Solar Trader Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Contents
• 1. Setting Up
• 2. Moving Through Space
  • 2a Take-off and Landing
  • 2b Dice Rolls
  • 2c Changing Direction
  • 2d Retrieving Ejected Commodities
• 3. Hazards of Space
  • 3a The Coloured Squares
  • 3b The Black Hole
  • 3c The Vortex
• 4. Trading Rules
  • 4a General Trading
  • 4b Circulation of Commodities
  • 4c Trade Between Players
  • 4d Distress Signal
• 5. Illegal Trading
  • 5a Extended Trading Licence
  • 5b Excess Cargo
  • 5c Contraband Commodities
  • 5d Compound Offences
• 6. Upgrading Your Spacecraft
  • 6a Rocket Booster
  • 6b Anti-Gravity Device
• 7. Zastra
  • 7a Journey to Zastra
  • 7b Trading on Zastra
  • 7c Return from Zastra
• 8. Player's Guide
  • Trader's Priority List
• 9. Uncertainty Reference Table
• Uncertainty Table (Back Cover)
  • Commodities List (Back Cover)

Introduction

(Transcribed as printed in the rule book.)

In the final years of the 21st Century, space freighters traverse the Solar System and giant satellite stations orbit the planets. The search for new sources of vital commodities has resulted in a flourishing interplanetary trade economy. As a SOLAR TRADER, you have the opportunity to travel to the farthest reaches of the Solar System, seeking your fortune by trading essential commodities between Earth's far-flung colonies.

Human technology has conquered space, but for Earth the outlook remains bleak. Resources are stretched to their ultimate limit, energy reserves are dwindling, and pollution is choking this once-green planet.

Now, a glimmer of hope has appeared. Deep-space observatories have decoded a faint distress call from far beyond Pluto, a signal sent by an advanced race of galactic wanderers. Their mothership, the vast artificial planetoid ZASTRA has been crippled in a violent meteor storm. Its energy panels, formed from a transmutation of gold, silver and diamonds, are shattered. Without energy to power Zastra's stardrive, the wanderers are helpless. They cannot escape the gravitational pull of the Black Hole. Gradually, Zastra is being drawn in.

If you can trade wisely and complete the hazardous journey to reach their mothership with a cargo of precious commodities, the Zastrans are willing to trade a SOLAR ENERGY CRYSTAL for one unit each of gold, silver and diamonds. Transported to Earth and aligned with the Sun, each Solar Energy Crystal can supply the energy needs of an entire continent.

Will you be the first to complete a successful mission beyond the Black Hole, and return with the key to advancing Earth's technology?

Contents

• Introduction
• 1 Setting Up
• 2 Moving Through Space (2a Take-off and Landing; 2b Dice Rolls; 2c Changing Direction; 2d Retrieving Ejected Commodities)
• 3 Hazards of Space (3a The Coloured Squares; 3b The Black Hole; 3c The Vortex)
• 4 Trading Rules (4a General Trading; 4b Circulation of Commodities; 4c Trade Between Players; 4d Distress Signal)
• 5 Illegal Trading (5a Extended Trading Licence; 5b Excess Cargo; 5c Contraband Commodities; 5d Compound Offences)
• 6 Upgrading Your Spacecraft (6a Rocket Booster; 6b Anti-Gravity Device)
• 7 Zastra (7a Journey to Zastra; 7b Trading on Zastra; 7c Return from Zastra)
• 8 Player's Guide
• 9 Uncertainty Reference Table

1. Setting Up

(The printed board diagram, showing Uranus, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Earth, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Pluto, Neptune, the Vortex, Uncharted Routes, the Loop, the Black Hole and Zastra, is omitted.)

The SOLAR TRADER board represents the Solar System and the trade routes between the nine known planets. Each of the planets produces one particular commodity, and is known as the 'source planet' for that commodity. There are nine different pieces which represent each of these commodities. They are called 'commodity units' and are shown on the board near their source planets.

To begin the game, place commodity units on their source planets. Use two more commodity units than there are players in the game – e.g. if four people are playing, place six units of each commodity on the appropriate planet. Commodity units should be placed on planets as follows:

Planet	Commodity	Planet	Commodity	Planet	Commodity
Mercury	Diamonds	Saturn	Water	Neptune	Medicines
Venus	Oxygen	Uranus	Silver	Pluto	Gold
Earth	Food
Mars	Robots
Jupiter

In addition, there is one unit each of the illegal 'contraband commodities', Tobacco and Alcohol. These are also shown on the board near their source planets. Contraband commodities should be placed on planets as follows:

• Uranus – Tobacco
• Neptune – Alcohol

Place one pyramid per player on the planetoid Zastra. This is the SOLAR ENERGY CRYSTAL, which is represented on the board next to Zastra.

Zastra – Solar Energy Crystal

Each player should take one TRADING CARD. This gives full details of the price bands for the different commodities. The trading system is described under Section 4, TRADING RULES.

Players should select one of the six coloured spacecraft to move around the board. The corresponding colour spacecraft shown on the edge of the board can be used to store commodity units. EACH PLAYER BEGINS THE GAME WITH ONE UNIT OF FOOD. This should be taken from the stock of Food units on Earth and placed in your spacecraft's cargo hold.

One player should be elected Banker for the duration of the game. Interplanetary CREDITS form the currency standard. EACH PLAYER BEGINS THE GAME WITH 30 CREDITS CASH.

At this point, all players new to the game should read Section 8, PLAYER'S GUIDE, for an overview of SOLAR TRADER gameplay.

2. Moving Through Space

2a Take-off and Landing

Decide order of play rolling the 10-sided dice. (N.B. 0 on the 10-sided dice means 10, the maximum score, not Zero.) Whoever rolls the highest score takes off first, followed by the player to his or her left, and so on until everyone is launched. At the start of the game, every player must take-off from Earth before beginning to trade. You can't buy up Food units before your initial take-off.

When taking off from Earth, you have a choice of direction. Roll the 10-sided dice, decide which way you want to go, and move your spacecraft the number of spaces indicated. Having rolled the dice, you must always move your spacecraft – even if it means landing on a hazardous square. Once launched, you must continue moving in the same direction until you land on a planet. When you come to a branch in a trade route it's up to you which way you go. Usually you must complete your turn by moving the total number of spaces indicated on the dice roll.

Most of the planets have only one entry and exit route, but there is a choice of directions when leaving Earth and Pluto. Earth and Pluto are also 'through routes' – if you're by-passing them and don't want to land, count them as one square.

To touch down on a planet it isn't necessary to roll the exact number needed. You can trade as soon as you've landed, i.e. in the same turn, selling items from your cargo for cash and/or buying up whatever commodities are currently available. (See Section 4, TRADING RULES.) Having landed, you must wait until your next turn before taking off.

You can stop on a planet by missing turns for as long as you like, and can trade at any time during your stay when your turn comes around. You can also trade immediately before taking off, i.e. in the same turn.

2b Dice Rolls

The two types of dice used in SOLAR TRADER are 10-sided (d10) and 20-sided (d20). Initially, players use a d10 for moving around the board. When a spacecraft has been fitted with a Rocket Booster, a d20 may be used for moving around the board. (See Section 6, UPGRADING YOUR SPACECRAFT.)

In either case, roll the dice and move your spacecraft the number of spaces indicated. If you land on one of the Coloured Squares, refer to Section 3a. If you roll the maximum score, you are entitled to an extra dice roll. Extra dice rolls are cumulative, but are cancelled under any of the following conditions:

1. whenever your spacecraft touches down;
2. if you enter the Black Hole;
3. on stopping to retrieve an ejected commodity unit;
4. if you stop to trade in space with another player.

If necessary, you must deal with the results of landing on a coloured square before taking your extra turn.

2c Changing Direction

The Loop is a useful feature of the trade route between Saturn and Uranus which enables you to change direction in mid-flight between these planets. In other parts of the Solar System, the only way of altering course is by landing on the nearest planet and then moving in the required direction when you take off again on your next turn.

2d Retrieving Ejected Commodities

Commodity units ejected in space due to Engines Overheating (see UNCERTAINTY TABLE) remain on the Orange square where they were dropped. Any player then has the option of retrieving them. To do this, it isn't necessary to roll the exact number needed to land on the Orange square. When your dice roll is sufficient to reach it, you can stop on the Orange square and add the ejected commodities to your own cargo. This cancels the remainder of your dice roll for that turn. Having retrieved ejected commodities, you must then roll on the Uncertainty Table. If you choose to by-pass them, any ejected commodity units stay where they are.

If you land exactly on an Orange square which contains ejected commodities during the normal course of play, you have the option of retrieving them before rolling on the Uncertainty Table.

3. Hazards of Space

3a The Coloured Squares

Green and Red: SOLAR WIND: If your spacecraft lands on a GREEN square, the Solar Wind is in your favour and you can roll the dice again. If you land on a RED square, the Solar Wind is against you, and you must move your spacecraft back three spaces. Note that you must go back the way you came if forced back past a branch in a trade route.

Blue: POLICE CHECK: The Blue squares are checkpoints for the Interplanetary Police. If you land on one, your spacecraft will be searched and your cargo inspected. This need only concern you if you are carrying more than five commodity units without an Extended Trading Licence or any contraband commodity. If so, you will be arrested. (See Section 5, ILLEGAL TRADING.)

Orange: UNCERTAINTY FACTOR: If you land on an Orange square, roll the d10 and refer to the UNCERTAINTY TABLE on the back cover of the Rule book.

Black: WORM-HOLES: The numbered spaces marked with black ellipses represent 'worm-holes'. If you land on one, your spacecraft will be subjected to the intense gravitational pull of the Black Hole. To avoid being drawn in, you have the option of dumping one commodity unit from your cargo to lessen your mass. This may be any type of commodity. The dumped commodity unit must be placed in the Black Hole itself. If you choose this option, your spacecraft stays on the worm-hole square, and you may continue from there on your next turn. If you choose not to dump a commodity unit, place your spacecraft in the Black Hole and refer to Section 3b below.

There are also worm-holes on the trade route to Zastra. These are either single or in clusters of two and three. They are described under Section 7a.

You can negate the effect of all worm-holes by fitting your spacecraft with an Anti-Gravity Device. (See Section 6, UPGRADING YOUR SPACECRAFT.)

3b The Black Hole

If your spacecraft is drawn into the Black Hole, remove it from play and place it in the Black Hole itself. You must remain there for the following two turns. On the third turn, roll the d10 and place your spacecraft on the correspondingly numbered worm-hole. Then on the following turn, decide which direction you want to take and move in the usual way.

You could be ejected from the Black Hole into any part of the Solar System. However, if you don't like the exit square, you have the option of staying in the Black Hole and trying again. If you choose to stay, miss two turns and roll the d10 on the third turn, as above. You can repeat this procedure as often as you like.

Any dumped commodity units in the Black Hole may be retrieved in a player's normal turn. You may also dump commodities from your own cargo at any time during your stay in the Black Hole.

3c The Vortex

Traders travelling to and from Uranus should beware the Vortex, situated two squares from Uranus itself. If you land on this square, your spacecraft is sent spiralling back to the inner Solar System. This can be to your advantage under certain circumstances, but there is an Orange square at the exit, and you must roll on the Uncertainty Table whether you take this route by accident or design. Note that the Vortex is one-way only, so you can't use it as a short-cut out to Uranus. If you land on the Vortex exit square during the normal course of play, treat it in the same way as any other Orange square.

4. Trading Rules

4a General Trading

Trade consists of the buying and selling of the nine commodities throughout the nine planets of the Solar System. Each type of commodity can be bought at its cheapest price on its source planet. It can then be sold at a profit on either of two planets, one offering an intermediate price, the other offering the best price. Refer to the TRADING CARD for full details of commodity prices.

For example, Fuel can be bought on its source planet Jupiter at 100 Credits per unit. It can then be sold either on Venus at its intermediate price of 200 Credits per unit, or on Pluto at its best price of 400 Credits per unit.

4b Circulation of Commodities

Commodity units sold at their intermediate price stay on the planet where sold. Commodity units sold at their best price are deemed to have been consumed and automatically return to their source planet. So in the above example, if the Fuel units bought on Jupiter at 100 Credits were sold on Venus at the intermediate price of 200 Credits each, they would stay there until bought by a trader prepared to pay the intermediate price for them. If the Fuel units were sold on Pluto at the best price of 400 Credits each however, they should be immediately returned to Jupiter, where they go back on sale at the source price of 100 Credits.

A commodity can only be sold on one of the planets where a market exists for it. Food units however can be sold on any planet. Wherever they are sold, Food units are immediately consumed, so they are always returned to Earth, where they go back on sale at their source price.

If necessary, you can sell commodity units to their source planet, but you will only get the source price for them.

Players new to SOLAR TRADER may prefer to use the simplified Trading Rules at first, in which all commodities are always returned to their source planet as soon as they are sold.

4c Trade Between Players

Players may trade with one another, striking whatever deal seems appropriate, either in cash or commodities or a combination of these. There are three ways of doing this:

1. when both traders have landed on the same planet;
2. when both traders are in the Black Hole;
3. when traders pass in space. Both traders must have landed on the same blank square during the normal course of play. Trading is not allowed on any coloured square.

4d Distress Signal

If for any reason you are left with no commodities on board and are down to less than 40 Credits cash, you have the option of sending out a distress signal. Your spacecraft will then be beamed straight to the Moon, and you are entitled to have your cash made up to 40 Credits. You can take off from the Moon and re-join the game on your next turn.

5. Illegal Trading

The Moon is the Headquarters of the Interplanetary Police and the site of the Lunar Detention Centre. Note that it isn't classed as a planet, and no commodities may be traded here. However, you will probably need to visit the Moon in order to buy an Extended Trading Licence. As when landing on a Blue square, when you touch down on the Moon your cargo will be inspected by the Interplanetary Police, so make sure that it's legal when you go there.

5a Extended Trading Licence

Commodity units of different types may be mixed freely in your cargo, up to a maximum of ten units. Initially though, traders operate under a General Trading Agreement, which permits them to carry a maximum of five commodity units only. Traders who exceed this limit are operating illegally, and are liable to prosecution if detected by landing on a Blue square or on the Moon.

An Extended Trading Licence permits traders to carry up to 10 commodity units legally. The extended licence card may be bought on the Moon for 100 Credits. No more than 10 commodity units may be carried under any circumstances, as this would exceed the capacity of the spacecraft's cargo hold.

5b Excess Cargo

If a trader is detected carrying more than five commodity units and doesn't have an Extended Trading Licence, then the most valuable excess items are confiscated and returned to their source planet. The five cheapest commodities may be retained. Commodity values are gauged according to their source price, and the Solar Energy Crystal is classed as the most valuable commodity of all. If you have different commodities of the same value, you are allowed to choose which excess items are confiscated.

Guilty traders must place their spacecraft on the Moon and miss the following turn.

5c Contraband Commodities

The sale of Tobacco and Alcohol is strictly regulated, and traders are not legally allowed to deal in these commodities. However, it is common knowledge that illicit supplies are available on Uranus and Neptune respectively, and that these can be sold at a very large profit on Earth. (See TRADING CARD.) Contraband commodities sold on Earth must be returned to their source planet.

If you are detected carrying contraband commodities, all your cash will be confiscated. You must place your spacecraft on the Moon and remain there for the next three turns. Illegal commodities are returned to their source planet, but you are allowed to retain legitimate cargo.

5d Compound Offences

If after contraband commodities have been removed a trader has more than five commodity units without an Extended Trading Licence, then the penalties for carrying Excess Cargo will also be applied. The guilty trader must spend a total of four turns in the Lunar Detention Centre.

6. Upgrading Your Spacecraft

Both the available upgrades count as normal trade transactions and are carried out in a single turn. Take the appropriate card when you pay for your upgrade. Note that, in both cases, the manufacturer's guarantee does not extend beyond Pluto.

6a Rocket Booster

A Booster can be fitted on Mars at a cost of 250 Credits. You then have the option of using either the d10 or d20 to move around the board. You can use either dice if you get an extra turn.

6b Anti-Gravity Device

An Anti-Gravity Device can be installed on Saturn at a cost of 1,000 Credits. This negates the effect of landing on any worm-hole. Note that the Anti-Gravity Device can be switched off when you land on a worm-hole but would prefer to go into the Black Hole – to pick up dumped commodity units for example.

7. Zastra

(Board/Zastra artwork is omitted; the text follows.)

To trade with Zastra for the Solar Energy Crystal, one unit each of Gold, Silver and Diamonds is essential. It is also advisable to obtain as many of the six 'stock' commodities as you can, because you may need to use them as supplies on the journey. The stock commodities are Food, Water, Oxygen, Medicines, Fuel and Robots.

7a Journey to Zastra

The trade route to Zastra is the section of the board between Pluto and Zastra. Conditions on this route differ from those on the inter-planetary trade routes as follows:

Commodity Squares: If you land on a square marked with the symbol of one of the six stock commodities, then one unit of that commodity must be consumed in order to continue your journey. Consumed commodities are returned to their source planets. If you land on a square and don't have the commodity indicated, you lose control of your spacecraft and are drawn into the Black Hole, where the normal rules apply.

Worm-holes: The worm-hole squares, marked with one, two or three black ellipses, indicate the strength of the gravitational pull of the Black Hole. If your spacecraft is fitted with an Anti-Gravity Device, you are immune to this, and can ignore the black ellipses. If not, the corresponding number of commodity units must be ejected into the Black Hole each time you land on one of these squares. Commodities of any type may be ejected, but remember that one unit each of Gold, Silver and Diamonds is needed to trade for the Solar Energy Crystal. If you don't have enough commodity units, or decide that you don't want to eject any more, your spacecraft itself will be drawn in, in which case the normal rules relating to the Black Hole apply.

Solar Wind: The Red and Green squares on the Zastra route have the same effect as those on the interplanetary trade routes. Blank squares are 'safe'.

7b Trading on Zastra

The trade route to Zastra passes close to the Black Hole. The intense gravitation on this route exhausts both the Anti-Gravity Device and Rocket Boosters. If you have either or both of these upgrades, the relevant card must be handed in when you reach Zastra.

As when landing on planets, you don't need to roll the exact number to land on Zastra. You can trade immediately, exchanging one unit each of Gold, Silver and Diamonds for a Solar Energy Crystal. These commodities are returned to their source planets, and the Solar Energy Crystal is placed in your cargo hold. Any other commodities still aboard should be retained.

7c Return from Zastra

To complete the game, you must transport the Solar Energy Crystal from Zastra to Earth. Having made the trade, you may take off on your next turn. Without a Booster or an Anti-Gravity Device however, your spacecraft is unable to achieve the velocity required to escape the pull of the Black Hole, and must be placed immediately in the Black Hole, where the normal rules apply. (See Section 3b.) WHEN YOU RE-ENTER THE INTERPLANETARY TRADE ROUTES, THE d10 MUST BE USED FOR THE RETURN JOURNEY TO EARTH.

On successfully returning to Earth, place the Solar Energy Crystal on the Sun. All commodities still aboard your spacecraft should then be returned to their source planets.

Congratulations! Whether you are the first or the last to have completed the mission, your true reward lies in knowing that you have made a major contribution towards solving the global energy crisis.

8. Player's Guide

The ultimate objective of every Solar Trader is to transport a Solar Energy Crystal from the planetoid Zastra to Earth. In exchange, the Zastrans require one unit of gold, one of silver and one of diamonds. Zastra lies in the uncharted sectors beyond Pluto. It can only be reached by an arduous journey passing close to the Black Hole.

As a novice trader, equipped with a standard space freighter, a single unit of food and 30 Credits, you must look for opportunities to increase the value of your cargo and to upgrade the range and power of your spacecraft.

Trading Commodities requires planning. Wandering aimlessly around the Solar System won't help you get to Zastra. Refer to the TRADING CARD for details of different commodity values on different planets. A good initial run would be to transport your unit of Food to Venus, where it can be sold for 30 Credits. Combined with your 30 Credits in hand, you can buy three units of Oxygen at 20 Credits each. You now have the option of transporting the Oxygen either to Jupiter, where three units are worth 240 Credits, or out to Uranus, where they are worth a total of 600 Credits. On Jupiter you can buy Fuel, on Uranus you can buy Silver. Either way the value of your cargo is increasing, but which route will you take?

Longer journeys become more feasible when you have fitted your spacecraft with a Rocket Booster. This upgrade is available on Mars at a cost of 250 Credits. Journeys to the outer planets can be profitable, but without a Booster, the long distances and increased risks are daunting. Trade routes between the inner planets are shorter and generally less hazardous.

Activities of other Traders and the consequent circulation of Commodities will affect your decisions. At the beginning of the game, there is bound to be competition to buy up stocks of an easily accessible commodity such as Oxygen. An alternative initial run is the route to Mars, the source planet for Robots. Remember too that FOOD is a staple commodity throughout the Solar System. Buy Food units whenever you can. Food is the only commodity which can be sold on any planet.

For most Traders, an Extended Trading Licence is an important priority. You can carry commodity units of different types in your cargo, but be wary of over-loading. Under the terms of the General Trading Agreement, you are allowed to carry a maximum of five commodity units only. It isn't unknown for traders to bend the rules by exceeding cargo limits, but the Interplanetary Police, in their efforts to stamp out the trade in contraband Tobacco and Alcohol, are quick to enforce regulations. You can buy an Extended Trading Licence on the Moon for 100 Credits. It permits you to carry the full complement of ten commodity units.

No matter how carefully you plan your trading expeditions, the Uncertainty Factor is always present in space. This will bring both setbacks and unexpected opportunities. You could slip through a time-warp and travel millions of miles in a split second. Or you might find yourself swept to a remote corner of the Solar System in a magnetic storm.

Traders usually aim to acquire an Anti-Gravity Device. The trade routes between planets are dotted with 'worm-holes'. These are inter-dimensional mobular gateways connected to the Black Hole. Its intense gravitational pull can seriously disrupt space travel. Fitting your spacecraft with an Anti-Gravity Device will negate the effects of worm-holes. This upgrade is available on Saturn, at a cost of 1,000 Credits. It might just be possible to reach Zastra without an Anti-Gravity Device, but, with so many worm-holes on the Zastra route, you should be prepared to eject plenty of commodity units into the Black Hole if you decide to try it.

To trade with the Zastrans for a Solar Energy Crystal, you will need one unit each of Gold, Silver and Diamonds. You are likely to need units of the six 'stock' commodities as well – not to trade, but for maintenance of your own life-support and guidance systems on the arduous Zastra run; Food, Water, Oxygen or Medicines for yourself, Fuel for your spacecraft, and a Robot for navigational assistance. Although it isn't always possible, you should aim to take one unit of each commodity. This leaves room for a spare. There is no way of knowing which commodities may be needed.

The journey to Zastra will exhaust your Rocket Booster and Anti-Gravity Device. The return trip to Earth is via the Black Hole. Remember that you don't necessarily have to exit from the Black Hole if the worm-hole indicated is too far from home. This can be a decisive factor when several traders are competing for the accolade of being the first to install a Solar Energy Crystal on Earth.

Trader's Priority List

• In the early part of the game, try to invest all your cash in commodities. Remember that Food units can be sold at a profit on any planet.
• An Extended Trading Licence and a Rocket Booster should be your first objectives.
• Try to keep one unit each of the cheaper 'stock' commodities as soon as you can reasonably afford to. This will save you time when preparing for the journey to Zastra.
• One unit each of Gold, Silver and Diamonds is essential to trade for the Solar Energy Crystal.
• An Anti-Gravity Device will protect you from worm-holes, thus making the journey to Zastra much easier. It isn't absolutely essential however.

9. Uncertainty Reference Table

1. BLACK HOLE: A malfunction in your guidance system sends your spacecraft straight into the Black Hole (see Section 3b). Ejecting a commodity unit or using an Anti-Gravity Device will have no effect in this situation.
2. SYSTEMS FAILURE: Warning lights flash on your console. You must send out a distress signal, and your spacecraft will be beamed straight to the nearest planet for repairs. If you can pay 200 Credits, you will get priority treatment and may take off again on your next turn. (You can sell commodity units to raise cash if necessary.) If you don't pay, you must miss the following two turns before taking off. N.B. If you are on the Vortex exit square, Mercury, not Uranus, is the nearest planet.
3. ENGINES OVERHEAT: You must eject one commodity unit of any type to ease the strain. You may continue from here on your next turn, but the ejected commodity remains on the square where it was ejected (see Section 2d). If you don't have any commodities on board, you must stay where you are, missing the following two turns while your engines cool down. If the Solar Energy Crystal is the only item aboard then it must be ejected.
4. POLICE SEARCH: Unexpected spot-check by the Interplanetary Police. This is the same as landing on a Blue square (see Section 3a).
5. MAGNETIC STORM: Your navigational system is seriously disrupted, though you retain enough control to steer either for Pluto or Saturn. Place your spacecraft on one of these planets. You can trade as soon as you land. Continue as normal on your next turn.
6. GUIDANCE INTERFERENCE: Conditions are exactly right to enable you to jam the guidance system of one other spacecraft currently in flight. The affected spacecraft will be sent straight into the Black Hole (see Section 3b). Ejecting a commodity unit or using an Anti-Gravity Device will have no effect in this situation. Spacecraft on the trade route to Zastra however are beyond the range of Guidance Interference.*
7. OPTIMUM DRIVE: Your spacecraft goes into overdrive. Take three extra dice rolls.

*Uncertainty Factors 6 and 9 are optional. You may act on them or ignore them if you prefer. Note that you cannot jam or beam aboard from a spacecraft that has landed on a planet or is in the Black Hole.

Uncertainty Table (Back Cover)

When you land on an Orange square, roll the d10 and consult the main table below. For full details, see the UNCERTAINTY REFERENCE TABLE on p.9 of the Rule book. If you roll an 8 on the main table, roll the d10 again and consult the Commodities List to find out what the cargo cannister contains.

1. Black Hole
2. Systems Failure
3. Engines Overheat
4. Police Search
5. Magnetic Storm
6. Guidance Interference
7. Optimum Drive
8. Find Cargo Cannister
9. Beam Aboard
10. Time Warp

Commodities List (Back Cover)

1. Empty
2. Food
3. Oxygen
4. Water
5. Robot
6. Medicines
7. Fuel
8. Silver
9. Diamonds
10. Gold