Nexohominis Core Rulebook

1. Core Rule Scope

These rules explain the shared system used by all Nexohominis games:

• Models and datasheets
• Battlefield setup
• Terrain and visibility
• Alternating activation
• Movement and attacks
• Saves and damage
• Wounded in Action
• Workers and Carbonite gathering
• Energy and Blackout
• Building construction and production

Victory conditions are not part of the universal core rules. Each mission or game mode defines how the game is won.

2. Models, Units, and Datasheets

2.1 Models and Units

A model is any individual miniature, token, or physical game piece on the battlefield.

A unit is a model or group of models controlled as one battlefield element.

Unless a datasheet says otherwise, each model activates separately.

2.2 Datasheets

Every unit and building uses a datasheet.

A datasheet lists the rules needed to use that model, including:

• Stats
• Weapons
• Abilities
• HP
• Save value
• Armor
• Carbonite cost
• Energy Demand
• Build Point requirements, if any

2.3 Common Unit Stats

2.4 Common Building Stats

3. Core Resources

Nexohominis uses two core resources: Carbonite and Energy.

3.1 Carbonite

Carbonite is the material resource.

Carbonite is used to:

• Craft units
• Construct buildings
• Pay for upgrades
• Pay for some faction abilities

Unused Carbonite carries over between rounds.

3.2 Energy

Energy is the power resource.

Energy is used to:

• Craft new units
• Keep buildings functional
• Maintain powered units
• Use powered systems
• Use advanced abilities

Energy does not carry over between rounds.

Energy is not stored.

Energy is a live supply value created by functional headquarters and energy generation buildings.

If a player uses more Energy than they currently produce at any instant, they immediately enter Blackout.

4. Battlefield Setup

4.1 Battlefield Sizes

Use an army-scale battlefield.

The default battlefield size is 44” x 60”.

4.2 Deployment Zones

Players deploy along opposite short battlefield edges unless the mission says otherwise.

No unit or building may deploy outside its deployment zone unless a rule allows it.

4.3 Starting Forces

Each player begins with:

• 1 headquarters
• 1 energy generation building
• 2 worker units
• 1 scout unit
• Starting Carbonite agreed by both players
• Starting Energy based only on functional headquarters and energy generation buildings

Players do not start with combat units.

The starting scout is not considered a combat unit unless its datasheet says otherwise.

All combat units must be produced during the game.

4.4 Carbonite Depot Placement

Place Carbonite depots before deployment.

For a standard 44” x 60” game, use this layout:

• 1 Carbonite depot near each player’s deployment zone
• 2 Carbonite depots near the midfield flanks
• 2 Carbonite depots near the center of the battlefield

Carbonite depots should be placed:

• At least 9” from any battlefield edge
• At least 12” from another Carbonite depot
• At least 6” outside either deployment zone
• Not inside impassable terrain

5. Terrain and Visibility

Terrain affects movement, visibility, saves, building placement, and battlefield control.

Before the game begins, players must agree what each terrain piece counts as.

A terrain piece may have more than one type or trait.

5.1 Terrain Types

5.2 Terrain Traits

5.3 Visibility

A unit can make a ranged attack only if the target is visible and not blocked by terrain.

A target is visible if you can draw a clear line from any part of the attacking model to any part of the target model.

If terrain fully blocks the view between attacker and target, the target is not visible.

If terrain partially hides the target, the target may be visible but may gain cover.

5.4 Cover Saves

Cover does not make a unit harder to hit. Instead, cover helps the defender make saves.

A unit can claim a cover save against a ranged attack if:

1. The unit is within 1” of terrain that provides cover.
2. The attack line crosses or is interrupted by that terrain.
3. The terrain partially hides the target from the attacker.

Cover saves do not normally apply against Fight attacks.

A unit cannot claim more than one cover save from the same attack unless a datasheet rule allows it.

If a unit could claim both Light Cover and Heavy Cover, use Heavy Cover only.

A weapon or ability may state that cover saves cannot be used against it.

5.5 Light Cover

Light Cover guarantees one normal successful save before rolling any remaining saves.

If the attack only caused one normal hit, Light Cover can cancel that hit unless a rule prevents cover saves.

5.6 Heavy Cover

Heavy Cover guarantees one critical successful save before rolling any remaining saves.

A critical save can cancel a normal hit or a critical hit.

5.7 Obscuring Terrain

Obscuring terrain blocks ranged attacks through its footprint.

A terrain footprint is the agreed area occupied by that terrain piece.

If both the attacker and target are outside an Obscuring terrain footprint, and the attack line crosses that footprint, the target cannot be chosen for a ranged attack.

A ranged attack may be made into Obscuring terrain if the target is inside the footprint and visible.

A ranged attack may be made out of Obscuring terrain if the attacker is inside the footprint and the target is visible.

A ranged attack may be made within the same Obscuring terrain footprint if the attacker and target are both inside it and visible to each other.

Being close to the edge of Obscuring terrain does not allow a unit to shoot completely through that terrain to a target outside the opposite side.

Obscuring does not require the physical model to be fully solid. The agreed terrain footprint is what matters.

5.8 Ruins

Ruins use a footprint.

A ruin footprint represents the full area occupied by the ruin, including broken walls, floors, windows, gaps, and interior space.

Ruins are normally Obscuring.

The ruin footprint itself provides Light Cover to units within it.

Terrain pieces, walls, barricades, debris, machinery, or other physical features inside the ruin may provide Heavy Cover if they partially hide the target.

Shooting Into a Ruin

A unit outside a ruin may shoot a unit inside that ruin if the target is visible.

The target may claim Light Cover from being within the ruin footprint.

The target may claim Heavy Cover instead if a terrain piece or physical feature inside the ruin partially hides it from the attacker.

Shooting Out of a Ruin

A unit inside a ruin may shoot a unit outside that ruin if the target is visible.

The target may claim cover if another terrain piece or part of the ruin partially hides it.

Shooting Within the Same Ruin

A unit inside a ruin may shoot another unit inside the same ruin if the target is visible.

Interior walls, floors, and gaps may block visibility or provide cover if agreed before the game.

Shooting Through a Ruin

A unit outside one side of a ruin cannot shoot a unit outside the opposite side if the attack line crosses the ruin footprint.

This is true even if the ruin has windows, gaps, doors, or broken walls.

In short: shoot into ruins, shoot out of ruins, and shoot inside ruins, but do not shoot through ruins from outside to outside.

5.9 Craters and Rubble

Craters and rubble are area terrain.

A unit inside a crater or rubble area gains Light Cover against ranged attacks.

Craters and rubble are usually Difficult Ground.

5.10 Barricades and Pipes

Barricades and pipes are linear terrain.

A unit within 1” of a barricade or pipe may claim Light Cover if the attack line crosses that terrain.

Large barricades may provide Heavy Cover if agreed before the game.

Units on opposite sides of a barricade may Fight each other if they are within 2” of each other and both are within 1” of the barricade.

5.11 Battlefield Debris

Battlefield debris includes crates, wreckage, machinery, statues, containers, and scatter terrain.

Debris provides Light Cover if it partially hides the target.

Large debris may be agreed to provide Heavy Cover or block visibility.

5.12 Hills and Sealed Structures

Hills and sealed structures are solid terrain pieces that models may stand on if the terrain allows it.

A hill or sealed structure may block visibility if it is physically between the attacker and target.

A unit standing on elevated terrain may gain improved visibility.

A unit shooting from terrain at least 5” higher than its target ignores Light Cover, but not Heavy Cover or Obscuring.

5.13 Difficult Ground

Difficult Ground slows movement.

When a unit moves through Difficult Ground, every 1” of distance moved through that terrain counts as 2” of movement.

For example, moving 3” through Difficult Ground uses 6” of the unit’s movement.

5.14 Player Buildings as Terrain

Player-built buildings are models and terrain.

A building blocks visibility if its physical shape or agreed footprint blocks the attack line.

A building may provide Light Cover or Heavy Cover to units behind it.

Destroyed buildings remain on the battlefield as wreckage unless the mission or weapon rule removes them.

Destroyed building wreckage counts as Battlefield Debris.

5.15 Terrain and Building Placement

New buildings cannot be placed:

• On impassable terrain
• Overlapping another model or building
• Overlapping a Carbonite depot
• Within enemy engagement range
• In a position where the building cannot physically fit

A mission may restrict building placement further.

5.16 Terrain Density

A standard battlefield should include enough terrain that neither player can dominate the whole board from deployment.

Recommended standard terrain:

• 4–6 large visibility-blocking or Obscuring pieces
• 4–8 smaller cover pieces
• Several barricades, debris pieces, or scatter terrain pieces
• At least 2 elevated positions
• Some open firing lanes
• Some risky Carbonite depots
• Some protected routes toward midfield

Avoid placing every Carbonite depot in Heavy Cover. Resource gathering should require risk.

6. Round Sequence

Nexohominis uses an alternating activation system.

Players take turns activating one eligible model at a time.

6.1 Round Order

Each round is played in this order:

1. Initiative Phase
2. Upkeep Phase
3. Worker Phase
4. Action Phase
5. Production Phase

6.2 Initiative Phase

Each player rolls 1D6.

The higher roll becomes the Initiative Player for this round.

Reroll ties.

The Initiative Player chooses which player takes the first activation in alternating activation phases.

6.3 Alternating Activation

During an alternating activation phase, players take turns activating one eligible model at a time.

After one player activates a model, the other player activates one eligible model.

A model may only activate once per phase unless a rule says otherwise.

If one player has no eligible models left to activate, the other player continues activating their remaining eligible models until all eligible models have activated or passed.

6.4 Outnumbered Passes

At the start of each alternating activation phase, count the number of eligible models each player has for that phase.

The player with fewer eligible models gains a number of Passes equal to the difference.

For example, if Player A has 8 eligible models and Player B has 5 eligible models, Player B gains 3 Passes for that phase.

When it is that player’s turn to activate a model, they may spend 1 Pass to skip that activation instead.

Spending a Pass does not activate a model.

Unused Passes are lost at the end of that phase.

If both players have the same number of eligible models, neither player gains Passes.

6.5 Reactions

Some rules allow a player to act outside their normal activation.

The most common reaction is Overwatch.

Reactions only happen when a rule specifically allows them.

7. Upkeep Phase

During Upkeep, both players check their economy and power grid.

7.1 Upkeep Order

During Upkeep, each player:

1. Adds up total Energy Production from functional headquarters and energy generation buildings.
2. Adds up total Energy Demand from buildings, powered units, and active production.
3. Checks whether Energy Demand is higher than Energy Production.
4. Checks whether any buildings are below 50% HP.
5. Applies Blackout rules if needed.

7.2 Energy Production

Each functional headquarters provides 50 Energy.

Each functional energy generation building provides 50 Energy.

Some advanced buildings may provide more or less Energy if their datasheet says so.

7.3 Energy Demand

Energy Demand may come from:

• Buildings
• Powered units
• Defensive systems
• Unit production
• Building construction
• Upgrades
• Powered abilities

Energy Demand is checked instantly whenever it changes.

7.4 Blackout

If Energy Demand is higher than Energy Production at any instant, the player immediately enters Blackout.

While in Blackout:

• Buildings cannot produce units.
• Buildings cannot use abilities.
• Defensive buildings cannot attack.
• Powered units cannot use powered weapons or powered abilities.
• New buildings cannot become functional.
• Energy-requiring upgrades cannot be started.

Blackout ends as soon as Energy Production is equal to or higher than Energy Demand.

7.5 Recovering from Blackout

A player may recover from Blackout by:

• Building more headquarters or energy generation buildings
• Repairing damaged headquarters or energy generation buildings
• Cancelling production that requires Energy
• Destroying, scrapping, or attacking their own units or buildings to reduce Energy Demand

A player in Blackout may target their own units or buildings with attacks if doing so would reduce Energy Demand.

7.6 Buildings Below 50% HP

Any building reduced below 50% of its starting HP loses its function.

A building below 50% HP:

• Cannot produce units
• Cannot generate Energy
• Cannot attack
• Cannot use abilities
• Cannot extend building range or energy networks

This includes headquarters and energy generation buildings.

A damaged building still remains on the battlefield and must still be destroyed if the mission requires elimination.

A building regains its function once repaired to 50% or more of its starting HP.

8. Worker Phase

During the Worker Phase, players alternate activating eligible workers.

Use Outnumbered Passes based only on eligible workers.

8.1 Worker Activation

Each worker may:

1. Move up to its Move value.
2. Activate 1 worker ability listed on its datasheet.

Worker actions are treated as abilities.

The core rules do not define a universal worker action list. Worker datasheets define what each worker can do.

8.2 Harvest Carbonite Ability

If a worker has a Harvest Carbonite ability, it may gather Carbonite from a Carbonite depot.

A worker must be within 1” of the Carbonite depot to harvest from it.

Each mining worker produces 50 Carbonite when it successfully harvests.

A maximum of 2 workers from the same player may harvest the same Carbonite depot during the same Worker Phase.

Enemy workers may harvest the same Carbonite depot during their own Worker Phase unless a rule prevents it.

8.3 Build Ability

If a worker or faction rule has a Build ability, it may add Build Points to a building under construction.

Buildings are completed through Build Points.

To begin construction:

1. Pay the building’s Carbonite and Energy cost.
2. Place the building as Under Construction.
3. Track its Build Point progress.

Each building lists the number of Build Points required to become complete.

How Build Points are gained depends on the faction or building rule.

Some factions use workers to manually add Build Points.

Some factions have buildings that grow, assemble, or activate themselves over time.

When the required Build Points are reached, the building becomes active during the next Production Phase, unless Blackout or damage prevents it.

9. Action Phase

During the Action Phase, players alternate activating eligible units one at a time.

Each unit may activate once per round.

Use Outnumbered Passes based on eligible models for the Action Phase.

9.1 Unit Activation

When a unit activates, it may take:

• 1 Movement Action
• 1 Attack Action

A unit may take these in either order.

There are no action points.

9.2 Movement Actions

A unit may use its Movement Action to do one of the following:

9.3 Dash

When a unit Dashes, it moves up to 3 extra inches.

After Dashing, the unit may still make a Fight Attack Action.

After Dashing, the unit cannot Shoot, Overwatch, or use a ranged Attack Action unless a rule allows it.

9.4 Attack Actions

A unit may use its Attack Action to do one of the following:

Shoot and Fight are both Attack Actions.

There is no separate Fight Action category.

A unit may not make more than one Attack Action during its activation unless a rule allows it.

9.5 Abilities

Each ability states what kind of action it uses.

An ability may count as:

• A Movement Action
• An Attack Action
• Both a Movement Action and an Attack Action
• Neither action

If an ability counts as both actions, the unit cannot move or attack afterward unless the ability says otherwise.

If an ability counts as neither action, the unit may still take its Movement Action and Attack Action normally.

Some abilities may prevent movement, attacking, or both even if they do not use that action type.

10. Combat

Combat is resolved through attack rolls, save rolls, armor, and damage.

10.1 Shoot Attack Sequence

To make a Shoot attack:

1. Choose an attacking unit.
2. Choose one ranged weapon on that unit’s datasheet.
3. Choose a visible target within range.
4. Check terrain, cover, and Obscuring.
5. Roll attack dice.
6. The defender applies any cover save.
7. The defender rolls remaining saves.
8. Apply Armor.
9. Apply damage to HP.
10. Check for destruction or WIA.

10.2 Fight Attack Sequence

To make a Fight attack:

1. Choose an attacking unit.
2. Choose one melee weapon on that unit’s datasheet.
3. Choose a target within 1”, unless terrain or a rule extends this distance.
4. Roll attack dice.
5. The defender rolls saves.
6. Apply Armor.
7. Apply damage to HP.
8. Check for destruction or WIA.

10.3 Attack Dice

A weapon has an Attack Dice value.

Roll that many D6 when attacking.

For each die:

• Ranged attacks add the attacker’s Aim.
• Fight attacks add the attacker’s Fight.

Each result that equals or exceeds the target’s Defense scores one hit.

A natural 6 is a critical hit.

A natural 1 always fails.

10.4 Save Rolls

For each hit, the defender rolls one save die.

Each save die that equals or exceeds the defender’s Save value cancels one normal hit.

A natural 6 on a save roll is a critical save.

A critical save may cancel a normal hit or a critical hit.

Two normal saves may cancel one critical hit if the defender has enough successful saves.

10.5 Cover Saves in Combat

Cover saves are applied before rolling normal save dice.

Light Cover guarantees one normal successful save.

Heavy Cover guarantees one critical successful save.

Cover saves only apply against ranged attacks unless a rule says otherwise.

10.6 Armor and Damage

After saves are resolved, each uncancelled hit deals damage.

Reduce the damage of each uncancelled hit by the target’s Armor.

A successful uncancelled hit always deals at least 1 damage unless a rule says otherwise.

Subtract damage from the target’s HP.

10.7 Destroyed Units and Buildings

When a unit or building reaches 0 HP, it is destroyed.

Destroyed units are removed from the battlefield.

Destroyed buildings remain as wreckage unless a rule removes them.

Destroyed building wreckage counts as Battlefield Debris.

11. Overwatch

A unit may use its Attack Action to enter Overwatch.

Until its next activation, the unit may make one reaction Shoot attack when an enemy unit moves within line of sight and weapon range.

An Overwatch attack suffers -1 Aim unless the unit’s datasheet says otherwise.

After making the reaction attack, the unit is no longer in Overwatch.

A unit cannot enter Overwatch after Dashing unless a rule allows it.

12. Wounded in Action

When a unit suffers serious battlefield damage but is not destroyed, it may become Wounded in Action, shortened to WIA.

A unit becomes WIA when it has lost half or more of its starting HP, or when a rule specifically causes WIA.

When a unit becomes WIA, roll 1D6 and apply the result below:

A unit may only suffer one WIA effect at a time unless a rule says otherwise.

If a unit that is already WIA suffers another WIA result, replace the old result with the new one.

Buildings do not suffer WIA.

13. Production Phase

During the Production Phase, both players may spend Carbonite and available Energy to craft new units, buildings, and upgrades.

Resolve production in Initiative order unless a mission says otherwise.

13.1 Producing Units

To produce a unit:

1. Choose a completed production building.
2. Pay the unit’s Carbonite cost.
3. Check that the player has enough live Energy for the unit’s crafting requirement.
4. Place the unit within 2” of the producing building.
5. The new unit cannot activate until the next round.

Each production building may produce 1 unit per Production Phase unless a rule says otherwise.

13.2 Producing Buildings

Buildings are started through construction rules and completed through Build Points.

To start a building:

1. Choose a legal building location.
2. Pay the building’s Carbonite cost.
3. Check the building’s Energy requirement.
4. Place the building as Under Construction.
5. Track its Build Points.

Buildings do not become functional until complete.

A building cannot become functional during Blackout.

13.3 Placement of Produced Units

A produced unit must be placed within 2” of the producing building.

It cannot be placed:

• On impassable terrain
• Inside enemy engagement range
• Overlapping another model
• Overlapping a building
• In a location where the model cannot physically fit

If there is no legal space, the unit remains in reserve until space is available.

14. Buildings

Buildings are stationary battlefield assets.

Buildings can be:

• Constructed
• Damaged
• Disabled
• Powered by Energy
• Shut down by Blackout
• Destroyed

14.1 Common Building Roles

14.2 Building Placement

New buildings must be placed:

• Not overlapping terrain or models
• In a legal location defined by the mission and datasheet

14.3 Damaged Building Function

A building below 50% HP loses its function until repaired.

This applies to every building type.

A headquarters below 50% HP produces 0 Energy and cannot produce units.

An energy generation building below 50% HP produces 0 Energy.

A production building below 50% HP cannot produce units.

A defensive building below 50% HP cannot attack.

A relay below 50% HP does not extend building placement or energy range.

15. Game Modes and Victory Conditions

Victory conditions are defined by the mission or game mode being played.

15.1 Default Game Mode: Elimination

The default game mode is Elimination.

In Elimination, a player wins when every enemy unit and building has been destroyed.

There is no objective scoring, victory point system, mission scoring, or alternate win condition in Elimination.

Other game modes may use different victory conditions.

16. Quick Reference

16.1 Round Order

1. Initiative Phase
2. Upkeep Phase
3. Worker Phase

• Alternate activating workers
• Player with fewer eligible workers gains Passes equal to the difference

4. Action Phase

• Alternate activating eligible units
• Player with fewer eligible models gains Passes equal to the difference

5. Production Phase

16.2 Starting Force

Each player starts with:

• 1 headquarters
• 1 energy generation building
• 2 workers
• 1 scout
• Starting Carbonite agreed by both players

16.3 Economy

• Mining worker: +50 Carbonite while harvesting
• Headquarters: +50 Energy while functional
• Energy generation building: +50 Energy while functional
• Energy does not carry over
• Energy is not cumulative
• Carbonite does carry over

16.4 Worker Limits

• 2 mining workers per player per Carbonite depot
• Worker abilities are listed on worker datasheets
• Building progress is determined by Build Points and faction rules

16.5 Unit Activation

Each unit activation allows:

• 1 Movement Action
• 1 Attack Action

Dash gives +3” movement.

A unit that Dashes may still Fight, but cannot Shoot or Overwatch unless a rule allows it.

16.6 Cover Saves

• Light Cover: guarantees one normal successful save
• Heavy Cover: guarantees one critical successful save
• Cover saves normally apply only against ranged attacks

16.7 Obscuring

If both attacker and target are outside an Obscuring footprint, and the attack line crosses that footprint, the target cannot be chosen.

Units may shoot into, out of, or within Obscuring terrain if the target is visible.

Units may not shoot through Obscuring terrain from outside to outside.

16.8 WIA Table

16.9 Default Game Mode Victory

Elimination: destroy every enemy unit and building.

Other game modes may use different victory conditions.