINT VALUES
Point Value Characters
10 Centaur, Ogre
15 Gargoyle, Lion, Troll
20 Cyclops, Warbear
25 Minotaur, Behemoth
30 Griffon, Wyvern, Earth Elemental
35 Gorgon, Serpent, Guardian
40 Giant
45 Water Elemental
50 Ranger, Unicorn, Warlock, Air Elemental, Fire Elemental, Druid, Healer, Ice Witch, Allosaurus
55 Dragon, Kraken, Manticore
60 Colossus, Hydra, Angel, Salamander, Cleric
70 Venemous Wyrm
75 Ranger Captain, Bronze Wyrm
80 Skill-factor 2 Demon
90 Archangel, Sea King, Skill-factor 3 Demon
100 Skill-factor 4 Demon
12.0 NEW HAZARDS AND SPECIAL ABILITIES
12.1 New Hazards
Some of the new character types have rules relating to new hazards. These hazards aren't found on the TITAN Battlelands, but could be incorporated into constructed maps.
12.1.1 River
Occupies a hex side.
NATIVE: Behemoth, Serpent, Water Elemental
EFFECT ON MOVEMENT: All non-flying, non-native characters are slowed when crossing a river hex side.
EFFECT ON STRIKING: Non-native characters lose a Skill Factor when striking across a river hex side. Adjacent characters separated by a river hex side are not locked in contact, even though they may strike each other.
EFFECT ON RANGESTRIKING: None
12.1.2 Water
Occupies a hex.
NATIVE: Behemoth, Serpent, Kracken, Water Elemental, Sea King
EFFECT ON MOVEMENT: Non-flying, non-native characters may not enter a water hex. Non-native flying characters may not end a move in a water hex.
EFFECT ON STRIKING: None
EFFECT ON RANGESTRIKING: None
12.2 Character Special Abilities
Characters with a special ability of ignoring a type of hazard are not native to that hazard. They simply are not subject to any effects of the terrain when moving, striking or rangestriking. For example, a Colossus striking a bramble native in a bramble hex does not have its Strike-number increased. Enemies still suffer penalties incurred by the hazard - e.g. non-bramble natives still lose a Skill Factor when striking out of a bramble hex at a Colossus.
If a character can "rangestrike like a Warlock", that means that it never suffers penalties for range or hazards, never has to consider line of sight, and can rangestrike Lords.
The Druid and Cleric may either heal or use their muster related ability on a turn, never both.
MASTERCHARTS
| PLAINS 2 Centaur 6 2 Lion 8 Ranger 10 MM Ranger Captain |
MARSH 2 Ogre 6 2 Troll 8 Ranger 10 MM Ranger Captain |
BRUSH 2 Gargoyle 6 2 Cyclops 8 Gorgon 10 MM Manticore |
| WOODS 3 Centaur 6 2 Warbear 8 Unicorn 10 Heal MM Druid |
HILLS 3 Ogre 6 2 Minotaur 8 Unicorn 10 MM Healer |
JUNGLE 2 Gargoyle 6 3 Cyclops 8 2 Behemoth 10 Serpent 11 MM Allosaurus |
| TUNDRA 2 Troll 7 2 Warbear 9 2 Giant 10 Colossus 11 MM Ice Witch |
MOUNTAINS 2 Lion 7 2 Minotaur 9 2 Dragon 10 Colossus 11 MM Salamander |
SEA 2 Behemoth 9 2 Serpent 10 Kraken 11 MM Sea King |
| SWAMP 2 Troll 7 3 Wyvern 9 Hydra 10 Regenerates MM Venemous Wyrm |
DESERT 2 Lion 7 3 Griffon 9 Hydra 10 MM Bronze Wyrm |
TOWER Centaur, Ogre, Gargoyle 6 Guardian 8 Warlock 10 MM Cleric |
CHARACTER POINT VALUES
| 10 Centaur, Ogre | 50 Ranger, Unicorn, Warlock, Air Elemental, Fire Elemental, Druid, Healer, Ice Witch, Allosaurus |
| 15 Gargoyle, Lion, Troll | 55 Dragon, Kraken, Manticore |
| 20 Cyclops, Warbear | 60 Colossus, Hydra, Angel, Salamander, Cleric |
| 25 Minotaur, Behemoth | 70 Venemous Wyrm |
| 30 Griffon, Wyvern, Earth Elemental | 75 Ranger Captain, Bronze Wyrm |
| 35 Gorgon, Serpent, Guardian | 80 Skill-factor 2 Demon |
| 40 Giant | 90 Archangel, Sea King, Skill-factor 3 Demon |
| 45 Water Elemental | 100 Skill-factor 4 Demon |