Gameplay
Aethersteel is a game designed to be easy to learn and yet difficult to master. It can be played on any flat surface greater than 18″ in width. Be that your kitchen table, or a high quality professional game table. Game play progress through the use of 10 sided dice (D10)’s as each player alternates turns moving their units and attacking. Game play can go for a preset number of turns, or can continue until a certain objective is completed. Some players will even create campaigns were each game is only a small part of a larger enterprise. The only limit is your imagination.
For most players the process of game play will look something like this.
Choosing a Race
The first thing that you will want to do is choose a race to champion. The race that you choose will determine the types of commanders that you can fields as well as the units that can be used. Some players will find themselves drawn to one race over another and will attempt to perfect their play style with that specific race, some players will want to sample a little of everything. Both methods are correct.
Build your army
Aethersteel makes use of Battle Value for each unit, and this is convinently located directly on each Unit Card. This is used to determine the total worth of troops and equipment that can be taken into the fight. The more battle value you bring with you, the larger the battle becomes. A typical 200BV battle will be around 14 models and lasts about an hour. The battle value of your units also works to determine the score at the end and to determine the winner. Destroy more of an opponents battle value and you win!
Be sure to bring an even make up of units, too much of any one type of unit may leave you stranded without a good response if things don’t go quite the way you thought they would….but then again that is where you get into Aeon Cards.
Build your Aeon Deck
The Aeons are the deities of our world, each one bestowing their divine might upon their favored few. It is your job to channel that power to where it will be most effective.
There are dozens of Aeon cards fo
r you to choose from, each with it’s own strengths to it. From the options available each player builds their own 40 – 60 card Aeon deck that can be used so long as their commander is still in play. Lose your commander, and you lose the ability to use Aeon cards. However, the most powerful Aeon Cards only work with your commander in the thick of battle, so choose well.
Each race’s Aeon Card selection offers a slightly different play style and feel to it. Players are encouraged to build their own deck and to use the cards that best fit their armies construction.
Set up the table
With your game surface selected you can now litter the battlefield with cover and obstacles to create the perfect battlefield. Because Aetherstel uses classic 28mm scale models terrain from other miniature games will work seamlessly with Aethersteel models.
Players begin with their Unit cards on the table, their Aeon deck face down and their units at least 15″ apart.
Now you are ready to begin!
Victory!!!
Prior to the start of the game the players will determine the victory condition. It can be a certain number of turns, or until a specific objective is accomplished. Once the victory condition has been met players tally up the total battle value that they were able to eliminate from the competition. Add in any bonuses for objectives held and you have a victor.
Now, kick it up a notch and use one of our Campaign books to build an ongoing game, where the actions of the last battle can have much farther reaching effects into the next battle, and the battles after that!
What is Aethersteel?
Aethersteel is a skirmish style tabletop miniatures warfare game that combines the format of a tabletop game with the addictive strategy and replayability of a Customizable Card Game. It uses 28mm scale models that represent the units and equipment that are deployed to the battlefield under your commanders influence. It takes the best of both game genres and creates something new and explosively unpredictable.
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What makes it different?
Aethersteel gives it’s players the ability to forge not just the perfect army but also how to support that army as well, using specialized Aeon Cards that arm the army’s commander with divine power from the Aeons above. These special cards play to the battlefield to change the rules, stats, mechanics, and probability of the game on the fly. Allowing a no win scenario to become anything but, and a sure bet to become the bet that lost it all.
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The Universe
Journey to a dieing world. Ruled by a pantheon of Gods known as Aeons. As each one, having created a species in their own image, now watch as conflicts arise between competing races. Explore the rich lore, special characters, and exciting places of a world where the very survival of the planet may rest in the destruction of all enemies. 
