Bases and Capture

Bases are the castles and forts on the board. They are strong defensive terrain and they also do three other things: they can be captured, they deploy reserves, and they heal. Some look like towns, chapels or guardhouses, but they all work the same way.

Capture

Only the clergy can capture. Move one onto an enemy or neutral base hex and the Wait command becomes Capture; choosing it hands the base to you on the spot. The unit that captures gains 10 levels.

You cannot enter a base hex while an enemy is standing on it. It has to be destroyed first.

Deploying

A base holds reserves inside it. Whoever owns the base picks one and puts it on an empty hex beside it. The unit is finished for that turn and acts normally from the next one.

A unit can only be deployed onto terrain it is able to enter. It can also be put straight into a friendly transport beside the base — it never touches the board, so it cannot be unloaded that turn.

Healing

On a base hex you own, the Wait command becomes Enter. A unit that enters leaves the board and rests inside, coming back to full strength at the start of the next turn. Getting it out again means deploying it. Levels are untouched.

Only bases that were originally friendly or neutral heal. Taking an enemy base gives you somewhere to deploy from, but not somewhere to heal.

Neutral Bases

The reserves in a neutral base belong to nobody yet. They join whichever side frees them first, and that happens once — retaking the base later does not turn them. They are only shut in, never lost.

Headquarters

Some bases are headquarters. Losing yours loses the stage and taking theirs wins it — they hold the outcome outright. Some stages also name other bases you are required to hold.