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THE CYLONS
WERE CREATED
BY MAN.
THEY
EVOLVED.
THEY
REBELLED.
2
In this game, players take control of Rules explain how to handle a simple
Colonial and Cylon spaceships and face dogfight, where the goal is eliminating
each other in furious dogfights and your opponents.
daring missions.
Once you’ve learned the basics of flying
This Starter Set includes four and fighting with a spaceship, you can
miniatures: two Colonial Vipers and then read the Complete Rules on page
two Cylon Raiders, and all you need to 13 and experiment the other scenarios
play with them. provided at the end of this booklet.
They allow two to four players to You can add further details to the
engage in a series of battles — from game by including some or all the
heated dogfights to dangerous Optional Rules on page 20 and using
missions, with each player controlling Optional Features on page 24. These
one or two spaceships. add special elements to the game,
You can begin playing with the Quick from pilots’ abilities to the use of
Start Rules on page 6. The Quick Start asteroid fields and planetoids.
INDEX
CONTENTS ......................................... 4 CHANGING DIRECTION ...................................17
SPECIAL CASES .............................................18
OVERLAPPING SPACESHIPS ...........................18
QUICK START RULES .................... 6 FIRING ..........................................................18
SETUP ............................................................6 MODIFIERS TO COMBAT .................................18
THE GAME TURN.........................................7 SPECIAL DAMAGE .........................................19
PLANNING ....................................................8
MOVEMENT ..................................................8 OPTIONAL RULES ......................... 20
FORWARD MOVEMENT ....................................9
AIMING .........................................................20
BACKWARD MOVEMENT ..................................9
ATTACK DECLARATION ...................................20
OVERBOOST ....................................................9
BLANK MANEUVER CARDS ............................20
SPECIAL CASES .............................................10
ROLLING DOUBLES ........................................20
FIRING ..........................................................10 FUEL .............................................................21
LINE OF SIGHT ...............................................10
TAILING.........................................................22
CHOOSING A TARGET ..................................... 11
THREE–DIMENSIONAL SPACE .........................22
DETERMINING RANGE.................................... 11
ELIMINATION OF A SPACESHIP .......................12
WINNING THE GAME ...............................12 OPTIONAL FEATURES ................. 24
ASTEROID FIELDS .....................................24
COMPLETE RULES .........................13 SPARSE ASTEROID FIELDS .............................24
DENSE ASTEROID FIELDS ...............................25
SETUP ..........................................................13
PLANETOIDS ..............................................26
GAME TURN ...............................................13
PILOTS .........................................................26
PLANNING ..................................................13 PILOT CARDS ................................................26
KINETIC ENERGY ...........................................14
PILOT TOKENS ...............................................27
ROTATION .....................................................14
LIMITATIONS OF NUGGETS AND ROOKIES ........27
MOVEMENT ................................................16 PILOT TALENTS AND FLAWS ..........................28
OVERBOOST ..................................................16
ROTATING THE SPACESHIP WHILE FASTER–THAN–LIGHT MOVEMENT .......30
MANEUVERING .............................................17 A LONG JOURNEY .....................................31
3
CONTENTS
COLONIAL MK. II VIPER APOLLO’S MK. II VIPER CYLON RAIDER CYLON RAIDER
SPACESHIP, STAND, CONSOLE, AND SPACESHIP CARDS
COLONIAL MK. II VIPER COLONIAL MK. II VIPER CYLON RAIDER CYLON RAIDER
SPACESHIP CARDS SPACESHIP CARDS SPACESHIP CARDS SPACESHIP CARDS
ID
ID TAGS MODEL BASES (4) STICKERS SIX–SIDED
CONTROL PANELS (4) (16) AND LEVEL STANDS (16) (16) DICE (2)
COUNTERS
4
PILOT CARDS AND TOKENS
COLONIAL PILOT CARD CYLON PILOT CARDS (2) PILOT TOKENS (10)
“DIFFICULT
BLANK SHOOTING MANEUVER” USE
MARKERS MARKERS MARKERS COUNTERS
(4) (4) (4) (22)
5
QUICK START RULES
SETUP Have each player take the maneuver deck
Choose a flat surface, with a minimum of cards with the name of their spaceship
size of about 30”x30” (75x75 cm), to play on it. Discard the blank card (with a large
on. A table, rug, or floor section will all star on the front) and the change direction
work if the boundaries of the playing field card (the one with the symbol): they are
are clear. Use a larger area when playing used only when playing with Optional Rules
with more than four spaceships, or if and Complete Rules, respectively.
indicated by the scenario instructions. A Have each player take the base template
tablecloth or gaming mat may be useful of his spaceship, its spaceship card,
to give better stability to your gaming and a combat ruler, and keep them
pieces. close at hand, near their control
Read the Quick Start Rules. Then, panel.
choose sides — one player is Last, take the damage
Colonial, the other is Cylon. Before counters (blue color),
playing your first game, apply one and put them in an
ID sticker to each spaceship base. opaque container,
Have each player take a spaceship such as a large
and set it upon its base (see figure cup or mug
1), inserting one or more level stands (or just place
below it. them near the
playing area, face
Then, have each player take a control
down in a pile).
panel and insert the ID tag matching
the ID sticker on its corresponding Finally, choose a
base into the panel. figure 1 scenario to begin play.
For the first game, we
recommend you play The Hand
of God scenario (page 5 of the Scenario
“The players change, the Booklet).
story remains the same.”
— Leoben Conoy
6
PLAYING WITH MORE THAN ONE
SPACESHIP PER PLAYER MANEUVER CARDS
If you play with two spaceships per player,
the setup is the same for each spaceship
you use. Each player must plan movement
and keep track of damage separately
for each of their spaceships. During the
game, make sure to keep the components
(for example, maneuver cards or damage
counters) of different spaceships
separated.
SO
1. Plan their movement; Backward movement arrow
2. Execute their spaceship movement;
3. Fire their weapons.
G–value
After all firing is resolved, a new turn is
started with a new planning phase.
SAY
Kinetic energy
(Complete Rules only)
WE
Turn
Overboost
Straight
“So say we all!”
Difficult
— William Adama
7
PLANNING “So the fate of the entire
In this step, all players simultaneously human race depends upon my
and secretly plan the movement of wild guess.”
their spaceships. To plan each of your
spaceships’ moves: — Gaius Baltar
1. Choose one card from your spaceship’s
maneuver deck (or two cards, if one
of them is an overboost, see below), Standing still: If you set to slider to ,
and place it face down next to that the spaceship will stand still. A maneuver
spaceship’s control panel; card is planned anyway, to deceive the
2. Set the slider on the right side of the enemy, but the spaceship will not move.
spaceship’s control panel to choose Backward movement: Some cards have
its speed (see Speed Settings on the a backward movement arrow , allowing
Control Panel box). the spaceship to move backward. The
The control panel and chosen card (or speed slider must be set to if you want
cards) are kept hidden until the start of the to use this arrow.
movement step. Overboost: Overboost cards show a
Forward movement: Each card has one symbol. When one of these cards
or more forward movement arrows on it, is chosen, the player must also choose
marked , , or , indicating whether another non–overboost card at the same
that movement requires low, medium, or time. The spaceship will move using both
high speed to be completed. The spaceship cards. This is only possible when moving
will move using the arrow matching the forward (the slider cannot be set at or
speed indicated by the slider on its control at ).
panel. Note: Maneuver cards have a G–value
(indicated by a white number in a
blue hexagon) indicating how hard the
SPEED SETTINGS maneuver is to complete. When playing
more than one card, the sum of their
ON THE CONTROL PANEL
G–values cannot be higher than four.
Difficult maneuvers: Difficult maneuver
cards show a symbol. If you choose a
difficult maneuver, take a difficult maneuver
marker as a reminder. In the next turn you
cannot plan another difficult maneuver for
that spaceship. In addition, in the next turn
you cannot plan an overboost card, unless
it is straight (marked with the symbol).
MOVEMENT
FTL — Faster than Light After all players have completed their
(Complete Rules only) planning, they simultaneously reveal their
High Speed chosen card (or cards) and the settings of
their control panels. Then, they move their
Medium Speed
spaceships, following the rules below.
Low Speed
After movement, the used cards are
Stationary returned to their respective decks. They
Back can be used again in any subsequent turn
(within the limitations described previously).
8
FORWARD MOVEMENT BACKWARD MOVEMENT
Normally, your spaceship moves forward, The spaceship moves backward when you set
using the arrow on the card you selected the speed slider at the position and you
matching the speed indicated on the planned a maneuver card with a arrow.
control panel. Place the card behind the spaceship, so
1. Place the maneuver card in front of the start of the arrow matches the raised
your model, placing the raised line on line on the rear of the spaceship base.
the front of the base at the start of the Then, move the spaceship, placing the
arrow matching the current speed. raised line on the rear of the base on top
2. Move the spaceship, placing the raised of the arrowhead (see image).
line on the rear of the base on top of
the arrowhead (see image). OVERBOOST
The spaceship moves with overboost when
FORWARD MOVEMENT you planned an overboost card together
with a normal forward movement ( , ,
or ) card:
The Raider is at
medium speed, 1. First, place the yellow end of the
so it uses the overboost maneuver line in front of
arrow to move. your model, as normal.
2. Then, place your chosen non–overboost
maneuver card adjacent to the
overboost card, so that the base of the
arrow on this card matches the red
end of the line on the overboost card.
3. Finally, move the spaceship to the end of
the arrow on the non–overboost card,
as with a normal forward movement.
The Raider
moves with
overboost:
(2) The spaceship is two cards are
moved backward to planned, and
overlap the used together.
arrowhead.
9
SPECIAL CASES ILLEGAL MOVES
If you plan an illegal move (for example:
OVERLAPPING SPACESHIPS
cards with a total G–value higher than
When two or more spaceships are very
four; a card without a maneuver while
close to each other, it is possible that, at the
the speed slider is on ; or a difficult
end of their movement, their bases overlap.
maneuver after you played one in the
In this case, advance the fastest moving previous turn):
spaceship beyond its final position just
1. Return the speed slider to the position
enough to avoid the overlapping. You
it occupied on the previous turn.
can use the combat ruler to make sure
the movement is in a straight line. If two 2. Then, move the spaceship using your
spaceships have the same speed, decide straight maneuver, at the speed
randomly which one advances. matching the slider.
The overlapping spaceships cannot fire in 3. Take damage, by drawing one damage
this turn — the pilots are too busy trying to counter, using only its numeric value.
avoid the collision! Ignore any other symbol on the counter
(such as a + or special damage).
If more than two spaceships overlap, the
slowest spaceship remains where it ended If a spaceship moves out of the playing
its current movement. The spaceship with area, even partially, it is eliminated from
the next highest speed slides forward the game.
first, as indicated above, and so on, until
all overlapping is resolved. Resolve ties in
speed randomly. FIRING
After all players have completed their
movement, each spaceship with an enemy
OVERLAPPING
in line of sight and within range may fire
its weapons.
(1) The Viper is moving at speed
while the Raider is at speed. LINE OF SIGHT
To check whether your spaceship has a
target in line of sight and within attack
range, take the combat ruler and place it
(standing on its thin side) the end marked
in red touching the stand at the center of
the attacking spaceship’s base. The ruler
must be placed within the fire arc (the
recessed area on the front of the base) of
the attacking spaceship.
(2) After If the ruler can reach any point of the
movement, target’s base, you can shoot.
their bases
overlap. When more than two spaceships are in
play, you cannot fire through another
spaceship, enemy or friendly. If you
cannot reach any point of the target’s
(3) As the Viper base without the ruler crossing another
is faster, it is spaceship’s base, the line of sight is
moved further blocked, and you cannot fire at that target.
ahead until
the bases do
not overlap
anymore.
10
CHOOSING A TARGET SPACESHIP CARD
If more than one spaceship can fire, all
players must declare if they want to fire,
and their target, before any dice are rolled.
If one player would prefer to declare their
choice after another player, who in turn
wants to wait for them, randomly choose
who declares first.
DETERMINING RANGE
The distance between the stand of the
attacker’s base and the nearest point
of the target’s base within the fire arc
indicates the range.
The red portion of the ruler (10 cm /
4 inches or less) indicates short range.
Add 1 to the attack roll.
The orange portion of the ruler
(between 10 and 20 cm — 4 to 8 inches)
indicates medium range. The attack roll
has no modifier.
The light brown portion of the ruler
(more than 20 cm / 8 inches) indicates
long range. Subtract 1 from the attack
roll. Name
Attack value
Structure value
FIRE!
Acceleration value
To attack, roll two dice and total the FTL (present or absent)
results. A roll equal to or higher than the
attack value of the spaceship (for Vipers
and Raiders, 6 or more), after modifiers to
the roll are considered, is a hit.
FIRE ARC AND RANGE
Example: A Cylon Raider has a Viper
in sight. The distance from the Raider
base’s stand to the nearest point of the
Viper’s base is 8 cm, so the shot is at
short range. The Cylon player throws
two dice, rolling “3” and “2” (total 5).
Since the target is at short range, 1 is
added. The result is 5+1=6, just equal
to the Raider’s Attack value — the Viper
is hit!
If the attack hits, the player controlling
the target spaceship draws a damage
counter, secretly looks at its value, and
The Raider
“We’re in a shooting war. can fire
against the
We need something to shoot.” Viper at short
range.
— William Adama
11
places it face down besides the spaceship’s If there are other symbols on the damage
control panel. The value of the counter counter, ignore them. They are used only
indicates the amount of damage inflicted by when playing with the Complete Rules.
the attack. Example: A Viper has a Raider in sight.
When the total value of the damage The distance from the Viper base’s
counters taken by a spaceship equals stand to the nearest part of the
or exceeds its structure value, that Raider’s base is 16 cm, so the attack is
spaceship is eliminated. Firing is at medium range. The Colonial player
simultaneous, so a spaceship can still fire throws two dice, scoring “2” and ”4,” for
in the turn it is eliminated. a total of 6. Since the target is at
medium range, there is no modifier.
CRITICAL HITS AND SPECIAL DAMAGE
The attack hits and the target
If the drawn damage counter has a +
player draws a Damage
symbol, the target must draw a second
counter. The counter is a 4+,
damage counter. If this counter also has a
so the target player draws a
+, the second + is ignored. second counter.
The second counter is a 2+
with a symbol. The +
symbol is ignored because
this is the second counter,
and the symbol is ignored
because we are playing with the Quick
Start Rules. The owner of the Raider
keeps the two counters secret: only
he knows his spaceship suffered 6
points of damage. Another 9 points of
damage, and it will be out of the game.
ELIMINATION OF A SPACESHIP
When a spaceship is eliminated, its
model is removed from the game. The
damage counters taken by that spaceship
are shuffled back with the other unused
counters of the same type.
12
COMPLETE RULES
O
nce you are familiar with the Quick PLANNING
Start Rules, the rules in this chapter In addition to choosing their speed and
may be added to make the game maneuver cards, during this step players
more detailed and challenging. must now decide their spaceship’s
The Complete Rules introduce several rotation and consider its kinetic energy
important new concepts: rotation, and acceleration.
acceleration, kinetic energy and special
damages.
All previous rules are still in force, unless
otherwise indicated.
OTHER SETTINGS
ON THE CONTROL PANEL
SETUP
When you play with The Complete Rules,
add the change direction card to the
maneuver deck of each spaceship.
Keep the other components you may need
at hand: firing markers and drift rulers.
GAME TURN
In a game turn, players go through five steps:
1. Plan their movement;
2. Execute the first spaceship movement;
3. Fire their weapons; Rotation dial
Rotation arrow
4. Execute the second spaceship movement; Kinetic energy slider
Level slider (Optional Rules only)
5. Fire their weapons, if they have not
fired yet this turn.
13
KINETIC ENERGY slider to match the total kinetic energy of
When playing with the Complete Rules, the card (or cards) you planned in this turn.
your choice of maneuvers is limited by the
current kinetic energy of your spaceship ACCELERATION
and its acceleration value. A player cannot plan maneuver cards with
a total kinetic energy value higher than
CURRENT KINETIC ENERGY the current value plus the spaceship’s
The kinetic energy slider, at the bottom acceleration or lower than the current
of your spaceship’s control panel, value minus the acceleration.
indicates the current kinetic energy of the Example: A Viper Mk. II has an
spaceship. Acceleration of 3. At the start of the
At the start of the game, set it to any game you set a kinetic energy value of 4.
value you want, from -1 to 6. The slider In the first turn, the spaceship moves
is updated each turn, according to the with a arrow: the kinetic energy
maneuver cards you plan. becomes 1. This is legal, as 1 is
Your spaceship will have a different kinetic equal to, but not lower than, 4 (its
energy depending on your choice of speed current kinetic energy) minus 3 (its
and maneuver card (these values are also acceleration).
indicated by the light blue number in a In the second turn, you want to plan
circle, close to each arrow on maneuver an overboost. With your spaceship’s
cards): acceleration, the new kinetic energy
— When you set your spaceship’s speed can be, at most, 4 (current kinetic
to , its kinetic energy is 0. energy is 1,e + acceleration 3). The
— If you move your spaceship using a overboost itself has a value of 3, so you
backward arrow, its kinetic energy are limited to choose a slow arrow
is -1. , with a kinetic energy of 1, for a total
of 4. If you used a medium or high–
— If you move your spaceship forward speed arrow with the overboost, your
using a slow arrow, its kinetic energy maneuver would be illegal, as the kinetic
is 1. energy value would be too high.
— If you move your spaceship forward Remember, a backward maneuver has a
using a medium arrow, its kinetic kinetic energy of -1. So, for example, if your
energy is 2. spaceship’s acceleration is 3, you cannot
— If you move your spaceship forward decide to move backward, if its current
using a fast arrow, its kinetic kinetic energy is higher than 2.
energy is 3. Rotated spaceships (see “Rotation” below)
An overboost card also has a kinetic are a special case, as explained in detail
energy value (3), which must be added to later. They cannot change their kinetic
the value of the other card you play (so the energy — their acceleration is effectively 0
total kinetic energy of a maneuver may be as long as they remain rotated.
up to 6).
As soon as the first planned card for a ROTATION
turn is revealed, adjust your kinetic energy In Battlestar Galactica Starship Battles,
just like in the series, it is possible for a
spaceship to move in one direction while
pointing and shooting in another.
“The Cylons never asked us
what we wanted. Welcome to ROTATING THE SPACESHIP
If, during the turn, your spaceship is either
the big leagues.” standing still (that is, speed is set to ),
or you planned only straight maneuver
— William Adama
14
ROTATING THE SPACESHIP INERTIAL MOVEMENT
15
Second firing step
— Any spaceship that did not fire in the
first firing step may do so now.
— Remove all shooting markers at the
end of this step.
OVERBOOST
If you planned an overboost together with
a second maneuver card, the execution
of the move is different than in the Quick
Start Rules.
During the first movement step, move
the spaceship to the end of the overboost
movement line, as if it was a normal
maneuver. Leave the overboost card
“Are you alive?” where it is through the first firing step.
16
ROTATING THE SPACESHIP CHANGING DIRECTION
17
SPECIAL CASES As long as two spaceships overlap, neither
of them can fire at the other. They can,
ILLEGAL MOVES
however, fire at other spaceships, and
When playing with the Complete Rules,
other spaceships can fire at them. The
there are several possible cases of illegal
overlapping spaceships do not block each
moves:
other’s’ line of sight, nor the line of sight of
— If you planned any non–straight the spaceships firing at either of them.
maneuver card(s), other than a change
As soon as the bases do not overlap each
direction, while rotated, replace the
other, replace the template(s) with the
maneuver and/or the overboost with
original model(s).
straight ones;
When replacing a model with a template,
— If the speed you planned, together with
or a template with the original model,
the card(s) you played, requires an
make sure you keep the same position and
acceleration higher than the spaceship
facing, and use the spaceship’s base and
has, you must raise or lower the speed
rotation dial as an indicator of any rotation
so that the change of kinetic energy
the spaceship might have.
becomes legal;
— If any other choice of an illegal
maneuver is revealed (for example,
because the total G–value is higher
FIRING
than four, or because there is no The Complete Rules introduce a few new
maneuver arrow matching the current concepts to make combat more realistic:
speed), you must replace it with a — Two separate firing steps are
straight maneuver, adjusting the speed introduced, as explained in the previous
if necessary. section.
Draw one damage counter, using only its — The kinetic energy of the attacking and
numeric value. Ignore any other symbol on target spaceships influence the odds of
the counter (such as a + or special a successful hit.
damage). If the move is illegal for multiple
— Special damage may be inflicted to a
reasons above, draw one counter for each
spaceship, in addition to structural
reason.
damage.
18
SPECIAL DAMAGE
In addition to the numeric value of a
damage counter, and to the + symbol,
you must consider any other symbol on
the counter, indicating the target suffers
special damage.
Special damage is also kept secret, unless
indicated otherwise in its description.
More than one special damage effect may
be suffered at the same time. The effects
of special damage are applied starting with
the next step (or next turn), as all firing is
considered to be simultaneous.
Indicates the engine is
damaged. Acceleration is halved
(round fractions up). If a second
such damage is taken, the
spaceship is no longer able to change its
kinetic energy value — it must plan
maneuver cards that exactly match, with
the sum of their values, the current kinetic
energy level the spaceship. Additional
damage of this type has no further effect.
Indicates the control systems
are damaged. The total G–value
of the cards planned in a turn for “That’s my Raptor
this spaceship cannot be more wranglers, always
than 3 (instead of 4). A second such looking for new and
damage means that, in addition, the
spaceship cannot rotate for the rest of the interesting ways to get
game: if the spaceship is currently rotated, killed.”
it can still play a change direction card to
re–align its movement direction with its — Helo
orientation. Additional damage of this type
has no further effect.
Indicates the pilot is wounded.
The spaceship subtracts 1 from change his choice of cards. A third wound
its attack rolls for the rest of the kills the pilot, and the spaceship is
game, and it cannot plan difficult eliminated from the game.
maneuvers. A second such damage means Indicates the hull and/or wings
the pilot is severely wounded, and the are damaged. Overboost cards
attack roll modifier becomes -2. Maneuver may no longer be played. A
cards for spaceships with severely second such damage means the
wounded pilots must be planned for the spaceship is crippled — its kinetic energy
next turn at the beginning of the second value is decreased by 1 at the end of each
movement step, before the other players turn, including the current one, until it
reveal their plans. If two cards were reaches 0. The spaceship is limited to
planned, the second card is executed inertial movement (see Inertial Movement
before planning the next turn. During the on page 15). When the spaceship’s kinetic
planning phase of the next turn, the player energy drops to 0, the spaceship stands
may still adjust the spaceship’s rotation dial still for the rest of the game. This damage
or speed slider, if applicable, but he cannot must be announced.
19
OPTIONAL RULES
T
his section includes additional rules, Each player takes one shooting marker and
which may be added to your game one blank counter, and hides one of them
according to the players’ preferences, in hand: shooting to attack, blank
or if required by a scenario. Players should otherwise. Then, all players reveal their
agree on which optional rules they want to choice at the same time.
use before the game starts.
If you are playing with the Quick Start BLANK MANEUVER CARDS
Rules, you may only add optional rules During planning (if
marked with . you are not using
an overboost
AIMING or change
When a spaceship fires in consecutive direction) you
turns against the same target, it improves can place a
its chances to hit: blank card
along with
— Shooting at a target that was missed in your chosen
the previous turn: add 2 to the attack maneuver card, to
roll. make it seem that
— Shooting at a target that was hit in the you are planning two cards instead of one.
previous turn: add 3 to the attack roll. Apart from bluffing, the blank card has no
If a spaceship receives a damage counter practical effect on your movement, and you
of any kind in this turn, it will not get an must return it to your maneuver deck at
aiming bonus in the next turn. the end of the planning phase.
20
This can be useful when your attack Example: A Viper starts the game with
modifier gives you a chance to succeed a kinetic energy of 4.
with the result of just one die. Damage — In the first turn, it uses a card
counters are drawn separately for each of with a 0 fuel cost; after moving,
the two attacks. it updates the kinetic energy level
Example: Your spaceship has an attack from 4 to 3. It spends 1 point of
value of 5, and you have a +2 modifier. fuel (0 for the card, 1 because of
If you roll 4 and 4, instead of counting the change in kinetic energy).
the roll as an 8, you can count each — In the second turn, it moves with
die separately, so you have two attacks a card with 2 fuel cost. Kinetic
each with 4+2=6, and both attacks hit energy goes from 3 to 1, so it
the target. spends 4 points of fuel: 2 points of
fuel for the kinetic energy difference
FUEL and 2 for the card.
Each spaceship has a starting amount of — In the third turn, it plans a straight
fuel at beginning of the game (as indicated overboost and a straight card
by the scenario, or as mutually agreed by with 0 fuel cost, and rotates the
the players; for example, 50 each). Keep dial three notches clockwise. Its
track of fuel with any method you like (for kinetic energy rises to 4. The total
example, with a piece of paper, or glass fuel cost is 4: 3 for raising the
beads). Fuel is spent to turn, to accelerate, kinetic energy from 1 to 4, 1 for
and to decelerate. the rotation, and 0 for the cards.
SPENDING FUEL RUNNING OUT OF FUEL
— Each maneuver card has a fuel cost If the fuel of a spaceship drops to 0 or less
equal to its G–value. After using at the end of a turn, it can no longer rotate
the card, spend the indicated nor change its kinetic energy value until the
amount of fuel. end of the game.
— When you turn the rotation dial on If its kinetic energy is 0, the spaceship stands
your spaceship’s control panel, you still in its current position until the end of the
might spend fuel. If you turn by more game. If its kinetic energy is 1 or more, the
than one notch, you spend one point spaceship is limited to inertial movement
of fuel. If you turn 180° degrees (6 (see Inertial Movement on page 15).
notches), you spend two points of
fuel. Note: If you turn the rotation dial
because of a change direction card,
spend the amount indicated by the
card instead.
— When you adjust your spaceship’s
kinetic energy, spend as many points
of fuel as the difference between the
previous value and the new value (no
matter if it increases or decreases). If
the kinetic energy remains the same,
no fuel is spent.
21
TAILING Example: Anthony (Colonial) tails Ben
Sometimes a pilot is in a position where (Cylon), while Ben tails Cher (Colonial),
they can anticipate the actions of their and Cher tails Don (Cylon). Don plans
opponent. This is called tailing. his movement first and shows it to
At the start of each turn, before your Cher. Then, Cher plans her movement
planning phase, you may check if your and shows it to Ben, who plans his
spaceship is tailing an opponent. movement. Finally, Ben shows his
movement to Anthony, who does his
Take the combat ruler, using its front planning last.
side, and check the distance between the
stand of your base and the stand of your In the rare case there is a “circle” of
opponent’s base. tailings (A tails B, B tails C, C tails D, D
tails A), determine which spaceship must
If all of the following conditions are met: plan first randomly.
1. The ruler is within your fire arc Example: Anthony tails Ben, while Ben
2. The ruler crosses the opponent’s base tails Cher, Cher tails Don, and Don tails
through one of its three rear sides (the Anthony. Ben is chosen randomly. Ben
one with the raised line, or one of the will plan first, then Cher, then Don, then
adjacent sides) Anthony.
3. The ruler does not cross any other
spaceship base except the one you are TAILING
trying to tail
4. The distance between the spaceship
stands is less than the mark on the
ruler (15 cm)
then you are tailing the opponent. If your
spaceship meets the requirements for The Raider
tailing two or more opponents, you must is tailing the
choose one of them. Viper, as the
distance is
When one or more spaceships are tailing
12 cm and the
another spaceship: ruler crosses
— All spaceships which are not tailing the rear side of
another spaceship plan their the viper
movements.
— Then, the players controlling a tailed
spaceship show their first planned
card (overboost, change direction, or
normal maneuver card) to the player
(or players) tailing them, and only to
them. The second card (if there is one)
and the control panel are not revealed.
THREE–DIMENSIONAL SPACE
Players may decide to add the “third
— Then, the tailing spaceships plan their dimension” to their games. When using
maneuvers normally. this rule, you need the four level stands for
It is possible that tailing spaceships are, in each spaceship.
turn, tailed by somebody else. In this case, Space is divided into 4 levels, numbered
they will have to show their card before the from 1 (the lowest) to 4 (the highest).
spaceships tailing them do their planning.
At the start of the game, players must
decide the level of each game object —
spaceships, asteroid fields, planetoids,
clouds (or follow the scenario instructions).
22
To indicate the level of a spaceship, put a DISTANCES IN THREE–
number of stands between the base and
the model equal to its current level.
DIMENSIONAL SPACE
To indicate the level of another object (such
as a planetoid), place a level marker nearby The Raider
or on the object. Objects normally only (on level 2) is
have an effect on spaceships at their same shooting at a
level and have no effect on spaceships at Viper Mk. II (on
other levels. level 3). If they
were on the
same level, the
MOVING BETWEEN LEVELS
attack would be
Players can decide to change the level of at short range.
their spaceships during the planning phase. However, when
Each spaceship has a level slider on its the vertical
control panel with +1, 0 and -1 marks. distance is
considered,
To change level, you must set the level they are in
slider to +1 or -1 during the planning phase. fact at medium
In the turn you change a spaceship’s level: range, as
shown by the
— You cannot plan an overboost card, back of the
a change direction card, also backward combat ruler.
maneuver are not allowed.
— The kinetic energy of the spaceship is
increased by 3, in addition to the value
indicated by the planned maneuver. — Spaceships on different levels are
never at short–range. The orange
— During the first movement step, part of the ruler indicates the
announce any change in level you spaceships are at medium range;
planned, and adjust the spaceship’s the light brown part indicates long
level stands (adding or removing range. The black part indicates the
one stand), but do not execute your spaceships are out of range, and
maneuver card; just execute any attack is not possible.
rotation you planned in this turn.
During the second movement step, — Tailing is possible when the
use your maneuver card normally. distance between the spaceship
stands is less than the mark on
If a spaceship plans a +1 level change while the back of the combat ruler.
at level 4, or a -1 level change while at level
1, it leaves the game, and is eliminated. The numbers on the back of the ruler are
used in all cases when using the range is
DISTANCES IN THREE–DIMENSIONAL not enough, and they take into account
SPACE the vertical distance between levels as
When you are using these rules, the well as the horizontal distance between
difference in level between attacker and two spaceships. For example, the distance
target becomes important whenever you indicated by the “15” mark on the back of
measure a distance. the ruler is equivalent to 15 cm, when two
spaceships are at one level of distance.
— A spaceship cannot fire at or tail a
target with a level difference of two or
more.
— When measuring the distance between
spaceships with a level difference of
one, use the back side of the combat
ruler.
23
OPTIONAL FEATURES
E
ach section in this part of the When a spaceship is moving inside an
rules presents some specific game asteroid field, it can take damage due
component, which can be introduced to collisions with asteroids, as explained
if required by a scenario, or if you want to below. When this happens, the controlling
experiment and create different situations player draws a collision damage counter,
in your games. secretly looks at its value, and places it
face down besides the spaceship’s control
panel. Damage is only revealed, if the
ASTEROID FIELDS spaceship is destroyed.
Before the start of the game, players
can agree to place one or more asteroid SPARSE ASTEROID
fields in the playing area. Each asteroid FIELDS
field template has two sides, to represent An asteroid field provides
either a sparse or dense field. some cover to spaceships.
Asteroid fields can be added to any If, when firing, the combat
scenario by agreement between players, or ruler crosses a sparse
they may be required by the scenario itself. asteroid field to reach
the target’s base, or
A spaceship is considered to be moving if the stand of the
inside an asteroid field if: target’s base is inside
— Any part of the spaceship’s base a sparse asteroid
overlaps an asteroid field template at field, the attacker
the end of a movement step. subtracts 2 from the
attack roll.
— During the movement step, two
opposite sides of a maneuver card When your spaceship
both overlap (even in the part) the moves inside a sparse
same asteroid field template. asteroid field, it can
take collision damage.
24
If you are playing with the Quick Start — If the kinetic energy is 2 or 3: draw
Rules, damage depends on your three collision damage counters,
spaceship’s speed: discard two of your choice, and assign
— If you did not use an overboost card: the third one to your spaceship.
+ANY 4+
-1
25
If you are playing with the Quick Start secret by the controlling player, unless the
Rules, damage depends on your spaceship is destroyed.
spaceship’s speed: Planetoids also hinder the line of sight of
— If you did not use an overboost card: spaceships. If, when checking line of sight,
— If the speed is or : do not draw you cannot reach any point of the target’s
any collision damage counters. base without crossing a planetoid, you
cannot attack that target.
— If the speed is or : draw two
collision damage counters, discard
one of your choice, and assign the
remaining one to your spaceship. PILOTS
The performance of a spaceship in combat
— If the speed is : draw two
depends not only on the technical features
collision damage counters and
of the craft, but also on the prowess of its
assign both to your spaceship.
pilot. These rules allow you to represent
— If you used an overboost card: differences resulting from the latter.
draw two collision damage counters,
and assign both to your spaceship.
PILOT CARDS
If you are playing with the Complete Rules, The normal values on the spaceship card
damage depends on your spaceship’s represent an average pilot controlling the
kinetic energy. spaceship. Many pilots, however, have
— If the kinetic energy is 0 or 1: do not talents which are better than average;
draw any collision damage counters. while some are inexperienced rookies who
have never seen a space battle. A scenario
— If the kinetic energy is 2 or 3: draw may indicate a given player has one or
two collision damage counters, discard more specific pilots, or you may simply
one of your choice, and assign the decide to include pilots in your game, giving
remaining one to your spaceship. equally talented pilots to both opponents.
— If the kinetic energy is 4 or more, or Each pilot is represented by a pilot card,
it is -1: draw two collision damage with all the information you need to play
counters, and assign both to your that pilot.
spaceship.
Each pilot card has a name, a photo, and
a rank. The game can provide more than
one card for the same pilot at different
PLANETOIDS levels of experience (different cards are
Before the start of the included in different Battlestar Galactica —
game, players can agree Starship Battles products). In a single game
to place one or more session, there can be no more than one
planetoids in the card with the same name (for example, you
playing area. cannot have two different Apollo cards).
Planetoids can The card indicates who can use the pilot
be added to any (his or her affiliation — Colonial or Cylon)
scenario by agreement No more than one pilot can be assigned to
between players, or they the same spaceship.
may be required by the The card also shows a list of talents and
scenario itself. flaws that may be chosen from for the pilot
When a spaceship ends its movement (referring to the titles of talent cards and
with any part of its base overlapping a flaw cards — see Pilot Talents and Flaws”
planetoid, its player draws a collision on page 28) and an attack bonus, which
damage counter and assigns it to that is added to (or subtracted from) the attack
spaceship. As usual, damage is kept roll when the pilot’s spaceship fires.
26
PILOT CARD
Name and photo Talents: The list of all Attack modifier: Value you
talents you can assign to add to or subtract from
Affiliation (Colonial/
the the pilot. the dice roll when you
Cylon): Only a player of
attack with the spaceship
the correct faction can Flaws The list of all flaws
of this pilot.
use the pilot. you can assign to the the
pilot.
Rank/Role
27
Rookies have the following limitations: ASSIGNING PILOT TALENTS AND FLAWS
— After an overboost or a change TO PILOTS
direction card, only a straight A pilot card has a list of possible talents
maneuver can be planned. and flaws for that pilot. When assigning
talents and flaws to the spaceship used
— If the tailing rule is in use, after by that pilot, the player must choose from
choosing which target to tail the rookie among them.
must roll two dice and get a total of 5
or more to be able to tail. If the roll is When using pilot cards, players can decide
failed, tailing is not possible. to assign to the pilot none, some, or all of
the talents and flaws indicated on his or
Nuggets and rookies are also limited in her card (always keeping balance in mind).
their choice of talents (see Pilot Talents
and Flaws, below) — they can only choose When using pilot tokens, you may assign
rookie talents. a maximum number of talents to the pilot
variable with the level of experience of
the pilot: 1 for nuggets, 2 for rookies, 3
PILOT TALENTS AND FLAWS for average pilots, 4 for experts, 5 for
If you are using pilot cards or pilot tokens aces. You can only assign rookie talents to
in your game, you can also include pilot nuggets and rookies. If you assign one or
talents and pilot flaws. two flaws to a pilot, their maximum number
Assign the talents as indicated by the of talents is increased accordingly (for
scenario, or agree on the number of example, an ace may have 7 talents and 2
talents each player must use and how to flaws).
assign them to the various spaceships (for Example: Players agree to use three
example, players may agree to use a total talents each, and one rookie and one
of three talents each, to assign to their ace pilot each. The Colonial player
spaceships as they prefer). chooses a Rookie pilot token and Apollo
(who counts as an ace) with the Power
Once you decide a number of talents (for
Pilot, Quick Reflexes, and Sturdy Pilot
example, three per player), each player talents, and the Tormented Soul flaw.
may increase the number of assignable Choosing one flaw, the Colonial player
talents by also assigning one or two flaws gets another talent, Marksman, which
to pilots, together with the same number he gives to the Rookie pilot.
of additional talents.
Talents and flaws normally have a limited
Talents and flaws can also be used to number of uses in each game. During
balance the game (for example, if players the game, place a use counter on a card
have different game experience, or if the each time it is used (unless the card has a
number of spaceships in the game is not
even).
∞ symbol, instead of a number of uses).
When the number of counters on the card
Flaws can also be used for scenario is equal to the uses value of that card, that
reasons. For example, in a scenario where card is discarded.
Colonial pilots are supposed to be sleepy,
they could all have Concentration Loss as a USING PILOT TALENTS
flaw. A pilot may have one or more talents.
Each talent is described by a card.
Take the cards matching the talents
selected for your pilots and place these
cards close to the control panel of the
“Our job isn’t to be careful, spaceship they are assigned to.
it’s to shoot Cylons out of the Each talent has a specific type. In any turn,
frakking sky!” a single pilot can use only one talent of each
type, and cannot use the same talent twice
(unless another talent allows you to do so).
— Starbuck
28
A wounded pilot cannot use more than “My flaws are personal,
two talents in the same turn. A severely yours are professional.”
wounded pilot cannot use more than one
talent in the same turn.
— Saul Tigh to Starbuck
The effects of a pilot’s talent only apply
to his/her spaceship, unless otherwise
indicated by the talent card itself. The effects of a pilot’s flaw only apply
to his/her spaceship, unless otherwise
USING PILOT FLAWS indicated by the flaw card itself.
A pilot may have one or two flaws. Like
talents, they “break the rules” of the game, TALENTS AND MEASURING
but to the disadvantage of the pilot with Some pilot talents only have an effect
that flaw. within a certain range. For example, with
Flaws have an activation value on them, Technical Eye, the target needs to be at
which is used by any opponent of the long range (24 cm) or less. The distance
spaceship’s owner to try to activate the is normally measured with the front side
flaw, at any appropriate time. of the combat ruler, considering the
nearest points of the two objects involved
To attempt to activate a pilot’s flaw, an (spaceship bases, planetoid templates, and
opponent rolls two dice. If the total is equal so on).
to or higher than the activation value, the
effect indicated on the card is applied and When playing with Three–dimensional
one counter is added to the card. If the space optional rules (page 22) use the
total of the dice is less than the activation back side of the ruler when referring to
value, the flaw effect does not apply, and a spaceships and other objects with a level
counter is not added. difference of one (for example, to measure
the range of effect of a talent).
No more than one attempt can be made to
activate the same flaw in a turn. If a pilot Spaceships or other objects with a level
has more than one flaw, an opponent can difference of two or more are always out
try to activate each of them, but no more of range of talents.
than once each.
29
FASTER–THAN–LIGHT the side of the FTL marker matching
the dice roll.
MOVEMENT
2. Then, roll one die, and use the front of
Some spaceships (as indicated by the
the ruler to move the spaceship ahead
FTL symbol at the bottom right of their
a number of centimeters as indicated
spaceship card) are capable of faster–
by the die result (each line on the ruler
than–light (FTL) “jumps.” FTL movement
is one centimeter).
may be used when indicated by a scenario,
or by agreement between players. 3. If the position overlaps any other object
(such as a planetoid, asteroid field, or
In game terms, an FTL jump enables a
spaceship), the spaceship receives one
spaceship to move instantly to another point
collision damage counter. If the object
of the playing area, or to enter play directly
is another spaceship, that spaceship
at a chosen spot, if the spaceship does not
also receives a collision damage
begin the scenario play. An FTL jump can
counter, and the jumping spaceship is
also be used to leave the playing area, with
moved farther as much as needed to
the same effect as exiting from a side.
avoid overlapping the bases.
If you want to use FTL, move the speed
After these steps are completed, the
slider on your spaceship’s control panel to
jumping spaceship executes the rest of
indicate FTL.
its turn normally, except it cannot attack
Then, you may choose your maneuver card during the first firing step of the turn.
(including an overboost maneuver, if you
A spaceship cannot use FTL in two
want), so your kinetic energy remains the
consecutive turns, and it cannot use it
same as in the previous turn.
more than twice in a game to jump from
Example: A Cylon Raider has a kinetic one spot in the playing area to another one.
energy of 5 when it decides to do an
If you are using the Fuel optional rules
FTL jump. The controlling player plans
(see page 21), each FTL jump costs 15
an overboost (kinetic energy 3) together
fuel points, in addition to the cost of the
with another maneuver, and uses the
maneuver cards.
arrow on the card (kinetic energy 2),
for a total of 5.
A change direction card cannot be used in FTL JUMP
the same turn as an FTL jump.
When players reveal their control panels,
and before revealing cards, any players
using FTL declares it, and places an FTL
marker anywhere in the playing area, (1) The Raider is
jumping: the roll
turning it any way they want. In case it is
to determine
necessary, determine randomly who must the direction is 9.
place their FTL marker first.
After all FTL markers are placed, complete
the following steps for each jumping
spaceship:
1. Roll two dice, to determine on which
side of the FTL marker the spaceship
reappears. Place the raised line on the
rear of the spaceship base adjacent to
(2) Then a second
“Keep jumping.” roll indicates the
distance from the
marker is 6 cm.
— William Adama
30
A LONG JOURNEY You can find additional control panels to pilot
those additional ships in the Battlestar
The Starter Set you have in your hands Galactica Control Panels accessory.
now is a complete game, but it is also our,
and your, starting point for the whole range If you play with many ships, you will also find it
of Battlestar Galactica – Starship Battles is useful to include additional sets of damage
products. counters, from the Additional Counter Set
accessory or from another Starter Set.
This set includes four models, but there is
no limit to the number spaceships you can The Battlestar Galactica — Starship Battles
play with, or to the number of players who game is growing month after month, with
can take part in the game. new exciting releases.
You can add more spaceships to your Visit our website, aresgames.eu, to remain
games with additional Starter Sets or up–to–date with what’s new for this game
Spaceship Packs. and all the other Ares Games products.
31
A GAME BY ANDREA ANGIOLINO AND ANDREA MAININI
ENGLISH EDITION
EDITING KEVIN CHAPMAN AND JIM LONG
WWW.ARESGAMES.EU