Game components
Dice
Dropfleet uses six-sided dice throughout the game both for its ease of availability and robust handling characteristics. Most of the dice rolls players need to make require equalling or bettering a target number and are written as a number with a plus sign after it, i.e. 5+, meaning the dice must roll a 5 or 6 to succeed.
When referencing dice rolls the rules will refer to six-sided dice as a D6. Rolling more dice is indicated with a number before i.e. if instructed to 'roll 3D6', players would roll 3 dice, '4D6' would be 4 dice etc. If you are asked to roll a D3, simply roll a D6 and a result of a 1 or a 2 would equal a 1, a result of 3 or 4 would equal a 2 and a result of 5 or 6 would equal a 3.
Dice roll modifiers
Certain special circumstances can mean that modifiers apply to dice rolls. These modifiers can be negative (e.g. -1 to the target number) or positive (e.g. +1 to the target number). Modifiers are always applied to the target number and they don't change the number you roll on the dice.
Modifiers can never make results impossible or a foregone conclusion. If a modifier would make a target number of 7+ or 1+ (i.e. impossible to achieve or impossible to fail), this is reduced to a 6+ and 2+ respectively.
For example, if you normally needed to roll a 4+ and had a +1 modifier to the target number you would only succeed on a roll of 5 or 6. Likewise if you needed a 5+ and had a -2 modifier, you would need a 3 or more to succeed (5+, with the minus 2 modifier = 3+ to succeed).
Re-rolls
Sometimes players will have the ability to 'reroll' certain dice. This lets the player pick up dice that have produced an unsatisfactory result and roll them again. The result of the reroll always stands even if it is worse than the original.
Re-rolled dice may never be re-rolled in any circumstances.
Tokens
Dropfleet Commander uses tokens and markers to track certain actions or events during a game. Many of these are designed to give both players a visual reminder of continuing effects and unit placement, but some are for convenience as it is often easier to use a dice or token next to a miniature than it is to have to keep notes.
Tokens are available for free download in the Resources section of the webstore:
Necessary on the tabletop (i.e. both players need to be aware):
- 'Spike' status markers (can be found on the base provided)
- Silent running markers (can be found on the base provided)
- Orbit level markers (can be found on the base provided)
- Clusters, Sectors and Launch Assets
Playing Space
Dropfleet Commander is usually played over a 4ft x 4ft gaming area, and scenarios in this book are based on this as the combat area. Players may find it easier to play on slightly wider tables to have space for reserves, destroyed ship miniatures, spare dice, and other game components.
Measuring distances
Dropfleet Commander uses inches for its unit of measurement. Players will need a tape measure or ruler marked in inches to measure distances. Throughout this book shorthand for measurements is used; quotation marks after a number indicate the inch distance, e.g. 12" would be 12 inches, 30" would 30 inches etc.
Pre-measuring
In Dropfleet Commander it is perfectly fine to pre-measure distances before moving or shooting, or at any time in between. Any 'fog of war' is taken into account in the game rules already and your captains (or equivalents) have the very best detection and calculation equipment of a future universe on hand. This means that players may measure any distances at any time.
Note that while pre-measuring means that any player may measure any distance at any time, sportsmanship should be considered and players are encouraged to take each other's word on measurements. Measuring every distance straight after your opponent has done just that leads to a very negative gaming experience all round.
Miniatures
Miniatures are the models you use for playing the game. In Dropfleet miniatures means one thing - ships; big ships, little ships, swarming fighters, kill-hungry bombers, torpedoes, drones, space stations, satellites and more.
For the purposes of clarity and ease of use, all distances in the game are measured from the flight stem of each ship or asset unless otherwise stated in specific rules.
Friendly and Enemy Ships
All ships in your Fleet, as well as those belonging to any team mates are friendly ships, while those belonging to your opponent or opponents are enemy ships. Certain effects and rules will specify either friendly or enemy ships, though some rules may not specify either, in which case both friendly and enemy ships can be affected.
Base Contact
Occasionally the rules will reference game objects being 'in contact' or tell players to place tokens or other game elements in base contact with a miniature's base as a way of showing that a ship is in close proximity to something. In the case of ships with very large or irregular shaped bases this may not be possible - in such cases, place the token, ship etc. as close as possible to the base, or use a 'Traffic Jam' token as detailed below.
Traffic James and Ship Placement
An unfortunate reality of moving miniatures around on the tabletop is that occasionally you'll end with a 'traffic jam' where several miniatures need to be in the same place (or close to it) at the same time. This is especially true of larger ships which can overhang their bases by a considerable distance, but it can happen with the smallest of vessels as well. Movement in Dropfleet is generally flexible enough that a ship almost never has to move to an exact spot so the problems usually arise from trying to squeeze the last possible inch of movement or keep a weapon system in arc to fire.
The solution is to use a marker to show the exact position of the intersecting ships until they move far enough apart to place models in their correct positions again, in the meantime they are simply placed as close as possible. These markers should show ship facing, and players should be as precise as possible in their placement to avoid arguments.
Note that while not the best way of playing in tournaments or competitive play, some Players may decide on a different house rule for this situation. Simply rule that ships may not move to any position where they cannot be physically placed. This speeds up the game and reduces the use of tokens. However, it is not a fool proof option.
Groups & Battlegroups
Individual ships in Dropfleet Commander always belong to a Group. Multiple Groups belong to a Battlegroup. It's worth noting the distinct difference between Groups and Battlegroups, as it comes up a lot! Battlegroups are assembled together to form your fleet, see Building Your Fleet for more details.
Battlegroups are represented by Battlegroup Cards, which are created when building your fleet and used to keep track of their actions.
All ships of the same class in a Battlegroup automatically form a group together.
For example a UCM Battlegroup could be comprised of six Toulon Class frigates, two Berlin Class cruisers and a Madrid Class cruiser. It would therefore contain three groups; one comprising the six Toulons, one comprising two Berlins and one comprising the Madrid.
Group Cohesion
Ships in groups have to stay fairly close together so they can rapidly share combat information over secure links to instantly coordinate their actions and hinder enemy intelligence-gathering. Smaller ships with more limited communications gear and lower signature have to stay closer together to retain cohesion as a fighting unit and get the same benefits.
What that all means is that ships in the same group have to stay close to each other on the tabletop.
Ships with a Hull characteristic of 6 or less have a group coherency of 3".
Ships with a Hull characteristic of 7 or more have a group coherency of 6".
EXAMPLE GROUP COHERENCYAs with most of the distances in Dropfleet Commander, coherency is measured from the centre of one model to the centre of another, with the centre being the stem of the flight stand.
Special rules can increase or decrease the standard coherency distances for groups. When a group activates the first ship in it can be moved freely (subject to the normal rules for movement). Each subsequent ship in the group must end its movement within coherency range of at least one other ship in the group.
In the event that a ship finds itself outside coherency range (usually due to the group suffering casualties) it must move to be within coherency range of another ship from the group as soon as it has an opportunity to do so.
Some Groups have a special open coherency (most notably strike carriers and other troop deploying ships). These Ships do not have to maintain coherency and are not subject to either Battlegroup or Group coherency rules - they are effectively autonomous, though must still obey the rules for orders/special orders as their battlegroup.
Battlegroup cohesion
The individual groups that make up a battlegroup are free to split up as much as they wish, but they avoid penalties to the battlegroup's overall effectiveness by staying closer together. When it comes to comparing Strategy Ratings (see Strategy Ratings for more details), a Battlegroup temporarily increases its Strategy Rating by +1 for each of its groups that is more than 12" away from any other group in the same battlegroup.
Special rules can increase or decrease the standard 12" coherency distance for battlegroups.
Disagreements
The rules are written to cover as many conceivable eventualities as possible, but there will always be occasions where obscure situations are not addressed. If rereading the relevant rules section does not provide an answer to a problem, and the players cannot agree on how to proceed, simply have one player roll a dice. On a 1-3 one interpretation is correct, on a 4-6 it is the other. This makes for a fair and impartial ruling when players can't agree, and stops further arguments.