Alright, let's dive into the dark and epic world of Legions Imperialis! This game is all about massive battles in the Age of Darkness, fought on a grand scale, and Games Workshop have just revealed the backbone of the core rules over on Warhammer Community.

When you muster an army, you start by choosing your side – are you a loyalist or a traitor? Your allegiance will have some influence on your choices, of course. Then you'll pick your Primary Army List, the force from which you'll grab at least 70% of your units. Right now, it's either Legiones Astartes or Solar Auxilia, but hey, more factions might join the party in the future!

With your forces assembled, you've got two main components to play with: Formations and Detachments. Detachments are like the foundation of your army – you know, infantry platoons, tank squadrons, artillery batteries, and the ominous banners of Knights. Formations are larger strategic groupings of Detachments, and you'll need at least one Formation from your Primary Army List for every 1,500 points of the agreed limit. So, for 3,000 points, you better have (at least) two Formations in your wicked collection.

Speaking of wickedness, the Legion Demi-Company is the most flexible Formation for Legiones Astartes, but there's a bunch of others to choose from, like the specialized Legion Armoured Company and Legion Aerial Assault. Oh, and you can amp up your darkness by adding up to 30% of your points on Allied Contingents – other forces like Knight Households and Titans. But, we'll get into that in another spooky tale.

Now, when the game's in full swing, each round goes through five phases. Both players get their turn in each phase, taking turns to activate their Detachments in Initiative order, based on hidden Orders they've pre-assigned.

It gets mysterious when players assign Orders with tokens placed face down beside their Detachments. After a spooky simultaneous and secret reveal, the truth comes to light. Four main Orders – First Fire, Advance, March, and Charge – plus the desperate Fall Back when units are taking a real beating.

Moving and combat come in two phases, and players activate their Detachments one by one, following their Orders. Advance is pretty flexible, allowing movement and shooting. March gets a Detachment moving double its normal speed – triple if it's all infantry – but no shooting allowed. Charge gets a single movement, or a double if it brings the Detachment into contact with the enemy. Detachments with First Fire can't move but get to shoot first. And the dreaded Fall Back Order stops a Detachment from moving, forcing it to retreat later.

Now, it's time for the ominous dance of Combat, divided into three parts: First Fire, Engagement, and Advancing Fire. Detachments with First Fire shoot first, then close combat unfolds, followed by everyone else getting their shots.

Shooting works like most Warhammer games – you got your range, dice, target number for the Hit roll, Armor Penetration value, and Traits for some extra spookiness. Pick your target, roll the dice, apply modifiers, and count your hits. For each hit, the model gets a Save – but beware the dark power of Traits, giving each weapon its unique role in this dreadful realm.

Now, when it comes to combat, it's got its own twist. It's an echo of ancient epic games, where individual models face off against each other. They make Fight rolls with 2D6, adding their Close Assault Factor (CAF) to the roll. Charging models get a bonus, and the loser takes a Wound, no saving throws allowed – it's deadly stuff, even tanks can get overrun!

In the eerie case of uneven numbers, you've got to "pair off" your models with multiple enemies each. Your outnumbered models fight each foe individually, while your opponent rolls an extra D6 for each round of combat they've already fought. So, even the mightiest warriors can get worn down if you don't support them properly. Dark times indeed!

Now, venture forth into the shadowy realm of Legions Imperialis, where monumental battles await, and every move can shape your fate in the haunting Age of Darkness. Unleash your wicked strategies, embrace the dark symphony of war, and conquer the grand and epic scale of this gothic gaming experience!

Legions Imperialis will be available for pre-order soon.