Preparing For Battle

After choosing a game size and preparing your fleet, you must choose a scenario. In war, the simple destruction of the enemy is often not the main goal of a particular tactical operation. Perhaps critical geosynchronous orbits must be captured to support ground invasions, enemy held cities might need to be razed from orbit etc. In futuristic warfare, many of these objectives are time critical, necessitating rapid deployment, insertion and support for your ground forces. A selection of scenarios are provided in this book, and many more will appear in the future. Every Scenario will outline the following to define the rules of the game:

• Battlefield Layout: An outline of the scenery and battlefield required. This will usually be quite loose, allowing you to play the same scenario in wildly different conditions. However, some will require specific features such as space stations.
• Number of players: Some scenarios will only work with two sides and will require an even number of players (when there is a clear attacking side and defending side for example). Others will allow any number of players, sometimes all vying against each other.
• Fleet Roster: In most scenarios, this section will simply state that the Standard Fleet Roster should be used. However, certain special scenarios will dictate more unconventional fleets, and will be accompanied by a special Fleet Roster chart which may replace the standard one or be permitted as an alternative.
• Approach Type: Each scenario will define where and how each fleet may deploy on the battlefield.
• Number of Turns: Games are played out as a number of turns. Each scenario will state how many of these there will be before the game ends.
• Victory Conditions: Each Scenario will state what each player must do to secure victory. This will vary enormously between scenarios and will strongly dictate how the battle is played.

Approach Type

At the beginning of an engagement fleets approach the Battlefield in different ways. Which of these will be used will depend on the scenario.

• Directly Deployed: Directly Deployed Battlegroups begin the game on the table and within 6" of a friendly board edge. Some special Scenarios may define an additional Deployment Zone where ships may be placed.
• Battleline: All Battlegroups begin the game off the table but can be activated in the same way as a Battlegroup already on the table.
• Column: The fleet is approaching the battlefield in a drawn out formation and will not all arrive at once. All Battlegroups begin the game off the table. On turn 1, two Battlegroups of your choice must be activated and move on. On turn 2, two more Battlegroups must be activated and move on. On turn 3, all remaining Battlegroups must be activated and move on.
• Distant: The fleet cautiously approaches the battlefield, with lighter battlegroups arriving first. On turn 1, all Battlegroups with a Tonnage value of 1-9 must be activated and move on. On turn 2, all Battlegroups with a Tonnage value of 10-14 must be activated and move on. On 3, all Battlegroups with a Tonnage value of 15 and above must be activated and move on.
• Rapid Response: The fleet has been forced to respond to a developing threat on the fly. On turn 1, one Battlegroup of your choice must activate and move on. On turn 2, each remaining Battlegroup must be activated and move on on a roll of 4+ (roll separately for each Battlegroup). On turn 3, each remaining Battlegroup must be activated and moved on on a roll of 2+ (roll separately for each Battlegroup). On turn 4, all remaining Battlegroups must be activated and moved on.

Activating Battlegroups not on the table

When a Battlegroup not on the table is activated, it must be moved onto the table from any friendly edge. Groups entering the table this way start in High Orbit (although they may change Orbital layer as normal during their turn) and may be given Orders.