Scenario Overview

Scenario Type	Arena Scenario #1: 1v1 Deathmatch
Factions	Church of Absolution vs Dwarven Forge-Guilds
Map Size	12×12 hex grid
Estimated Playtime	45-60 minutes (30-45 for experienced players)
Difficulty	Beginner-Friendly (Core Mechanics Tutorial)
Victory Condition	Reduce opponent to 0 HP OR force 4+ deck reshuffles
Status	Playtest Ready

Scenario Description

The Proving Grounds is a classic arena deathmatch designed to teach the core combat mechanics of Penance. Two Caskets face off on a 12×12 hex battlefield featuring varied terrain...forests for cover, rubble for defensive positioning, water for Heat management, and elevated platforms for tactical advantage.

This scenario emphasizes fundamentals: SP economy (when to spend, when to save), Heat management (risking overload for power), deck cycling (when to reshuffle), and component damage tracking. Players learn how terrain modifiers, facing angles, and reactive cards create tactical depth through actual play rather than rules study.

After playing this scenario 2-3 times, players should understand all core mechanics and be ready for more complex objective-based scenarios.

Map Features & Terrain

Terrain Type	Hexes	Movement Cost	Effects
Forest (F)	8	1 SP per hex	+1 Defense when standing in hex. Blocks LOS if 2+ forest hexes in a row.
Rubble (R)	8	2 SP per hex	+1 Defense when standing in hex. Difficult terrain. Does not block LOS.
Water/Mud (W)	20	2 SP per hex	Difficult terrain. If you end turn standing in water, remove 1 Heat.
Elevation 1 (E1)	4	3 SP to climb	+1 damage to attacks FROM this hex. Ignore cover when attacking from here.
Elevation 2 (E2)	4	5 SP from ground, 3 SP from E1	+2 damage, +1 Range to attacks FROM this hex. Ignore cover. Commanding view.
Clear Ground	Rest	1 SP per hex	No modifiers. Standard open battlefield.

Tactical Terrain Notes

• Water Zones: Central water hexes create natural chokepoints. Costs 2 SP to cross but removes Heat...perfect for Heat-heavy Dwarven builds.
• Elevation Advantage: Elevation 2 hexes grant +2 damage and ignore cover, making them powerful sniper positions. However, climbing costs 5 SP from ground level...your entire turn for slow Caskets.
• Forest Cover: LOS blocking requires 2+ consecutive forest hexes. Single forest hex provides +1 Defense but doesn't block LOS.
• Rubble Positioning: Difficult terrain (2 SP per hex) discourages rapid movement through rubble zones, but +1 Defense makes them valuable defensive positions.

Deployment

Deployment Zones

Faction	Zone	Terrain Features
Church of Absolution	Top-left quadrant (rows 1-3, columns 1-3)	Forest (2 hexes), Rubble (3 hexes), Clear (4 hexes)
Dwarven Forge-Guilds	Bottom-right quadrant (rows 10-12, columns 10-12)	Forest (2 hexes), Rubble (3 hexes), Clear (4 hexes)

Deployment Procedure

1. Roll Initiative: Both players roll 1d6. Higher roll chooses who deploys first.
2. First Player Deploys: Place Casket in any hex within their deployment zone. Choose initial facing (Front/Weapon/Shield/Rear arcs).
3. Second Player Deploys: Place Casket in their deployment zone. Choose initial facing.
4. First Player Takes Turn 1: The player who deployed first begins the game.

Pre-Built Decks

Church: "Martyr's Fury" (Aggressive Striker)

Casket Class	Assault (Medium Frame - 5 SP per turn)
Total Deck Size	29 cards (10 Universal + 6 Faction + 11 Equipment + 2 Tactics)
Starting HP	29 HP (1 card = 1 HP)
Playstyle	Aggressive martyr striker focusing on burst damage through self-harm

Deck Composition (Default - Includes Team Cards):

Universal Core (10 cards - Mandatory):

• Move ×3 (1 SP, Move 2 hexes)
• Sprint ×2 (2 SP, Move 4 hexes, +1 Heat)
• Brace ×2 (1 SP, +2 Defense until next turn)
• Disengage ×1 (1 SP, Move 2 hexes, ignore attacks of opportunity)
• Focus ×1 (0 SP, Draw 1 card)
• Emergency Repair ×1 (3 SP, Recover 3 cards from discard)

Church Faction Core (6 cards - Mandatory):

• Blood Offering ×1 (0 SP, Discard 2 cards, next attack +3 damage, ignore 1 Defense)
• Martyrdom Protocol ×1 (0 SP Reactive, Redirect damage from ally to yourself) [USELESS IN 1v1]
• Righteous Fury ×1 (Passive, +1 damage per enemy killed - permanent)
• Divine Judgment ×1 (4 SP, Deal 8 damage, ignore 1 Defense)
• Consecrated Ground ×1 (3 SP, Create 3-hex healing zone) [WEAK IN 1v1]
• Last Rites ×1 (0 SP Reactive, When ally destroyed, recover 5 cards) [USELESS IN 1v1]

Equipment - Longsword (6 cards):

• Slash ×2 (2 SP, Melee, Deal 4 damage)
• Thrust ×1 (2 SP, Melee, Deal 3 damage, +2 damage if attacking front arc)
• Parry ×1 (0 SP Reactive, Reduce damage by 2, next attack +1 damage)
• Riposte ×1 (1 SP Reactive, When attacked in melee, deal 3 damage to attacker)
• Guard Stance ×1 (1 SP, +2 Defense until next turn)

Equipment - Buckler Shield (2 cards):

• Deflect ×1 (0 SP Reactive, Reduce damage by 2)
• Shield Bash ×1 (2 SP, Melee, Deal 2 damage, push target 1 hex)

Equipment - Martyr's Brand Sigil (3 cards, Church-Exclusive):

• Martyr's Blessing ×1 (Passive, When you use Blood Offering, gain +1 Defense until next turn)
• Sacred Wound ×1 (2 SP, Discard 1 card, all allies gain +1 damage this turn) [USELESS IN 1v1]
• Zealot's Fervor ×1 (Passive, When below 15 HP, all attacks deal +1 damage)

Tactics (2 cards - Choose from faction list):

• Flagellant's Zeal ×1 (0 SP, Once per mission: Gain +5 SP this turn, take 3 damage)
• Crusader's Vow ×1 (Passive, All attack cards cost -1 SP, minimum 1 SP)

Church: "Martyr's Fury" - OPTIMIZED FOR 1v1

Card Replacements for 1v1:

Church Faction Core Changes:

• REMOVE: Martyrdom Protocol → ADD: Smite (2 SP, Deal 5 damage)
• REMOVE: Last Rites → ADD: Holy Retribution (1 SP Reactive, When damaged, deal 2 damage to attacker)
• REMOVE: Consecrated Ground → ADD: Zealot Strike (3 SP, Deal 6 damage, +2 if below 15 HP)

Equipment Changes:

• REMOVE: Sacred Wound (Martyr's Brand) → ADD: Martyr's Resolve (1 SP, Discard 1 card, +2 Defense until next turn)

Complete Optimized Deck (29 cards):

• Universal Core: 10 cards (unchanged)
• Church Faction Core: Blood Offering, Smite, Righteous Fury, Divine Judgment, Zealot Strike, Holy Retribution
• Longsword: 6 cards (unchanged)
• Buckler Shield: 2 cards (unchanged)
• Martyr's Brand: Martyr's Blessing, Martyr's Resolve, Zealot's Fervor
• Tactics: 2 cards (unchanged)

Dwarves: "Immovable Wall" (Defensive Tank)

Casket Class	Heavy (Heavy Frame - 4 SP per turn)
Total Deck Size	33 cards (12 Universal + 6 Faction + 13 Equipment + 2 Tactics)
Starting HP	33 HP (includes +2 from Stone Endurance)
Playstyle	Defensive fortress tank focusing on damage mitigation and attrition

Deck Composition (Default):

Universal Core (12 cards - includes +2 from Stone Endurance):

• Move ×4 (1 SP, Move 2 hexes)
• Sprint ×3 (2 SP, Move 4 hexes, +1 Heat)
• Brace ×2 (1 SP, +2 Defense until next turn)
• Disengage ×1 (1 SP, Move 2 hexes, ignore attacks of opportunity)
• Focus ×1 (0 SP, Draw 1 card)
• Emergency Repair ×1 (3 SP, Recover 3 cards from discard)

Dwarven Faction Core (6 cards - Mandatory):

• Runic Warhammer ×1 (3 SP, Melee, Deal 6 damage, ARMOR PIERCING)
• Forge-Ward ×1 (0 SP Reactive, Gain +2 Defense, generate 1 Rune Counter)
• Rune Counter System ×1 (Passive, Reduce damage by 1 per Rune Counter, max 5)
• Stone Endurance ×1 (Passive, +2 Universal Core cards, +2 max HP)
• Earthshaker ×1 (3 SP, Melee AOE, Deal 3 damage to all adjacent, push 1 hex) [INEFFICIENT IN 1v1]
• Unbreakable ×1 (1 SP Reactive, Reduce damage by 3)

Equipment - Warhammer (6 cards):

• Hammer Strike ×2 (2 SP, Melee, Deal 5 damage)
• Overhead Smash ×1 (3 SP, Melee, Deal 7 damage, +1 Heat)
• Hammer Block ×1 (1 SP Reactive, Reduce damage by 2, next attack +2 damage)
• Pommel Bash ×1 (1 SP, Melee, Deal 3 damage, target loses 1 SP next turn)
• Crushing Sweep ×1 (2 SP, Melee, Deal 4 damage + 2 damage to 1 adjacent enemy) [PARTIAL WASTE IN 1v1]

Equipment - Tower Shield (4 cards):

• Shield Wall ×1 (2 SP, +4 Defense until next turn, cannot move)
• Tower Defense ×1 (0 SP Reactive, Reduce damage by 3)
• Shield Advance ×1 (2 SP, Move 2 hexes, gain +2 Defense this turn)
• Bulwark Stance ×1 (1 SP, +2 Defense until next turn)

Equipment - Forge-Rune Sigil (3 cards, Dwarven-Exclusive):

• Runic Regeneration ×1 (Passive, When you gain a Rune Counter, recover 1 card from discard)
• Forge Heat ×1 (1 SP, Gain 2 Heat, +1 damage to next attack)
• Rune of Endurance ×1 (Passive, Max Rune Counters increased from 3 to 5)

Tactics (2 cards):

• Stone Endurance ×1 (Passive, +2 Universal Core cards, deck starts at 33 cards)
• Runic Overcharge ×1 (2 SP, Once per game: Gain 3 Rune Counters immediately)

Dwarves: "Immovable Wall" - OPTIMIZED FOR 1v1

Card Replacements for 1v1:

Dwarven Faction Core Changes:

• REMOVE: Earthshaker (3 SP, 3 damage AOE) → ADD: Runic Strike (3 SP, Deal 6 damage, generate 1 Rune Counter)

Equipment Changes:

• REMOVE: Crushing Sweep (2 SP, 4+2 split damage) → ADD: Armor Break (2 SP, Deal 4 damage, target loses 1 Defense until next turn)

Complete Optimized Deck (33 cards):

• Universal Core: 12 cards (unchanged)
• Dwarven Faction Core: Runic Warhammer, Forge-Ward, Rune Counter System, Stone Endurance, Runic Strike, Unbreakable
• Warhammer: Hammer Strike ×2, Overhead Smash, Hammer Block, Pommel Bash, Armor Break
• Tower Shield: 4 cards (unchanged)
• Forge-Rune Sigil: 3 cards (unchanged)
• Tactics: 2 cards (unchanged)

Learning Objectives

This scenario teaches the following core mechanics through actual play:

Mechanic	What You'll Learn
SP Economy	Balancing movement, attacks, and abilities within 4-5 SP per turn. When to save SP vs when to spend everything.
Heat Management	Risk/reward of high-Heat cards. Strain checks at 5+ Heat. Using water hexes to cool down.
Deck-as-HP System	Each card = 1 HP. Discarding cards = taking damage. Reshuffle mechanics add Damage cards (death spiral).
Component Damage	Tracking Primary Weapon cards discarded. 3 Component Damage = Component Destroyed (devastating effects).
Facing Modifiers	Rear arc attacks deal +3 damage. Positioning and flanking matter significantly.
Terrain Usage	Cover (+1 Defense), Elevation (+1/+2 damage), Difficult Terrain (extra SP cost).
Reactive Cards	0 SP interrupt abilities allow defense, counter-attacks, and repositioning during opponent's turn.
Death Spiral	How Damage cards accumulate after reshuffles, creating inevitable decline and endgame pressure.

Expected Game Flow

Phase	Turns	Duration	Description
Positioning Phase	1-3	10-15 min	Both players navigate terrain toward center. Church moves faster (5 SP), Dwarves slower (4 SP). Minimal combat. Establish positioning advantages.
First Engagement	4-6	10-15 min	First attacks land. Church uses Blood Offering for burst (8-10 damage). Dwarves build Rune Counters for defense. Initial HP exchange (4-6 damage per turn).
Brutal Exchange	7-10	15-20 min	Both sides trading heavy blows. Component Damage accumulating. Heat management critical. Terrain control decisive. First reshuffle likely.
Death Spiral	11-15	10-15 min	Decks contain Damage cards (dead draws). Component destruction occurs (arms, legs). Desperate ultimate abilities used. Winner emerges through superior attrition management.

Expected Winner: 51/49 Church favor (slightly more aggressive, can burst down Dwarves before attrition matters). However, skilled Dwarf players can outlast Church martyrdom through superior defense and Rune stacking.

Victory Conditions

Primary Victory: Reduce Opponent to 0 HP

When opponent's deck is empty AND they cannot reshuffle (discard pile also empty), they are defeated. This is the most common victory condition.

Secondary Victory: Death Spiral (4+ Reshuffles)

After 4 reshuffles, opponent's deck contains 26 real cards and 4 Damage cards (13% dead draws). At this point, most players concede as the death spiral becomes insurmountable.

Tertiary Victory: Concession

Either player may concede at any time if they determine victory is mathematically impossible or the situation is unwinnable.

Setup Checklist

Before starting, ensure you have prepared:

Materials Required:

• Map: Print or draw 12×12 hex map with terrain marked (use SVG map from this page)
• Church Deck: 29 cards shuffled, draw starting hand of 6
• Dwarven Deck: 33 cards shuffled, draw starting hand of 6
• Dice:
  • 2 Attack Dice (custom d6 with symbols, or regular 2d6)
  • 10+ Defense Dice (custom d6 with symbols, or regular d6)
  • 2d6 for Initiative rolls
• Tokens: Heat tracking, SP tracking, Rune Counters, Component Damage markers, Facing indicators
• Tracking Paper: Current HP, Damage cards in deck, Component Damage by location (Arms/Legs/Head/Chassis)
• Quick Reference Sheet: Combat resolution steps, component destruction effects, Heat Strain table