A rift in space, although very unusual, can assist the wise commander in taking advantage of its unique properties. With all features in space there is also the possibility of danger. In the case of a space rift, units on a rift must watch out when the folds in space occur... Enjoy!
Richard Borg
Space Rift Tiles
One side of a space rift hex pictures the space rift; the other side of the hex pictures an asteroid field.
The rift hexes are numbered 1-6. A space rift feature is always composed of six hexes. All six adjacent space rift hexes are treated as a single fold in space and must always stay connected, in contiguous, adjacent linked hexes.
Space Rift Scenarios
The new scenarios included in this expansion will introduce players to some serious known folds in space.
Set Up
The central rift hex has a large number 1 in the centre of the hex and a series of small numbers along each hex side. When setting up the six hexes in a rift, the central rift hex is shown on the scenario map.
The central hex is placed on the battlefield hex as indicated on the scenario map. Its small numbers can be facing in any direction when placed. The other five rift hexes (numbered 2-6) will be set up randomly.
Shuffle these five rift hexes and place one rift hex on each hex as shown on the scenario map.
Space Rift Movement
At the start of a player's turn, before playing a command card, the active player must roll three standard numbered six-sided dice. When doubles or triples of a number are rolled, the space rift will move (1 or 2 hexes respectively). Refer to the central rift hex to determine the direction the central rift hex will move.
For example:
- When a double "3" is rolled, the central rift hex will move 1 hex in the direction of the number 3 side of the central rift hex.
- When a double "6" is rolled, the central rift hex will move 1 hex in the direction of the number 6 side of the central rift hex.
- When a triple "4" is rolled, the central rift hex will move 2 hexes in the direction of the number 4 side of the central rift hex.
Once the direction of the central rift hex is determined and it is moved, all the other rift hexes in the same line of hexes are pulled along or pushed forward by the central hex movement.
It is possible that after the central rift hex is moved, one or more rift hexes may no longer be connected.
If a gap (an open hex) is created in the rift, it must be closed. Most of the time the movement of one rift hex will close the gap of the hex that was just vacated.
However, when there are two possible rift hexes that could be moved to close the gap, the player who caused the rift to move will make the choice as to how the rift hex is moved. When a rift hex is moved it may also create a gap, which then must be closed by moving another rift hex. The player who caused the rift to move will make the choice as to which rift hex is moved.
Note: A rift hex that has already moved this turn may not be moved again during this turn.
After moving the central rift hex, it is also possible that no gap is created in the rift and no other rift hexes need to move.
Any time a space rift hex movement would take it off the battlefield, the player who caused the rift to move will place that rift hex tile back onto any hex on the battlefield that is adjacent to another hex in the rift.
Space Rift and Space Features
• When a rift moves onto or through an asteroid field hex, there is no effect. Place the rift hex on top of the asteroid field hex.
• When a rift moves onto or through a planet group hex, there is no effect. Place the rift hex on top of the planet hex. When a rift hex is on top of a planet, a unit cannot claim planet control and gain a faction marker. Any faction markers on the planet hex that is covered by the rift do remain on the planet hex, but the markers will not count toward victory until the space rift moves off the planet hex.
• When a rift moves onto or through a ship debris tile, there is no effect. Place the rift hex on top of the ship debris tile.
• When a rift moves onto or through a meteor tile, there is no effect. Place the rift hex on top of the meteor tile.
• When a rift hex moves and the space feature on the hex that was hidden below is uncovered, the space feature remains in the hex.
Space Rift and Units
• When the rift moves onto a unit, place the unit and its marker on top of the rift hex.
• When the rift hex moves, a unit on a space rift hex will move along with the rift hex it is on.
• A space platform unit, however, will not move along with the rift hex; it will remain in place next to the planet it is orbiting.
Special situation: When there is a unit on a rift hex and the rift hex then moves onto a hex with another unit present, the unit that is already on the rift hex is taken from the hex and placed on another rift hex by the player who caused the rift to move.
Folds in Space
When the rift moves, after all the rift hexes are moved, roll one standard numbered six-sided die. When the number rolled matches a rift hex that is occupied by a unit, the unit on the hex is flung through space onto another location on the battlefield.
To determine the unit's new location, the player who caused the rift to move will roll two standard numbered six -sided dice. To determine what row the unit moves to, the player starts counting from the baseline row and then continues to count up each row of hexes toward the opponent's baseline until the number rolled is reached.
Note: When the number 12 is rolled, the count wraps back around to the player's baseline row.
Once the row is determined, roll two standard numbered six-sided dice again. In the row that was determined, start with the hex closest to the player's left edge of the battlefield, and count left to right each hex until the number rolled is reached. This is the hex the unit is thrown to and placed on (see example below).
If another unit or impassable space feature occupies the hex that the unit is thrown onto, place the thrown unit on the previous hex that was counted in the row. A unit that is thrown can be placed on a planet hex or an asteroid field hex.
Unit Movement Onto a Space Rift Hex
• A unit ordered to move onto a space rift hex must stop and move no further this turn.
• When a unit starts the turn on a space rift hex, it may jump from the space rift hex it is on, onto any other hex in the rift for the cost of 1 hex of movement. The unit is picked up and placed on the new hex. If the unit still has additional movement remaining, it may continue its movement after its jump.
Retire
Retiring onto or through a space rift hex is possible.
Combat
• A unit may combat the turn it is ordered and moves onto a space rift hex.
• A unit may combat when it is ordered and is on a space rift hex.
• When targeting an enemy unit on a space rift hex, the attacker's close quarters combat dice are not reduced.
• When targeting an enemy unit on a space rift, the attacker's ranged combat dice are reduced by 1 die.
• A unit's ability to ignore a red alert is overridden and does not work when on a rift hex.
• When a unit is on a rift 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 rift hex.
Line of Sight
A space rift hex blocks line of sight.