Across all of Eä, there are few sights as awe-inspiring as a City States warband arrayed for war. Piston-driven spears and onyx horns emerge from gleaming shields locked in unison. Towering over the bronze soldiery, mighty Titans can be beheld; augmenting the battleline with powerful incantations. Any perceived gaps within the shieldwall are filled by braying Faun and masterwrought chariots pulled by fearsome lions. To witness such discipline, bravery, and technological marvels of the City States in formation is incredible. To stand against such a force is illogical. 

The City States bring an element of discipline and order into the skirmish of First Blood unlike any other faction. Armed with xiphos, spear, and shield; the warriors of the City States do not yield!

To represent the rigorous formation training that the soldiers of the City States practice, all City States Warriors of the same Battlefield Role may move through each other using the Soldiers From Birth army special rule; allowing for your Agema to emerge from a pike formation of Phalangites or the mighty bulk of a Thyrean to charge through a screen of Selinoi.

Blending war, science, and philosophy, the commanding leadership of a City States Warband may choose to utilize a practiced stratagem or devise a cunning ploy. At the beginning of the Round, a City States player may choose to form their Command Cards into a set order called the Strategic Stack; familiar to those who play The Last Argument of Kings. While utilising the Strategic Stack, all Warriors may Re-Roll Resolve Rolls of ‘6’ and gain further bonuses depending on your choice of Regiments and Characters; such as the redoubtable Hoplite with their Defensive Formation Special Rule:

Defensive Formation: During Enemy Clash Actions, while this Warrior is within 1″ of another Unengaged Warrior within this Regiment, this Warrior gains +1 Defense.

While regimented Warriors such as the Hoplite bring their training to bear while following the Strategic Stack, those more impetuous or unruly Warriors of the City States care not for such rigorous tactics. During any point of the Round before Activating a Command Card, a City States player may choose to Break Formation and forgo the Strategic Stack; eschewing the original battle plan in favor of flexibility. Some Warriors are itching to be unleashed, such as the snorting and bellowing wrecking ball that is a Minotaur Thyrean who gets to use their Bull Rush Special Rule:

Bull Rush: While Breaking Formation, this Warrior may perform a Free Clash Action during their Activation.

Augmenting the battleline, the technological sorceries of a Mechanist ensures that all is operating at peak efficiency. A powerful and peculiar support Character, the Mechanist can allow for a do-over when a pivotal Roll is fumbled by casting their Logistical Epoche Spell.

This faction preview barely puts a dent in what fun and flavorful mechanics can be found within a City States army! Read the rest of the City State’s rules using our app or by downloading the faction PDFs from our website. Will you take up the spear in defense of your City State? Let us know what regiment combos and army lists you formulate by sharing them on our Discord.