Shock Tactics
The Shock keyword, four new units and three alternate cards for the Lancer, Marshall and Footman coins.
Shock Tactics (2025) adds the Shock keyword, 4 new units (Rearguard, Raider, Pitch Thrower, War Drummer) and 3 alternate units (Heavy Cavalry, Warlord, Vanguard). Setup changes are in Setup under “Play with Shock Tactics”.
Components
- 20 unit coins
- 7 unit cards
Setup changes
Add all 7 cards before dealing or drafting. The alternates use existing coins:
| Alternate card | Uses the coins of |
|---|---|
| Heavy Cavalry | Lancer |
| Warlord | Marshall |
| Vanguard | Footman |
If both versions of the same coin are dealt or drafted, keep them together and add one more card to the pool (when dealing, the extra card goes straight to the same player). That player keeps one version and boxes the other.
Shock
To shock a unit, put all its coins from the board in its owner’s discard pile. Shock is not an attack: the Pikeman and other attack effects don’t react to it.
- Enemy units in a Fortification can’t be shocked, nor can Fortifications.
- A Warlord can still shock a friendly unit in a Fortification.
New units
Rearguard
5 coins. Attribute: after another friendly unit is attacked, the Rearguard may move.
Raider
5 coins. Tactic: discard one of its bolstered coins to move, then control. Attribute: after it is bolstered, it may move.
Pitch Thrower
5 coins. Tactic: discard one of its bolstered coins, then shock an enemy unit two spaces away; the space between may hold a unit. Attribute: when you recruit a Pitch Thrower coin, you may bolster it with that coin.
War Drummer
5 coins. Attribute: after the War Drummer moves, you may take a coin from any supply and put it on top of its owner’s bag; it is the next coin they draw.
Alternate units
Heavy Cavalry
4 coins (the Lancer’s). Tactic: move two spaces in a straight line; it may end on an enemy unit’s space, and then shocks that unit.
Warlord
5 coins (the Marshall’s). Tactic: choose a friendly unit within two spaces of the Warlord; it maneuvers, and then you shock it.
Vanguard
5 coins (the Footman’s). Tactic: shock an adjacent enemy unit. Attribute: when it is deployed, it may maneuver.
FAQ
The FAQ has every official Shock Tactics answer under “Shock Tactics”.