PHASE 4: Combat

Combats are checked and resolved one ordered unit  at a time, in the sequence of the player’s choice. Announce and resolve one unit’s combat entirely before beginning the next unit combat.

• A unit that is ordered does not have to combat even when adjacent to the enemy unit.
• A unit may normally combat only once per turn.
• A unit may not target and split its battle dice between several enemy units.
• The number of casualties (figures lost) a unit has suffered does not affect the number of battle dice the unit rolls in combat. A unit with a single figure retains the same combat strength as a unit at full strength.

There are two types of combat: ranged and close quarters. The combat sequence is purely at the owner’s choice and a player may freely switch between ranged combat and close quarters combat from one unit to the next.

Ranged Combat (Fire)

A battlefield unit battling an enemy unit more than 1 hex away is said to engage in ranged combat against the enemy target unit.

• A target unit must be within both range and in line of sight of the firing unit.
• Ranged combat may not be used against an enemy unit in an adjacent hex.
• A unit adjacent to an enemy unit may not fire on another more distant enemy unit. If the unit chooses to battle, the unit must engage in a close quarters combat against the adjacent enemy unit.
• Regardless of the number of ordered units that could fire on an enemy unit, each ordered unit’s ranged combat must be resolved separately.

Close Quarters Combat

A unit battling against an enemy unit on an adjacent hex is said to be in close quarters combat with the enemy unit.

• A unit must be in an adjacent hex to an enemy unit to engage in close quarters combat.
• A unit that is attacking at close quarters is always considered in range and has line of sight to the adjacent target unit.
• A unit adjacent to an enemy unit must close quarters combat the adjacent enemy unit if the unit chooses to battle. It cannot use ranged combat against the adjacent enemy unit or another enemy unit within its range.
• Regardless of the number of ordered units adjacent to an enemy unit, each ordered unit’s close quarters combat must be resolved separately.

Starship Combat

Flagship

An ordered flagship unit may remain in its hex or move up to 1 hex and perform combat. A flagship unit has a range of 4 hexes.

• Adjacent is not ranged combat, the 2 dice roll is close quarters combat. In addition to the flagship’s close quarters dice, add 1 die for each cap fighter figure with the flagship unit.
• Two hexes to target roll 3 dice.
• Three hexes to target roll 3 dice.
• Four hexes to target roll 1 die.

Heavy Battleship Squadron and Standard Battleship Squadron

An ordered battleship unit may remain in its hex or move up to 2 hexes and perform combat.
A battleship unit has a range of 4 hexes.

• Adjacent is not ranged combat, the 3 dice roll is close quarters combat.
• Two hexes to target roll 3 dice.
• Three hexes to target roll 3 dice.
• Four hexes to target roll 1 die.

Heavy Destroyer Squadron and Standard Destroyer Squadron

An ordered destroyer unit may remain in its hex or move up to 2 hexes and perform combat.
A destroyer unit has a range of 3 hexes.

• Adjacent is not ranged combat, the 3 dice roll is close quarters combat.
• Two hexes to target roll 2 dice.
• Three hexes to target roll 1 die.

Note: A destroyer unit may warp 3 hexes, when the warp movement places the destroyer unit into a close quarters combat.

Long-range Heavy Fighter Squadron and Standard Fighter Squadron

An ordered fighter unit may remain in its hex or move up to 4 hexes and perform combat.
A fighter unit has a range of 2 hexes.

• Adjacent is not ranged combat, the 3 roll dice is close quarters combat.
• Two hexes to target roll 1 die.

Heavy Cruiser Squadron and Standard Cruiser Squadron

An ordered cruiser unit may remain in its hex or move up to 2 hexes and perform combat. A cruiser unit has a range of 4 hexes.

• Adjacent is not ranged combat, the 3 dice roll is close quarters combat.
• Two hexes to target roll 3 dice.
• Three hexes to target roll 2 dice.
• Four hexes to target roll 1 die.

Combat Procedure

1. Announce Unit Combat

Announce which ordered unit is going to combat and the enemy unit being targeted.

2. Check Range

For ranged combat, verify that the target unit is within range. The range is the distance between the firing unit and the enemy target unit measured in hexes. Determine the number of battle dice the unit is entitled to roll based on the unit’s range to the target unit.
When counting the range in hexes include the target unit’s hex, but not the firing unit’s hex.

Example: A player’s cruiser unit engaging in ranged combat would count the hexes to its target unit as follows: first hex 3 dice; second hex 3 dice; third hex 2 dice; fourth hex 1 die.

A close quarters attack is always considered in range to the adjacent target unit.

3. Check Line of Sight

For ranged combat, verify that the target is within line of sight.

Line of Sight: Imagine a line, drawn from the centre of the hex, containing the firing unit to the centre of the hex containing the target unit. This line of sight is blocked only if a hex (or part of a hex) between the battling unit and the target hex contains an obstruction.
Obstructions include a unit (regardless if friend or foe), some space features and the half-hexes that border the side of the battlefield. The space feature in the target unit’s hex does not block line of sight.
If the imaginary line runs along the edge of one or more hexes that contain obstructions, line of sight is not blocked unless the obstructions are on both sides of the line.

A unit that is attacking at close quarters always has line of sight to the adjacent target unit.

LoS Example:

1. The Commonwealth destroyer unit has line of sight to the Confederation battleship unit on the asteroid hex, because the asteroid space feature in the target unit’s hex does not block line of sight.
2. The Commonwealth destroyer unit has a line of sight to the Confederation cruiser unit, because the imaginary line of sight only runs along one edge of the asteroid obstruction.
3. The Commonwealth cruiser unit does not have a line of sight to the Confederation cruiser unit, because the imaginary line has asteroid obstructions on both sides of the line.
4. The Commonwealth cruiser unit does not have a line of sight to the Confederation fighter unit, because the imaginary line has an asteroid obstruction on one side and a half-hex that borders the side of the battlefield.

4. Determine Battle Dice Reduction

A space feature, which the target unit is on and in some instances the attacking unit battles from, may impact the number of battle dice rolled in combat, usually reducing the number. Adjust the number of battle dice rolled for space feature. See the “Space Features” rules section.

A unit with a red alert marker will also have its combat dice reduced by one. See the “Red Alert” rules section.

5. Determine Command and/or Combat Card Dice Adjustments

After all reductions are applied, adjust the number of battle dice based on any command card modifier and/or combat card modifier. The command card modifier and/or combat card modifier will usually increase the number of battle dice rolled in
combat and will be detailed on the card.

6. Resolve Battle

Roll the adjusted number of battle dice and resolve the results.

7. Score Hits

The attacking unit will score one hit for each die symbol rolled that matches the targeted unit.

• A green circle will score one hit on a fighter class unit.
• A blue triangle will score one hit on a strike class unit.
• A purple square will score one hit on a capital class unit.

The attacking unit will also score one hit for each blast symbol roll with the following modifications:

• Because of superior shielding, a capital class unit (unit marker with a square symbol) will ignore one blast symbol rolled against it when attacked by a strike class unit (unit marker with a triangle symbol).
• Because of superior shielding, a capital class unit (unit marker with a square symbol) will ignore two blast symbols rolled against it when attacked by a fighter class unit (unit marker with a circle symbol).
• Because of superior shielding, a strike class unit (unit marker with a triangle symbol) will ignore one blast symbol rolled against it when attacked by a fighter class unit (unit marker with a circle symbol).
• Because of its ability to manoeuvre, a fighter class unit (unit marker with a circle symbol) will ignore one blast symbol rolled against it when attacked by a capital class unit (unit marker with a square symbol).

For each hit scored, one figure is removed from the target unit. When more hits are rolled than the number of figures in the enemy unit, these additional hits have no effect. When the last ship of an opposition unit is eliminated, its unit marker is taken and placed on your victory stand in your play area.

Hitting A Flagship: At the start of a battle a flagship unit has three cap fighters. Cap fighters indicate the relative strength and number of hits the flagship can absorb. When a hit is scored on a flagship, one cap fighter figure is removed for each hit scored. When there are no remaining cap fighters to protect the flagship, any hits scored on the flagship must be confirmed to take effect and eliminate the flagship. To confirm a hit, reroll all the dice that scored hits. On the reroll, a purple square symbol or a blast symbol will confirm the hit and the flagship figure is eliminated. When a flagship figure is eliminated, the flagship’s unit marker is taken and placed on your victory stand in your play area.

8. Collect Star Tokens

During a combat roll collect one star token for each star symbol rolled.

Important Note: Star tokens are only collected when targeting an enemy unit during a combat dice roll.

9. Apply Red Alerts

A red alert symbol rolled does not cause a hit, but may cause the unit to retire.

RED ALERT

After all hits have been taken and ship figures are removed, red alerts are resolved. A roll of a red alert is a signal that there is some sort of crisis on the ship that needs to be resolved. Some possible causes for the red alert are: collateral damage, shields down, warp core breach, engineering issue, and so on.

When one or more hits are scored on a unit and one or more red alerts are rolled during the combat, the targeted unit must retire. A unit does not have to retire if one or more red alerts are rolled but no hits are rolled during the combat.

When one or more hits are scored and one red alert is rolled the unit must retire two hexes back towards its faction’s baseline; two red alerts the unit must retire four hexes; three red alerts the unit must retire six hexes; and so on.

The player controlling the unit that is retiring decides which hexes the unit retires onto using the following rules:

• A unit must always retire towards its controlling player’s side (its baseline) of the battlefield regardless of what direction the attack came from. There are usually two hexes of choice when a unit must retire.
• A unit may never retire sideways.
• A unit may never retire onto a half-hex that borders the side of the battlefield.
• A unit may retire through a hex containing a friendly unit. The controlling player will roll 1 battle die and a hit is scored on the retiring unit when a matching unit symbol is rolled. All other symbols rolled have no effect.
• A unit may retire through a hex containing an enemy unit. The opposition player will roll 2 battle dice and a hit is scored on the retiring unit for each matching unit symbol rolled. All other symbols rolled have no effect.
• When a unit cannot retire because the hex it would retire onto is impassable, or the unit has reached the edge of the battlefield, or the unit’s retire movement would end on a hex with a friendly or enemy unit, the unit will retire as many hexes as possible and then one hit is scored on the unit for each retire hex that cannot be completed.
• Space feature movement restrictions will not affect a unit’s retire movement. A unit may therefore retire onto or through a planet and/or an asteroid feature without stopping. However, retiring onto or through an asteroid can be dangerous, see the “Space Feature: Asteroid Field” rules section.
• Impassable features may not be retired onto or through during a unit’s retire movement.

Disregard A Red Alert

Some situations will allow a unit to disregard a single red alert rolled against it. When one or more hits are scored on a unit and a single red alert is rolled against a unit:

• A flagship may disregard one red alert.
• A unit adjacent to a flagship may disregard one red alert.

A unit may disregard only one red alert each time it is attacked. Disregarding one red alert result when eligible is purely a matter of choice.
Some situations will not allow a unit to disregard a single red alert:

• A unit’s ability to ignore a red alert when on an asteroid field hex is overridden and does not work when on an asteroid field hex.
• When a unit is on an asteroid field hex adjacent to a flagship, the flagship’s ability for other ships to ignore a red alert is overridden and does not work for the adjacent unit on the asteroid field hex.
• When a unit receives 2 red alerts and is adjacent to the flagship, the unit cannot ignore one of the red alerts, and must retire.

Basic Star Play Action: Engineering Red Alert Repair

When one or more hits are rolled and a single red alert is rolled against a unit, the controlling player may have engineering repair the alert. To conduct repairs a player must spend 2 star tokens and the red alert is resolved and ignored. The unit will not have to retire.
Some situations will not allow engineering to repair a red alert rolled against it:

• A player may not spend to resolve one red alert on a fighter class unit.
• A player may not spend to resolve one red alert when the unit is hit and two or more red alerts are rolled against the unit. Engineering cannot resolve multiple red alerts and the unit must retire.
• A player may not spend to resolve a red alert when a flagship unit is hit and two or more red alerts are rolled against a flagship unit. The flagship unit must retire.
• When two red alerts are rolled, a player may not have engineering repair one red alert and take the second red alert.

Important Note: When one or more hits are scored on a unit and two or more red alerts are rolled, the unit must retire.

Voluntary Taking Red Alerts

When one or more red alerts are rolled against a unit, but there are no hits rolled during the combat, a player may choose to have the unit retire. The unit, however, must take all red alerts rolled against the unit. The player may not choose to take one or just some of the red alert rolls and ignore the remaining.

Note: When two or more red alerts are taken voluntarily, it will also require placing a red alert marker on the unit.

Red Alert Markers

When a unit retires because of two or more red alerts, a red alert maker is placed on the hex with the unit.

• A unit with a red alert marker may not move and in combat the unit’s battle dice are reduced by one.
• A unit with a red alert marker cannot place a faction marker on the occupied hex of the planet group at the start of a player’s turn.
• When a unit with a red alert marker has a hit and a red alert rolled against the unit, the red alert is not considered a red alert; the red alert roll is instead considered a hit.

Remove a Red Alert Marker

During Phase 2 Order Units, a player may choose to spend star token(s) to remove a red alert marker from any units.

• Spend 1 star token to remove a red alert marker from an ordered unit with a red alert marker.
• Spend 2 star tokens to remove a red alert marker from a unit that is not being ordered this turn.

When the red alert marker is removed, the unit will again function as normal.

10. Possible Defending Unit Battle Back

In some situations the unit that was targeted in combat may use a basic star play action and battle back.

Basic Star Play Action: Battle Back

A player may spend 2 star tokens to have a unit that was just attacked in combat (ranged or close quarters) battle back against the attacking unit. To battle back one or more of the player’s defending unit’s figures must have survived the combat and the unit did not retire from its hex.

• Battle Back procedure follows the same rules as the active player unit’s combat.
• There is no further battle back possible after a unit’s battle back. The combat stops immediately after the non-active player unit’s battle back.
• A unit that is battling back may not make a pursuit move or bonus combat.
• The unit that is attacked in ranged combat may not battle back against the attacking enemy unit that did a ranged attack, when it is adjacent to another enemy unit.

11. Possible Pursuit Move and Bonus Combat

A destroyer unit has the special ability of using a basic star play action for a pursuit move and bonus combat.

Basic Star Play Action: Pursuit Move and Bonus Combat

A player may spend 2 star tokens to have a destroyer unit pursuit move and bonus combat when it has conducted a successful close quarters combat.

Pursuit Move: When an ordered destroyer unit attacks in close quarters combat and eliminates or forces the defending enemy unit to retire from the hex it occupies, the destroyer unit has conducted a successful close quarters combat. The successful attacking destroyer unit may move onto the vacated hex by spending . This is referred to as a pursuit move.

Pursuit movement after a successful close quarters combat is not mandatory. However, if the unit does not move onto that vacated hex, the victorious attacking destroyer unit forfeits the possible opportunity to make a bonus combat, even if adjacent to another enemy unit.

The following situations do not allow a unit to pursuit move:

• A unit that moves onto a space feature hex that prevents further movement this turn will prevent a unit from a pursuit move.
• A unit battling back is not eligible to pursuit move.
• A unit ordered by a “First Strike” command card or “Ambush” combat card is not eligible to pursuit move.

Bonus Combat: After a unit’s pursuit movement, the destroyer unit is also eligible to combat a second time in the turn.

• Bonus combat is always optional. A pursuit move does not have to be followed by a bonus combat.
• Bonus combat can be either ranged combat or close quarters combat.
• A unit that qualifies for a bonus combat, after its pursuit move, may choose to combat any enemy unit. The unit does not have to battle the enemy unit that just retired from the hex.
• When a unit’s bonus close quarters combat is also successful, the unit may not pursuit move again. A unit may only pursuit move and engage in one bonus combat on a turn.
• Some space feature restrictions may prevent a unit from making a bonus combat.

Important Note: There are a number of combat cards that will also allow other ship types to make a pursuit move and bonus combat. The same pursuit move and bonus combat rules will apply to these units.