Meteors to most commanders are a mere bother and nothing really to be mindful of— that is until a shower, or even worse a storm, smacks into a number of ships that were not paying attention. Easy to avoid until you are also under attack. Enjoy!
Richard Borg
Meteor Tiles
One side of a meteor tile pictures flying meteors, the other side of the tile pictures flying meteors and also has a number. The number on the tile represents the speed in hexes that the meteor tile will travel across the battlefield. There are two types of meteors: meteor showers and meteor storms. A meteor tile with a yellow number indicates it is a meteor shower.
A meteor tile with a red number indicates it is a meteor storm. Rules for each type vary slightly.
Meteor Scenarios
The new scenarios included in this expansion will introduce dangerous flying meteors into your games.
If players agree before the start of any official scenarios, the rules for meteors can also be used.
Meteor Movement Direction
When meteor rules are in effect for a scenario, the player that takes the first turn in a scenario will determine the direction that the meteor tiles will travel. Shuffle and place the stack of meteor tiles with the numbers facedown, on left side of the battlefield of the player taking the first turn.
Note: Meteors will always travel from the side the stack of meteor tiles are on to the opposite of the battlefield (left to right).
Once the meteor side of the battlefield is determined, all meteor tiles will always come on from the same side of the battlefield. Meteors, when they are moved, will always move from the side of the battlefield they come on from, toward the opposite side of the battlefield.
Battlefield Meteors
On each player's turn, before playing a command card, the active player (player taking the turn) will roll three battle dice. For each blast symbol rolled, one meteor tile is placed on the battlefield. To determine which row the meteor tile is placed, roll the two six-sided number dice. The number rolled is the row the meteor tile is placed on.
Start counting hex rows from the player's baseline hex on the same side of the battlefield with the stack of meteor tiles. The player's baseline hex is counted as number 1. When the correct row is reached, place the top meteor tile from the stack with its number side up, on the battlefield hex closest to the edge of the battlefield.
Note: When the number 12 is rolled, the count wraps back around to the players baseline hex.
Follow the same procedure for each meteor tile that is to be placed. It is possible to have two or more meteor tiles in the same hex.
Meteor Movement
Just before the active player draws cards at the end of the turn, all meteors are moved. Be careful not to skip or 'miss any meteors; it is a good practice to go row by row when moving meteors.
• A meteor moves along a row equal to the number shown on the tile.
• A meteor tile starts on a hex on one side of the battlefield and must always move along its row toward the opposite side of the battlefield.
• When a meteor reaches the opposite side of the battlefield and its movement takes it off the battlefield, the tile is placed back into the box. It is possible that all meteor tiles could be used in a scenario.
Meteor Striking Space Feature
• When a meteor tile moves onto or through a slower moving meteor, there is no effect.
• When a meteor tile moves onto or through an asteroid field tile, there is no effect.
• When a meteor tile moves onto or through a planet group hex, there is no effect. If however, the planet hex the meteor moves onto or through has one or more faction markers, the faction markers are removed and no longer count as victory points.
• When a meteor tile moves onto or through a ship debris tile, the ship debris tile is removed from the battlefield.
• When a meteor tile moves onto or through a space rift hex, there is no effect.
Meteor Striking a Unit
There are different effects when a meteor shower or meteor storm strikes a unit.
When a meteor shower tile moves onto or through a hex with a unit, place a red alert marker on the unit.
If the unit already has a red alert marker, a second red alert is not placed on the unit — instead one hit is scored on the unit.
When a meteor storm tile moves onto or through a hex with a unit, place a red alert marker on the unit. If the unit already has a red alert marker, a second red alert is not placed on the unit — instead one hit is scored on the unit. In addition to the red alert marker placed on the unit, the player that controls the unit must roll two battle dice. For each unit symbol rolled, one hit is scored on the unit. All other symbols rolled are ignored.
Note: When a unit is eliminated by a meteor tile, even though the opposition player did not directly eliminate the unit, the opposition player still receives the eliminated unit's marker.
Destroying a Meteor
A meteor tile can be targeted in combat just like targeting an enemy unit.
When a meteor shower tile is targeted in combat, a roll of one blast will eliminate the meteor tile. When eliminated, remove the meteor tile from the battlefield and place it back into the box. In addition, the player will gain one faction marker worth one victory point.
When a meteor storm tile is targeted in combat, two blasts are needed to eliminate the meteor tile. When eliminated, remove the meteor tile from the battlefield and placed it back into the box. If only one blast is scored in the combat, place a faction marker on'the meteor to indicate the meteor has taken one hit. Wheria second hit is scored on the meteor the meteor is eliminated and a faction marker is gained. Place it on your victory stand. The faction marker is worth one victory point. The faction marker already on the meteor tile is given to the proper player and it is also worth one victory point.
Unit Movement Onto a Meteor Hex
• A unit may not move or retire onto a hex with a meteor tile. The hex with a meteor tile is considered an impassable space feature.
• A meteor tile, however, may move onto a hex with a unit. Both the unit and meteor tile can, in this case, occupy the same hex.
Note: When a meteor tile moves onto a hex with a unit, the unit will receive a red alert marker.
Retire
A unit may not retire onto a hex with a meteor tile. The hex with a meteor tile is considered an impassable space feature.
Combat
• A unit on a hex with a meteor tile may combat.
• When targeting an enemy unit on a meteor tile, the attacker's combat dice are not reduced.
• A unit's ability to ignore a red alert when on a meteor tile is overridden and does not work when on a meteor tile.
• When a unit is on a meteor tile 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 meteor tile.
Line of Sight
A meteor tile blocks line of sight.