The most important change in combat in the Advanced Game is the
use of the Damage Table. In the Basic Game, all damage was marked
off the ship's hull. The Damage Table spreads damage around, so hits
can destroy a ship's weapons, engines or other components. This
makes it possible for a ship to be severely damaged with only a few
shots, and to be removed from the fight without being destroyed.
Besides the Damage Table, the Advanced Game adds many new types
of weapons and defenses for starships, giving players more choices to
make during battles. More information is given about the weapons
from the Basic Game, so they can be used with the new rules.
New Statistics for Basic Game Weapons
All of the weapons used in the Basic Game can be used in the
Advanced Game. The abbreviations that are used are:
| FF | Forward Firing |
| RD | Range Diffusion |
| MPO | Moving Player Only |
| LTD | Limited Supply |
| RA | Range |
| DTM | DamageTable Modifier |
| HDR | Hull Damage Rating |
Laser Cannon -- FF / RD / RA 10 / DTM 0 / HDR 2d10
Laser Battery -- RD / RA 9 / DTM 0 / HDR 1d10
Torpedo -- MPO / LTD / RA 4 / DTM -20 / HDR 4d10
Assault Rocket -- FF / MPO / LTD / RA 4 / DTM -10 / HDR 2d10+4
Rocket Battery -- LTD / RA 3 / DTM -10 / HDR 2d10
ICMs in the Advanced Game
In the Basic Game, interceptor missiles could defend only the ship
that launched them. In the Advanced Game, ICMs can defend any
ship in the same hex as the ship that launched them. For example, an
ore carrier in a hex with two destroyers may be attacked with
torpedos or assault rockets. The two destroyers could launch ICMs
against the missiles that were aimed at the ore carrier.
New Advanced Game Weapons
Proton Beam Battery - RD / RA 12 / DTM +10 / HDR 1d10
This weapon fires an electrical beam of positively charged particles
(protons). Like all batteries, it can fire in every direction.
Electron Beam Battery - RD / RA 12 / DTM +10 / HDR 1d10
An electron bea m battery fires an electricaI beam of negatively
charged particles (electrons). It can fire in all directions.
Disruptor Beam Cannon - RD / FF / RA 9 / DTM +20 / HDR 3d10
This powerful weapon must be mounted on the bow of a large
spacecraft. It fires an intense beam, alternating protons and
electrons. Disruptor beams can do heavy damage to a ship's electrical
system.
Mines - LTD / RA 0 / DTM -20 / HDR 3d10+5
The defending player can place mines in a hex before the game
starts, or either player can drop them from a minelayer during the
course of play. When a hex is mined, the player that placed the
mines must record the number of that hex on a sheet of paper. When
an enemy ship enters that hex, the mines detonate automatically at
the end of all movement for that turn. If several enemy ships enter
or pass through a mined hex on the same turn, all of them will be
attacked by the mines (a mine pattern involves several hundred
individual explosive devices).
After the mines in a hex have exploded, the hex is no longer mined.
Seeker missiles - LTD / RA / DTM -20 / HDR 5d10
Seeker missiles are placed the same way mines are; the defending
player can put them in a hex before the scenario begins, or a ship
that carries seekers can drop them at any time. Once a seeker missile
is placed, it will not move until it is activated. The player that placed
a seeker can activate it at the beginning of his movement phase on
any turn.
Immediately after it is activated, the seeker will move two hexes
toward the closest ship. If the closest ship is more than two hexes
away, the turn is over for the seeker. On the next turn, the seeker
will move four hexes toward the closest ship. It will continue
accelerating at the rate of two hexes per turn (six on the third turn,
eight on the fourth, etc.), and can make an unlimited number of
facing changes to keep itself aimed at the nearest ship. A seeker can
change facing up to three times before it moves each turn.
Note that the seeker may change targets many times, because a
different ship may be closest to it at the beginning of each turn. The
seeker cannot tell the difference between friendly and enemy ships,
and will always fly toward the closest ship. If two or more ships are
an equal distance from the seeker, players should roll a die to
determine which ship the missile will aim at.
A seeker detonates as soon as it enters a hex containing a ship, or a
ship enters the hex containing the activated seeker. If the hex
contains more than one ship, the seeker will attack the largest. If the
two largest ships are the same size, players should roll a die to
determine which ship the missile attacks. When the seeker explodes,
the player that placed it rolls one attack on the Damage Table.
On the turn that a seeker moves 12 hexes, it will automatically
detonate. If there is no ship within range at that time, the explosion
will do no damage. Seekers will not be attracted to planets, moons,
asteroids or space stations.
New Advanced Game Defenses
None.
This is a category used to describe the many ships (usually civilian)
that do not have even a reflective hull as a means of defense.
Proton Screen.
This screen is a field of charged particles which surrounds a ship. It
is effective in blocking proton and disruptor beams, but actually
attracts electron beams!
Electron Screen.
This screen is the opposite of a proton screen. It blocks electron and
disruptor beams, but attracts proton beams.
Stasis Screen.
A stasis screen is moderately eff ective aga i nst all electrical beam
weapons. It is not as good as a proton or electron screen against their
respective weapon types, but it does not attract any beams. However,
the electrical pulse of a stasis screen allows missiles and rockets to
home in with increased accuracy.
NOTE: When using electron, proton or stasis screens, exceptions will
occasionally arise to the rule that states "A weapon's chance to hit is
determined against the most effective defense in use." Since some
defenses actually attract a weapon type, the percentage chance to hit
is calculated against the defense that is attracting it, not the defense
that is most effective against it.
When a player activates a screen. he simply circles in pencil the
notation for that screen on his ship roster. When the screen is
deactivated. the circle is erased. No more than one screen can be
activated on a ship at one time.
Combat Table
The Advanced Game Combat Table is used the same as the Basic
Game Combat Table. All weapons and defenses used in the game are
included on the Advanced Game Combat Table.
Each entry on the Advanced Game Combat Table has two
percentages; the first is used in the Advanced Game, and the shaded
number is used with characters who have gunnery skills (see Skills
in the Campaign Book). Use only the unshaded entries for now. [Web
Editor's Note: Yellow cells were added for referencing purposes only
and were not found in the original, printed version. References to
"shaded" numbers on the table are in the blue and green colored
columns.]
| COMBAT TABLE | ||||||||||||||
| Defense | ||||||||||||||
| Weapon | None | Reflective Hull | Proton Screen | Electron Screen | Stasis Screen | Masking Screen | ICM | Hull Damage | ||||||
| Laser Cannon | 75% | 60% | 60% | 45% | 75% | 60% | 75% | 60% | 75% | 60% | 25%* | 10%* | --- | 2d10 |
| Laser Battery | 65% | 55% | 50% | 40% | 65% | 55% | 65% | 55% | 65% | 55% | 20%* | 10%* | --- | 1d10 |
| Proton Beam Battery | 60% | 50% | 60% | 50% | 25%* | 15%* | 70% | 60% | 40% | 30% | 50% | 40% | --- | 1d10 |
| Electron Beam Battery | 60% | 50% | 60% | 50% | 70% | 60% | 25%* | 15%* | 40% | 30% | 50% | 40% | --- | 1d10 |
| Disruptor Cannon | 60% | 45% | 60% | 45% | 50% | 35% | 50% | 35% | 40% | 25% | 50% | 35% | --- | 3d10 |
| Torpedo | 50% | 45% | 50% | 45% | 50% | 45% | 50% | 45% | 75% | 65% | 50% | 40% | -10 / ICM | 4d10 |
| Assault Rocket | 60% | 50% | 60% | 50% | 60% | 50% | 60% | 50% | 60% | 50% | 60% | 50% | -5 / ICM | 2d10+4 |
| Rocket Battery | 40% | 30% | 40% | 30% | 40% | 30% | 40% | 30% | 40% | 30% | 40% | 30% | -3 / ICM | 2d10 |
| Mines | 60% | 60% | 60% | 60% | 80% | 60% | -5 / ICM | 3d10+5 | ||||||
| Seeker Missile | 75% | 75% | 75% | 75% | 90% | 75% | -8 / ICM | 5d10 | ||||||
| * Weapon causes half-damage (rounded up) on Hull hits. | ||||||||||||||
Damage
When a ship is hit, the attacking player must determine what
damage was caused. The Damage Table lists all the possible types of
ship damage. The attacking player rolls d100. The result of this roll is
modified by the weapon's DTM, and the modified result is found on
the Damage table. Modifiers for the various weapons are listed under
Damage Table Modifiers. The number listed is added to or subtracted
from the die roll.
EXAMPLE: A destroyer is hit by a proton beam battery. The modifier
for a proton beam battery is +10. The attacking player rolls d100 and
gets a result of 73. The weapon modifier is added, giving a modified
result of 83 -- "Defensive Control hit."
| DAMAGE TABLE MODIFIERS | |
|---|---|
| Laser Cannon | 0 |
| Laser Battery | 0 |
| Proton Beam Battery | +10 |
| Electron Beam Battery | +10 |
| Disruptor Beam Cannon | +20 |
| Assault Rocket | -10 |
| Rocket Battery | -10 |
| Torpedo | -20 |
| Mine | -20 |
| Seeker Missile | -20 |
| ADVANCED GAME DAMAGE TABLE | |
|---|---|
| Modified Die Roll | Type of Damage |
| -20 -- 10 | Hull hit: double normal damage |
| 11 -- 45 | Hull hit: roll normal damage for weapon |
| 46 -- 49 | Drive hit: lose 1 ADF point |
| 50 -- 52 | Drive hit: lose 1/2 total ADF (round up) |
| 53 | Drive hit: lose entire ADF |
| 54 -- 58 | Steering hit: lose 1 MR point |
| 59 -- 60 | Steering hit: lose entire MR |
| 61 -- 62 | Weapon hit: LC; LB; PB; EB; AR; RB |
| 63 -- 64 | Weapon hit: PB; EB; LB; RB; T; AR |
| 65 -- 66 | Weapon hit: DC; LC; AR; T; LB |
| 67 -- 68 | Weapon hit: T; AR; EB; PB; LB; RB |
| 69 -- 70 | Weapon hit: LB; RB; T; AR; PB; EB; LC |
| 71 -- 74 | Power short circuit: lose all screens and ICM's |
| 75 -- 77 | Defense hit: PS; ES; SS; MS; ICM |
| 78 -- 80 | Defense hit: MS; ICM; SS; PS; ES |
| 81 -- 84 | Defense hit: ICM; SS; PS; ES; MS |
| 85 -- 91 | Combat Control System hit: -10% on all attacks |
| 92 -- 97 | Navigation hit: lose maneuvering control |
| 98 -- 105 | Electrical Fire: roll additional damage at +20 each turn |
| 106 -- 116 | Damage Control hit: DCR cut in half |
| 117 -- 120 | Disastrous Fire: DCR cut in half; lose entire ADF and MR; -10% on all attacks; roll addtional damage at +20 each turn |
Explanation of Results
Hull Hits.
Hull hits affect the ship's hull points. The player that scored the huII
hit rolls the correct number of dice (indicated by the weapon's HDR)
and the result is subtracted from the target ship's hull points. If the
result indicates "Double Damage," the attacker should roll the dice
and multiply the result by 2.
When more than half of the ship's hull points are gone, the ship is
severely damaged and there is a chance it will break apart.
Whenever a severely damaged ship accelerates, decelerates or turns,
the player controlIing the ship must complete the following steps to
determine if the ship breaks apart:
A ship that is torn apart is completely destroyed.
EXAMPLE: A destroyer with 50 hull points has taken 32 points of
damage. The player that controls the destroyer wants to get it away
from the battle as quickly as possible, so he decides to accelerate and
turn one hex side. The destroyer's ADF is 3, and 1 MR point is used to
make the turn. Subtracting one-half of the destroyer's original hull
points from the ship's damage gives (32-25=)7. The ship is using (3+1
=)4 ADF and MR points this turn. The chance the ship will break
apart is (7x4=) 28%.
The player rolls d100 and gets a 29--the destroyer makes its move
successfully! If the player had rolled 28 or less, the ship would have
been destroyed.
All weapons cause the same damage when they hit anything other
than the hull. The attacker does not roll dice to reduce the ship's hull
points unless the result on the Damage Table was a Hull Hit. The
number of dice rolled is determined by the weapon that was used.
Drive Hit.
A drive hit can cause a ship to lose 1 ADF, one-half of its original ADF
or all of its ADF. If a ship with 3 ADF loses 1, its ADF is reduced to 2.
If it loses one-half of its ADF, its ADF is reduced to 1 (one-half of 3.
rounded down). If the ship loses its entire ADF, its ADF is reduced to
0. If a ship has taken some drive damage, and receives a "1/2 ADF" hit,
it loses a number of ADF points equal to one-half of its original ADF.
Losing ADFs does not affect the ship's current speed. A ship that
loses its entire ADF can turn, but it cannot accelerate or decelerate.
The ship may recover ADF during the Repair Turn.
Steering Hit.
Steering hits reduce a ship's MR. The hit will either lower the ship's
MR by l, or reduce the ship's MR to 0. A ship with an MR of 0 cannot
turn or change its facing, even if it stops and remains in a single hex.
Damage to a ship's MR can be repaired.
DRIFTING. A ship that loses all of both its ADF and MR will drift. A
drifting ship travels at the same speed and in the same direction it
had before it started drifting. It cannot turn, accelerate or decelerate
until repairs are made.
Weapon System Hit.
If a weapon system is hit, the system that is destroyed is the system
that is Iisted first at that Damage Table result. If the damaged ship
does not have that type of system, then the system listed second will
be destroyed, and so on. If the ship has none of the listed systems,
then treat this result as a huII hit. If an LTD system with no
ammunition left is hit, the system is still destroyed.
EXAMPLE: A destroyer is damaged in combat. The attacker rolls d100
and gets a 66--Weapon hit: DC. LC, AR, T, LB. The destroyer does not
have a disruptor cannon. The next system listed is a laser cannon.
The destroyer does have a laser cannon, so the laser cannon is
destroyed.
Power Short Circuit.
All active defenses on the damaged ship stop working. This includes
ICMs and electron, stasis and proton screens, but not reflective hulls
and masking screens that have already been launched. No new
masking screens can be released, however. Repairing a power short
circuit will remove all effects of the hit.
Defense Hit.
Defense hits are handled the same as weapon system hits, except
defensive systems are destroyed instead of weapons.
Combat Control System Hit.
The ship's automatic targeting devices are damaged. The player must
subtract 10% from this ship's chance to hit with any weapon.
Navigation Hit.
The ship's navigation and steering equipment is damaged. The player
controlling the ship must roll 1d10 before the ship moves. If the
result is 1-5, the ship must turn to the left in each hex it enters until
its MR is used up. If the result is 6-10. the ship must turn to the
right. The ship remains out of control until the damage is repaired. If
the ship's hull is severely damaged, these turns affect the ship's
chance of breaking apart. A stopped ship can ignore a navigation hit.
Electrical Fire.
Electrical equipment in the ship is burning. Place a "fire" counter on
top of the ship's counter. The player must make another damage roll
for this ship with a +20 modifier at the start of his opponent's combat
step every turn, until the fire is put out. If a fire causes hull damage,
it will cause 1d10 points of damage.
Damage Control Hit.
The ship's DCR is cut in half (round fractions up). This can be
repaired, the same as normal damage.
Recording Damage
The player that controls a damaged ship must mark the damage on
his ship roster. If a weapon or defense system is damaged, then that
system is crossed off the roster in pencil. If a torpedo, assault rocket
or other LTD weapon is damaged, the entire system is shut down, not
just one torpedo or rocket.
When a ship's movement ability is damaged, the original ADF or MR
is crossed out and the modified number written in penciI. ElectricaI
fires, navigation, combat control and damage control hits are
recorded in the box labelled "Damaged Systems" on the Advanced
Game ship roster.
Most damage is cumulative. For example, if a ship takes three drive
hits and each calls for the ship to lose 1 ADF point, the ship loses 3
ADF points altogether. If the ship had only 1 or 2 ADF points to begin
with, then its ADF is brought to 0 and all further drive hits are
treated as hull hits. Damage will remain in effect until it is repaired
(see Repair).
Combat control system and damage control hits are not cumulative.
After one of these systems has been hit, any more hits on that
system are considered hull hits. Also, a ship can have only one fire at
a time, so a result that would cause a second fire is treated as hull
damage.
If the damage table indicates a hit on a system that a ship does not
have (a weapon hit on a civilian ore carrier. for example), the hit is
considered as a hull hit. Likewise, if a hit is scored on a ship's system
that has already been destroyed by damage (a drive hit on a ship
with no ADF left, for example), that hit is treated as a hull hit.
Defensive Fire
As in the basic game, the non-moving player gets defensive fire at
the moving player's ships as they move. The moving player finishes
moving, and then the non-moving player can shoot at the moving
player's ships in any hexes they traveled through. Any damage that
is caused does not take effect until the ships have finished moving,
however. For example. a ship that lost its entire MR at the beginning
of its move could still maneuver during that turn.