Take turns playing cards or moving units. In New Game setup, choose 5–9 rows, 6–12 hexes in the shorter rows, and 1–5 actions per turn for both players. Every other row has one extra hex. Each card played and each unit activated costs one action. A character can move or attack once per turn, including after deployment if you have another action. Draw 2 cards at the start of each turn (up to 7 in hand).
01 / Deploy
Place characters on your own edge only: Azure on the left, Ember on the right. The staggered rows are centered for a mirrored outline. For a supply or terrain card, select it and click Roll to place. That commits the card and one action. A 1 places it randomly; a 2–6 lets you choose an empty hex exactly that many steps from one of your active characters. A resting ram is not active. If there are no active characters or no eligible hexes, it is placed randomly instead. Items never go on either deployment edge.
02 / Move & attack
Select your unit, then a glowing hex. Movement and attacking are one action: you occupy the destination if its defender falls. You cannot move onto a living unit or fence. A stored Extra Attack allows that character one second move or attack, using another player action; it never grants a player action or stacks. Opponent items look like empty hexes until discovered. A fence you strike stays visible to you.
03 / Win glory
Defeating a unit earns 1 glory (a dragon earns 2). The first time each of your units reaches the far edge earns 2 glory. First to 6 wins.
04 / Special moves
Archers leap exactly 2 hexes, never 1. Rams strike all 3 hexes in a line, collecting items on hexes they cross. A surviving obstacle stops their travel but not farther strikes. With Extra Attack, a ram can charge twice before resting next turn and taking +1 damage. Dragons breathe across four hexes in a forward cone, including allies.