Hey Game Fans, we’re back with another article on our new favorite skirmish game, Test of Honour. Today we’re going to finish up our look at the Starter Set by taking a look at the rest of the cards in the Starter Set. These fall into one of three broad categories, Skills, Dishonor, and Injuries. Each of these interacts with the game in a different way and allow you to do things that operate outside the rules. Let’s dig into the skill cards and see where we get to.
Preparing the Cards
Each type of card forms its own deck (with the exception of the Skill cards, which we’ll get to in a minute), and you should shuggle the Wound and Dishonour cards into their separate decks so each player can reach them. Skill cards are a little different. Each player is dealt Skill cards equal to the number of activation tokens on the Samurai they have recruited for their force. For Example, if you have recruited the two 4 point Samurai, you are going to be dealt 4 Skill cards. If you have recruited Sanzo the Thorn and a Samurai Hero, you are going to be dealt 6 Skill cards You don’t get to look at these cards, but can draw them as a result of specific effects that happen (we’ll get to that in a minute too). Each player takes their Fate Deck (their skill cards) and sets it close enough to be easily reachable. Now that the cards are ready, you can get into the game. .
Injury Cards
Injury cards represent afflictions or wounds that are crippling but not immediately fatal. Ordinarily when a model is hit by an attack that succeeds at the Strength attribute test to cause injury, that unit takes a heavy wound and is cut down. Now when this happens to one of your Samurai, things get a little more interesting. The Samurai can take a Test of Honour, and if they succeed, they instead gain a blood drop token and the top card of the Injury deck. Each Injury Card inflicts a different kind of penalty to the Samurai it’s assigned to. If the Samurai fails the Test of Honour or they already have an injury card, they are instead cut down.
Dishonour Cards
Dishonour Cards represent underhanded tactics/shortcuts/sucker punches that a Samurai can use to gain an advantage against his foe. Once per turn, when a Samurai is taking a Test of Aim, they can choose to act Dishonorably. Doing so gives the Samurai a Dishonour card but grants them +1 die to the Test of Aim.
Dishonour Cards apply a -1 die penalty to the next Test of Honour made by any warrior in the force, and then they get flipped face down. If you end up with multiples, the effects are cumulative. Should an effect require you to count up your Dishonour Cards, they are all counted, even the ones that have been flipped face down.
Skill Cards
Skill cards represent specific actions or additional abilities that a samurai can perform. A samurai can only have as many skill cards as it has activations, and commoners can’t have them at all. Each one has specific keywords that determine how and when they can be used and you can find those explanations on page 5 of the Battle guide. In addition, there are quest cards that can be added to the skill cards when you generate your fate deck.
You draw one of these Skill cards when you pull the first and second Fate tokens from the activation bag/cup. We’re going to take a closer look at the Skill cards that come in the Starter Set.
Discarding Cards
Some effects will force you to discard a card, (notably the Use Once and Ongoing, One Battle cards). If this happens they are returned to the set of cards you used to generate your fate deck. They are available for the next game and can end up getting dealt back out to the players.
Retaining Cards
Some cards are retained by your Samurai from battle to battle (this is especially true if you are playing the scenarios in the battle guide or a longer campaign narrative). Retained cards are kept by the Samurai they were given to from game to game. They are kept with the Samurai and can’t be traded between Samurai.
Skill Cards
At the end of the game, players can choose one of the skill cards they gained during the game to keep. Put it with the Recruitment Card for the Samurai who earned it and discard the rest of the cards.
Dishonor Cards
At the end of the game, players must count their Dishonour Cards. If a player has at least one Dishonour Card, their Samurai Hero must take a Test of Honour, (Appropriate Penalties may apply if you have any face up Dishonour Cards). If the test is failed, then the Hero keeps one Dishonour Card for the next game.
Wound Cards
Wound Cards are discarded at the end of the game.
Skill Card Descriptions
Exceptional Armour
If an enemy’s Damage roll against the Samurai does not include any swords, the result is counted as a glancing blow and does not cause a blood drop.
Debt Owed
When you gain this card, choose and take any Skill card with the Coin Keyword from your opponent’s Samurai and give it to one of yours. If no Coin card is available, you gain nothing. Then discard this card.
Fencing
Declare you are using this skill before making a melee Strike roll. Gain +1 die to the Strike roll and lose 1 die from the damage roll. (Once Per Turn)
Tough Hide
Once, when the Samurai suffers a heavy wound, roll a die, the following results apply:
- Double blade: light wound (1 blood drop)
- Blade: light wound (2 blood drops)
- Blank: heavy wound (cut down)
- X: heavy wound, (cut down)
Knock Down
Once per turn, after the Samurai makes a melee Damage roll, if his opponent has not been down, he may take a Test of Strength. If the test is passed, the opponent is knocked down.
Barge Past
When pushing past a friendly warrior during a charge action, the Samurai makes a Test of Strength. If passed, the warrior does lose a die from his Strike roll.
Evasion
Once per turn,+1 die on Avoid Roll
Inspiring Speech
Once per battle, all friendly warriors within 6 inches move 3 inches towards the nearest enemy. If this would take them within 1 inch of an enemy, they stop 1 inch away.
Map
+1 die on the Test of Wits for a Search action
Military Scholar
The Samurai and friendly warriors within 6 inches gain +1 die on the Test of Wits to target a further enemy.
Local Guide
Once, up to 3 warriors who are more than 9 inches away from any enemies can make a free Cautious Move action.
Perfect Aim
Once per turn, when making a shooting action, the Samurai may ignore one thing impeding the shot.
Defensive Form
Once per turn, the Samurai’s avoid bonus is triggered by rolling 4+ swords rather than 5+. You must declare you are using this ability before making the Avoid roll.
Commanding Presence
If the Samurai is within 6 inches, commoners gain +1 die when test to keep their nerve. They must be able to see the Samurai to gain this benefit.
Special Instructions
Once per Battle, one other warrior in your force can make a Move or Cautious Move as a free action.
Defensive Drills
If the Samurai is within 6 inches when a friendly Spearman group is making an Avoid roll, their weapon bonus is triggered on 4+ swords rather than 5+.
Proud Troops
Once per turn, if you have no Dishonour cards and your opponent has three or more, you gain +1 die on the next test made by a commoner.
Issue Challenge
Once per battle, from now on, the Samurai and the enemy Samurai hero gain +1 die to their melee Strike roll when fighting each other. They both suffer a -1 die on Strike rolls against anyone else. This effect ends if either warrior is cut down.
Master-Forged Weapon
Once per turn,+1 die on Damage roll
Deflect Arrow
Once per turn, as long as the warrior has actions remaining to use this turn, he can attempt to avoid a shot from an arrow or thrown weapon without using an action.
One with Nature
The Samurai can move through rough terrain without any penalty to his movement (Does not apply to mounted warriors).
Vault
When pushing past a friendly warrior during a charge action, the Samurai makes a Test of Agility. If passed, the warrior does lose a die from his Strike roll.
Unbeaten (Quest)
Win 3 battles in a row
Conclusions
These are the other cards that come in the Test of Honor starter set, and they change the way that you play the game. I’m curious to get a few more games under my belt and experiment with the cards some more. I hope this helps you figure out how the cards in the starter box work. Game On, Game Fans.
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