Actions

Every unit is eligible to perform actions.  Some units may have special actions listed on their profile, but the actions listed here are universal and all units may perform them.  

A unit may repeat actions as many times as it has actions, and may perform them in any order.  This means if a unit has multiple activation cards it could potentially move four times (since most units get two actions per activation).

Certain actions take penalties for having actions precede them, this will be detailed in those actions.

List of Actions

During a unit’s normal activation it will be allowed to perform two actions.  There are some rare situations in which a unit may perform three, and there are also situations in which a unit may receive a FREE action, such as during a charge.

When a unit performs an action, the player declares what they are doing, then they perform said action.  For example, a player should not begin moving models in a unit without first telling their opponent: “This unit is going to move”, or “I am charging that unit with this unit”.  This type of communication goes a long way to clear up confusion at the table, and is highly encouraged.

Once the player has performed all of their actions, they are completed with their activation.  Players should note that they are allowed to repeat actions (with few exceptions), though some actions may become penalized based on the number of actions you have performed previously.  (such as performing a Shoot Action after performing other actions)

Now we will go over a list of the actions available to players in Trenches and Turbines, but keep in mind there may be more actions based on scenarios, and certain units may have access to special actions that are not listed here.

Move

When a unit performs a Move action, every model in the unit performs the move action, regardless of whether or not the model moved.

Models are allowed to move a number of inches equal to their move characteristic, and movement is measured “front to front” (do not leapfrog the measurement).  Unless otherwise specified, units are allowed to move in any direction, including scaling SCALABLE terrain.

While performing a Move action, all models in the unit performing the action must remain at least 1” away from enemy models/units

If a unit consists of more than one model, unless it has a special rule that says otherwise, it must remain in Unit Coherency.

Vehicle Keyword and Movement

Units with the Vehicle Keyword may only move forward in a straight line.  At any point during their movement the unit may make a single pivot up to 90 degrees

Unit Coherency

When a unit with more than one model moves, all models in the unit must end the move within the Unit Leader’s command radius. 

If for any reason a unit finds itself outside of coherency, the models that are not within coherency may not perform any actions other than a move action until they are within coherency

A player may never intentionally take a unit out of coherency.  If a unit is taken out of coherency due to the death of a unit leader (such as from an OPTICS attack), The player designates a new model to take on the role of unit leader (it does not become a unit leader for any purposes other than coherency, and follows all of the normal rules for LOSS OF LEADER)

Charge

A charge action is a special type of movement action, but we felt it was different enough that it needed its own action designator.  

When a player performs a Charge action they must declare whether it is a “walking charge”, or a “running charge”

Regardless of which type of charge is performed, when a unit performs a charge:

• The unit leader must be moved first, and if the unit leader may be placed in base-to-base contact, it must be
• After the unit leader is moved, the rest of the unit may be moved
• The rest of the unit must be moved in a way that maximizes the number of models that can reach base-to-base contact

Walking Charge

• When a unit performs a walking charge, they use one of their actions to move into combat following the normal rules for charging.  
• Models in the unit may move a number of inches equal to their movement when making the charge move
• All normal reactions may be performed by the target unit

After the “Walking Charge” is performed

• The unit must perform a FREE fight action
• This fight action follows the normal process for performing a fight action

Running Charge

• When a unit performs a running charge they use both of their actions to move into combat following the normal rules for charging
• Models in the unit may move a number of inches equal to double their movement when performing a running charge
• All normal reactions may be performed by the target unit
• A unit that starts its activation PINNED may not make a running charge, as they must spend an action to clear their pin

After the Running Charge is performed

• The charging unit performs a FREE fight action
  • That Fight Action gains Priority
  • That Fight Action receives a +1 hit bonus

Regardless of what type of charge action is used, a unit may only ever perform one charge action per activation

Go Prone/Take Cover!

A unit may spend an action to go prone.  If at any time any one model in the unit is considered prone, the whole unit is.  

While a unit is prone

• The unit gains Concealment (1)
• The unit adds +1 to its hit rolls when making ranged attacks
• If the unit is in cover, increase its Cover (X) by 1 (Cover (1) goes to Cover (2) for example)
• While prone, the unit may only move 2” per move action
• If a prone unit is charged, the charging unit is always considered to have made a Running Charge

If a unit is prone due to being PINNED, when the unit sheds its pin token, it must choose to remain prone, or stand up, this must be decided when the unit removes its pin token

Shoot

When a unit wishes to make attacks with its ranged weapons it will make a Shoot action.  

A unit may not perform more than one shoot action per activation unless a rules specifies otherwise (ie Semi-Automatic)

In order for a unit to perform a Shoot Action, it must be eligible.  A unit is eligible to perform a Shoot Action if:

• The Shooting unit is more than 1” away from all enemy models/units.
• Did not perform a Charge, or Mission-Based Action already this activation that would prohibit it from shooting.
• Is not routed

When a unit makes a Shoot action, that unit may make attacks with 1 ranged weapon they are equipped with. (A unit may only attack with 1 weapon, unless a rule specifically states otherwise)

Let’s take a look at how to perform a Shoot Action.

• Pick Target
• Determine Line of Sight (LoS)
• Check Range
• Make Hit Rolls
• Make Armor Saves
• Remove Casualties

Who Can Shoot?

Before you roll your hit rolls, you will need to determine who can shoot, in order to be able to make ranged attacks with a model, all of the following need to be true.

• The attacking model has LoS of at least one model in the target unit
• The attacking model has range against at least 1 model in the target unit

Pick Target

The attacking player decides which enemy unit it would like to make ranged attacks against.  

• All models in the attacking unit that make ranged attacks must target the same unit. (No Split-Fire)
• The target unit must be within range of at least one model in the attacking unit
• The target unit must be within LoS of at least one model in the attacking unit

Check range

• Measure from the target unit to each model in the attacking unit to make sure models are in range.  Only models that are within range may make attacks.
• Sometimes some models within the same unit will be in different range increments. Those attacks will have to be rolled separately, as they will have different modifiers.  Any time different models have different modifiers you will want/need to roll those attacks separately

Check Line of Sight

It is important to note that Trenches and Turbines utilizes a basic size system for classifying units.  Man-sized models/units are sized (M) for medium

• Draw a 1mm line from any portion of the attacking model’s base to any portion of the target model’s base.  If that line does not pass over terrain or any other obstacle that could impede LoS, then the model is said to be within LoS. 
• Other units and terrain features block line of sight if the intervening feature or unit is the same size or larger than both the attacking unit and the defending unit
• If the intervening feature or unit is smaller than either the attacking unit or the target unit, the attacking model will have LoS, but the target unit will receive Conceal (1)
• A unit may not benefit from Conceal from more than 1 intervening feature or unit (it simply gains the best possible modifier)
• Only models that have Line of Sight may make attacks.
• Repeat this process for every model that wishes to make a ranged attack

Any models that cannot make ranged attacks in the “shooting” unit still count as having made the shoot action, regardless of if they were eligible to shoot. (Out of range/LoS, for example)

Shooting Notes and Details

Shooting Actions receive a cumulative -1 penalty to hit rolls for EACH action performed prior to the shoot action this turn

Make Hit Rolls

• Once you determine how many models may make ranged attacks, each model makes hit rolls.  Each model gets a number of d10s equal to the attacks characteristic of the ranged weapon they are making attacks with.  
• The attacking player rolls those dice, with the Target Number being equal to the units Ranged characteristic, after applying any applicable modifiers (Conceal, Long Range, Etc)  
• Each die that shows a number that is less than or equal to the modified Ranged attack modifier scores a hit.  Once the dice are rolled, separate the hits from the misses. 
• The hits are retained, and the opposing player then rolls saves.

Saves

The defending player will need to determine damage and roll saves

• The defender looks at the damage characteristic of the attacker’s weapon
• They multiply the damage characteristic by the number of successful hits made with that weapon
• The defender then takes a number of dice equal to hits * damage to roll for saves
• The target number for the save is equal to the models save (SV) characteristic, after applying all relevant modifiers (Cover, Pen, etc)
• Every die that shows a number that is less than or equal to the modified target number is a success, and that specific attack does not resolve damage, it simply falls off and nothing happens
• Every die that is greater than the modified target number is a failure, and that model takes 1 damage for each failed save.  
• Every failed save reduces the target model’s HP by 1
• If a model “dies” before all of its damage from 1 attack can be applied, any remaining damage simply falls off, it does NOT carry over to the next model
  • One attack can almost always only kill one model

Piercing and Armor Saves

Some weapons have Pen, or Penetration, which is a modifier to the Armor Save characteristic.  

When rolling your armor saves, if the attack has Pen, simply subtract the Pen value from each Model’s SV to determine the final target number.

Removing Casualties

The defending player will choose how to remove casualties.

In addition

• When a unit makes ranged attacks against another unit, the total number of casualties that can be removed from the unit is equal to the total number of visible models
  • The casualties do not have to be removed from the visible models, they simply cannot outnumber the visible models.

Unit leaders must be pulled last if possible

Making Attacks with Different Profiles, Modifiers, and/or Effects

Sometimes models in a unit may have different weapons, or part of the unit is in short range, while the rest is in long range.  Any time a unit has attacks that have differing modifiers, profiles, etc, they must be rolled separately.  As usual, the attacking player may group like attack rolls together, as long as they have the same modifiers, target numbers, etc.

When this is the case, the attacking player determines the order in which the attacks are rolled, and the defender must roll saves immediately after a group of attacks is made 

Fight

A fight action may only be used by a unit that is engaged (has at least 1 model in base-to-base contact) with an enemy unit.  A fight action allows models to make attacks with their melee weapons.

The Fight Process

The unit initiating the Assault is the Attacker and the other unit is the Defender. Both units in an Assault will fight. If one unit performed a Running Charge it will resolve all its attacks before the opponent. This may mean that the unit going second may get less models to strike back with due to casualties. In all other circumstances, both units will fight simultaneously. All models within a unit are eligible to fight as long as they are within their unit Coherency or in base-to-base contact with an enemy model (and still alive when their time comes!).

When rolling hits and saves, the process is the same as when making a Shoot Action, except you use Melee attacks, instead of ranged attacks.  We won’t detail the whole process again, instead here is a link to the process for your reference.

Casualty Removal

Casualties are chosen and removed by the controlling player, so if you were to inflict 4 casualties on me, I would get to choose which 4 models are removed.  

Resolving the Fight Action

After all of the units have performed their fight actions and all casualties are removed, the combat needs to be resolved.  You resolve the Fight by:

• Determining what side won the combat
• The winner may choose to perform a free “Shift” action
• Loser of the combat makes a Leadership check

To determine which side won the combat, determine which side inflicted the most casualties.  Whichever side inflicted the most casualties is the winner of the combat.  If both sides inflicted the same number of casualties the combat is a draw.

The winner may perform a free “shift” action, even if they are no longer engaged with their enemy.  

After the winner performs their shift (or if they choose not to), the loser then must make a Leadership check using all relevant modifiers.  If the unit fails its morale test, it is immediately routed, and is treated as being pinned and routed

Once the losing unit(s) have resolved their leadership checks, the fight action is now over.

In the event of a Draw, both units may make a Shift, but then both units are immediately pinned.

Shift

A Shift action is a 3” movement action that follows all of the normal rules for movement, except a Shift may NEVER be used to initiate and trigger another Fight

Shed a Pin

If, when a unit activates, it has a pin token, it must spend 1 action to remove the pin token.  This action is spent for the unit to recover its senses and assess the situation.  When a unit sheds its pin token the player activating the unit must decide whether that unit will remain prone or stand up.

Mission-Based Actions

Any scenarios and missions that have special actions will be listed in the scenario.  Those actions will explain exactly what guidelines and restrictions they must follow.

Overwatch

Overwatch is an action that allows you to “bank”, or save your action for a later point.  When you perform an overwatch action your unit’s activation ends immediately and the unit receives an overwatch token. 

While a unit has an overwatch token they are eligible to perform reactions, which are covered in the reactions section.

Remember that you may perform an action prior to going into overwatch, as long as you have the actions to do so.

Reactions in the Action Phase

There are times in which a unit may react to something an opponent is doing.  These are called reactions.  In order for a unit to be able to perform a reaction it:

• Must not be Pinned
• Must not be Routed
• Must have either:  Not activated, or have an Overwatch token

How to perform a reaction

If your unit is targeted by a Charge action, if it meets the normal requirements for performing a reaction it is allowed to do one of the following:

• Perform a shoot action.  This shoot action ignores range modifiers, and may be made regardless of line of sight to the charging unit. 
• Any special charge reactions as annotated by abilities on their unit profile

If the unit chooses to do a reaction:

• if the unit was not activated, their activation card is flipped.  That unit is now activated.
• If the unit had an overwatch token, if their reaction resulted in the charging unit failing the charge (for whatever reason), that unit may retain their overwatch token, otherwise their overwatch token is removed.

If your unit is targeted by a Shoot action, if it meets the normal requirements for performing a reaction it is allowed to do one of the following:

• Go Prone:  This unit immediately goes prone, receives a prone token, and receives all benefits of being prone prior to the attacking unit making ranged attacks.