Asteroid
Asteroid Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
Asteroid consists of this rules booklet, one sheet of 120 counters, eight geomorphic maps of the asteroid mining station, and one six-sided die.
Counters: The 120 die-cut counters represent adventurers, robots, items of equipment, structural features of the station, and markers. Adventurers, robots, and items of equipment have a pictorial representation; adventurers and robots also have a designation or name. Markers have a number or word indicating their function.
All counters are color-coded for ease of recognition. Red counters represent the adventurers trying to take over the asteroid station; yellow counters represent the robots, equipment, and structures in the station; blue markers represent the clone soldiers used only in the optional game.
Maps: Eight geomorphic sheets of station plans are provided; when placed together, they form the map of the station. Seven distinct types of features are shown on the plans. The squares shaded pale green are rooms. Areas colored brown are solid stone. White areas, unless bordered by dashed lines, are corridors; if bordered by dashed lines they are ventilation shafts. Heavy red lines are interior metal walls, while black lines are doors. The black machinery in the middle of plan 4 is the air recovery and recirculation system. The square one-half inch grid (narrow red lines) serves to assist in movement and range calculation as well as allowing precise definition of the location of counters.
Occasional reference will be made in the rules to areas. An area is defined as a single room, or all connecting squares of a corridor bounded by walls, doors, rooms, solid stone, and plan edges, or all connecting squares of a ventilation shaft bounded by corridors, rooms, and solid stone. Note that the common edge between two adjoining plans divides corridor areas but does not divide ventilator shaft areas.
One structure not shown on the map but assumed to be present is the gratings for the ventilator shafts. Whenever a ventilator shaft connects with a room or corridor, there is assumed to be a grating over the entrance. Additionally, there are two small corridors (of two squares each) on plan sheet 2 which are completely surrounded by walls except where the ventilator shaft enters. There is no grating over the ventilator shaft there, but all surrounding walls of the corridor area have gratings instead.
Rules Book: This rules book contains all of the basic information necessary for play of the game. To ease comprehension, the rules have been organized in five parts. The first part is this general introductory section intended to familiarize players with the basics of the game itself. The section entitled General Rules Of Play details the general game mechanics used. The Special Rules cover the unique problems which are encountered in
the mining station. The section titled The Expedition explains the special characteristics of each of the adventurers available for the venture into the station. The final section, Playing The Game, indicates how to start the game and how to determine victory, as well as including an additional, optional game scenario.
The combat chart printed on the back of the rules book contains all the information needed to resolve fire and melee combat, as well as giving the movement allowances of the various characters and types of robots.
A Note On The Grid
A letter and number coordinate system is provided on the plans to assist in recording placement of units if a game is to be taken down until a later date, or to allow play by mail. Look at a map sheet. The left edge is lettered, while the top edge is numbered. By looking across a lettered row to a numbered column, a unique designation for each square on the sheet can be obtained, such as A7 or F3. This, combined with the map sheet number, can uniquely describe any location on any of the map sheets. Thus, 3A7 indicates plan sheet 3, row A, column 7.
Orthogonal and Diagonal Relationships: Some general comments on a square grid are in order as
well. On a square grid, there are two general
relationships between adjoining squares— diagonal and orthogonal. Whenever the rules refer to a piece being adjacent to another, the pieces must be orthogonally adjacent.
Overview Of Play
The two players prepare the game for play by setting up the station and selecting the forces used. The computer player sets up the station by deciding on its layout (using the geomorphic map sections) and placing his structures, equipment, and robots on the maps. The expedition player selects which characters will make up his expedition. After the asteroid station is entered, the expedition attempts to locate the computer brain and disable it while fighting the station’s robot guards along the way.
General Rules Of Play
1. SETTING UP THE ASTEROID STATION
No one on Phobos at the time of the asteroid’s wild break for Earth had actually ever been on Station Nine Seven Bravo (Remote) and all computer records of the asteroid station’s layout were found to have been erased or garbled by the mad Dr. MacDonald prior to his suicide. Consequently, the expedition faces the additional difficulty of having to explore the station to find its computer brain.
Before play starts, the computer brain player takes all eight maps and arranges them in two squares of four plans each. They may be placed in any order desired, but every part of the station must be accessible to every other part of the same level by corridors and/or by ventilator shafts. The
two squares of plans represent the upper and lower levels of
the station, and thus the top right plan of the upper level can be assumed to be directly over the top right plan of the lower level. The computer
brain player next takes all yellow robot, equipment, and structural counters and sorts them into three groups.
The first group is referred to as the free placement group, and consists of all stairways, computer terminals, the central computer brain, the disintegrator, all mining robots, and all utility robots except three. Note that all counter symbols are illustrated by the appropriate rule in the special rule section.
The second group is referred to as the ventilator shaft group and consists of three collapsed ventilator shaft counters and the remaining three utility robots.
The final group is referred to as the random group and consists of three collapsed corridor counters, all five roamer counters, the keys, and the invisibility belt. Note that the robot status markers are not placed initially, nor are the demolition charges.
The free placement group must be placed initially and may be placed in any room or corridor area. No more than one counter may be placed in any single corridor area or room. The computer brain must be placed in a room, not in a corridor. Stairs may be placed anywhere desired, but the four ascending stairs must be placed on the bottom level, the four descending stairs must be placed on the upper level, and each descending stair must be directly above an ascending stair.
The ventilator shaft group is placed next. All six counters in the group are placed face down and drawn from randomly; each counter is then placed in a ventilator shaft area. The computer player does not look at these randomly drawn counters before placing them on the map. No more than one counter may be placed in each ventilator shaft area.
The random group is placed last. The counters are inverted and drawn from randomly with each counter placed in a corridor area. The computer player does not look at these counters before placing them on the map. No more than one counter may be placed in a single corridor area, and no random group counter may be placed in a corridor area containing a counter from the free placement group.
Following placement of all counters the computer brain player may examine all of the counters (writing down their positions if desired) and then turns them all face down. After noting the relative placement of the maps on a piece of scratch paper, all eight maps are separated and placed in numeric order. The expedition player should not be allowed to view any of this until all counters are face down and the maps are placed in numeric order, thus disguising the true configuration of the station.
2. SELECTING THE EXPEDITION
On the small commercial ship that ace reporter ‘Scoop’ Phillips brings to Phobos, there is sufficient room for twelve passengers. The expedition player must therefore choose from the adventurers available to him the members of his strike force. The special characteristics of the various characters are listed in the Expedition rules section, and that section should be consulted before making a final decision. Several general rules apply, however. Scoop Phillips must always be taken on the expedition. The McGee brothers (Lucky and Muscles) always go together; either both are taken or neither goes. Professor Delacroix and his daughter Nicholle also go together and either both go or neither may be taken. The robots on the adventurer counter mix are the inventions of the Professor and respond only to voice commands from himself or Nicholle; they may be taken only if the Professor and Nicholle are taken. Although robots weigh more than a human, they do not require life support equipment, and thus each counts as only one-half a human in determining the allowed number of members. Likewise Sasha the mine-dog (the Phobos station mascot) counts as only one-half of a human. Thus, the expedition could take 12 humans, 11 humans and two robots, 10 humans and 3 robots and Sasha, or any other reasonable combination.
3. SEQUENCE OF PLAY
Asteroid is played in a series of turns. All activity within a turn is conducted in the following sequence:
- Expedition player moves.
- Both sides fire.
- Both sides conduct melee.
- Computer player moves.
- Both sides fire.
- Both sides conduct melee.
Completion of the above sequence constitutes one complete turn. The specific actions outlined above are explained in subsequent rules.
4. MOVEMENT
Characters and robots are moved from square to orthogonally adjacent square during the owning player’s movement. On the combat chart, each character has a listed movement rating which is the number of squares that character may move in a turn. All of a player’s characters may move in any given turn, but only the number of squares listed for the character or less. A player’s character may move through a square occupied by a friendly character but may not end its movement in a square containing a friendly character unless the character is injured or unconscious. A player may move a character into a square containing an enemy character but must end his movement of that character at that time. When a friendly character ends its movement in a square occupied by an enemy character, the two opposing characters are in melee combat. Expedition characters may not enter a square containing an unspotted counter.
Certain types of terrain have special movement effects. Doors may have to be broken down to enter a room (see rule 19, Doors) and this effort will require an expenditure of additional squares of movement. In addition, all characters pay one extra square of movement to move through a grating and all pieces except Sasha and utility robots pay double (one square counts as two) for each square of ventilator shaft entered. All other robots cannot enter a ventilator shaft at all.
Unused movement may not be accumulated for use in later turns. If the character does not have enough movement left to enter a square, it cannot. Any extra movement ability is wasted.
5. SPOTTING
At times during the game it will be necessary to spot enemy pieces. For example, all of the pieces in the station are initially face down. The expedition player does not know what any of these pieces are until he spots them. A piece is spotted if it is at any time during movement in sight of a human or robot. It is in sight if a straight line can be traced from the human or robot to the piece being spotted, and that line (from the center of the square to the center of the other square) does not pass through walls, stone, closed doors, or machinery. If two counters are diagonally adjacent, and the vertex between them contains any obstruction, the line of sight is blocked. Note that only humans and robots can spot; Sasha the mine-dog cannot. (Actually, Sasha can spot, but cannot tell anyone else what she sees. See rule 29.)
A character may only spot into or out of a ventilator shaft if it is adjacent to the grating.
All spotting occurs at the end of the movement portion of a turn; that is, a spotted counter is not revealed by the computer player until all movement is finished.
6. FIRE COMBAT
All fire combat takes place during the fire combat part of the turn. Since there are two fire combat parts of the turn, both players may fire twice in a turn. All fire combat during the fire combat part of the turn is considered to be simultaneous; that is, the combats may be resolved in any order desired, but no actual results are implemented until all fire combats are resolved.
Fire combat is resolved in two steps: hit determination and kill determination. To determine whether a piece hits when it fires, determine whether the piece is firing at short range (one or two squares) or long range (three or more squares). Range is determined by the shortest path of orthogonally and/or diagonally contiguous squares. The combat table lists the number or less that must be rolled on one die to hit the desired target. This die roll may be modified. Sasha and the utility robots have an automatic +1 modification to the die roll if they are being shot at. That means that they are one harder to hit than other targets due to their smaller size and greater speed.
If a character achieves a hit, a second die is rolled to see if the hit kills the target. This die roll may also be modified: Carter, the roamers, and the professor's robots have an automatic +1 modification to the die roll because of their armor protection. There are kill numbers on the combat chart for each character and this number or less must be rolled to kill the target of the fire if the target is a robot. If the target is a human or Sasha the mine-dog, the die roll must be less than the stated number to kill the target. If the die roll to kill a human or Sasha is exactly the same as the kill number, the result is an injury. An injured character may not move under his or her own power for the rest of the game, but must be carried by other characters. Any character carrying an injured character must have a melee value at least equal to that of the character being carried (except that any character may carry Sasha). Any character carrying another character has his or her movement reduced by one square unless the carrying character has a melee value of 6, in which case movement is unaffected. To show that an injured character is being carried, place the character under the character carrying him or her. (Note that this is one of the few times two friendly characters may be in the same square at the end of movement).
General Restrictions: A character must be able to trace a line of sight to a target. The line of sight must be a straight line which does not pass through stone, machinery, walls, or closed doors. A character may fire through a door if it is open and the character is adjacent to it. If a character adjacent to an open door fires through it, that character may likewise be fired at through the open door by hostile characters. A character may only fire through a square containing a friendly character, never through a square containing a hostile character, and may only fire through a square containing a friendly character if the square is adjacent to the firing character. A character may never fire out of a melee, and may only fire into a melee if the friendly character in the square is injured or unconscious.
7. MELEE COMBAT
Whenever two opposing characters are in the same square at the end of movement, a melee takes place. Melee is conducted using the melee table and the melee factors of the opposing characters. The melee table and the melee factors of all characters are printed on the combat chart. Melee attacks are conducted by one character in the melee against the other. The character with the highest melee factor always attacks first; if the two characters in the melee have equal factors, each player rolls the die, and the highest die roll attacks first. Melee attacks are conducted by subtracting the defender’s melee factor from the attacker’s melee factor and locating the column of the melee table that corresponds to the result. Roll the die and cross index the die roll with the column to find the melee result. If the first attacking player receives any melee result from the attack other
than no effect, the other character in the melee may not attack. If the first attacking character receives a no effect melee result, the other character attacks using the same procedure outlined above.
There are four possible results of melee: stun, knock-out, injury, and death. All robots which suffer knock-out treat it as a stun, and all robots which suffer an injury treat it as death.
Stun: A stun means that a blow has been landed which puts the target of the attack off balance. If the first attacking character achieves a stun result, the second attacking character may not attack in that melee combat portion of the turn, as noted above. If either character is stunned, the other character may move away during movement (if it is his or her turn to move).
A character recovers from a stun at the end of the following movement portion of a turn,
Knock-out: A character who is knocked out may not conduct any action for a number of turns equal to one roll of the die. While unconscious, the character is treated as if injured (and thus may be carried) and has a melee value of zero if attacked.
Injury: An injury received in melee is identical to an injury from fire.
Death: A character suffering a death result is, well, dead.
Special Melee Rules: If a character is unconscious or injured in a square with a hostile character, a friendly character may move into the square to protect him or her. If an unconscious/injured character is in a square with a friendly character and a hostile character, the hostile character may only melee with the uninjured character.
A character may move out of melee if during the last melee round before the player’s current move the character achieved a stun result (or better) on the hostile character, or if it is relieved by another friendly character. Relief is accomplished by moving another friendly character into the square and moving the original friendly character out.
All unconscious and injured characters have a melee value of zero and may be attacked by hostile characters in the same square. Note that this is the only way that the +6 column of the melee table could ever be used.
Special Rules
8. THE BRAIN
The expedition believed that they were up against merely a normal computer brain programmed by a madman. In fact, the demented Dr. MacDonald had recorded much of his own personality pattern into the brain before terminating his own life, and thus the brain is in some respects a human intellect. It is hardly a fully functional intellect due to the triple limitations of a much less sophisticated receptacle for MacDonald’s personality (the human brain is at this time still far superior to the computers used to run mining stations), an inordinately large number of trivial programming errors made by MacDonald due to his deteriorating mental condition, and finally the less-than-perfect state of MacDonald’s intellect to begin with.
As a result of this, the brain suffers large numbers of limitations as specified later in the rules. The computer representing the brain itself is the core of the station’s mind and is the ultimate target of the expedition. To win the game the expedition must turn off or destroy the brain as specified in rule 38, Victory.
9. COMPUTER TERMINALS
There are three computer terminals scattered throughout the station. These terminals provide access to the memory banks of the computer brain and can give the expedition much valuable information on the layout of the station. Use of the terminal runs the risk of alerting the brain to the presence of the party, however.
Information: The terminals can provide a map of the station, the location of the other terminals, the locations of the three devices (keys, disintegrator, and invisibility belt), and the location of the brain itself. The following chart lists each type of information that can be obtained followed by two numbers. The first number is the number or greater that must be rolled on one die to obtain the information from the terminal. The second number is the number or less that will alert the computer brain to the inquiry. For example, the expedition tries to determine the location of the disintegrator. On a roll of 3 or more, the computer player must turn the disintegrator counter face up. On a second roll of 2 or less, the computer player is alerted to the inquiry.
One question or inquiry is allowed per turn, and it must be performed in the expedition player’s melee combat part of the turn. The inquiring individual or individuals must be in the terminal square or adjacent to it. They may not be involved in melee and may not have fired.
When the location of any counter is revealed, the counter is turned face up on the sheet it occupies. If a map is provided, all floor plans are laid out in the actual plan chosen by the computer player at the start of the game, but no counters are revealed on any map.
Inquiry Table
| Information | Get | Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Disintegrator | 3+ | 2- |
| Belt | 3+ | 2- |
| Map | 3+ | 3- |
| Keys | 5+ | 5- |
| Terminals | 5+ | 4- |
| Brain | 6+ | 5- |
Die Roll Modifications: If the professor is making the inquiry, allow a DM on each throw of +1. If both the professor and Kirby are making the inquiry, allow a DM of +2.
The die roll modifications are to both rolls and are dependent on the character trying to extract the information. Normally, only the Professor and Kirby may attempt to extract the information. If Kirby attempts to obtain the information, no die roll modifications are made. If the Professor attempts to obtain the information, one is added to each die roll. If Kirby and the Professor team up to obtain the information (trading ideas and checking each other's work) two is added to the die roll. If neither Kirby nor the Professor are along on the expedition and conscious, Lucky may use the terminals as described under rule 23, Lucky.
Computer Alert: If the second die roll on a question indicates that the computer
is alerted, the terminal immediately shorts out. Whoever is questioning the computer is killed on a die roll of 1 (if both Kirby and the Professor are questioning it, roll twice, once for each). Lucky, however, cannot be killed; instead he expends one luck point (see rule 23, Lucky). In addition, one previously non-activated roamer (of the computer brain’s choice) may be activated.
10. THE INVISIBILITY BELT
One of the inventions that the mad Dr. MacDonald completed was a prototype invisibility belt and it is lying somewhere within the station (turned off, so it is visible). If the expedition locates the belt,
one of the party may put it on and become invisible. While the character is invisible, robots may not spot or fire at the character, but do see the character as soon as he or she fires or engages in melee. He becomes visible again at the start of the
expedition player’s next movement, provided he is not engaged in melee. If the character is invisible and a hostile robot moves into the square he occupies, he may evade the robot and thus avoid melee. If he does so, the robot may continue movement. Each turn, the expedition player must roll a die and on a 6 the character wearing the belt becomes visible again due to a malfunction. The belt will not work after that unless repaired by either the Professor or Lucky. The belt is repaired in exactly the same manner as an inoperable robot (see rule 13, Utility Robots). If gunfire kills the wearer of the belt, the belt is destroyed.
11. THE KEYS
The keys, once found, enable the character carrying them to unlock doors (rather than breaking them down. See rule 19, Doors). Additionally, the keys enable any character carrying them to turn off the computer brain and set the demolition charges to destroy the asteroid, providing the character is adjacent to the computer brain. If the character carrying the keys is killed by gunfire, the keys are destroyed on a die roll of 1, 2, or 3.
12. THE DISINTEGRATOR
The disintegrator may be carried by any character normally capable of firing (that is, neither Sasha nor the robots may carry the disintegrator). Station robots may never carry the disintegrator. If fired as a normal weapon, the character uses his or her normal chances to hit the target, but all hits destroy the opposing robot. Additionally, a character may use the disintegrator to burn through a wall, door, or a solid ventilator shaft (part of the recycling machinery), or to clear away a collapsed corridor or ventilator shaft. It may not burn through stone. The disintegrator may also be used to destroy the computer brain.
When used to burn through or clear away an obstruction or destroy the brain, the disintegrator must be adjacent to the object being destroyed, and destroys it during the fire portion of the turn instead of making a normal fire combat attack. If the character carrying the disintegrator is killed by gunfire, the disintegrator is automatically destroyed.
13. UTILITY ROBOTS
Utility robots are small, fast robots used to conduct repairs and maintenance on the base. They have been armed to augment the station’s defensive power. As noted in the movement rule, the primary special characteristic of the utility robot is its great speed and ability to move through ventilator shafts at full speed.
Whenever a utility robot spots a character, the robot becomes active. To activate the robot, either player draws a status chit from the inverted pile of chits and places it on the robot. The chit will indicate one of four different statuses.
Hostile: A hostile robot is hostile to the expedition and becomes an active character moved by the computer brain.
Friendly: A friendly robot is not receiving orders from the computer brain due to mechanical malfunction or simple oversight by the brain. Friendly robots will assist the expedition in their mission and become active characters moved by the expedition player.
Erratic: An erratic robot is receiving only occasional or garbled orders from the computer brain. At the time of activation and at the beginning of each turn thereafter, roll a die for each erratic robot. On a roll of 1, 2, or 3, the robot is treated as friendly for
the turn. On a roll of 4 or 5, the robot may not move, fire, or melee that turn, being immobilized by contradictory orders. On a roll of 6, the robot is hostile for the turn.
Inop: The robot is inoperable due to mechanical failure. An inoperable robot may be repaired by either the Professor or Lucky. Once repaired, a formerly inoperable robot becomes friendly. For the Professor to repair a robot, roll one die; the Professor must work repairing the robot (adjacent to it) for that many turns before it becomes functional. Lucky repairs the robot by kicking it, and it then becomes operational immediately. One die is still rolled, however, and Lucky expends that many luck points in the repair (see rule 23, Lucky).
Computer Brain: At the beginning of each computer brain movement part of a turn, the computer brain player rolls a die. On a roll of 6, one robot may be activated anywhere by the computer brain. If there are any members of the expedition on the lower level of the station, a robot is activated on a roll of 5 or 6. If there are currently no activated, hostile robots, add two the the die roll. If there is currently only one activated, hostile robot, add one to the die roll. Any utility robot or mining robot (see rule 14, Mining Robots) may be activated. A chit is drawn as if the robot activated normally, and is placed with the robot. Neither the robot nor the status chit are revealed until the computer brain player actually moves the robot. Thus, a friendly robot would remain stationary until a member of the expedition spotted it and ordered it to join the expedition. Note that roamers (see rule 15, Roamers) may not be activated by the computer brain in this fashion.
14. MINING ROBOTS
With their integral mining lasers and drills, as well as strong utility arms, the four mining robots on the station are somewhat more formidable opponents than the small utility robots. Mining robots are activated in the same fashion as utility robots (either by computer brain activation or by spotting a member of the expedition) 4 and a status chit is drawn for each activated mining robot just as for utility robots. However, mining robots will never be friendly; if a friendly status chit is drawn, put it back and draw again.
15. ROAMERS
The roamers are the true security guards of the mining station, and are the most awesome opponents faced by the expedition. Their heavy armor makes hits less likely to destroy them. A roamer is activated when it X-2 spots a member of the expedition. No chit is drawn; roamers are always operational and hostile. Roamers are not activated by the computer brain generally, but one roamer is activated each time the expedition alerts the computer brain by using a terminal and making the alert die roll. As soon as the computer brain is destroyed or shut down, all remaining roamers are alerted and will, of course, attempt to prevent the party from leaving the station alive.
16. STAIRS
The stair markers are placed as noted in previous rules. Stairs allow access from one level of the station to another. All characters, including robots, may use stairs by paying one square of movement to climb or descend a level. A character in a stairs square may see
only the corresponding stair square of the other level. Fire from one stair square to the other is at close range.
17. COLLAPSED CORRIDORS
The mining station was wrenched violently from its orbit in the asteroid belt by a series of surface thermonuclear explosions which caused numerous serious tremors throughout the asteroid. In several places, the ceilings of corridors collapsed blocking access through the corridor. No character may enter a square containing a collapsed corridor counter until it has been cleared away. Only a demo charge or the disintegrator may clear a collapsed corridor.
18. VENTILATOR SHAFTS
Just as seismic tremors collaped corridors, so also did they collapse several ventilator shafts. Collapsed ventilator shafts are treated in exactly the same way as collapsed corridors (except that they are in ventilator shafts).
Ventilator shafts have several other specia! effects. No robots, except for utility robots, may enter ventilator shafts. All characters except for Sasha and the utility robots must pay two squares of movement for each ventilator shaft square entered. One additional square of movement must be paid to enter the first square of a ventilator shaft from a room or corridor, representing the time it takes to open the grating and climb across the sill.
The core of the ventilator shafts is the air recirculation plant, represented by the solid black machinery. As the ventilators emerge from the walls in the room containing the air circulation plant and go to the machinery, they become solid (instead of dashed) lines. These are known as solid ventilator shafts. The air circulation plant machinery may not be entered, and so the only exit from the ventilator shaft into this room is through the walls of a solid ventilator shaft. The walls of a solid ventilator shaft may be ruptured in one of three ways. A character with a melee value of 6 may tear a hole in the wall. A disintegrator can cut a hole in the wall. A demo charge can blow a hole in the wall. Once a hole has been created, characters may enter and leave as if it were a grating.
19. DOORS
Doors are marked on the map and function differently for the two players. All doors open automatically for station robots, whether friendly or hostile to the expedition. Additionally, any character carrying the keys may open any door. If a door opens for a character, the character may move through the door at no additional movement cost. In all other cases, the door must be breached.
The most common way to breach a door is to kick it down. A character who moves adjacent to a door and has at least two squares of movement remaining unspent may attempt to kick down the door. Roll one die, and if the roll is equal to or less than the character’s melee value the door has been breached. Whether the door has been breached or not, the character has spent two squares of movement. A character with a movement of four who starts adjacent to a door may attempt to breach, and if unsuccessful may attempt again. After breaching attempts, a character may continue movement with any remaining movement points. Sasha may not break down a door in this fashion. Only one character may attempt to break down a door in a turn, and only that character may pass through the door in that turn.
Breached doors remain open for the remainder of the game. Doors opened by friendly robots remain open for the remainder of the game. Doors opened by hostile robots are open only to allow their passage, and then close.
Doors may also be breached by the disintegrator (rule 12) and by demo charges (rule 20).
20. DEMO CHARGES
There are five demo charges in the game and in spite of their color, they are used by the expedition player. All five demo charges are held by the expedition to begin with, and may be carried by members of the expedition. Each member of the expedition may carry one demo charge except for Demon, who may carry two. Demo charges may be placed by expending one square of movement in a square and leaving the demo charge there. Once placed, the demo charge may not be moved without setting it off. It may be detonated (by radio) by the expedition player at the beginning of any fire portion of a turn. Characters carrying demo charges who are incapacitated (killed, knocked out, or injured) drop the charge; it may be picked up by any expedition member or computer brain robot. The computer brain may not use demo charges, but carrying them away out of reach of the expedition members is probably a good idea.
Effects: A demo charge which detonates will breach any door, wall, or solid ventilator shaft to which it is orthogonally adjacent. If placed by Demon it will also breach doors, walls and solid shafts to which it is diagonally adjacent. A demo charge will kill any character in the same square with it when it detonates, and it destroys any equipment in the square. It will kill any character one hex away (orthogonally or diagonally) on a roll of 4 or less and will kill any character two hexes away on a roll of 2 or less. If the charge is set by Demon, characters at one and two hexes away are killed on a roll of 5 or less and 3 or less, respectively. Characters immediately behind and orthogonally adjacent to a wall, door, or solid ventilator shaft side which is breached by a demo charge are killed on a roll of 3 or less. As in the case of regular gunfire, a kill result on a human or on Sasha from a die roll result of exactly the number listed above is converted to a serious wound.
All characters who normally receive a +1 die roll modification on the kill roll also receive it if attacked by a demo charge.
The Expedition
21. HANSON
Major Lorimar Hanson, on detached duty from the United States
Air Force, was station commander on Phobos Station for Project 5 Skymine when the mining station Nine Seven Bravo (Remote) began c its long spiral in toward Earth. Hanson was placed in charge of the =
expedition and hand-picked the members of the team from the fourteen humans at Phobos Station at the time. Hanson has no real special ability, other than being a trained pilot, but is an excellent shot.
22. SCOOP
Scoop Phillips, ace reporter for the World News Service, provided coat the ship used on the expedition and is the only person who must be = iv": taken along. Scoop is armed, though unfamiliar with the light laser =)
pistol most of the expedition carries, and is a mediocre shot. Scoop cannot carry a demo charge or any other item of equipment as he is completely burdened with a videotape camera unit.
23. LUCKY
Reputed to the the luckiest man in the world, Lucky McGee is the pilot of Whiskey Zulu Five, one of the small utility craft used by Project Skymine to carry out routine inspection and maintenance visits to the remote mining stations. Whiskey Zulu Five
cannot be taken along on the expedition because, shortly before the incident described above, Lucky’s craft (upon docking at Phobos Station after an inspection sweep) suffered three major and over a dozen minor system failures, grounding the craft and keeping Lucky off the fatal last inspection sweep of Station Nine Seven Bravo (Remote).
Lucky’s incredible luck manifests itself in a number of ways. He is impossible to shoot or seriously injure normally, tends to fix things by kicking them, and in emergencies has gotten remarkable results from computer terminals (about which he knows nothing) by randomly punching buttons. In this game, this is covered by the expenditure of luck points. At the start of play, the computer brain player draws one of the red number chits randomly and places it to the side. The computer brain player looks at the number but does not allow the expedition player to see it. The number on the chit is the number of luck points Lucky has. Each time Lucky conducts one of the actions described above, he uses one or more luck points, a running tally of which is kept by either player. When the number of points expended equals the number of points indicated by the chit drawn, Lucky’s luck has run out.
Being Shot At: While his luck holds out, Lucky cannot be shot. Whenever a hostile robot shoots at Lucky, the die roll is made normally. If a hit is rolled, the players calculate how many points would have to be added to the die roll to make it miss. This number is added, and Lucky expends that many luck points. For example, a roamer fires at Lucky at short range and rolls a 1. Since a roamer hits at short range on a roll of 5 or less, it would be necessary to add 5 to the die roll (converting it to a 6) to cause a miss. Lucky uses 5 luck points.
Shooting: Whenever Lucky shoots, he subtracts 1 from his die roll to hit and expends one luck point. This is done whether he needs the die roll modification to hit the target or not, and is done even if with the die roll modification he misses. When Lucky fires into a melee containing Sasha (see rule 29, Sasha) and misses his intended target, he adds 1 to his die roll on the subsequent roll to see if he hits Sasha by mistake (and thus pays another luck point).
Melee: Whenever a hostile robot attacks Lucky and achieves a melee result more serious than stun, the result is automatically converted to a stun. Examining the Melee Table, the players determine how many odds columns to the left it would be necessary to shift the attack, given the actual die roll made, to convert the result to a stun, and that is the number of luck points Lucky expends. For example, a mining robot (melee of 6) attacks Lucky (melee of 3) on the +3 column of the melee table and rolls a 5 (death). It would be necessary to shift the attack four columns to the left, to the -1 column, to find a stun result on a roll of 5, and Lucky thus expends 4 luck points and suffers a stun.
Fix Things: Lucky fixes things by giving them a good whack. He can fix inoperable robots and the invisibility belt. Lucky must end his move orthogonally adjacent to the robot or character wearing the belt and have one square of movement remaining (to deliver the whack). Roll one die. The result is the number of luck points Lucky expends to repair the device.
Use Terminals and the Brain: Lucky can use any terminal if Kirby and the Professor are no longer conscious, alive, or with the expedition. He automatically obtains the answer to any question he asks by paying luck points equal to the die roll required to ask the question. His die roll to alert the computer brain is unaffected by luck. If Lucky finds the computer brain, he may attempt to shut it down and activate the self-destruct sequence. Roll two dice. The result is the number of luck points Lucky must expend to do so, provided he has that many left. If he does not have that many left, his attempt fails and his luck has run out.
Nicholle: Lucky’s proverbial luck has absolutely no effect on romance die rolls as specified in rule 27, Nicholle. (He is, however, extraordinarily good at cards.)
When His Luck Runs Out: When Lucky’s luck runs out, he loses all of the above abilities. If he is required to expend a certain number of luck points and does not have enough left the attempted action or combat modification is unsuccessful. If he is modifying a fire or melee result, the result is not modified at all (even to the limited extent of his remaining points). If attempting to fix the invisibility belt, he breaks it permanently. If attempting to fix a robot, it becomes functional and hostile. If attempting to ask a question from a terminal, it does not give an answer and automatically alerts the brain.
24. MUSCLES
Muscles McGee is the brother of Lucky McGee and the maintenance technician forming the other half of the crew of utility craft ® Whiskey Zulu Five. Muscles claims to be the strongest man in the a) world and, while this may not be strictly true, no one argues with =} him about it. Muscles has no particular talent except for his excep- =
tional strength, but it is quite exceptional and is often used to breach doors and ventilator shafts and tear the heads off hostile robots.
25. DEMON
Demon was in charge of explosives on the mining project and knows his job very well. As noted in the rule on demo charges, Demon’s expertise allows him to place and tamp them for maximum effect. Addi-
tionally, if there is no one else alive capable of shutting down the 5 computer and activating the destruct sequence (Prof and Kirby £ are dead or unconscious, Lucky‘’s luck has run out, and no one else rat
has the keys) Demon can manually activate the destruct sequence from the computer brain room once the computer brain has been destroyed. Finally, Demon can carry two demo charges and carries a rifle instead of a pistol, which is a little clumsy at close quarters but accurate and effective at longer ranges.
26. PROFESSOR DELACROIX
The Prof is one of mankind's leading scientists. His area of specialization is difficult to determine as he seems to know just about anything. The Prof was the one who first discovered the aberrant programming in the computer brain and predicted its actions. He is also one of the few
° people who can shut down the brain and initiate the self-destruct Qa sequence. The Prof can use computer terminals as described in rule
9, repair the invisibility belt as described in rule 10, repair robots as described in rule 13, and (if all other qualified pilots— Hanson, Lucky, and George— are killed) could safely pilot the ship away from the asteroid. He is not a trained pilot, but can figure out how the controls work.
27. NICHOLLE
Nicholle is the daughter of Professor Delacroix and accompanies him on his travels. Nicholle has no special talents, but is a better than average shot and can generally take care of herself.
Romance: Love, or what passes for it in the movies, blossoms in an atmosphere of danger, and this expedition is no exception. Nicholle and a male member of the expedition will fall in love during the attempt to destroy the computer brain. Each
time that a crisis takes place roll the die once for each eligible male member of the expedition still alive. The low die roll is eliminated from the competition. In the event of a tie for low roll, roll again. A crisis is defined as the destruction of a hostile robot. Eventually this procedure will determine who falls in love with Nicholle. It is assumed that the two fall in love with each other. As this is intended to be a simple game to play, the possibility of unrequited love is ignored (except as noted in Robot Abduction below). Eligible members of the expedition are defined as all human males present with the expedition except for the Prof. Romance can affect the actions of the character in love and affects victory.
Robot Abduction: The mad Dr. MacDonald was infatuated with Nicholle and this particular part of his personality remains with the computer brain. Consequently, no station robot will kill Nicholle. No robot will fire on Nicholle except for roamers, who do so normally, but with special crowd control rays. A kill result on Nicholle is converted to a knock-out as in melee. Any robot may melee with Nicholle but all results of injury and death are also converted to knock-outs. Once Nicholle is unconscious, hostile robots may pick her up and carry her off.
If Nicholle is abducted by the robots and no lover has yet been found, a die is rolled for each remaining eligible character with the high die roll indicating the character in love. That character and the Professor will not leave the station without Nicholle, nor will they assist in destroying the computer, shutting it down, setting the self-destruct charges, or asking questions at the terminal until Nicholle has been rescued.
Since the effects of a knock-out last only a short time, Nicholle will soon wake up and come up swinging. At that point, it is necessary for the robot carrying her to again render her unconscious before proceeding. Robots do not suffer any movement point reduction for carrying Nicholle and utility robots may carry her through ventilation shafts freely.
28. THE PROFESSOR’S ROBOTS
The Professor built four robots to help him in his laboratory and some or all of them may be taken along. As they were built for peaceful purposes, they A-1 are unarmed and unable to pick up or use a weapon. They are programmed to respond to radio voice commands from either the Professor or his daughter Nicholle and function normally so long as either of those two is conscious. If both are dead or unconscious, the robots may not move or conduct any action until one of them is again conscious.
The Professor’s robots have one unique quality, the ability to pass. Whenever one of the expedition robots is spotted by a hostile robot, there is a chance the hostile will not recognize it as a threat. Roll a die and on a roll of 1, 2, or 3 the hostile robot will not take any action against it. This is done at the conclusion of each movement portion of a turn in which a hostile robot can see it and is done separately for each hostile robot. Once a hostile robot recognizes it as a threat the die is not rolled for that robot again. Once one of the Professor’s robots makes a melee attack against a station robot, that robot and all robots which can see the attack recognize it as a threat. If several station robots see one of the Professor’s robots and one recognizes it as a threat, this does not necessarily alert the others. (They probably wonder why it’s doing that, though). As all four of the Professor's robots are similar in appearance, the recognition of one as a threat will cause a station robot to recognize all as threats.
29. SASHA
Sasha the mine dog is the station mascot of the mining crew on Phobos Station, and is both intelligent (as dogs go) and well-trained. A number of special rules apply to Sasha.
Movement: Sasha has a movement rating of three. Unlike all other characters, Sasha may move three squares every movement portion of the turn, during both expedition movement and computer movement. During the computer player movement the expedition player moves Sasha first, and then all movement by the computer player follows. If Sasha enters a square occupied by a hostile robot during the computer player’s movement, that robot is considered occupied with melee and cannot move.
Spotting: Sasha may not spot in the normal sense that other characters can. That is, Sasha can see things, but cannot report them. However, if Sasha during movement moves into a square from which she can see a previously unspotted robot she will stop moving and growl. This is determined by the computer player who merely indicates where in movement Sasha stops and that she is growling. In Sasha’s next movement she moves normally again until seeing a new, previously unspotted robot.
Melee: Since Sasha is in a vacuum suit, she cannot bite or claw. Her melee factor of three on the combat chart is parenthetical to indicate that it may only be used for defense. In order to attack, Sasha must jump into the square containing the hostile robot, and melees by trying to knock it over by the impact of the jump. Since a running start gives her more momentum, the melee factor used by Sasha is dependent on how far away she started before movement. If she was one square away (adjacent) she attacks with a melee value of 2; if she was two squares away she attacks with a melee value of 4; if she was three squares away she attacks with a melee value of 6. Sasha has no melee value in the attack if she is in a square entered by a hostile robot, as she does not get the opportunity to leap at all.
Unlike other characters, Sasha may always withdraw from a melee if she is capable of moving. Sasha may relieve others in a melee by leaping in, but will never relieve Carter.
Fire Combat: Sasha does not have a weapon, for obvious reasons. Sasha can be fired at, however, and due to her small size and agility all shots at her have one chance less of hitting than normal, as noted on the combat chart.
Normally a character may never fire into a melee containing a friendly conscious character. This is slightly altered in the case of Sasha. Humans may fire into a melee containing Sasha. If the fire misses the intended robot target, it is rolled again against Sasha. Thus, there is a chance of hitting Sasha only if the intended target is missed. The only characters who may fire into a melee containing Sasha are Hanson, Lucky, George, Scoop, and Carter. Hanson does so, despite his affection for Sasha, out of realization that, given his accuracy, Sasha has a better chance of surviving in a melee if Hanson is shooting at her antagonist. Lucky does so because he cannot believe that he would be so unlucky as to hit Sasha with a wild shot. In fact, it is very unlikely, as noted in rule 23, Lucky. George and Scoop do so because they are newcomers to the Phobos Station and have not developed any attachment to the dog. (‘A dog’s a dog, you know.”) Carter will fire into the square because he doesn’t like dogs. No character may fire into a melee containing Sasha in the fire step immediately after Sasha moves to relieve another character (as both Sasha and the character being relieved would be in the line of fire for too much of the move).
Demo Charges: Sasha can carry and release demo charges as would any other character. Sasha may not set off a demo charge.
General Restrictions: Sasha may never break down a door. Sasha also has some difficulty getting into ventilator shafts, as the gratings hinge to swing outward. Consequently, a friendly character must stand beside the ventilator shaft grating and hold it open for Sasha to jump in. Once in, Sasha can get out without any difficulty. Sasha will not jump into a ventilator shaft held open by Carter.
30. SARGE
Sarge is one of the two security men at Phobos Station and while having no special talents he is a pretty good soldier. He’s armed with a rifle and is a good shot with it.
31. GUNNER
Gunner is the other half of Phobos Station’s security team. While not as good a shot as Hanson or George, Gunner carries the station’s heavy energy bolt rifle, the most powerful weapon the team has. A hit will assure destruction of any hostile robot except a roamer.
32. KIRBY
Kirby is a computer specialist intended to replace Dr. MacDonald. Kirby can obtain information from a terminal, shut down the brain, and activate the self-destruct sequence.
33. MS. JONES
Ms. Jones was the Professor’s next door neighbor on Earth. She is also a world reknowned psychic who supplements her income by assisting Interpol in the solving of particularly difficult cases. She was present at the station assisting the Professor in research into parapsychology. Ms. Jones has the ability to guess the type of a counter inverted on the map. There are two red chits labelled right and one red chit labelled wrong in the counter mix. At the beginning of each expedition movement segment of a turn Ms. Jones may guess at the identity of one inverted counter on one of the plans that the expedition has a character in. The character need not be Ms. Jones. Ms. Jones may not guess at a counter more than once. After indicating which counter she wishes to guess, the computer brain character draws one of the chits randomly, examines it, and then examines the counter guessed at. If the chit is marked right, the computer brain player must tell the expedition the correct identity of the counter. If the chit drawn is marked wrong, the computer brain player may tell them anything he or she likes. In either event, the expedition player is not allowed to see the actual counter guessed at until an expedition character spots it, and is never allowed to see the chit drawn. After a guess, the chit is replaced. There is no limit to the number of guesses Ms. Jones may make, but only one guess may be made per turn.
34. GEORGE
George Mbele is the top pilot for World News Service, and piloted Scoop Phillips’ ship out to Ganymede and back to Phobos Station. George has no special talents, but is a pilot and a very good shot, second only to Hanson.
35. CARTER
Carter is the Project Skymine mining engineer at Phobos Station. In addition to his normal supervisory duties, Carter is also respon- O
sible for field testing the new strength-enhancement body armor suit being considered for mining maintenance crews in the asteroid belt. Carter is wearing the suit prototype which accounts for his high melee value and armor. Carter’s only other notable trait is that he dislikes dogs in general and Sasha in particular.
36. ALEX
Alex is an interplanetary jewel thief. Held in detention at Phobos Station awaiting extradition for burglary aboard a liner, he volunteered to accompany the team’ (in hopes of immunity from prosecution for the many burglaries and jewel thefts he is sought for). Alex never used a gun during his career and is uncomfortable with them, which explains why he is such a lousy shot. Alex does have one unique ability, however; he can sneak around. Normally, a station robot can spot a member of the expedition if the member was in its field of vision at any time during movement. However, if Alex both begins and ends his movement not in a robot's field of vision, the robot does not spot him. Alex, of course, can spot any robot he sees during his movement.
Playing The Game
37. ENTERING THE ASTEROID
The computer brain character determines where the expedition enters using the following procedure. First, he determines which plan sheet is entered. Only one of the sheets of the top level may be entered. The computer brain player assigns numbers from one to six to each of the four plans (of the upper level). Two sheets could have two numbers, and two have one, or one sheet could have three numbers and the other three sheets could have one number each. Roll one die with the result indicating which sheet is entered. Note that while the computer brain player cannot absolutely determine the entry sheet, the chances can be skewed toward one or two sheets. Next determine which corridor the expedition enters from. Since two corridors exit each plan sheet edge, and two edges of the sheet will be on the outside edge of the upper level, this means that a total of four corridors lead off the map of the level from the selected sheet, and these are assumed to lead to airlocks. Which corridor is used is determined by die roll in the same fashion as noted above.
The selected plan sheet is moved to the center of the table and the expedition player is allowed to see it (for the first time) and is shown what corridor he enters from. The expedition may enter in any order desired and need not all enter at maximum movement or attempt to get on the map as soon as possible. Once on the plan sheet play proceeds as noted in the previous rules. The expedition explores the asteroid in search of the brain, and new sheets are added to the map as soon as a character is in a position to see any room, corridor, or ventilation shaft square of an adjoining map. Sheets of the lower level are added as characters descend the stairs to them.
38. VICTORY
To win at all, the expedition must shut down the computer and activate the station's self-destruct sequence. Shutting down the computer may be accomplished by turning it off (Prof, Kirby, or Lucky), blowing it up (a demo charge or the disintegrator), or breaking it (any character except Sasha with a melee value of six may break it). Starting the self-destruct sequence can only be done after the computer is no longer functioning and may only be done in two ways. If the computer is turned off, the self destruct sequence is automatically assumed to start. If the computer is blown up or broken, only Demon can initiate the self-destruct sequence, and must spend one complete expedition movement portion of a turn stationary in the room holding the ruin of the computer brain to do so. Once the self-destruct sequence is initiated, the basic level of victory has been achieved, referred to as a World Survival Victory.
The next level of victory that can be achieved is referred to as a Personal Survival
Victory, and consists of getting out of the station alive. As soon as the computer is shut down, blown up, or broken, all remaining roamers which have not yet been activated are automatically activated. Once the self destruct sequence has begun, the expedition must attempt to escape from the station before the charges go off. The expedition must leave by the same corridor on the top level they entered from, no later than twenty turns from the initiation of self-destruction. Not all members of the expedition need escape to gain a personal survival victory, but at least three members or all surviving members (whichever is less) must do so, and the escapees must include one pilot. Hanson, Lucky, and George are qualified pilots and, as noted earlier, the Professor can serve as a pilot if none of the others escape.
The Professor will not escape while Nicholle remains alive in the station. Nicholle will not escape while the Professor remains alive in the station unless ordered to do so by the Professor (he must be conscious to do so) and accompanied by whoever has fallen in love with her. Neither Nicholle nor whoever she has fallen in love with will leave while the other remains alive in the station. Neither Lucky nor Muscles will escape while the other remains alive in the station, No one except George, Scoop, and Carter will escape while Sasha remains alive in the station unless one character is detailed to go back and get her. That character may not leave while Sasha remains alive in the station, but the others may. Neither George, Scoop, nor Carter may be delegated to get Sasha.
If both a world survival victory and a personal survival victory are achieved, there are a number of other possible victories which may be added on. These additional types of victory are presented below without additional comment as to their relative importance; that is largely a matter for the players to decide.
Common Decency Victory: No living member of the expedition is left behind in the station. Members of the expedition may not kill other members of the expedition to meet this requirement— or for any other reason for that matter.
Betterment of Humanity Victory: The Professor escapes, and is thus able to continue his valuable work.
Romantic Victory: Both Nicholle and her lover escape.
Monetary Victory: Scoop Phillips escapes with the film in his camera and, using his extensive media contacts, serves as agent for the survivors, making all of them rich off sale of the exclusive magazine, book and film rights to the mission and their life stories.
SPCA Victory: Sasha survives. This counts as a double victory if, in addition, Carter doesn’t survive.
39. ASSAULT OF THE CLONE SOLDIERS
A number of blue markers are included to represent a unit of Clone Soldiers. If you feel the need for a change of pace, or think firepower is more important than the special talents of the characters in the expedition, make the assault with Clone Soldiers instead. The characteristics of the troops included are those for Hanson, Gunner, and Sarge. A total of twelve soldiers may be used, of the player’s choice. Demo charges are carried and used as in the basic game. Only soldiers number one and two have been briefed on how to shut down the computer and initiate the self-destruct sequence. Only world survival and personal survival victories are considered, and pilots aren‘t important (the pilot’s waiting outside in the assault boat). However, no soldiers will escape while any others remain alive in the station.
40. PLAY BALANCE VARIANTS
If one player appears to be winning too often (or not often enough), play balance may be shifted by increasing or decreasing the capacity of the ship which brings the expedition. This may be especially necessary if rule 41 is used.
41. BLIND PLAY
Once the game has been played a few times, players should try the following optional rule. Suspense is increased enormously, but be warned that it gives the computer player a big advantage.
Before play begins, the computer player records the position of all counters and removes them from the board. They are only placed on the board if spotted by an enemy character. As soon as a counter is seen (during movement) it is placed on the board face down; it is turned over as usual at the end of movement. Robots which are out of view of any expedition member are removed from the board; their positions at the end of each turn are written down by the computer player.
In addition, maps which the expedition has not yet encountered are kept out of the expedition player's sight; activated robots may wander around on them at will.
Ms. Jones’ powers must be adjusted slightly: she must specify a room, corridor area, or ventilator shaft area (as defined in the rules) and attempt to learn what is in it. If she guesses right, the computer player must tell her everything that’s in the area, but not what squares those things are in. If she guesses wrong, he may tell her anything he wants.
Designers’ Notes
The Workshop has often been accused of sticking mostly to “space opera” for its science-fiction offerings, and not producing any serious speculative fiction. Realizing that there was some truth to this, Marc and | sat down to design a serious simulation based on a reasonable future history projection and backed by good, solid research. Asteroid is the result.
Most Series 120 rules booklets have only 16 pages, but a glance at this one reveals that it has 24. Despite budget constraints, we decided to go ahead with the project as designed and not cut any of the more detailed rules which we felt were necessary to Asteroid’s validity as a simulation.
Even with the extra page count the rules booklet is full, and as a result, these design notes must be somewhat abbreviated. Nevertheless, a note on sources is warranted. The expedition composition was inspired largely by Mars, the Angry Red Planet, with a healthy dose of Destination Moon, Mission Impossible, and The Lost World. The Prof, one of the pivotal characters in the game, is a stylized cross between Professor Challenger, Dr. Quatermass (50 Million Years to Earth), and Reed Richards (of the Fantastic Four). Sasha is based on Won Ton Ton, the Dog That Saved Hollywood. Alex's talent was arrived at after repeated viewings of It Takes A Thief reruns, while Gunner and Sarge are, of course, based on the ever popular DC comics heros. Ms Jones was inspired by Madam Linda, a local palmist who left town several years ago.
Combat Chart
| Expedition Character | Hit Close | Hit Far | Kill | Melee | Move | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | - |
| Carter | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 3 | +1 to kill |
| Demon | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | - |
| George | 5 | 4 |
| Station Character | Hit Close | Hit Far | Kill | Melee | Move | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mining Robot | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 3 | - |
| Roamer | 5 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 | +1 to kill |
| Utility Robot | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | +1 to hit |
Melee Table
Attack Differential (Attacker Minus Defender Melee Value)
| Die Roll | -2 | -1 | 0 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | - | - | - | - | stun | KO | injury | kill |
| 2 | - | - | - | - | stun | KO | injury | kill | kill |
| 3 | - |
Melee table results are explained in rule 7, Melee Combat.