alpha 0.

3
 Alpha Rulebook
This rulebook is under development from the LMS
team, and contains rules and indications that will be
clarified in the next versions of the manual. All parts
indicated in purple are incomplete or close to change.

activations during a Mission. Knowing how to

Inside the Box efficiently manage its workings is one of the keys to
1 - Rule Book victory.
The book you are holding which contains all the rules 6 - Map of Italy and villages
for playing Nova Aetas Renaissance. This double-sided sheet shows on one side the map
2 - Plot Book of Italy with the possible points of interest and on the
In this book, you will find all the rules for managing other the locations that can be visited during the End
the campaign and all the stories and endings related Mission Phase.
to it. 7 - Dice
3 - Miniatures The dice are used by the Heroes to determine the
The models of the game represent the Heroes and their success or failure of each action. On their faces, you
Enemies: the conservative Rome represented by the can see the classic numbers and symbols that serve to
Vatican, the Venetian Republic striving to expand its enhance the effects of skills or equipment.
domains, and the mysterious Fauns operating in the 8 - Hero Sheets and Character Folders
shadows protected by Mother Nature. Each Hero has their own sheet with their characteristics
5 - Horologium and special abilities (see page xxx).
This is the tool used by players to manage the Models’
2
9 - Skills Sheets crates, bushes, trees, and houses (see page xxx).
Each Hero has their own personal Skill Sheet linked to 20 - Activation Tokens
its Class. Each sheet has a description of all the Skills These tokens are placed on the Horologium to
the Hero can acquire (see page xxx). determine the activation order of the Models in play.
10 - Perilium Each group of Enemies is represented by only one
Each Hero has their own Perilium used to track token.
the Threat Value (TV) reached by the Hero. They 21 - Character Tokens
are essential for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) These tokens are considered as a Model and are used
management of the enemies the Heroes will face (see to represent additional characters that you may meet
page xxx). during the campaign but whose miniature is not
11 - Enemy Cards included in this box.
Each type of Enemy has its own card with its 22 - Status Tokens
characteristics and Skills. These are used to indicate if a Model is affected by a
11B - Enemy Draft Cards Status. Red tokens indicate negative Status while blue
When an Enemy is to be drawn randomly, these cards tokens indicate positive Status.
are shuffled to form the Enemy Deck. 23 - Other Tokens and Wound () Tokens
(see Book of the Campaign, page xxx). These include all the other tokens used to play Missions
12 - Reagent Cards and all  tokens.
These represent precious resources that the Heroes 24 - Line of Sight Tool (LOS)
can recover from the Enemies eliminated during a This useful tool will help you to establish the LoS
Mission. between two Models (see page xxx).
13 - Equipment Cards 25 - Achievement Cards
Each Hero has 3 Starting Equipment cards and These cards represent key objects and informations
equipment cards needed to change classes. Also in required for the development of the Mission plots.
the game, there is equipment to be built, under the Normally their use is explained within the Missions
label of “Formulae” and equipment recoverable during that involve them.
Missions. (see page xxx)
14 - Mission Envelope and Cards
Each Mission has its own envelope with its own
mission cards. These tarot-sized cards will guide you
Credits
in the exploration and Mission Plot. Some cards will Project Director: Andrea Colletti
visually show the possible interactions that Heroes Game Design: Andrea Colletti and Luca Bernardini
have access to. Lead Graphic Design: Paolo Scippo
15 - Injury Cards Graphic Design: Diego Fonseca
When a Hero goes KO during a Mission, they risk Art Director: Andrea Colletti
taking these cards that inflict heavy penalties. These Illustrations and Concept Artist: Giovanni Pirrotta,
wounds can only be removed through the intervention Simone de Paolis
of a Surgery during the “end game” phase (see page Lead 3D Sculptor: Fernando Armentano
xxx). 3D Sculptors: Tommaso Incecchi
16 - Map Tiles Web Editors: Emiliano Caretti
Kickstarter Manager: Andrea Colletti
Large map sections that make up the Nova Aetas
Translations: Frank Calcagno, Luca Bernardini
Renaissance areas to explore. Production: Andrea Colletti
17 - Connectors Advertising: Fernando Armentano
Smaller map sections that normally join two or more Fulfillment: Michele Mirizio
Map Tiles. The connectors have various shapes and are Playtesters: ...
considered to belong to the area of ​​the map shown on
the mission card (see page xxx). Ludus Magnus Studio s.r.l.
18 - Orientation Card Via Gioele Solari, 6 - 00166 Roma (RM)
During play, this card is used for several functions, the www.ludusmagnusstudio.com/
most common being to determine a random direction info@ludusmagnusstudio.com
in which a Model moves (see box page xxx).
Ludus Magnus Store:
19 - Scenic Elements
shop.ludusmagnusstudio.com
These include both 2D and 3D elements and represent

3
 Introduction
1509 AD
Venice is the region’s greatest economic power, guaranteed
by its geographical position that amplifies its commercial
capabilities. This city state, known by the nickname of Sere-
nissima, aims to expand its domains, threatening the terri-
tories under the protection of the powerful papacy.
Pope Julius II, concerned about the attitudes of the Venetian
Republic, signs a secret agreement with Louis XII, King of
France, and Maximilian I of Habsburg, Holy Roman Em-
peror, trying to suppress the ambitions of Venice before she
can go too far.
An important message from the Pope must be delivered to
the northern borders of Italy where the Emperor’s couriers
will receive it.
A small group, able to move discreetly, is hired by Egidio da
Viterbo, a leading figure of the clergy, and a candidate to
become the next Pope.

Goal of the Game

In Nova Aetas Rainassence you will face a series of Missions
that will test your tactical skills.
Each Mission, based on its development during the
game, will evolve the story of the campaign in different
ramifications.
In Nova Aetas Rainassence, winning or losing does not
count towards story progress; the story will still progress
around your actions, but winning will make it easier for
you in subsequent Missions. An advanced Crafting System will allow you to create ever
The plot unfolds through 26 different Missions with 6 new and more powerful objects consuming the Elements
different endings. you collected during the Missions.
Nova Aetas Renaissance can be played by 1 to 4 players who
will level up their Starting Class during the development The harmonious management of turns, through the
of the main storyline by choosing between two Advanced original Horologium System of Nova Aetas and the
Classes in their development thread. Artificial Intelligence of the enemies that vary according
An immersive “End Game” system after each Mission to the Missions and actions of the Heroes, will make your
that includes a visit to the villages or cities in Renaissance gaming experience unique.
Italy, will allow you to trade, give you access to Secondary
Missions, and will provide you with the necessary care The main goal of Nova Aetas Renaissance is to have fun
before facing your next battles. within this rich environment, so feel free to adapt the rules
to the tastes of your playgroup!

Basic Rules
This rulebook contains all the instructions for playing a
single NAR Mission.
In the Campaign Book, you will find all the rules needed
to play the NAR campaign by applying the rules of the
basic game as well as for handling special actions between
Missions. This mode offers greater immersion and
satisfaction than a single Mission. You can evolve your
Heroes by acquiring new Skills and Equipment, you can
explore Italy and find out more about the background of

4
 (example: Dodge) and that a Hero can re-roll the dice
Optional Rules Box thanks to their Equipment/Skill (example: Falcon Bow). In
Pay attention to the rules in boxes like this. These rules this case, the re-rolls imposed by the Enemies must all be
are optional; feel free to use or ignore them according carried out first. Once the re-rolls in favor of the Enemies
to your style of play. have been made, the Hero can choose whether to apply
their own, or re-roll the dice directly if required.
Game Examples Box
Some rules are better clarified in boxes like this
showing game examples. In these boxes, some tips
Reroll Example
Sofia shoots with her Falcon Bow which allows her
from the authors may also be provided to better
to add a die to her aim and to be able to re-roll all
manage the game mechanics being explained.
unsuccessful rolls. Her target is a Spriggan who,
unfortunately for her, has the Dodge ability which
allows the Spriggan to force the Hero to reroll a
Enemy Rules Box success during an attack. Sofia rolls 4 dice and obtains2
Some rules only affect Enemies and others affect successes. The Dodge reroll is applied first, then Sofia
Enemies differently than a general rule. These rules rolls one of her dice that had a success and this time
are always inserted in boxes like this to signify you rolls a miss.
must pay special attention and additionally, may also Now, thanks to the Falcon Bow Sofia can reroll all
help for a quick search. her failures, so she takes the 3 remaining dice and
rolls 2 successes, for a total of 3 successes, which also
your Heroes and the rich story that surrounds you. guarantees her the critical hit bonus (see page xxx),
inflicting on the poor Spriggan 4 wounds.
The Spriggan must have Dogdged right into a stray arrow!
Heroes, Enemies, and Characters
In the descriptions in this rulebook, we will always refer
to “the Heroes” to indicate the characters managed by the Characteristics Test
players. For “Enemies” we will generically indicate any typeWhenever in the game you are required to take a Test,
of opponent the Heroes may face. “Character/Model” will you will also be shown the Characteristic to use. To
refer to any Model in the game, whether they are Heroes or make a Test, roll the number of dice indicated by the
Enemies. Characteristic modified either in the positive or in the
The expansions may refer to further categories such as negative by any Skills or Equipment you own.
Nemesis, Hunts, or Pets. In this case, you will find their Other factors, such as Status, can also modify this roll.
description in the supplements rules. Every Attack or Defense is considered and works
exactly like a Test.
Opponents and Allies To be successful in a Test, you must compare the result
The term “Allies” indicates the Models that are part of the of each individual die with the required value, known
same Faction, (i.e., Heroes or Enemies). In some cases, as the Success Threshold. The effectiveness of the test
there may be multiple Enemy factions in the same Mission, is established based on the number of successes you
in which case each Enemy faction is an independent side. obtain.
Models belonging to different Factions are referred to as For Spells, the number of successes relates to the
“Opponents” to each other. minimum number of successes needed for a spell to
take effect..
Roll and Reroll
In this rulebook, the term “Roll” indicates any die roll, while The Golden Rule
some Skills or Equipment will give you the option to re-roll If the rules of any Equipment or Skill conflicts with
one or more dice after a roll. Unless specifically indicated parts of this rulebook, the rules on the cards/sheet
by a rule, it is not possible to re-roll a die several times, (i.e., always take precedence.
if you have already used a reroll you must accept the new Unless specified otherwise, each Test, of any type, is
result obtained). successful with a die roll result of 5 or more.

Some game rules could lead to making opposing re-rolls

between the Enemies and the Heroes. The most common
situation is that an enemy can reroll dice thanks to a skill

5
Hero Sheet of the Hero and is used to pass all the tests required by
All information related to the Heroes is shown on their a mental effort. It is normally used to cast spells, invoke
sheets, on the Skill sheets, and on the cards that describe prayers, or to resist enemy spells. It is also used for all
their Equipment. Each Hero has a value for each of the 5 Speaking tests during the narrative parts.
characteristics (Rapidity, Precision, Physical, Mind, and Health (): This represents the resistance of the Hero on
Health), which together with their unique combination of the battlefield. When a Hero accumulates a number of 
Skills and Equipment outline the role of this Hero within tokens equal to this value, he is Out of Combat (KO) and is
the group. temporarily out of the game (see page XXX).

A - Class: The Hero’s Class represents their tactical role C - Bonus/Penalty space: This space is used to indicate
within the group. Each Class is characterized by a set of through the appropriate cubes if the Hero has bonuses or
Skills and by a scheme represented by colored diamonds penalties in certain characteristics. Some bonuses can be
indicating the type of skill that each hero can choose for the permanent while others are temporary. Each characteristic
mission among the 4 categories available: Attack, Defense, can only be increased a certain number of times given by
Support, and Movement. You can develop your Hero in a the colored slots.
personalized way by choosing the Skills that best suit your
style of play. D - Skills: Each Class has six Skills that the Hero has

B C

F
E

B - Characteristics: These indicate the physical and access to. Each Skill is characterized by a colored diamond
mental potential of your Hero. They are used to establish indicating the category to which it belongs: red Attack, blue
the number of dice to be rolled in the tests, the number Defense, purple Support, and green Movement. Skills are
of action points available during each activation, and the described on the Skills Sheet. Each Skill has an adjacent
number of wounds that each Hero can endure before going space to insert a pin indicating that the Skill has been
out of action. selected among those already learned which can be used
Rapidity ​​(): The speed of the Hero, determines the during the current mission. The base Class Sheet offers you
order of activation, and the number of Action Points () some indications for choosing the appropriate Advanced
available to the Hero during his activation. Class available for that Hero.
Precision (): This quantifies the ability to shoot, shoot
with ranged weapons, and throw objects. The PR value E - Special Skills: Each Hero has 2 Special Skills that can be
determines the base number of dice a Hero can roll each acquired by possessing special requirements. These Special
time he takes one of these actions. Skills are usually skills taken from other classes.
Physical (): You will use this Characteristic when you
complete an action using your physical skills, such as F - Personal Skill: Each Hero has their own Personal Skill.
attacking with a melee weapon, forcing/breaking an object, This special Skill is always available and cannot be lost in
or parrying an attack. This value determines the base any way.
number of dice a Hero can roll each time he takes one of
these actions. G - Portrait, and name.
Mind (): This represents the intelligence and the will
6
Skill Sheets
At the end of a Mission, each Hero will be able to
improve by learning new Skills.
On the Hero Sheet you will find the list of available
Skills and the scheme to be able to prepare for the
Mission, while on the Skill Sheet the rules for each
individual Skill are described for a quick reference
when needed.
Each Hero is provided with one of these cards.

Each Hero has their own Heroic Skill that characterizes

them, a list of 18 Skills divided into groups of 6
according to Class, plus 2 Skills taken from other
Classes.

7
Enemies
This category includes all the opponents that the
Heroes will encounter during their Missions.

A - The name indicates the Enemy’s model. There are

cards that refer to single Enemies and others that refer A
to a group. For a group, the Enemies are all activated
by the same Activation Token that represents the
group on the Horologium.

B - Characteristics: These indicate the physical and B

mental potential of the Enemy.
Rapidity ​​(): represents the Enemy speed, determines
the order of activation, and the number of Action
Points () available during each of its activations.
Control Area (): Enemies always pay special
attention to whatever happens within this area. It is D
used to determine the Enemy’s reaction to the potential
danger posed by Heroes. E
Physical Defense (): This is the minimum value that
a Hero must obtain with the dice during a Physical
Attack against this Enemy to inflict  to it (See Page C G F
XXX).
Mental Defense (): This is the minimum value a
Hero must achieve when attempting to cast a Spell for
it to work against this Enemy. (See Page XXX)
Health (): This is the survival capacity of each
Model. When the number of  tokens suffered by a
single Enemy Model reaches the value indicated by this
characteristic the Enemy is defeated and is removed
from the Battlefield.

C - This symbol represents the rank of the Enemy

Model. In the core game you will find 4 different ranks:
Troop (), Elite (), Leader () and Monster ().

D - Attack: This is the cost in APs needed for an Enemy

Model to attack (see page xxx). Enemies must be able
to pay their AP cost in order to make an attack.

E - Passive Skills: This section lists the Enemy Passive

Skills. Passive Skills are always active and their effects
apply without spending Action Points (AP). The
immunities of the model are also represented by this
field.
Destiny
F - Faction: The symbol of the faction to which it Leaders () and Monsters () are fearsome enemies
belongs is shown in this circle. The background color that cannot be easily gotten rid of thanks to the most
of the card indicates the faction: purple for Rome, blue common effects available to Heroes. These Enemies
all possess the Destiny skill which protects them from
for Venice, and green for the Fauns.
certain game effects, such as Stun, Poison or forced
movement (see page XXX).
G - Loot: The number and type of Reagent Cards to
draw each time this Enemy is defeated (see page XXX).
8
Equipment A
Equipment plays a vital role in the development of A
your Heroes. B
G C
Each Equipment card is divided into several sections
that describe how it works:
D
A - The name of the Equipment.
B - Encumbrance of an Equipment: each Equipment
falls into a specific category such as Helmets, J E
Armor, Accessories, etc. which is represented by an
Encumbrance icon. Items that need to be held in hand, F
such as weapons, are indicated by the  or  icon. A
Hero can normally only use equipment that does not
occupy more than 2 hands in total. The equipment a
Hero can carry cannot exceed the following quantities:
B C
• Helmet ()
• Armor () I H
• Accessories ()
• Hands (/)
The dash symbol “-” indicates that an Equipment has
no Encumbrance and therefore can be transported
without limits. Excess Equipment remains in the
company’s stocks and cannot be used on Missions.
J
Between one Mission and the next, each Hero may E
change Equipment as desired, in compliance with the
limits of Encumbrance and Class restrictions.
C - Category: This classifies more precisely the
Equipment effectiveness for a Hero.
D - The Equipment image.
E - The Equipment effect/special rule, or the attack
stats if any.
F - Secondary Effect: Some equipment has a box that
indicates additional effects which are activated only if
certain icons are obtained during a dice roll involving
that equipment. If the icon of the secondary effects
is black, the player chooses whether or not to apply
the effect itself, while if the icon is red that effect is
mandatory. Sometimes multiple symbols or different
symbols are required to trigger a secondary effect.
G - Limitations: Some Equipment is specific to a Hero,
others are linked to a specific Class, others are generic.
H - Symbol of the Class that can use the Equipment.
I - The list of Reagents needed to craft this Equipment
(see page xxx).
J - Price: This represents the cost of buying common
equipment in the market. Heroes can sell their
equipment for half the price while in the market.

9
Reagent Cards Dice
Reagent Cards consist of three different decks: Pecunia Special 8-sided dice are used to play Nova Aetas
(), Alchemia () and Elementum (). These cards Renaissance.
represent the Reagents that the Heroes can find during The numerical part is the classic type with the numbers
a Mission. from 1 to 8 and is used to determine success () on
After defeating an Enemy, players will be able to game tests, such as those of attack or those for breaking
draw a certain number of cards from the three decks, a locked chest.
When carrying out a test just compare each individual
following the indications at the bottom of the defeated
result with the Success Threshold.
Enemy Card. Some special events in the game also
Some tests require a certain number of successes to
allow you to draw Reagent Cards. pass while others apply an effect to each success.
These cards must always be drawn face down, and are
set aside to form the Loot Deck of the current Mission.
The Reagent Cards in the Loot Deck are then revealed Dice Roll
and assigned to the Heroes at the end of the Mission To unlock a chest, Sofia need to make a  test with
based on its outcome. For example, if during a Mission at least 3. Sofia rolls 5 dice (a number equal to her
the group draws a total of 8 Reagent Cards these could  characteristic) and gets only 2. By failing the
all be kept in the case of Victory or halved in the case attempt, she will need to spend more time and try
of Defeat (randomly select and keep one half of the again if she wants to find out what it contains.
cards, fractions rounded down, without looking at the
face of the cards). Valerio attempts to attack a Spriggan whose  is 5. He
Some hero Skills may reveal cards from the Loot Deck rolls his 4 attack dice (equal to his  value) and gets
and make it easier to choose which ones to keep at the 6, 6, 5, and 2. With 3 Valerio inflict 3 (1 for each
end of the Mission. success) by defeating the Spriggan with a single attack.
Reagent cards are represented by:
A - Reagent Name There are special symbols on the dice: the Sun (), the
B - Reagent Image Moon () and the Star (). These symbols trigger
C - Reagent Price the Secondary Effects of items and abilities.
Reagents can be bought and sold in the “End Mission
Phase” at the market. A Reagent sold in the market
provides half of its Price rounded down (see page Secondary Effect
XXX). Valerio attack with the Flail of
Rage a Spriggan with 5. This
A Flail of Rage
Silver weapon grants a +2 bonus to  Weapon
his  during an attack but
inflicts a  to the Hero for
each  obtained with the roll.
B Valerio rolls 6 dice (4 + 2
for the weapon) and gets 8,
6, 5, 5, 3, 1, and 2, killing   
4 1 +2 
the poor Spriggan at the 
  Unblock
C first strike inflicting 4 to = Suffe
able
r 1 (max
him, but he also suffer 1 1)

during the attack.

 

10
 3

E
1

2
C D
D
A

D
D D

Mission Envelope and Cards with the environment also indicates the required 
Each Mission you attempt in Nova Aetas Renaissance expenditure when encountering this feature.
consists of a deck of Mission Cards secretly kept in the 3 - Mission Card: This is the most common card type.
related Mission Envelope. On this type of card there are brief background stories,
These Envelopes cannot be opened and the cards instructions for the setup to be carried out during the
cannot be read unless required by the Campaign. exploration and all the necessary Tests. These cards
The back of each Envelope features the title and can be very different from each other, but each one
number of the corresponding Mission. contains all the information necessary to manage the
Mission cards may be of 3 different types: Mission.
1 - Legend Card: This card, with a different colored
back, shows all the specific game materials needed In the example above you can see:
to tackle the Mission. There are no generic materials A - Legend of game materials and miniatures.
shown such as Horologium, Perilium or dice that are B - Victory conditions.
used in all Missions, as well as the Heroes and related C - Background texts to help you immerse yourself in
Equipment that depend on the players' strategies. the Nova Aetas Renaissance atmosphere.
2 - Location Cards: These types of cards, usually D - Available options and exit points from the playing area.
represented by an image that covers the whole card, E - Mission Setup
provide players with information on locations to
explore, objects to interact with, or even non-player
Campaign Management
characters you may encounter. Each card of this type The complete rules for Campaign management can be
has a small box with the card to be drawn when you exit found in the Plot Book on page XXX.
the area. Each icon indicating a possible interaction

11
How to read a Mission Card for example inside a tavern, which opens up further
The heart of a Mission is represented by the Mission avenues of exploration within the scenarios. Each
Cards Deck contained in the Mission Envelope. Location card has its own exit, always placed at the
These cards will guide you with background bottom right with the  symbol. The card indicated
introductions within the scenario, with a greater by this exit must always be used when you want to
immersion in the atmosphere of Nova Aetas and leave the location card.
giving you a feeling of ever new discovery. D - All other cards, which normally provide
These cards can be very different from each other background, interaction with non-player characters,
but their use is very intuitive. The key and recurring or which simply reveal the conclusion of a Mission.
elements of the Mission cards are explained below to These represent all those cards not listed in the first
facilitate their use. three categories.

First of all, we can identify Mission cards in 4 different

types:
A - The scenario preparation cards are always the first
card, the dark one, and show you all the game elements
necessary to face the mission. In this way, you will not
need to waste time during the game looking for the
necessary materials by interrupting the game.
B - Cards containing technical images. These will
always have the word “setup” above the schemes to
expand or modify the scenario. They involve the use
of Tiles and 3D Element. The first setup card also
provides instructions for victory conditions and the
Horologium. Subsequent cards can modify the victory
conditions or the Horologium setting (for example,
once a part of the scenario is finished, the night could
fall and the players may find themselves facing a new
challenge in a different situation and time, providing
further victory conditions).
C - Location cards, these cards are entirely composed
of an image. The Location cards have points of interest
marked with the symbol N . Each point of interest
indicates a card to draw and a possible  expenditure
for it to be investigated. If a player wishes to investigate
a point of interest they will need to spend the necessary
 and then draw the indicated card. Once the 
have been spent to draw the card, it will no longer be
necessary to spend  to interact with it, while they
will have to be spent again to interact with other points
of interest. The cards drawn may require additional 
expenses if there are actions that can be carried out
with them, for example a scenario shows a house and
a huge inlaid boulder as places of interest. If a player
decides to interact with the house, they will draw the
corresponding card which may place them in front
of a new choice, such as to pick the lock on the door
or break the glass of the window. These actions will
cost more  and in the case of the lock, they can be
repeated until successful by spending the required
 each time. Location cards can allow the players
facing them to interact with non-player characters,

12
 Game Sequence
The Horologium D
The Horologium is one of the main elements of
the Nova Aetas game system. You will use it to D
determine the activation order of each model A
on the battlefield, to determine the start and C
end of a Mission, and to determine when an
Event is triggered.
A
The Horologium is made up of four B
elements:
A - the twelve Quadrants
B - the Hour Hand
C - the Minute Hand A
D - the Zodiac Signs A
The Horologium works in a very similar way D
to a classic analog clock, and players will need
to learn both how to manage it and to exploit it to D
reach final victory!
The Activation Tokens of all Characters participating
in a Mission are placed on the Horologium. The
position of these tokens in the various quadrants
indicates the order of activation.
When the minute hand reaches a Quadrant occupied the Watchmaker
by at least one Activation Token, it stops and all the If your group prefers, you may choose one player
tokens within that Quadrant become Active. All to entrust with the responsibility of managing the
characters who have their Activation Token in an Horologium to avoid mistakes.
active Quadrant must act. When all the characters have
acted and their tokens have moved, that Quadrant will
become empty, and then the minute hand is moved to
Spending 
the next Quadrant occupied by one or more activation Sofia spends 2 and moves her Activation Token
tokens. This process continues until the end of a forward by two Quadrants. After resolving her
Mission is reached. Activation, the minute hand moves forward until it
Players will manage the Horologium by performing reaches the next occupied quadrant. In this case, it will
the following tasks when needed: only move one sector because a Papal Guard is waiting
• When a Character declares an action, move their there to take his turn.
Activation Token forward on the Horologium by
a number of Quadrants equal to the number of 
spent to perform the action. In the case of Enemies
belonging to the same type, move the Activation
Token after performing the actions of all the
Models in the group.
• When an active sector becomes empty, move the
minute hand to the next occupied sector.
• Whenever the minute hand reaches “12”, move the
hour hand forward by 1 which begins a new cycle.
• Pay close attention to evenutal Events reported on
the Mission card.

13
 Activation
In Nova Aetas, the Characters do not act following
a certain series of turns, but rather use a dynamic
Time Indications sequence of activations that takes into account the
In the missions, you will find a start time and a scenario passage of time and the amount of time each activation
end time expressed as normal time. The indication of will consume. A model who has their Activation
"a.m." and "p.m." they are simply to help you immerse Token on an active Quadrant of the Horologium must
yourself in the situation your Heroes will face, for activate. If there are more tokens in the same Quadrant,
example on a mission in the middle of the night or the activation order is determined by each model’s 
under a scorching sun.
characteristics, going in order from the highest to the
When the hour and minute hands reach or exceed the
lowest; in case of a tie between Enemies and Heroes,
time indicated as the Mission End or if the Heroes have
met the victory conditions, the game will immediately the Enemies will always have priority. In the event of a
end. Some games may end earlier than the indicated tie between the Heroes, players may freely decide their
time when certain events occur, the most common activation order.
being when 3 or more Heroes are knocked out (see page
xxx) or if the Heroes have met the victory conditions. Order of Activation of Enemies
In some cases there may be multiple Enemies with
the same  in the same active Quadrant, in this case
the players may freely choose each model’s individual
activation sequence. Once an Enemy token is activated,
all Enemies in that group must act before they can
activate a new token. Once all the Enemies of the
same group have finished their activation, move their
Activation Token by a number of Quadrants equal to
their .

Same Quadrant
In this example there are several activation tokens
in the same Quadrant. We have Rebecca (5), Sofia
(5), the Papal Guard (5) and the Nun (4). The
Papal Guard is the first to be activated because, with
the same , the enemies always go first, then it is the
turn of Sofia and then Rebecca (who being 2 Heroes
and having the same initiative can agree on who will
act first), and finally after the Heroes activate, they will
be able to activate the slower Nun because she has the
lowest .

2°/3° 2°/3°
5 5
4°

4
1°

5

14
 The  regenerate automatically at the start of each new
Enemies' Cunning activation. As already mentioned, the Heroes are not
During the activation of the Enemies, players should obliged to spend all their  during their activation, unless
act in the best interest of the Enemies and not that of the Synchronization rule must be applied (see below).
the Heroes, for example by choosing a shorter path Unspent  will be lost at the end of your activation.
to attack a Hero or by activating an Enemy later that Unless otherwise specified by some skill or equipment, it
could benefit from bonuses from a combined attack
is never possible to accumulate unspent .
thanks to the Combined Attack skill.

Synchronization
Activation of Heroes When a Hero carries out an activation they are always
When a Hero activates, it has a number of  (Action obligated to spend a number of  that force them to
Points) equal to its  characteristic. Whenever a Hero enter or pass the first Quadrant occupied by an Enemy
declares an action it will spend a certain number of Activation token, provided they have the required
 and his Activation Token will move clockwise on number of  to do so. This happens regardless of the
the Horologium by a number of Quadrants equal to type of actions performed. If the Hero, by spending all
the cost of the declared action. If the Hero still has  their , fails to enters or overcome the next Quadrant
available, it can declare other actions as long as their containing the Activation Token of an Enemy, that
cost does not exceed the total of the remaining . The Hero ends the activation normally after having
Hero activation ends immediately after performing consumed all available.
the action that consumed the last  available or when
the player decides to end this activation.
To further clarify this part of the game, you may follow
the sequence shown in the box below by carrying out
the various steps in order.

Hero Activation Sequence

1) Recovery phase: the Hero flips back all previously
used cards making them available again, gains tokens
given by skills and equipment, and applies the effect of the
statuses that trigger in this phase. Note that some statuses
take effect at the end of the activation, such as Burn.
2) Perform the action: perform the an action, spends
the necessary , and flips over any single-use cards
used during this action.
3) Move the Activation Token: move forward your
Activation token of a number of Quadrants equal to
the number of  you have spent.
4) Activation End: if you still have  available you
can continue to perform actions starting from point 2,
otherwise the activation ends.

The individual action paid for by the required must

be completed as a whole before another action
requiring additional  expenditures may be made.

For example Valerio have 5 during his Activation; he

can move by one Square spending 1 (a Movement
Action, see page XXX), then attack an Enemy with
his Sword spending 3 (an Attack Action, see page
XXX), and the move again by one Square spending his
last 1 (a second Movement Action).

15
 Sync the Heroes
Vincenzo is in Quadrant 12 and the first Enemy Activation
Token is in Quadrant 5.

2
Vincenzo use a Momvement Action to move 3 Squares, thus


ait
spending 3. After moving the Activation Token to quadrant

W
3 and making the move, he is still 2 Quadrants away from the
Enemy Token. Vincenzo must then spend another 2  to move
his token into the same Quadrant as the opponent. He then
declares to carry out a Wait action (see page XXX) in order not
to lose his position on the battlefield, thus spending the 2
necessary to reach Quadrant 5.)
If in the previous example the Enemy Activation Token had been

M
in Quadrant 6, Vincenzo would still be required to move up to

ov
em
Quadrant 5 since the Synchronization cannot in any case exceed

en
the maximum of a Hero's .

t
3
Activation of Enemies
Enemies of the same type (see page xxx) activate
as a group; they are therefore represented on the
Horologium with a single Activation Token which
will always be moved by a number of Quadrants equal
to the number of  available to that Enemy type. Enemies in Combat and Enemies Waiting
The Enemies' actions must always take into account Whenever a new Tile is discovered and/or new Enemies
their  total which, as for the Heroes, can never be are placed, they are considered already involved in the
exceeded. action and therefore active. Their activation token,
unless otherwise specified by the Mission, is placed on
the next Quadrant that will be activated, i.e. the one
Enemy Activation Sequence following the one that is currently active.
The activation of each Enemy is divided into 5 phases: In some Missions the text may specify that an Enemy
1) Restoration Phase: the Enemy gains all tokens due to on the battlefield is waiting.
Skills or Equipment, and the effects of the statuses that are When this happens, that Enemy will only activate
when certain conditions are met or if a Hero enters
activated in this phase apply. Note that some statuses take
its .
effect at the end of the activation, such as Burn.
When a group of Enemies is waiting, their Activation
2) Groups: in the case of a group of Enemies, establish an
token is still on the Horologium, during activation
activation order trying to benefit the Enemies as much as it will move a number of Quadrants equal to the 
possible. as usual, but without taking any action, unless it is
3) Objective Check: check if there are any Heroes in the following the Patrol rule (see page xxx of the Campaign
 of the activated Enemy. In this case, also check if the Book).
TV (see page xxx) on the Perilium of each Hero in the 
is the same or higher with the TV assigned to the target of An Enemy enters combat if any of these three
the Enemy Model (see page xxx). conditions are met:
4) Activation: activate the Enemy. • A condition described in the Mission card that
placed the Enemies occurs.
5) Group Activation: repeat from step 3 for each Model
• A Hero enters the  of the Enemy Model.
in the active Enemy Group.
• A Hero interacts with that Enemy in any way (e.g.
6) Activation End: when the Models of the active group
attacking or using a Skill on them).
have all been activated, move their activation token by When a waiting Enemy becomes active, all the Enemies
a number of Quadrants equal to their  characteristic, in the same Tile also become active.
regardless of the  actually spent by each of them. Enemies activated for the first time will start acting
normally and will no longer be able to return to the
waiting state for the duration of the Mission.
16
 Actions Use an Equipment (X)
During its activation, a Model can perform a series A Hero can use one Equipment in their possession.
of actions as long as it has  available. A Model can The  cost and its special rules are described on the
perform different actions or perform the same action Equipment card.
multiple times. Most actions are common to Enemies
and Heroes and maintain the same  cost regardless Engage a Hero (0)
of who uses them. Other actions, on the other hand, If an Hero ends its Activation adjacent to an Enemy,
are exclusive to certain Models and normally come or if an Enemy ends its Activation adjacent to an Hero,
from the use of Skills or Equipment. Below you will the Hero becomes Engaged (see negative status, page
find a description of all the basic actions that can be XXX).
performed during the activation of a Model, and their A Hero who passes and does not stop in a square
corresponding  cost. adjacent to an Enemy is not considered Engaged.

Movement (X per Square) Disengage (1)

Each  spent on this action allows a Model (Hero or A Hero can exit a melee in which it is engaged at any
Enemy) to move an adjacent square in any direction. time during its activation. With this Action, the Hero
Only movements in a horizontal or vertical line are moves one square away and suffers a free attack from
allowed, it is not possible to move a Model diagonally all the Enemies it is adjacent to. After being attacked,
unless you use a Skill or Equipment that allows it. the Hero is free to act normally.
A Hero must declare the number of squares they intend
to move, perform the action on the game board, and
Wait (X)
then move their Activation Token on the Horologium.
A Model may decide to wait for a better time to act. It
A Model may cross a square occupied by an Allied
is possible to spend  up to the maximum available.
Model but may never cross a square occupied by an
Move the Activation token on the Horologium by as
Adversary Model. A square cannot be occupied by
many Quadrants as the number of  spent on waiting,
more than one Model.
without carrying out any action on the game board.
When carrying out this action, you must always take
Attack (X) into account the Synchronization rule (see page xxx),
This is the attack action that a Model performs with so you will always need to spend a number of  that
one of Equipment or Skill. Depending on the attack will stop in or exceed the first Quadrant occupied by
type, different rules and  costs are used. The rules an Enemy Activation token whenever possible.
for carrying out an attack are explained on page XXX.
Collect (1)
Use a Skill (X) Each Model can spend 1 to pick up an object that
A Hero can use one of their Skills which were gained is in its own or adjacent square. The items that can
through experience during a previous tough battle. be collected can come from crates scattered on the
Each Skill is represented by its own Pin which is playing field or special items related to the Mission
inserted into the Hero Sheet when it is selected for a you are playing.
Mission.
In the Skills Sheet you will find the rules for all the
Interacting with an Object (1)
Skills of the chosen Hero's Class, its Advanced Classes
A Model can interact with an object that is in a square
and special Skills including the  cost. Enemies
adjacent to its own. These objects can be Levers,
normally have passive abilities that don't cost . If an
Totems and other Relics, and can be linked to specific
Enemy has a Skill that must be activated by paying an
objectives of the Mission that involves their use.
 cost, its rule is described directly on the referenced
Normally the cost to use this action is 1 but some
Enemy card.
Missions may specify, in addition to their special rules,
a different  cost for their use.

17
Pass Equipment (1) Throw Equipment (3)
A Hero can pass an Equipment Card in their possession A Hero can throw an Equipment Card in their
to an adjacent Hero. This option requires the approval possession to a non-adjacent Hero within 5 Squares.
of the player controlling the Hero who is receiving the This option requires the approval of the player
card. controlling the Hero who is receiving the card.

18
 Playing Enemies Perilium
At the start of the game, each Hero receives a Perilium.
Nova Aetas is a fully cooperative game, so players will
also have to take sides with their playing group during This dial will be used during Missions to monitor a
matches. The Nova Aetas game system makes the Hero's TV. Every time a Hero performs an action that
Enemies very autonomous and therefore in most cases raises the TV, advance the disc a number of values
the players will only need to follow the instructions forward, equal to the TV of that action.
given by their Artificial Intelligence (from now AI) and In the case of actions that lower the TV, move the disc
move their miniatures on the battlefield in response to in the opposite direction.
the AI. During the course of the game, however, there Below is a list of actions that affect the Perilium:
may be situations in which the players will need to • Wounds an Enemy: +1TV
make a decision on behalf of the Enemies, when this • Killing an Enemy: +1TV
happens follow these simple rules: • Inflict a Critical Hit: +1TV
Artificial Intelligence: the objective set by the Mission • Heal a Hero: +1TV
for the Enemies has priority over everything, so when • The Hero goes out of action (KO): -2TV
you must make a decision for them, always make them • Other Actions (described in the Mission text) or
act to bring them closer to achieving their Mission. Skills can affect the TV.
Be bad: every good story would not be such if there • Heroes start a Mission with a TV of 0.
were not an Enemy equal to the Heroes, capable of
putting them in difficulty and always staying one step Artificial Intelligence (AI)
ahead of them. Nova Aetas is no exception, so if you In Nova Aetas, the Enemies are managed by an
must make a decision for the Enemies, try to always Artificial Intelligence system, which will determine
make the decision that is worst for the Heroes and their actions during activation. In some Missions an
best for the Enemies. This rule must be applied in all Objective may be assigned to each group of Enemies.
doubtful situations. Each Enemy must follow their Mission directives
(indicated by a Mission TV) until a Hero has
The Threat Value (TV) accumulated enough TV to become the priority target.
A Threat Value (from now on TV) corresponds to the The Mission Objective always has a TV that must be
objectives of the Mission, to the Heroes and to some compared with the TV indicated by the Perilium of
game elements. The TV indicates the level of priority each Hero in the  of the Enemy in order to determine
given to a target by the Enemies; the higher the TV the actions of the Enemies during their activation.
value, the higher its priority will be. Nova Aetas' AI Make a check for each enemy that activates as follows:
uses this value to determine what action an Enemy • Check the presence of any Heroes in their , these
will perform during its activation. are the only ones that can influence the targeting
The TV can be fixed or variable: objectives with a of the Enemy.
fixed value are indicated in the Mission, those with • If there are Heroes, the Enemy will choose the one
a variable value (usually the Heroes) are updated with the highest value of TV as their target, in case
through the "Perilium" due to the actions carried out an Enemy has a specific Objective that TV must
by the Heroes. be equal to or greater than the TV of its Objective,
In case there are rules for particular actions that affect otherwise it will ignore the Heroes and continue to
a Hero's TV, they will be described directly in the pursue its Objective.
Missions. • If more than one Hero can be the target, the Enemy
will select the closest, in case of a tie on the most
injured Hero, and lastly roll a die to randomly
determine the target.
• If the Enemy is active but there are no Heroes in
their AC the Enemy will select the closest Hero,
in case of a tie towards the one with the highest
TV, then towards the most injured and in case of
further ties, roll a die to randomly determine the
enemy's target.
As you can see, the Enemy's AC (as well as the Hero’s
TV) has a very important role in establishing the
Enemy's priority.
19
 Enemy Effects
Some Enemies have Skills that force Heroes to reroll or

6
7
5
even erase Symbols from Hero dice. All of these Skills

8
4
3 9 must trigger before any Hero Skills. Subsequently, the
2 10 Hero can decide whether to apply any rerolls and then
1 11 apply all the effects given by Skills and Equipment.
12 A deleted Symbol is deleted from the total obtained.
0

13
15
14

Effects Priority
Rebecca casts a Arcane Bolt on a Spriggan, that have
6. To succesfully cast the spell she must obtain at
Attack the Heroes least 2 results of 6+ whit a number of dice equal to her
When Enemies don't have a specific mission, Enemies . Additionally, Arcane Bolt have a Secondary Effect:
follow the general rule of Attack the Heroes. If there the spell inflict 1 additional  for each  obtained
are no Heroes in its , an Enemy without a specific with the roll.
Rebecca roll the 4 dice and get 2 and 2.
Objective will move towards the closest Hero, moving
The Spriggan Dodge Passive Skill forces Rebecca to
the minimum necessary to attack or engage him. If
reroll dice with a  result, and cancels a . Rebecca
this is not possible, he will move as close as possible to thanks to her equipment have a reroll, and throws
engage or attack the Hero during his next activation. again one of the two dice that has obtained  but
Ex. In this image the Enemy (and 5) must make its obtain a 3.
move and attack if it has enough . The AI will point The Spriggan suffers 3, two from the Arcane Bolt
to the Hero with the highest TV. Sofia has TV3 while effect, and one from the remaining .
Vincenzo has TV8, so even if Sofia is the closest Hero,
the Enemy will attack Vincenzo. If Rebecca had obtained 3
and 1 the Spriggan would
have forced her to reroll
AI Priority success and the only available
In this image the Papal Guard (5) must make its
and cancelled the . Rebecca
move and attack if it has enough . The AI will point
rolls the dice and gets a .
to the Hero with the highest TV. Sofia has TV3 while
Considering that 2 are
Vincenzo has TV8, so even if Sofia is the closest Hero,
enough to cast the spell
the Enemy will move towards Vincenzo, even if he
Rebecca decides to reroll a
don't have anough  to attack him.
dice with a  result (she
1A have 3 now) thanks to
her equipment effect, to try
TV8 to get a second  and thus
inflict an additional .

TV3

20
 Combat Heroes Attack
Models can attack in different ways; using melee The Heroes' attacks are made by rolling a number of
weapons, firearms, prayers and magical powers. dice equal to the sum of the characteristic involved,
An attack normally costs 3, but many Weapons and  for Physical Ranged attacks,  for Physical
Skills allow you to attack with a different  cost. Melee attacks, and  for Mental Magic attacks or
The  cost of each attack provided by an Equipment Mental Prayers, plus any bonus given by Skills and/or
is specified on its card, while the cost of Skills can be Equipments.
found on the Hero's Skill Sheet. Any die that rolls a value equal to or greater than the
Both during an attack and when a Hero defends, it will Enemy defense involved,  for  and  attacks, and
always be the player who manages that Hero who rolls  for  attacks, is considered a success.
the dice. Players must follow the instructions given
below in the paragraphs Attacking with the Heroes or What is the difference between the four types of attack?
Defending Against the Enemies. Enemies are always Physical Melee (): can target only Enemies in an
managed by the game's  during battles. adjacent square. Inflicts a  for each  obtained and
if it inflicts at least 1 can apply any bonus of the
Weapon or Skill.
Attack Types Physical Ranged (): can target Enemies that are in
During a Hero attack there are some keywords and
a square within attack range (). Inflicts 1 for each
concepts to consider:
success obtained and if it inflicts at least 1 can apply
/ Phisical Attack: can be Melee ( ) or Ranged
any bonus of the Weapon or Skill.
(T), is indicated by a red orb, always target the 
Mental Magic (): these attacks (or effects) have
characteristic of the Enemies.
a success threshold. If the number of  is equal or
Mental Attack: can be Magic or Prayer, is indicated
exceed this threshold the attack (or effect) is applied,
by a red orb, always target the  characteristic of the
otherwise it fails (see page XXX).
Enemies.
Mental Prayers (): works like Spells but the number
of successes also indicates the degree of effectiveness
Attacks cannot be combined with other attacks unless
(see page XXX).
otherwise specified, but can be implemented by
Equipment or Skills that provide a Boost.
Attack with Bare Hands
Boost: these are not attacks and cannot be used If a Hero for any reason cannot use their attacks given
without an Equipment that has the Attack keyword. A by Skills or Equipment, or if for any reason you choose
player can apply as many Boost as desire to an attack. not to use them, the Hero can still make a Bare Hands
Special Attack: this attack normally has a very strong attack, using the following stats:
effect and cannot be associated with any other Attacks
or Attack Bonus unless otherwise specified.    
2 1 +0 
Weak Attack

Critical Hit!
If an attack of a Hero inflict at least 3 on a target
using a weapon Equipment Card, the attack inflict 1
additional .

21
Attack in Detail
Physical Melee or Physical Ranged attacks made with
Equipment or Skills always have the same string of
attack icons:
A) Cost (): The cost of  to perform the attack.
B) Range (): the number of squares within which
the attack can be made. Ranged attacks have a
minimum and maximum range. In this case the target
must be beyond the minimum distance but within the
maximum distance.
C) Attack Bonus (+X/+X): the number of dice to
add to the characteristic used for the attack.
D) Target (): the target of an effect can be an Enemy
(), or an Ally (). Usually, attack have target .
E) Effect (): If there is no Harmless keyword after
this symbol, each success of the attack causes 1.
There may be additional effects to the attack, such as
Poison or Stun.
F) Secondary Effect: some attacks have Secondary
Effects that trigger thanks to the Symbols obtained Secondary Effects
with the dice. These effects are mandatory and only Don't forget to check
activate if the attack is successful. for any Secondary Flail of Rage
Effects given by Skills or  Weapon

Equipment that usually

trigger with the symbols
obtained during an attack
or defense.

Valerio attacks with the    

Flail of Rage that gives 4 1 +2 
 Unblockable
him an +2 and leads
= Suffer 1 (max 1)
him to roll 6 dice. The
Secondary Effect of this
B C D weapon means that any number of  result will inflict
A a 1 on the Hero. Valerio tries to attack a Stratiota
that has a 6 and gets 8, 7, 7, 5, 3, 1, and a single 
on the 8 face. The 3 inflict 3, plus 1 bonus  for
E the Critical Hit rule (see the box on page xxx). The
 obtained trigger the Secondariy Effect inflict 1 
F to Valerio.

Rebecca tries to cast an Arcane

Bolt on an Harquebuser, and she
needs to get at least 2 against
the target's 5. The Secondary
Effect of the spell means that
each  obtained inflicts 1
additional  if the spell is
successful. The Hero rolls the
dice and gets 7, 4, 1, 1 and 2.
Unfortunately, the spell has no
effect and therefore the 2
obtained not applied either.

22
Defend from Enemies Attacks Enemy attacks have the following string of icons:
Enemies have a red orb before the description of a A) Attack Type: Physical (red orb) or Mental (blue
Physical Melee or Physical Ranged attacks, while they diamond).
have a blue diamond the description of a Magic attack. B) Cost (): The cost of  to perform the attack.
These 2 categories of Enemy attack indicate the C) Range (): the number of squares within which
characteristic a target Hero must use to defend himself the attack can be made. Ranged attacks have a
from their attack,  (for the red orb) or  (for the minimum and maximum range. In this case the target
blue diamond) (see page xxx). must be beyond the minimum distance but within the
maximum distance.
D) Hits (): This is the number of hits the Hero must
defend against. Each undefended Hit become 1 (the
Hero obtain a  token).
E) Difficulty (/): This is the value the Hero must
obtain with the die roll to block Enemy Hits.
vs
vs F) Effect (): Some attacks have their own special
vs
vs rules like those of Heroes, such as giving negative
status tokens or effects that apply only if the Hero gets
Symbols on their defense roll. These effects only apply
if the Enemy causes at least 1. Remember that all
effects of Enemy attacks apply before any effects from
The Heroes make a test with the number of dice the Hero's Equipment or Skills.
equal to characteristic involved ( or ) adding all
the bonus dice given by Skills and/or Equipments.
After the roll of the dice, all the effects triggered by
the Enemies must be applied. After that, apply all the
effects triggered by the Heroes Skills and Equipments.
Finally, any roll obtained with a result equal to or
greater than the Enemy Difficulty value will block a
Hit.
The Hero suffers 1 for each unblocked Hit. If the
Hero suffers at least 1 from an Enemy attack, apply
any effects of the attack, such as Poison or Stun. E
B C D
A

Collateral Damages
In some game situations, it may happen that the Heroes
must defend themselves from damage caused by an
unconventional source. It could happen, for example, that
a Hero must defend against the attack of another Hero,
or that the Hero becomes involved in the effect of an area
attack caused by an Allied Model. In these cases, the Hero
will make a normal defense test with the required  or 
characteristic. Each roll of 5+ on the defense test cancels
1. If an Enemy is hit by another Enemy, the  cannot
be canceled.

23
 Knocked Out Heroes (KO)
Adjacent and Engaged Models When a Hero accumulates a number of  tokens
2 Models are considered adjacent when they are
equal to their  value, that Hero is KO'd.
in 2 squares with one side in common. The squares
A KO'd Hero is placed on the ground in the space
diagonally to each other, in contact only at the corners,
are not considered Adjacent.
it is in. This square is not considered occupied until
the Hero is KO'd to establish cover and lines of sight.
1A
When a Hero is KO'd, place its Activation Token on
the outside of the Horologium Quadrant it was in.
If the minute hand reaches the Quadrant where this
Adjacent and Activation token is found and the Hero is still KO'd,
EngagedModels that Hero draws a Injury card. This happens whenever
the minute hand reaches the sector where the KO Hero
Not Adjacent Models Activation token is located, so it is possible for a Hero
to get more Injury cards while KO’d.
As long as a Hero is KO'd that Hero cannot be targeted
by Enemies.
A Hero adjacent to an Enemy is considered Engaged.
A KO'd Hero decreases his Perilium threat value by 2
If an Engaged Hero uses a Movement action, before
and loses all negative statuses.
he moves, all the Enemies adjacent to him will
make a Reaction Attack. This attack it is executed
A KO'd Hero can return to play if at least one Wound
immediately, during the Hero's activation, and does is healed, at this point stand up the Hero's model and
not consume the Enemy's . Enemies can execute a place their Activation token in the Quadrant next to
Reaction Attack only if the attack on his Enemy Card the one currently active on the Horologium.
can target at 1. A square with a KO'd Hero can be passed through by
any models (both Allied and Enemy) but they cannot
end their movement in it.

Injury Cards
Injury cards inflict heavy penalties on Heroes and
should be discarded with the use of the Cerusico by
visiting towns and cities as soon as possible. When a
Hero gains a Injury card, that Hero keeps it next to
their Hero Sheet until it is discarded.
A Hero can have more than Injury Cards and their
can execute can't execute effects are cumulative.
Reaction Attack Reaction Attack
Only Heroes can be Engaged, Enemies can't.
Only Enemies can execute Reaction Attacks, Heroes can't. +1 AP
for  test
AP x2
to move -1 

Arm Wound
Leg Wound The Hero spends +1 AP
every time they perform a Chest Wound
AP x2
The Hero spends .  test.
every time they move The Hero has
a Surgeon hea 1  less until
ls this Woun
d.

Enemies Out of Combat

Wound and Heal When an Enemy accumulates a number of Wound
Every time a game effect inflict a Wound ()
tokens equal to their  value, the Enemy goes Out of
to a Model, that Model obtain a Wound token
for each Wound sustained (see page XXX). Combat. An Out of Combat Enemy is removed from
Every time a game effect Heals a Model, the game.
that Model discards one of it's Wound Every time an Enemy goes Out of Combat, the party
tokens, if he has any. will gain some Loot (see pag XXX).

24
Valid Targets Area Effects (AOE)
A target is considered valid when two requirements Some attacks or Skills can hit multiple Models at the
are met: Range () and Line of Sight (LoS). same time. In this case they are called Area Effects.
The distance is the number of squares separating the Area Effects have specific rules for their use.
Each AOE is characterized by a symbol that indicates
two Models. All Weapons and some Skills  value
its shape. The symbol shows the map boxes that are
which must be compared to the distance between the affected by the effect. The red square inside the symbol
active Model and its target. The distance can only be indicates the main target of the area effect, which must
calculated horizontally and vertically (as if it were the be a Model. The target Model must be a valid target.
movement of a character). In the event that the Area Effect is part of an attack, a
The LoS must be determined by taking as reference the normal attack roll is made with the weapon. Calculate
center of any one side of the square occupied by the the  based on the successes of the attack roll as usual
active Model (for simplicity each side of a square has but apply the damage to all the Models in the boxes
covered by the area. Each Model (ally or opponent)
an empty segment from which to draw the imaginary
will defend itself individually following its own rules.
line) to the center of the square occupied by the target An Enemy with an area attack will hit the red square
Model. on its target but all Heroes within the area must make a
If the imaginary line that passes between these two Defense roll. Enemies are immune to the Area Effects
points is not obstructed by a Scenery that obstructs the of allied Models unless specifically noted.
line of sight (such as a house or a tree, see page xxx), by If a Skill has an AOE, its operation will be explained
a square occupied by an opposing Model or by a Non- directly in its rules.
Zone (see description on page xxx), the attacker can The types of Area Effects are as follows:
Explosion (): Hits the main target and the Models
attempt to hit their target.
in the 8 squares around it.
If the imaginary line only passes through a scenery
Cross (): Hits the main target and the Models in the
element that is directly adjacent to the square occupied 4 squares adjacent to it.
by the target, that target is considered to be in Cover Spear (): Hits the main target and Models in the
and may be attacked. In other words, line of sight is next 3 squares in a straight line directly behind the
not blocked if the only scenic element traversed is first square. The main target box must always be the
adjacent to the target. one closest to the Model that uses the area of ​​effect.
• A Hero in Cover can re-roll a die when defending. Breath (): Hits the main target and the Models in
the 3 squares positioned directly after it forming a
• A Hero attacking an Enemy in Cover must reroll
“T” path. The main target box must always be the one
a die that rolled a success (consider this re-roll as
closest to the Model that uses the area of ​​effect.
an Enemy triggered effect). Sweep (): Hits the main target and Models in the
• Mental attacks (blue diamond) are not affected by 2 adjacent squares on two sides in a straight line. The
Cover, but unless otherwise specified, they require main target must be adjacent to the Model using the
line of sight to the target. Sweep Area Effect.

Game Designer Note: You can use the "LoS" tool to

more easily determine if there is line of sight between
two Models.

The Line of Sight

The rules for line of sight have been created to make the
fight even more exciting, they are in fact able to simulate
shots from behind Cover provided by some scenic
elements. Imagine an Enemy targeting you safely behind a
tree or a rifleman lurking around the corner of a building.
This will either force the Heroes to move to try to flush
out Enemies or provide the Heroes with valuable turns to
try to weaken Enemy attacks against them.

25
 Auras and Waves
Auras and Waves are particular Area Effects that have
slightly different rules than those just described. Both
AOEs (Area Effects) are centered on the user and
their symbols are always accompanied
by a number that indicates the
number of squares (always calculated
orthogonally) within which the area
has an effect.
Wave X (): When a Model uses this
Area Effect, all Models within X of it
are affected. In the event of an attack,
make one roll for each model hit. If an
Enemy attacks with a Wave effect, make a defense
roll for each Hero within X.
Aura X (): Like Waves, these Area Effects
affect all Models within X of the Model using
them, with the difference that these effects
can last longer and therefore if the Model
using them moves, the Auras move with
the user and may involve different Models.
A Model is under the effect of an
Aura when it is within X of the
user and ceases to
be when it is no
longer within the
required distance. Many
passive skills are Auras. Auras
are never attacks. Some Missions
may have items or scenery that can
emanate Auras.

26
 Play Areas Buildings
The scenarios of Nova Aetas will take you on a visit
and 3D Scenic Elements through the territories of Renaissance Italy.
One of the major features of that era are the buildings,
Zone/Tile with the search for the Perfect City by a number of
The term zone identifies all play areas, i.e. all those architects.
areas divided into squares where the models can move The battlefields of Nova Aetas can contain these large
and act. Each game tile is considered an area, while the scenery elements that characters can use as cover or
roofs of the buildings are part of the area in which the that can be scaled to reach a better tactical position.
building is located. Buildings can vary in width and length and can have
one or more levels of height.
Non-Zone In the basic box there are 2 types of buildings which
The term Non-zone identifies all those zones outside occupy 3x3 spaces and 4x2 spaces and are both one
the game map; if a LoS leaves the map it is considered floor high.
interrupted and therefore blocked.
Additionally, No Models may leave the game map Line of sight to and from a Building
unless they are eliminated or due to special rules. A Model can hit a ground target while on the rooftop
of a Building, looking out from the edges.
3D Scenic Elements The LoS of the character placed on top of a Building
In Nova Aetas there are different types of scenery: are blocked from all sides of the Building to which the
Buildings, Trees and Bushes. Each of these interacts character is not adjacent.
with the Heroes differently. The figures below show the areas from which it is
Bush (Light Cover): Light Cover provides Cover to possible to hit a target on a building.
adjacent Models behind it. A Model cannot attack a target with melee attacks if
Tree (Light Obstruction): This Scenery completely they are at a different height level.
blocks line of sight. It can be attacked and destroyed A Model on a higher level can target a lower model
like a normal Enemy Model if it suffers a total of 5 or even if the LoS is interrupted by other models or bush
more . terrain, but not if it is interrupted by trees or other
Building (Solid Obstruction): This is a large cover buildings.
that completely obstructs line of sight, does not allow A Model using a Phisical Ranged Attack from the roof
hitting Models behind it, and cannot be destroyed. of a Building increases its attack  by 1.

Enemies that, for any reason, hit a Scenery automatically E.g., Sofia has an unobstructed line of sight to an
inflict a number of  equal to the number of Hits of Arquebusier, therefore she can attack him and can be
their attack (exception: Buildings do not take hits). attacked as well since both use a ranged attack. The
Dealing damage to a structure does not increase the Gipsy is not in the line of sight of Sofia, so both cannot
TV of the attacking Hero, unless otherwise instructed attack each other.
by the mission.
E.g., Sofia has an unobstructed line of sight to the
Warrior Faun, so she can attack it. The Spriggan can
only attack in melee, so is not able to attack. The Witch,
even if she has a ranged weapon
cannot attack Sofia nor be attacked since they are
located in an area without line of sight.

27
 advantage of rerolls when casting a Spell, while other
Sacred and Profane Equipment are real Spells that a Mage can use as if they
In Nova Aetas there are characters with powers that were skills.
make them able to see and handle currents of pure
energy visible only to their eyes. They are called Mages
and thanks to this characteristic they are able to modify Prayers
matter and manipulate reality as they please. Each Priest has access to some Prayers. Like other
Mages are shy individuals who hide their real abilities Skills, Prayers must be learned and equipped to be
to avoid being persecuted by the Church, but often they used during a Mission.
are at the service of companies of fortune or lords who To use a Prayer the Hero must take a Mind test by
offer them protection in exchange for their services. rolling a number of dice equal to his .
On some tragic occasions, such power can corrupt Prayers work in a slightly different way from Spells, in
them. fact they normally do not have a success threshold but
the number of successes indicates the degree of effect
Magic Powers of the Prayer.
Each Mage has access to some Magical Powers. Like As explained above, the effect of the Prayers and the
other Skills, Magical Powers must be learned and effect of the number of successes changes significantly
equipped to be used during a Mission. among different Prayers. Each Prayer explains how to
To use a Magical Power, the Hero must successfully apply the successes.
make a Mind test by rolling a number of dice equal to Normally, the result of the dice rolls for successful use
their  and obtain the number of successes indicated of a Prayer is 5+ (Rule of Success, see page xxx).
by the Magic. This test can be modified by Equipment This test can be modified by Equipment and Skills as
and Skills as usual, either negative or positive. usual, either negative or positive.
Apply the Power effect only if the test is successful. Prayers are not normally attacks and cause no damage,
Some powers have the Attack keyword, in this case, but some of them have the Attack keyword, in this case,
unless otherwise specified, they follow the normal unless otherwise specified, they follow the normal
attack rules for choosing the target (see "Valid Targets" attack rules for choosing the target (see "Valid Targets"
on page xxx). on page xxx).
Some Prayers can have side effects that are triggered
Magic Attacks, in addition to additional effects, by obtaining certain symbols during the  test. These
normally (but not always) inflict fixed damage such as effects only trigger if the  test is successful.
2 or 4, etc.
Some Spells can have side effects that are triggered by Prayers and Equipment
obtaining certain Symbols during the  test. These Some Equipment helps the Priest in his Prayers and
effects only trigger if the  test is successful. they can modify tests in various ways, for example his
Relic gives him a Bless Token that improves a roll of
Magic Powers and Equipment the dice during a test.
Some Equipment helps the Mage to increase the There is no Equipment in the base game that offers
number of dice they roll during a Mind test or to take additional Prayers to the Priest.
28
 Status Tokens Charm: A Hero with this token cannot be
chosen as a target by any Troop Enemy.
Nova Aetas Models may have different types of Status, This token is discarded at the end of the
both positive and negative. These effects are indicated activation of the Hero who owns it.
by placing Status Tokens on the Hero Sheet or near
the Model. Some Equipment gives Token Statuses to Flying: A Hero with this token is allowed to pass
Heroes and Enemies, for example Stunned, Poison, over the Enemy Models and 3D Elements during a
or Reroll. In this case, unless otherwise specified, the movement action, as if they were not obstacles. The
Equipment grants its token in the Hero Token Phase Hero can stop his movement on a free square, even if
(see page xxx). there is a roof, but he can't stop on a square occupied
If, on the other hand, the Status token depends on a by 3D Elements without a roof or another Model. This
Skill, it must be placed on the Hero sheet. token is discarded at the end of the activation of the
Hero who owns it.
Status Token Colors
Speed: This token is discarded at the end of the
activation of the Hero. Each  spent to move allows
you to move 1 additional square.

Positive Negative Others Negative Status

Burn: A Model with this token suffers a Wound at the

Unless otherwise specified, a Model cannot hold
end of its activation.
multiple copies of each Status simultaneously. If
• Heroes: To discard this token, a Hero must spend
a Model loses a Status token, they can earn it again
1 and roll a die. On a result of 5+ the Hero
during the course of the Mission.
managed to put out the fire and will discard this
An attack with a Status effect which inflicts at least one
token. A Hero can attempt to extinguish a fire
Wound assigns the relative Status token to the target
multiple times in their activation as long as they
of the attack.
have  available.
Negative Statuses are normally discarded after applying
• Enemies: An Enemy with this token discards it at
their effect.
the end of their activation, after suffering 1 Wound.
Some Statuses, such as Burn, require a die roll to
determine if its effect wears off, while others will
Entangled: A Model with this token spends 2 to
remain on the Model until canceled by an Ability or
move one square each time it takes a Move action.
Equipment, such as Poison.
Discard this token at the end of the Model’s activation.
The timing of when a Status token must be discarded
is explained in its description (see page xxx).
Poison:
• Heroes: A Hero with this token rolls one less die
Positive Status Tokens for each test taken. The Poison token can only
be discarded with the use of a specific Skill or
Reroll: A Hero may discard this token to Equipment.
reroll a die in any test they have just taken. • Heroes: Enemy Box An Enemy with this token
deals one less hit with its attack and its  is
Advantage 1/2: This token must be discarded reduced by 1.
before taking any test and provides one or
two additional dice to the Hero using it. Stun:
• Heroes: A Stunned Hero must move
Defense: By discarding this token, a Hero their Activation token forward 2
can cancel a Wound just suffered. Quadrants on the Horologium.
• Heroes: An Enemy with this token
Blessing: By discarding this token before must discard it at the start of its
making a dice roll, a Hero can decrease the activation by spending 2; then, the
difficulty of the test by 1. token is discarded.

29
 Fire: This token can have different functions
Blind: A Model with this token cannot make any depending on the Mission. The special rules for its use
kind of attack. The token is discarded at the end of the are explained in the Missions that use it.
Model’s activation.
Leverage: This token can have different functions
Cursed: This token increases the difficulty of the test according to the Mission. The special rules for its use
by 1. The token is removed immediately after this test are explained in the Missions that use it.
is resolved.
Reload: A Weapon or an Enemy attack with
Disadvantage 1/2: This token subtracts 1 this token cannot be used until this token is
or 2 dice from the Hero taking the test. The discarded.
token is removed immediately after this test • Heroes: A Hero can spend 2 to discard a Reload
is resolved. token from one of their Weapons.
• Enemies: An Enemy discard the Reload token at
Wound Tokens the start of their next Activation, spending 2.
These tokens are used to track Injuries suffered by a If a Model does not have enough  it will have to wait
Model, are not considered Statuses, and can only be for its next activation, it is not possible to split its 
removed by Skills and Equipment that can Heal a payment between two activations.
Model.
Reinforcement Point: These tokens are used to bring
1: A Model receives this token for each new Enemies onto the game board. When an Enemy
Wound it suffers. enters play from a Reinforcement Point, place the
model in a square adjacent to this token, in order to
3: This token is used to keep track favor the Enemy. If several models come into play,
of accumulated wounds received by a thanks for example to the Horde skill, they must all be
character. placed adjacent to the Reinforcement Point token. If
all the squares adjacent to a Reinforcement Point are
Bleed: A Model with this token suffers 1 at the end occupied, place the new Enemies in the first empty
of its activation, then discards this token. squares available, always in order to favor the Enemy.

Hemorrhage: A Model with this token suffers a

Wound at the end of each of its activations. This token
will be removed when the Model Heals one or more
. It is not automatically discarded.

Other Tokens
These tokens do not fit into any of the other categories
but are still important to the rules of the game.

Loot: This token can be found on the Battlefield during

a Mission. A Hero adjacent to a Loot token's square
can spend 1 to remove it from the battlefield, then
draw a Reagent card.

Generic Objective: This token is used in many

Missions as an Objective for Heroes and/or Enemies.
The special rules for its use are explained in the
Missions that use it.

Bucket: This token can have different functions

depending on the Mission. The special rules for its use
are explained in the Missions that use it.

30
 Skills
Horde X
If an Enemy with this Skill is drawn during an Enemy
Climb X Draft, place X Model of that Enemy on the battlefield,
A Model with the "Climb X" Ability can climb by a instead of one. Follow the normal Reinforcement
height level equal to X. For example, a Model with Point rules for placing Models. If isn't possible to place
Climb 1 can go up or down one level without any all Models, deploy as many as possible (see Campaign
penalty. Book on page xxx).
Some Equipment can grant this Ability to a model as
long as it is equipped.
The vertical movement made with the Climb Ability Resistance (//)
has an  cost equal to any horizontal movement, so An Enemy with this Skill forces a Hero who attacked
going up one level will cost 1 while going up two him to reroll all the dice that have the indicated
levels will cost 2. Symbol. This Skill only applies to dice that have rolled
The only way to climb buildings if you don't have this a success.
Skill is to use ladders or ropes (see game objects on
page xxx). Runner
If the square you want to reach is occupied by an The Enemy moves 2 Squares for each  spent during
Enemy model, it cannot be reached. a Movement action.
If the square you want to reach is occupied by an Allied
model, it can be crossed, if you have enough , but it Marksman
is not possible to stop in it. An Enemy with this Skill will use any remaining at
the end of its activation to get away from the target
Jump X Hero.
A Model with the "Jump X" Skill can jump between E.g. A Rifleman (AP4) will attempt to wound a Hero
2 points X squares away from each other and the AP within 2 squares of him by firing (3) and immediately
cost is equal to X. afterwards will consume his remaining  to get away
It is never possible to jump through Enemy Models, from his target. In the next turn he will have to reload
but Light Cover Scenic Element (like Bushes) can be the rifle by spending 2 (Reload), not being able to
jumped over and you can jump between 2 buildings of shoot he will use all 2 of his remaining  to get away
the same height. from the target Hero.
The jump is always horizontal, you cannot jump onto A Rifleman in close combat with a Hero will have
the roof of a building of a level higher than the one you to spend 1 to get away, being able to shoot at a
currently occupy. minimum distance of 2 Squares, and then open fire.
If the square you want to reach is occupied by an At this point, having no more  available, he will end
Enemy model, it cannot be reached. his activation without being able to use his Marksman
If the square you want to reach is occupied by an Allied skill.
model, it can be crossed if you have enough , but it is
not possible to stop in that occupied square. Insidious Strike (//)
When a Hero defends himself from an Enemy attack
Harmless with this Skill, he must re-roll all dice (which have
A weapon or an attack with this skill does not deal  achieved a ) showing the indicated symbol.
regardless of or Hits.
Eclectic
Immunity X An Enemy with this Skill has 2 different types of attack,
A Model with this Skill is immune to a certain status one ranged and one close combat. This Enemy will
Negative Status (see page XXX). This means that it will never attempt to engage a Hero preferring his ranged
never earn certain Status tokens. attack, but once engaged he will not move away and
will continue to fight with his melee attack.
Weak Attack
This attack inflicts a maximum of 1 , regardless of Bloody
the number of successes rolled during an attack test. If an attack is successful, a model assigns a Bleed token
31
to its target. Combined Attack
If an Enemy with this Skill attacks a Hero engaged
Reload with other Enemy, it gains an additional Hit.
A Weapon or an Enemy attack with this Skill earns a
Reload token after being used. (see page XXX). Charge
An Enemy with this Skill can move up to 4 spaces for
Chase free if it can make an attack after the free movement.
An Attack with this skill that deal at least 1, move
the target in any adjacent free Square. The attacking Unblockable
Model must move into the spaces left free by the target. Ignore the effect of the Enemies' Shield Skill.
If there is no free adjacent Squarest to the target, this
skill don't apply.
Blessing
A Skill or Equipment with this trait assigns a Blessing
Pierce token to the target of an attack or game effect.
It is not possible to use the Defense token against an
attack with this Skill.
Destiny
This Enemy have the following benefits:
Healer • It cannot be forcibly moved by any game effect.
An Enemy with this ability Heals 1 to all models of • The Critical X Skill produces no bonus  on this
the same faction at the start of each of its activation. Model.
Using Heal doesn't cost . The model with this Skill • Immunity Stun Skill.
must always try to be within 4 squares of as many allies • Immunity Poison Skill.
as possible.

Critical X
Stun If an attack with this trait deal 3 or more  on a target,
A Skill or Equipment assigns a Stun token to the target it dela X bonus  on the target.
of an attack or game effect.

Poison
A Skill or Equipment with this trait assigns a Poison
token to the target of an attack or game effect.

Dodge
A model with this Skill forces its attacker to reroll the
die with the highest success.

Protection
An Enemy with this Skill grants Resistance  to all
models of the same faction. Using Protection does not
cost . The model with this ability must always try to
be within 4 squares of as many allies as possible.

Fire
A Skill or Equipment with this characteristic assigns
a Burn token to the target of an attack or game effect.

Shield
A model with this Skill always ignores the first  from
a physical attack.

32
 Icon Legend
All Icons used in the game are listed in this legend.

Hero Characteristics Enemy Rank

: Rapidity : Troop
: Precision : Elite
: Physical : Leader
: Mind : Monster
: Healt
Enemy Faction
Dice Symbols : Rome Faction
: Sun : Venice Faction
: Star : Primaevi Faction
: Moon : Mercenary Faction

Cards Symbols Coins

: Action Point : Fiorino
: Success : Popolino
: Wound
: Control Area Area Effects
: Physical Defense : Spear
: Mental Defense : Breath
: Range : Explosion
: Hit : Cross
: Target : Sweep
: Enemy Target : Aura
: Allied Target : Wave
: Effect
Encumberance
Loot Type : Helmet
: Pecunia : Armor
: Alchemia : Accessory
: Elementum : One Hand
: Two Hands

33
 Activation
Activation token on Horologium

(for groups, all relative token models are activated)

One enemy is activated at a time

(choose the best order for the enemies) Enemies’
Does the enemy have a specific objective?
A.l.

Attack the heroes Enemy’s Objective Objective

Check CA
Check CA Are there heroes
Does at least 1 hero have a TV greater obstructing the shortest
Are there heroes? than or equal to that of the mission? possible path?

Chooses the Chooses the hero with Chooses the hero Continues to move towards
closest hero* the highest TV* obstructing the the objective and carries it
shortest path out if possible.
(if equal values, chooses the (if equal values, chooses
hero with the highest TV; if the closest hero; if still (if there is more than one,
still equal, chooses the most equal, chooses the most attacks the one with the Do they have enough AP
wounded, otherwise chooses wounded, otherwise highest TV, if equal values
randomly) to attack?
chooses randomly) chooses randomly)

Movement
The enemy moves the minimum required distance to reach
the attacking/engagement distance

(Marksmen move back the minimum required distance to be able to

attack)

Attack
With any leftover AP, the enemy:

Attack otherwhise Engages

(each time they can) if Close Combat

* = the enemy must be able to interact with the hero, otherwise they ignore the hero and move on to the next target

(e.g. the scum on the roof of a building without a ladder cannot be attacked by enemies with close combat attacks)

Key: Action Condition Hero selection Attack

34