Wonders of Dwethia – Cosmic Combat Rules

Getting Started

The rules of Wonders of Dwethia are designed to be easy to learn, with clear examples throughout. This guide provides everything you need to understand the game quickly, while reference pages ensure smooth gameplay once you're familiar with the mechanics.

What You Need to Play

To begin your battles in Wonders of Dwethia, you will need the following:

Dice

You'll need several standard six-sided dice (D6). While two will suffice, having at least six is recommended for smooth play.

Measuring Tools

A measuring device marked in inches or centimeters (such as a ruler, measuring stick, or tape measure) is necessary to determine movement and attack ranges.

Record Sheet

Keeping track of your warriors’ stats and abilities is crucial. You can use a simple sheet of paper or print a pre-made record sheet. A pen or pencil will also be useful for notes.

Miniatures

Battles can range from small skirmishes to large-scale conflicts. If you’re new, start with five or six models per side to learn the basics before expanding to full armies. This game is "miniature agnostic" which means anything you can find can work just fine, though we recommend 3D printing or crafting your own!

Base Sizes

All units are on bases their profile will specify what base size they should be supplied with.

Scenery

Though not required, terrain such as asteroids, space stations, or space debris enhances the game’s immersion and strategic depth. You can create your own, purchase pre-made scenery, or use simple placeholders. 

Measuring Distances

Throughout the game, you'll need to measure distances for movement, attacks, and other actions. Players may measure at any time, such as before moving a unit.

• Measure distances base to base, from the edge of one model’s base to another.

• Games are played using inches.

Rolling Dice

Dice rolls are the foundation of gameplay, determining success or failure in various actions.

• Some rolls require modifiers (e.g., a +1 bonus to a roll of 4 results in a final score of 5).

D6 and D3 Rolls

• D6: A standard six-sided die roll.

• D3: Roll a D6 and divide by two, rounding up:

  • Roll 1-2 → Result: 1

  • Roll 3-4 → Result: 2

  • Roll 5-6 → Result: 3

Re-Rolls

Certain abilities allow re-rolls. If granted a re-roll:

• Pick up the dice and roll again.

• The second result always stands, even if it's worse than the first.

• No dice may be re-rolled more than once, regardless of the source.

Characteristics

Every unit in Wonders of Dwethia is defined by a set of characteristics that represent their strengths, weaknesses, and special abilities. These characteristics determine how well they fight, survive, and interact with the battlefield.

A unit’s profile is written in the following format:

M/P S D A W I D/F/A

Each characteristic is explained below:

Identifiers

Certain units share keywords that provide additional rules or interactions. A full breakdown of these can be found in the glossary.

Martial (M)

• Represents a unit’s skill in Boarding Action Combat.

• The higher the number, the better the crew is at fighting.

Perception (P)

• Represents a ship's ability to detect and aim.

• The lower the number, the more accurate the unit is.

Strength (S)

• Determines how powerfully a unit strikes in ramming maneuvers.
  (see Ramming Maneuvers in Movement  Phase Rules)

Defense (D)

• Measures a unit’s resilience against attacks.

• The higher the number, the harder it is to wound the unit.

Aggressors (A)

• The number of attacks a unit can make in a single combat round.

• Higher values represent more aggressive or well-trained combatants.

Working Crew (W)

• The number of hits a unit can take before being removed from play.

Integrity (I)

• This is the hull integrity of the ship. The higher the number the stronger the hull. It is used for ramming maneuvers (see Ramming Maneuvers in Movement  Phase Rules)

Destiny (D)

• Points that can be spent on rerolling dice.

• Often limited and used for crucial moments.

Faith (F)

• The unit’s resistance to Affinity powers (magical or supernatural effects).

• Higher values indicate greater resilience to spells and enchantments.

Affinity (A)

• Represents a unit’s magical ability to spend on spell-like effects.

• Used for casting, enchanting, or manipulating reality.

• Can also be used to resist Affinity

The Game Turn

Turn Structure

The game is divided into turns, during which models move, attack, and use abilities. Each turn follows a structured sequence to ensure smooth gameplay.

Sides

Every battle has two opposing sides, each controlling a force of models.

• Each side may be controlled by one or more players.

• Large games may include multiple players managing different portions of an army.

Turn Sequence

Each turn consists of five phases, resolved in the following order:

1. Order Phase

• Both sides will hand out a number of order tokens face down to each ship in their armada.

• Once all order are issued players will flip their tokens to reveal the orders issued

2. Priority Phase

• • Both sides roll a die to determine priority.

  • The winner of the roll chooses whether to take the first action in each phase or allow the opponent to act first.

3. Movement Phase

• Any Shield Tokens activate and players choose which direction their shields are facing.

• The side with priority moves its models first.

• Once movement is complete, the opposing side moves.

• Some units may have special rules allowing them to move outside of this phase.

4. Shoot Phase

• The side with priority resolves all of its ranged attacks.

• The opposing side then resolves all of its ranged attacks.

• At the end of this phase, all casualties from ranged attacks are removed from play, meaning every unit get's to shoot before being removed from play.

• Some ranged weaponry will specify when a model is removed from play immediately. If this happens, then casualties from these weapons can be removed from play before they have an opportunity to resolve their ranged attacks.

5. Close Combat Phase

• Melee combat is resolved for all engaged units.

• The side with priority chooses the order of combat resolution.

• Models removed in this phase take effect immediately.

6. End Phase

• Any lingering effects (morale tests, ongoing abilities, etc.) are resolved.

• The turn is completed. Start a new turn with Phase 1 – Orders.

THE ORDER PHASE

The Order Phase occurs at the start of each round to determine which actions the various ships will be taking. This phase represents the fleet commanders handing out orders to his armada. Ships aren't as mobile as troops, as such each ship can only perform two actions per round based on their orders issued. 

WHAT ARE  THE ORDER TOKENS?:
Order tokens come as 4 different types:

• Shield: At the start of the movement phase, all shield tokens activate. Shield tokens will have an arrow and players will orient the token to show which side of the model is protected (front, left, right, rear). If a ship is issued two shield tokens, they can either choose two different directions for each token, or they can receive +1 to their save if the same direction is chosen twice. If a ship does not have shields, it cannot be issued a shield token, if one is issued in error, then that ship simply loses an action that turn as they were confused by the command.

• Move: All ships with movement tokens will either move forward 1" then rotate up to 180 90 degrees, or move up to their full distance forward. If a ship is issued two movement tokens then it may perform both of these actions or one of them twice. If a ship is moved into another ship, a ramming action will take place.

• Fire: All ships with Fire Tokens will shoot a number of times equal to their order tokens.

• Boarding action: Ships with boarding action tokens will move up to half their move distance into base to base contact with an enemy ship within range. Close combat will then ensue. If a ship is ineligible for boarding actions (such as having a zero for their aggressor stat) or no valid targets are within range, then that ship simply loses an action that turn as they were confused by the command.

HOW TO ISSUE ORDERS:

1. Hand out the tokens
   Simultaneously, players will place two tokens face down at the base of every ship they own.

2. Flip Tokens
   Once both players are satisfied with their choices, they will  both flip over their tokens revealing their orders.
   
   

THE MOVE PHASE

Once priority has been established, the turn proceeds to the Move Phase. During this phase, each side moves its models 1" forward unless they have a move order or are locked in a boarding action.

• Move Action: They will move up to their maximum movement allowance as indicated by their profile, or move 1" forward then rotate up to 90 degrees in any direction. Models do not have to move their full distance—they may move less or remain stationary if the player chooses, though it is worth noting that in Cosmic Combat some units might have special movement rules, always check the movement rules before moving your units.

• Locked in Boarding Action: Units within 1" of eachother that have at least 1 Agressor stat are considered locked in a boarding action. These models do not move the 1" minimum in the movement phase.

TURN ORDER FOR MOVEMENT

1. Both players activate all shield tokens

2. The side with priority moves all its models first.

3. Once the first side has completed all movement, the other side moves all its models.

4. After both sides have moved, the game proceeds to the Ranged Attack Phase.

ACTIVATE SHIELD TOKENS

• Both players will orient their shield tokens, pointing the arrow in the direction indicating Front, Right, Left or Rear.

• If any shot can draw a line to the indicated side of the model, that unit will receive a saving throw against ranged attacks.

MOVING MODELS

• Players may move their models in any order they choose.

• Use a measuring tape or ruler to determine movement distances.

• Most models must move in a straight line; they cannot move in curves and cannot exceed their movement allowance.

• If a model wants to move backward it may only move a quarter of its movement unless it has the [Fighter] keyword.

• Models with the [Fighter] keyword can move in any direction they choose and do not have to move in a straight line.

MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS

• Models cannot move through other models (whether friendly or enemy). Gaps must be at least as wide as a model’s base for another model to pass through.

• Control Zone Rule: A model may not move within 1” (2 cm) of any unit unless it is declaring a boarding action, and you cannot board a friendly unit.

  • If for any reason a friendly model moves into the control zone of another friendly model, both must make a Ramming Maneuver roll. (see Ramming Maneuver Rules below).

• Boarding Action: To engage in boarding action a unit must have been issued a boarding action token and have an aggressor stat of at least 1, a model that performs a boarding action must move upto half its movement into base contact with an enemy otherwise the action fails. Once engaged, neither model may move further during this phase.

  • Some units cannot be boarded, such as small fighters. These models may not move into the control zone of an enemy units unless they are making a ramming maneuver. (see Ramming Maneuver Rules below).

  • No unit may declare a boarding action against two models. You can only board one model at a time.

  • If a model would move into base to base contact with any model and it does not have a boarding action token, then a ramming maneuver is performed instead.

• Facing: Models may only be rotated during the movement action.

• Leaving the Battlefield: Models cannot leave the battlefield unless retreating due to special rules or scenario objectives. If a models minimum 1" movement would send it off the battlefield, the unit is counted as destroyed by the opponent.

OPPORTUNITY ATTACK

After the Movement Phase, any model that did not take a move action, but was locked in a boarding action the previous turn, while an enemy model or models took a move action to move may make an Opportunity Attack.

Aggressor Roll:
For each model that remained stationary, roll 1 die for every point of Aggressors the model has, or for every model within boarding actions that has Aggressors.

Hit Roll:
Compare the Martial Value (M) of the attacking and moving models using the following chart:

• If Martial Values are equal, the Wound roll is made on a 4+.

• If the Martial Value is higher than the opponent, the Wound roll is made on a 3+.

• If the Martial Value is lower than the opponent, the Wound roll is made on a 5+.

• If the Martial Value is double or higher than the opponent, the Wound roll is made on a 2+.

• If the Martial Value is half or lower than the opponent, the Wound roll is made on a 6+.

Each die that meets or exceeds the required value becomes a successful Wound.

Example:
2 models with Aggressors 2 each remain stationary while an enemy unit of 1 model retreats.

Each of the 2 models rolls 2 dice for a total of 4 dice.

If 2 of the rolls meet the required wound roll value, the retreating player will then take 2 wounds.

RAMMING MANEUVERS

A Ramming Maneuver occurs whenever a ship collides with another model, either intentionally or accidentally.

• Intentional Ramming: A player must declare a Ramming Maneuver before moving their ship into another model.

• Accidental Ramming: If a collision happens unintentionally—such as from an opponent moving a ship backward or due to miscalculated movement—it still counts as a Ramming Maneuver.

Resolving a Ramming Maneuver

1. Check the Integrity stat of both ships involved.

2. Each ship rolls one D6 and adds their strength stat.

3. If the result equals or exceeds that ship's Integrity score, it suffers 1 wound.

TERRAIN RULES

• Different types of terrain affect movement speed and interactions.

• Each terrain piece has specific keywords that determine its effects (see the Terrain Glossary).

Fight Phase Rules

Step 1: Identifying Eligible Combats

Before resolving combat, players must identify which models or groups of models are involved in a boarding action which causes a fight.

Fight Criteria: Any two opposing models that are within 1" of each other are considered to be in a fight. It is possible for multiple allies to board one enemy unit.

Step 2: Resolving the Fight

The player with Priority chooses which fight to resolve first, and the opponent then chooses the next. The process alternates between players until all fights have been resolved.

The player who selects the fight is considered the Attacker.
The opposing player is considered the Defender.

Step 2A: Roll for Attack

1. Gather Attack Dice

• Each player rolls a number of dice equal to their model's Aggressors stat on their profile.

In a scenario where multiple models are involved in a boarding action, each player will combine all Aggressors values from participating models into a single dice pool.

2. Determine Attack Roll Value (ARV)

• Identify the model with the highest Martial Value (M) among the attacking models.

• Identify the model with the highest Martial Value (M) among the defending models.

• Compare these values to determine the required roll for each side.

3. Determine Hit Roll Requirement

Compare the Martial Value (M) of the attacker and defender using the following chart:

• If Martial Values are equal, the attack roll is made on a 4+.

• If the Martial Value is higher than the opponent, the attack roll is made on a 3+.

• If the Martial Value is lower than the opponent, the attack roll is made on a 5+.

• If the Martial Value is double or higher than the opponent, the attack roll is made on a 2+.

• If the Martial Value is half or lower than the opponent, the attack roll is made on a 6+.

Both players roll their attack dice simultaneously using their respective required values.

Each die that meets or exceeds the required value counts as a successful Wound.

Some units have special traits or wargear that allow them to ignore wounds, referred to as Saves, in boarding actions, these saves do not apply as these saves represent energy shields possessed by the ships and do not apply in this level of combat.

Model vs Multiple Models

In a scenario where one model fights multiple models, all participating models on each side combine their Aggressors into a single dice pool.

Use the highest Martial Value (M) on each side to determine hit rolls.

Use the highest Strength Value (S) on the attacking side and the highest Defense Value (D) on the defending side to resolve wounds.

The player controlling the attacking models may allocate wounds to any enemy models engaged in the boarding action.

Step 3: Resolve Fights

Fights are resolved one at a time following the alternating selection process described above.

Faith and Affinity

Affinity

Affinity is the catchall term for mystical or psychic power found throughout the galaxy. Units with Affinity will have this listed on their profile, along with the powers they can activate using it.

Using Affinity Powers

• A unit may normally activate only one Affinity power per turn.

• If an Affinity power is activated during the Shooting Phase, the unit cannot fire any ranged weapons in that phase.

• If the caster is in coherency with enemy units, they may only target those units with their Affinity powers.

• Some spellcasters may have special rules allowing them to cast multiple powers per phase. If so, they must:

  • Declare all powers, their targets, and pay the affinity before any rolls are made.

  • Affinity is spent regardless of whether the spell succeeds, fails, or the target is destroyed before the spell resolution.

Some Heroes may have unique Affinity Actions, detailed in their unit profiles, with defined costs, activation phases, and special effects.

Faith

Faith represents spiritual strength, unwavering belief, or sheer willpower in the face of supernatural force. It is used to resist Affinity-based powers.

Using Faith to resist Affinity

When a unit is targeted by an Affinity power (or is within 24" of the caster), the defending player may attempt to resist using Faith.

1) Initiate Resistance

• Spend 1 Faith point to attempt resistance.

2) Affinity & Faith Bidding

• Players alternate spending additional points to modify their rolls:

  • Each Faith point adds +1 to the defender’s roll.

  • Each Affinity point adds +1 to the caster’s roll.

• Players continue back and forth until one player passes.

3) Roll Off

• Both players roll 1d6 and add their modifiers from Faith and Affinity points.

4) Resolution

• If the Faith roll is higher, the power is negated and all Affinity spent is lost.

• If the Affinity roll equals or exceeds, the power resolves successfully.

5) Destiny – Final Bidding Phase

After the roll, players may enter a final Destiny bidding phase to try and shift the result:

• Destiny points may be spent by either player to add directly to their total roll.

• Players take turns spending Destiny one point at a time, each adding +1 to their result.

• This continues until both players pass consecutively.

Important: In this context, Destiny may not be used to reroll any dice—only to increase the final result. This is a unique exception to general Destiny rules.

Example of a Full Duel

A Blue Sun targets a Comrade-class with the Spell Lightning, spending 2 Affinity.

• The Comrade-class spends 1 Faith to resist, plus 2 more for a +2 bonus.

• The Blue Sun responds with 2 more Affinity, giving him +4 total.

• The bidding ends. They roll:

  • Comrade-class: 4 + 2 = 6

  • Blue Sun: 5 + 4 = 9

Destiny Phase Begins:

• Comrade-class spends 1 Destiny → 6 → 7

• Blue Sun responds with 1 Destiny → 9 → 10

• Comrade-class spends 2 more Destiny → 7 → 9

• Blue Sun passes

• Comrade-class passes

Final Result: Affinity 10 vs Faith 9 → Spell succeeds