Unified War Mechanics
The War Board
Tactical independence. Strategic unity. Four tables fighting one war.
How It Works
Each table runs independently minute-to-minute, but shares Act-level consequences, global events, and limited cross-table actions. This preserves pacing while creating shared war tension.
The War Board tracks the overall battle state—visible to all players throughout the event. When your table succeeds, everyone sees it. When the enemy pushes back, everyone feels it.
The Goal
Create cheers when other tables succeed, groans when the War Track drops, strategic debate during breaks, and a final battle that feels earned. The invasion becomes a shared story—not four separate games.
War Momentum Tokens
Tokens represent battlefield momentum, morale, resource stability, and enemy pressure. They're awarded at major Act-level objectives—not individual dice rolls.
Success
Failure
Success moves the War Track toward Allied Advantage (+1).
Failure moves the War Track toward Enemy Advantage (−1).
Example: Siege Train — Act II
| Outcome | Result | War Track |
|---|---|---|
| Both engines landed | Major Success | +2 |
| One engine landed | Partial Success | +1 |
| No engines landed | Failure | −1 |
Use graduated outcomes—avoid binary pass/fail whenever possible.
War Track
A visible tracker that shows the overall battle state. The track starts at 0 and moves based on objective outcomes. Positive values favor the allies; negative values favor the enemy.
Threshold Effects
| Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| −2 | Artillery begins firing periodically at all theaters |
| −4 | Elite enemy units appear in encounters |
| −6 | Warmagus begins pre-channeling arcane energy |
| +2 | Allied reinforcements arrive, granting temporary aid |
| +4 | Enemy morale breaks—reduced resistance across theaters |
Negative momentum increases tension but should never make victory impossible.
Periodic Global Events
Every 45–60 minutes, the Lead DM triggers a Global Battlefield Event that affects all theaters simultaneously. The type of event depends on the current War State.
Favorable War State
- • Allied cleric wave grants temporary Bless
- • Rebel sabotage weakens enemy defenses
- • Enemy reinforcements delayed
Poor War State
- • Coordinated artillery strike hits random table
- • Wyvern air raid strafes battlefield
- • Elite shock troops arrive as reinforcements
These events create shared tension without synchronizing initiative.
Signal Actions
Once per Act, a table may perform a Signal Action to directly help another theater. No physical player movement required.
Signal Methods
- • Send magical sending message
- • Fire arcane signal flare
- • Activate relay beacon
Possible Effects
- + Grant advantage to another table
- + Cancel one artillery event
- + Add +1 to War Track
- + Delay enemy reinforcements
The Cost
Signal Actions aren't free. Your table might lose a bonus objective, consume a rare resource, or take −1 on the War Track. Choose wisely.
Final Battle Impact
In Act IV, all tables converge for the assault on the Warmagus. The final battle's difficulty is directly shaped by where the War Track ends.
Negative War Track
Each point below 0 makes the Warmagus stronger:
- + +15 HP to Warmagus
- + +1 Legendary Resistance
- + Additional battlefield abilities
Positive War Track
Each point above 0 weakens the Warmagus:
- − Remove Warmagus abilities
- − Reduce maximum HP
- − Remove Legendary Actions
The Final Battle Reflects the Entire Day
Every objective matters. Every point on the War Track counts. When you face the Warmagus, you'll know exactly how well—or poorly—Operation Golden Sword went.
Ready to Fight?
Learn more about the theaters, review DM guidelines, or check the mission briefing.