Star Wars Miniatures: Starship Battles
Star Wars Miniatures: Starship Battles Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Starter Set Components
- Rules booklet
- 10 prepainted plastic starship miniatures (including two exclusive starships: Super Star Destroyer Executor and Mon Calamari Star Defender Viscount)
- 10 stat cards, 1 for each miniature
- Stellar grid (game map)
- 2 Fleet Commander sheets
- Damage and Command counters
- 20-sided die (d20)
- Starship Battles set checklist
Quick Start Game Rules
The Quick Start rules introduce the basic game with the starships included in the Starter Set. The advanced rules follow in the second half of this rulebook.
Choose Sides
You and a friend are about to decide the fate of star systems and planetary governments – or at least the outcome of one significant space battle. Each of you controls a group of starships (a fleet). One player controls a fleet associated with the light side of the Force, the other a fleet attuned to the dark side. Build your fleets using the starships (often called just "ships") provided in one Starter Set, as follows:
- Light Side Fleet: Mon Calamari Star Defender Viscount plus four random Light Side starships. Light Side starships have round bases.
- Dark Side Fleet: Super Star Destroyer Executor plus four random Dark Side starships. Dark Side starships have octagonal bases.
Each of you chooses a side. If you both want to play the same side, roll the 20-sided die (the d20). The higher roller chooses the appropriate fleet.
Sidebar: Exception: Place only Class 1, 2, and 3 starships. Class 4 starships (starfighters) remain out of play until you can launch them from larger ships.
How Do I Win?
You win by destroying all the starships in your enemy's fleet.
Setup
Unfold the stellar grid (the map on which you fight Starship Battles) and place it on a flat surface between you and your opponent.
Seating: Players sit at opposite ends of the stellar grid, the Light Side player on the side with open space and the Dark Side player on the side with the planet.
Assemble Your Fleet: Take the miniatures that make up your fleet and the corresponding stat cards for those starships. (The pictures on the stat cards will help you match them up with their ships.) Place the stat cards in front of you, full-strength side face up. (This is the side showing the undamaged ship.)
Place the 20-sided die and the damage and Command Cards where both players can reach them.
Set aside the Fleet Commander Cards for now. You won't use them in the Quick Start battle.
Starting Positions: The Light Side player places his starships anywhere on his side of the stellar grid, within 3 squares of the edge of the map. Then the Dark Side player places her ships within 3 squares of the opposite edge of the stellar grid. Only one starship can be in a square.
How to Read a Stat Card
Each miniature figure represents a starship from the Star Wars universe. Each starship has a corresponding stat card that lists game statistics.
Look at the stat card displayed on page 7 (in the printed rulebook; the card illustration is not reproduced here).
Faction: The starships in the game come from across the Star Wars era and are grouped into two factions: Light Side and Dark Side. Light Side ships have red-bordered stat cards, and Dark Side ships have blue-bordered stat cards.
All the ships in your fleet must belong to the same faction.
Full-Strength and Reduced Ships: Each starship's stat card has two sides: full-strength and reduced. A ship starts out undamaged, with its card's full-strength side face up. After it has taken enough damage, a ship loses some combat effectiveness. This is represented by the reduced side of the stat card (showing battle damage). See the Damage Phase rules on page on page 13 for more information.
Card Entries
Name: Match the name of each stat card to the name on the base of the miniature.
Cost: This is the number of points you pay to add a starship to your fleet. The cost of your ships doesn't matter in the Quick Start battle.
Class: A ship's class describes its relative size. Class also determines how far a ship can move.
Hull: This number represents how much damage a starship can withstand before it is reduced in power or destroyed.
Defense: Every starship has four faces: front, rear, and two sides. Each of a ship's faces has a Defense rating representing how hard that ship is to hit in combat (see the diagram on page 11). An attack roll must total this number or higher to hit the starship and deal damage. Class 4 starships have the same Defense on all faces to represent their greater maneuverability.
Weapon Systems, Attack/Damage: Each starship has at least one weapon system, though many have more than one. A ship can attack with each of its weapon systems.
Each weapon system has Attack and Damage ratings. When a starship makes an attack with a weapon system, roll the d20 and add the Attack rating (the first number). If the result equals or exceeds the enemy ship's Defense, the attack hits. The Damage rating (the second number) is how much damage that weapon system deals to the enemy ship.
PD (Point-Defense): Larger starships have these short-range weapons to deal with starfighters that get too close. Point-Defense weapons can attack only Class 4 starships that are adjacent to the attacking ship. A ship's PD rating is its Attack bonus against fighters.
Special Abilities: These include any special attacks, qualities, or limits a starship has. Special abilities can override the general rules.
Command: Some starships have Command counters that allow special options in play. Command Cards aren't used in the Quick Start battle.
Collector Number/Rarity Symbol/Set Icon: This icon tells you that this figure belongs to the Starship Battles set. The collector number lists the miniature's order in the set, as well as the total number of miniatures the set contains.
The rarity symbol indicates how easy the miniature is to find. There are three levels of collectability: common, uncommon, and rare. (The printed rarity symbols are graphic icons and are not reproduced in this text.)
Starship Classes
Starships come in four classes, defined below. A ship's class is a general indicator of its relative size, and this number determines how far it can move in a turn. Certain special abilities also depend on a ship's class.
Class 1: The largest capital ships in the game. There are two such ships in the Starship Battles set, available only in this Starter Set – the Super Star Destroyer Executor and the Mon Calamari Star Defender Viscount. Class 1 ships move 1 square per turn.
Class 2: Large, powerful warships, including the Imperial Star Destroyer and the Republic Assault Ship. This class of ship is only available in Starship Battles Booster Packs. Class 2 ships move 2 squares per turn.
Class 3: Transports and compact warships of all sorts, including the Millennium Falcon and Slave I. Class 3 ships move 3 squares per turn.
Class 4: Starfighters of all descriptions, such as the TIE Fighter, X-wing starfighter and Jedi starfighter. Ships in this class do not start on the stellar grid but must be launched from other vessels. Class 4 ships, once launched, move 4 per turn.
Rounds and Phases
There are four phases in each round: Initiative, move, attack, and damage.
Initiative Phase: Each round begins with the initiative phase. Each player makes an initiative check. The result sets the play order for the remaining phases in the round. After all phases are completed, you start a new round with a new initiative phase. The player with the lower initiative goes first in the move phase, and the one with the higher initiative goes first in the attack phase.
Who Goes First? At the start of each round, both players roll the 20-sided die (d20) to see who goes first. This is called making an initiative check. The player with the lower result moves first but attacks second, as described on page 8.
Move Phase: The player with the lower initiative roll moves ships first in this phase. The first player moves all ships in that fleet, then the second player. Move each of your starships once in that round.
A starship can move up to a number of squares equal to its class. A ship does not have to move any distance. Ships can never occupy the same space.
- Class 1 ships move up to 1 square.
- Class 2 ships move up to 2 squares.
- Class 3 ships move up to 3 squares.
- Class 4 ships move up to 4 squares.
Facing: The direction a starship faces can make a difference in its defensive and offensive capability.
Class 1 and 2 Ships: For each square of movement, a class 1 or class 2 ship can move directly forward 1 square or turn 90 degrees to the left or right, then move forward 1 square. It cannot move diagonally. The ship is facing in the direction it moved.
A class 1 or 2 ship can turn only before taking a forward move. It can never end its move phase with a 90-degree turn.
Class 3 and 4 Ships: Class 3 and 4 ships can move in any direction, including diagonally. A class 3 ship must indicate its facing at the end of the movement. Facing does not matter for class 4 ships.
Diagonal Movement: Moving diagonally costs the same as moving in any other direction. Class 1 and 2 ships cannot move diagonally.
Other Ships: A starship can move through a square occupied by an allied starship (a starship in your fleet), but it can't end its move in an occupied square. A starship can't move into or through a square occupied by an enemy starship (a starship in your opponent's fleet). Exception: Class 1 and 2 ships displace enemy starfighters in spaces they enter. Move a displaced fighter the shortest possible distance to exit the moving ship's space. (The fighter's controller chooses the exact space.)
Moving Off the Stellar Grid: If a starship leaves the stellar grid, it has fled from the battle. Ships that flee are considered to be destroyed.
Starfighters: Starfighters don't start on the stellar grid but must be launched from other ships, as described on the next page. When a starfighter moves into a square that is adjacent to an enemy starfighter, it must stop. Starfighters can move freely past ships of other classes.
Launch Fighters
During the move phase, after all ships in a fleet have moved, that fleet's ships can launch starfighters. Place newly launched fighters on the stellar grid adjacent to the launching starship. They cannot move on the round they are launched.
If a ship can launch starfighters, its stat card has the special ability Fighter Launch, followed by a number. That number is the maximum number of fighters that ship can launch in a round.
Fighter Pool: Starfighters in your fleet are not associated with specific ships. They form a fighter pool from which you can launch fighters as you choose, up to your maximum capacity, as long as you have fighters available. Fighters destroyed in combat are removed from the game. They do not return to the fighter pool.
Attack Phase
The player with the higher initiative roll goes first in this phase. The first player attacks with all ships in that fleet, then the second player. Attack with your starships in any order you choose, firing each ship's weapon systems once in the round.
Weapon systems deal damage during this phase, but the results of that damage are resolved in the damage phase.
Class 1, 2, and 3 Starships: Class 1, 2, and 3 starships can attack any enemy ship on the stellar grid, although they can attack fighters (class 4 starships) only if they are adjacent. Other starships do not block line of sight or provide cover. To attack, choose an enemy ship as the target and follow these steps.
- Step 1. Choose a weapon system of the attacking ship. Roll the d20 and add that weapon system's Attack rating. Some starships have multiple weapon systems, each of which can target different enemy ships.
- Step 2. Determine which face of the defending ship you're targeting. Starships have four faces: front, rear, and two sides. Different faces can have different Defense ratings. If the result of the attack roll is equal to or greater than the target face's Defense, the attack hits.
- Step 3. If the attack hits, it deals damage equal to the weapon system's Damage rating. Place that many damage counters next to the target ship's stat card.
Attack Roll: d20 + Attack number. A total equal to or greater than the target's Defense is a hit. A hit deals damage, which reduces Hull.
Point-Defense: Larger starships have short-range weapon systems to handle incoming starfighters (class 4 ships). This capacity is represented by a Point-Defense rating (abbreviated as "PD" on the ship's stat card). A starship with a Point-Defense rating can make one attack against every enemy starfighter within 3" during the attack phase. Point-Defense weapons cannot attack nonadjacent fighters or ships of any other class. Use the ship's Point-Defense rating as its Attack bonus; each successful attack deals 1 point of damage. Make all Point-Defense attacks first.
Different Targets: A starship with multiple weapon systems can attack different targets with each one. It does not have to attack adjacent ships.
Attacking Allies: You can't attack an allied starship (one in the same fleet as the attacker).
Natural 20 is a Critical Hit: If you roll a natural 20 when making an attack roll (a roll of 20 on the die, regardless of modifiers), the attack automatically hits, no matter how high the defending ship's Defense. In addition, it is a critical hit! Add 1 to the damage that weapon system deals for that attack.
Natural 1 is an Automatic Miss: If you roll a 1 when making an attack roll (a roll of 1 on the die, regardless of modifiers), the attack automatically misses, no matter how high the bonus is on the attack roll.
Targeting and Faces: A ship has four faces: front, rear, and two sides. Each face has its own Defense. A diagonal line between two faces counts as either face (attacker's choice).
In the example below, the Imperial Star Destroyer can attack either the front face of the Millennium Falcon or its left side face. (Its player would probably choose the side face, which has a lower Defense.) (The example diagram is not reproduced here.)
Class 4 Starships: Class 4 starships (starfighters) follow the same rules for attacking as other starships, with the following exceptions:
- A class 4 starship must be adjacent to an enemy to make an attack or be attacked.
- A class 4 starship can be attacked by adjacent class 4 starships, or by the Point-Defense systems of adjacent class 1 or 2 starships. Other weapon systems can target it normally.
Special Abilities: Various starships have special abilities listed on their stat cards. For this Quick-Start battle, don't worry about the special abilities. Save that level of game play for after you've mastered the basics of the game.
Damage Phase
Although players attack with their ships in order, the damage is dealt simultaneously. After all ships have moved and attacked, resolve the effects of damage during this phase.
Every starship has a Hull rating. This is shown on the stat card as two numbers separated by a horizontal line, such as 7/3. The first number represents a full-strength ship's Hull. The second number is its Hull rating when it has taken enough damage to be reduced.
Damage Resolution: Check the amount of damage dealt to each ship. If the total damage is less than the ship's full-strength Hull rating, don't do anything. The damage remains with that ship, but the ship is otherwise unaffected.
If the total damage equals or exceeds the total of the full-strength and reduced Hull ratings, the ship is destroyed. Remove it from the stellar grid.
If the total damage equals or exceeds the ship's full-strength Hull rating, remove that many damage counters and flip the ship's stat card to the reduced side. Any remaining damage counters remain with that ship.
Example 1: Your Republic Assault Ship (Hull 5/3) has taken 4 points of damage during this round's attack phase. This is less damage than the ship's full-strength Hull rating, so it isn't enough to flip your ship's stat card to its reduced side. The damage counters remain next to the stat card.
Example 2: Your Republic Assault Ship has taken 7 points of damage during this round's attack phase. This is more damage than the ship's full-strength Hull rating (5), so you remove 5 damage counters and flip the stat card to its reduced side. This leaves 2 damage counters, which remain next to the stat card. The Republic Assault Ship is now reduced. If it takes 1 more point of damage in subsequent attack phases, it will be destroyed.
Example 3: Your Republic Assault Ship has taken 10 points of damage during this round's attack phase. This exceeds the total of the ship's full-strength and reduced Hull (5+3 =8) so the ship is destroyed!
Note: Some ships are never reduced; they have just one Hull number on their stat cards. Such a ship is destroyed if it takes damage equal to or greater than its full-strength Hull points.
Advanced Rules
This section provides additional rules to expand your Starship Battles.
Building a Fleet
As in the Quick Start battle, one player builds a fleet associated with the light side of the Force, the other a fleet attuned to the dark side. Instead of just using the ships in the Starter Set, you can customize your fleet with additional ships from Starship Battles Booster Packs. In a standard scenario, you can spend up to 300 points to build your fleet.
Cost: Each ship has a point cost shown on its base and the upper-right corner of its stat card.
Fleet-Building Etiquette
Construct your fleet in secret, using the stat cards. Don't identify which starships you're using yet, just keep your hand of stat cards ready. You reveal your fleet when setting up the stellar grid.
The Right Fleet for the Right Battle
Fleets have different strengths and weaknesses, depending on the mix of starships. Try creating several different fleets and get a feel for how they play. Each rewards different strategies and tactics. One might consist of a large number of starfighters, another could feature a few very powerful starships, while a third combines the two combat styles in some unique manner. The more combinations you try, the more tricks and tactics you learn – and the more you'll win!
Assemble Your Fleet
Both players reveal their fleets at the same time. Roll the d20. The player with the lower result sets up first, then the other player. The Dark Side fleet sets up within 3 squares of the stellar grid edge. The Light Side fleet sets up within 3 squares of the opposing edge.
After you set up your fleets, roll for initiative to start the battle.
How to Win
You win by defeating all the starships in the enemy fleet.
Special Abilities and Fleet Commander Options
Some starship weapon systems have special effects against certain kinds of targets. In addition, a starship might have special abilities on its stat card. Finally, certain starships provide Command counters that allow their fleet's controller to take special actions. Look in the glossary for rules about specific weapon systems and special abilities. Fleet Commander options are discussed on page 18.
Simultaneous Effects
If several effects happen at the same time, play them out one after the other. Usually it doesn't matter what order these effects happen in. If it does matter, use the following rules.
Player's Choice: If several effects apply to one player's ship or ships, that player determines the order.
Acting Player First: If the effects apply to more than one player's ships, the acting player (the one whose ship is doing something) goes first.
Special Abilities
Most special abilities or weapon special effects are automatic. They either always work, or they work under certain conditions. For example, the Millennium Falcon has Antifighter Targeting +7 (+7 Attack against fighters). If you're attacking with the Millennium Falcon, you don't have to choose whether to use its special ability, it automatically gets the bonus whenever it attacks enemy fighters.
Targets of Special Abilities
When you choose an enemy as a target for a special ability, such as Long-Range Bomber, use the same rules as for attacks.
Eligible Target: You can choose only a target of the specified kind, if one exists. For example, Long-range Bomber allows a fighter to use one of its weapons to attack a ship of class 3 or larger up to 2 squares away. It can't use the stated weapon to attack a fighter, and it can't attack ships that are farther than 2 squares away.
Example Round
Mark controls the Light Side fleet, including the Mon Calamari Star Defender Viscount, and Jennifer controls the Dark Side fleet, including the Super Star Destroyer Executor. This example focuses on just those two ships.
Initiative Phase: Mark and Jennifer start the game by making initiative checks. Mark rolls the d20 and gets a 15, and Jennifer rolls the d20 and gets a 7. Jennifer will move first and attack second, while Mark will move second but attack first.
Move Phase: As low roller for initiative, Jennifer moves first. She moves the Super Star Destroyer 1 square forward. She launches two class 4 ships (starfighters) from the Super Star Destroyer, placing them in unoccupied squares adjacent to that ship. Mark then moves his Mon Calamari Star Defender. He turns the ship 90 degrees and moves it 1 square forward to bring its Barrage weapon system to bear (this weapon can attack only enemies to the side of the ship). He then launches three starfighters, placing them adjacent of the ship.
Attack Phase: As high roller for initiative, Mark gets to attack first. His Mon Calamari Star Defender can target enemy ships (other than fighters) anywhere on the stellar grid. It has four weapon systems: Turbolasers (+5/4), Ion Cannons (+5/3), Barrage (+8/4), and Frontal Battery (+2/3). Mark can attack once each with the Turbolasers, Ion Cannon, and Barrage, in any order he chooses. He cannot attack with the Frontal Battery – it can fire forward only, and Mark turned his ship so that it no longer faces the enemy. He can't use the Star Defender's Point-Defense because no fighters are adjacent to it. His fighters aren't adjacent to any enemy ships, so they can't attack this round.
Mark rolls the d20 for each attack. He is attacking the front face of the Super Star Destroyer, which has a Defense of 18. He attacks first with the Barrage and rolls a 12. He adds his weapon's attack bonus (+8), for a total of 20 – a hit. This weapon normally deals 4 points of damage, but the Super Star Destroyer has DR 1, which reduces the amount of damage dealt by 1. Jennifer places 3 damage counters beside the Super Star Destroyer's stat card. Mark then attacks with the Turbolasers and rolls a 15, which is a hit as well (15+5 = 20). Jennifer places 3 more damage counters beside the Super Star Destroyer's stat card. Mark gets lucky on the final attack, with the Ion Cannon, rolling a 20 – a critical hit! This attack deals a total of 4 points of damage, the basic amount of 3, plus 1 because Ion Cannons get a +1 bonus against full-strength enemy ships (damage effects haven't been resolved yet), plus 1 more for the critical, minus 1 for the target's DR. Jennifer places 4 more damage counters beside the Super Star Destroyer's stat card.
After Mark has attacked, Jennifer's ships attack in return. Even though her Super Star Destroyer has taken enough damage to become reduced, it still attacks at full strength, because the effects of damage haven't been resolved yet. The Super Star Destroyer has four weapon systems: Turbolasers (+5/4), Ion Cannon (+4/3), Barrage (+8/4), and Frontal Battery (+2/3). Jennifer can attack once each with the Turbolasers, Ion Cannon, and Frontal Battery, in any order she chooses. She cannot attack with the Barrage – it can fire to the sides only, and Jennifer did not turn her ship. She can't use Point-Defense because no fighters are adjacent to the Super Star Destroyer, and her fighters aren't adjacent to any enemy ships, so they can't attack this round.
Jennifer rolls the d20 for each attack. She is attacking the side face of the Mon Calamari Star Defender, which has a Defense of 14. (By turning to use its Barrage, Mark's ship is also more vulnerable to return fire.) Jennifer attacks first with the Turbolasers and rolls an 11, enough to hit (11+5=16). This weapon normally deals 4 points of damage, but the Star Destroyer also has DR 1, reducing the damage dealt by 1. Mark places 3 damage counters beside the Star Defender's stat card. She then attacks with the Frontal Battery but rolls only a 6, for a total of 8 – a miss. On the final attack, with the Ion Cannon, she rolls an 18 – more than enough to hit. This attack deals a total of 3 points of damage: the basic amount of 3, plus 1 because the target is at full strength, minus 1 for the target's DR. Mark places 3 more damage counters beside the Star Defender's stat card.
Damage Phase: Mark and Jennifer resolve damage effects at the same time. In this phase, both players check to see if any of their ships took enough damage to be reduced or destroyed.
Mark's Mon Calamari Star Defender took a total of 6 points of damage. It has 10 Hull at full strength, so this isn't enough to make it reduced. The damage counters remain with the ship's stat card, however.
Jennifer's Super Star Destroyer took a total of 10 points of damage. It also has 10 Hull at full strength. It has taken enough damage to become reduced. Jennifer removes 10 damage counters and returns them to the pool, and flips the Super Star Destroyer's stat card to its reduced side. When reduced, the ship has 10 Hull, 10 more points of damage will destroy it. It has a lower Defense on all faces when reduced and loses the use of its Barrage and Frontal Battery weapon systems. Its Point-Defense is also greatly weakened.
After the damage phase is over, a new round begins with a new initiative phase to determine who will go first in the round. The battle continues, round by round, until one fleet is destroyed. The player who has surviving starships wins the battle.
Fleet Commander Options
The Starter Set includes two Fleet Commander sheets. These sheets provide additional tactical choices for your starships.
Certain ships, such as the Republic Cruiser, have a type of special ability called Command. A ship's Command rating specifies what classes of ship it can influence. It provides 1 Command counter for each Command entry on its stat card. Each round, you can use Command counters to choose Fleet Commander options from those listed on the sheet.
A Fleet Commander sheet has four areas, one for each class of starship. To choose a Fleet Commander option, place a counter beside it in the indicated space. An option generally affects all ships of the stated class, unless it specifically states otherwise.
A Fleet Commander option remains in effect until the end of the round in which it is selected. Remove all Command counters at the end of the round.
Selecting Options: You can immediately play a Command counter to use a Fleet Commander option whenever you wish, whether you are the active player or not. For example, you can select the Fly Casual option (cancel 1 attack) as soon as one of your ships is hit in the attack phase, even though the other player is currently acting.
When Options Declared: You can select Fleet Commander Options that grant bonuses to Attack, Damage, or Defense immediately after an attack is declared, but you must do so before the attack roll is made.
Multiple Options: You can choose several options for a round. These can be for ships of different classes or all of the same class. However, you can choose a given option only once per round. In general, the effects of different Fleet Commander Cards stack with (are cumulative with) each other.
Limited Command Counters: Each Command counter card provided by a ship can be used only once per battle.
Scenario and Play Options
You can create special scenarios for added fun. These might re-create battles from the movies or be special skirmishes of your own design. Your imagination is your only limit.
Clash over Coruscant
This scenario represents a climactic battle over the planet Coruscant. It assigns specific forces to each side, as described in the table below. The Light Side forces are mounting a bold strike at the heart of the Empire itself in an attempt to destroy the Executor, flagship of the Imperial fleet.
Interdict: Both fleets can launch fighters at only half the normal rate as long as the Interdictor remains in play.
Victory: This scenario uses standard victory conditions (destroy the enemy fleet).
Unique Ships: A team can't have more than one copy of a Unique starship, just as if it were a single player's fleet.
Allies: Starships in a teammate's fleet are allies of your ships.
Clash over Coruscant – Custom Fleets
Instead of building your own fleets, use these custom fleets for the Clash over Coruscant scenario.
Dark Side Fleet
| Ship | Points |
|---|---|
| Super Star Destroyer Executor | 150 |
| Imperial Star Destroyer | 52 |
| Imperial Interdictor Cruiser | 32 |
| Slave I (Boba Fett) | 24 |
| Darth Vader's TIE Advanced x1 | 11 |
| 4 TIE Bomber | 16 |
| TIE Fighter | 5 |
| TIE Fighter Ace | 4 |
| TIE Interceptor | 6 |
| Total | 300 |
Light Side Fleet
| Ship | Points |
|---|---|
| Mon Calamari Star Defender Viscount | 150 |
| Mon Calamari Cruiser Home One | 50 |
| Millennium Falcon | 25 |
| Luke Skywalker's X-wing | 9 |
| 4 B-wing Starfighter | 24 |
| 4 V-wing Starfighter | 12 |
| 3 X-wing Starfighter | 18 |
| 3 Y-wing Starfighter | 12 |
| Total | 300 |
Team Play
If you have four players, you can fight a space battle in teams. Two players control Light Side fleets, and the other two control Dark Side fleets. Play until both fleets of one team have been destroyed.
Both fleets of a team set up in the same areas, but players from each team alternate seating positions. That way, one team's player completes a phase, then the other's, and so on. During the initiative phase, make one check for each team.
Starship Concordance
The Concordance's in-universe descriptions of individual starships, and its general essay on starship technology, are omitted here as flavour text; the ship names, classes and point costs needed for play appear on the stat cards and in the fleet tables above. The weapon definitions it gives are reproduced below.
Weapons
Blaster Cannon: (Also called flash cannon) Heavy artillery that fires bursts of energy.
Laser Cannon: More powerful blasters, laser cannons fire bolts of concentrated energy.
Ion Cannon: Weapons that disable targets without causing lasting damage. They disrupt electrical and mechanical systems.
Concussion Missiles: Missiles that travel at Sublight speed and release devastating shock waves on impact. They are best used against relatively slow or stationary targets.
Proton Torpedoes: These projectiles deliver a destructive wave of protons that bypass a ship's energy shields. Starfighters often carry a limited number of these for use against larger ships.
Turbolasers: Larger and more destructive laser cannons, turbolasers are used by capital ships (class 1 and 2 starships).
Glossary
This glossary explains game terms, as well as keywords that appear on stat cards. It also contains detailed information on special abilities, listed in alphabetical order.
A starship using a special ability is written as "this ship." Fleet Commander options as "(Command)." Ship statistics, special abilities, and other terms that appear on a card are capitalized, while other game terms are not.
Note on this transcription: the printed glossary gives the weapon-system entries Blaster Cannon, Laser Cannon and Turbolasers with no definition text. Their definitions are the ones given in the Weapons section above.
Definitions
acting: The acting ship is the ship that is currently moving, attacking, or using a special ability or Fleet Commander option. The acting player is the player whose fleet that ship belongs to. Usually the acting ship is the one that is taking an action, but in cases such as Fleet Commander cards or certain special abilities, ships can act out of sequence (see attack roll).
adjacent: Occupying a square next to this space (including diagonally).
ally/allied ship: A ship in the same fleet. In team battles, allies include ships in a teammate's fleet.
Advanced Communications Array: If any ship in a fleet has an Advanced Communications Array, the player of the fleet may reroll his or her Initiative check (he or she must accept the result of the reroll).
Assault: This fighter cannot stop the movement of enemy fighters.
Attack: (ship statistic) The bonus this ship's weapon system adds to attack rolls.
attack: A ship can attack enemy ships with each of its weapon systems, including Point-Defense weapons.
Attack Formation: (Command, class 4) Each weapon system of each class 4 ship gets a +2 bonus to Attack against enemy fighters.
attack phase: Ships can attack only during the attack phase of a round.
attack roll: A die roll to determine whether an attack hits. Roll the d20 and add the weapon system's Attack. If the result, after bonuses are applied, equals or exceeds the target's Defense, the attack is a hit and deals damage.
A natural 20 on an attack roll is always a hit. It is also a critical hit and deals 1 extra point of damage. A natural 1 on an attack roll is always a miss.
Barrage: (weapon system) This weapon system is a devastating attack found on the largest capital ships. Its fire arc is limited to broadside only.
Blaster Cannon: (weapon system)
bonus: Bonuses are added to die rolls or to statistics. A bonus is a number with a "+" sign. Most bonuses stack with each other, but not with themselves.
Bounty Hunter: This ship gets the stated bonus to Attack against Unique ships.
broadside: Some weapon systems can attack only enemies to the ship's side. A broadside is as wide as the ship's space on that side and extends across the stellar grid from that ship. A ship that has enemies to each of its sides can make one broadside attack per side during the attack phase (maximum two broadside attacks).
Buzz Droids: Any target hit by this ship's Concussion Missiles take a -1 penalty to Defense for the remainder of the round.
capital ship: A ship of class 1 or 2 is sometimes referred to informally as a capital ship.
class: (ship statistic) A ship's class is an abstract measure of its size. Ships come in one of four classes: 1, 2, 3, or 4. A ship can move a number of inches in the move phase equal to its class.
Cloak: This ship does not have to stop when it enters a square within 3" of an enemy ship with Tractor Beams.
Command: (ship statistic) This ship can influence its fleet's actions in a round. The ship's Command rating states what class of ships it can influence; some ships can affect more than one class. Each Command entry on a ship's stat card contributes a counter to use for Fleet Commander options. Once a Command counter is spent, the fleet's controller can't use it again during the battle.
A ship can contribute multiple Command counters in a round.
Command counter: A ship contributes one or more Command counters for use in selecting Fleet Commander options. To use a Fleet Commander option, place a counter on the appropriate space on the Fleet Commander sheet. Once a Command counter is spent, the fleet's controller can't spend it again during the battle.
Concussion Missiles: (weapon system) This weapon system gets a +2 bonus to Attack against nonfighters.
Antifighter Targeting: This ship has extra short-range weapons to deal with starfighters. It gets the stated bonus when attacking class 4 starships.
critical hit: A hit that strikes a vital system and deals extra damage. Critical hits occur when the attacker rolls a natural 20 on the attack roll (when the d20 comes up 20). A weapon system that scores a critical hit deals 1 point of extra damage. See Attack Phase on page 10. If a ship can somehow score a critical hit on a roll of less than 20, that critical hit also counts as an automatic hit. If the attack deals bonus damage (such as Ion Cannon against full-strength ships), a critical hit still adds extra damage to the total.
Damage: (ship statistic) A ship's weapon system deals its Damage rating on a successful attack (a hit).
damage: Ships take damage when they are hit by attacks. Damage reduces the Hull of the affected ship. See Damage Phase on page 13.
Damage Control: (Command, class 1) Remove 1 damage counter from each class 1 ship that has taken damage. You can remove this damage at any time, but a ship that has already become reduced cannot be restored to full strength in this way.
damage counter: Each point of damage dealt to a ship is represented by a damage counter. Damage counters remain with a ship's stat card until it becomes reduced or destroyed.
damage phase: The results of damage dealt by a ships' attacks are resolved during the damage phase of a round.
Defense: (ship statistic) A ship's ability to avoid being hit in combat. If the result of an attack roll equals or exceeds the defender's Defense on the face being attacked, the attack hits and deals damage that reduces the defender's Hull.
destroy/destroyed: A ship is destroyed when its reduced Hull (or its total Hull, if it cannot become reduced) drops to 0 or lower. Remove destroyed ships from the stellar grid.
DR: The most massive ships have advanced shield generators and multiple redundant systems that significantly decrease the damage from enemy attacks. Whenever this ship would take damage from an attack, reduce the damage dealt by the stated amount.
Droid: Any class 4 ship with the word "Droid" in its name is treated as a droid starfighter. Certain abilities affect only droid starfighters (see Droid Control and Jammer, below).
Droid Control: Allied droid fighters get the stated bonus to Attack.
droid fighter/starfighter: A class 4 ship with the word "Droid" in its name is often referred to as a droid fighter or droid starfighter.
Emperor's Will: This ship can shift the damage taken from a nonadjacent enemy's attack to any adjacent allied fighter.
enemy/enemy ship: Enemies are ships in opponents' fleets, not in your own or a teammate's fleet.
Energy Torpedoes: (weapon system) This fighter weapon system cannot target class 4 ships.
Evasion: Whenever this ship would take damage from an attack by a nonadjacent enemy, reduce the damage dealt by the stated amount.
Evasive: (Command, class 4) Starfighters get a +2 bonus to Defense against Point-Defense attacks only. They do not gain any defensive benefit against attacks of other fighters or ships with Antifighter Targeting. You must decide whether to use this option after an attack is declared but before the attack roll is made.
face: Ships have four faces, each with its own Defense rating: front, rear, and two sides. Class 4 ships (starfighters) have the same Defense on all faces. To determine a ship's face, draw intersecting diagonals through its space, as shown in the diagram on page 11.
factions: These broad categories classify ships according to their allegiances across the Star Wars eras. Starships belong to either Light Side or the Dark Side faction.
fighter/starfighter: A class 4 ship is often referred to as a fighter or a starfighter.
Fighter Launch: A ship that is capable of launching fighters has a Fighter Launch rating, which is the maximum number of class 4 starships it can launch in the move phase of a round. A ship without a Fighter Launch rating cannot launch fighters.
fighter pool: Fighters are not affiliated with specific ships, although a given ship can launch only a limited number of fighters per turn. The fleet's fighters form a pool from which its controller draws. Destroyed fighters do not return to the pool, they are removed from the game.
fire arc: Many ships' weapon systems can attack enemies in any direction. Some, however, are limited to firing in a given direction.
fleet: A group of starships fighting for one player in a battle.
Fleet Commander: Certain ships can affect the battle, especially their allies, with Fleet Commander options. Such ships provide Command counters that their fleet's controller can use for special effects. Players expend Command counters to select Fleet Commander options, placing the counters in the appropriate spaces of the Fleet Commander sheet.
A given Fleet Commander option affects all ships of a single class. You can allocate multiple Command counters during a round, among one or several ship classes. You can never assign more than one Command counter to a given option. A single ship can benefit from any number of different Fleet Commander options simultaneously.
Fly Casual: (Command, class 3) When a class 3 ship would be hit by an attack, that attack is instead treated as a miss. This Fleet Commander card affects only one potential hit against one ship. You can decide whether to use this card after seeing the result of an attack roll.
Force Sense: Enemy ships take a -1 penalty to Defense on all faces while they are adjacent to this ship.
Frontal Battery: (weapon system) This weapon system's fire arc is limited to the front spine only.
full strength: A ship that has not taken enough damage to become reduced (see that entry, on page on page 38) is at full strength. Some ships cannot become reduced; they remain at full strength until they are destroyed.
Hull: (ship statistic) A measure of how much damage it takes to reduce or destroy a ship. A full-strength ship that takes enough damage to reduce its Hull rating below the first number is reduced. A reduced ship (or a ship that cannot become reduced) whose Hull drops to 0 is destroyed.
immediate/immediately: An immediate action takes place instantly under a particular set of circumstances, even if it is not the ship's turn or the normal phase for such action. This action can interrupt other actions, taking effect just before they do. If multiple immediate actions take place at the same time, the acting player takes any immediate actions, then the player to the left, and so on.
in a square: A ship is in a square if any of its space occupies that square. Class 3 and 4 ships each occupy 1 square, class 2 ships each occupy a space 2 squares on a side, and class 1 ships each occupy a space 3 squares on a side.
Incoming Fighters: (Command, class 3) Class 3 ships can attack class 4 ships (fighters) 2 squares away.
Infinite: This fighter returns to the fighter pool instead of being removed from the game when it is destroyed. This represents hundreds of cheap, easily replaceable ships.
initiative check: A die roll to determine who goes first. Each player rolls the d20, and whoever rolls highest chooses who goes first. Reroll ties.
initiative phase: Players make initiative checks during this phase of the round.
Interceptor: This fighter can move freely past enemy fighters that do not have Interceptor. Other fighters with Interceptor stop its movement as normal.
Interdict: Enemy fleets automatically lose initiative in the first round of this battle. (Initiative rerolls are not allowed.) In addition, all ships (enemies and allies alike) can launch fighters at only half their normal rate (rounded up) while this ship is in play. This represents blocking the arrival of hyperspace capable fighters.
Ion Cannon: (weapon system) This weapon system gets a +1 bonus to Damage against full-strength enemy ships.
Jammer: This ship gets the stated bonus to Attack against droid fighters.
Jedi Command: Adjacent allied fighters get the stated bonus to Attack.
Jedi Evasion: Whenever this ship would take damage from an attack, reduce the damage dealt by the stated amount.
Laser Cannon: (weapon system)
launch: Starfighters (class 4 ships) cannot enter the stellar grid on their own but must be launched by larger ships. A ship can launch fighters at the end of the move phase, up to the limit of its Fighter Launch rating.
Long-Range Bombardment: (Command, class 4) This fighter can attack class 3 or larger ships (nonfighters) 2 squares away, dealing half damage.
Long-Range Bomber: This fighter can use the stated weapon system to attack class 3 or larger ships (nonfighters) 2 squares away, halving the weapon's Damage.
move/movement: A ship can move a number of squares up to its class.
move phase: Ships can move only during the move phase of a round.
nonfighter: Class 1, 2, and 3 ships are sometimes called nonfighters in rules text.
opponent: A player you are playing a battle against.
phase: A part of a round. A round has four phases: initiative, move, attack, and damage. A ship can move only in the move phase and attack only in the attack phase. The effects of damage are resolved during the damage phase.
Point-Defense/PD: (ship statistic) Capital ships have special, short-range weapon systems to deal with starfighters that get too close. A ship's PD rating is its attack bonus against class 4 starships. It can use Point-Defense only against adjacent fighters, dealing 1 point of damage on a hit.
range: Sometimes a weapon system, special ability, or Fleet Commander option works only within a listed range. This is the distance in squares between the attacker's and defender's square, counting the defender's square. Diagonals count as 1 square.
Power to Engines: (Command, class 2) Class 2 ships can move diagonally during this round's move phase.
Power to Shields: (Command, class 1) Class 1 ships get a +2 bonus to Defense on all faces. You must decide whether to use this option after an attack is declared but before the attack roll is made.
Power to Shields, Front: (Command, class 2) Each class 2 ship gets a +2 bonus to Defense on its front face. You must decide whether to use this option after an attack is declared but before the attack roll is made.
Power to Weapons: (Command, class 1) Each weapon system of each class 1 ship gets a +1 bonus to Damage during this attack phase. You must decide whether to use this option after an attack is declared but before the attack roll is made.
Proton Barrage: (weapon system) This weapon system is a devastating missile attack. Its fire arc is limited to broadside only. Proton Barrage cannot target class 4 ships.
Proton Torpedoes: (weapon system) This weapon system cannot target class 4 ships.
reduced: Many ships are able to continue fighting after taking serious damage, but lose some combat effectiveness. This is represented by turning over a ship's stat card to its reduced side. See Damage Resolution on page on page 13. A reduced ship has fewer weapon systems available and a lower Hull rating. A reduced ship that takes damage equal to its reduced Hull rating is destroyed. Some ships do not become reduced. They are destroyed when they take damage that equals or exceeds their Hull rating.
round: A starship battle is played in rounds. At the start of a round, during the initiative phase, players make initiative checks. Then each player moves and attacks with his or her starship in phases. When all phases are complete, the round ends and a new round begins.
rounding: Effects that halve damage, movement, Defense, and so forth always round up to the nearest whole number.
Scramble Fighters: (Command, class 3) Each class 2 ship with Fighter Launch can launch 1 additional fighter this round. These extra fighters launch at the end of the move phase, along with other fighters launched this round.
Seismic Mines: This ship deploys seismic mines to damage adjacent of starfighters. It gets a Point-Defense rating of +4.
Sensor Array: This ship provides sensor and targeting data to its fighter escort. All adjacent allied fighters get the stated bonus to Attack.
ship: A single starship represented by a single miniature. Some ships are Unique, such as Luke Skywalker's X-wing. Others are ships of a certain kind and have descriptive names, such as Imperial Star Destroyer.
Sith Command: Adjacent allied fighters get the stated bonus to Attack.
space: The square or squares that a starship occupies. A class 3 or 4 ship occupies 1 square. A class 2 ship occupies 4 squares. A class 1 ship occupies 9 squares.
spine: Some weapons can attack only enemies to the front or rear of the ship. A spine is as wide as the ship's front or rear face and extends across the stellar grid from the front or rear of that ship.
stacking: In general, the effects produced by special abilities, Fleet Commander Cards and certain weapon systems stack (are cumulative) with each other. For example, the Millennium Falcon has Antifighter Targeting +7, which grants a +7 bonus to Attack against enemy fighters, and the Target Fighters option grants a +4 bonus to Attack against adjacent fighters. Thus, if the Millennium Falcon receives the Target Fighters option it would get a total bonus of +11 to Attack against adjacent fighters.
Unless otherwise specified, no effect produced by a special ability, Fleet Commander option, or weapon system stacks with itself.
stellar grid: The game mat where Starship Battles take place.
target: An enemy ship chosen for an attack, special ability, or Fleet Commander option. A square itself can't be a target.
Target Fighters: (Command, class 3) Class 3 ships get a +3 bonus to Attack against fighters (class 4 ships) only this round.
Tractor Beams: This ship blocks the movement of nonfighters, much as fighters block enemy fighters. Nonfighter enemy ships of the same class or smaller must stop when they move into squares adjacent to this ship. For example, a class 2 ship with Tractor Beams impedes the movement of enemy class 2 or class 3 ships.
Turbolasers: (weapon system)
Unique: This ship is one of a kind and has a specific name, such as the Millennium Falcon. You cannot have more than one Unique ship with the same name in your fleet.
Different versions of the same ship have slightly different names, but all of them count as that ship for purposes of this ability. For example, Boba Fett's Slave I and Jango Fett's Slave I both count as "Slave I". Where there is the possibility of confusion, the card text specifies the name this ship counts as.
weapon system: A ship has one or more weapon systems. Each system has its own Attack and Damage ratings. A ship can attack with each of its weapon systems once during the attack phase. Point-defense systems are an exception; see Point-Defense on page 38.
zone of control: Enemy fighters cannot move through the squares adjacent to a class 4 ship. Those squares are sometimes referred to informally as the ship's zone of control.
Stat Card Reference
This summary restates the stat card layout from the Quick Start section.
- Cost: More powerful starships have higher costs.
- Sketch: Also indicates the facing of the ship; the notch points forward.
- Class: The relative size of the ship. This number equals its movement in squares.
- Defense: Enemy ships must roll this number or higher on attack rolls to hit the ship. Each of a ship's faces has its own Defense.
- Hull: A ship is reduced after it takes damage equal to or more than the top number. If it takes damage equal to or more than the total of both numbers, it is destroyed. (Some ships don't have a reduced Hull number.)
- Attack/Damage: Add the Attack number to the die roll when attacking with that weapon system. On a hit, it deals damage equal to the Damage number.
- PD: (Point-Defense) The ship can use PD to attack every adjacent class 4 ship (starfighter) once per round.
- Command: (if any) Some ships grant Command counters that allow special options in play.
- Special Abilities: (if any) Ship's special strengths and weaknesses. See glossary in rulebook for descriptions.
- Rarity Symbol: Common, uncommon, or rare (the printed symbols are graphic icons and are not reproduced in this text).