Burning Suns
Burning Suns Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- How to Win
- How to Gain Antimatter
- Galaxy Components and Setup
- Board Components and Setup
- Player Components and Setup
- Empire Parts, Leaders, Control Markers, Home Systems
- Beginning, Advanced Beginning, Round Phases
- Explore, Explored Path, Systems
- Anomalies, Dark Ships, Militia Regiments
- Jump, Distance, Fleet, Army
- Scan, Leader Roll, Boost, Artifacts, Power
- Colonize, Diplomacy, Alliance
- System Control, Race Cards
- Construct, Items, Technologies
- Upgrades, Mercenaries, Structures
- Units
- Unique Units
- Battle, Strike Bonus, Battle Example
- Barrage, Assault, Strike Bonus
- Activate, Ability, Ability Conflict
- Recruit, Agents, Mission
- Terms, Tips and Rule Disputes
How to Win
You win the game by being the empire with the required amount of antimatter (or more) once a round is concluded.
The amount of antimatter required is determined by the length of the game and the number of players. This also counts for the antimatter needed to level up your ideology.
Your antimatter level is tracked using one of your control markers (starting on 0). Move this marker as you gain or lose antimatter (you can never go below 0).
Tiebreaker
If 2 empires reach the same amount of antimatter to win at the end of a round, use the following as tiebreakers:
a. Unique units in game. b. Total crystal income.
How to Gain Antimatter
Your empire gains antimatter in various ways. Antimatter doesn't accumulate with each passing round unless the source says otherwise.
You gain 1 antimatter each time you win a battle/assault over an enemy fleet/army of 4 units or more. The same applies when fighting non-player controlled units, like dark ships etc. A draw doesn't give antimatter.
You gain 1 antimatter each time you destroy another empire's unique unit (e.g. through battle, assault, abilities etc.).
You may gain 1 or more antimatter from agents, artifacts, systems and items that you hold/control. Some antimatter may be lost again, if you lose control of its source.
Galaxy Components and Setup
Galaxy Setup
Choose a galaxy you want to play in or build your own. Use the values on the back of the systems as reference.
The game comes with 32 systems:
- H - Home systems [5]
- Value 0 - Empty systems [5]
- Value 1 - Special system [1]
- Value 2-4 - Hostile systems [7]
- Value 2-4 - Inhabited systems [7]
- Value 2-4 - Uninhabited systems [7]
- ? - Anomalies [16]
Systems with a value of 1-4 that are not used for the initial galaxy are put in a pile face down. You'll draw from the bottom of this pile when placing new systems.
Anomalies and systems with a value of 0 are removed from the game and only called upon in specific cases.
Galaxy Layouts
The rulebook illustrates recommended galaxy layouts for each player count, as chains and clusters of connected system spaces. Each space is marked with either H (a home system), a number 0-4 (the system's value, used when drawing replacement systems), or ? (an anomaly space). Connections between adjacent spaces represent jump paths between systems. Layouts are given for 2, 3, 4 and 5 player galaxies, each arranging home systems and value/anomaly spaces symmetrically around the galaxy so that every empire starts an equal distance from its neighbors.
Find More Galaxies
Visit the official Facebook page to find new galaxies created by fans and the designer, and share your own designs: www.facebook.com/burningsunsthegame
Board Components and Setup
Board Setup
Once you've built your galaxy, set up the other components for the board so it resembles the example below (this is a 4 player game).
a. Place the action sheets [4] so they are accessible for all players.
b. Pile of 1-4 value systems.
c. 1 and 5 value crystals [24 of each].
d. Combat dice [10 white d8].
e. Place the galactic market [1] with the side up matching the player count and fill all empty spots with items [56]. Stack the remaining items next to it face down.
f. Make a face down pile of both agent and artifact cards [24 of each] and place 1 card from each pile face up next to them.
g. Choose either a short or long game by choosing which side of the antimatter track to use [1].
Dark ships and militia regiments [24 of each] are only put on the board when required.
The starter token [1] or planning track [1] is added to the board once the game begins (regular play or advanced play).
Player aids [4] can be handed out at will.
Player Components and Setup
Player Setup
Once the main play area has been set up, it's time to give each player an empire and the corresponding components.
a. Hand every player 2 random ideologies [10]. Each player chooses 1 in secrecy and the choices are revealed simultaneously (unused empire parts are removed from the game).
b. Players are then handed 2 random races [10]. Repeat the step from point a.
c. Repeat the process for the frameworks [10].
When every player has an empire, hand out the components matching the chosen race (see color/symbol on race part).
a. Control markers [20 x 10 races] b. Leaders [3 x 10 races] c. Dreadnoughts [8 x 5 races] d. Battlecruisers [8 x 5 races] e. Raiders [8 x 5 races] f. Regiments [8 x 5 races] g. Titan and a d8 [1 x 5 races] h. Starbase and a d6 [1 x 5 races] i. Colossus and a d4 [1 x 5 races] j. Race cards [8 x 10 races] - Players choose 4 of the cards in secrecy and remove the other 4 from the game.
It is recommended to leave race cards (and thereby alliances) out of your first game.
Please note: The plastic figures for the Insectoid, Wraith, Neomorph, Leviathan and Ercinean races are not in the base game, use the other figure sets as substitutes.
Empire Parts, Leaders, Control Markers, Home Systems
Once done, every player's empire/area should have an ideology, a race and a framework part. Remember to place a control marker on the antimatter track.
Hand each player an income track [6], to keep track of how many crystals they receive per round.
Ideologies
The ideology part has 4 levels of abilities (bottom to top, level 0 to 3).
Every empire starts with the level 0 ability unlocked (when you gain a new ability, you keep the old ones).
You gain new levels immediately after the action from which you increased your amount of antimatter to the required threshold (see antimatter track).
Some levels have 2 abilities to choose from, use a control marker to block out the one you won't be using. This can't be changed, unless you lose the ability again by losing the required amount of antimatter.
Races
The race part tells you the stats of your units, how many technologies you can hold and how each of your units may be upgraded.
Frameworks
The framework tells you how good/effective you are at executing different actions on the actions sheet, dictating distances and limits.
Leaders (Component)
Leaders are placed on the action sheets to indicate what actions you want to take during a round. Leaders each have an attack rate used to determine when they are successful in leader rolls.
Control Markers (Component)
Control markers are used in several situations to indicate ability choices on ideologies, amount on antimatter track, control of systems and to count several units of the same type located together (like stacking chips).
Home Systems (Component)
You start out in your home system which can't be accessed or targeted by other empires.
Beginning, Advanced Beginning, Round Phases
Beginning
You get 1 dreadnought, 1 battlecruiser, 1 raider and 1 regiment that you place in your home system.
Each player rolls a die, the player with the lowest number gets the starter token, and will be the first player to place a leader.
Advanced Beginning (Optional)
Use this instead of the regular beginning.
In the advanced beginning each player gets to spend 12 crystals on units (place in home system), crystals not spent are received in hand.
Each player rolls a die, the player with the lowest number places a control marker on 1 on the planning track, second lowest on 2 and so on.
Round Phases (1-4)
Each round consists of 4 phases.
1: Status Phase
a. Resolve passive benefits/abilities related to the status phase. These are always described as either "Status: X" or a crystal icon with a number on, meaning you gain those benefits during this phase, if you have control of its source.
Use your double-sided income track to keep track of your income per round.
2: Reshuffling Phase
b. Both the available agent and artifact are replaced or the empty spot refilled.
c. The galactic market's items are moved 1 space to the right following the arrows (discarding the item(s) leaving the market), and empty slots are randomly refilled.
d. The action sheets are shuffled and placed randomly next to each other.
In the very first round of a game, place the action sheets in the following order - Explore, Colonize, Battle and Activate.
3: Planning Phase
a. Beginning with the starting player, each player takes turns assigning 1 leader at a time to empty spots on the action sheets in clockwise order until all leaders have been placed (the middle spot is only used in 4-5 player games).
b. Once all leaders have been placed, the player with the leader on the last action that may be executed this round claims the starter token (see action phase to see how actions are executed).
Example: The purple player has put his changeling leader as the last leader to execute an action this round (in this example this is diplomacy), the purple player will therefore take the starter token.
3: Advanced Planning Phase (Optional)
Use this instead of the regular planning phase. The advanced planning phase has 2 differences.
a. Players also take turns assigning leaders, but here the turn order is based upon the player order on the planning track.
b. Once all leaders have been placed, the order for the next round is determined by looking at the order of leaders starting from the back. The player with last leader places a control marker on 1 on the planning track, second last on 2 and so on.
Example: The blue player has a templar leader as the last leader to execute an action this round (in this example this is mission), the blue player therefore gets to go first next round, followed by red and then green.
4: Action Phase
a. Players now execute the actions with leaders on, starting with the top leftmost action spot on the leftmost action sheet. Then execute the actions following the arrows on the action sheet. When the last action on an action sheet has been completed move to the top leftmost action spot on the next action sheet to the right. Skip actions/spots with no leader assigned to them.
b. When a leader's action comes up, the player may choose to execute or pass on the action, a player does not have to or may be unable to execute the action. In all cases, return the leader to the player once done.
Once the last action has been executed, and if no empire has reached the required antimatter to win the game, a new round begins.
Explore, Explored Path, Systems
Explore (Action)
Reveal 1-2 unexplored systems/anomalies by flipping them face up.
Explored Path (Definition)
You can't target or interact with systems, units, empires etc. through abilities or actions if you don't have an explored path to them (e.g. you'll have to explore outwards from your home system).
Explored paths can't be blocked again.
Explored paths go through home systems, opposing fleets etc.
Example: Systems/anomalies that can be explored by the yellow player.
Systems (Component)
There are 4 types of systems in the game (home, uninhabited, inhabited, hostile), all portrayed in the same manner.
-
Top: The title box tells you what kind of system it is and the icons illustrate what action(s) you can initially use in order to gain control of it.
Once a system is under an empire's control, it can always be assaulted.
-
Left: The 2 boxes describe what benefits you receive from controlling the system. These can be anything from antimatter, crystals and discounts to abilities.
Example: Hydatus Teign is an inhabited system that you can gain control of through diplomacy and assault.
When controlled peacefully it'll give you 2 crystals per round and a discount when constructing a colossus.
Uninhabited systems have to be colonized for you to gain control of them. Colonization cost is stated underneath the title.
Inhabited systems can either be persuaded through diplomacy or assaulted in order to gain control of them (there is no defense).
Hostile systems have to be assaulted and the militia regiments defeated before you gain control of them.
Anomalies, Dark Ships, Militia Regiments
Anomalies (Component)
Anomalies are spaces with different kinds of phenomena, machinery or enemies. Anomalies can be travelled just like systems, and in the event of placing new systems in the galaxy, the anomalies count as "non-home systems" (systems must touch anomalies' inner curve, not their pointed ends).
Asteroid field: When revealed, you may execute 1 scan action (same leader).
Babel research facility: When revealed, you may execute 1 explore action (same leader).
Dark fleet: When revealed, deploy X dark ships here (see number on anomaly).
Ionstorm: Battle actions can't be executed in this anomaly.
Portal: When revealed, you may execute 1 diplomacy action (same leader).
Wormhole: Fleets/armies can jump between wormholes (treat as a jump distance of 1).
Dark Ships (Component)
Dark ships are deployed through abilities or on specific anomalies once revealed.
Dark ships immediately start a battle action if another fleet is located in the same place, but they don't start barrage or assault actions. Their attack is shown on the token (e.g. 4 equals a hit on 1-4 on a combat die).
Militia Regiments (Component)
Militia regiments are deployed through abilities or on hostile systems once revealed.
Militia regiments don't start actions by themselves. Their attack is shown on the token.
Jump, Distance, Fleet, Army
Jump (Action)
Move 1 of your fleets or armies up to X systems.
X is found on your empire's framework.
You don't have to jump with all units in a fleet/army.
You can drop off/pick up units along the route.
Jumping into a system with an opposing fleet of 4 ships or more will end your jump action.
Armies are only moved between your own systems and can't be moved into a system with an opposing fleet.
Distance (Definition)
Some actions and abilities require the target to be within a certain distance. All distances are measured as systems/anomalies adjacent to each other (anomalies have to touch with their inner curve, their pointed ends don't count for any kind of interaction).
Jump distance is measured from the original position of the fleet/army to the system you want them to end up in.
Diplomacy distance is measured from the nearest system under your control to the target. Same goes for specific abilities where a distance is accounted for.
Example: Possible destinations for the green fleet with a jump action and a jump distance of 4.
Fleet (Definition)
A fleet refers to every one of your ships, titan and starbase located in the same system.
There can be more than 1 fleet in a system (e.g. different empires).
Army (Definition)
An army refers to every one of your regiments and colossus located in the same system.
Fleet Limit (Definition)
A fleet can consist of a maximum 10 ships incl. titan and starbase, each counting as 1 unit.
A fleet or army limit can be increased through agents, artifacts and technologies.
Fleet and army limits can only be temporarily exceeded during an action (e.g. when jumping, assaulting, using abilities etc).
These limits may never be exceeded when an action ends. If this occurs, discard units until the limit is met.
Army Limit (Definition)
An army can consist of a maximum 10 regiments incl. colossus, each counting as 1 unit.
A system in unrest gives a -5 to the system's army limit.
Scan, Leader Roll, Boost, Artifacts, Power
Scan (Action)
Search for artifacts and crystals by executing a leader roll.
If your leader succeeds, choose between:
a. Get 1 artifact either from the top of the pile or the currently revealed artifact (artifacts are not replaced before the "Reshuffling phase").
b. Get 5 crystals.
If your leader fails, get 3 crystals.
Place artifacts next to your empire face up.
The limit to how many artifacts you can hold is found on your empire's framework.
If you go beyond the limit, discard any artifact cards before ending your action. Place discarded cards in the bottom of the draw pile.
Leader Roll (Definition)
There are 4 actions on the action sheets that demand a leader roll (see head icon).
- Scan
- Diplomacy
- Recruit
- Mission
These actions require you to roll a combat die to determine whether or not you succeed (e.g. 5 in attack equals 1-5 on a combat die)
Like every other unit/leader dependent roll, you always fail on 8, no matter how many modifiers you have.
Boost (Definition)
You can increase the chances of success by purchasing a one-time boost to your leader roll, before rolling. For every 3 crystals, you'll gain a +1 to the success chances.
Example: You want to execute a diplomacy action with Terran's 1st leader (1-5). You pay 2 x 3 crystals and will now be successful when rolling 1-7.
Should you fail with your leader and have a reroll ability, the boost will stay on the rerolls.
Artifacts (Component)
You get artifacts through the scan action. Artifacts have either a passive or activate ability. In both cases the effect (the X) is determined by the current power used by the empire holding the artifact.
Power (Definition)
There are 3 powers in Burning Suns (light, neutral and dark). Every empire relies on 1 of these through its ideology.
You can see an empire's current power by looking at the latest acquired ability.
An empire's power may change during the game and thereby change the effect of agents and artifacts.
Colonize, Diplomacy, Alliance
Colonize (Action)
Colonize 1 uninhabited system that you're orbiting with 1 or more dreadnoughts.
Pay the colonization cost, then place 1 regiment and 1 control marker on the system (indicate peaceful control).
You can't colonize a system if there's an opposing fleet in the system.
Diplomacy (Action)
Conduct 1 diplomatic action by executing a leader roll.
If your leader succeeds, choose between:
a. Gain control of an uncontrolled inhabited system. Place 1 regiment and 1 control marker on the system (indicate peaceful control).
b. Change 1 of your own or another empire's control of a system (see system control).
c. Form, change or cancel 1 alliance with another empire by exchanging race cards.
If your leader fails, nothing happens.
In all cases your targeted system or empire has to be within your diplomacy distance shown on your empire's framework (the other empire's diplomacy distance doesn't matter).
Example: Using a diplomacy distance of 2.
You can't target your own systems with a negative diplomacy action.
Alliance is the only interaction you can have with another empire's home system.
Alliance (Definition)
When allied with an empire, you gain the passive benefit from your ally's race card (back of card).
When allied, you no longer treat each other's fleets as "opposing fleets", you can't target each other's systems through diplomacy actions, and you get an allied victory if one of you reaches the required amount of antimatter - you both win!
You can only share 1 race card with each ally, and you can only have 1 ally per race card you have available.
The cards used for alliances don't have to match.
Chain alliances don't work towards a victory, only the player reaching the antimatter goal plus their allies win.
Your alliance is cancelled if you and your ally's antimatter scores are 4 or more antimatters apart (e.g. 10 to 6). In this case return the race cards to each other.
Your alliance is broken if you target your ally with a warfare action. In this case remove both race cards used for the alliance from the game.
System Control, Race Cards
System Control (Definition)
A system you control can either be in "peace" or "unrest".
Peaceful control is shown by placing the control marker with the peace side face up.
Unrestful control is shown by placing the control marker with the unrest side up (flames) and blocking out one of the system's benefits that you'll no longer receive.
- Peaceful control (2 benefits)
- Unrestful control (1 benefit blocked, -5 to army limit)
- Rebellion (removes the occupant)
Diplomacy actions can be used to affect your own controlled systems positively (e.g. moving them from unrest to peace) or affect other empire's system negatively (e.g. moving them from peace to unrest, or unrest to rebellion). The affected player must adjust the system accordingly (e.g. choosing what benefit to block and/or removing any regiments above the new army limit).
Rebellions will completely discard the occupying army and structures, and the system will reset (e.g. militia regiments will reappear).
You can't have peaceful control on hostile systems.
Uninhabited systems can't go into rebellion, only unrest.
Fleets are not affected by rebellions.
Example: Going from peace to unrest.
Race Cards (Component)
Race cards contain a strong 1 time triggered ability on the front, which can be used when the conditions for the ability are met. The card is hereafter removed from the game.
However, race cards are also used for alliances. In such cases the card's back is used to define the benefit an alliance will give your ally (e.g. you gain the benefits from the back of your ally's race card and vice versa).
Construct, Items, Technologies
Construct (Action)
The construct action allows you to do several things.
- Purchase items from the galactic market.
- Construct units/unique units.
- Repair unique units.
You may construct and purchase as much as your treasury of crystals and construction limit permit.
You can find your construction limit on your empire's framework.
You may only place new units/items and repair unique units in systems that you control.
You may discard upgrades/technologies/structures by replacing them with others, but not rearrange them.
You're not allowed to discard units/unique units again (e.g. to avoid battle).
Like any other payment dependent action/ability, you have to pay at least 1 crystal per unit/item/hitpoint, no matter how many modifiers you have.
Example with a construction limit of 4:
- 2 dreadnoughts
- 1 upgrade
- 1 structure
Example with a construction limit of 8:
- 1 unique unit repaired
- 5 raiders
- 2 technologies
The cost of repairing 1 hitpoint on a unique unit is similar to the number indicating its attack (red crosshair).
Items (Definition)
Item refers to every type of component you can purchase through the galactic market.
- Technologies
- Mercenaries
- Upgrades
- Structures
When items are purchased from the galactic market, they are not replaced before the "Reshuffling phase".
There are several items in the game, all portrayed in the same way.
- Top left: Type of item.
- Top right: The cost of the item.
- Bottom middle: Benefit of the item.
Technologies (Component, Item)
Technologies can be placed on the spots next to a race's portrait on the race part (indicated by the same icon). Not all races have these spots.
Gives you +1 crystal during the "Status phase".
Gives you 1 antimatter.
Increases your fleet/army limit by 1.
Increases your colossus/starbase's amount of attack dice by 1.
Increases your agent/artifact limit by 1.
Upgrades, Mercenaries, Structures
Upgrades (Component, Item)
Upgrades can be placed on upgrade slots underneath a unit's portrait on your race sheet. Some upgrades might affect future costs of units.
Increases the unit's attack by 1.
Increases the damage done to a target by 1 (the now 2 damage can't be divided on several targets).
Increases the unit's attack by 2, the unit's cost is increased by 1.
Mercenaries (Component, Item)
Mercenaries are ships like the ships from the empires, but with other abilities.
Mercenaries have to be placed in already existing fleets and count towards the fleet limit.
Should you lose or move all your regular units/unique units in the fleet away from the mercenaries, they will be discarded.
Gives you +1 crystal during the "Status phase".
Gives you 1 antimatter.
Deploys 2 regiments during assaults.
Increases your titan's amount of attack dice by 1.
Structures (Component, Item)
Structures can be placed on systems you control. Each system can hold 1 structure.
Structures only benefit the empire controlling the system.
Gives you +1 crystal during the "Status phase".
Gives you 1 antimatter.
Lets your fleets/armies jump to other wormholes (treat as a jump distance of 1).
Increases your fleets/armies attack in the system by 1.
Denies hostile diplomacy from targeting the system.
Units
Units (Component)
There are 4 types of units in the game, 3 ships and 1 regiment, all with the same portrait layout.
- Top left: The cost of the unit.
- Top right: The number of dice shown represent the number of combat dice the unit rolls during warfare actions, next to it is the red crosshair with the unit's attack.
- Bottom left: The unit's purpose.
- Bottom right: The unit's hitpoints.
Common for all ships, titans and starbases is that they can participate in battles and barrages.
Common for regiments and colossi is that they can participate in assaults and barrages.
A unit's attack indicates the maximum number it can roll on a combat die and still hit (e.g. 6 in attack equals 1-6 on a combat die).
All units do 1 damage per hit as default.
The dreadnought's purpose is to colonize uninhabited systems.
The battlecruiser's purpose is to deploy 1 regiment in assaults.
The raider's purpose is to add 1 reroll to the fleet in battles and barrages.
Regiments are deployed from battlecruisers, titans etc. during assaults, but can also be used to guard systems from assault, or barrage fleets from below.
Regiments can be moved between your own systems, but they aren't "transported" and can't assault systems themselves without a fleet or an ability initiating an assault action.
If you have more units in a system than you can show with figures, use the control markers as stackable counters.
Unique Units
Unique Units (Component)
While unique units' portraits are identical to those of regular units, the role of unique units is far more powerful.
All unique units have 2 purposes, roll more dice and have far more hitpoints than regular units.
It's important to notice that although unique units count towards fleet and army unit limits, all abilities specifically refer to unique units. They are therefore not to be included in abilities that affect "ships" or "units".
The titan's purpose is to deploy 2 regiments during assaults.
The titan has a d8 representing its health.
The starbase's purpose is to provide a wormhole, so your fleets can jump to other wormholes (treat as a jump distance of 1). The starbase also cancels all enemy rerolls in the system where it's located.
Starbases can't jump themselves.
The starbase has a d6 representing its health.
The colossus' purpose is to prevent fleets from barraging the system it's located in and prevent hostile diplomacy from happening.
The colossus has a d4 representing its health.
Battle, Strike Bonus, Battle Example
Battle (Action)
Start 1 battle between 1 of your own fleets and another fleet.
The 2 fleets have to be in the same system in order to engage. If there is more than 1 other fleet in the system you announce who you are attacking.
Some frameworks provide extra rerolls for battles.
Strike Bonus (Definition)
The attacker gets a strike bonus of +1 to all his fleet's attacks for the first turn.
Like every other unit/leader dependent roll, you always fail on 8, no matter how many modifiers you have.
A unit's attack indicates the maximum number it can roll on a combat die and still hit (e.g. 3 in attack equals 1-3 on a combat die).
All units and unique units do 1 damage per hit as default.
If your fleet consists of different units, remember to roll the dice separately for each unit type, so that you don't mix up the hits and misses.
Battle (Rhythm)
Both players roll combat dice simultaneously, firing 1 time with each unit in their fleet, and thereby accumulating the total damage they do to the enemy.
Players may spend rerolls as they see fit, but rerolls can only be applied to your own misses. The attacker's rerolls also have +1 on the first turn.
Once all units have fired incl. rerolls, each player distributes the damage their fleet has sustained freely between units.
A second turn will now start, where each player will roll for their remaining units. This will continue until 1 or both fleets are destroyed (you can't retreat).
Battle Example
An insectoid fleet of 3 battlecruisers and 2 raiders attacks an ercinean fleet of 2 dreadnoughts and 4 raiders.
Since the insectoid player is attacking, his fleet gets the strike bonus of +1 to all attacks on the first turn.
Turn 1
The insectoid player rolls: 1,3,6...5,7 - dealing 4 damage. The ercinean player rolls: 3,8...1,5,7,8 - dealing 3 damage.
The players distributes the damage they have taken.
Turn 2
The insectoid player rolls: 5,5 - dealing 2 damage. (strike bonus is no longer active) The ercinean player rolls: 2,7 - dealing 1 damage.
The insectoid player wins the battle with 1 surviving ship and gets 1 antimatter, since the opposing fleet consisted of 4 or more ships.
Remember to adjust the fleet size according to the fleet limit once the battle is done.
Barrage, Assault, Strike Bonus
Barrage (Action)
Execute 1 of 2 possible barrage actions.
a. Fire 1 time with your entire fleet upon the system it orbits.
b. Fire 1 time with your entire army upon a fleet orbiting the system.
You can't barrage a system if there's an opposing fleet in the system.
You can't target your own systems/units.
There are no strike bonuses in a barrage action.
Barrage (Rhythm)
The attacker rolls combat dice, firing 1 time with each unit/unique unit in his fleet/army incl. rerolls, and accumulates the total damage done to his enemy.
The defender now distributes the damage his fleet/army has sustained freely between units. Structures are included in this, they have 1 hitpoint.
Assault (Action)
Start 1 assault on a system that you're orbiting with 1 or more battlecruisers, titan or dropships.
An assault consists of 1 attack wave, where each ship capable of it deploys regiments to fight in the assault.
Some frameworks provide extra rerolls for assaults.
You can't assault a system if there's an opposing fleet in the system.
Strike Bonus (Definition)
The attacker gets a strike bonus of +1 to all his army's attacks for the first turn.
Assault (Rhythm)
Assaults have the exact same rhythm as battles, this time it's just between armies.
Structures are unharmed in assaults.
No matter the outcome, you can always conduct a new assault action with the same fleet afterwards.
Battlecruisers etc. don't get exhausted when deploying regiments.
Example: A templar fleet deploying 4 regiments in an assault on a system controlled by changelings.
Assault Without a Fight
You may assault unguarded systems to gain control of them. Place regiments and a control marker indicating unrestful control.
Unsuccessful Assault
If the attacker loses all regiments during the assault, the defender wins and keeps control of the system. The system is also kept under the defender's control if the assault is a draw.
Successful Assault
If the attacker destroys the defender and has at least 1 regiment remaining, the attacker gains control of the system, removes the defender's control marker and places his own indicating unrestful control.
In all cases, remember to adjust the army size according to the army limit once the assault is done. Systems in unrest have a -5 to army limit.
Activate, Ability, Ability Conflict
Activate (Action)
Activate 1 ability.
This action is only used for abilities that need to be activated (see abilities).
Some artifacts and agents will have to be discarded after being activated. Put them back in the bottom of the draw pile.
Ability (Definition)
There are 3 different kinds of abilities in Burning Suns, which can all be found on cards, ideologies and systems. Common for all abilities is that you're never forced to take advantage of or use an ability.
Passive
These abilities continuously benefit the empire holding them (e.g. through the Status phase, discounts, action upgrades etc.).
You can't go back and claim abilities, so don't forget them.
Abilities can only be triggered or utilized if the actions they refer to are executed.
Trigger
Triggered abilities can only be used when the holder of the ability is involved in an action correlating to the action mentioned in the ability (e.g. before jump, after assault).
Some triggered abilities also have other conditions like "if you won", "if you lost" etc.
In cases where more than one empire might be able to use a triggered ability, it's always the empire who initiated the action that goes first (e.g. attacker) then the other empire (e.g. defender).
An empire can only use 1 trigger ability per action.
Activate
These abilities can only be used when activated by a leader through the activate action.
Like in warfare and diplomacy actions, it's always the player receiving the "damage" from abilities that distributes it, unless the ability says otherwise.
Ability Conflict
Abilities might break the rules of the game for a moment, but when an action is completed, things revert back once again.
Abilities might conflict with each other due to different interests from players. Use the following list to see which ability will rule in strength and timing.
1 - Systems 2 - Ideology level 3 > 0 3 - Race card 4 - Artifact 5 - Agent 6 - Item 7 - Unique unit 8 - Unit
If the ability is on the same level you break ties in the following manner.
-
Passive
-
Trigger
-
Activate
-
Light
-
Dark
-
Neutral
Recruit, Agents, Mission
Recruit (Action)
Search for agents by executing a leader roll.
If your leader succeeds, choose between:
a. Get 1 agent either from the top of the pile or the currently revealed agent (agents are not replaced before the "Reshuffling phase").
b. Steal 1 agent card from another empire. This can only be done if the agent matches your empire's current power while not matching the power of its current holder.
If your leader fails, get 1 regiment.
Place agents next to your empire face up.
The limit to how many agents you can hold is found on your empire's framework.
If you go beyond the limit, discard any agent cards before ending your action, place discarded cards in the bottom of the draw pile.
Agents (Component)
You get agents through the recruit action. Agents will benefit your empire with a passive ability as long as you hold them, but they also have an ability that can be activated.
Agents lean towards a certain power (light, dark or neutral), this is important to note when stealing an agent from another empire.
Mission (Action)
Conduct 1 mission action by executing a leader roll.
If your leader succeeds, you may execute any 1 of the 11 other actions.
If your leader fails, nothing happens.
Some frameworks give free boosts to the mission action. E.g. +2 will give a 1-4 leader a 1-6 chance of succeeding at the mission action. This boost doesn't apply to the action granted by a successful mission.
You don't move your leader, so there are no restrictions on what actions you can choose.
No matter the chosen action, you'll have to execute it as if you'd just placed your leader there.
This also means that if you paid for a one-time boost to succeed, you'll now have to pay again, if you want a better chance on any new leader roll.
Terms, Tips and Rule Disputes
Terms
-
"Add": You add a specific amount of units to a fleet/army without any cost.
-
"Before/After": Refers to abilities utilized within the action. E.g. if you take out 2 of the enemy's 4 ships with a before battle ability and you win the battle, it still counts as a victory over 4 ships, which would grant you 1 antimatter.
-
"Blink": Means that you're not "jumping" but going there instantly. In other words, you don't need a clear path or certain distance, you only need an explored path.
-
"Controlled": When a system is controlled by an empire.
-
"Deploy": When you deploy units they are free and won't exhaust the units they are deployed from (e.g. regiments deployed by battlecruisers).
-
"Discard": Put the card/item/unit back (e.g. in the bottom of original pile, back to player etc.).
-
"Execute": When you conduct/carry out an action. It has nothing to do with whether or not you succeed or fail in the action itself.
-
"Get/take/steal": You'll receive (subject) from either (the game) or another player without paying something in return, and you may place (subject) according to the rules.
-
"Opposing fleet": A fleet of 4 or more units from a player you're not allied with or non-player controlled units.
-
"Orbit": When fleets are located/placed in a system they are referred to as orbiting this system.
-
"Pay": You'll pay to (the game), unless it says otherwise.
-
"Remove": The component is removed from the current game as in "put back in the box".
-
"Replace": Discard the mentioned component by putting it back (e.g. in the bottom of pile/bag) and replace it with the described component.
-
"Reroll": Refers to a single die reroll. You can only apply a reroll to your own dice and to fails/misses (you're never forced to use rerolls).
Tips
Play effectively by
- Searching all sources for antimatter (e.g. agents, artifacts, technologies)
- Seeking out weak/forgotten targets (e.g. fleets left behind)
- Using weak leaders for actions that don't require leader rolls.
Play efficiently by
- Planning while it isn't your turn.
- Calculating your expenses before starting to construct.
- Talking alliances while it isn't your turn.
What if...
- You run out of components? Remember that the control markers can also be used to represent units in a fleet/army (stack them below or next to a unit). But besides that, there are no more to be had.
- You don't trust the "shuffling of the 4 action sheets"? Have one player shuffle and another player place them, or use a d4 to determine their position.
- You want to play 6 players? You'll need another set of units/figures in order to do that, but the rest of the game is geared towards it. The downtime will of course increase with an additional player.
Rule Disputes
The nature of a 4X game makes it very difficult to cover all possible corners and interpretations of the rules, in all cases it's very important to take the wording of the rules into account, and not to "over-interpret" or "import" rules.
Example: If an ability lets you destroy 3 units/ships, it doesn't include titans/starbases since they are unique units. Example: If an ability gives you a -2 discount to any upgrades you purchase, it doesn't include other items like technologies or mercenaries.
Situations may still arise where players can't agree on the correct ruling. In these cases, every player rolls 1 combat die and the player with the lowest number determines the correct ruling for this situation.
Remember the most important aspect of Burning Suns is to have a lot of fun while playing :)