Transitioning to full Age of Sigmar rules

The good news first: Spearhead and full-size Age of Sigmar use the same core rules. Everything you've learned about turns, phases and dice still applies. What changes is mostly around the game — how armies are built, which battleplans you use, and how many extra options you have to keep track of.

What stays exactly the same

• The turn structure. Battle rounds, the priority roll from the second round on, and the phases from hero phase to end of turn — see How a turn works.
• Attacking. Hit, wound, save, then damage against Health.
• Control scores. Add up the Control of your contesting models; the higher control score takes control.
• Combat order. Strike-first and Strike-last work the same.

What's new at 1,000 points

1. 01

   Change 1

   Command points instead of card commands

   In Spearhead, your commands came from battle tactic cards. Full-size games use command points: each player gets 4 at the start of every battle round, the underdog gets 1 more, and so does whoever has fewer auxiliary units (a tie gives neither player the extra point). You spend them on core commands like Rally and Counter-charge, and anything unspent is lost at the end of the round.

2. 02

   Change 2

   Objectives are contested within 3"

   In Spearhead, a model contests an objective only while it's on it: the whole printed circle counts, even partly. In full-size games, a model contests any objective within its combat range, which is 3" horizontally from its base (the same distance that decides whether units are in combat). So you can hold one from a short way off.

3. 03

   Change 3

   Who goes first in round 1

   In Spearhead the attacker chose who went first. In full-size games, whoever finishes deploying first picks who goes first, and deployment works in drops (see below).

4. 04

   Change 4

   You build the army

   Instead of a fixed box, you build a roster to a points limit, organised into regiments — a Hero plus the units they lead. Units outside a regiment are auxiliary units. The expansion guide walks through this.

5. 05

   Change 5

   Full-game warscrolls

   Your units use their full-game warscrolls, which can differ from the Spearhead versions. Re-read them before your first game — don't assume anything carried over.

6. 06

   Change 6

   Army-wide choices

   You pick a battle formation, give your heroes enhancements, and choose lores for any Wizards or Priests. Each is a small rule, but together they're the biggest new thing to remember mid-game.

7. 07

   Change 7

   Different battleplans and scoring

   Spearhead's twist cards and its battle tactic deck stay in Spearhead. Full-size games use a battleplan from a battlepack. The free rules include one, Border War: it lasts 4 battle rounds, scores objectives its own way, and uses the six universal battle tactics.

8. 08

   Change 8

   Bigger toolbox, more to track

   Manifestations, reinforced units, faction terrain and Regiments of Renown can all appear. You don't need all of them — but your opponent might have them, so it helps to know the names.

The Border War battlefield

Border War splits the battlefield along its length: the attacker's territory on one side of the border, the defender's on the other. There are 4 objectives: 1 in each territory and 2 on the border itself.

Deployment works in 'drops'

In full-size games, players take turns setting up. Setting up a whole regiment at once counts as a single drop, while an auxiliary unit is a drop on its own. Fewer drops can mean you finish deploying first, and that can matter for who goes first — see deployment in the glossary.