Objective:

• A Chthonian leader must reach the Olympus
• The Olympians must eliminate Chthonian Leader(s)
• Neither may lose all Honor

Unit Strength:

Number on Character Card


Energy:

Stock of extra strength for fights and Special Powers


Honor:

Measurement of followers' devotion


Special Regions:

• Olympus with Base Olympian's Palace
• Underworld with Base Tartarus
• Exterior World and the River Styx

Lose 1 Honor point for each foreign unit in own Base at start of turn

Objective:

the goal of each faction is different.
The Chthonians must make one of their leaders (Hades or Persephone) reach the top of the Olympus. They win the game even if there are opponent units occupying that region.
The Olympians' objective is simply to impede the Chthonians to achieve their goal, so they win if both Hades and Persephone are eliminated.
Also, if any faction has their Honor reduced to zero or less, they lose immediately (even if they reach their objective at the same time). If both factions are out of honor simultaneously, the game is drawn.

Unit Strength:

each character has a number beside its name that represents their relative strength to other characters. It is referenced as nominal strength. In a combat it will usually be the units base strength, but that can be changed by Special Powers.


Energy:

is a stock of extra strength that can be used to activate Special Powers or in battles to increase each group’s relative strength. It is usually obtained from the followers of each faction by ritual (Liturgy).


Honor:

is a measurement of the admiration and devotion of a faction’s worshippers. It affects the amount of Energy that can be transmitted to the gods through ritual and is paramount to the cohesion and the very existence of each faction.


Special Regions

The game map is divided in three realms: the Underworld (dark grey regions), the Olympus (light blue) and the exterior world (green). The most important region are its extremes: at the bottom is the Tartarus and at the top is the Olympian's Palace. Each faction should take special care for these two regions, which are considered the Base Regions of each factions.
When a player has enemies at his base at the start of his turn he loses 1 Honor point for each foreign unit there.
Besides, for the Chthonians, it will not be possible to bring back eliminated units. And for the Olympians, of course, if the invading unit is the Chthonian leader, it means defeat.

Setup:

Choose 9 our of 12 characters; Leaders cannot be excluded

Start with 16 points of Honor and 24 points of Energy

Chthonians start

Each player gets a set of twelve characters, from which must choose nine. Each chosen character must be placed in an individual hexagonal region in their correspondent realm - the Olympians in the light blue area and the Chthonians in the dark gray area. Zeus and Hades must be placed in one of the regions and cannot be excluded from the initial setup.
In Yucata setup phase, the players are free to move the units around the valid spaces, and can also switch characters positions, until nine units are placed.


The players start with 16 points of Honor and 24 points of Energy each (represented beside the Laurels and Thunderbolt icons, respectively).
The Chthonians must do the first movement.

Alternate turns of:

• Move – either friendly or into a combat
• Liturgy to replenish the Energy Stock
• Use Special Powers

The players take turns in which they move one of their units to an adjacent region. The players alternate their moves till the end of the game. Each player’s units are hidden to the opponent: they know where they are, but not which character is there. Only in case of a combat or the use of Special Powers are they revealed.

In times of war, the virtue the gods’ followers admire the most is courage. Each action that might be regarded as cowardice reduces their admiration and enthusiasm. This is measured by the Honor points. Actions regarded as brave (even if foolish) will increase a player’s Honor, while actions that demonstrate weakness (even if prudent) reduce it.

On a players turn, he has several options:
• Move – either friendly or into a combat
• Liturgy to replenish the Energy Stock
• Use Special Powers

Passing the turn

There is only one exception to the basic rule that each player must take an action at his turn: if all units of the Olympians are in the Tartarus, the Olympians may choose to do nothing.

In order to do this in Yucata, the player must click on his Energy icon and then decide not to call for a Liturgy. He will be then able to Finish Turn.

Three types of Special Powers

• Use of a Special Ability instead of Movement
• Special Movement Abilities
• Combat Powers

To use the Special Power of a Unit, it must be revealed.

Every unit in the game has special characteristics (special powers and, in some cases, disadvantages). You can see each unit description any moment by clicking on the "person" icon button (see at → Hints for Handling).
These Special Powers can be categorized in three types:
• Use of a Special Ability instead of Movement
• Special Movement Abilities
• Combat Powers

To use the Special Power of a unit, it must be revealed to the opponent.


In some cases, the player does not need to do anything in order to use a unit's powers. For example, if Hephaestus is part of a defending group he will get +5 strength automatically. For other cases, the player must reveal the unit beforehand. For instance, for Charon to allow free passage across the Styx, the player must click on him after selecting him. Then, answer yes to the question if he should be revealed. After that, a nearby comrade or Charon himself can cross the Styx for free.
In other cases, like when Hades brings back a defeated unit or Demeter steals energy, the unit gets immediately revealed to the opponent.
The way each unit's power should be used is described in the → Appendix.


When a unit's power only works when fighting alone, that can change in the course of a combat. For example, if Ares is fighing alongside Artemis and the Olympians lose the first round, if they choose Artemis is to be eliminated the power from the energy spent will be doubled on the second round, since Ares will be alone and his power will become active.

Revealing Enemy Units

When using a unit's Special Powers, the player reveals to the opponent its position. Also, in any combat, all units involved are revealed to both factions.

In a live game a player would easily memorize the positions of the surviving units, but in Yucata.de a game may take several days. So, after the combat the surviving units remain apparent to the opponent player. Usually, a revealed unit will remain so for the rest of the game, but there is a case where it goes back into "hiding": when an incomplete part of a group of units moves out of a Region into another one in which there are no enemies, it is not possible for the opponents to be sure of which ones left and which ones remained. So, they will no longer be disclosed to the opponent (not until they get involved in another combat). A player can see which of his units are being disclosed to his opponent by clicking on the button with an eye icon in the bottom.

Backwards movement cost 2 Honor Points.
Backwards means for
• Chthonians: towards Tartartus
• Olympians: towards Olymp

A player's turn usually consists of a single unit being moved to an adjacent region.
When the player moves one unit to a region with no enemies he has no Honor penalty if moving "forward". For the Chthonians, that means moving up, towards the top of the Olympus. Any of the three (or less) regions adjacent to his present location that are above it, are considered an acceptable destination. But if a Chthonian moves "backwards" (down), towards the Tartarus, bottom of the Underworld, there is a penalty of 2 Honor Points. For the Olympians it works the same way: they must move down, towards the enemy lines, or they lose 2 Honor points.

To perform a movement, click on a unit, wait for the possible destinations to appear (transparent red hexagons) and click on one of them. If you did not move forwards, you will be required a confirmation, for your Honor will be automatically reduced.

Crossing the Styx costs 2 Energy

Crossing the Styx

There is no restriction to go to an adjacent region, except when they are on different sides of the river Styx (the blue line at the top of the Underworld). In this case, the player must spend 2 Energy to cross it, regardless of his faction or the direction of the movement. If more than one unit crosses the Styx together, the cost is still limited to 2.

In short, moving from regions 2, 7, 13 or 18 to one of the regions 1, 6, 12 or 17 (or vice versa) means the Styx is crossed and Energy must be spent. Region 22 is not considered adjacent to the river and can be used to enter or leave the Underworld with no costs.
This button can be used to display the regions numbers refered on this section:
(see this section for more details: → Hints for Handling)

Limit of 4 units of the same faction in the same region

Moving 1 unit into a group does not cost Honor

Moving a group costs 1 Honor Point per additional unit

Moving a group backwards costs:
• 2 Honor Points for groups of 1, 2 or 3 units;
• 3 Honor Points for groups of 4 units.

Moving in Groups

At any time, at most 4 units of the same faction may stand in the same region.
Entering a region where there is another unit of the same faction does not cost honor points. If it was a backwards movement, there is the usual 2 point penalty, but if the movement was forwards, the only condition to be observed is the limit of 4 units of the same faction in the same region .

When one unit leaves a region where it has company there is no penalty, provided it goes forwards. But it is also possible to move more units which are at the same region to an adjacent region. Any number of units can be moved from the group. But moving as a group is considered lack of courage and costs Honor points. The cost for moving more than one unit is 1 Honor point per "extra" unit - for instance, advancing 3 units simultaneously costs 2 Honor points.
If moving backwards the penalty is 2 points also for groups, unless the group is 4 units, in which case the higher penalty of 3 honor applies, which is the same penalty for moving forwards a group of that size.
As a general rule, if a movement is frowned upon for different reasons, the Honor penalty will be equal to the worst one.

To move more than one character in Yucata they must be individually selected by clicking in each of them, one at a time. After selecting all the desired units, you click on the destination.

Moving into a Combat

All the former rules apply for cases where there is no enemy unit in the destination. When the enemy is there, the movement is considered an attack. The honor calculation is very different in this case. The main assessment to be made is comparing the number of units attacking to the number of defenders.

Attacking fewer opponents: penalty of 2 Honor points times the difference

Attacking more opponents: bonus of 2 Honor points times the difference

Attacking same number of opponents: penalty of 1 Honor Point if attack is backwards

Attacking an enemy in own's home base is considered to be forwards

Penalties do not stack

If there are more attackers, the penalty for attacking is 2 Honor points times the difference in units (to go with 3 against 1 costs 4 honor, for instance); if there are more defenders, the attacking faction gains a bonus of 2 Honor points times the difference. These numbers do not change wether the attack is forwards or backwards.
In the most common case, where the number of attackers and defenders is the same (usually one to one), the direction of the attack does matter. If it is forwards, there is no change in Honor points; if it is backwards, there is a penalty of 1 Honor point.
There is an exception: when you attack an enemy that is occupying your home base, this is treated as a forwards movement - your followers will understand your need to go back and get rid of the invaders.

The Honor penalties never stack: one single decision may cause at most one penalty.

In Yucata, the user will always be warned when one of his decisions causes loss of Honor points (or Energy, for that matter).

Example:In the picture the Erinyes and Hecate have 6 adjacent regions to where they can move. The ones pointed by the green arrows represent a forwards movement; the red ones mean the movement is backwards.

If both of them will move together:
- Region 9 is the only destination where there is no loss of Honor (attacking forwards an even-numbered group);
- Region 20 means losing 1 Honor point (one "extra" unit is moving);
- Region 15 means losing 2 Honor points (attacking a smaller group);
- Region 8 causes the same penalty of Region 15 (it is additionally a backwards move, but penalties do not cummulate);
- Region 13 means losing 2 Honor points, for moving backwards.
- Region 19 means losing 1 Honor point, for it is a backwards attack against an even-numbered group.

If one of them moves alone:
- Regions 9 and 19 are destinations where the Chthonians gain 2 Honor points (for attacking a larger group, regardless of the direction);
- Regions 15 and 20 would not represent any change in Honor (attack forwards an even-numbered group or advance friendly);
- Region 8 means losing 1 Honor point, for it is a backwards attack against an even-numbered group.
- Region 13 means losing 2 Honor points, for moving backwards.

Flying

Flying:


Flying Units can move to any region (if revealed)

Crossing the Styx when flying does not cost Energy

Flyer cannot fly in retreats

Same Honor penalties as for ground movement applies

Sidewards movement will be treated as forwards if it is an attack and as backwards otherwise

Units that can fly can move any time to any region. In order to do this, the player has to reveal the unit beforehand (Flying is considered a Special Power)
If a flying unit is revealed, all hexes appear as possible destinations when selecting it.
When crossing the Styx there will be no cost if the flying unit is revealed.
When a flier attacks from far away, there is no adjacent region that is considered as original of the attacker. Both parties will be able to retreat to any adjacent region, provided it is not across the Styx and there are no enemies and not too many friends. The flier cannot fly in retreats, though, and must go to an adjacent region like any other not-flying unit.
The fliers are subject to the same honor penalties used for ground movement. To define whether a flying movement is backwards or forwards, the "altitude" of the original and final destination must be compared (and not the perceived distance to the Olympus Palace or the Tartarus). When the altitude is the same (in a sideways move, like from region 1 to 11) the penalties will be the same as for backwards moves if there is no enemy in the destination - in the case of an attack this will be treated as a forwards move.

In Yucata the system will warn the user of the possible penalties in all cases.

Combat:


When units of both factions meet, there is a combat which is fought in combat rounds until only one faction has survivors in the combat region.
5 possible combat maneuvers:
• Standard Maneuver
• Retreat
• Chase
• All-out Attack
• All-Out Defense

When units of different factions meet in the same region there is automatically a combat involving all present units. All units are revealed to both players, and they choose simultaneously their combat maneuver and the energy to be applied to determine the combat round winner.
If there are survivors from both factions in the combat region, another combat round is fought.
There are five combat maneuvers. Besides the Standard maneuver there are four other possibilities that can have very different consequences in combat:
• Standard Maneuver
• Retreat
• Chase
• All-out Attack
• All-Out Defense

Standard Maneuver

Standard Maneuver:


Winner of a combat round is the group with higher Effective Power; in case of a tie the attacker.
• Effective Power = Base Strength + Energy
  Spend up to 6 Energy per unit (using more than 4 Energy costs 1 Honor).
• Base Strength = Nominal Strength + Combat Modifiers
• Nominal Strength = number on character card

Defeated faction loses one unit.

If there was more than one unit, another combat round is fought.

If both factions choose the Standard maneuver, the winner is decided by a comparison of the Effective Power of both factions. A faction's Effective Power is simply the sum of each of its present units nominal strengths (marked on top of the unit, beside the unit’s name) plus participating unit's combat modifiers plus the energy spent in the round. Each faction can spend up to 6 Energy per unit participating in the combat (that is usually limited by the faction Energy stock).
However, excessive demand for help is also disliked by the factions' followers: if more than 4 Energy is spent in a combat round, that faction will lose 1 Honor point - regardless of the number of combatants on each side. Spending zero to four Energy does not incur any Honor cost.
The faction with the greater sum is the winner. If there is a tie, the attacker wins.
The defeated faction decides which of its present units will be removed from the game. If there was only one unit, the combat is over. If there were more, a new combat round begins with the remaining units, with each player choosing simultaneously a maneuver and energy to apply. The original attacker will have the advantage in ties in all rounds till the end of the whole combat.

In summary:

• Nominal Strength: Number marked on top of a unit, beside the character’s name.
• Base Strength: Sum of the nominal strengths of a group with all its units combat modifiers. Example: if defending, Hephaestus gains a +5 bonus, so his Base Strength goes from 3 to 8.
• Effective Power: Score that determines the winner of a combat round. It usually consists of the sum of the group's Base Strength plus the Energy that the player spent in that round.

Tactical Hint: When choosing his parameters, each player should take into account his and the opponent's Base Strength (sum of the units nominal strength with possible modifications with Special Powers) and also each side's stock of energy (shown beside the Thunderbolt icon on each side).

Retreat

Retreat:


No elimination of units, group will retreat to adjacent region with following condition:

• Attacker: to region from where he came or adjacent to that or combat region
• Defender: adjacent but not any where attacker can retreat to

Not valid for retreat are regions with enemy unit or too many friendly units, nor over the river Styx.

No valid region for retreat leads to Standard Maneuver.

Successful Retreat cost 2 Honor Points.

Selected Energy will be spent even if not used, and selecting more than 4 Energy will cost 1 extra Honor Point.

If a player chooses the Retreat maneuver (and the opponent does not choose Chase - described below) no units will be eliminated. The whole group of the retreating faction will move out of the region where the combat took place into an adjacent region.
If the retreating faction was the attacker, its units must move to the same region from where it came, or to one of the regions adjacent to both its original region and targeted region.
If the retreating faction was the defender, its units must move to a region adjacent to the region where the combat took place but not adjacent to the region from where the attacker came. That region is also not a possibility.
In any case, it is not possible to retreat into a region occupied by an enemy unit or into a region that would have to contain more than four characters.
Also, it is not possible to cross the Styx while retreating.
If a faction chooses Retreat but there is no possible retreating region, the maneuver works the same as Standard, and the faction will remain in the combat region (and will not spend 2 honor).
If both parties chose to retreat, both retreat. The defender must define its retreating region first. This may make the attacker to have no possible region to retreat, forcing its units to remain (and saving 2 honor).
The retreating faction must define how much energy it will spend. If the retreat is successful this will be to no use, but that energy will be considered to determine the group Effective Power if the enemy chooses the Chase maneuver. In any case, regardless of the fact that there is actual combat or not, the chosen energy will be spent and the faction stock will be reduced. Likewise, selecting more than 4 Energy will cost an additional Honor point.
When a faction successfully retreats it loses 2 Honor points (if the player did not retreat there is no loss in Honor points).

Example: In the picture the Harpies left Region 13 to attack Artemis in Region 19.

The pink arrows represent possible retreats for the attacker - its original region or a region adjacent to it. Since regions 13 and 18 are empty, they are both valid. But region 14 is forbidden because there is an enemy unit there.
The blue arrows represent possible retreats for the defender - any region adjacent to the defender's region, but not adjacent to the attacker's. Since regions 20 and 24 are occupied by friendly units, they are both valid. But region 23 is forbidden because there is an enemy unit there.

If the Harpies had flewn to the combat region from any non-adjacent region, all six arrows would be possible retreat directions for both parties (limited by the presence of enemy units, of course).

Chase

Chase:


Maneuver to prevent possible Retreat of Enemy

Effective Power is reduced by 3

Like for the Standard maneuver, the Chase maneuver does not have Honor penalties or bonuses.
This maneuver is used exclusively to prevent a possible retreat of the opponent. If one faction chooses this maneuver and the other chooses Retreat, both factions may fight as if they had chosen Standard. But there is a drawback to the chaser: its Effective Power is reduced by 3. For instance, if a unit with basic strength 2 starts a combat alone, chooses Chase and spends no energy, it will have an Effective Power of -1. Spending 5 energy will lead its Effective Power to 4 .

When a faction selects Retreat and the other selects Chase and the Effective Power of the faction that selected Retreat makes it the winner of the combat, it will have the option to perform the originally desired retreat (spending 2 Honor) or to allow itself to be chased, staying and eliminating one enemy unit.

If the faction trying to retreat is successfully chased and loses the round, it will have to eliminate one unit. If it has additional units, they will be able to retreat (spending 2 Honor points) and the combat will be over.

All-out Attack

All-out Attack:


Costs 2 Honor Points

Doubles Effective Power

All own units will be eliminated at end of combat round (if opponent retreats there is no combat and all survive)

Even if an all-out attack may be considered a brave action, the followers of both factions consider this maneuver as too desperate and treacherous. If a faction chooses this maneuver, it immediately loses 2 Honor points.

The use of that maneuver makes all units of that faction to be eliminated at the end of that combat round. But during that combat, that group's Effective Power will double . For instance, if a group with two units with 3 and 4 of base strength spends 3 energy, it will have an effective power of 20 ((3 + 4 + 3) * 2) . If both factions use this maneuver, all units in combat are eliminated.
If one faction all-out attacks and wins the combat, only one opponent unit is eliminated, despite of the difference in Effective Power.
The use of this maneuver by the defending party does not alter the tie advantage - the original attacker will always be considered the winner in case of ties.
If the opponent of the all-out attacker retreats there is no combat - no unit will be eliminated, even if the energy will be spent normally.
If his opponent uses all-out defense (see below) no unit of the all-out attacker can be eliminated, and one of the all-out defender units is eliminated if he loses the round.

All-out Defense

All-out Defense:


Costs 2 Honor Points

Doubles Effective Power

If all-out defender wins, no unit dies

If a faction chooses the All-out Defense maneuver, it immediately loses 2 Honor points.

As in the All-out Attack maneuver, choosing All-out Defense will give its faction double Effective Power. However, if the all-out defender wins, no unit is eliminated . Both factions' selected amount of energy is spent and a new combat round is played.
When the all-out defender loses, he loses one unit and the combat proceeds if he has remaining units in that region, as usual.

Maneuver Overview

The following picture shows an overview over the interactions between the different maneuvers. Unconditional Honor Point losses (All-out Attack/Defense, using more than 4 Energy) are not shown.

Liturgy:


Receive 6 Energy

Lose Honor points (1 if current Energy stock is empty, 2 otherwise)

In order to increase their Energy stock the factions can request a Liturgy from their followers at the start of a turn, instead of moving. The faction will receive 6 Energy.
This act of perceived weakness does not go unnoticed: after receiving the Energy, the faction that called the liturgy reduces its Honor: in 1 point if their current Energy stock is zero, in 2 points otherwise.

In Yucata this option is executed by clicking on the faction's Energy icon.

Chthonians win if one of their leaders reaches the Olympus Palace or the Olympians lose all Honor.

Olympians win if they eliminate Chthonian leader(s) or Chthonians lose all Honor.

The game is a draw if both factions lose all Honor simultaneously.

The game ends with the victory of the Chthonian faction when Hades or Persephone reaches the Olympus Palace (the top region on the map). They win even if there are Olympian units there - no need for combat.
Exception: if Demeter is in the Olympus Palace when Persephone enters, both units are eliminated before Persephone can snatch victory.

The Olympians win if both Hades and Persephone are eliminated (or if Hades is eliminated and Persephone was not selected at the beginning of the game).

For the player to be considered the winner, his honor must be above zero. If one of the player's Honor gets below one point , he loses the game immediately. If both players reach that at the same moment, the game is drawn.

Game Variant: Challenge

As a Challenge, the starting player defines a bonus or penalty for the Chthonians.

The second player then chooses the faction he wishes to play with.

After having played many games against different opponents, experienced players may feel that one of the factions is intrinsically stronger and easier to play. In order to play a game with a more balanced feel, or to offer a handicap to a less-skilled opponent, it is possible to give one of the factions an advantage in Honor points.

The starting player in a "Challenge" game defines an advantage in form of bonus Honor points for the Chthonians if he feels they are weaker, or a handicap in form of a Honor Point penalty for the Chthonians if he feels they are stronger.
The second player then chooses which side he prefers to play with, even if it is the weakened one.

Game Variant: Open Combat

The combatants choose their combat parameters one after the other:
• The defender can see the combat parameters of the attacker in the first round of combat.
• The attacker sees the defender's options in subsequent rounds

The attacker gains one Honor point when starting a combat against a same-sized group

Both factions start the game with 10 Honor points

In this variant, the first player chooses his parameters as usual, but the second one will be able to see the first player's choice when making his decision.
The "first player" in this case is the attacker: he has the disadvantage of defining his parameters knowing that the opponent will make their choice with full information of his intentions. However, if there are more rounds in that combat, the advantage is reversed: the defender will make the decision first, and the attacker will see it before making his choices. In any subsequent rounds the attacker keeps that advantage.

The attacker is still considered the winner of any rounds in case of ties. But since most combats have only one round, attacking is less advantageous in comparison to the standard game. The factions' followers are aware of that: each time a player starts a combat with the same number of units, his faction will be awarded one Honor point. Combats with different numbers of units per side have the same bonuses and penalties used in the standard game.
However, each faction will start the game with only 10 Honor points , 6 less than in the standard variant.

Game Variant: Random Setup

All units are randomly selected when the game starts

Zeus and Hades are always selected, and they are placed either in their home base or in one of its adjacent regions

If this option is marked, the units to be included in the game and their initial positions will be randomly chosen when the game starts. Any unit may be left out, except for Zeus and Hades, which are always selected. They will be placed either in their home base or in one of its adjacent regions.

This option should be useful for beginners, since the setup is very complex for someone who has not memorized well all units' powers.
Also experienced players might enjoy this option if they feel their choices are feeling scripted, forcing the use of some less popular units by themselves and their opponents, or simply because they want some action right away.