During our first full game of Blood & Plunder, my friend and I ran into a few rules questions that weren’t immediately obvious from the rulebook. After asking the community, here are the answers that helped clear things up.
Can a unit tactically choose its direction when Falling Back?
Short answer: Yes, within reason.
The rules state that a Shaken unit immediately takes a free Move action away from the enemy unit that caused it to Fall Back, moving around impassable terrain and enemy models.
This does not mean the unit has to move in a perfectly straight line directly away from the enemy. Instead, the important requirement is that the unit finishes farther away than it started.
This gives you some flexibility to:
- Move toward cover.
- Angle toward an objective.
- Reposition toward your own battle line.
As long as the movement results in the unit ending farther from the enemy that caused the Fall Back, you’re following the intent of the rule.
Does the 8-inch fatigue rule apply to all movement?
Mostly, though only during a single activation.
A unit gains 1 Fatigue if it moves more than 8 inches during its activation. This includes movement from actions that count as normal Move actions.
For example:
- A Charge consists of a Move Action followed by a free Fight Action.
- Because the first part of a Charge is still a normal Move action, it counts toward the 8-inch limit.
However, Free Actions that grant movement such as Quick, Mounted, or Skirmisher are exceptions and don’t count the same way.
Another important detail is that the 8-inch limit is tracked per activation card, not across the entire turn. If a unit moves during its activation and later receives a Command Point to move again, that later movement is part of a different activation and doesn’t combine with the earlier movement for fatigue purposes.
Can I move twice and then Charge without taking Fatigue?
No.
The Charge action includes a normal Move action. If your activation already includes enough movement to exceed 8 inches, charging afterward will push you over the threshold and you’ll gain 1 Fatigue.
The only movement that effectively comes “for free” is movement granted by abilities that specifically provide Free Actions, such as Quick, Mounted, or Skirmisher.