Rule Question 1:
the rules state that a hero can only use one armor and one weapon in a duel. If a hero has multiple revealed weapon and armour reward cards, does he have to decide at the beginning of the duel which armour and weapon he will use, or can he wait until later on in the duel to pick one, to adjust to the results of the early duel rounds?

OFFICIAL ANSWER: Once a hero has used a weapon or armor in battle, he may not use a different weapon or armor. He does NOT need to decide which ones to use at the start of the battle.

Rule Question 2:
During the winter season, is the food/unit limitation a one time event, or persistent through the season?
ie. after resolving the season card secondary ability, can you choose to play a recruit order and then build a number of units greater than the amount of food you have?

OFFICIAL ANSWER: The food limit in winter only occurs ONCE during this season. Once resolved, you do not need to worry about the food limit until the following winter.

Rule Question 3:
Played our first "learning game" of Runewars tonight, and one thing that came up; Say I have 8 units in an area, and am attacked. The necromancers draw two special ability cards, resulting in the creation of four more units of reanimated dudes.

1) Do these new units not get created because of the normal limit of 8?

2) If 1), would it have made a difference if I were the attacker, since the attacker can exceed the normal limit of 8?

3) If not 1), Do these units immediately get destroyed at the end of the battle, or do I have until the beginning of winter to disperse them?

4) Would the new units get created, but I would immediately be forced to destroy all units in excess of 8 as per the movement rules?

OFFICIAL ANSWER: The units are created, however the player will need to obey the stacking limit of 8 at the end of the battle (possibly killing his own units).

Rule Question 4:
In regards to Rallying Cry, the tactic, which lets you unrout 4 units
if someo ne attacks your territory, where you have 4 routed units, can you play the card then to unrout the units? or is it too late

OFFICIAL ANSWER: Yes, you CAN use the Rallying Cry ability to unroute units at the start of the battle (and therefore allow them to participate).

Awesome!

The rally cry is not the letter of the law that was being discussed, but is a much more interesting decision imo. I am glad the ruling is as it come down. Thanks!

Asylur said:

The ruling on Rally Cry makes sense within the context of the rules. Determining which units will fight is part of a battle, you play the card in a battle, thus it works.

In my latest batch-o-questions, I asked the same question about Rally Cry, and got the same answer. The "rules justification" used in my response was that Step 1 and Step 2 of the Battle rules are still part of the battle, and thus you could play it at that point and have them added to the battle.

He didn't mention either way about playing Rally Cry mid-battle on those units, though.

sigmazero13 said:

Since Rally Cry specifically states that you can play it "during battle" I assume that's an automatic Yes.

This card has become a very versatile one.

You can use it to surprise an attacking foe or to change the outcome of a battle and anything in between.

I wouldn't say it's an "automatic yes" - it does say to play it during battle, but the issue wasn't so much "can you play it during battle" as "do the just-unrouted figures get added to the battle, or do they stay on the map?" Corey's answer to me clarifies that if you play it in step 1 or step 2, then obviously. But it doesn't really address "what happens if I play it later".

In fact, based on Corey's response to my question and the OP's question, Rally Cry would ONLY work for previously-routed units in this situation if you play it at the BEGINNING of battle.

IE, it lets you stand them up before you place them next to your faction sheet (and thus, not leave them on the map). But it doesn't say that if you play it LATER (ie, right before the Strength Check) that those units could be added to the battle. Stood up, sure, but not added. And again, Corey's answer to my question and the OP's question both indicate "beginning of battle" - not mid-battle.

Here's a clarification I would add.

If used at the beginning, you could stand up routed units and add them to the battle (i.e. Corey's ruling). Once battle had started (to me fate cards are being drawn), you can not ADD units to the battle that were routed at the start of battle. Those units can not be targetted by either player's special abilities, be assigned damage (if the whole army is routed), etc.

You COULD in the middle of battle play the card and stand up routed units that are IN THIS BATTLE and got routed during battle and they would be able to draw fate cards (if they had not already), count for combat resolution, etc.

Does that sound right?

That sounds right to me.