The City States

Greek-inspired city states fighting in phalanxes beside Minotaurs

Army Lists

The force you bring to the Battlefield is chosen using an Army list. To help ensure you're playing a fair and balanced game, these Army lists are chosen to equal points values.

Points Values

Each Stand in a game of Conquest has a points value, representing its overall worth on the Battlefield. Stands with higher points values are generally better or more flexible fighters, while those with lower points values are less effective, or are useful in a narrow set of circumstances. Your Army's points value is equal to the total points values of every Stand in your Army, plus those of any upgrades you've purchased for those Stands. The higher the points value, the more lethal the Army you've selected. By choosing Armies to equal points values, you and your opponent can ensure a fair, challenging battle.

Size of Battle

By default, we recommend battles of 2,000 points – this generally gives enough slaughter for an evening's gaming. However, there's nothing to stop you from choosing a larger or smaller size for your confrontation. Indeed, smaller games of 1,000 points are an excellent way to learn the rules.

Building an Army

An Army consists of two types of entities: Character Stands and Regiments. You may include any number of either in your Army, subject to the following rules:

The Warlord

You must include one Character Stand to be your Warlord – your avatar on the Battlefield.

Warbands

Each Character Stand in your Army (including the Warlord) must be accompanied by a Warband of Regiments. You'll normally have a choice of Regiments to choose from, but you must always include a Regiment of the same type – i.e Infantry, Cavalry or Brute – as your Character Stand to ensure that they have a Regiment to join at the start of the battle.

Each Regiment is drawn from the Regiments section of the Army List. It will also, depending on the Character Stand it is chosen for, count as a Mainstay or a Restricted choice. Each Character Stand's Warband has a Regiment allowance of 4 Regiments. A Warband can include as many Mainstay choices as your Warband allowance allows. Restricted choices are more limited, as the name suggests. Each Warband can only include two Restricted choices from all the options presented. This can be two of the same Regiment, or two different Regiments from the list. As a further restriction, you must include one Mainstay choice for each Restricted choice in your Army. Therefore, a Warband that includes two Restricted choices will always have at least two Mainstay choices too. Note that a Regiment might be a Mainstay choice for one Character type, and a Restricted choice for another – check the Character's Army List entry to be sure.

Optional Upgrades

Many Character Stands and Regiments have additional options that can be purchased for them, such as Abilities, Command Models, or even extra Stands (in the case of Regiments). If you purchase any of these upgrades, simply add the points cost to that of the Character Stand or Regiment for which the upgrade was purchased.

Battlefield Roles

Regiments and Character Stands in your Army have special descriptors called Battlefield Roles. These are supertypes that are used to identify a game entity as part of a broader category going beyond Type or Class.

These supertypes appear in the Battlefield Roles section of each game entity's Army List Entry and can be found within brackets. E.g. Titan for Nords and City States.

Often abilities or Special Rules may refer to these Battlefield Roles for targetting purposes. If for example all Exalted regiments are affected by a Supremacy Ability then all Regiments with that supertype will be affected regardless of Type or Class. A Character's Battlefield Role is not applied to the Regiment they are currently attached to.

Finally, it is possible to refine targeting restrictions further. For example a Nord ability could target only Infantry Exalted Regiments leaving the giants (who are Monsters) out.

Special Rules and Supremacy Abilities

Certain rules like those acquired through the purchasing of Masteries, Character Upgrades and Supremacy Abilities may provide unique abilities that extend beyond merely providing Characteristic upgrades to Character or Regiments and instead benefit an entire Warband or even the entire Army.

This raises the question of whether these abilities are "always active", "activated" or only applicable when the Character Stand or Regiment is on the Battlefield.

For this reason rules like this are followed by identifiers that allow the Player to easily recognize when these rules are applied. The identifiers are the following:

Always Active: This Ability is always considered to be active regardless of whether the Character or Regiment is currently on the Battlefield, in Reinforcements or having been destroyed.

Activated: This Ability can only be used once per Battle and requires the Character or Regiment to currently be on the Battlefield. Once Activated the effects last until the end of the Round regardless if the Character or Regiment has been removed from the Battlefield in the meantime.

Battlefield: This Ability is considered to be active while the Character or Regiment is currently on the Battlefield.

Army Rules

This Army follows the additional Faction Specific Rules seen below:

Auxiliary Stands

The forces of the City States don't limit themselves to the same restrictions that other factions array their forces in. The militaries of the Cities train their armies to work in unison, where phalanxes of Hoplites are sometimes led to battle by the bulk of a Minotaur draped in the same armor.

Certain Regiments in this Army are able to take specialized additional Stands, known as Auxiliary Stands at their indicated points cost. Auxiliary Stands are part of the Regiment they belong to.

Auxiliary Stands use the following rules:

1) Auxiliary Stands have their own Characteristics Profile. However, they inherit the March, Defense, Resolve, Evasion, Class and Type Characteristics of their Regiment. An Auxiliary Stand still uses its own Wounds Characteristic and may be allocated Wounds just as a normal Stand in a Regiment would.

2) When a Regiment with an Auxiliary Stand performs a Clash, Volley or Charge Action, roll the Attacks from the Auxiliary Stand separately and use the Characteristic profile from the Auxiliary Stand, including all of its Special Rules. Even though these Attacks are rolled separately, they are still inflicted simultaneously with the attached Regiment's Attacks.

3) An Auxiliary Stand must always be placed in the front Rank of the Regiment it is attached to and cannot be Restored back once it has been destroyed.

Example: A Regiment of Hoplites are joined by a Minotaur Hoplite. The Minotaur Haspist is added to the front Rank of the Hoplites Regiment. The Minotaur Haspist retains all of its own Special Rules and abilities and uses its own profile when the Regiment performs its Actions.

Minotaur Haspist Auxiliary

Special Rules: Brutal Impact (1), Cleave (1), Impact (2), Shield

Minotaur Thyrean Auxiliary

Special Rules: Brutal Impact (1), Cleave (3), Impact (3), Linebreaker

Sacred Band Veterans Auxiliary

Special Rules: Cleave (2)

Sacred Warriors: Friendly Sacred Band Regiments within 12" may select this Regiment as the Target of their Spells despite them having a Range of "Self ".

Strategic Stack

The armies of the City States are able to perform incredible acts of tactical fluidity during the course of a battle. This is shown with their unique access to a secondary Command Stack, called the "Strategic Stack" that is arranged beside your Command Stack.

Once per Round, when drawing a Regiment's - but not a Character's - Command Card during the "Draw Command Card" phase, but before revealing it to your opponent, instead of Activating the Command Card you have drawn, you may instead place that Command Card into your Strategic Stack face down and pass the turn to your Opponent.

During any of your "Draw Command Card" phase, as long as there is a Command Card in your Strategic Stack, you may Draw and Activate a Command Card from the Strategic Stack instead of your Command Stack. Should you Activate a Card from your Command Stack, then when the Regiment completes its Activation, after the "Deactivate Regiment" step, if there is a Command Card in your Strategic Stack, you may opt to immediately draw and Activate it.

A Regiment activated from the Strategic Stack immediately gains the Inspired Special Rule and Always counts as under its effects until the end of the Round.

If at the beginning of the "Draw Command Card" step there are no Command Cards remaining in your Command Stack, and you have a Command Card in your Strategic Stack, you must draw the Command Card from your Strategic Stack.

Direct Orders

When a Regiment is Activated as part of an Entourage Activation - it counts as having been Activated from the Strategic Stack.

Supremacy Abilities

Each type of Character grants a different Supremacy Ability if chosen as your Warlord.

Mechanist

Carrier of the Godflesh Battlefield: When placing a Command Card in your Strategic Stack, reveal it to your Opponent first and then select a Regiment currently on the Battlefield the Command Card could Activate. Until the end of the Round that Regiment gains the Hardened (+1) (to a maximum of 2) Special Rule.

Polemarch

Army of Lions Always Active: The Regiment this Character is currently attached to, including any Auxiliary Stand and the Character itself, adds +1 to its Clash Characteristic (to a maximum of 4) and gains the Tenacious (1) Special Rule. In addition, Friendly Infantry Regiments currently within 10" of the Warlord may Re-Roll failed unmodified Morale Rolls of "6".

Battlefield part of the Ability: Once per game before Players Roll for Priority, reveal the top Card of your Command Stack. If that Command Card is a Polemarch the Player may choose to automatically win this Round's Priority Roll. If two Polemarch Warlords use this ability at the same time, the effects cancel each other out.

Aristarch

Infantry Tactics Always Active: Once per game, at the beginning of a Round's Reinforcement Phase the Player may decide to Re-Roll all failed Reinforcement Rolls made during that Reinforcement Phase.

Activated Part of the Ability: Until the end of the Round, the Battlefield Order the Aristarch has selected affects all Friendly non-Monster Regiments on the Battlefield.

Ipparchos

Hammer and Anvil Always Active: Once per Round: Choose a single Infantry or Cavalry Regiment, it can perform a free Reform Action as its last Action during its Activation, but cannot change the number of Ranks and Files during that Action.

Battlefield Part of the Ability: When an Infantry or Cavalry Regiment is Activated from the Strategic Stack it gains the Shock Special Rule.

Promethean Oracle

Bringing Back the Children of Fire Always Active: Friendly Titan Regiments gain the Priest (+3) Special Rule. In addition, when a Friendly Titan Regiment Activates from the Strategic Stack, that Regiment counts as 6 Stands for the purposes of Seizing Objective Zones until the end of the Round.

Characters

You may include any number of Character Stands, but at least one Character Stand must be included as your Warlord.

Characters and Character Upgrades

Magical Items and Heraldry are an important part of a Faction's culture and history. Each Faction has access to a list of Character Upgrades as described in their Army List. Unless noted otherwise, each entry may only be selected once in your Army List, and it does not have to be visually represented on the Character Stand. Each Character Upgrade confers abilities or attributes to the Character Stand, and their bonuses are lost as soon as the Character Stand is removed from the game for any reason Unless otherwise specified, the following restrictions apply for City State Character Stands:

• Only Infantry Character Stands may purchase a Banner Character Upgrade.

• Only the Eidolon and Mechanist may purchase Character Upgrades from the Modifications category.

• If a Character Stand can have more than one Character Upgrade, they must purchase upgrades from different categories.

If a Character Stand can have more than one Character Upgrade, they must purchase upgrades from different categories.

Bestowed Relics

Banners

Standard of Last Oration — 45 points

Offered to those burdened with the most vital (and often most dangerous) objectives in battle, the Last Oration ensures that, even if all fall and their bodies cannot be recovered, they are appropriately honored. While symbols, materials and other details differ from City to City, they are all inscribed with one phrase: "Oh Stranger, go tell the City's people that here we lie, true to their mandates." If this Regiment is destroyed while in range of an Objective Zone, if that Objective Zone can be Seized, the controlling Player counts as Seizing it during the Victory Phase of that Round.

Activated Part of the Ability: This ability may be Activated at the end of the Round's Supremacy Phase. Until the end of the Round, while the Regiment this Character is currently attached to is within range of an Objective Zone it Re-Rolls failed Defence Rolls.

Aristia — 20 points

When a regiment contains a victor of the Aristia Contest it retains the right to set this ribbon upon their colors, inspiring the men who fight beneath it to greater heights, a tradition dating to the first winner of the Areistia, Matthios the Tall. The Character gains the following Draw Event:

Aristia: Target Friendly non-Monster Regiment within 8" treats its total Charge Distance as its March value +5" until the end of the Round. This effect supersedes the limit set by the Phalanx Special Rule.

Primodynamic Globe — 10 points

'…unlike the clumsy attempts of our near-primitive cousins, which are as unsophisticated as they are fragile, this artifact actually enhances the imbalance of incoming spells. As we know from the Second Primodynamic Law, the further away from balance one strays and into Entropia, the closer to absolute disorder – and therefore inexistence – one ventures. Affix this unto the City's standard's and, as the enemy practitioners fail to control their own magic, watch how it explodes in spectacular – if harmless – fireworks around them.' All Friendly Regiment's within 8" of this

Character count as having the Wizard (1) Special Rule for the purpose of Enemy Interference.

Armors

Chrysaor's Helmet — 30 points

It is said that Chrysaor was born to Gorgo, one of Plato's first experiments to forge deities, and that his golden helmet was a true depiction of his snake-haired mother. Such was the craftmanship and detail of the helmet, in fact, that her alleged power to turn people to stone echoed through its visage, spreading fear to any who gazed upon the jade eyes of its gilded snakes. The Character gains the Dread Special Rule. In addition, Enemy Character s participating in a Duel against this Characterlose the Quicksilver Strike and Flurry Special Rules until the end of the Round.

Living Breastplate — 5 points

Terribly misnamed due to the random discoloration they present with movement, these breastplates were the unexpected result of attempts to create self-repairing armors. While the experiment never achieved its original goal, it was nevertheless considered a scientific success, if an expensive one. It discovered that the phlogiston, when infused into an alloy of gold and copper, will gather at a point of impact, locally and momentarily strengthening the metal. The Character Stand Re-Rolls failed Defense Rolls when participating in a Duel Action.

Weapons

Blades of Eakides — 30 points

Few can claim fame equal to the legendary Eakides, nor near as many epics written about their exploits. Depicted often as unkillable in battle, whose life was stolen by a treachery and arrows, the historical Eakides was master of all weapons, with a unique fighting style. While none have managed to replicate his mastery since, carrying any one of his weapons in battle seem to make one echo his prowess.

This Character adds +1 to its Clash Characteristic and suffers -1 to its Attacks Characteristic. In addition, this Character gains the Cleave (4) Special Rule.

Atalanta's Spear — 25 points

'Aim well with a thrust and you will see slashes for what they are: distractions for amateurs.' In the 'Minoad', Atalanta's words were mocked and challenged, as was her place among the champions who answered Minos' call to undertake his fabled Tasks. When she fell the ironhide Talian Boar with one thrust, however, few dared challenge her claims ever again. The Character gains +1 Attack Characteristic and the Cleave (1) Special Rule.

Featherblade — 10 points

Few know that the legends of winged horses almost became true; in a way. Attempts to manufacture such a beast have led to the discovery of extremely durable and light alloys, capable of creating metallic feathers that are hollow. While the horses never flew, the feathers were readily repurposed and have become some of the most sought after – and expensive – weapons money can buy. The Character gains the Quicksilver Strikes Special Rule.

Inscriptions

Inscription of Lighter Alloys — 35 points

The Character gains the following Draw Event:

Mobility: Until the end of the Round, the Infantry Regiment this Character is currently attached to removes -1 from its Defense Characteristic (to a minimum of 1), loses the Phalanx and Shield Special Rules and adds +3 to its March Characteristic..

A Regiment that had the Phalanx Special Rule and lost it as a result of this Draw Event may still not enter a piece of Garrison Terrain.

Inscription of Impact Resistance — 20 points

The Character gains the following Draw Event:

Resist: Until the end of the Round, the Regiment this Character is currently attached to gains the Tenacious (1) Special Rule. Inscription of Balance 10 points When an Enemy Spellcaster chooses this Regiment as the Target of a Spellcasting Action, the Regiment counts as 3 Stands larger for the purposes of Scaling.

Modifications

Alternate Soma — 20 points

(Eidolon only)

The Eidolon exchanges its Characteristics Profile for the following:

*

Special Rules: Combat Directives, Hardened (2)

Models per Stand: 1 Furthermore, an Eidolon with the Alternate Soma modification counts as three Stands for the purposes of Seizing Objectives while attached to a non-Light Regiment.

Anticythian Alloy Gears — 20 points

The Clockwork Hoplite Regiment this Character is currently attached to adds +1 to its March Characteristic and gains the Double Time Draw Event.

Alternate Programming — 15 points

(Eidolon only)

The Eidolon's Combat Directives Special Rule changes as follows:

Combat Directives: At the end of each Round's Supremacy Phase but before players Activate their first Regiment, this Character selects a Combat Directive that will last until the end of the Round. The Character may select a new Combat Directive at the end of each Supremacy Phase.

• Heavy Exoskeleton: Brute Regiment this Character is currently attached to gain the Brutal Impact (+1) Special Rule.

• Relentless: Brute Regiment this Character is currently attached to gains the Oblivious Special Rule.

• Precision Armament: This Character gains the Cleave (+3) Special Rule.

• Resonance Receptors 10 points When a Friendly Promethean successfully casts a Spell, the Regiment this Character is currently attached to receives the benefits of that Spell regardless of range.

Hephaestian Alloys — 10 points

Enemy Regiments in contact with the Regiment this Character is currently attached reduce their Aura of Death (X) Special Rule by -4.

Masteries

Character Stands are heroes of renown or highly gifted individuals, who excel above and beyond the masses. Be it through luck, education, training and effort or other powers at work, Character Stands have mastered abilities that make them exceptional.

Masteries are optional upgrade abilities for your Characters, which are noted on your Army List and confer bonus abilities to your Character Stand. As a rule of thumb a Character Stand may select one Mastery according to the Available categories listed on their Army List profile, however there are cases in which a Character Stand may be able to purchase more than one. This will be clearly stated in the Character Stand's Army List Entry.

Each Mastery can only be purchased once, unless stated otherwise. There are two categories for Masteries: Tactical and Combat.

Tactical

Expert Scouts — 20 points

Always Active Friendly Infantry Regiments without the Phalanx Special Rule Activating from the Strategic Stack, gain the Vanguard (3) Special Rule until the end of the Round.

Initiative — 20 points

When the Regiment this Character Stand is currently attached to Activates from the Strategic Stack, before Draw Events are resolved, it may immediately perform a free Charge Action.

Long Lineage — 15 points

This Character Stand may purchase one additional Character Upgrade, from this Army List, at its indicated point cost.

Combat

Combined Arms Drills — 40 points

Always Active When an Enemy Regiment successfully performs a Charge Action against a Friendly Infantry Regiment, until the end of the Round, Friendly Brute and Cavalry Regiments successfully performing a Charge Action against that Enemy Regiment gain the Terrifying (+1) Special Rule (to a maximum of Terrifying (2)) until the end of their Activation.

Disorienting Strikes — 10 points

Enemy Character Stands subtract -1 from their Clash Characteristic, when they participate in a Duel Action against this Character Stand.

Overkill — 10 points

For each Wound this Character Stand causes during a Duel Action, the Regiment that Enemy Character Stand is attached to must take a Morale Test as if it had been allocated a Wound.

Spells

Mechanist

Sacred Band

Promethean

Hephaestian

Regiments

Command Models and Officers

Certain Regiments have the option of taking Command Models. Each Regiment may only take each Command Model once. If the Command Model is removed as a casualty, all benefits are lost. A Command Model is purchased on top of the model it replaces. In the case of Cavalry or Brute Stand you need to pay for the Stand and the Command Model.

Command Models Andromachos

The Regiment's Command Stand adds +2 to its Attacks Characteristic. In addition, should this Regiment Activate from the "Strategic Stack", this Regiment, including any Auxiliary and currently attached Character Stands, gain the Flurry Special Rule until the end of the Round.

Lochagos

This Regiment may use the Resolve Characteristic of a Friendly Character Stand within 18" as if it was attached to this Regiment. Furthermore, if this Army's Warlord Character Stand activates its "Battlefield Orders" or "Battlefield Tactics", while within 18" of this Command Stand, then the Regiment this Officer is attached to also receives the same effect until the end of the Round.

Dorilates

When an Enemy Regiment successfully Charges this Regiment in its front arc, this Regiment gains the Inspired Special Rule until the end of the Round.

In addition, should this Regiment Activate from the "Strategic Stack", this Regiment, including any Auxiliary and currently attached Character Stands, gain the Relentless Blows Special Rule until the end of the Round.

Rules in a Nutshell!

Just starting out and got questions? Here's a quick rundown of how the City States rules work! These explanations are brief and will help you quickly start playing your first games or answer some questions you may have! Make sure to join our Discord channel and you may always reach out to us at rules@para-bellum.com with any questions you may have.

What Does My Army Do?

You get to control your Command Stack, setting up powerful double Activations through the use of the Strategic Stack! And also Classical Greeks fighting shoulder to shoulder with Hoplite Minotaurs in a Phalanx formation. And… hard to pronounce names!

The armies of the City States are able to perform incredible acts of tactical fluidity during the course of a battle. This is shown with their unique access to a secondary Command Stack, called the "Strategic Stack".

Once per Round, when you draw a Command Card you may choose not to play it and instead keep it in the Strategic Stack, an area next to your Command Stack. You may only have 1 Command Card in your Strategic Stack at any given time.

At any point during the Round, once you finish an Activation, you may immediately draw the Command Card in your Strategic Stack and go again! Better yet, the Regiment activating from the Strategic Stack does so Inspired!

What to Keep in Mind

When playing City States always make sure to:

• When building your Army List, keep an eye out for Regiments that can include Auxiliary Stands. This feature allows you to add powerful units like a Minotaur Haspist or Thyrean to fight alongside your Infantry Troops!

• A Character Stand or Regiment Activating from the Strategic Stack may not result in any further drawing of Command Cards from your Command Stack or Strategic Stack. Watch you sequence of Activations!

• Protect your flanks! War Chariots and Companion Cavalry are highly mobile and can effectively slow down enemy flanking Regiments.

• You can have 1-2 War Chariots as part of the same Restricted Slot. However, watch out as they each count as a separate Regiment. If you're playing a Scenario that awards VPs for destroyed Regiments they are worth a lot!

• Your Prometheans and Hepheastians excel when in combat. Make sure to have them support the flanks of your Regiments so they can attack and Spellcast with impunity!

Last updated 2026-10-04