Chronopia is a skimish system.
In principle there are two kinds of strategy plays: Skirmish and Rank & File. First turns around smaller engagements in loose formation, the other tells large mass battles with arranged army rows.
Chronopia alternating activation of the units, different actions, basing on d20´s and the general simplicity and an nice playing speed. All this was formed 1997 into an extremely flexible and innovative game.
Now a small introduction to the game system in its course.
Step 1: Choose Battle Level
The battles in Chronopia are easily scalable. You can play from hero levels to entire armies.
The following graphic gives an impression of how many figures are roughly required for the respective level of play. And you can play bigger (Grand Army Battle – 50 and more models).
Each Battle Level will have slightly different rules for deciding an army’s composition. First of all, they are all based on Point Costs. The Point Costs of models do not change between Battle Levels. It is recommended to do Army lists for the points indicated:
• Hero Skirmish Level – up to 40 pts.
• Patrol Fight Level – up to 200 pts.
• Army Battle Level – up to 400 pts.
• Grand Army Level – above 400 pts, recommended is 500 pts or more.
Step 2: Deployment Phase
The deployment phase is already part of the game. Here you have various options available that can differ depending on the game level and scenario.
Normally, the dice are rolled for whoever wants/must set up their first unit. After that, the units are deployed alternately until all units are on the field. This completes the setup phase.
However, the unit cards allow various other variants of the deployment. This enrichment of the game experience is described in the rules in a separate chapter.
Step 3: Start the Turns
A real battlefield is a confused mass of activitiy. To give some order to the confusion the game is divided into Turns. Each Game Turn has Phases set in a specific order to help manage the game. The game lasts a certain number of turns, usually given in tbe scenario you will be playing, or decided by the players before the game starts.
Phases of the Turn:
- Initiative Phase – Players roll for Initiative for the Game Turn.
- Activation Phase – Each Player takes it in turn to activate the Units.
- Fight Phase – Players make the Close Combat Attacks in Clash Fights and resolve the results.
- End Phase – Remove Tokens and reassign Command Points, move AI, etc.
Step 4: Activation Options
In order to do something with a Unit you must called Activate it. This is called “Activating a Unit” or simple “Activation”. The Activation is alternating.
In the Activation Phase you have the following options:
- Do nothing
- Basic Movement
- Advanced Movement
- Shooting Attack
- Cast a Spell
- Panic test
Step 5: Close Combat
This Phase is a little bit different to the previous ones because there are no longer Alternate Activations of Warbands.
Theres is only bloodshed on a battlefield, where warriors are fighting simultaneously. Warriors exchange hits and and attempt to push the enemy back from the front line.
The Fight Phase is divided into small sub-phases:
- Determing the Clash
- Determine which models are involved in which hand-to-hand combat.
- Simultaneous Fights
- Performing all damage and armor rolls, as well as morale checks.
- Results of Fights
- It is calculated who won the Clash. The losing side needs to make a Break Test.
After all Fights have been resolved players go to the End Phase and the onto the next turn.
Step 6: End Phase
At the end of the Game Turn players remove Tokens (Activation Tokens, Charge Tokens, Spell Tokens. Fear and Panic Tokens stay where they are).
Players remove any Command Points that is left over. They then get a new set of Command Points and can start a new Game Turn of play if the scenario or mission criteria hasn’t been met.
Gameplay Video – Hero Skirmish Level
A Battle Report on Hero Skirmish Level between Crystal Lotus Elves and Devouts.
Gameplay Video – Army Battle Level
Battle Report video from end 2021.
Somewhere outside the Mortal Realm, in a tent two generals gather together to make a fight. Crystal Lotus Elves try to invade a Firstborn Town and pillage everything in their path.
It is our first full battle report. We did not shorten anything, to demonstrate to you how long might take a huge battle without any rush in our upcoming Chronopia game. Hope you enjoy it.
All buildings are from private collection.