The Alchemical Machines
The incredibly harsh winter has begun to break and spring is finally starting to make an appearance. The heavy blankets of snow which covered Mornea for months are now melting, creating as many disastrous situations as the hibernal season did.As the snows melt, rivers and streams run high and some of them have burst their banks to flood large areas.
The floods were especially significant in the region between the Canal of the Concord and the Jaabal Ifrit (what the Aurloks call Atalvi Canmapiya).
The rapidly melting snowdrifts have carved large gullies into the surrounding regions. The shifting land quickly turned into mudslides and entire sections of the landscape have tumbled down into in the valleys.
The face of the land in that region has been significantly altered, but that is not the most surprising event.
Rumors spread like wildfire that great veins of alchemical stones had been uncovered in the wastelands. Notably, on a territory at the aurlok-khaliman border, located on the the neutral lands of the Canal of the Concord. Soon numerous parties were sent through the canal to take possession of the territory and to start gathering the stones.
Your band was dispatched to the spot as well, but upon your arrival you discover not a territory to be mined, but a vast expanse covered with alchemical stones, already revealed. Marines, Flints, Swarms, but above all, Ardents are just lying on the ground or partially buried at most.
Stranger still, you also discover a number of small, very unusual machines. Their design and craftsmanship match nothing you’ve seen before and they seem to radiate alchemical power.
The Alchemist accompanying you is affirmative: these machines possess real power. As he busies himself with one of them, seemingly guided by instinct, the machine activates and the stones in your hands seem to vibrate in unison with the device. A strange sensation runs through your body then, as if the stone seemed alive to you.
You know these machines and the alchemical stones must be yours!
Setting up the Battlefield
1) This scenario is intended to be played on a 48”x36” table.
2) The players then define the gaming areas:
Players split the table into 4 quarters. Diagonally opposite quarters, are assigned to each player (randomly determine which player chooses his table quarters).
Players then place 4 tokens the size of a Jin Post or a small base on each median line, 13 inches away from the centre. Those tokens stand for the alchemical machines.
Players then mark four deployment areas, one at each corner of the table. Each area is exactly 13 inches away from the closest machines.
3) The players must then place at least 8 scenery elements, according to the following rules:
- Scenery elements cannot be placed less than 3 inches from any table edge, objective or other scenery element.
- The players alternate placing the scenery elements. Randomly determine which player places the first scenery element.
4) The players then place their component tokens, according to the following rules:
- The tokens must be placed on scenery elements, at least 5 inches from any other token.
- The players place 1 token in each of their table quarters and one in each of their opponent’s
quarters (alternating between each player).
- Players MUST be able to place all their tokens (if that is not possible, alter the number and position of the scenery elements).
Deployment
The player with more cards starts deploying his miniatures. If both players have the same number of cards, the one who chose the deployment area starts deploying. Each player must deploy so that he or she has, as much as possible, the same number of miniatures in each of his areas at the end of deployment.
Once deployed, players randomly determine to which element each machine is bound: one to water, one to earth, one to air and one to fire.
Victory Conditions
At each end of turn, players determine which one of them controls each machine.
Victory Points are accumulated as follows:
1 VP for each Controlled machine.
2 VP for each Activated machine.
4 VP for each Awakened machine.
If at the end of any turn, one player has 16 VP, he or she achieves victory.
If no player has reached 16 VP before time runs out, or if both players achieve 16 VP or more in the same turn, or any player has no more miniatures in play, the game is a draw.
Maximum number of VP to win: 31.
Special Rules
Fields of Alchemical Stones:
Once per turn, during its activation and if it is out of its deployment area, any miniature may spend 1 AP in order to pick up an alchemical stone of a randomly determined element. An Alchemist miniature picks up as many stones as its focus level plus one. For example, an Alchemist with Focus Level 2 picks up 3 stones by spending only 1 AP.
When a miniature picks up alchemical stones, roll a white dice in order to determine the type of each collected stone:
1-4: element of its affinity
5-6: player’s choice
A non-alchemist miniature can carry only one stone collected in this manner. If the miniature is removed from play, the stone is removed along with it. A miniature may choose to drop one alchemical stone for free at the beginning of its activation.
Alchemists may carry as many alchemical stones as they wish.
Alchemical stones collected by alchemists may only be used for their formulas if they belong to their affinity. Collected stones which do not belong to their affinity may not be used for their formulas (whether for enhancements or substituting components).
The Alchemical Machines:
The machines are considered to be neutral at the beginning of the game. They are Size 1.
Controlling a machine
During a turn, a miniature 1 inch or less from a neutral machine may spend 1 Action Point to take control of it.
Activating a machine
A neutral machine (or one previously controlled by a friendly miniature) may be activated by a miniature 1 inch or less from it by spending 1 AP and using one alchemical stone - the stone is destroyed in the process.
Awakening a machine
A neutral machine (or previously controlled or activated by a friendly miniature) may be awakened only by an Alchemist miniature within 1 inch or less by spending 1 AP and using one alchemical stone of the same element as the machine (it may be a collected stone or one from their own stores) - the stone is destroyed in the process.
Neutralising a machine
A miniature within 1 inch or less may neutralise a machine which is Controlled by the opponent by spending 1 AP and an alchemical stone of the element associated with the machine.
A machine loses its “activated” or “awakened” status as soon as it becomes neutral again.
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