Rulebook

By Mark A. Latham
Welcome to the Walking Dead: All Out War playtest rules!
This is your chance to have a say in the final gameplay any and all
feedback is welcome and we will take it all into account before finalising
the game.
The core rules are complete, but we still have the graphical elements to
finalise such as the diagrams, so it will be useful to hear your thoughts on
where these would be helpful to you.
All feedback can be provided here:
http://vb.manticforum.com/forum/mantic-games/generaldiscussion/269898-the-walking-dead-all-out-war-playtesting-feedback
We will check in regularly and incorporate the comments, and reply to
any questions you may have.
Happy Gaming!
Mantic Games

How many hours are in a day when you dont spend half of them watching
television? When was the last time any of us REALLY worked to get
something that we wanted? How long has it been since any of us really
NEEDED something that we WANTED?
The world we knew is gone.
The world of commerce and frivolous necessity has been replaced by a
world of survival and responsibility.
An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe, causing the
dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months society has
crumbled: no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable
TV.
In a world ruled by the dead, the survivors are forced to finally start living.
The Walking Dead is 2016 Robert Kirkman. All Rights Reserved. The Walking Dead (Including all
prominent characters) and The Walking Dead logo, are trademarks of Robert Kirkman, LLC.

Game Overview
Going Solo

The Walking Dead: All Out War

Miniatures Game allows you to
recreate the struggle for survival in a
lawless new world. Groups of
Survivors must face each other in a
desperate fight for resources, all the
while trying not to attract the
attention of roaming packs of
Walkers.

It is possible to play The Walking

Dead on your own, using most of the
normal rules. In this case, you will
only need one Survivor group,
fighting against the Walkers, and a
few tweaks to the rules as follows:
As theres only one group involved,
theres no need to roll for Initiative
or alternate activating models. Any
instruction to the player with
Initiative or the opposing player is
always assumed to be the sole
Survivor player. In addition if it says
that your opponent would get to
choose or do something you get to
do it instead.

The game is best played with two

players taking on the role of rival
Survivor groups, although it can also
be played solo due to the innovative
Event system that directs the
Walkers around the board.
The aim of the game is to collect the
meagre resources from the barren
landscape before anyone else does,
or before your group is devoured.
Time is of the essence, as the rising
threat level will overwhelm you
unless you can keep it under control!

Also, without a second player to

distract the walkers, they will all be
after you! When playing solo, the
Threat Level is increased by 1 at the
start of each turn. See Threat on
page 8.
Finally any reference to moving
Walkers in a direction of the players
choice on the Event cards will move
the Walkers directly towards the
nearest Survivor instead. See page
18.

Cards

used at the start of a game to create

evenly-matched groups of Survivors.
For more information on building a
group, see page 27.

Supplies and Equipment Cards

5. Characteristics

Supplies and Equipment cards are

very similar. The difference is in how
they are used. Supplies are kept in a
deck at the side of the board and can
be picked up during a game when a
Survivor searches a supply counter.
Equipment represents the weapons
and items that the Survivors bring
with them to the fight, and is chosen
before the game begins.

All Survivors possess four key

characteristics, Melee, Shoot,
Defence, and Nerve.

Component Overview

Melee, Shoot and Defence are all

expressed as a number of coloured
dice symbols see page 6.
Nerve is expressed as either Low,
Medium, or High, which determines
how much danger a character can be
in before they Panic see page 8.

1. Name
Each card will have a name to
identify it. Most cards will be unique,
but there will be some duplicates.

6. Health
The health store represents how
tough a character is, and varies from
Survivor to Survivor. Each number
represents a single point of health,
and this can be depleted during a
game. It is tracked using a health
counter.

2. Type
This is a keyword that has no direct
function of its own, but will interact
with certain other rules used in the
game.

At the start of the game, place a

health counter over the highest
number on the track, green side up.

3. Faction Symbol
This symbol denotes which faction
the Survivor belongs to. See page 27.

Note that Walkers do not have a

health store. They only have a single
health point and are killed after
taking a single point of damage. Of
course, if you dont hit them in the
head, being killed doesnt stop
them for long

4. Points Value
Survivors, Walkers and Equipment
are all assigned a points value,
representing their comparative
worth in a fight. These values are
4

the Ranged Weapon, Melee Weapon

or Special Item type in each.

7. Keywords
Some items will have keywords
listed in bold on their cards. These
keywords reference universal special
rules that can be found on page 32.

There are also two slots for armour,

one for the Survivors head, and one
for their body. Each of these slots
may contain one item of the
appropriate type, either Armour:
Head or Armour: Body.

8. Special Rules
This section will detail any additional
qualities or special actions that apply
to this character or item, if any.

Finally, each Survivor has a pack,

representing their pockets,
backpack, bandoleer, etc. This varies
in size from 1-3 cards and can be
used to store any item type.

In addition, some items can cause

NOISE or MAYHEM (see page 7)
when used this will be detailed in
the Special Rules box.

Items cannot be swapped between

slots without using the Swap Items
Action as detailed on page 17.

9. Leader Ability
Although any model can lead your
group of Survivors, some are
particularly well suited to the task. If
a model has a Leader Ability, it is
detailed in its own box on the
Survivor card. A Leader Ability can
only be used when the model is
nominated as your groups Leader
(see page 28); otherwise it is
ignored.

10. Item Slots

Survivors are all able to carry items
to give them benefits in a game, and
may place one item in each slot
marked around the edge of their
Survivor card.
There are two slots for their hands,
and they may carry a single card of
5

Sheriff Badge . This die has many

purposes throughout the rules;
sometimes to randomise between
two equal outcomes; other times,
the indicates a particular effect.
Each use of the die will be described
individually in the rules.

Dice
The game includes various different
coloured dice, and these will be
referenced throughout the rulebook
and the cards using these symbols:

Red Walker Die

Orange Rookie Die
White Survivor Die
Blue Veteran Die
Black Action Die
Yellow Panic Die

Finally, the Panic die is used to

determine the outcome when a
character panics, from running away,
to screaming in terror, to going
berserk. See Panic on page 8.

Measuring

Each of these symbols represents

one die that is rolled when a
character makes an Action or a rule
is applied. For example, Rick Grimes
has a Shoot characteristic of and
the .38 Revolver Equipment card
adds , so if Rick made a Shoot
Action with this weapon the player
would roll one blue die and one
white die.

All distances in this game, for moving

figures, measuring weapon ranges,
and determining who can hear any
noises made by your Survivor, are
noted in inches (").
The box contains a double sided
ruler with all of the common
measurements marked for you.

The Walker, Rookie, Survivor and

Veteran dice all have a number of
symbols on their faces to represent
how powerful a dice roll is. Each
symbol represents one success,
and the successes for all the dice
rolled at any one time are totalled to
give a final score.

Note that it is permitted (indeed,

often essential) to measure
distances at any time, to check the
range to a target, to avoid causing
MAYHEM, or simply to plan your
models possible moves.

Other Components

The Survivor and Veteran Dice have

a ! symbol on some of their faces.
These signify Headshots, as
described on page 14.

With the essential components

introduced, its time to get into the
rules of the game. Dont worry about
everything else for now each item
will be explained as it comes up.

The Action die has three blank faces

and three faces marked with a
6

commotion, and can move several

times in a turn.

Key Concept Noise and

Mayhem

MAYHEM

Sometimes the best way to survive is

to stay quiet. Unfortunately, many
essential actions are loud, bright or
otherwise indiscreet, and the
commotion that they create attracts
Walkers.

When MAYHEM is caused, all eligible

Walkers that are at least partially
within 8" of the source of the
MAYHEM, immediately move in a
straight line directly towards it (see
Moving Walkers on page 19).

There are two levels of commotion

NOISE and MAYHEM. These will be
caused by various events and actions
taken by the Survivors as listed in
the following pages. It is important
to understand the implications of
these actions before deciding what
your Survivors will do.

Again, if the movement brings them

into base contact with a Survivor,
they will become engaged in melee.
Important: MAYHEM not only
attracts Walkers, but also advances
the Threat Level by 1 point. Threat is
explained fully on page 8.

The rules for NOISE and MAYHEM

are resolved immediately after fully
resolving the Action that caused
them, before the model performs
any further Actions.

NOISE
When NOISE is caused, the closest
eligible Walker at least partially
within 8" of the source of the NOISE
immediately moves in a straight line
directly towards it (see Moving
Walkers on page 19).
If the movement brings them into
base contact with a Survivor, they
are engaged in melee.
In this way, Walkers are pulled
around the gaming area towards any
7

Key Concept Threat and

Panic

Panicking for any rules that require it

and must make a Panic check before
it can be activated (see page 11).

Threat is a key factor in The

Walking Dead: All Out War,
representing the mounting tension
and danger of fighting in walkerinfested environments. The Threat
Tracker is a way of physically
representing this ever-increasing
pressure. As it rises, the Walkers
become more dangerous, the
Survivors start to panic, and in most
scenarios, when it reaches maximum
its game over! As you play, you will
see how important it is to manage
the Threat to your advantage.

Panic Check

The Threat Tracker contains a track

of numbered spaces, 1-18. Each time
the Threat increases, the arrow is
moved one space clockwise
immediately. It can also be reduced
by certain player actions. Typically,
the Threat Level increases whenever
MAYHEM is caused, such as when a
gun is fired or when a booby trap
explodes! Keep a careful record of
the Threat Level, increasing or
reducing it as instructed.

At the start of its activation,

if the current Threat Level is
equal to a models Nerve,
the model must roll . On a
, the model makes its
actions as normal. On a
blank, the model has failed
and must roll to see what
it does this turn.
If the current Threat Level is
higher than a models Nerve,
the Panicking model always
fails the check and must roll
without rolling first.

Note: You may not choose to skip a

models activation to avoid Panic.

Panic Die Results

1. Run directly away from the
nearest enemy (only turning to avoid
scenery or other enemies. Take no
further actions.
2-3. Only perform one Action this
turn.
4. Perform the Make NOISE Action,
then take second Action as normal.
5. Perform the Hide Action if
possible, and then take one more
Action as normal.
6. The model may act normally, and
adds to its melee attack roll this
turn.

The Threat Tracker is divided into

four sections: All Quiet (1-3); Low (48); Medium (9-13); and High (14-18).
These sections are especially
important, as they correspond to the
Survivors Nerve characteristics.
When the Threat Level is equal to or
higher than a Survivors Nerve, that
Survivor is considered to be
8

side of the board. Put the

health counters in place on
the cards, and youre ready
to begin!

Setting Up
Before you can start playing, youll
need to set up the game as follows:
1. Choose Scenario: A scenario
is a set of guidelines that
explain how to set up your
gaming area and miniatures,
and what you need to do in
order to win the game. The
standard scenario used for
the game can be found on
page 30, but look out for
more ways to play in future
expansions.
2. Build a Group: Agree a
points limit with your
opponent, and use the rules
on page 27 to gather your
chosen force.
3. Establish Play Area: Lay out
the gaming mat on a suitable
flat surface (a dining room
table or area of floor is
ideal).
Shuffle the Supplies and
Event Decks, and place them
face-down at the side of the
gaming mat within easy
reach of both players, along
with the Walker reference
card, Range Ruler, Kill Zone,
Dice and Activation
Counters.
4. Set the Scene: Follow the
setup instructions as listed in
the chosen scenario.
5. Assemble Forces: Take the
Survivor and Equipment
cards chosen in step 2, and
place them face-up at the
9

The Game Turn

1. The Initiative Phase

Once youve set up the gaming area

and your models, you can start. The
game is structured around a strict
turn sequence, comprising several
phases, explained step-by-step in
the rules that follow. Once this
sequence ends, assuming no one has
achieved the scenarios victory
conditions by that point, the turn is
over and a new turn begins. Play
continues in this way until the game
ends usually because the Threat
Level has reached its maximum, or
one Survivor group has been wiped
out.

Initiative is an important concept in

The Walking Dead: All Out War; it
dictates who goes first in each phase
of the game, and often who resolves
certain events and special situations.
In the first turn of the game, the
scenario rules will inform you which
side has the Initiative, and that
player should place the Initiative
counter next to their Survivor cards
as a visual reminder.
In subsequent turns, the player with
Initiative must pass the counter to
their opponent so that it alternates
between players as the game goes
on.

The Turn Sequence

1. Initiative Phase
2. Action Phase
3. Event Phase
4. Melee Phase
5. End Phase

Who is the Enemy?

Throughout these rules you will see
the word enemy or enemies.
This term refers to any model that is
not part of your own Survivor group,
be it one of your opponents
Survivors or one of the Walkers.

10

2. The Action Phase

Panic Check

In this phase, all of the players

important manoeuvring and actions
take place notably moving,
shooting and searching for supplies!

When activating a model, the first

thing you must do is check the
current threat level. If the threat
level is the same as or higher than
the activated models Nerve, the
model must make a Panic check (see
page 8) before it is activated.

Action Phase Breakdown

1. Player with Initiative activates one
model and performs two actions.
2. Play passes to second player, who
activates one of their models.
3. Play continues alternating in this
way until all models that can activate
have done so.

Actions
Unless it is engaged in melee or has
failed a Panic check, when activated,
a Survivor model can perform up to
two different actions from the list
below, in any order.

Beginning with the player who has

the Initiative, players take it in turns
to activate one of their Survivors. If
one side has more models than the
other, all excess models are
activated at the end of the phase by
their owning player, one at a time,
until every model that can act has
done so. Each Survivor model can
only be activated once per turn.

If a model is engaged in melee (by an

enemy model or Walker moving into
base contact with it) before it has a
chance to act, then it may not be
activated in this phase.

Move
Shoot
Search
Hide
Stand Up
Hold Your Nerve
Swap Item
Make NOISE
Special Action

Note that if any rule requires a

character to perform a specific
Action (such as Panicking) that will
count as one of its two for the turn.

Prone Models

When activated, every Survivor

model can perform two different
Actions, in any order. Once a model
has been activated, place an
Activation Counter on its Survivor
card to remind you that it has acted
this turn.

Some rules will refer to prone

models. This means that the model
is lying down and should be laid on
its side. A prone Survivor can only
perform Move (but only at a Sneak)
or Stand Up actions.
11

Move

Moving Across Scenery

During a Move Action, each model

must choose to Sneak or Run, using
the distances below.

The card scenery in the game depicts

various obstacles. These cannot be
crossed by Walkers, but some can be
traversed by Survivors.

MAX
ADDITIONAL
DISTANCE
EFFECTS
SNEAK
4"
None
Creates
RUN
8
NOISE

Barriers: These can be climbed as

part of a Survivors movement. Roll
. A means the climb is successful
place the model on the other side
of the barrier and continue moving if
able to. A blank means the model
remains in place and its Move Action
ends. A model may never end its
move on top of a barrier. A Survivor
in base contact with a barrier may
choose to defend it in melee, as
described on page 25.

A model does not have to move the

entire distance indicated for the
chosen move it can stop short if
you wish.
Survivors do not have to move in
straight lines they can move in any
direction as long as their total
movement doesnt exceed the
distance for the type of Move Action
they are performing.

Cars: These are impassable terrain

a model cannot climb this scenery,
and must go around it. If there is a
supply counter on the car, a Survivor
needs only be in base contact with
the car to search it (as described on
page 16).

Survivors may not move through

other models, friend or foe.
Models may not move into base
contact with an enemy (either
Walker or Survivor) unless it wishes
to fight them in melee later
otherwise, keep enemy models at
least 1" away from each other to be
clear. As soon as base contact is
made, the model is engaged in
melee, and its activation ends.

Supply Counters: Supply counters do

not impede movement at all
Survivors and Walkers can move
around or over them freely they
are simply counters used to mark the
positions of essential supply stashes
or discarded Equipment.

Running, as shown on the chart

above, creates NOISE see page 7.

12

centre of the shooters base to the

centre of the targets base if
another models base breaks that
line, the target is obscured and
cannot be shot. Otherwise, the
target can be seen and shot at.

Shoot
If a Survivor has a Ranged Weapon
Equipment card in their hand, it can
use this Action to fire the weapon at
an enemy. The shooting model can
target any model, provided that the
target is within range and line of
sight.

Scenery does not block line of sight

unless the target is prone behind it,
although it does provide cover (see
page 15).

Only one ranged weapon can be

used to shoot as a single Action,
even if a Survivor carries two.

Ranged Attack Roll

Once an eligible target has been
established, it is time to make your
ranged attack roll. Simply take the
dice listed on the weapon card, add
the dice from the Survivors Shoot
value (if any), and roll them all
together, counting up the total
number of successes.

Range
Range is measured from the edge of
the shooters base to the nearest
edge of the enemys base.
Unless specified on the card, all
ranged weapons are assumed to be
able to shoot up to 24.

The target model must then make a

defence roll. Simply take the dice
granted by its Defence value, adding
any bonuses from its Equipment
cards, cover (see page 15) and other
special rules, if applicable. Roll them
all together, counting up the total
number of success.

When using the standard 20" square

gaming mat, dont worry about
measuring range just assume that
weapons with a range of 24 have an
unlimited range. If playing on a
larger gaming area, however, youll
need a tape measure or long ruler to
measure the upper range accurately.

Compare each players number of

successes. If the ranged attack roll
has more successes than the targets
defence roll, the target has been
wounded. If the scores are equal or
the defence roll has more successes,
there is no effect.

Some weapons gain bonuses if the

range is less than 6" (or Point
Blank), as detailed later.

Line of Sight
To check line of sight, simply draw
an imaginary straight line from the
13

If a target model is reduced to 0

health points as a result of the
attack, and a Headshot was rolled,
no prone Walker model is placed.
The model is removed from play
immediately theres no coming
back from a headshot!

Taking Damage
When a Walker is wounded, it is laid
prone. A prone Walker cannot
perform any actions, but it may be
able to get back into the fight later
(see page 26).

Walkers that suffer any damage

from an attack that rolls a Headshot
are removed from play.

When a Survivor model is wounded

by an attack, it immediately loses
heath points equal to the difference
between the two scores. For
example, if the ranged attack roll
had 4 successes, and the defence roll
had 2 successes, the target would
lose 2 Survival Points (4-2=2).

Casualties and Equipment

As soon as a Survivor is removed
from play, any Equipment cards it
was carrying are lost. Perhaps they
are trampled into the mud in the
confusion of the fighting, or broken
and rendered useless. In any case,
Equipment cards are not left behind,
and may not be picked up by other
models. Supply counters, however,
are dropped where the model fell
the first is placed on the spot where
the model died, and the others are
placed in contact with the first, or as
close as possible to it.

For each health point lost, move the

counter one space to the right. If the
counter ever reaches 0, the Survivor
model has been killed. It is dead, for
all intents and purposes, although its
body may rise later to become a
Walker! Replace the Survivor with a
prone Walker.

Headshots (!)
Survivor Dice and Veteran Dice have
a Headshot (!) symbol on some
faces. These symbols do not add to
your total successes in any way.
However, if you successfully wound
an enemy, and the dice show one or
more Headshot symbols, youve
caused critical damage against your
target.
Against Survivors, every Headshot
symbol increases the number of
health points lost by the target by 1.
14

roll . On a , you hit the intended

target. On a blank, however, you hit
one of the other combatants your
opponent chooses which one is hit.
Once the target is established, make
the ranged attack roll as normal.

Additional Shooting Rules

Cover
If your ranged attack passes over any
scenery (not supply counters) before
it hits the target, then the target
model is in cover. Models in cover
add to their defence roll when
resolving that ranged attack.

Multiple Shots
Some weapons and special skills
allow the shooter to take multiple
shots as a single Action. You may opt
to fire fewer shots if you wish, unless
the weapon card specifically forbids
it. Each shot is resolved separately,
one at a time, following all of the
usual rules. All the shots must be
taken against the same target.

Prone Models
You can shoot at a prone model
following all of the usual shooting
rules. However, if a model is prone
and also in cover, it cannot be
targeted by ranged attacks at all, as
it cannot be seen.

As this is a single Action, NOISE or

MAYHEM is only calculated once,
regardless of how many shots are
taken.

Out of Ammo!
If the ranged attack roll includes one
or more blanks, you must
immediately roll . On a , there is
no effect. On a blank, however,
youve just fired your last round of
ammunition! Resolve this shot as
normal, but flip the Weapon card
over to show that it is out of ammo.
The weapon may not be fired again
in this game until you find more
ammo and reload.

Shooting into Melee

There is nothing to stop you from
shooting at a model that is engaged
in melee. Choose your target
following the normal rules. However,
before making the ranged attack roll,
15

No matter how many counters a

searching Survivor is in contact with,
only one may be picked up per
Search Action.

Other Actions
Search
Any Survivor model in base contact
with a supply counter, and not
engaged in melee with an enemy,
may search for supplies. A model
cannot search if there is an
unengaged enemy model also in
base contact with the counter.

Hide
In some situations, a model may
rather duck behind cover than do
anything else, even if it leaves them
exposed to attack later. A model
may Hide if there are no enemies
within their Kill Zone (see page 18),
and it is in base contact with a
scenery piece. This may provide
cover from shooting attacks (see
page 15).

Draw the top card from the Supply

Deck. If it is an item the Survivor may
put it into one of their free item
slots, or swap it with an item they
already hold. It is treated exactly like
an Equipment card. Any items that
they then do not have space for or
choose not to take are discarded.

If a model wishes to Hide, it

becomes prone. It may attempt to
stand up again during its next
activation if you wish.

If the card is an Incident!, then the

instructions on the card must be
applied immediately.

Stand Up
A prone model may Stand Up by
spending an Action. Stand the model
upright, and it may then act
normally.

Once the search has been resolved,

remove the supply counter from the
board and place it onto the
Survivors card. It does not take up
an item slot.

Hold Your Nerve

Supply counters that have already

been searched or have been
dropped after the death of a
Survivor are placed with the
SEARCHED face showing. These
counters will not allow the player to
draw another supply card when
searched.

This Action may only be attempted if

the current Threat Level is equal to
or lower than the models Nerve
value. The model rolls on a ,
reduce the current Threat Level by 1.

16

Swap Items
This Action allows a Survivor to
rearrange the Equipment cards they
are currently carrying, moving
weapons, armour and items from
their pack to a usable Armour or
Item slot, and vice versa. Any
number of cards can be shuffled as a
single Action.
Furthermore, the model may give
any of its Equipment cards, from
either its pack or an active slot, to
any friendly model within its Kill
Zone (see page 18). The recipient
must have an active slot free for this
item it may not be placed in its
pack straight away.

Make NOISE
The Survivor jumps up and down,
waves their arms about and shouts
to attract attention. The model
makes NOISE (see page 7).

Special Action
Some models are able to use special
rules as an Action, or have access to
unusual items of Equipment that
require a special Action to use.
The use of a special Action
constitutes a single Action, unless
otherwise specified.

17

more eligible targets are equidistant

from the Walker, the player with
Initiative decides who it will attack.

3. The Event Phase

Once every model has acted, it is
time to see what the Walkers will do
this turn. Survivor models rarely get
to act in the Event Phase; instead,
players work against each other to
control Walkers and resolve various
special event cards.

If there are no Survivors under the

Kill Zone template, or all eligible
targets cannot be attacked, then the
Walker does not move, and instead
is free to move elsewhere should the
Event cards allow it.

Event Phase Breakdown

Draw an Event Card

To keep things clear, the Event Phase

follows a strict two-step sequence:

The player with Initiative then draws

the top card from the Event Deck,
and immediately applies the results.
The results vary according to the
current Threat Level make sure to
apply the correct result.

1. Kill Zone. Walkers that are very

close to Survivor models lunge into
melee.
2. Draw an Event card. Random
events are resolved.

Some Event cards require you to

increase the Threat Level before
resolving the event. This may result
in the Threat Level increasing to the
next band, meaning that the cards
rules will become deadlier.

The Kill Zone

You must first work out if any
Walkers are sufficiently close to a
Survivor to attack them directly. This
is established by centring the Kill
Zone template on each eligible
Walker model (see page 19). If there
are any Survivors at least partially
beneath the template, the Walker is
immediately moved into base
contact with the nearest Survivor.

Note that this instruction is in

addition to any increase at the top!
Some cards will have the Remains in
Play keyword. This means that the
card is left face-up next to the board
and the effects apply continuously
until the card text tells you to
discard it. Otherwise, Events are
discarded after resolving them.

If the nearest Survivor is already fully

surrounded, or unreachable for
some other reason (due to
intervening scenery for example),
then the Walker will move into
contact with the next closest eligible
target instead, and so on. If two or
18

Walkers never attack other Walkers.

Instead they pass through other
Walkers in their path, as long they
have sufficient movement to end
their move without their bases
overlapping. If a Walker would finish
its move with its base overlapping it
instead stops in contact with the
other Walker.

Key Concept Moving

Walkers
Throughout the rules and cards you
will see the term eligible Walker.
This term applies to any Walker that
is not currently prone or already in
base-to-base contact with an enemy.
These Walkers will be eligible to
move when an Event card or other
rule requires it.

If a Survivor is in the Walkers path,

the Walker will move into base
contact with that model. When
moving Walkers into base contact
with a Survivor, it is always
considered reasonable to shuffle
models around slightly to allow
additional Walkers to attack, as long
as the Walkers had enough
movement left to reach the target.
However, if there is no space at all
left to engage a Survivor (without
overlapping bases), then the Walkers
must stop short of their target.

Walkers always move at a Shamble

(6"), and they always move in dead
straight lines, usually towards a
model, source of MAYHEM, or in
some other direction specified by
the rules. If a rule requires a Walker
to move towards another model, it
moves towards the centre of that
models base.
Walkers cannot pass over or through
scenery, and will stop instantly when
they contact a piece of scenery (note
that this may result in combat
against a Survivor that is defending a
barrier, as explained on page 25).

Event Cards
If an Event card specifies that more
than one Walker must move, the
first is moved by the player with
Initiative, and then the players
alternate until all required Walkers
are moved.

If a Walker starts its move already in

contact with a scenery piece, it will
move around the scenery by the
shortest possible distance to reach
its target. This is the only time a
Walker may deviate from its straight
line movement.

If both players are instructed to

move one or more Walker models
during an Event, they must choose
different models a Walker model
cannot be moved more than once by
a single Event card, and this includes
Walkers entering play.

Walkers ignore supply counters.

19

Sometimes there may not be enough

eligible Walkers to fulfil the
instruction on the Event card (for
example, you may be told to move
three Walkers, but there are only
two standing, unengaged Walkers in
play). If this happens, the remainder
are taken from any spares you have,
and they enter play as described
below.

Not Enough Walkers?

If the Threat gets too high, you may
soon find that you dont have
enough Walker models to bring into
play! While youre always likely to
have one or two to hand based on
those removed from play or not
being used in a given scenario,
chances are in larger games youll
run out. You can purchase booster
packs of Walkers, along with
additional Event cards, from Mantic
Games.

Finally, if it is ever unclear which

Walker should move (due to two or
more being equidistant when
activated, for example), the player
with Initiative chooses which Walker
moves in that instance.

If an Event card requires more

Walkers to enter play than you have
to hand, bring on as many as you can
and then increase the Threat by 1.

Walkers Entering Play

Several Event cards require Walkers
to enter play. Regardless of the
number specified, the procedure for
doing this is always the same. Take
the requisite number of spare
Walkers. Beginning with the player
with Initiative, take one of the
Walkers and place it in base contact
with the board edge of your choice.
The Walker may not be placed
within the Kill Zone of a Survivor.
Once it is placed, the other player
does the same, until all of them have
been placed.
It is quite possible that, using this
method, you could finish the game
facing more Walkers than you
began!

20

4: The Melee Phase

Splitting Combats

Once the Event phase has been

resolved, it is likely that one or more
models will be in base contact with
an enemy, and must therefore fight!

When several Walkers are in contact

with several Survivors from the same
side, then the player who controls
those Survivors must split the
combat. The result must either be a
single Walker fighting a single
Survivor, a single Walker fighting
multiple Survivors, or a single
Survivor fighting multiple Walkers.
Nudge the models apart slightly to
make it clear which Walkers are
fighting which Survivors.

Melee Phase Breakdown

1. Advance Threat Level
2. Split Combats
3. Establish Order of Combat
Choose each melee in turn and then:

This rule cannot be used to take a

Survivor out of melee altogether if
a model is engaged, it must fight!

1. Resolve Handgun attacks

2. Resolve Melee
3. Push Back
4. Resolve Damage

Establish Order of Combat

Every model in base contact with an

enemy model in that melee will
fight, striking simultaneously. If you
dont have enough dice for both
players to roll all at once, simply take
it in turns and keep note of your
scores. When fighting against
Walkers, your opponent rolls the
dice on their behalf.

Melee is resolved separately for

each group of models in base
contact. If there are several groups
of combatants on the table, the
player with Initiative decides the
order in which combats are resolved.

Resolve Handgun Attacks

Weapons with the Handgun
keyword may be fired in the Melee
phase. To do so, simply declare that
you are using the handgun instead of
attacking. If several models in the
same combat wish to shoot, the
player with Initiative picks one of his
own first, and then the other player
does likewise, alternating until all
shots are fired.

Advance Threat Level

At the start of the Melee Phase, if
any models are engaged in melee,
increase the Threat Level by 1. The
level increases by just 1 point
regardless of how many models are
fighting.

21

The Survivor makes a normal ranged

attack that must target one enemy
model in base contact.

Survivors are poor fighters, or are so

well-equipped with armour that they
have a better chance of surviving
melee if they fight defensively rather
than offensively. Before making a
melee attack roll, a player must
choose whether the models on their
side will attack or defend. The player
with Initiative always chooses first. If
both players opt to defend, no blows
are struck.

There is no need to randomise who

is hit if there are other friends in the
fight, and only a single shot can be
taken, regardless of how many the
weapon can normally fire.
If the shot kills the opponent or lays
them prone, this may mean that the
Survivor with the handgun is no
longer engaged in melee. As this is
not a melee attack, the enemy
model is not pushed back. This
means if it stands up again before
the shooter moves again they will be
engaged in combat again.

If several models on the same side

are involved in the combat, they
must either all choose to defend, or
all attack they cannot split their
dice between attack and defence.
Needless to say, Walkers can never
choose to defend!

If the model that fired is still

engaged after the shot is taken, it
may only choose to defend in the
following melee. If other models on
the same side wish to attack rather
than defend, then the firing model
contributes no dice to the combat.

Unlike ranged attacks, a model does

not have to have a Melee Weapon
card in order to attack in Melee as
long as it has one or more dice listed
under its Melee value, it can kick,
punch and head-butt without a
weapon! However, some models are
such poor combatants that they
have no Melee value. These models
can only attack in melee if they have
a weapon or rule that grants them
dice. If they have no such weapon
and/or bonus, they can only choose
to Defend in melee.

As always, gunfire may cause

MAYHEM and any Walkers attracted
into the fray do take part in the
melee. These new combatants may
require combats to be split again as
detailed on page 21. This must be
done before any further melee takes
place.

The Melee Attack Roll

Resolve Melee
To make a melee attack, a player
must roll the number and type of
dice specified by their models
Melee characteristic, adding any dice

Most Survivors will choose to attack

their opponent with whatever they
have to hand. However, some
22

indicated on their Melee Weapon

cards and special rules, if applicable.

Push Back
As soon as a winner is determined,
the losing models are instantly
pushed 1 directly away from the
winners, by the shortest possible
route, as shown.

If a model has several melee

weapons, it must choose one before
any dice are rolled: it cannot add the
bonuses from more than one
weapon to its Melee value.

A model cannot enter base contact

with an enemy model as a result of
being pushed back. If a model
cannot be pushed back due to the
proximity of other nearby miniatures
or scenery, all of the winners are
pushed back instead, exactly as if the
losing model had won the fight.

If a model has chosen to defend, it

instead takes the dice equal to its
Defence value, plus any bonus dice it
is entitled to thanks to its armour or
other Equipment.
All models on the same side roll their
dice together, and each side totals
up the number of successes scored.
The side with the highest roll is the
winner. If the combat is drawn, a
winner must still be determined for
the purposes of Push Back as
detailed below, even if there are no
other effects. In the case of drawn
combats, use the following criteria
to determine who pushes back the
enemy:

Resolve Damage
Models are wounded in the same
way as described for Shooting on
page 14, with the difference in
successes determining the number
of health points lost.
If a defending model wins a melee, it
may not cause any damage against
its opponents it merely pushes
them back as it fends them off.

Survivors always beat

Walkers
Survivors with the Initiative
always beat other Survivors.

Single Combatants Damaging

Multiple Opponents

Note: If a model is required to roll

as part of its attack (because of a
weapon rule or other special rule),
the is not counted as part of the
melee attack roll. The Action Dice is
only rolled when a winner has been
established the winning side rolls
any Action Dice it is entitled to, and
the additional effects are applied.

If a single combatant beats multiple

opponents, the player that won the
melee may divide the total amount
of damage caused between all
enemies in base contact it may all
be allocated against the same
model, or split freely between them.

23

Headshots in Melee

Additional Melee Rules

Headshots apply as for Shooting on

Page 14. If you roll multiple
Headshots as part of your melee
attack, you can only allocate one
Headshot to each enemy model in
the combat. If there are more slain
enemies than Headshots, you will
just have to settle for knocking down
the remainder instead!

Walkers Outnumbering
Lone Walkers are slow and lethargic,
and dont pose much of a threat, but
in groups they become more
animated as they smell fresh meat,
and drag down an unsuspecting foe
with sheer weight of numbers.
If there is only one Walker in a
combat, it rolls its Melee value as
normal 1. A second Walker in the
same combat, however, rolls 2;
the third Walker rolls 3, and so on,
up to a maximum of 5.

Bitten!
Whenever a Survivor loses one or
more health points to an attack by
Walkers but is not removed as a
casualty, the player rolling for the
Walkers must roll . On a blank,
there is no further effect. On a
however, you must immediately flip
the victims health counter over so
that the red Bite symbol is face up.
The latent infection that all Survivors
carry has been accelerated. This may
have severe repercussions for your
Survivor later! See page 26.

For example, Rick is engaged in

melee with three Walkers. He has no
melee weapon, and thus only rolls
. The Walkers roll a total of 6
(1+2+3=6)! Rick has a tough fight
ahead.

Multiple Melee
The rules above assume that only
two sides are involved in the combat
Survivors vs. Walkers, or Survivors
vs. Survivors. If there is a three-sided
combat, however, where both
players have models fighting
Walkers in the same melee, their
attacks are treated slightly
differently.
To keep things simple, Walkers do
not fight as a side in their own right
when joining a fight between rival
Survivors. Instead, Walkers add their
24

dice to one of the Survivor sides

melee rolls. In a three-sided combat,
Walkers do not gain the Walkers
Outnumbering special rule.

Defending Barriers
Any model in base contact with the
long edge of a barrier is in melee
with any enemy on the other side of
the barrier (touching the opposite
yellow border).

When Walkers are in base contact

with Survivors from just one side,
their attack dice are added to the
opposing sides roll. When both sides
are in contact with Walkers, the
player with Initiative chooses who
each Walker attacks this turn.

To gain a bonus for defending a

barrier, eligible models must choose
to defend in combat. While
defending a barrier, the model adds
to its defence roll. Note that
models do not gain the defence
bonus if they are also attacked from
behind (with no barrier between
themselves and the attacker).

A side that benefits from Walkers

attack dice cannot choose to defend.
If for any reason any of them must
defend (having just fired a Handgun
for example), the Walker will attack
as normal and the defending
Survivors will roll no dice.

If models on both sides are able to

defend a barrier, the player with
Initiative must declare their intent to
do so first. As always, if both sides
choose to defend, no blows are
struck.

Prone Combatants
If an attacker is not engaged in
melee with any standing opponents,
it may instead make a melee attack
roll against a prone model that it is
in contact with. The prone model
may not attack back, but may defend
(even if it is a Walker). If the attacker
beats the defence roll of the prone
model, the prone model is removed
from play immediately.

Although they may fight in melee,

Survivors behind barriers are not
considered to be in base contact
with enemies on the other side of
the barrier for movement purposes.
They may move away from enemy
models touching the same barrier in
their Movement phase as normal.

Although they can be attacked if

they are in contact during the Melee
phase, prone models do not stop
enemy models from simply
disengaging and moving away during
their activation.

Walkers cannot defend barriers and

are considered engaged with
enemies on the other side.

25

5. The End Phase

End of Turn

Once all melee is over, its time to

see if any prone Walkers get back up
again, and see if infection starts to
set in for the bitten Survivors.

Any special rules in play that require

checks or effects at the end of the
turn should be applied now. If there
are several of these, players should
take it in turns to resolve them,
beginning with the player with
Initiative.

The Dead Return

The player with the Initiative
chooses each prone Walker in turn
and rolls for each. On a , the
Walker stands up, ready to act
normally next turn. On a blank, it
stays down.

The turn is now over. Start a new

turn, beginning with the Initiative
Phase on page 10.

Infection
Any Survivor model with the Bite
symbol showing on its health tracker
must test to see if anything nasty
happens to them. Begin with the
player with Initiative and alternate
until each player has tested for all of
his infected models.
Simply roll for each model that
has been bitten during the game. On
a , there is no effect, and the
Survivor shrugs off the injury for
now. On a blank however, the
Survivor loses 1 health point
immediately. If this roll results in
death, the Survivor is immediately
removed from play and replaced
with a prone Walker! All of the
models Equipment is lost, and the
Walker is treated just like any other
from this point on. Supply counters
are placed on the board where the
Survivor fell as detailed on page 14.
26

Survivor Groups
The following section provides
guidelines for shaping your
collection of miniatures and cards
into a hard-bitten group of Survivors.

Points Matches
Groups are chosen to a set points
limit, agreed in advance by the two
players. Simply select the Survivors
and Equipment you want to use,
using the points values printed on
the cards, with a total of no more
than the agreed limit.

If each group comprised around (but

no more than) 100 points of models,
we would refer to this as a 100point game, because both sides are
chosen to a 100-point limit.

We recommend sticking to nice,

round increments for your games:
100, 150, 250 points, and so on. A
100-point game can be usually be
played in less than an hour, while a
300 point game may take most of
the afternoon.

Group Limits
There are a few limits and
restrictions to what you can select.
Each group must abide by the
following rules:

their card. These models can

be chosen as part of any
group. However, others have
an allegiance to a particular
leader or location,
represented by their faction
symbol. A group can only
contain Survivors from a
single faction, as well as
neutral characters.
One model must be selected
as the group Leader (see
page 28).
You may never have more
than one version of the
same named character
(Officer Rick Grimes and
Veteran Rick Grimes, for
instance) in a group. Note
that in some games
opposing players may have
the same character in their
groups.
You may never purchase
more Equipment cards for a
model than its available item
slots allow.
Note dont forget to leave
room for any items that you
may need to pick up on the
board.
There may be other
restrictions listed on your
chosen cards.

Character Types
Each Survivor card will list a
character type. This feature serves as
a handy indicator of your Survivors
specialisms and group composition.
If you have lots of Bruisers, for

Many models in the game

are neutral, and will not
have a faction symbol on
27

example, then your group is geared

towards melee. A group with a good
mix of Character Types will be wellequipped to take on all-comers.

Orders may be given once per turn,

immediately before the Leader
performs any actions themselves,
and may be given to a single friendly
model in their Kill Zone that has not
yet acted. The Leader may not give
an order to themselves.

A characters type has no rules of its

own, but will interact with other
rules in the game. The Character
Types are as follows:

Roll . On a blank, there is no effect.

On a however, when the chosen
model is activated, it will gain one
extra Action in this Action phase,
following all of the usual rules.

Bruiser: Favours melee combat and

feats of strength.
Tactician: Best at threat
management and coordinated
efforts.

If the recipient of an order is of the

same type as the Leader (i.e.
Tactician, Bruiser etc.), do not roll
the model automatically gains the
extra Action.

Marksman: Favours ranged combat.

Support: Provides boosts, medical
aid or just moral support to the
group.

Unique Leader Abilities

Some Survivors make better leaders
than others, and change the way
your group plays on the tabletop by
virtue of their unique leadership
style. This is represented by the
Leader Ability listed on their Survivor
card. This ability only applies if that
Survivor is chosen as your group
Leader; otherwise it is ignored.

Runner: An expert scavenger, quick

on their feet.

The Group Leader

Every group needs someone to lead
it: you must nominate one model
from your collection as the Leader.
Even in small groups that do not
have an obvious Leader, one
Survivor always steps forward to
take charge.

Issuing Orders
All Leaders have a special rule that
allows them to issue orders to
friendly models, potentially granting
them extra actions for the turn.
28

during a game unless some special

rule specifically allows it.

Scenarios
Games of The Walking Dead: All Out
War Miniatures Game are structured
around scenarios, which provide a
variety of gaming set-ups, special
deployments and victory conditions.

Victory Conditions
Every scenario lists the criteria you
must achieve in order to win the
game. This might be as simple as
wiping out the opposing Survivor
group, or scoring points by inflicting
casualties and grabbing supplies.

If youre new to the game, we highly

recommend playing through the
scenarios presented in the Quick
Start Guide, using the models and
cards provided in this boxed set.
Later, as your experience and
collection of models grows, try out
the additional rules presented here
to choose your own groups.
Each scenario will list any required
models or scenery along with
instructions on how to set
everything up ready to play.

The Gaming Area

You will need a flat surface on which
to place The Walking Dead: All Out
War game board. The board is often
referred to as the gaming area. As
your collection grows, you might find
that you need a larger board to
accommodate the extra action! We
recommend the following sizes:
GAME SIZE
Up to 300
points
301+ points

GAMING AREA
20" square
40" x 20"

A note on boundaries: The edge of

the gaming area cannot be passed
29

1. Scenery

Scenario: The Walking

Dead

For each full 20" square section of

board you are using, you will need 4
Wrecked Cars and 6 Barriers.

This scenario is a generic set of rules

that can be used for games of all
sizes. Narrative scenarios or games
with alternative objectives can be
found in future expansions.

Divide the scenery evenly between

the players. Beginning with the
player with Initiative, take it in turns
to place the pieces in the gaming
area in the following order. No
scenery piece may be placed in the
dead centre of the board.

Two groups have located a large

cache of potentially invaluable
resources, and will stop at nothing to
claim the supplies for themselves.
Unfortunately, the resources are in
the midst of a swarm of Walkers,
and reaching them will be far from
easy

Wrecked Cars must be placed in the

Walker zone (see map [at least 5"
from the Survivor deployment
edges]), and cannot be within 2" of
each other or of the board edges.

Survivor Groups
Barriers must be placed outside the
Walker zone, and may not be placed
within 2" of any other scenery piece.

Before the game, the players must

agree on a points limit to play to.
They then each select Survivors and
Equipment totalling no more than
this limit, as described on page 27.

2. Walkers
You will need a number of Walker
models chosen to the same points
limit as the game, rounding fractions
up. Walkers are 15 points per model,
so in a 50-point game you would
need 4 Walkers, while in a 300-point
game you would need 20. This boxed
set contains 12 Walkers, for games
up to 180 points.

Setup Initiative
One player should roll . On a ,
they have Initiative for the setup
part of the scenario. This is used to
determine elements of the game
setup, described below.

Setup Instructions

Walkers can be placed anywhere in

the Walker Zone, but not within 2"
of each other and not in the dead
centre of the board. Beginning with
the player with Initiative, players

Insert map with captions, showing

Survivor deployment edges (long
edges if a bigger board) and walker
deployment zone.
30

take it in turns to place Walker

models until they are all deployed.

Game Length
The game lasts until one of the
Victory Conditions below has been
met, or at the end of any turn in
which the Threat Tracker is at
maximum.

3. Supplies
The players must place nine supply
counters on the board as follows:

First of all, place one supply

counter in the dead centre
of the board.
Next, place a supply counter
in each wrecked car.
Finally, beginning with the
Player with Initiative, take it
in turns to place the
remaining counters. These
must be placed within the
Walker Zone, but not within
2" of another counter.

Victory Conditions
The aim of the game is to collect the
most resources. The size of the game
you are playing determines the
number of supply counters needed
to win.
GAME SIZE
Up to 100
points
101-250 points
251+ points

COUNTERS
5
6
7

4. Survivors
If, at the end of a turn, one group
acquires the required number of
supply counters, that side wins. If
nobody has claimed the requisite
number of supply counters by the
time the Threat Tracker reaches
maximum, the player with the most
at that point is the winner. If both
players have the same number of
counters, the game is a draw.

The player with Initiative chooses a

deployment edge and positions the
first of their models so that its base
is touching any point along that
edge. The other player then
positions one of their own models so
that its base is touching any point
along the opposite deployment
edge, as shown on the scenario map.
Players alternate deploying their
models until they are all deployed.

If one group is wiped out before

either can achieve the objective,
then the surviving group wins by
default!

Set Threat Level

Position the Threat Tracker to one
side of the board, and point the
arrow towards position 1.

31

Handgun: These weapons may be

fired at the start of melee, as
described on page 21.

Reference
Ranged Weapon Keywords

Multiple Shots (X): The number in

brackets is the maximum number of
shots this weapon may fire as a
single Action.

Armour Piercing: The target must

deduct one die of their choice from
their defence roll when targeted by
this weapon.

Reliable: Ignore the first failed

ammo roll this weapon suffers in the
game.

Assault: when firing Multiple Shots

with an Assault weapon, the shots
do not have to be allocated against
the same target. Instead, shots after
the first whether or not it was
successful may target any model
within the Kill Zone of the original
target that is within range.

Rifle: Rifles may fire up to a range of

30. In addition, you can aim, and
add to the ranged attack roll
when firing this weapon. However,
doing so will use two of your actions
instead of one.

Blast: You may not add your Shoot

value to a Blast weapons ranged
attack roll. Centre the Kill Zone
template on the target. Any model,
friend or foe, even partially touched
by the template is hit. Roll the attack
dice for each target separately.
MAYHEM is calculated from the
initial target, not the shooter.

Shotgun: After successfully

damaging a target up to 6 away,
Shotguns add to the number of
health points lost. However,
Shotguns cannot cause Headshots at
ranges greater than 6 any !
symbols rolled when firing at a
target over 6" away are ignored.

Deadly Precision: You can choose to

aim, and add to the ranged attack
roll when firing this weapon.
However, doing so will use two of
your actions instead of one. This rule
replaces the bonus dice for Rifles.

Unreliable: Roll after resolving

each shot with this weapon. On a ,
the weapon jams and may not be
used for the rest of the game.

Melee Weapon Keywords

Forceful: When firing at Point Blank

range, any model wounded by this
weapon, but not killed, is laid prone.

Bludgeon: After winning a melee,

roll for each surviving enemy. On
a , the enemy model is laid prone.

32

Bulky: This weapon takes up both

hand Item slots when in use, but
only one Pack slot.
Chain: If your model has both hand
item slots taken up by weapons with
the Chain keyword, they use both
weapons to unleash a flurry of
blows. You must choose just one
weapon to attack with as normal.
However, the presence of a second
Chain weapon allows the Survivor to
reroll one of the dice from the melee
attack roll.
Sharp: When using this weapon, roll
after winning a combat with a
melee attack roll. On a , your
enemy loses 1 extra health point.
Stun: One Survivor wounded by this
weapon but not killed is laid prone.

Other Keywords
Attachment (X): An item with this
keyword can be attached to an item
of the type X, and will no longer take
up an item slot of its own. It can be
attached when equipped or with a
Swap Items Action, and removed
again with a further Swap Items
Action. Tuck it slightly under the
attached card to show it is attached.

33