A ship can fire its weapons during the opposing player's movement
phase and during its own combat phase. Weapons cannot be fired at
any other time during the turn.
Range
Before firing any weapons. the player that is attacking must count
the range from the attacking ship to its target. To find the range,
count the number of hexes in the shortest path between the
attacking ship and the target sh ip. Count the hex the target ship is
in, but not the hex the attacking ship is in. Weapons cannot be fired
at targets beyond a certain range. and some weapons become less
effective at long ranges; see Weapon Systems for more information.
EXAMPLE: The range from Ship A to Ship B in the illustration is five
hexes.
Fields of Fire
Laser batteries, torpedos and rocket batteries can be fired in any
direction. Laser cannons and assault rockets can only be fired
straight ahead of the firing ship. Laser cannons and assault rockets
are called Forward Firing Weapons. Forward firing weapons can be
fired at any target inside the three-hexwide area outlined in the
diagram. (The weapons are not limited to the range shown in the
diagram. The field of fire extends to the limit of the weapon's range.
Targets in the central row of hexes are easier to hit; see Head-On
Shots.)
If a moving ship enters a hex containing an enemy ship. the moving
ship may always use its FF weapons against that enemy ship. The
enemy ship, however, may only use an FF weapon for defensive fire
if the last hex the moving ship was in before entering the enemy's
hex was in the enemy ship's forward field of fire.
Aiming Weapons
A player must announce which weapons he is using and which
targets he will use them against before the dice are rolled to resolve
any attacks. If a target is destroyed by the first few shots, any other
weapons the player had aimed at that target must be fired, even
though there is nothing for them to hit. The attacker cannot shift
these weapons to a new target once they are aimed. If these wasted
shots include torpedo or rocket fire, these weapons are fired and
must be crossed off the attacking ship's record sheet.
EXAMPLE: A player announces he will fire five weapons - two lasers,
two torpedos and a rocket battery - at an enemy. The lasers and one
torpedo are enough to destroy the target. The second torpedo and the
rocket battery are wasted shots, because their target is already
destroyed.
Combat Procedure
When a player wants to shoot at an enemy ship, he must use the
Combat Table. Find the row on the Combat Table that lists the
weapon being fired, and the column that lists the defensive system
being used by the target ship. The number that is printed at the
intersection of the weapon's row and the defense's column is the
attacker's percentage chance to hit the target. If the attacker rolls
this number or less on d1OO, the target ship has been hit. If the
target ship has more than one defensive system operating, the
defense that is most effective against the attacking weapon is used.
EXAMPLE: A laser battery is being fired at a ship that has a reflective
hull. According to the Combat Table, the laser battery has a 50%
chance to hit its target. The attacking player rolls d100 and the result
is 26. This number is less than or equal to 50, so the laser hits the
ship. If the ship had a masking screen, the laser battery would have
had only a 1O% chance to hit, and a roll of 26 would have missed.
Attack Modifiers
A ship's percentage chance to hit its target can be modified by
several factors. These are explained below.
Head-On Shots. If a forward-firing weapon is used against a target in the center row
of the three-hex firing area, the attacker can add lO% to his chance to
hit. This central row is shown in the Forward Field of Fire diagram.
If a ship with a forward-firing weapon enters the same hex its target is
in. the attacking ship automatically gets the head-on bonus.
Range Diffusion. Laser cannons and laser batteries become less effective at longer
ranges. The attacker's chance to hit his target with a laser weapon is
reduced by 5% x the range to the target.
EXAMPLE: A ship is firing its laser cannon at an enemy ship that is
four hexes away. The target ship has a reflective hull, so the
attacker's base chance to hit is 60%. The attacker is making a head-
on shot, increasing the chance to 70%. This is reduced by (4 x 5% =)
20% because of the range. The attacker will hit the enemy ship on a
d100 roll of (70-20=) 50 or less.
Evasive Maneuvers. Fighters and assault scouts have a special
defensive ability. Because they are small and maneuverable, these
types of ships can try to dodge torpedos that have been launched at
them. The player controlling the ship under attack must declare
that he is taking evasive action. The MR of the evading ship is then
multiplied by 5% and the result is subtracted from the torpedo's
percentage chance to hit.
If the evading ship is not destroyed by the torpedo, it must turn in
every hex it enters during its next move. until its MR is used up. The
ship must move a number of hexes equal to or greater than its MR on
its next turn; it cannot evade by staying in its hex and rotating. An
evading ship can zig-zag or move in a circle.
Rate of Fire
Laser cannons, laser batteries and rocket batteries can be fired
during both the controlling player's combat phase and during his
opponent's combat phase. Torpedos and assault rockets can be fired
only during the controlling player's combat phase. A ship with more
than one torpedo, assault rocket or rocket battery can fire each only
once per turn. For example, a ship with four torpedos and two rocket
batteries can fire only one torpedo and one rocket battery per turn.
Automatic Hits and Misses
If a target is within a weapon's maximum range, a dl100 roll of 5 or
less always will hit the target, even if the attack's chance to hit was
modified to O by range, evasion or other factors. Similarly, a d100
roll of 96 or more will always miss, even if the attack's chance to hit
was modified above 100%.
Defensive Attacks
The non-moving player can shoot at his opponent's ships at the start
of his opponent's combat phase. Moving ships can be shot at in any
hex they moved through during their move. No shots are resolved
until after all ships have finished moving. At that time, the non-
moving player can shoot at any of his opponent's ships as if they
were in any hex they moved through during the turn. The non-
moving player can place upsidedown counters in hexes his
opponent's ships move through, so he will remember where the
opposing ships traveled.
Laser cannons, laser batteries and rocket batteries can be fired
defensively at the start of the moving player's combat phase.
Torpedos and assault rockets cannot be launched at this time; they
can be used only during the player's own combat phase.
Ship Damage
If a weapon hits its target, the player who made the attack must roll
dice to determine how many points of damage the attack caused. The
number of dice rolled depends on the weapon used; this information
is listed on the Combat Table.
Each ship has a number of Hull Points. When a ship is hit, the
number of points of damage caused by the attack is subtracted from
the ship's hull points. When all of the ship's hull points are gone, the
ship is destroyed and immediately removed from the map.
EXAMPLE: An assault scout has 15 hull points. In one turn it is hit by
a rocket battery (2d1O points of damage). The attacking player rolls
2d1O and gets a total of 11 points of damage. The defending player
subtracts 11 from his ship's 15 hull points, leaving it with 4 hull
points. On the next turn, the ship is hit by a laser battery (1d10
points of damage). This attack causes 6 points of damage. This
damage reduces the ship's hull points to O or less, so the ship is
destroyed and the player removes it from the map.
Weapon Systems
The following weapons are used in the Basic Game. The abbreviations
listed after the weapon name are explained at the end of the weapon
list.
Laser Cannon - FF / RD / Range: 10 / Damage: 2d10
A laser cannon is a large weapon that is mounted on the bow of a
spaceship. It fires an intense, concentrated beam of light.
Laser Battery - RD / Range: 9 / Damage: 1d10
A laser battery is a cluster of very small laser cannons mounted in a
rotating turret. It can fire in any direction, but is not as powerful as a
laser cannon.
Torpedo - MPO / LTD / Range: 4 / Damage: 4d10
A torpedo is a self-guided nuclear bomb that homes in on its target
after it is launched. Torpedos are propelled by prolonged fission
reactions which enable them to travel at tremendous speeds. A ship
can carry only a limited number of torpedos, and these must be
marked off the ship's record sheet as they are used.
Assault Rockets - MPO / FF / LTD / Range: 4 / Damage: 2d1O+4
Assault rockets usually are carried by fighters and other small ships.
They can be launched at a target during the owning player's combat
phase. Assault rockets are powered by a brief fusion reaction which
causes them to fly even faster than torpedos. Unlike torpedos,
however, assault rockets are not guided missiles. They rely on their
tremendous speed to hit their target before it can dodge away. A
ship can carry only a limited supply, so assault rockets must be
marked off the ship's record sheet as they are fired.
Rocket Battery - LTD / Range: 3 / Damage: 2d10
A rocket battery is a cluster of small rocket launchers. These rockets
are much smaller than assault rockets, but they cause nearly as
much damage as an assault rocket because many rockets are fired
together. Like torpedos and assault rockets, rocket batteries must be
marked off the ship's record sheet as they are fired.
Explanation of Terms
FF --- Forward-firing weapon
MPO --- Moving Player Only. MPO weapons can be fired only during
the attacking player's combat phase.
RD --- Range Diffusion. The accuracy of RD weapons is reduced by 5% x
the range to the target.
LTD --- Limited Supply. A ship can carry only a limited supply of these
weapons. They must be marked off the ship's record sheet as they
are fired.
Range: # --- The weapon can be used only against targets within the
listed range of hexes.
Damage: #d10-- - This is the number of 1 O-sided dice that are rolled
to determine how many points of damage are caused by a successful
attack.
Defensive Systems
The following types of spaceship defenses are available in the Basic
Game. If a ship has more than one defensive system, an attack's
chance to hit is calculated against the most effective defense.
Reflective Hull. This is mirror-Iike paint that is sprayed onto a ship's
hull. It will often cause a laser beam to bounce off the ship without
causing any damage. A reflective hull is the most common defense on
spaceships.
Masking Screen.
A masking screen is created when a ship releases a cloud of water
vapor into space. The vapor crystalizes a nd forms a protective cloud
surrounding the ship. Besides making the ship more difficult to hit, a
masking screen absorbs energy from a laser. If a ship is hit by a
laser while inside a masking screen, the amount of damage that is
rolled is divided in half (fractions are rounded up). The result is the
number of damage points inflicted on the target ship. A masking
screen has exactly the same effect on a laser fired out of the screen
as it does on a laser fired into the screen. If a ship surrounded by a
masking screen fires its lasers, resolve the attack as if the defending
ship is masked.
To indicate that a ship is using a masking screen, place a screen
counter on top of the ship counter.This screen counter stays on top of
the ship as long as the ship travels in a straight line at its current
speed. If a ship or space station in orbit around a planet creates a
masking screen, the screen will last through one complete orbit. The
hex the ship or station was in when the screen was created should be
marked with an upside-down counter, so players will know when
one orbit is finished. A ship can carry only a limited number of
masking screens. These must be marked off the ship's record sheet
as they are used. When all of them are used, the ship cannot create
any more masking screens.
Interceptor Missiles (ICM).
Interceptor missiles are small missiles that can be fired at incoming
torpedos, assauIt rockets and rocket battery barrages. Before the
torpedo or rocket attack is resolved, the player controlling the target
ship can declare that it is launching ICMs. The player must declare
how many ICMs the ship is using. The attack's chance to hit is
determined as if the attack was hitting a reflective hull or a masking
screen, whichever the ship is using. The number of ICMs launched by
the target ship is multiplied by the modifier on the Combat Table,
and the result is subtracted from the attack's chance to hit.
EXAMPLE: A torpedo is launched at a ship with a reflective hull. The
player that controls the target ship announces that it wiII fire two of
its ICMs in defense. The torpedonormaIly has a 70% chance to hit,
but each of the ICMs lowers this by lO%. The torpedo's final chance to
hit is !70 - 20 =) 50%. A ship carries a limited number of ICMs.
Whenever one is used. it must be checked off the ship's record sheet.
ICMs can defend onlv the ship that launched them.
COMBAT TABLE | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Weapons | Defenses | Damage | ||
Reflective Hull | Masking Screen | ICM | ||
Laser Cannon | 60% | 20%* | --- | 2d10 |
Laser Battery | 50% | 10%* | --- | 1d10 |
Torpedo | 70% | 70% | -10%/lCM | 4d10 |
Assault Rocket | 60% | 60% | -5%/ICM | 2d10+4 |
Rocket Battery | 40% | 40% | -3%/lCM | 2d10 |
* The target ship takes only,one-half damage (round fractions down) if it is hit. | ||||
WEAPON RESTRICTIONS TABLE | ||||
Weapon | Restrictions | Range | ||
Laser Cannon | FF, RD | 10 | ||
Laser Battery | RD | 9 | ||
Torpedo | MPO, LTD | 4 | ||
Assault Rocket | MPO, LTD, FF | 4 | ||
Rocket Battery | LTD | 3 | ||