In the following pages you should find explanations that answer most frequently asked questions (FAQ). There are four sections:
This document is a superset of information presented in the first two issues of Galactic Fire Magazine.
How are cards played (engaged or disengaged): Cards with an engagement cost are played disengaged. Cards without an engagement cost are played engaged.
Two exceptions are abilities and non-passive equipment. These are always played disengaged when being played to a disengaged card.
Anything that affects the engagement cost of cards in the fleet has no effect on how that card is played. Cards which specify that their engagement cost varies by location (or other effect) are played either engaged or disengaged based on the engagement cost at the location (or other effect) to which they are being played.
Where are cards played: Where cards are played is determined by their type (ships are played to the fleet or to terrain in the fleet, bases are only played to terrain in the fleet, etc.). Some types, however, determine where they are played by what is on the card. Cards affecting one or more cards are played to or against the affected card or cards. Cards affecting things other than cards (weapons fire, opponents' card plays, etc.) are played to the owning player's fleet.
When can cards be played: Cards are played during your turn during either card play phase (Play Cards Phase A or Play Cards Phase B). Certain cards exempt themselves from this rule by stating during which phase they are played (Example: "Played during the Weapons Fire Phase" or "May be played during the Allocation Phase"). In the first example, the card must be played during the Weapons Fire Phase. In the second example, the option is given to play the card during the Allocation Phase. It may still be played during a card play phase if desired.
Cards with an "R/" before their card type may be played as a reaction to an opponent's action as long as the card performs a card action (a function stated on the card) or states some rule which is used when played. Cards that state "as a reaction," in their text must be in play to be used (unless the card has an "R/" before their card type). The following are opponent actions to which you may react: Point Allocation, a card being played or placed/moved into play, a card action, weapons fire, and discarding during the discard phase. Keep in mind, even though drawing cards is not on the list, you can react to a card action used to draw cards, such as a cyber mage or quartermaster. See "When do cards perform their action" under "Card Actions".
Turn 1 and 2 Restrictions: Turn 2 begins for all players as soon as the first player has begun his/her second turn. Turn 3 begins for each player as he/she begins his/her third turn.
When do cards perform their action(s): Engaged cards perform their actions during their controller's turn during a card play phase (either Play Cards Phase A or B). Example: An Evil Temple will destroy the opponent's crew as a card action during the temple controller's turn. The exceptions to this are as follows.
Cards played in reaction mode act when played (during any phase or turn). They then may perform their actions during their controller's following and subsequent turn.
Cards which state "as a reaction," may only perform such actions as a reaction to an opponent's action (during any phase of any player's turn). Such cards must be in play to perform their action and require an "R/" to be played in reaction mode.
Some cards act during a different phase as appropriate. A C4 Temporal Mechanic affects the controller's card draw and therefore acts during the Draw Cards Phase. Ships firing weapons may only do so during the Weapons Fire Phase.
Cards played in reaction mode may only fire weapons if played during a Weapons Fire Phase.
Disengaged cards may not perform any actions. Rules on disengaged cards do not apply unless they are strictly self-affecting. Rules on an ability card disengaged due to the crew being disengaged are considered self-affecting if they affect either the ability or the card on which the ability is played. This is to say that a disengaged B4 Border Station will not prevent other bases from being the target of weapons fire, because rules on disengaged cards do not affect other cards. However, a disengaged T3 Crystal Planet (disengaged due to an invasion, for example) is still immune to weapons fire because that rule only affects the card itself.
If a card states that another card may not be used or may not function, the affected card is treated as if it was disengaged. The card is not, however, actually disengaged unless the effect states that it disengages the card.
How many times may cards perform their functions: All engaged cards may perform their action(s) once per turn. Disengaged cards may not perform any actions.
Some cards (such as an A6 Promotion, or a C8 Spiritual Leader) allow certain cards to perform a function twice. If two such cards are applied to the same card, the card would be able to perform two separate functions twice each or a single function three times. Please note that weapons fire is not considered a function.
Leopan Sector HQ: The text about not allying with other empires is flavor text, not a rule.
A1 Millenia Molting (PE/UE): All Molting cards should have the following errata applied:
The second rules line should read 'More than one molting card may be played on a D dragon'. Non-space dragon dragons (i.e. Orgons) may use molting cards.
A3 Star Walker: This card allows a psy to perform a there-and-back mission to a location. The clauses "without transportation" and "ignoring shields" are merely clarifications. The phrase "without transportation" simply clarifies that this card grants the ability of transportation (no transporter or shuttle needed). The clause "ignoring shields" states that you can transport through shields. As a card action, the there-and-back mission must be performed during a card play phase (preferably Play Cards Phase A).
On the turn when this is done, psy damage caused by the psy to that location is doubled. It does not cause direct structural damage. Only cards that state their damage is structural cause structural damage.
A3 Tri-Millenia Molting: See "A1 Millenia Molting" in this section for clarification on the rules for dragon moltings.
A5 Ancient Molting: See "A1 Millenia Molting" in this section for clarification on the rules for dragon moltings.
A5 Blood Clydon: This card does not have to be played to an attack-capable crew. It grants the crew the ability to make up to 4 attacks to destroy crew or equipment of equal or lesser strength than the crew.
A6 Filarian Infester (PoM/nc): Multiple infesters may combine their strength against a single crew. May only be used in a Filarian deck.
R/A7 Cyborg Death (NE/nc): The card is discarded after use.
A7 Eon Molting: See "A1 Millenia Molting" in this section for clarification on the rules for dragon moltings.
C1 Sysop: The sysop only allows equipment to function as if it was also in play on a second location. It does not create a copy of the equipment. A mine functioning as if it was elsewhere would still be discarded after use. If it was activated by a mine deployment system, it would still not be able to be used at the other location, because any function of a card may only be used once per turn. The sysop's practical use is with equipment that does not perform a card action. An example would be an E6 Deflection/Transfer Device. The device is not limited to once a turn because of the fact that it is not a card action of the device but a rule on the card being employed.
C3 Cryogenic Convict: The convict is played against a location in an opponent fleet without a penal colony. The fleet (not the location) it is played against must not have a penal colony. Only a penal colony in play in the opponent's fleet (a penal colony they played) can prevent the convict from being played. A penal colony played against their fleet is not in their fleet (only against their fleet).
It is the controller of the location of the cryogenic convict that must pay to fund capture efforts. If you move the convict to a location in your fleet, you will have to pay until you move him against an opponent location.
C4 Corrupt Politician (UE): Played against an opponent location.
C5/5 Time Knight: Cards which are moved must be legally placed. For example, you couldn't remove a B6 Battlestation and place it on a crew.
C5 Weapons Officer (UE): Multiplies the damage caused by the weapons at his location by 1.5.
R/C6 Damage Control Team (PE/UE): When played in reaction, must be played to the ship or base it is saving from being destroyed.
C6 Rogue Couple: The term "weakest ship" refers to the ship with the lowest strength. If played against the weakest ship in all opponent fleets, the controller of the rogue couple controls the ship. If it is moved off of the ship, control reverts to the original controller. It may then control the lowest strength ship in all opponent fleets by moving to that location. If a weaker ship is played, the rogue couple can continue controlling the ship against which it is played. However, if they leave their ship, they would have to take the lowest strength ship. See "Control" under "Various Subjects".
C7 Saboteur: The clause about when research can be applied only refers to how he may normally be destroyed. If a Filarian Infester is played to him, research may be applied to him for purposes of getting rid of the infested crew. Any research applied for one purpose may not be used for the other.
C8 Freelance Purist: The purist may negate one point of Sector HQ damage each complete turn. Damage negation only applies to currently occurring damage, not previously applied damage. He does not repair the Sector HQ.
C9 Marauder: The marauder states that he may do two of his functions each turn. These must be two different functions.
R/C9 Temporal Engineer: The temporal engineer states "Immediately draw 2 cards when this is played". Immediately means during the current phase (rather than during the Draw Cards Phase). When played means this function may only be used when the card was just played.
There seems to be some problem with an L9 Accellerated Timeline and two temporal engineers fetching each other from the bottom of the deck to get an infinite number of 2 card draws. The accellerated timeline does not allow this. See "L9 Accellerated Timeline" in this section.
C9/1 Time Knight: This time knight may negate a reaction card just played. The term reaction card, as it is used here, refers to any card played in reaction mode. He cannot stop a card with an "R/" unless that card is being played in reaction mode.
D3 Plasma Dragoness: The dragon's controller can decide which weapon (from which source) in a multi-source volley scores the final point of damage.
D10 Draxos III - Dragon Queen: The dragon queen doubles the breath weapons, not the damage caused by the breath weapons. A dragon with four breath weapons now has 8 breath weapons. Each of the 8 breath weapons now requires an ammunition point.
R/E2 Tractor Beam: The tractor beam states that the affected unit may only target the tractor beam's location. If a ship is given the same restriction at another location then there is no legal target for the ship's weapons fire.
R/E2 Transporter - Nuclear Mine (PE/nc) <misprint>: This card says 'R/E2 Transporter' along the top and 'Nuclear Mine' above the card text. It is considered an exactly identical card to the E2 Nuclear Mine and is not reactionary.
E4 Command and Control Center: This equipment may be played to a unit or terrain. One card which generates command points (plural) at location may perform its functions twice per turn. Its location may not benefit by this equipment. Specifically, if played to a ship or base that generates command points, that unit would not be affected. Only cards generating command points at that location can be affected. Also note that weapons fire is not a function.
R/E4 Monster Defense System (AT): In Advanced Technologies, the Monster Defense System received a major overhaul. It is now reactionary, passive, and no longer has an engagement cost.
R/E4 Transporter Mine (UE/NE): The transporter mine requires a
transporter to be activated against a ship, causing 2 points of damage
(not 1 as stated in the text of the Universe Edition printing of the card).
As the mine is not being transported to the new ship, only activated
against it, it can affect dragons. The ship's shields need not be
lowered for the transporter to function. The shields of the ship
protect against this damage because it does not state that it causes
structural damage.
Editor's Note: This error was made in Universe Edition and
corrected in New Empires. We currently blame all such temporal
anomalies on the Time Gates expansion.
E5 Antimatter Mine: This card is activated against a ship. It destroys all the ship's shields and causes two points of structural damage. It does not affect EMF, but the two points of structural damage are still caused to the structure of a unit with EMF. It can not damage the shields of a ship with an R/T2 Asteroid Shield, but the asteroid shield does not block the structural damage. An E6 Deflection/Transfer Device will transfer half of the shield damage plus one point of structural damage. The deflected damage would be received as standard damage with one point of direct structural damage.
E6 Deflection/Transfer Device: The deflection/transfer device (DTD) only deflects damage that the ship is actually taking. Damage reduction or prevention is applied before the DTD may be used. A second DTD on the same unit will deflect half of the damage remaining from the first DTD. Deflected damage retains all of its original properties (including direct structural damage). If weapons fire damage is deflected to a unit immune to weapons fire, the unit will not be harmed.
E7 Argonian Strobe: The strobe may not be activated against a fleet if it was activated against the same fleet on the previous turn. If a fleet is affected by a second strobe, the same units may be selected.
E8 Mechad Network Interface: When played to a Mechad ship, it creates a clone of the ship stack. The clone also has an interface, but it is busy interfacing with the real ship. You cannot create a copy of the copy with the copy of the interface. Both ships require poihnts and must be engaged and armed separately. They are not required to have the same EMF strength or the same number of armed heavy weapons.
If the real ship becomes disengaged, the real equipment will also disengage (it is non-passive). This would cause the copy to disappear (it only exists due to the rule on the equipment). The loss of the copy in this manner does not count as the copy being destroyed and will not discard the interface.
When the card is first played, the copy of the ship is created. It is treated as if the copy of the ship was just played. The copy ship would be disengaged (unless the interface was on a ship with no engagement cost).
F4 Terrain Field (PoM/nc) <clarification>: The level 10 function destroys any terrain of equal or lesser strength than the function (i.e., strength 10 or less). It does not apply card damage. It either destroys the terrain or it does nothing.
H4 Gravity Pocket: The ship requiring excess engagement energy to escape may have such energy applied regardless of whether the remainder of their engagement cost (economy, supply, etc.) is paid. The ship may be engaged at its normal cost, but the gravity pocket will remain. Even though a ship is trapped in a gravity pocket, it may still function as normal.
H8 Gravity Pocket: See "H4 Gravity Pocket" in this section.
H9 Dimensional Portal (PE/UE): The dimensional portal functions by the following rules. It is played against an engaged ship. The ship remains engaged while in the portal. The ship stack may not affect or be affected by any fleet. The ship stack may not protect a Sector HQ or Psy Network. The portal is discarded after research equal to twice the strength of the ship is applied by the ship stack to the portal. The ship does not require a command slot.
If a Clydon ship, patrol ship courier, etc. in a dimensional portal separates, the portal stays on the main ship. When a Krebiz ship separates, the Krebiz ship's controller decides on which ship such cards remain.
H10 Akru Supernova (PE): This card is discarded after use.
R/L3 Unlucky Targeting (UE): Played against an opponent volley. Weapons volley is divided by 2. Fractions are always rounded down. Round down the total damage. A volley of one phaser, one heavy weapon and one physical damage will cause one point (1+1+1=3; 3/2=1.5) of damage. Only determine how much damage each weapon type causes if a specific type of damage is either needed or cannot damage the target.
R/L4 Miscommunications: This card allows you to dictate the unused weapons of an opponent unit. Weapons are considered unused if their weapons fire has not been resolved. Declared, but as of yet unresolved weapons fire is available to be affected by a miscommunication. You must state each volley you wish to fire and resolve each volley before continuing with the current player's turn. Opponents may then react to the playing of the card and each declared volley (as each is resolved separately).
Causing an opponent's weapons to be fired at a location does not prevent that opponent from targeting that location. Since you are choosing the target, it only prevents you from again targeting that location on the same player turn.
Cards which fire weapons in a volley do not protect their Sector HQ or Psy Network from that volley. In a two-player game, this would allow a player to miscommunicate an opponent ship and (if no other cards are protecting their Sector HQ) fire its weapons at that opponent's Sector HQ.
R/L7 Temporal Correction: The phrase "does not block card actions" prevents this card from being used on a card moving against the fleet to perform a card action. It may affect cards being played against the fleet and cards that were previously played against the fleet. It will also affect cards which were previously moved against the fleet and remained against the fleet.
R/L8 Advanced Preparedness: This allows a card to be played in reaction mode. However the card played in reaction mode must follow all the rules of reaction cards. It must perform a function of the card (or use a rule on the card) when played. Blocking damage is also considered a function of cards which block damage. A ship may be played to protect a Sector HQ about to take damage. A base may be played to protect a terrain from weapons fire.
R/L8 Targeting Error (PE/UE): Targeting Error states that you can redirect an opponent volley to any target in that opponent's fleet except cards which fired in that volley. Cards which fire weapons in a volley do not protect their Sector HQ or Psy Network from that volley. If a target is chosen that all participants in the volley cannot target, then the weapons fire from those participants incapable of firing becomes voided.
R/L8 Twist of Fate (TG/UE): May only be played against an opponent's card that is not the basis of a stack.
L9 Accelerated Timeline: On the turn played, the owning player may play any or all of the cards in his hand, ignoring the three-card limit (but not other limits). This card would count as a card play. Any card action of a card in play which is done as a card play still counts as a card play, so using a temporal engineer to retrieve the bottom of the Discard Pile (which states "As a card play,") also consumes a card play.
Only the playing of cards from the hand are exempt from the card play limit, and only those played after the accelerated timeline has taken effect gain this benefit. If an opponent reacts to your accelerated timeline, any reaction cards you play will consume a card play (as the accelerated timeline has not taken effect yet).
L10 Galactic Armageddon: If this card is played, but the effect is not resolved, it may still be played by another (or the same) player.
L10 Galactic Cataclysm (errata): This card is removed from play after use.
M2 Skullets (NE, UE/nc) <clarification>: Skullets damage units (ships or bases). They are either played against a unit or played to a skull reaper and activated against a unit.
M3 Scandig Blob (NE, UE/nc) <clarification>: Any monster destroyed by hazard damage may be damaged by any hazard that causes damage. Damage causing hazards that are played to other locations may be played to a Scandig Blob (or other monster damaged by hazards) to cause damage. Hazards, such as an H6 Large Minefield, may have their damage applied to such monsters, even though they say that it is only applied to cards of another type.
M3 Shield Fiend (PE/UE): The shield fiend may be played on any card except a ship with an invinco guardian or EMF. Therefore it may affect any base, installation, terrain or monster equipped with shields (such as an M8 Ship Collector).
R/M4 Minor Luck Demon: The R/M4 Minor Luck Demon is self-explanatory except in how it interacts with the R/M9 Luck Demon. First, the minor luck is limited to performing its action once per turn (as are all card actions). Also, since it is a luck demon, any R/M9 Luck Demons in play before it is played will no longer be considered the most recently played luck demon (see the "R/M9 Luck Demon" in this section). However the minor luck demon may not be played in reaction to prevent the theft of a luck card by the R/M9 Luck Demon. This is due to the rule that states reaction cards may only be played in reaction mode if they perform an action (or use a rule). There is no card action or rule on the minor luck demon stating that he stops luck demons.
M5 Astromorph: The astromorph is played against a fleet. It moves against a ship and damages that ship each turn until the ship is destroyed. It may then move against another ship.
M5 Ship Mimic: The ship mimic will mimic the actions of a ship (of equal or lesser strength). Consider the mimic to be a copy of the ship that does exactly what the ship does. It only mimics the ship, not the ship stack. Cards which modify the ships actions, such as a weapons officer or catastrophic repetition, will not be mimiced. The cards played to the ship that the ship mimic could mimic would be refits (cards that modify the ship itself). A phaser refit is being fired by the ship (and therefore is mimicked). It would also mimic the actions of a ship even if the action is caused by a card playl If an R/O3 Fighter Defense System is played to a ship with a mimic, when the ship fires its phasers, the mimic will also fire its phasers (mimicking the ship).
If an S3 Scorpead Troop Ship transports a boarding party off of terrain, the ship mimic also attempts to transport the same boarding party to the ship mimic (which is illegal and therefore voided). If a lucky targeting was played to the Scorpead troop ship and it fired one phaser (let's assume the x2 phaser magnifier was loaded), the mimic would fire one phaser in the same volley. The ship's phaser would cause three points (modified by the lucky targeting), and the mimic's 'phaser' would cause only two.
If an escort (with mimic) intercepts two points of damage, the mimic will intercept the same two points of damage (not an additional two). Both cards would take four points of damage, damaging the ship and not the mimic (mimics are not affected by weapons fire).
M5 Tectonic Burrower (NE, UE/nc): This card causes the damage to the terrain against which it is played. This was accidentally omitted from the card. Errata is necessary because only cards which state they can damage terrain may cause damage to terrain.
M6 Seductress: If the seductress is played to a science officer, the effect of the seductress would be suspended by the science officer as long as the officer is functioning. If played against a prophet, the prophet would be able to divert the card play.
M7 Astromorph: See "M5 Astromorph" in this section.
M7 Juggernaut: The juggernaut is played against a base. After destroying a base, he moves to another base (in any fleet). If no base is available, move him to your fleet and wait. You can then, at any time there is a base in play, move him to a base and attack (as a card action during your turn).
M8 Fatal Horror: This monster is played to a unit and only affects crew on that unit. If a crew evacuates the unit, it will not be affected by the fatal horror. This card would have no effect if played to a unit without crew and would be considered voided. If all the crew leave after the horror has taken effect, it would not be voided. Instead it would be discarded and the unit disengaged (as per the card).
M8 Ship Collector (PE/UE): The Ship Collector is now a persona. The previous errata about needing seven opponent ships in play is no longer in effect.
R/M9 Luck Demon (UE): Any luck card played by a player to his own fleet may instead be played by the player controlling the R/M9 Luck Demon if he controls the most recently played luck demon in play. Also, luck cards played against a fleet with an R/M9 Luck Demon in play are ignored (discarded), unless the Luck Demon's controller wants to allow the card to be played. This second function is regardless of whether or not the luck demon has "most recently played" status.
The luck demon grants this ability. It is not a reactionary action of the luck demon. It is instead treated as a rule while in play (and is not limited to once per turn). Use of the card rule is timed as any reaction is timed. This is the difference between a card action (once per turn) and a card rule (active continuously).
The term "played to their own fleet" includes cards played to cards in their fleet, but not cards played against their cards by opponents or played to non-fleet locations such as the Discard Pile. See "Where are cards played" under "Playing Cards" and "L7 Alien Artifact" in this section.
The order in which Luck Demons are played is important. Only the most recently played luck demon in play may steal opponent luck cards. When a "most recently played" luck demon is removed from play (by any means), the next most recently played becomes the "most recently played" luck demon in play. If the absent demon returns to play, it will regain its status. See "R/M4 Minor Luck Demon" in this section.
M10 Zaggoth Guardian: The guardian protects all monsters in the fleet. Any time a monster you played (any card you play is in your fleet) would be damaged, the guardian prevents the damage and takes one point of damage. Any card that allows a monsterr to be damaged, regardless of how it is normally damaged (such as some spiritual leaders) can damage the guardian. However the guardian will protect itself and only take a single point.
R/O3 Defensive Override (PE/UE): All electronic warfare may now be played to a ship or base.
O3 Forced Retreat (PE/nc): Discarded after use.
R/O3 Instant Reaction (TG/UE/PE): This card has been reprinted in Persona to further clarify what has become the most misunderstood card in Galactic Empires. Here is how it is now worded: "Played to a reaction card. May only be played once each phase. The reaction card may use its functions in reaction mode, moving to any location. Any reaction card may only be used in reaction once each complete turn. Return this card to the hand if the reaction card is of equal or lesser strength. Otherwise, discard this card after use."
R/O3 Offensive Electronic Warfare (PE/UE): All electronic warfare may now be played to a ship or base. Offensive electronic warfare can increase the damage caused by a heavy weapons volley, increasing the damage taken by terrain. The electronic warfare cards do not state they can damage terrain because it is the weapons, not the electronic warfare causing the damage.
R/O3 Offensive/Defensive Electronic Warfare (PE/UE/nc): All electronic warfare may now be played to a ship or base. This card shows a -X or +X where it should read -X and +X.
O4 Information Leak (PE/UE): Discarded after use.
R/O4 Repair Delivery (PE/UE): A repair delivery is played to a location in the fleet. The repair points may be applied to ships, bases, terrain or the Sector HQ. It can be used to repair previous or currently occurring damage (preventing the damage from being scored). It may not repair card damage. See next entry for UE errata.
R/O4 Repair Delivery (UE/PE): Discarded after use.
Editor's Note: See the editor's note on the R/E4 Transporter Mine
regarding pre-corrected cards.
O5 Forced Retreat (PE/nc): Discarded after use.
O5 Insanity (PE/UE): Insanity allows the controller of the insanity to dictate the actions of the crew. It now states that the crew may perform normally or perform the opposite of the following functions: point generation, point modification, card plays or card draws (modifications to the amount). Point generation/modification can be resource points, damage points, command points, etc.
O5 Political Upheval: The phrase "Prevents the use of the terrain" indicates that it produces no points, may not perform card actions, and any rules on the card that affect other cards will no longer be in effect.
O5 Wandering Desire (PE/nc): Discarded after use. Negated by a crew card of a strength greater than the strength of the wandering desire (6, not 4).
O6 Political Clout: "Played against an opponent ship and terrain" is short for "Played against an opponent ship and an opponent terrain in the same fleet."
O7 Poker Night: This card is discarded after use.
O7 Surprise Attack: The surprise attack now states that the ship is played engaged and fully armed. All weapons and ship systems (heavy weapons, mine deployment systems, etc.) are loaded. Once the ship is played, the surprise attack is used (there is nothing more for it to do) and it is discarded. This card does not arm cards played after the ship is played, such as refits.
R/O8 Reserve Callup (errata): Ships brought into play when this card is played in reaction to weapons fire are considered reaction cards for purpose of the splash rule.
O9 Catastrophic Repetition: This card states "no other modifications allowed." Modifications are any card affecting the ship which adjust the damage caused by the ship. A phaser magnifier may be applied because, as a ship system, it is not considered a modification. It does prevent the use of lucky targeting because it modifies the weapons damage. It will not prevent an unlucky targeting because that affects the volley, not the ship's weapons. A ship mimic will mimic the action of the ship but does not mimic cards played to the ship. So the weapons fire of the ship mimic will do standard damage. Also note, this card only affects damage, not other effects of weapons such as those found on game supply ships.
O9 Discovery of Discoveries: This card is discarded after use.
R/O10 And Now For Something Completely Different: This card is discarded after use.
O10 Planetary Destruction: This card states that it destroys
any ships or bases on the terrain. The E10 Subspace Stabilizer only
prevents a base from being discarded due to the destruction of the
terrain. It will not stop the occurrence from destroying the base.
If the terrain is saved by an R/C5 Exogeologist, the bases and ships
are still destroyed.
Errata: This card should be discarded after use.
S9 P.O.T. Battleship: This ship may be used in any P.O.T. deck. It is not restricted to the Tequan element (that is flavor text).
S10 Explosive Ore Carrier: The ore carrier's controller can decide which weapons (from which source) in a multi-source volley scored each point of structural damage. Any points in excess of what is needed to destroy the ore carrier are not considered to cause structural damage. Incoming damage negated by a repair delivery is never applied and will not cause retaliation.
R/T2 Asteroid Shield (PoM/UE): The asteroid shield now states that it may not be the basis of a stack. This means that cards may not be played to or against it.
The asteroid shield prevents the ship from receiving damage (except direct structural damage). See "Splash Damage" and "Terrain" under "Various Subject".
Once the asteroid shield is in play, it continues to prevent damage to the ship, but no longer intercepts the damage. That rule only applies to cards played in reaction mode. Once in play, the terrain must be the target of damage to be damaged, and any excess damage would not splash through.
T5 Nebula - Homecloud Nebula: This affects all Argonian ships in all fleets.
T/B5 Vektrean Asteroid Outpost (PE/UE): All of the Vektrean asteroid terrain use the following rules:
Vektrean asteroid terrain are played and damaged as terrain, but are considered bases for all other purposes.
They may be played during turn 1 or 2. If played during turn 2, it would not count as your 1 unit, installation or psy played during that turn.
The same applies to command limits. Once played, they consume a command slot, but do not require a slot to be played. Note that it is legal to exceed your command limit. It only prevents you from playing a card which consumes a slot (except Vektrean asteroid bases).
The Vektrean asteroid bases are damaged as terrain. The structure of the base may only be damaged by heavy weapons and cards that state they damage terrain. The structure will suffer the effects of card damage (see "Card Damage" under "Various Subjects"). Only the heavy weapons portion of a weapons volley can damage the structure. The shields protect against card damage and weapons fire as would the shields on any card.
Cards that are played to terrain may only be played to Vektrean asteroid bases if they cause damage (or if they may also be played to bases). You can play a Vektrean asteroid base to a star because it is played as terrain, but you may not play a white dwarf to the Vektrean asteroid base, because it is a base for purposes other than being played and damaged.
Vektrean asteroid bases may be used by any deck, but must be supported using the rules for supporting minor empire cards (unless used in a Vektrean deck). They are Vektrean and may use Vektrean technology. They may not use adapted technology (this is limited to their ships).
T/S2 Vektrean Asteroid Freighter (errata): This card may not be combined with terrain.
T6 Out of Phase World (TG/nc): When the out of phase world is out of phase, the terrain stack is considered removed from play. This terrain may only change phase during the Allocation Phase (and is therefore "in phase" on the turn played).
T6 System - Femerazi System: This affects all Tufor ships in play in all fleets.
T/B6 Vektrean Asteroid Station: This card was reprinted in Piracy and now has six shields. See "T/B5 Vektrean Asteroid Outpost" in this section for the rules for Vektrean asteroid bases.
T7 Planet Krebizar: This planet affects Krebiz capsules in play in all fleets. This includes capsules combined with cruisers.
T8 System - Mechad System: This affects all Mechad ships in all fleets.
T8 Plasmatic Nebula: This nebula affects all P.O.T. ships in all fleets.
T9 Planet - Corporate Homeworld: This affects all Corporate ships in all fleets.
T/B9 Vektrean Asteroid Starbase: See "T/B5 Vektrean Asteroid Outpost" in this section for clarification on the rules for Vektrean asteroid bases.
When you are done allocating points, declare what ship systems are loaded and what excess points are available (if you plan on applying them). Then apply the points. Points may only be applied to each opponent card once during the Allocation Phase. If you are required to recheck your point output and reallocate, you may reallocate the same number of points (or fewer) to an opponent card. You may not use this opportunity to apply more points. Reacting to point output early in the phase will solve most problems.
Cards with durations advance in duration at the beginning of the Allocation Phase. Cards with durations that affect point output perform their point output or modification to point output before being discarded.
An armor system may only be activated once against each source of damage. A single weapons volley from multiple sources is considered one source of damage. Armor systems function, regardless of whether the unit is engaged or disengaged. Every time an armor system is activated, it prevents an amount of damage from being applied to the structure equal to its current strength. In doing this, the system loses a single point of strength. Armor systems may not be repaired.
The winner of the auction has his bid subtracted from his point output of his next Allocation Phase. If all points bid are not paid (possibly due to some effect after the auction), remaining points due must be paid on his following Allocation Phase. Any cards which consume points receive their points before any debt is paid. Any current debt must be taken into account if another auction is held.
Cards are only combined while in play. Combined cards which are moved to the reserve fleet, the hand, or the Discard Pile will become separate cards. As an example, when an S1 Patrol Ship combined with an S7 Patrol Ship Courier is destroyed, the patrol ship would be returned to the hand and the courier would be discarded.
When two cards are combined, any damage applied to either card is considered damage applied to the combined cards. The type of damage does not change. Structural damage must remain structural (the same goes for shield damage). When combined cards are separated, the damage may be divided between the two. However, structural damage may not be applied to either card in excess of its strength (the same applies to shield damage).
Combined cards require a command slot based on a single card of the combined strength. A strength six ship (requiring one command slot) combined with a strength two ship (requiring one half of a command slot) becomes a strength eight ship (requiring one command slot).
If an effect (certain fields) allows parts of a combined card to be damaged separately, any currently existing damage must be divided (as if the parts were separating).
If you do not generate enough command points to provide a command slot for each card requiring a command slot in play in your fleet (most units and all psys), there is no effect on your cards currently in play. This will prevent you from engaging cards which require a command point to engage (time knights) and also prevents cards which require a command slot from being played.
If a card consuming a command slot is discarded, the slot is only free to use if you were not over your command limit. Any cards in play requiring a command slot that did not receive one during your last Allocation Phase immediately fill any vacant slots.
Units in the time origin require a command slot based on their origin strength.
Cards with durations are considered to have been in play one turn during their controller's Allocation Phase. This is regardless of which player turn on which the card is played. An R/S1 Ship from the Future, when played as a reaction during an opponent's Weapons Fire Phase, is discarded at the beginning of the ship controller's Allocation Phase. This is one complete turn.
The controlling player pays any engagement costs of a controlled card during their Allocation Phase. He uses any functions of the card during his own turn (unless the card functions otherwise).
Dragons may not have equipment, crew or occurrence cards played to or against them. Such cards can still affect them. A mine card can damage a dragon. A boarding party can perform a there-and-back mission to the dragon. An R/O5 Volatile Terrain is capable of damaging a dragon which damaged the terrain.
In addition to not being able to generate more EMF than twice the strength of the unit, EMF is not allowed to be generated in excess of the sum of the strength of the unit and the strength of the EMF immediately prior to the Allocation Phase. As an example, an S8 Mechad Battleship is played with an EMF strength of eight. If it sustains five points of damage, its EMF strength becomes three. During the next Allocation Phase, it may not be raised above either limit (sixteen and eleven). If it is brought to eleven, and remains at eleven until the next Allocation Phase, the new limits will be sixteen and nineteen. Since both limits apply, the lower limit may not be exceeded.
EMF absorbs damage in a similar manner to shields. It will not absorb damage stated as structural. Damage which bypasses shields must also state EMF, or the EMF will still protect the unit. The P.O.T.'s shield penetration device states in the rules that it also bypasses EMF.
The strength of a unit's EMF is indicated by one or more dice. When damage is applied to the EMF, the strength of the EMF is reduced (adjust the dice). EMF never uses dice to indicate damage as the absorbed damage results in a decrease in strength (this is an exception to how damage is scored). During the Allocation Phase, EMF on units in the fleet is not repaired, it is generated anew.
EMF is generated through the use of nodes. Only a card with nodes may generate EMF. Cards with nodes may not have shield refits applied to them.
If a card with nodes is not engaged during the Allocation Phase, it has an EMF strength equal to the strength of the unit. EMF may not be increased to a disengaged unit. If an engaged unit with nodes is disengaged outside of the Allocation Phase (by a breakdown, for example), its EMF is not affected. If a node refit is destroyed, the current strength of the EMF of the unit will not be affected.
When a unit with nodes is played, it has an EMF strength equal to the unit's strength.
EMF is not considered engagement energy and is not considered for the purposes of escaping a gravity pocket. The production of EMF is not affected by the Corporate E6 Warp Field Destabilization Gun.
If you play a T6 Black Hole against an opponent, you could play a base on it. You could not play a B5 Penal Colony on it because the penal colony is played against opponent terrain.
Cards with a duration measured in player turns start their count on the turn played, with the next player's Allocation Phase being one player turn.
If a card returns to play and its location has been destroyed, it is discarded if it cannot survive independently.
As an example, if a base with a time warp played against it has its terrain destroyed out from underneath it, the base is not immediately discarded because it is not currently in play. When the duration expires on the time warp, the base would be discarded because it may not be played independently.
If a card is removed from play after performing an action but before the effect is resolved, the effect is delayed until the card returns to play. If the action is still possible, it is performed at this time (opponents may react again). If the action is inappropriate at this time (such as a time skipped unlucky targeting coming into play at the end of the turn or a time skipped shuttle going to a ship that was already destroyed), it is voided. When the action is voided, the card continues as if the action has happened (the unlucky targeting is discarded after use, whereas the shuttle simply returns).
The phrase "one shot only" after the phaser(s) of a shuttle indicates that each phaser may only be shot once. Certain cards rearm the phasers. This restores their one-shot capability. They may still not be fired more than once per turn. Once fired, they must be rearmed again before they can fire.
Also, any shuttle capable of transporting crew is also capable of moving without crew. Most, but not all, state they may transport up to their capacity. This includes transporting zero crew.
Shuttles may transport disengaged crew, as transporting a crew is a function of the shuttle, not the crew. The same applies to transporters.
Damage only splashes through cards just played in reaction mode. If a card was already in play, the splash damage rules do not apply.
When any crew in any fleet (not from the hand or the time origin) is going to be discarded (even during the discard phase), the lowest strength suark breed in play is discarded instead. If, for any reason, the crew must still be discarded (his location is gone or his current strength is equal or less than zero), the crew is then discarded. In any such case, only one suark would be discarded for a single crew being discarded.
When an action is voided, the card is discarded if normally discarded after use. Cards not normally discarded remain in play.
If it is the card play (not the card's action) being voided, the card is returned to the hand. Card plays are voided by such cards as the R/O1 Past Transmission and R/O1 Time Compression. These cards affect a player's ability to play cards. A card that finds itself played to an illegal location when its effect resolves is a voided action not a voided play.
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