The Last Starfighter Combat Game
The Last Starfighter Combat Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Game Components
- Terms Important For Pilots
- Game Setup
- Sequence Of Play
- Movement
- Power Supply
- Firing Weapon Systems
- Determining Weapon Hits
- How Damage Affects Weapon Firing
- Damage From Hits
- Damage Descriptions
- Damage Conflict From Multiple Hits
- Asteroids
- Starfighter Duel
- The Ko-Dan Swarm
- Game Sheets And Reference Cards
Introduction
In this adventure boardgame, Gun Stars from the Star League battle Deck Fighters and Swarm Ships of the Ko-Dan, in fast-paced dogfights in the asteroid belt. The game may be played by two players, one playing the Star League pilot of a Gun Star, and the other playing the Ko-Dan. Multi-player games pit several Gun Stars against Ko-Dan Deck Fighters or the menacing Ko-Dan Swarm. There is no limit to the number of players in a single game.
Game Components
Rule Book
This rule book gives all the information and data needed to learn and play this exciting game. It is written simply, with each step thoroughly explained, and it has many illustrations so that new gamers can learn how to play easily.
Starfield Mapsheet
One 17" by 22" Starfield Mapsheet forms the playing surface for the game. It has a grid of 6-sided areas called hexagons, or just hexes. The six hex-sides are used to determine a starfighter's heading for movement and the way its guns are pointed for firing.
Game Sheet Pad
A pad of 2-sided Game Sheets is provided for recording movement and damage. One side of each sheet has the information used by the Gun Star pilot, and the other has the information used by the Deck Fighter pilot. Swarm Ship pilots do not use Game Sheets.
Two 6-Sided Dice
One of these dice is red and the other is white. Sometimes one is rolled (the color does not matter), and at other times both are rolled. Dice rolls are required to resolve weapon fire and to determine damage. The colors make a difference when damage is determined.
Counters
There are three types of 1-inch-wide, 6-sided, colored counters that are used in this game. They show the 3 kinds of starfighters, asteroid clusters, and explosions.
- 5 Gun Star Counters: The Star League pilots fly the Gun Star. It has two laser turrets, a particle beam cannon, and 4 photon missiles. One player plays both pilot and gunner.
- 5 Deck Fighter Counters: The Ko-Dan pilots may fly the Deck Fighter. It is just as powerful as the Gun Star, but it is slightly different. Like the Gun Star, it has 3 lasers, a particle beam cannon, and 4 photon missiles, but it only has the pilot, who also fires weaponry.
- 28 Swarm Ship Counters: The Ko-Dan pilots also may fly the Swarm Ship. Far less powerful than the Gun Star or the Deck Fighter, Swarm Ships always are flown in waves. Each player plays many ships.
- 36 Asteroid Clusters: Two huge asteroid clusters are provided, and 34 smaller clusters. The huge clusters are 7 times as big as the smaller clusters.
- 4 Explosion Counters: When a starfighter blows up, one of these counters is placed on top of it.
Terms Important For Pilots
Before any pilot can really understand these rules, there are a few terms that he should learn. This section gives the meanings of these terms all in one place. The definition for most of these terms is repeated the first time it is mentioned in the rules. Pilots who do not understand the way a term is used in other parts of the rules can look it up here easily.
AFT FIRING ARC: The aft firing arc extends straight back from the rear of the starfighter.
ASTEROID CLUSTER: Pilots may fly into this cluster of space debris, and they may shoot from it or into it, but both of these tasks are harder than normal.
DAMAGE: After a shot hits a starfighter, it automatically takes some damage. Sometimes the damage will be light, and sometimes heavy enough to make the starfighter blow up! Usually, as the starfighter takes damage, it becomes slower and hard to maneuver; it also becomes harder for the pilot or gunner to hit targets or to remain in control. When the starfighter takes enough damage, it will not be able to fly any longer.
The Damage Chart gives the exact effects, whether the damage is given to the fuselage, the engines, the weapon targeting system, the life support system, the steering system, or to the pilot(s). This damage is recorded on the Game Sheet, in the Damage Display.
DAMAGE ROLL: This is a dice roll that is used to determine the damage that results from a successful shot. This damage is determined by consulting the Damage Results Tables. The red die tells which table to use, and the white die tells what the result is. Hits from some weapons change the table number to give more or less damage than average.
DAMAGE CHART: The Damage Chart tells what the effect of a successful weapon shot does to the target. On it are 36 different damage effects in 6 tables. The tables are numbered 1 - 6; the greater the table number, the greater the damage.
DECK FIGHTER: This is the more powerful of the 2 Ko-Dan Starfighters. It has 3 lasers, a particle beam cannon, and 4 photon missiles. It is flown by a pilot, who also fires its weapons.
DEATH BLOSSOM: This special type of weapons fire may only be used by the Gun Star in its battles with the Ko-Dan Swarm. It costs 4 times as much as a regular movement, but it allows the Gun Star to fire all of its weapons 6 times as it spins around. After firing, the Gun Star is dead in space for one game turn.
FIRING ARC: Weapons may be pointed in 4 different directions with respect to the nose of the starfighter. Weapons pointed straight out from the nose of the starfighter fire in the forward firing arc. Weapons pointed straight back from the starfighter fire in the aft firing arc. Weapons pointed forward and to the left of the nose fire in the port firing arc, and weapons pointed forward and to the right of the nose fire in the starboard firing arc. Pilots of Gun Stars and Deck Fighters must specify which firing arc their lasers cover. Lasers on Swarm Ships, one of the lasers on the Deck Fighter, and all particle beam cannon and photon missiles have fixed firing arcs.
FORWARD FIRING ARC: The forward firing arc extends straight out from the nose of the starfighter.
FUSELAGE: The body of the starfighter is called the fuselage (fyu-se-lazh). It is the plasmetal that forms the body, the tailfins, the canopy, and all that holds the starfighter together.
The fuselage is the easiest part of a target to hit, but it can take more damage than other parts of the craft before the damage becomes critical. Damage to the fuselage is recorded in the Fuselage wedge of the Damage Display.
GAME TURN: A game turn begins when pilots record their moves and ends after all shots have been resolved. Starfighters are limited in the number of movements, steering changes, and weapon shots they may make in a game turn.
GUN STAR: This is the starfighter of the Star League. It is a powerful craft, with 2 lasers, a particle beam cannon, and 4 photon missiles. It is flown by a pilot and its weapons are fired by a gunner. One player plays both.
LASER: The weapon with the longest range and the best chance to hit is the laser. Depending on the type, a starfighter may have 1, 2, or 3 lasers. Generally, pilots will be required to state which direction the lasers are pointing BEFORE the starfighters move. Lasers may be rearmed and fired again in each new game turn. Damage to the laser firing system is recorded in the upper left corner of the Game Sheet.
LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM: This is the complex electronic and electrical system that controls the oxygen and heat necessary to keep pilots alive.
MOVEMENT: Forward movement causes the starfighter to move forward in a straight line. Direction changes, called vector changes, cause the starfighter to move forward and then rotate either right or left. Undamaged Gun Stars and Deck Fighters can make up to 5 movements, but Swarm Ships can make only 3.
TO-HIT NUMBER: This is the number that a pilot needs to roll for a successful shot with any weapon. In general, the following is true about To-Hit Numbers:
- The farther away the target, the higher the To-Hit Number.
- Targets that have not moved have lower To-Hit Numbers.
- Lasers have the lowest To-Hit Numbers.
- Photon missiles have the highest To-Hit Numbers.
- Shooting from or into asteroids gives higher To-Hit Numbers.
TO-HIT ROLL: This is a dice roll that is used to determine if the pilot's shot hit the enemy. The roll is successful if it is greater than or equal to the To-Hit Number.
PARTICLE BEAM CANNON: This weapon has a range longer than the photon missile's but shorter than the laser's. It gives more damage than any other weapon. Depending on the type, a starfighter may have 1 particle beam cannon or none at all. Damage to the firing system is recorded in the upper left corner of the Game Sheet.
PHOTON MISSILE: The weapon with the shortest range is the photon missile. It gives less damage than lasers or the particle beam cannon, but damage is spread over an area 7 times as big. Depending on the type, a starfighter may have 0 or 4 photon missiles in its rack. After a missile has been fired, it is gone. Damage to the missile firing system is recorded in the upper left corner of the Game Sheet.
PORT FIRING ARC: The port firing arc extends outward from just to the left of the starfighter's nose.
POWER SUPPLY: The power supply is what allows the starfighter to move and fire. As the game progresses, the starfighter has less and less power, either because it has been used, or because its power plant has been damaged. When its power supply is gone, it may not move or fire. The power supply may be recharged.
STABILIZER: The stabilizer controls the direction that the starfighter will fly. If it takes damage, the pilot has no control over where his starfighter will go.
STARBOARD FIRING ARC: The starboard firing arc extends from just to the right of the starfighter's nose.
SWARM SHIP: The Swarm Ship is one of the two Ko-Dan starfighters, far less powerful than the Deck Fighter. It has only 1 laser, and it cannot move as fast as the other starfighters. Any damage destroys it. One player plays many of these at once.
TURN: In this game, this word only refers to one game turn. Steering (turning) the nose of the starfighter is called making a vector change to avoid confusion.
UNCONSCIOUSNESS: When a pilot or gunner takes more than two wounds, he may pass out. When he does this, he cannot perform his job. If the pilot passes out, the craft flies randomly, and if the gunner passes out, no weapons may be fired.
VECTOR CHANGE: When a pilot steers (turns) the nose of his starfighter in a different direction, he makes a vector (vek -ter) change. This points the nose of his starfighter to the right or the left of the way he was facing. It can only be made AFTER the starfighter has been moved forward, and so a starfighter cannot spin in place.
Vector changes are recorded in the Movement Log. Damage to the steering mechanism is recorded in the Steering Controls wedge of the Game Sheet Damage Display.
Game Setup
Players first should choose sides, trying to keep the number of players on a side as close to the same as possible. Then they choose which game they will play, Starfighter Duel or The Ko-Dan Swarm.
The starfield mapsheet is laid out on a flat surface between the players. Players select their starfighter counters and place them on the mapsheet. Each Gun Star or Deck Fighter pilot takes a Game Sheet to record movement and damage.
If asteroids are to be used, players determine how many will be laid out. Then the asteroids are placed on the mapsheet. This completes the setup for the game.
Sequence Of Play
Recording Movement
- Gun Star and Deck Fighter pilots choose their movements and record them secretly on the Game Sheet. They cross off 1 power box.
Moving The Starfighters
- If The Ko-Dan Swarm game is being played, all Swarm Ships are moved in numerical order.
- Gun Stars and Deck Fighters are moved. If any have stabilizer damage, one die is rolled for each movement to determine direction.
- If any starfighter flies into an asteroid cluster, a collision roll is made. If a collision occurs, damage is rolled. Any Swarm Ships damaged are removed from the game.
Resolving Fire
- If The Ko-Dan Swarm game is being played, fire from Swarm Ships is resolved in numerical order. Damage is recorded by the targets.
- Fire from Gun Stars and Deck Fighters is resolved. Damage is recorded by the targets.
- Starfighters or asteroid clusters that were destroyed are removed from the game.
- Rolls are made for steering restrictions, weapon damage, and unconsciousness.
Recharging Power
- If any starfighter has recharged its Power Supply, 5 power boxes are added.
Continuing Game
- Repeat steps 1 through 10 until one side is the winner.
Movement
Moves Possible
There are only four ways that a starfighter may move. It may go straight ahead. It may head to the left or right; these turns are called vector changes so they will not be confused with the words game turn. It also may stay where it is. Each of these movements is described below, beside an illustration that shows how each looks on the mapsheet.
Forward Movement: The starfighter moves into the hex that its nose points toward. It can never move in reverse. This movement may be combined with any other movement, as long as damage does not prohibit it.
Changing Direction: Whenever a vector change is made, the starfighter counter first moves straight ahead into the hex that its nose points toward. Then it rotates left or right 1 hex-side. Undamaged starfighters may make up to 3 vector changes in a turn; damaged starfighters may not be able to make that many. One vector change may be combined with another or with forward movement, as long as damage does not prohibit it.
In order to change the direction it is heading, the starfighter must first move forward; it cannot spin in place.
Holding Position: The starfighter stays where it is. It does not turn to the right or left. This may not be combined with any other type of movement.
Stacking Counters
More than one starfighter may occupy the same hex on the starmap. They are assumed to be at different elevations with respect to one another, and they will not collide. When this occurs, simply stack the counters one on top of another.
If asteroids are used and a starfighter flies into a hex containing an asteroid counter, simply stack the starfighter on top of the asteroid.
Number Of Moves Per Turn
Movements: As long as it is undamaged, a Gun Star or a Deck Fighter may make up to 5 movements in a game turn. This means that it may move 5 hexes in any pattern the pilot desires, as long as it makes no more than 3 vector changes. It may move straight ahead, or make vector changes, or any combination. A pilot does not have to move all 5 hexes. If he chooses, he may move 1, 2, 3, or 4 hexes or none at all. If the pilot chooses, a starfighter may be moving 5 hexes one turn and stop dead the next.
The Ko-Dan Swarm Ships make a maximum of 3 movements per game turn.
Vector Changes: As long as it is undamaged, any starfighter may make 3 vector changes in a game turn. This means that it can change direction up to 3 times in any direction the pilot desires. It may make no vector changes, 1 change, 2 changes or 3 changes. The choice is up to the pilot.
Recording Movement
Movement is recorded on the Movement Log at the bottom of the Game Sheet. The Movement Log is made up of lines showing arrows and dots; these lines are called Movement Records. Each Movement Record has 5 groups of symbols, each with 1 left arrow, 1 dot, and 1 right arrow. To the left of each Movement Record is a blank.
In each game turn, after a pilot decides on his movements, he draws circles around the arrows or dots to show what he wants to do for each movement he will make. He circles only one arrow or dot per group of symbols, but he may (if his starfighter is not damaged) draw a circle in all 5 groups.
Forward movement is recorded by drawing a circle around the dot in the Movement Record. A vector change left is recorded by drawing a circle around the left arrow in the Movement Record. A vector change right is recorded by drawing a circle around the right arrow in the Movement Record. Holding position is recorded by writing a 0 (zero) in the blank to the left of the Movement Record.
The illustration shows how to record each type of movement on the Game Sheet: vector change left, forward movement, vector change right, and hold position.
How Damage Affects Movement
No matter how the starfighter is damaged, the pilot can always choose not to move.
Damage to the starfighter's engines or fuselage may prevent it from making 5 movements, or even from making 2 movements. Also, if there is not enough power in the system, the starfighter may not move. When engine damage is so great that it can no longer move at all, the starfighter explodes. These things will be explained in the Damage From Hits section.
Damage to the starfighter's vector change system may prevent the pilot from heading in a particular direction for one game turn while he fixes the damage. This will be explained in the Damage Descriptions section.
Power Supply
It takes power to make the starfighter move and to fire its weapons. Each starfighter starts the game with 20 power points. These are shown in the lower 2 small circles on the Game Sheet. Each circle, called a Power Supply, has 10 power boxes; one circle is for the starfighter's main power plant, and the other is for its auxiliary power plant.
When the starfighter's power plant takes damage, this reduces the Power Supply. When the Power Supply is at 0, the starfighter cannot move or fire.
Using Power
If a pilot chooses to move, to fire, or to do both in a game turn, his starfighter uses 1 power point for the turn. It does not matter how many movements he makes, 5 or 0, nor how many weapons he fires; the cost is the same. When the Main Power Supply is gone, the Auxiliary Power Supply is used. When both Power Supplies are gone, the starfighter may neither move nor fire until the Power Supply is recharged.
If a pilot chooses to hold position and does not fire, he does not use any power.
Recharging The Power Supply
If a pilot desires, he may recharge the power plant at any time; he must do this if his Power Supply is at 0. Recharging the Power Supply takes 1 full turn. During this turn, the starfighter must hold position and may not fire. At the end of the turn, 5 points are added to the Power Supply, if no damage to the power plant has occurred in the turn.
A starfighter cannot have more than 20 power points, no matter how many times it recharges its Power Supply.
Recording Power Use
After a pilot marks his movements, he crosses off 1 box on the Power Supply circles. The Main Power Supply is crossed off first, and then the Auxiliary Power Supply.
Damage to the power plant is recorded by crossing off the appropriate number of boxes, first from the Main Power Supply, and then from the Auxiliary Power Supply.
If he successfully recharges his Power Supply, he records this on the Game Sheet by numbering 5 boxes around the outside of the Auxiliary Power Supply. When all 10 boxes around the Auxiliary Power Supply have been numbered, number the boxes around the outside of the Main Power Supply. (Actually, it is easier to mark the Game Sheet with a pencil, lightly enough that you can erase the marks on the power boxes when you use this power.)
How Damage Affects Power Supply
Sometimes a successful hit from an enemy weapon will damage the power plant. This damage may be as little as 1 power point or as many as 10 power points. When the starfighter has no power, it may neither move nor fire.
If a starfighter takes a hit to the power plant while it is recharging, the recharging is cancelled and it does not gain the 5 power points.
Firing Weapon Systems
Each starfighter has up to 3 different weapon systems. It has at least one laser, and it may also have a particle beam cannon and photon missiles. Each of these systems is described below beside a drawing showing where the system is located.
Weapon Types
Lasers
The laser is the weapon with the longest range aboard the starfighter. When the starfighter weapon control system is undamaged, lasers can reach out to 10 hexes from the starfighter. Any target more than 10 hexes away is out of range.
The Gun Star of the Star League has 2 laser turrets. Both of these can fire every game turn. These lasers can fire straight ahead (forward), ahead to the left (port), ahead to the right (starboard), or straight back (aft). The lasers both work on the same fire control circuits, and so they both aim the same way, but the shots are fired separately. Thus, the Gun Star may fire both its lasers at the same target, or at two different targets.
The Deck Fighter of the Ko-Dan has 3 laser turrets. All 3 can fire every game turn. One laser can only fire straight back (aft). A second is mounted so that it will fire straight ahead or ahead and to the left (forward/port). The third is mounted so that it will fire straight ahead and to the right (forward/starboard). All 3 lasers have separate fire control circuits, and so they aim and fire independently. Thus, the Deck Fighter may fire at as many as 3 different targets.
The ships of the Ko-Dan Swarm have 1 laser. It can fire every game turn, and it is mounted so that it will only fire straight ahead (forward).
Particle Beam Cannon
The particle beam has a shorter range than the laser, but it does more damage when it hits. When the starfighter weapon control system is undamaged, the particle beam can reach out to 9 hexes. Any target more than 9 hexes away is out of range. When a blast from this cannon hits, there is twice as much chance as with a laser that it will explode the target or kill its pilot in one shot.
Only Gun Stars and Deck Fighters have particle beam cannon. Each has one cannon, mounted so that it can fire only straight ahead (forward).
Photon Missile
The photon missile has the shortest range of all 3 weapons. When the starfighter weapon control system is undamaged, the missile can travel out to 8 hexes. Any target more than 8 hexes away is out of effective range.
The photon missile may have a short range, but when it blows up, it causes a huge explosion in space. Any starfighter close to it is damaged. Because the explosive power is spread over 7 hexes, as shown in the illustration, the damage is not usually as great as with a laser, but all starfighters in the area will take damage, friend or foe.
Only Gun Stars and Deck Fighters have photon missile racks. Each rack holds 4 missiles. Once a photon missile has been fired, it is gone and cannot be reused. The rack is mounted so that the photon missiles can fire only straight ahead (forward).
Firing Arcs
Each weapon has a firing arc, or the hexes into which it may be fired. If an enemy starfighter is not in the weapon's firing arc, then it is not a target.
There are 4 firing arcs, as shown in the illustrations. These are the forward arc (abbreviated fwd), which is straight ahead of the starfighter; the port arc, which is ahead and to the left of the starfighter; the starboard arc (abbreviated stbd), which is ahead and to the right of the starfighter; and the aft arc, which is directly behind the starfighter. In each illustration, the shading shows which hexes are in the arc. In general, the arc includes the straight line of hexes that begin at the counter; it also includes the straight line of hexes to the left and to the right of this line. As you can see, each firing arc is 3 hexes wide.
In the firing arc illustrations, an asterisk (*) marks the hexes where arcs overlap.
Blind Spots: The composite illustration shows that each ship has weapon blind spots, areas not covered by its firing arcs. Ships cannot fire into these blind spots, and smart pilots will attempt to approach an enemy in one of them.
Multiple Firing Arcs
The firing arcs of each weapon are given in the ship listing, using the abbreviations mentioned above. Lasers usually can fire into more than one arc, and so the listing gives two abbreviations separated by a slash.
For example, the listing for the Gun Star lasers is port/fwd/stbd/aft. This means that the lasers can fire into all 4 arcs: the port arc, the forward arc, the starboard arc, and the aft arc.
On the other hand, the listing for the Deck Star lasers is fwd/port, fwd/stbd, aft. This means that 2 of the lasers can fire into 2 arcs. One laser can fire forward or port, another can fire forward or starboard, and the third can only fire aft.
Recording Firing Arc Choice
Because the Gun Star and the Deck Fighter can fire into more than one firing arc, the pilot must choose where his lasers are aimed. Each turn, when he records his move, he must circle the firing arc as shown in the illustration. The pilot of the Gun Star must draw only one circle for both its lasers, because they both aim in the same arc. The pilot of the Deck Fighter must draw a circle for each of his forward-pointing turrets.
If a pilot forgets to draw these circles, assume that he has forgotten to change the way the lasers are aimed. Use the last circles he drew to show which way his lasers are aimed.
Determining Weapon Hits
Declaring Targets
After all movement has taken place, pilots may fire their weapons, if they desire. If an enemy starfighter is in one of his firing arcs, a pilot may choose to fire at it with one or more of his weapons. If there are several enemies in his firing arcs, he may split his fire. He must declare which weapons will fire at which targets before any weapons fire is resolved.
Resolving Fire
Weapons fire is resolved by rolling two dice and adding the result together. This gives numbers between 2 and 12. For this game, the higher the numbers the better when firing weapons.
Determining To-Hit Number
Each weapon type has a Weapon Base. This is the number that a pilot would have to roll to hit a target in the hex directly in front of the weapon. For undamaged starfighters, the table below gives the Weapon Bases for each weapon.
| Weapon Type | Weapon Base |
|---|---|
| Standard Laser | 3 |
| Swarm Ship Laser | 4 |
| Particle Beam Cannon | 4 |
| Photon Missile | 5 |
To find the To-Hit Number, add 1 to the Weapon Base for each hex the target is farther away. A good way to do this is to count upward from the Weapon Base as you touch each hex between your starfighter and the target. Count the target hex, but not the firing starfighter's hex. The illustration shows how to do this. As printed, the illustration counts from the Weapon Base as follows: standard laser 3 (adjacent hex) through 11; particle beam cannon 4 through 12; photon missile 5 through 13.
As you can see, the Weapon Base for the Gun Star (or Deck Fighter) lasers is 3, and so it is the To-Hit Number for the hex directly in front of the Gun Star. As you count hexes toward the Deck Star, add 1 per hex. When you get to the Deck Star, the To-Hit Number is 11. This is what you must roll on the 2 dice.
For the particle beam cannon, the Weapon Base is 4, and so the To-Hit Number is 12, a hard roll to make! For the photon missile, the Weapon Base is 5, and the To-Hit Number is 13 — an impossible shot. Please notice that it does not make any difference how you count the hexes, as long as you try to keep in a relatively straight line.
Modifiers To The To-Hit Number
The To-Hit Number is modified by one special circumstance that makes it easier to make a successful shot, and by two special circumstances that make it harder to make a successful shot.
Sitting Ducks: Any starfighter that remains stationary, either because it has no power to move or because its pilot chooses not to move, is an easier target than normal. Another starfighter firing at it subtracts 1 from the To-Hit Number.
Shooting Into An Asteroid Cluster: Any starfighter in an asteroid cluster is a more difficult target than normal because of all the space debris near it. Another starfighter firing at it adds 1 to the To-Hit Number.
Shooting Out Of An Asteroid Cluster: Any starfighter in an asteroid cluster who decides to fire at another starfighter has the space debris near him that may block his shot. The pilot adds 1 to his To-Hit Number for all targets. It is not possible to fire from an asteroid cluster at a target in or behind any part of the same or different cluster.
Determining Successful Hits
In order to do see if a shot hit or missed, roll the 2 dice, add the numbers together, and compare the sum to the To-Hit Number. If the roll is the same as or more than the To-Hit Number, then the shot hit the target and damage may be determined. If the roll is less than the To-Hit Number, then the shot is a miss.
Recording Missiles Fired
Each Gun Star or Deck Fighter has only 4 photon missiles in its missile rack. The number of missiles left in the rack is shown on the Game Sheet in the upper left corner, below the Weapon Systems Display. After a missile has been fired, whether it was a hit or a miss, mark off one of the boxes in the missile rack. When all 4 boxes have been marked off, the starfighter has no more photon missiles to fire.
How Damage Affects Weapon Firing
As the starfighter takes damage, the Weapon Base goes up, and so it might be different from one turn to the next. To find out what the Weapon Base is in any turn, look at the large Damage Display on the Game Sheet. This shows the Weapon Bases for each weapon in the Targeting wedge (lower right).
Furthermore, as the starfighter takes damage, the number of weapon systems that may be powered and fired becomes less. Thus, at the beginning of the game, all 3 systems are powered and may be fired every turn, but as damage increases, first 2 may be fired and then 1.
Weapon fire may damage one or more weapons, and so even if the firing system may be powered, the weapon may be damaged itself and so it cannot fire.
The Damage Descriptions section gives the rules for each of these effects.
[Printed page 12 contains only illustrations of The Deck Fighter and The Swarm (top, side, and front views). They are not reproduced here.]
Damage From Hits
Each successful hit gives the target some damage. This damage may be given to the starfighter's fuselage, its engines, its weapon systems, or its steering system. It might even be given to the pilot!
As the firing player rolls the dice, the target player records the damage on his Damage Display, sometimes crossing off boxes, circles, or arcs, and sometimes making notes concerning the next game turn. This section of the rules describes how to determine the damage, how to record it, and how it affects play.
Determining Damage
Choosing The Damage Table
The Damage Chart has 6 different tables, numbered 1 - 6. Each table has 6 different damage results, also numbered 1 - 6. This gives 36 different damage results. In general, the greater the table number, the greater the damage. Only Table 6 gives damage guaranteed to end the game in one shot.
For all hits, the damage is determined the same way. Two dice are needed, one red and one white. Both dice are rolled, but the numbers are not added together. The red die tells which of the 6 damage tables to use, and the white die tells which of the 6 damage results to pick. Each weapon gives damage in a different way, as described below.
Lasers: Lasers from the Gun Star or the Deck Fighter give damage just as described above. For example if the red die comes up 4 and the white die comes up 3, then the damage is read from Table 4, line 3: 4 Fuselage; Stabilizer Damaged. If the red die comes up 1 and the white die comes up 6, then the damage is read from Table 1, line 6: 1 Power.
Lasers from the Ko-Dan Swarm Ship are less powerful, and so the Damage Table used is determined by subtracting 1 from the red die roll. Thus, when a 1 or 2 is rolled, Table 1 is used, and when a 6 is rolled, Table 5 is used. This means that the Swarm Ship cannot give damage guaranteed to end the game in one shot.
Particle Beam Cannon: The particle beam cannon is more powerful than a standard laser. Its damage table is determined by adding 1 to the red die roll. Thus, when a 5 or 6 is rolled, Table 6 is used, and when a 1 is rolled, Table 2 is used. This not only gives the particle beam added damage, but it also gives it twice as much chance to guarantee ending the game in one shot.
Photon Missile: The photon missile makes a big explosion covering a large area, but it gives less damage than a normal laser. The damage table number is found by subtracting 1 from the red die roll, just as with the Swarm Ship laser.
The Damage Chart
Table 1 (red die roll: damage)
- 1: 1 Fuselage
- 2: 1 Fuselage
- 3: 1 Fuselage
- 4: 1 Engine
- 5: 1 Engine
- 6: 1 Power Lost
Table 2
- 1: 2 Fuselage; Pilot Wounded
- 2: 2 Fuselage; Steering Restriction
- 3: 2 Fuselage; Stabilizer Damaged
- 4: 1 Engine; No Speed Change
- 5: 1 Engine; Half Speed Only
- 6: 2 Power Lost
Table 3
- 1: 3 Fuselage
- 2: 3 Fuselage
- 3: 3 Fuselage
- 4: 2 Engine
- 5: 2 Engine
- 6: 4 Power Lost
Table 4
- 1: 4 Fuselage; Pilot Wounded
- 2: 4 Fuselage; Steering Restriction
- 3: 4 Fuselage; Stabilizer Damaged
- 4: 2 Engine; No Speed Change
- 5: 2 Engine; Half Speed Only
- 6: 6 Power Lost
Table 5
- 1: 5 Fuselage; Pilot Wounded
- 2: 5 Fuselage; Steering Restriction
- 3: 5 Fuselage; Stabilizer Damaged
- 4: 3 Engine; No Speed Change
- 5: 3 Engine; Half Speed Only
- 6: 8 Power Lost
Table 6
- 1: 1 Fuselage; Weapon System Destroyed
- 2: 1 Fuselage; Targeting Computer Hit
- 3: 1 Fuselage; Life Support System Hit
- 4: 3 Engine; 10 Power Lost
- 5: Pilot Killed
- 6: Starfighter Blows Up
The Damage Display
All damage is recorded on the Damage Display, either in the large display in the center or in one of the smaller displays around it. The large display is broken down into 6 wedges. There is one wedge for cockpit damage, including damage to the pilot, the gunner, and the life support system. There is one wedge for fuselage damage, which has an effect on all the other wedges. There is one wedge for engine damage, which determines how fast the starfighter can fly. There is one wedge for the ability to target weapons, which determines the Weapon Base numbers. There is one wedge for damage to the weapons themselves. And there is one wedge for damage to the heading controls, which determine how many vector changes the starfighter can make. Each of these wedges is described below.
In the upper left corner of the display, is the Weaponry Status Display. It shows the locations and status of all of the starfighter's weapons. In the upper right corner of the display is the Firing Arcs Display, which shows where each Firing Arc is on the starfighter. In the lower corners are the Main Power Supply and the Auxiliary Power Supply, which show how much power is left. Each of these displays also is described below.
Cockpit Damage
Damage to the starfighter's cockpit is recorded in the large Damage Display, where there is a wedge marked 'Cockpit.' This wedge contains small circles for the Pilot's Condition, the Life Support System, and the Gunner's Condition, as shown in the illustration.
The status for the Pilot's or the Gunner's Condition is a column of 6 circles. As the pilot or the gunner take a hit, the appropriate circle is marked off. Either can take 2 hits and still do his job, but if he takes 1 more hit, he may fall unconscious. The roll he needs to remain conscious is shown in the fourth, fifth, and sixth circles. The rules for unconsciousness and death are given in the Damage Descriptions section below.
The status for the life support system is shown in the center of the wedge. If the life support system takes damage, the circle is crossed off. The rules for this are given in the Damage Descriptions section below.
Fuselage Damage
Damage to the starfighter's fuselage is shown in the large Damage Display, where there is a wedge marked 'Fuselage.' This wedge contains 5 arcs, each with 4 circles, as shown in the illustration. As the fuselage takes damage, the circles are marked off, beginning at the outer arc; when all of the circles in one arc are gone, those in the next arc are marked. This damage has an effect on the rest of the starfighter; the rules for this are given in the Damage Description section below.
Engine Damage
Damage to the starfighter's engines is shown in the large Damage Display, where there is a wedge marked 'Engines.' This wedge contains 5 arcs, each with 2 circles, as shown in the illustration. As the engines take damage, the circles are marked off, beginning at the outer arc. Engine damage also affects the rest of the starfighter; the rules for this are given in the Damage Descriptions section below.
The arcs also contain numbers. The number in the outer arc is 5; the number in the center is 1. These numbers tell how fast the starfighter can fly. As long as there is still 1 unmarked circle in an arc, the starfighter can make the number of moves given. When both circles in an arc are marked, then the starfighter must make fewer movements.
For example, if only 1 engine circle has been marked off, then the starfighter may make up to 5 movements. But if 2 engine circles have been marked off, then it can make only 4 movements in a turn.
Weapon Targeting Damage
Damage that affects the starfighter's ability to target its weaponry is shown in the large Damage Display, where there is a wedge marked 'Targeting.' As the engine take damage, it becomes harder and harder for the guns to fire accurately. This is reflected by the weapon Base Numbers which are printed in the five arcs, as shown in the illustration.
When the starfighter is undamaged, the Base Numbers for each weapon are shown in the outer arc. They are 3 for lasers, 4 for particle beam cannon, and 5 for photon missiles. When the starfighter takes a targeting computer hit or takes enough damage to affect how accurately it can fire, this arc is marked off, and the Base Numbers go up by 1. When it takes even more damage, another arc is crossed off, and the Base Numbers go up again. Rules showing when to cross off one of the arcs are given in the Damage Descriptions section below.
Weapon System Power Loss
When the starfighter takes damage, it loses power to weapons. This is recorded in the large Damage Display, where there is a wedge marked 'Weapon Systems Powered.' In this wedge, there are 3 arcs, as shown in the illustration. The outer arc is marked '3 Systems Powered,' the second arc is marked '2 Systems Powered,' and the center is marked '1.'
When the starfighter is undamaged, all 3 weapon systems can be powered every game turn. When it takes damage from fuselage or engine hits, the outer arc is crossed off. Now only 2 of the weapon systems are able to fire in any game turn. The rules for marking off these arcs are given in the Damage Descriptions section below.
When a weapon system is damaged by a direct hit, this is recorded in the Weaponry Status Display in the upper left corner, as shown in the illustration. When a laser turret is damaged, then one of the circles marked 'Laser Turrets' is crossed off. When either the particle beam cannon or the photon missile rack is destroyed, then the circle marked for it is crossed off. How to determine which weapon system is destroyed is given in the Damage Descriptions section below.
Heading Controls Damage
When the starfighter takes damage that affects its ability to make vector changes, it is recorded in the large Damage Display, where there is a wedge marked 'Heading Controls.' In this wedge there are 3 arcs, as shown in the illustration. The outer arc is marked '3 Vector Changes,' the second is marked '2 Vector Changes,' and the center is marked '1.'
When the starfighter is undamaged, it may make 3 vector changes per turn. When it takes enough engine or fuselage damage to affect its heading controls, then the outer arc is marked off, and the starfighter can make only 2 vector changes per turn. The rules for marking off these arcs is given in the Damage Descriptions section below.
Power Plant Damage
When the power plant takes a hit, the power lost is recorded in one of the two Power Supply displays just above the Movement Log, as shown in the illustration. Each of these displays has 10 boxes, each representing 1 power point. For each power point lost, one box is marked off on the Main Power Supply. When the main power supply is gone, then the boxes on the Auxiliary Power Supply are marked off. The rules for this are given in the Damage Descriptions section below.
Damage Descriptions
Each of the damage results is described below, along with the way the damage is recorded and the effect the damage has on the play of the game.
Fuselage Hit
The starfighter's fuselage has taken damage equal to the number of points indicated: 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. For each damage point, cross off one circle in the Fuselage wedge of the Damage Display. When all 4 circles in an arc have been crossed off, cross off the whole arc.
Damage to the fuselage also affects how fast the starfighter can move and how well it can target its weapons. When an arc has been crossed off, the starfighter can no longer make as many movements or target any of its weapons as well as when it was undamaged. Furthermore, if the fuselage takes enough damage, this affects how much power is available for weapon systems and how well the starfighter can maneuver. When 2 arcs have been crossed off, the starfighter can no longer power all of its weapon systems or make as many vector changes as when it was undamaged. The way this is recorded is called Sweeping Clockwise. When the center has been crossed off, the starfighter blows up.
Sweeping Clockwise: When a Fuselage arc has been crossed off, sweep the damage around the circle clockwise by crossing off the adjacent Engines arc and the adjacent Targeting arc. The whole Engines arc is crossed off, no matter how many circles remain. After this is done, the Display shows the new number of movements possible (in the Engines wedge) and the new weapon Base Numbers (in the Targeting wedge). The arcs crossed off are shown in the first illustration. The sweep has no effect on arcs already crossed off.
When 2 Fuselage arcs have been crossed off, sweep the damage even farther around the circle than before by crossing off the adjacent Engines arc, the adjacent Targeting arc, the adjacent Weapon Systems Powered arc, and the adjacent Heading Controls arc. After this is done, the Display shows the new number of movements possible (in the Engines wedge), the new weapon Base Numbers (in the Targeting wedge), the new number of weapon systems that may be fired (in the Weapon Systems Powered wedge), and the new number of vector changes that can be made (in the Heading Controls wedge). The new arcs crossed off are shown in the second illustration; the arcs already crossed off are not shaded. The sweep has no effect on arcs already crossed off.
Engines Hit
The starfighter's engines have taken damage equal to the number of points indicated: 1, 2, or 3. For each damage point, cross off one circle in the Engines wedge of the Damage Display. When both circles in an arc have been crossed off, cross off the whole arc.
Damage to the engines affects how fast the starfighter can move. This is shown by the numbers in the Engines arcs. As long as at least one circle in the outer arc remains, the starfighter may make 5 movements per game turn. When that arc has been crossed off, however, it may only make 4 movements, as shown by the 4 in the second arc. When the center, where the 1 is crossed off, the starfighter blows up.
Like damage to the fuselage, damage to the engines affects how well the starfighter can target its weapons. When one Engines arc has been crossed off, the starfighter can no longer target any of its weapons as well as when it was undamaged. Furthermore, if the engines take enough damage, this affects how much power is available for weapon systems and how well the starfighter can maneuver. When 2 Engines arcs have been crossed off, the starfighter can no longer power all of its weapon systems or make as many vector changes as when it was undamaged.
The way to record the effects on the other systems is by sweeping clockwise, just as with fuselage damage. In this case, however, the Fuselage arcs are not crossed off because they are to the left of the Engines arcs. As above, sweeping around has no effect on arcs that already have been crossed off.
Pilot Wounded
Someone in the cockpit is wounded. In the Gun Star of the Star League, the person hit can be either the pilot or the gunner. Roll 1 die; if the result is 1 - 3, the pilot is hit, and if the result is 4 - 6, the gunner is hit. In the Deck Fighter, the hit is on the pilot, because there is no separate gunner. Cross off the top circle on the Pilot's Condition column or the Gunner's Condition column.
Unconsciousness: Pilots and gunners can take 2 hits without falling unconscious. When they are hit, the appropriate circle is merely crossed off. If the pilot takes 2 hits, the top 2 circles are marked off, but if he takes one more hit, he might fall unconscious.
After the first 2 hits, the appropriate circle must be marked off and the player must roll 2 dice and add the numbers together. The roll is compared to the numbers in the next circle. If the roll is equal to or greater than the number in the circle, the pilot or gunner does not fall unconscious, but if it is less than the number in the circle, he is unconscious for the next game turn.
The number in the fourth circle is 8, and so after the pilot's third hit, his roll must be 8 or more or he will fall unconscious. Likewise, after one more hit, his roll must be 10 or more, as shown by the 10 in the fifth circle. After 2 more hits, his roll must equal 12, as shown by the 12 in the sixth circle.
In the Gun Star, when the pilot is unconscious, the starfighter may not move until he revives; when the gunner is unconscious, then no weapons may be fired until he revives. In the Deck Fighter, when the pilot is unconscious, the starfighter may neither move nor fire weapons until he revives.
Death: After taking six hits, a pilot or gunner is dead.
Regaining Consciousness: At the end of the next game turn, after all movement and firing have taken place, the player rolls 2 dice as above. If the roll is successful, the pilot or gunner regains consciousness and can behave normally in the next turn. He will not fall unconscious again unless he takes another hit. Then the dice must be rolled once more, as told above.
Power Lost
The starfighter's power plant has taken damage equal to the number of points indicated: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, or 10. For each damage point, cross off one box in the Main Power Supply circle of the Damage Display. Cross off box 10 first, box 9 next, and so on. When all 10 boxes have been crossed off, begin crossing off boxes in the Auxiliary Power Supply circle to the right.
When the Auxiliary Power Supply is completely gone, either because of power hits or because of power use for movement, the starfighter may not move or fire for one turn. At the end of that turn, it may have recharged the power supply as described in the Recharging The Power Supply section.
Steering Restriction
[Printed page 17 is not in the scan set. The Steering Restriction and Stabilizer Damaged subsections below (printed page 17) are an approximate transcription from a Scribd text layer, not checked against a page image; wording may be imperfect.]
The steering mechanism is jammed temporarily. The starfighter may not be able to make a vector change either right, left, or straight ahead while he clears the jam. It is possible that the mechanism will lock left or right, forcing the starfighter to turn in a circle. Depending on the number of movements a pilot chooses to make, a steering restriction may cause a starfighter to make more vector changes than normally would be allowed. The steering restriction lasts 1 game turn.
Choosing The Restriction
To choose which steering restriction to make, roll 1 die and consult the following table. The roll should be made in secret so that other pilots do not know exactly what the restriction is.
| Die Roll | Restriction |
|---|---|
| 1 | Control locks left |
| 2 | Control locks straight |
| 3 | Control locks right |
| 4 | No vector change left |
| 5 | No vector change right |
| 6 | Roll again |
Restriction Descriptions
When the control locks left, straight, or right, the starfighter must move in the direction indicated for the next game turn. When the restriction is no vector change left or right, the starfighter may move straight or make changes to the opposite side, but it may not make the indicated vector change in the next game turn.
Recording The Restriction
In the blank to the right of the movement record for the next game turn, secretly record the steering restriction, using such symbols as an arrow left, straight, or right to show that the controls are locked, and a crossed out arrow to show that no movement may be made in that direction. The illustration shows two vector change restrictions, one for controls locked right, and the second for no vector change right.
Stabilizer Damaged
The steering mechanism has taken a severe hit, and it is impossible to control the starfighter's movement in the next turn. The pilot can choose how many movements he wants to make, but he cannot determine ahead of time whether he will go straight, head left, or head right. Stabilizer damage may force a starfighter to make more vector changes than normally would be allowed.
Recording Stabilizer Hits
Record a stabilizer hit by writing an S in the blank to the left of the Movement Record. Then, after deciding on how many movements will be made, draw a circle around all 3 symbols (left arrow, dot, and right arrow) for each movement that will be made. The illustration shows this, with the pilot making three movements.
Moving With Damaged Stabilizer
After all other starfighters have been moved, the starfighter with the damaged stabilizer makes his movements. For each movement he has chosen to make, he rolls 1 die and consults the table below to determine which direction he will move.
| Die Roll | Vector Change |
|---|---|
| 1 or 2 | Left |
| 3 or 4 | Straight |
| 5 or 6 | Right |
The illustration shows how the starfighter actually moved for each of the 3 movements the pilot decided to make. For the first move, the pilot rolled a 1 and so he headed left. For the second move, he rolled a 5, and so he headed right. For the third move, he rolled a 6, and so he headed right again.
No Speed Change
[Gap: the table of contents and the page-17 layout list a "No Speed Change" damage result, but its body text is not present in the scan set or the text layer available for printed page 17. It is not reconstructed here.]
Half Speed Only
The power systems to the engines have been damaged, and the fastest that the starfighter can go next turn is only half of its normal speed. This just sets the new maximum for 1 turn; after that, the starfighter may move at normal speeds. As always, it can move slower than maximum if the pilot desires. The table below shows how to figure the new maximum speed. Record half speed by writing a tiny ½ in the blank to the left of the next turn's Movement Record.
| Normal Speed | Temporary Half Speed |
|---|---|
| 5 | 3 |
| 4 | 2 |
| 3 | 2 |
| 2 | 1 |
| 1 | 1 |
Weapon Destroyed
One of the weapons has been destroyed and cannot be used for the rest of the game. To determine which was destroyed, roll 1 die. A 1 or 2 means that one laser has been destroyed; all others can still fire. A 3 or 4 means that the particle beam cannon has been destroyed. A 5 or 6 indicates that the photon missile launcher has been destroyed.
When a weapon is destroyed, mark this in the Weaponry Status Display at the top left of the Game Sheet. In this display, there is a circle for each weapon. Crossing out the circle means that the weapon is destroyed and cannot fire. If a weapon has already been destroyed, this has no additional effect.
Targeting Computer Hit
For each hit on the targeting computer, cross off one Targeting arc. This means that the Base Numbers for each weapon are increased by 1 point. Because this occurs relatively rarely, pilots will find that the Targeting arcs most often are crossed off because of fuselage or engine damage.
Life Support System Hit
The starfighter's life support system is damaged and the pilot has only 6 game turns to get the craft off the board. If he cannot do this, he loses the game when he runs out of air. This is recorded in the Cockpit wedge by crossing off the Life Support System circle. Then, 6 Movement Records must be counted off, and a heavy line drawn beneath the sixth to show that the pilot is dead if he cannot get off the board. This has no effect if the life support system has already been hit.
Pilot Killed
Someone in the cockpit has been killed. In the Gun Star, this could be either the pilot or the gunner, but in the Deck Fighter, it is the pilot. For the Gun Star, roll 1 die; 1 - 3 indicates that the pilot is dead, and 4 - 6 indicates that the gunner is dead. Cross off all appropriate circles in the Cockpit wedge. This has no effect if the indicated crewman has already been killed.
If the pilot has been killed, the starfighter continues to move until it is destroyed or is lucky enough to fly off the board. Until reduced by damage, it makes the same number of movements as in the game turn when the pilot was killed. Because no one is controlling the stabilizer, it moves as though it had stabilizer damage. The gunner can continue to fire weapons as long as he is alive.
Starfighter Blows Up
Kaboom!
Damage Conflict From Multiple Hits
Most frequently, when a starfighter takes damage from multiple hits, there will be no conflict. Damage to the fuselage, engines, power plant, weapon systems, and pilot/gunner are cumulative. Thus, if a hit gives damage of 3 Fuselage and a second gives damage of 5 Fuselage, the starfighter takes a total of 8 damage points to its fuselage.
Sometimes, however, the special damage to steering to the stabilizer, or to speed change causes a conflict to arise. How to resolve the conflict from each of these cases is described below.
Two Steering Restrictions
No matter how many steering restrictions are given in a single game turn, the die is only rolled once. The restriction rolled is used for all restrictions given.
Two Stabilizer Hits
No matter how many hits damage the stabilizer, the die is rolled only once per movement. This roll serves for all stabilizer hits.
Steering Restriction/Stabilizer Hit
Stabilizer hits are determined as usual, and the steering restriction is ignored.
Two Half Speed Only
The speed is reduced for each hit. Thus, if a starfighter moving at 3, 4, or 5 movements takes two half speed only hits, it can only make 1 movement the next game turn. A starfighter moving at 1 or 2 movements cannot move in the next game turn, but it can still fire if the pilot chooses. If a starfighter takes 3 or more half speed only hits, it cannot move in the next game turn.
No Speed Change/Half Speed Only
The no speed change is postponed for 1 turn, and the starfighter must move for 2 turns at half speed only.
No Speed Change/Steering Restriction
If no speed change and a steering restriction require that a starfighter make more than 3 vector changes, this is acceptable.
No Speed Change/Stabilizer Hit
If no speed change and a stabilizer hit require that a starfighter make more than 3 vector changes, this is acceptable.
Two Life Support System Hits
The second hit is ignored beyond giving the 1 damage point to the fuselage.
Two Weapon Destroyed Hits
If a weapon is hit that has already been destroyed, the second hit is ignored beyond giving the 1 damage point to the fuselage.
Anything And Starfighter Blows Up
Kaboom!
Asteroids
Gametesters have found that adding asteroids to the mapsheet makes the game much more fun! This section describes how to place the asteroid counters on the mapsheet and how they affect play.
Placing Asteroid Counters
A number of the colored counters are asteroid clusters. There are two large clusters, each with asteroids in 7 hexes. There are 34 smaller asteroid clusters as well.
Determining Number
There are three (and maybe more) ways of determining how many asteroids to use in a game. No one way is better than the others, and players should choose the method that works best for them.
First, both players can agree on how many counters will be placed. Second, the dice can be rolled several times, with the total of the rolls being the number of counters that will be placed; 3 rolls of both dice seem to work well. Third, each player can write down a number in secret, with the total being the number of counters that will be placed; it is a good idea to limit the number, 10 or 15 being best, depending on how many are playing.
Laying Out The Counters
Before the clusters are placed on the mapsheet, the starfighter counters are laid out. Then the two large clusters are laid out, followed by enough of the smaller counters to make up the total. Each large cluster counts as 1 cluster, even though it has 7 times as many hexes of asteroids as the small clusters.
Clusters may be arranged in any order that the players want. A good way to get a random order is for players to take turns laying out a counter anywhere they choose until all necessary are down. Clusters may be laid touching one another, making good screens against shooting and interesting mazes for movement. Clusters may not be stacked, and no cluster may be closer than 1 hex away from any starfighter.
Movement Through Asteroids
Starfighters may move through asteroids if the pilots desire. They may use the clusters to evade enemy weapon fire, or to shake pursuit. The only problem with such movement is that the starfighter might hit an asteroid, giving it damage.
Determining Collisions
Whenever a starfighter enters a hex containing an asteroid cluster, the pilot temporarily stops moving the counter until he determines if he hit anything. He rolls both dice and adds the rolls together. If this total is 6 or more, then the starfighter did not collide with any asteroids. If the total is less than 6, then there was a collision and damage occurred.
The dice must be rolled for every hex of asteroids that a fighter passes through. As you can see, the more hexes of asteroids that a fighter flies through, the more chances for a collision.
Determining Damage
The Damage Chart is used to determine what the damage is from a collision. The faster a starfighter is moving, the more damage it is likely to take. The number of movements that the starfighter is making in the game turn determines which table to use for the damage. If the starfighter is making 5 movements and has a collision, Table 5 is used; if he has a second collision in the same game turn, Table 5 is used again.
Just as with weapon damage, the white die is used to determine exactly what the damage is. A separate roll should be made for each collision.
Asteroids And Weapon Fire
Weapons may be fired into an asteroid cluster or out of an asteroid cluster, but no weapon may be fired through a cluster, as detailed below.
Blocking Fire
Asteroid clusters serve as a sort of 'smoke screen' for starfighters to hide behind, because no weapons may be fired through them. A single small cluster will block fire only if it is directly in line with the target. If it is slightly to one side, weapon fire is not blocked. This is shown in the illustration, which is labelled blocked and not blocked.
Shooting Into Asteroids
A starfighter can shoot at a target in an asteroid cluster, but the shot is more difficult than normal because of all the debris near the target. No hex of asteroids can be between the firing starfighter and the target in a large cluster, so that the target must be on the edge. Furthermore, photon missile explosions do not penetrate asteroid clusters, and any photon missiles shot into an asteroid cluster only damage starfighters in the center, target hex of the explosion. This means that a starfighter in the center of a large cluster is safe from weapon fire as long as he remains there.
When shooting into asteroids, add 1 to the To-Hit Number.
Shooting From Asteroids
A starfighter can shoot out of an asteroid cluster at a target in open space, but the shot is more difficult than normal because of all the debris nearby. The target cannot be in an asteroid cluster itself, for that would be the same as shooting through asteroids, which is impossible.
When shooting from an asteroid cluster, add 1 to the To-Hit Number.
Clearing Asteroids
A photon missile shot into a small asteroid cluster destroys that cluster (as well as damages any starfighter in that cluster). Thus, if the pilot desires, he may use his photon missiles to clear away asteroid clusters. As stated above, the explosion is contained completely in the target hex, and nothing in any of the surrounding hexes is damaged. If the shot is successful, remove the asteroid hex from the mapsheet and treat the newly-clear hex as a regular, deep space hex.
A successful photon missile shot at a starfighter in an asteroid cluster not only damages the starfighter, but it clears the hex of asteroids.
When clearing an asteroid cluster, add 1 to the To-Hit Number as above for shooting into asteroids.
Starfighter Duel
In this game, one starfighter pits itself against another in a duel to the death. Gun Stars of the Star League battle the deadly Deck Fighters of the Ko-Dan in a dogfight through the asteroid belt. Only the best pilot (and perhaps the luckiest) will survive!
In this game, each player plays one starfighter. When there are more than two players, each player chooses a side, keeping the sides about even. If there are an odd number of players, one player plays 2 starfighters.
The game may be played with or without asteroids. All pilots use a Game Sheet to record movement and damage. Movement takes place simultaneously, but it is a good idea to have only one person move at a time so that things are less confusing.
Starfighter Placement
The starfighters from opposite teams are placed opposite each other along the short sides of the starfield mapsheet. This placement is the same with or without asteroids.
Asteroid Placement
If asteroids are to be used, they are placed on the mapsheet after the starfighter counters have been placed. The final placement of the asteroid counters probably will determine the tactics used by both sides.
Victory Conditions
Either side wins the game if it can blow up the opposing starfighters, kill the pilots, or force the pilots to fly off the mapsheet.
The Ko-Dan Swarm
In this game, one player plays a fully-operational Gun Star, and one player (or more) plays a swarm of Ko-Dan Swarm Ships. The game may be played with or without asteroids.
In the version without asteroids, the Gun Star has come upon the last two waves of Ko-Dan Swarm Ships as they streak toward the defenseless planet Rylos. By some stroke of luck, he has hidden long enough to be able to approach the two waves on their flank. Now, only quick thinking on the part of the Gun Star pilot will allow him to destroy all of the vicious Ko-Dan and save Rylos. And, only good play will allow the Ko-Dan to rid themselves of the inept Gun Star pilot, so they can get on with the fun – blowing Rylos to bits.
When played with asteroids, two waves of Ko-Dan Swarm Ships face the Gun Star across an asteroid belt. The side with the better tactics will be victorious. Will the Gun Star pilot plan well enough to wipe out the deadly Swarm pests, perhaps dying gloriously in the attempt? Or will the merciless Ko-Dan Swarm track down the Star League pilot and smear the dog into oblivion?
Numbers In The Swarm
Playtesting has established that an even fight results if the Gun Star combats 13 or 14 Swarm Ships. If players find this too easy or too difficult, they should adjust the number of ships in the Swarm, keeping the numbers in each wave close to the same.
Starfighter Placement
Game Without Asteroids
The Gun Star is placed on the mapsheet in the center row of one short side, 5 hexes in from the edge. The Swarm Ships are placed in 2 waves so that they are 5 hexes farther in from the edge than the Gun Star and are facing away from it. The waves are only 2 hexes apart, and all ships in a wave touch one another. This makes for short, deadly games.
The illustration shows the starting placement. For convenience, the starting hex of the Gun Star and the two closest Swarm Ships are marked with large stars on the starmap, but any placement is acceptable. For variety, try moving the Gun Star closer to or farther from the Swarm Ships. The waves may be spread farther apart, particularly if players desire to make the game last longer.
Game With Asteroids
The Gun Star is centered on one short edge of the mapsheet. The two waves of Swarm Ships are centered on the opposite edge. All ships in a wave touch one another, and the two waves are 2 hexes apart. The illustration shows this set-up.
Asteroid Placement
If asteroids are to be used, they are placed on the mapsheet after the starfighters are placed. The final placement will probably determine the tactics used by both sides.
Victory Conditions
The Gun Star wins the game when no Swarm Ships remain on the mapsheet. Because 1 hit will destroy a Swarm Ship, he must hit all 14 ships to win... unless the cowards run away!
The Ko-Dan Swarm wins the game if they destroy the Gun Star's effectiveness. This may be done by blowing it up or by killing the pilot.
Recording The Move
The pilot of the Gun Star records his movements as usual. When he is finished, the ships of the Swarm are moved. No recording is necessary for the Swarm Ships, as they move first. The Gun Star pilot should not reveal his Movement Record until all of the Swarm Ships have been moved.
Moving The Starfighters
All Swarm Ships are moved, and then the Gun Star is moved. Each of the Swarm Ships is numbered so that they may be moved in numerical order. This will prevent confusion.
Firing Weapons
In this game, it is best if the Swarm Ships fire first, for then they may be removed from the mapsheet if they are hit. Just as with movement, it is best to resolve fire from the Swarm in numerical order, so that there is no confusion.
After the Swarm Ships fire, the pilot of the Gun Star may elect to fire weapons as usual or to activate the Death Blossom, as described below.
The Death Blossom
In this game, the Gun Star has an awesome move – it may activate the Death Blossom! When this happens, the Gun Star whirls and fires, whirls and fires, attempting to destroy everything near it. The rules below show how this is done.
There is a price, however. The Death Blossom overloads the Gun Star's power circuits for a brief period, completely draining it of power.
Power Cost: The Death Blossom costs 4 power points to activate. The Gun Star must have at least 4 power points left in the Auxiliary Power Supply in order to activate it, but if the power is there, the pilot can activate the move instead of his regular fire. If it has 3 points or fewer, it must recharge the Power Supply before this move can be made.
After the move is made, all power in the Gun Star is gone, meaning that it must recharge during the next turn. During the recharging turn, the Gun Star may neither move nor fire weapons. The section on Recharging Power describes this procedure.
Recording The Move: After it has been chosen, even if it is in the weapons firing part of the turn, the Death Blossom is recorded by drawing a star in the blank to the left of the Movement Record and by crossing off all remaining power points.
Firing Weapons: When the Death Blossom is activated, the Gun Star counter is rotated one hex side clockwise. It now may fire all undamaged weapons, including its 2 lasers, its particle beam cannon, and, if desired, a photon missile. The firing takes place as normal, and any Swarm Ships hit are removed from play.
Then the Gun Star counter is rotated one hex-side clockwise again, and the firing process is repeated. All undamaged weapons may fire, including any photon torpedoes that remain. Firing takes place as stated above.
This process is repeated until the Gun Star counter is facing its original direction, and firing there has been resolved.
Aftermath: Mass destruction on the Ko-Dan side usually occurs, but any Swarm Ships left know exactly where the Gun Star will be in the next game turn! Because it has used up all its power, it cannot move or fire weapons. It is a sitting duck for any Swarm Ships left.
Game Sheets And Reference Cards
The printed pages 22 and 23 show the two Game Sheet layouts and printed page 24 is a reference card. Their layouts are described here; the tables on the reference card repeat the Damage Chart and the Steering Restriction, Stabilizer Damage Vector Change, and Temporary Half Speed tables given above.
Gun Star Game Sheet: A Gun Star sheet is labelled GUNSTAR. Its main circular Damage Display has the wedges Fuselage, Engines, Targeting (with the Laser Turret, Particle Beam, and Missile Base Numbers), Weapon Systems Powered (3, 2, and 1 Systems Powered), Heading Controls (3 and 2 Vector Changes), and Cockpit (Pilot's Condition, Gunner's Condition, Life Support System, and Dead). The Weaponry Status Display at upper left shows Laser Turrets, Particle Beam, and Photon Missile, with a Missile Rack numbered 4, 3, 2, 1. The Firing Arcs Display at upper right shows Forward, Port, Starboard, and Aft. The lower corners hold the Main Power and Auxiliary Power Supplies, each with 10 numbered boxes. The Movement Log fills the bottom of the sheet; each row carries F, P, S, and A symbols at its right end.
Deck Fighter Game Sheet: A Deck Fighter sheet is labelled DECKFIGHTER and has the same layout as the Gun Star sheet, with a Weaponry Status Display showing the Laser Turrets (P, A, S), Photon Missile, and Particle Beam, and a Missile Rack numbered 4, 3, 2, 1. The Cockpit wedge has only the Pilot's Condition and Life Support System, because the Deck Fighter has no separate gunner. The Movement Log, Power Supplies, and Firing Arcs are as on the Gun Star sheet.
Reference Card (printed page 24): Contains the Damage Chart (Tables 1-6), the Steering Restrictions table, the Stabilizer Damage Vector Changes table, and the Temporary Half Speed table. It also shows the Ko-Dan Swarm game set-ups without asteroids and with asteroids.