Game Overview
High above the clouds, the floating realm of Ankar has existed in relative peace for centuries. Home to various creatures and beings, several isles have floated independently of each other, kept aloft and apart by a mysterious energy known as "Source."
It seems that Source is not limitless. As tensions rise over the availability of this precious resource, shifts in the isles' stability have put all of Ankar's nation-states on edge. Islands are beginning to crash into one another, and an all-out war for each island's supply of Source is about to initiate chaos in the skies. The Joining War has begun.
Cloudspire is:
- A 1-4 player competitive, cooperative, and solo board game
- A tower defense game where you advance your Fortress, build spires, hire mercenaries, and send minions and heroes toward Opposing fortresses
- A game of strategic unit deployment and tactical battlefield control
Playable Factions
Brawnen
Industrious and strong race of giants. They burn through Source fast, focusing on raw power. Their "forsaken" units are oversized, very powerful, but...
Griege
The griege have relatively weak spires and fortress defenses, but they compensate for this with slippery units that have multiple ways to promote them...
Grovetenders
When playing as the grovetenders, you must guard and spend your revered Source conscientiously. Your opponents will be forced to carefully consider th...
Heirs
When playing as the heirs, you will find that advancements and spires are cheap and options are many. But with lower health, your minions mu...
Horizon's Wrath
When playing as Horizon’s Wrath, always be aware of your unique fortress capabilities and your adaptable deployment tactics. Your airship fortress can...
Keel
The keel are a species from the underside of Ankar, unaccustomed to the sunlight and environment on the top side. They’ve come to subjugate the top-dw...
Narora
When playing as the narora, you have an exceptional variety of minion options. This can lead to strong counters to enemy play, but it can spell disast...
Shada
The shada are of nature, and as such, they claim to have dominion over all of Ankar. The race of elementals has unlocked terrifying power by combining...
The Graft
The residents of Ankar had no idea that if the ecosystem of their islands was ever thrown off-balance, they would risk exposing an existential threat....
The Uprising
The Uprising is primarily made up of market chips, so you’ll need to be flexible to take advantage of their full potential. Use your units’ strengths...
Click any faction to learn more about their unique units and playstyle.
Wave Sequence
Cloudspire is played over 4 waves. Each wave consists of these phases in order:
1. Event Phase
Reveal an event card (skipped in Wave 1)
2. Income Phase
Gain Source based on current wave
3. Market Phase
Purchase mercenaries, equipment, and earthscapes
4. Build Phase
Construct and upgrade spires, advance your fortress
5. Prep Phase
Select units for deployment and prepare your strategy
6. Onslaught Phase
Units move, explore, and battle on the field
[Source_Reward:5] Income Phase
All players gain Source simultaneously based on the current wave. Increase your Source tracker by this amount.
[Source_Reward:11]
Wave 4
Fortress Advancement Bonus
Some Fortress advancements provide additional [Source_Reward] income. Add this bonus to your income each wave.
Important: Under normal circumstances, you may have no more than 20 Source. Any Source gained above a faction's maximum capacity is lost.
[Source_Cost] Market Phase
Purchase mercenaries, equipment, spires, or earthscapes to enhance your strategy.
Market Setup
- At the start of each Market Phase (except Wave 1), refresh the market by discarding all current offerings and refilling them
- There should always be:
- 1 faceup earthscape
- Market chips equal to player count + 1
Taking Your Turn
Starting with first player and continuing in turn order, each player must either pass or do ONE of the following:
- Purchase a market chip for its shown [Source_Cost] cost
- Purchase the faceup earthscape for [Source_Cost:2] (only one earthscape may be purchased per wave)
After a purchase, flip the next chip or earthscape faceup to refill the market.
Equipment (Blue Border)
Place under a hero's chip while in deployment stack to grant the hero the talents shown on the equipment.
Merc Spires (Silver Border)
Can be constructed as one of your spires. No additional cost to construct since you paid Source to purchase it.
Merc Minions (Bronze Border)
Can be selected for deployment. Do not cost CP since you paid Source to purchase them.
Merc Heroes (Gold Border)
Can be selected for deployment. Do not cost CP since you paid Source to purchase them.
[Source_Cost] Build Phase
Improve your fortress and exert control on the map by constructing and improving spires using [Source_Cost].
Phase Structure
Each player may take as many turns as they like until they pass. Starting with first player and continuing in turn order:
- Each player must either pass or perform a build option
- Once you've passed, you may no longer take a turn
- Phase continues until all players have passed
[Source_Cost] Construct a Spire
Pay the [Source_Cost] cost of an available spire in your barracks OR select a previously purchased merc spire. Place it on a Source well within your Influence with starting upgrades stacked in your chosen order.
[ATTACK_UPGRADE] [RANGE_UPGRADE] [FORTIFICATION_UPGRADE] Upgrade a Spire
Add upgrades to a spire under your control up to its upgrade capacity:
- [RANGE_UPGRADE]/[ATTACK_UPGRADE] upgrades: [Source_Cost] cost = number of upgrades spire will have after adding it
- [FORTIFICATION_UPGRADE] upgrades: Cost [Source_Cost:2] each
Place Earthscape
Place an Earthscape from beside your barracks on a valid position. You may immediately construct a spire on one of the earthscape's Source wells if you have influence over its hex (still pay Source cost).
[Source_Cost] Advance Your Fortress
Pay the [Source_Cost] cost to purchase an advancement in a Fortress Structure. Advancements within each structure are progressive and must be purchased in order. Use pegs to track purchased advancements.
Prep Phase
Choose your units and plan your attack for the wave.
3
Prepare Deployment Stack
Step 1: Declare Your Mark
In turn order, each player declares their mark - the fortress gate all your minions must make progress toward. Give that player your faction mark chip to place beside their fortress as a visual reminder.
[Command_Stat] Step 2: Select Units for Deployment
In turn order, players use available Command Points to select units from their barracks. You don't have to use all Command Points - unused points are lost.
Unit Selection Rules:
- Minions: Select any number, limited by Command Points and availability. Merc minions cost 0.
- Heroes: Each faction has one 0 cost starting hero (only one available in Wave 1). From Wave 2 onwards, you can select up to 2 heroes total (including any merc heroes at 0 cost).
- Grouping: Minions can be grouped together or left ungrouped. Heroes cannot be grouped.
Step 3: Prepare Deployment Stack
Create a single stack containing all selected units, determining grouping and deployment order:
Grouping Minions
- Stack minion chips together
- Order from lowest to highest movement stat (top to bottom)
- Place health chips equal to top minion's health under entire group
- Group moves/acts as top minion until defeated
Ungrouped Units
- Each ungrouped minion gets health chips equal to its health stat
- Heroes are always ungrouped
- Heroes must be placed before OR after all minions (not between)
Hidden Information: You may use your hands to obstruct the order of your stack. Only the top unit is open information. Place the complete deployment stack on your fortress gate hex.
Onslaught Phase
Your chosen heroes and minions march toward your opponent and meet on the field of battle.
Phase Structure
Each round consists of all players taking one full turn, starting with the first player. On your turn, complete all stages in order before the next player's turn.
Stage 1: Start of Turn
Campfire Mode Check
Check if campfire mode triggers for any faction. This occurs if any player is the only player with faction units left in play. If so, that player's heroes go into campfire mode (inactive until end of wave).
Then, in any order:
- Resolve any talents, events, or relics that trigger at start of turn
- Use Limited Build Options: You may construct or upgrade a spire a maximum of 2 times during each Onslaught Phase. Place a peg in the holes at the bottom of your fortress to track usage.
Stage 2: Movement
Movement Order:
- Move Heroes (Optional): Any of your heroes may move before your minions. Heroes on top of your deployment stack MUST move now if there are minions under them.
- Move Your Minions (Mandatory): All of your minions must move one after the other. You must always move your leading minion first - the minion closest to your mark that hasn't moved this turn.
- Move Heroes (Optional): Any heroes that didn't move before minions may move after all minions have moved. Any heroes still on top of deployment stack MUST move.
Minion Movement
- Must use FULL movement stat
- Must make progress toward mark
- Can make lateral move if unable to progress
- Terrain allowance restricts valid hexes
- Can displace friendly heroes
Hero Movement
- Use as much or little movement as desired
- Can move in any direction
- Movement = up to movement stat
- Terrain allowance restricts valid hexes
Stage 3: Spires Fire
The player to your left checks if you (the current player) have any units within range of any of their spires. If you do, their applicable spires attack.
For each attacking spire:
- Choose a target (if multiple units in range)
- Roll spire attack dice equal to number of attack upgrades
- Deal rolled damage to the targeted unit
Then the next opposing player in turn order does the same, until all opposing players have had a chance to fire their spires.
Range Note: A spire's range can count through occupied hexes but cannot count through sky (areas without neoprene).
Stage 4: Exploration
You may explore any landmark adjacent to one or more of your units.
Exploration Process:
- Look at the landmark's facedown side (don't show other players)
- Choose to either reveal it (flip faceup) or leave it facedown
- If revealed and the landmark has a health stat, place appropriate health chips under it immediately
- Continue exploring landmarks until you decide to stop or have no more new landmarks to explore
Important: Each landmark may only be explored once per turn.
Stage 5: Attack
Attack Rules:
- Your units attack in the order of your choosing
- Minions MUST attack if they have a valid target
- Heroes MAY optionally attack
- Valid targets: Adjacent opposing units, spires, fortress gates, and landmarks with health
- Each unit may only attack once per turn
Attacking Units
- Deal damage = attack stat
- Each damage removes 1 health chip
- If last health chip removed, unit is defeated
- Retaliation: Target retaliates first time attacked each turn (unless defeated)
- Grouped minions: If defeated, next minion revealed with full health (leftover damage doesn't carry)
Attacking Spires
- Any damage removes 1 attack/range upgrade from bottom
- 2+ damage removes fortification upgrade from bottom
- Cannot remove more than 1 upgrade per attack
- Spires do NOT retaliate
- If last upgrade removed, spire is defeated
After Defeating Units/Spires:
- Collect Source Rewards: Gain Source equal to the defeated unit/spire's Source reward value
- Level Up Heroes: If a hero was responsible for the defeat, it may level up
- Return to Barracks: Faction minions and spires return to barracks when defeated (merc units are discarded)
- Remove Heroes: Faction heroes (including merc heroes) are removed from game when defeated
Continuing the Onslaught
Once you have completed a full turn, the next player takes their turn. Continue taking rounds of turns until all units have been defeated or the wave ends.
Quick Reference
Quick reference guide for gameplay (Page 36 of the rulebook). Click to view full-size.
