Matched Play Games

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The Rules

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Matched Play Games

In the Mortal Realms, armies come in all shapes and sizes, each with its unique strengths and weaknesses. To truly test a general’s skill as a commander, there needs to be a level playing field that accounts for the variety of forces abroad in the Age of Sigmar. This is the focus of matched play.


	Contents Books CONTEST OF GENERALS BATTLEPACK • Points Limit • Faction • General • Battlefield Roles • Endless Spells and Invocations • Understrength and Reinforced Units • Allied Units • Faction Terrain • Battalions • Special Rules ◦ Stealing the Initiative ◦ Grand Strategies ◦ Battle Tactics Contest of Generals Battleplans 1 Frontal Assault 2 Burn and Pillage 3 Rising Power

Books

Book	Kind	Edition	Last update
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Core Rules
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Core Rules	Rulebook	3	April 2023

The main aspect that separates matched play from open play and narrative play is the focus on balanced army composition and identical victory conditions for both players. Matched play games allow players to pick armies of equal power and face each other in battleplans designed to encourage tactical mastery and a good knowledge of the rules.

The emphasis of matched play is on planning, so it is the perfect format for those who consider themselves accomplished strategists and savvy commanders. While narrative and open play games can vary greatly in scope and content, presenting you with all manner of scenarios to battle through, matched play games are all about you and your army, the models you select and the tactics you use. They are driven by every player’s desire for a satisfying and well-earned victory.

Matched Play Armies

As you will see, there are a number of ways to choose an army for a matched play game. On this page you will find the Contest of Generals battlepack, which can be used to pit your matched play army against those of fellow players. This battlepack introduces restrictions on the type of units you can include in your army, as well as intriguing ‘battle tactics’ for your army to accomplish throughout the game and ‘grand strategies’ that will define how your army approaches each battle.

By using these rules, you and your opponent can assemble your armies based on a prearranged points total to ensure that your forces are as equally matched as possible. Also included in this section are three battleplans for use with the Contest of Generals battlepack, and which have been designed to provide players with different sets of tactical challenges to overcome.

One of the most interesting challenges of matched play is how to select the units in your army. Do you spend a lot of points on one high-powered model and risk being overrun by a larger force? Or do you allocate your points evenly on a versatile fighting force? Your knowledge of the units available to you will be pivotal in this selection process, and knowledge of your opponent’s force is just as vital. These choices may be hard to make at first, but once you’ve found the perfect balance, you’ll be able to use the same formula again and again to great effect, and this in turn can guide you when it comes to expanding your collection.

Matched Play Battleplans

In order to create a fair and balanced battle, matched play games have a fixed method of setting up terrain, deploying armies and determining the winner that is as even as possible for both sides. Because of this desire to establish an even contest, matched play battleplans tend tobe quick to pick up but difficult to master, and each army will usually be set up in a territory near one battlefield edge.

Victory conditions in a matched play battleplan are almost always the same for both sides. Two common victory conditions include determining which side has slain the most enemy units after a certain number of battle rounds, and awarding victory points to players who take control of objectives that were set up before the battle began. The Contest of Generals battleplans you’ll find later in this section use a combination of these two methods. However the winner of the battleplan is determined, the aim is always to create as even a match as possible between the two armies.

Gaming Clubs and Events

The Contest of Generals battlepack on this page is great for gaming clubs and events. It is the ideal battlepack for ‘pick-up’ games between players who might not have met or played each other before. You can just select an army in advance according to the rules in the battlepack, turn up at the club or event, find an opponent who has done the same and then play, knowing that the game will be as fair as possible.

Pitched Battle Tournaments

Throughout the wargaming world, matched play tournaments using the Pitched Battles battlepack take place virtually every weekend. Wherever you live, you’re likely to find a Pitched Battle tournament you can reach, and they’re well worth attending. Not only will you get to meet up with a warm and welcoming community of fellow hobbyists, but you’ll get to play some great games and see some truly amazing armies. And, of course, there are usually prizes on offer in the form of certificates, trophies and, sometimes, exclusive gaming aids! In Pitched Battle tournaments, special ‘house rules’ will often have been created for the event, which means no two tournaments are likely to be the same.

CONTEST OF GENERALS BATTLEPACK

This battlepack is designed to allow you and your opponent to play a game of Warhammer Age of Sigmar that is as evenly matched as possible. To be victorious, not only will you need to play with skill, but you will also need to carefully consider the composition of your army.

Points Limit

The players must first agree on a points limit for the battle. The points limit can be any number up to 3000 and determines the number of points you have available to spend on your army. No more than half of your points can be spent on a single unit. The points limit also determines other restrictions that apply to the players’ armies, as well as the recommended minimum battlefield size and recommended minimum number of terrain features for the battle, as shown in the table below.

CONTEST OF GENERALS
Points Limit	750	1000	1500	2000	3000
Leader Units	1-2	1-3	1-4	1-6	1-8
Battleline Units	1+	2+	2+	3+	4+
Behemoth Units	0-1	0-2	0-3	0-4	0-6
Artillery Units	0-1	0-2	0-3	0-4	0-6
Endless Spells and Invocations	0-1	0-2	0-2	0-3	0-4
Reinforced Units	0-1	0-2	0-3	0-4	0-6
Understrength Units	0-1 of each type of unit
Allied Units	0-100	0-200	0-300	0-400	0-600
Recommended Minimum Battlefield Size	30" x 44"	44" x 60"			44” x 90"
Recommended Minimum Number of Terrain Features	4	8			12


	A unit that has both the Leader and Behemoth battlefield roles counts as 1 Leader and 1 Behemoth if you include it in your army.

Faction

All of the units in your army must be from a single faction.

General

Your general must have the Leader battlefield role.

Battlefield Roles

The Contest of Generals table lists the minimum number of Leader and Battleline units you must include in your starting army, and the maximum number of Leader, Behemoth and Artillery units you can include in your starting army.


	A player’s starting army is made up of the units from the army that were set up before the first battle round, including any reserve units. Units that are added to a player’s army after the battle has begun are not included, and neither are units that have been destroyed and subsequently returned to play.

Endless Spells and Invocations

The Contest of Generals table lists the maximum number of endless spells and invocations you can include in your army. You cannot include the same endless spell or invocation more than once in your army.

Understrength and Reinforced Units

The Contest of Generals table lists how many understrength units and reinforced units you can include in your army. Only Battleline units can be reinforced twice.

Allied Units

The maximum number of points that you can spend on allies from your points allowance is shown on the Contest of Generals table. Allied units do not count towards the number of Battleline units in your army. However, they do count towards the maximum number of Leader, Behemoth and Artillery units in your army.

Faction Terrain

Faction terrain features must be set up more than 3" from all other terrain features and more than 3" from all objectives. These restrictions are in addition to the set-up rules in the battletome in which they appear. If it is impossible for a faction terrain feature to be set up, then it is not used.


	Faction terrain features are in addition to the recommended number of terrain features for the battle.

Battalions

You can include core battalions in your army but you cannot include warscroll battalions.

Special Rules

The following special rules apply to the battle:

Stealing the Initiative

Do not roll off to determine who has priority in the first battle round. Instead, the player who finished deploying their army first has priority in the first battle round.

Grand Strategies

After you have picked your army, you must pick 1 grand strategy from the list below and record it on your army roster.


	Sever the Head: When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if there are no HEROES from your opponent’s starting army on the battlefield. Vendetta: When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if the model chosen to be your opponent’s general has been slain and the model chosen to be your general has not been slain. Hold the Line: When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if there are any Battleline units from your starting army on the battlefield.


	At the end of the battle, if you completed your grand strategy, you score 3 additional victory points.

Battle Tactics

At the start of your hero phase, you must pick 1 battle tactic from the list below. You must reveal your choice to your opponent, and if your battle tactic instructs you to pick something, you must tell your opponent what you pick. You have until the end of that turn to complete the battle tactic. You cannot pick the same battle tactic more than once per battle.


	Break their Spirit: Pick 1 enemy unit wholly within your opponent’s territory. You complete this tactic if that unit is destroyed during this turn. Broken Ranks: Pick 1 unit from your opponent’s starting army that is on the battlefield. You complete this tactic if that unit is destroyed during this turn. Conquer: Pick 1 objective marker on the battlefield that your opponent controls. You complete this tactic if you control that objective marker at the end of this turn. Repel: Pick 1 enemy unit wholly or partially within your territory. You complete this tactic if that unit is destroyed during this turn. Seize the Centre: You complete this tactic if there are more friendly than enemy models within 6" of the centre of the battlefield at the end of this turn. Slay the Warlord: You complete this tactic if the model chosen to be your opponent’s general is slain during this turn.


	At the end of your turn, after determining control of objectives, you score 2 victory points if you completed your battle tactic.

Contest of Generals Battleplans

One player rolls on the following table to determine which battleplan is used for the game.

D3	BATTLEPLAN
1	Frontal Assault
2	Burn and Pillage
3	Rising Power


	Battleplan Frontal Assault 1 Two armies square off, both eager to capture the series of vital objectives that lie between them. There can be no holding back on the front line, where the only path to victory will be sheer, bloody-minded determination. THE ARMIES Each player picks an army and then they roll off. The winner chooses which player is the attacker and which is the defender. THE BATTLEFIELD The defender sets up the battlefield. First, they set up objective markers as shown on the map. Then, they set up the number of terrain features shown on the Contest of Generals table. Each terrain feature must be set up more than 3" from the battlefield edge, more than 6" from all other terrain features and more than 3" from all objectives. If it is impossible for a terrain feature to be set up, it is not used. DEPLOYMENT The attacker picks which territory is their territory. The other territory is the defender’s territory. The players then alternate setting up units one at a time, starting with the attacker. Each player must set up their units wholly within their territory and more than 9" from their opponent’s territory. The players continue to set up units until both armies have been set up. If one player finishes setting up their army first, their opponent must set up the rest of the units in their army, one after another. VICTORY POINTS Each player scores victory points at the end of each of their turns as follows: - Score 1 victory point if you control at least one objective. - Score 1 victory point if you control two or more objectives. - Score 1 victory point if you control more objectives than your opponent. - Score 2 victory points if you completed the battle tactic you picked that turn. GRAND STRATEGY Each player scores 3 victory points at the end of the battle if they completed their grand strategy. BATTLE LENGTH The battle lasts for 5 battle rounds. GLORIOUS VICTORY The player with the most victory points at the end of the battle wins a major victory. If the players are tied on victory points at the end of the battle, each player checks how many battle tactics they completed. If one player completed more battle tactics than their opponent, they win a minor victory. If both players completed the same number of battle tactics, each player checks if they completed their grand strategy. If one player completed their grand strategy and their opponent did not, they win a minor victory. If both players or neither player completed their grand strategy, the battle is a draw.


	Battleplan Burn and Pillage 2 Storm the enemy’s territory and ransack their holdings, but do not allow greed to blind you to the safety of your own lands, lest the foe do the same to you. THE ARMIES Each player picks an army and then they roll off. The winner chooses which player is the attacker and which is the defender. THE BATTLEFIELD The defender sets up the battlefield. First, they set up objective markers as shown on the map. Then, they set up the number of terrain features shown on the Contest of Generals table. Each terrain feature must be set up more than 3" from the battlefield edge, more than 6" from all other terrain features and more than 3" from all objectives. If it is impossible for a terrain feature to be set up, it is not used. DEPLOYMENT The attacker picks which territory is their territory. The other territory is the defender’s territory. The players then alternate setting up units one at a time, starting with the attacker. Each player must set up their units wholly within their territory and more than 9" from their opponent’s territory. The players continue to set up units until both armies have been set up. If one player finishes setting up their army first, their opponent must set up the rest of the units in their army, one after another. VICTORY POINTS Each player scores victory points at the end of each of their turns as follows: - Score 1 victory point if you control at least one objective. - Score 1 victory point if you control two or more objectives. - Score 1 victory point if you control more objectives than your opponent. - Score 2 victory points if you completed the battle tactic you picked that turn. GRAND STRATEGY Each player scores 3 victory points at the end of the battle if they completed their grand strategy. BATTLE LENGTH The battle lasts for 5 battle rounds. PILLAGING From the start of the second battle round, after you score victory points, you can pillage 1 objective that you control, that is within your opponent’s territory and that is within 1" of a friendly unit. If you do so, you score an additional D3 victory points. The objective marker is then removed from play. You cannot pillage more than 1 objective marker per turn. GLORIOUS VICTORY The player with the most victory points at the end of the battle wins a major victory. If the players are tied on victory points at the end of the battle, each player checks how many battle tactics they completed. If one player completed more battle tactics than their opponent, they win a minor victory. If both players completed the same number of battle tactics, each player checks if they completed their grand strategy. If one player completed their grand strategy and their opponent did not, they win a minor victory. If both players or neither player completed their grand strategy, the battle is a draw.


	Battleplan Rising Power 3 The fonts of power in this area are wont to wax and wane. To hold one of them is one thing, but to hold it at the right time will yield even greater rewards. Be ready to react when such an opportunity presents itself, but be aware that the enemy will undoubtedly be seeking to do the same. THE ARMIES Each player picks an army and then they roll off. The winner chooses which player is the attacker and which is the defender. THE BATTLEFIELD The defender sets up the battlefield. First, they set up objective markers as shown on the map. Then, they set up the number of terrain features shown on the Contest of Generals table. Each terrain feature must be set up more than 3" from the battlefield edge, more than 6" from all other terrain features and more than 3" from all objectives. If it is impossible for a terrain feature to be set up, it is not used. DEPLOYMENT The attacker picks which territory is their territory. The other territory is the defender’s territory. The players then alternate setting up units one at a time, starting with the attacker. Each player must set up their units wholly within their territory and more than 9” from their opponent’s territory. The players continue to set up units until both armies have been set up. If one player finishes setting up their army first, their opponent must set up the rest of the units in their army, one after another. SHIFTING PRIORITIES At the start of each battle round, after determining which player will take the first turn, the player taking the second turn must roll a dice. The objective corresponding to the dice roll counts as two objectives when scoring victory points at the end of each turn in that battle round. VICTORY POINTS Each player scores victory points at the end of each of their turns as follows: - Score 1 victory point if you control at least one objective. - Score 1 victory point if you control two or more objectives. - Score 1 victory point if you control more objectives than your opponent. - Score 2 victory points if you completed the battle tactic you picked that turn. GRAND STRATEGY Each player scores 3 victory points at the end of the battle if they completed their grand strategy. BATTLE LENGTH The battle lasts for 5 battle rounds. GLORIOUS VICTORY The player with the most victory points at the end of the battle wins a major victory. If the players are tied on victory points at the end of the battle, each player checks how many battle tactics they completed. If one player completed more battle tactics than their opponent, they win a minor victory. If both players completed the same number of battle tactics, each player checks if they completed their grand strategy. If one player completed their grand strategy and their opponent did not, they win a minor victory. If both players or neither player completed their grand strategy, the battle is a draw.


	Reserve units are picked as part of your army before the battle begins, while summoned units are units added to your army once the battle is underway. Models that have been removed from play can be used as part of a summoned unit.