For your first game, we recommend that you set up and play Agincourt - 1415, an adventure expressly designed to introduce you to the basics of Medieval warfare. Focused solely on the historical confrontation between the English and the French, two human Armies, it will give you and your opponent a chance to master the game’s basics.
The instructions that follow are common to the set-up for all adventures. Following them each time you start a game will greatly hasten your set-up time.
- Place the game board in the center of the table, with the proper face (single board battle map, unless in Epic mode) visible. This is your battlefield. Assemble the Cardholders, and place them next to each player’s edge of the board.
- Place Terrain hexes on the battlefield as indicated per the adventure’s Battle Map. Because the hexes are double-sided, to minimize conflicts (and frustrating searches for the right piece), we recommend laying out the Terrain pieces in the order in which they appear on the side bar of each battle map. Start from the top and methodically work your way down to the bottom of the list.
Lay the 13 Wood hexes bordering Agincourt’s battlefield. - Place other supplemental terrain and game pieces (bridges, on-the-map Victory Blazons, special resources and game tokens, specially denoted Landmarks, etc…) on the battlefield, as indicated per the adventure’s battle map and battle notes.
There are no supplemental Terrain pieces in Agincourt. - Now place figures on the battlefield, matching the various units’ positions on the adventure’s battle map. We recommend you initially set aside the required type and number of Banner Bearers, and place them on the battlefield first, using the board’s borders and wing boundaries (red-dotted lines) to quickly locate the correct hexes. Then complement each unit with its required number of figures. (Foot Unit – 4 figures total, Mounted Unit – 3 figures total, Creature – 1 figure unless specified otherwise)
In Agincourt, the forces present are 5 units of Green Banner Archers, 3 Blue Banner Regular Infantry and 1 Red Banner Heavy Infantry for the Pennant Bearers (English and Welsh forces), and 6 units of Blue Banner Regular Infantry, 1 Blue Banner Regular Cavalry, 2 Red Banner Heavy Cavalry, and a single Green Banner Archer unit for the Standard Bearers (the French). - Hand each camp a complete set of the applicable Summary cards: Units (Foot, Mounted, Creatures); Weapons (Common Bow, Short Sword, Long Sword, Crossbow); and Rules (Battle Dice, Medieval Tactics, Morale) for all the forces present on the board. Likewise, place the Summary cards of the various Landmarks and Terrain pieces that are in play on one of the board’s sides, within view of all players.
For Agincourt, each player receives a set of the following Summary cards: Foot Units, Mounted Units, Common Bow, Short Sword, Long Sword, Battle Dice, Medieval Tactics, and Morale. - Shuffle the Command card deck thoroughly, and deal Command cards to each player as indicated by the adventure’s battle notes. Place the cards received in your respective cardholders.
In Agincourt, the English player receives 6 Command cards, and the French player 4. - Set the remainder of the deck of Command cards face down, alongside the board, within easy reach of the players. Read aloud any of the adventure’s special rules or victory conditions. Hand out to each player a set of 6 battle dice.
There are no special rules or victory conditions in Agincourt. - The first player, as indicated by the adventure’s battle notes, starts the game.
In Agincourt, the English player starts the game.
You are now ready to lead your troops to a hopefully well-planned and decisive victory!