All of the spaceships used in the Basic Game are warships. Space
stations that serve as bases for these military vessels also are used.
All of the various types of ships and stations used in the Basic Game
are described below. Besides a short report about the ship, each
description includes the number of hull points the vessel has, the
types of weapons it can carry, how many limited supply weapons
(torpedos and rockets) it carries, the defensive systems built into the
ship and movement information.
Not all ships of the same type are identical. All ships of one type will
have the same ADF, MR and hull points. The weapon and defense
information, however, lists the maximum amount of equipment a
ship can carry. Many ships do not carry their maximum armament.
Fighters. Fighters are small, single-seat spaceships. They must be based on an
assault carrier or a space station. Fighters are fast and maneuverable.
but because they are small the only weapons they can carry are
three assault rockets. Their size also makes them easy to destroy.
A fighter that has fired all of its assault rockets can dock at a station or
assauIt carrier to rearm. In order to dock, the fighter must stop
(have a speed of O) in the same hex as the station or assault carrier.
To be rearmed, a fighter must spend one complete game turn on
board its station or carrier. If the fighter's base is attacked, the
fighter cannot be rearmed that turn. A fighter that is docked cannot
be attacked.
Hull Points: | 8 |
ADF: | 5 |
MR: | 5 |
Weapons: | 3 assault rockets |
Defenses: | reflective hull |
Assault Scout. Assault scouts are larger than fighters, and carry five crew members.
They are as fast as fighters, and are big enough to operate without a
base station or carrier. They are lightly armed and easily damaged,
however.
Like fighters, assauIt scouts can rearm at a space station.
They cannot be attacked while docked at the station. Assault scouts
cannot be rearmed at assault carriers.
Hull Points: | 15 |
ADF: | 5 |
MR: | 4 |
Weapons: | 4 assault rockets, laser battery |
Defenses: | reflective hull |
Frigate. Frigates are small warships, carrying about 25 crew members. They
are commonly used as patrol ships by the UPF, as they are large
enough to handle most pirate ships and other criminal vessels.
Hull Points: | 40 |
ADF: | 3 |
MR: | 3 |
Weapons: | laser cannon, laser battery, 2 torpedos, 4 rocket batteries |
Defenses: | reflective hull, 1 masking screen, 4 ICMs |
Destroyer. Destroyers are slightly larger than frigates, and also a little slower.
They carry 40 to 50 crew members. Their main function is to escort
larger ships.
Hull Points: | 50 |
ADF: | 3 |
MR: | 2 |
Weapons: | laser cannon, laser battery, 2 torpedos,6 rocket batteries |
Defenses: | reflective hull, 2 masking screen, 4 ICMs |
Heavy Cruiser. These large ships were the first space battleships. Advances in
technology have caused them to be downgraded to cruisers, and they
tend to be slow and somewhat clumsy compared to most modern
warships.
Hull Points: | 80 |
ADF: | 1 |
MR: | 1 |
Weapons: | laser cannon, 3 laser batteries, 4 torpedos, 8 rocket batteries |
Defenses: | reflective hull, masking screen, 8 ICMs |
Battleship. These galactic dreadnoughts are the mightiest vessels to travel
between the stars. The UPF has only a few of them, and they usually
stay near the largest space stations. Battleships have never fought in
ship-to-ship battles, so their effectiveness is a matter of theory.
Hull Points: | 120 |
ADF: | 2 |
MR: | 2 |
Weapons: | 2 laser cannons, 4 laser batteries, 8 torpedos, 1O rocket batteries |
Defenses: | reflective hull, 4 masking screen, 20 ICMs |
Assault Carrier.
This type of ship is a relatively new development. Assault carriers
carry groups of four to 10 fighters
through the Void, launching the fighters where they are needed and
taking them back on board to refuel and rearm.
Hull Points: | 75 |
ADF: | 2 |
MR: | 1 |
Weapons: | 2 laser cannons, 6 laser batteries |
Defenses: | reflective hull, masking screen, 8 ICMs |
Space Station. These are large outposts that orbit planets. A space station has no
engines to move itself; it simply serves as a base of operations for
other ships.
Any ship can dock at a space station by entering the
station's hex and stopping there. At the end of the movement phase,
the ship's counter is placed under the station's counter to show that
it has docked. As long as the ship remains there. it is linked to the
station, and people and supplies can move back and forth freely. The
ship can leave the station during its movement phase, and pays no
penalty for doing so. When the station moves, the ship that is leaving
does not move with the station. It can move normally during its
movement phase.
A docked ship can use its battery weapons to help
defend the station. A docked ship cannot fire any forward-firing
weapons.
torpedos or ICMs.
An attacker must declare whether his ship is firing at the space
station or at a ship that is docked with the station. Any docked ship
except fighters and assault scouts can be attacked by enemy ships. If
a station is destroyed while ships are docked at it, each docked ship
takes points of damage equal to one-half of the station's original hull
points. If a ship is destroyed while docked, the station takes points of
damage equal to one-half of the ship's original hull points.
Hull Points: | 20 to 200 |
ADF: | 0 |
MR: | 0 |
Weapons: | 1 to 3 laser batteries, 2 to 12 rocket batteries |
Defenses: | reflective hull, 1 to 4 masking screen, 2 to 8 ICMs |