A Game of Exploration

and Encounter in Deep Space

By Leonard H. Kanterman and Douglas Bonforte

Dedicated to Paul Kanterman, and the next generation.
Copyright 1982, 2011 Daniel Proctor. Some illustrations copyright Jeff Dee
1982, 2011, used with permission. Some illustrations Copyright 2011 Mark
Allen, used under license. Star Explorer, Starships & Spacemen, Goblinoid
Games, and the Goblinoid Games logo are trademarks of Daniel Proctor. Star
field map background credit: NASA, ESA, and R. Massey (California Institute of
Technology). Thanks go to William F. Hostman for feedback and alternate rule
suggestions. Much appreciation goes to Doug Bonforte and Len Kanterman for
feedback and rules clarification.

Goblinoid Games

1. THE GAME ................................................................................... 2 3.8 DAMAGE REPAIR .............................................................. 10

1.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................. 2 3.9 RETURN TO STARBASE .................................................. 10
1.2 GAME EQUIPMENT AND SCALE ..................................... 2 4. PLANETARY EXPLORATION ................................................ 11
1.3 GENERAL COURSE OF PLAY ........................................... 2 4.1 PLANETARY ENCOUNTERS .......................................... 11
1.4 TURN SEQUENCING .......................................................... 3 4.2 PLANETARY DISASTERS ................................................ 12
SEQUENCE OF PLAY............................................................ 3 4.3 DISEASE ENCOUNTERS .................................................. 14
2. SET-UP FOR PLAY ...................................................................... 4 4.4 DISTURBANCES ................................................................ 14
2.1 PLANET LOCATIONS ......................................................... 4 4.5 GEOLOGIC ENCOUNTERS ............................................. 14
2.2 SHIP'S COMPONENTS ....................................................... 4 4.6 PLANT ENCOUNTERS ..................................................... 15
2.3 SHIP'S CREW ........................................................................ 5 4.7 ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS: HERBIVORES &
2.4 BONUS RESOURCE POINTS ............................................ 5 CARNIVORES ............................................................................ 16
3. INTERSTELLAR MOVEMENT .................................................. 6 4.8 SENTIENT ENCOUNTERS ............................................... 17
3.1 INTERSTELLAR MOVEMENT AND ENCOUNTERS ..... 6 4.9 FUEL PROSPECTING ....................................................... 18
3.2 STELLAR ENCOUNTERS: HAZARDS OF SPACE ......... 6 5. ENDGAME AND NOTES ......................................................... 19
3.3 STELLAR ENCOUNTERS: TRADERS .............................. 7 5.1 VICTORY ............................................................................. 19
3.4 STELLAR ENCOUNTERS: PIRATES ................................ 7 5.2 CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP ................................................... 19
3.5 STELLAR ENCOUNTERS: ENEMY VESSEL ................... 8 5.3 INITIAL SHIP STATS ......................................................... 20
3.6 SPACE COMBAT .................................................................. 8 5.4 ALTERNATE RULES ......................................................... 20
3.7 STELLAR ENCOUNTER: MAJOR EVENT ....................... 9 5.5 STAR EXPLORER with STARSHIPS & SPACEMEN .... 20
1. THE GAME
1.1 INTRODUCTION
STAR EXPLORER is a game of exploration and encounter in the
far reaches of deep space.
Sometime in the distant future, mankind has solved the problems
of faster-than-light drive and reached the stars. The various worlds
and colonies of humanity are loosely linked in a Galactic
Confederacy. The Confederacy's expansion is opposed by another
space-faring humanoid race, the Zangids, with whom the
Confederacy has an uneasy truce defining spheres of influence.
The Space Fleet Service is the enforcement arm of the vessels. There are also four sets of variously colored counters to
Confederacy. It is charged with clearing the star lanes, keeping the represent the crew teams of each player's ship.
peace, and exploring new, earth-like planets, obtaining survey 6) Dice: Two six-sided dice, one ten-sided die, and one twenty-
information about indigenous life forms to help possible future sided die are required. Most 20-sided dice manufactured today are
colonization efforts. simply labeled 1-20. If using the original 1977 dice, the twenty-
In this game, each player assumes the role of a commander of a sided die is labeled 0·9 twice. When a roll of 1D10 is required by
Space Fleet Service Battle Cruiser. Players start at a central home the rules, players should roll the twenty-sided die, treating a roll of
StarBase and must explore a given sector of the galaxy, visiting a 0 as a roll of 10. When a roll of 1D20 is required by the rules,
set number of planets. Through their journeys, players must cope players should roll the twenty-sided die and a six-sided die. If the
with hazards of space, including possibly combat with the Zangids six-sided die roll is 1, 2, or 3, the twenty-sided die is read from 1 to
or with space pirates. Upon arrival at each planet, players will (1)0. If the six-sided roll is 4, 5, or 6, the twenty-sided roll is read
assign investigating teams of specialists from the ship's crew to from 11 to (2)0, creating a range from one to twenty. (Players also
survey the planet, and will resolve the encounters those teams have have the option of coloring in one set of numbers on the twenty-
on the planetary surface. sided die with a fine point felt-tipped marker and reading the
colored numbers as 11-20, while the uncolored numbers are read
STAR EXPLORER is intended for one to four players. It is 1-10.)
especially well-suited to solitaire play, as players are in competition
more with the game system than with each other. With more than Each player will also need a pen or pencil with which to mark his
one player, each is racing against the others to complete their Ship's Log Record sheet.
explorations as rapidly and as successfully as possible. The scale of the game is as follows. Each hex on the game map
STAR EXPLORER is loosely based on Starships & Spacemen, a represents a distance of one light year. The game map is only two
science fiction role playing game originally published by Fantasy dimensional for ease of play; the location in the third (vertical)
Games Unlimited in 1977, and currently published by Goblinoid dimension is ignored. Each turn equals one day of game time.
Games. However, all material necessary for play of STAR 1.3 GENERAL COURSE OF PLAY
EXPLORER is present in this package and players need not refer Each player represents the Captain of a StarShip. Starting at the
to any other product to play this game. central, home StarBase, each player must visit each of the planets
1.2 GAME EQUIPMENT AND SCALE and return to StarBase as quickly as possible. On each planet, the
STAR EXPLORER includes the following components: player will conduct an exploration, hoping to gain information
about the planet through encounters with the life-forms and other
1) Game Map: The map is a hexagonal grid, essentially blank features prominent on the planet. Successful encounters are the
except for the centrally located home StarBase. Each game, main method for earning Victory Points (VPs) and, ultimately,
planets and other features will be located as play proceeds; winning the game, reflecting the information-gathering process as
locations will be marked by the placement of counters on the the player's primary and major objective.
appropriate hexes.
At the start of the game, each player will equip his vessel, within
2) Space Combat Tactical Display: This display is used whenever a certain limits, as he best sees fit to accomplish his mission. The
player's ship engages in space combat with pirate or Zangid player determines the composition of his ship to include ship
vessels. components (engines, teleporters, shields and weapons), crew
3) Planetary Display: This display is used to graphically aid the teams (of ten different specialty types, each with their own unique
assignment of investigating teams to various planetary encounters. function), energy fuel stores, and armor (maximum damage
4) Ship's Log Record Pad: Each player needs one sheet for each capacity).
game. On this pad, the player records the functional status of his Once equipped, the player will move his ship through space
ship's components (including energy reserve and accumulated towards the various planets. Each turn the player must decide how
damage), keeps track of planetary missions and encounters, and fast his ship will move, expending energy accordingly. During
keeps a running total of accumulated victory points. stellar movement, the ship may encounter several different
5) Counters: The counters are used to mark the location of planets features, including hazards of space (clouds, asteroids, etc.) and
and hazards of space that are encountered, as well as the player's other vessels (traders, pirates or Zangids).

2
Upon arriving at each planet, the player will choose some of his C. Option One: Stellar Movement
crew teams to send down to the planet as a landing party. The 1. Choose speed and pay energy cost
landing party will have several encounters on each planet: finding
2. Move hex by hex. In each hex roll 1D6 and see if
mineral deposits in geological formations; encountering strange
an encounter occurs. Roll of 1-5 means no
new species of plants, animals, and sentient beings; curing disease
encounter, continue movement. Roll of 6 means an
epidemics; coping with disasters. Successful resolution of these
encounter has taken place; roll 1D20 to determine
encounters will earn Victory Points for the player. Certain specialty
which encounter on the Stellar Encounter Table
crew team types will aid in this resolution. However, the
investigating teams may sustain losses during their encounters, 3. Resolve encounter and, if possible, continue
which may hinder future activities. movement after the encounter is resolved until entire
movement for the turn is used up
Throughout the game, the player's ship will be expending energy
for various functions; mainly for movement through space but also D. Option Two: Planetary Exploration
in some stellar encounters, especially in combat with pirate or 1. First Turn Special Routine
Zangid vessels, and in some planetary encounters as well. The a. If first player to visit a planet, roll 1D10
player should keep careful track of his energy supply; if his ship on the environment table to determine the
runs out of energy, it is 'dead in space,' and the player loses the planetary environment. (Environment will
game. If running low, the player may choose to prospect for remain constant for other players visiting
additional fuel on some of the planets. the same planet later in the game.)
The player should also keep track of how much damage his ship b. Choose teams to be sent in the initial
sustains in the various encounters, especially combat. If a ship landing party, up to the limit set by
sustains maximum damage, it is destroyed, and the player loses. teleporters
When heavily damaged, a player may choose to perform damage
repairs. c. Roll on the Planetary Encounter
Tables to determine encounters. If the
1.4 TURN SEQUENCING planet has a Mission pre-assigned to it,
When playing with more than one player, the sequence in which determine two encounters; if the planet had
players will take their turns is determined each turn. Players must no assigned mission, determine three
keep a running total of their Victory Points (VPs) on the Ship's Log encounters
Record. The player with the lowest total VP Score moves first that d. Assign teams to the encounters, placing
turn, followed by the player with the next lowest VP Score, etc. the team counters on the Planetary Display
When two or more players are tied in Victory Points · as at the e. Resolve encounters
start of the game, when all players have 0 Victory Points · they
1. Resolve all Disease and Disaster encounters
should each roll a die to determine turn order, with the high roller
first, as these may affect the activities of other
going first that turn.
teams on the planet.
SEQUENCE OF PLAY 2. Other encounters may be resolved in any order
I. Game Start Sequence desired. Certain types of encounters (Plant, Animal,
A. Planetary placement Sentient) involve determination of further modifiers
for the species encountered, which will affect
1. Roll for location of each planet (usually 4):
resolution of encounters.
distance (1D6 plus 5) and direction (hex row along
compass arm from home StarBase) 3. In general, each encounter will call for two sets of
die rolls each turn; the first will determine whether
2. Roll for missions for certain planets on the Mission
the player's efforts were successful, the second will
Table (one planet will have a mission for each player
determine what losses the investigating teams
in the game; if one player is playing only one planet
sustain. The loss die roll is made regardless of the
will have a mission, if two are playing there will be
results of the investigation, whether successful or not.
missions for two planets)
2. Subsequent Turns
B. Ship preparation (done by each player in secret)
a. Reinforcement and/or substitution of
1. Assign standard components
teams, to maximum teleporter limit. In
2. Assign crew teams several types of encounters (Plant, Geo-
3. Allot bonus resource points as teams, logic, Disease, Disturbance, Fuel
ship components, energy, or armor Prospecting), the chance for success
4. All ships start from home StarBase increases with each successive turn spent
on the encounter.
II. Player Turn Sequence
A. Determine player sequence based on VP totals at that
moment; die roll for any 'ties'
B. Player chooses one of two options: Stellar Movement or
Planetary Exploration
3
2. SET-UP FOR PLAY
2.1 PLANET LOCATIONS
1. In the standard scenario, four planets are placed on the map.
(Note: There may be other star systems present within the sector,
but only those systems containing Earth-like planets are placed on
the map board.) Planet placement is determined randomly to
assure variety between games.
The location for each planet is determined as follows: First the
distance of each planet from the central, home StarBase is
determined by rolling 1D6 and adding five to the result to
determine the number of hexes the planet is from StarBase. Thus, additional ship components, Damage or Energy ratings, or
all planets will be between six and eleven hexes from home additional Crew Teams (see 2.3, Ship's Crew). The method for
StarBase. allocating bonus Resource Points is explained below.
Next, the direction of each planet from StarBase is determined. 2. ENGINES: Ships have a standard six engines. Engines are
The player rolls 1D6 and locates the planet in the hex row important in interstellar travel; the maximum speed, in hexes, a
indicated by consulting the scatter diagram around home StarBase. player may choose for his ship is equal to the number of engines.
The planet is then placed in the appropriate hex row, the 3. TELEPORTERS: Ships have a standard six teleporters.
previously determined number of hexes away from home StarBase. Teleporters are important in planetary exploration; the maximum
If the die rolls call for two planets to be in the same hex, ignore the number of teams which a player may send to explore a planet is
second set of die rolls and roll again. Planetary systems may, equal to the number of teleporters.
however, be adjacent or any other distance apart in the same hex 4. SHIELDS: Ships have a standard three shields. Shields may be
row. activated during stellar movement and/or combat at a certain
Optional Rule: For a longer, somewhat more challenging, game it energy cost to help absorb (and thus prevent) damage to the ship
is recommended that five or six planets may be placed. In general, by Stellar Encounters (Asteroid Belts) or in Stellar Combat
a player should allow an additional five turns to the time limit for (with Pirates or Enemy Vessels).
each such additional planet placed on the map board. Mission Chart/Table
2. Certain of the planets will have predetermined missions for the Roll
player to resolve. These missions will have the highest Victory 1d20 Mission
Point value of any encounters in the game (15 VPs). 1 Disturbance: Directional Equipment Malfunction (Navigation)
2 Disturbance: Defense System Malfunction (Fire Control)
A number of planets equal to the number of players in the game 3 Disturbance: Damaged Vessel Requires Repair (Damage Control)
are given missions. The first-placed planets are given the missions, 4 Disturbance: Geologic Disturbance (Geology)
which are determined by rolling 1D20 and consulting the Mission 5 Disturbance: Power Plant Malfunction (Fuel Engineers)
Chart. The particular mission each planet has been assigned 6 Disturbance: Crop Failure (Botany)
should be noted on the Planetary Record Log. (Example: When 7 Disturbance: Unusual Animal Behavior (Animal Physiology)
playing with two players, the first and second planets placed on the 8 Disturbance: Local Sentient Unrest (Sentient Contact)
map board will be assigned missions from the Mission Table.) 9 Disturbance: Disease Epidemic (Medical)
There are two types of missions on the table: Disturbances on a 10 Disturbance: Local Revolt (Military)
Colony world or Investigation of Unusual Activity. The method of 11 Investigation: Geologic Encounter
resolving these encounters/missions is more fully detailed under 12 Investigation: Geologic Encounter
Planetary Encounters, Section 4. 13 Investigation: Plant Encounter
Note: The team type listed by each Disturbance is the team which 14 Investigation: Plant Encounter
15 Investigation: Animal Encounter - Herbivore
will provide a bonus when attempting to resolve that particular
16 Investigation: Animal Encounter - Carnivore
Disturbance.
17 Investigation: Sentient Encounter
3. Optional Rule: The environment of planets with an assigned 18 Investigation: Sentient Encounter
mission may be determined at this time by rolling 1D10 and 19 Investigation: Disease Encounter
consulting the Planetary Environment Table (see Section 4.1). 20 Investigation: Disease Encounter
2.2 SHIP'S COMPONENTS 5. MISSILES: Ships have a standard one missile launching section.
1. The standard player's ship is a Battle Cruiser. A ship consists of Missiles are one of two weapons systems a ship has with which to
five components, each of which is involved in certain ship engage in stellar combat, the other being beams. Missiles are
functions. These five components are Engines, Teleporters, shorter ranged than beams, but cause greater damage with each
Shields, Missiles, and Beams. Ships are also rated for Maximum hit.
Damage (Armor) and Initial Energy Reserve. 6. BEAMS: Ships have a standard one beam section. Beams are
Each ship is equipped with a standard number of each component, the other weapons system a ship has for stellar combat. Beams are
standard Damage, and standard Energy ratings. However, before longer ranged and tend to be more accurate than missiles, but they
commencing play, each player is allowed to upgrade his ship with inflict less damage with each hit.
five bonus Resource Points; these may be assigned to allow
4
7. MAXIMUM DAMAGE (ARMOR): Ships start with a standard 3. The player(s)'s ship has a standard 25 crew teams total, which
100 points of Maximum Damage. When a ship has suffered are taken as follows. The player must take seven MILITARY
damage equal to its Maximum Damage Rating, it is destroyed, and teams; he must take at least one team of each of the other nine
the player has lost the game. Ship damage can be repaired, either specialty types; and he may choose the remaining nine team types
in space or at home StarBase. freely.
8. ENERGY: Ships start with a standard 100 Energy Unit reserve. The player may also obtain additional crew teams by means of his
Energy units are expended to allow for stellar movement, to power Bonus Resource Points, see below.
the shields and weapons systems during stellar combat, and during The crew types to be chosen are determined by the player after he
special encounter situations, both in space and on planets, as has determined what the mission(s) will be for those planets with
detailed below. pre-assigned missions in the game.
Players must keep track of their energy expenditures and reserves
2.4 BONUS RESOURCE POINTS
on the Ship's Log Record. When a ship has expended its entire
energy reserve, it is 'lost in space' and the player has lost the 1. In addition to the standard ship components and crew already
game. Additional energy may be obtained during the game by discussed, players have an additional five Resource Points to
prospecting for fuel on the surface of planets or in asteroid belts, improve their ship's capabilities as they see fit. Each player
by trading with merchant vessels encountered, or by returning to determines what he will obtain for his Bonus Resource Points
home StarBase. secretly.
9. Ship's components may be damaged as a result of critical hits 2. One resource point may be exchanged for any one of the
obtained during stellar combat or other encounters; the number of following items:
functional units of each type should be kept track of on the Ship's a) 1 ship's component (engine, teleporter, shield, beam,
Log Record. missile).
b) 1 crew team, of any type.
2.3 SHIP'S CREW c) 25 additional energy units of fuel reserve.
1. The ship is manned by crew teams. There are ten different d) 25 additional armor points for maximum damage.
types of crew teams, each of which has a particular function to A player may expend his bonus resource points in any mixture or
perform, either during interstellar movement or planetary combination he desires. Players are allowed to spend all five bonus
exploration. points for the same item if they so desire; there is no limit to
Each team consists of a number of individuals and all necessary availability. (Example: A player could spend all five points to gain
equipment; the player need only keep track of the number of five extra engines; conversely, he could get 1 extra engine, 1 extra
teams for each type and their assignments. The player should use teleporter, 1 extra Medical team, 1 extra Military team, and 25
the crew team counters for this purpose. extra energy units of fuel for his five points.)
2. The ten team types and their functions are as follows. The
teams have a random number listing, which may be used when
losses must be randomly assigned or applied to the ship's crew.
1) NAVIGATION: helps avoid hazards of space during interstellar
movement and aids in escape from unfavorable space combat
situations.
2) FIRE CONTROL: improves chances of hitting an opposing
vessel during space combat with both missiles and beam weapons.
3) DAMAGE CONTROL: helps repair damage incurred after space
combat or encounters, including critical hits to the ship
components.
4) GEOLOGY: Planetary exploration team that improves
the chance of successfully resolving Geological encounters.
5) FUEL ENGINEERS: Planetary exploration team that improves
the chance of finding fuel when prospecting for fuel on a planet.
6) BOTANY: Planetary exploration team that helps resolve Plant
encounters.
7) ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY: Planetary exploration team that helps
resolve Animal encounters (herbivore and carnivore).
8) SENTIENT CONTACT: Planetary exploration team that helps
resolve encounters with Sentient creatures.
9) MEDICAL: Planetary exploration team that helps cure Diseases.
10) MILITARY: Planetary exploration team. Military teams have no
specialty bonus in encounters, they are 'jacks of all trades' and their
assignment to a given encounter allows them to be taken as
casualties, sparing the specialty team(s) from losses and allowing
them to continue in their specialty function.
5
3. INTERSTELLAR MOVEMENT
3.1 INTERSTELLAR MOVEMENT AND ENCOUNTERS
1. At the start of each of his turns, the player must determine
whether or not he wishes to perform interstellar movement, to
move his ship to a new location, or to remain in the hex he
currently occupies and perform planetary exploration. A player
may only do one or the other on any given turn.
2. Interstellar movement is employed to move between planetary
systems, using the faster-than-light drive (as each hex is one light
year's distance), and consuming energy from the ship's fuel reserve. 5. A player moves his ship one hex at a time. For each hex
3. Each turn that a player wishes to use interstellar movement, he entered, the player must determine if a space encounter has
must choose a ship's speed for the turn, before actually moving. occurred. He rolls 1D6; on a roll of 1-5, nothing has happened,
The ship must be moved a number of hexes equal to the chosen and he may continue moving. On a roll of 6, a space encounter
speed, unless encounters in space prevent this being possible. The has occurred. The player then rolls 1D20 and consults the Space
player may move his ship in any direction or combination of Encounter Table above to see which encounter occurs. The player
directions freely. immediately resolves the encounter and may then continue
The maximum speed a player is allowed to choose is equal to the moving, if possible. Encounters are explained in the following
number of engines on his ship. A player may choose any speed sections.
desired, between 'one' and the maximum determined by his If a '20', Major Event, is rolled, roll 1D20 on the Major Event
engines. Table in section 3.7 to determine its nature.
In the game, the maximum possible speed would be 11, if a player 3.2 STELLAR ENCOUNTERS: HAZARDS OF SPACE
had eleven engines on his ship (six engines standard plus five
engines from his total bonus resource points). 1. Four of the stellar encounters are hazards of space: Cloud,
Asteroid Belt, Radiation Storm, and Gravity Well. When a hazard
4. The energy cost for movement depends upon the ship's speed of space is encountered, its location is marked on the map by the
as follows: placement of an appropriate counter in the hex. Should any ship
Speed Energy Cost (in units) Speed Energy Cost (in units) ever enter that hex again, the hazard will be automatically
1 1 7 13 encountered, and no encounter die roll is made.
2 3 8 15 Hazard encounters are resolved only when a hex is entered; the
3 5 9 17 encounter need not be checked again if the ship remains in the hex
4 7 10 19 and leaves on a later turn (for example, when a hazard exists in a
5 9 11 21 planetary hex).
6 11
2. CLOUD: Interstellar dust cloud interferes with the ship's
Note that it is not always in the player's best interest to move at navigation. The player must roll greater than or equal to his ship's
the most rapid speed possible, as speed may affect the outcome of current speed on 2D6 to pass through the cloud successfully and
space encounters. keep moving that turn. If he rolls less than his ship's current speed,
Space Encounter Table (1D20) the ship is lost in the Cloud and must cease all movement for that
1 Cloud 11 Gravity Well turn; he may proceed normally on the next turn. The player may
2 Cloud 12 Trader add 1 to his die roll for each Navigation team in his crew.
3 Cloud 13 Trader 3. ASTEROID BELT: A player has the choice of stopping or
4 Asteroid Belt 14 Pirates passing through. If he stops, he risks no damage and may, on a
5 Asteroid Belt 15 Pirates subsequent turn, prospect for fuel in the Asteroid Belt (see Fuel
6 Asteroid Belt 16 Enemy Battle Cruiser Prospecting).
7 Radiation Storm 17 Enemy Battle Cruiser
If the player wishes to pass through the Belt and keep moving that
8 Radiation Storm 18 Enemy Battleship
turn, he must make a safety roll to see if the ship sustains damage
9 Radiation Storm 19 Enemy Dreadnaught
during its passage. The player must roll greater than or equal to his
10 Gravity Well 20 Major Event*
* Roll 1D20 on the Major Event Table in section 3.7 to determine its
ship's current speed on 2D6 to pass through safely. If he rolls less
nature. than the ship's current speed, the ship has been damaged. The
player may add 1 to this die roll for each Navigation team in his
crew.
To determine damage, the player rolls 2D6 and multiplies the
result by 10 for the number of damage points sustained. A die roll
of 2, 3, 11, or 12 for damage indicates a Critical Hit to one of the
ship's components has occurred; a roll of 7 or 8 indicates a Crew
Team loss. Critical Hits and Crew Team losses are detailed under
Interstellar Combat.
6
Before making his 'safety roll' a player may activate any or all of 3. One of the Major Events that may occur is a 'New Tax on
his ship's shields, at an energy cost of 1 energy unit per shield, to Traders'; this will increase all prices except for the exchange of
try to protect the ship against possible damage if he fails the safety crew teams for energy units by an amount equal to 1D10 x 10%.
roll. For each shield activated, 10 damage points are negated.
3.4 STELLAR ENCOUNTERS: PIRATES
4. RADIATION STORM: A ship may sustain crew team losses
1. Players may encounter Pirate vessels as stellar encounters.
when passing through a Radiation Storm due to Radiation
Pirates are the scourges of galactic commerce, and it is considered
Sickness. The player rolls 1D10 to determine the number of crew
a standard, although subsidiary, ship's mission to rid the star lanes
teams that sustain losses. Before making this roll, the player may
of these pirates.
activate any or all of his shifts shields at a cost of 1 energy unit per
shield to try to protect the crew; each shield activated prevents one 2. Pirate vessels are nonstandardized; exact ship's components are
crew team loss. The player may also subtract 1 from the die roll for determined at the moment of contact.
each Damage Control team in his crew. Crew Team losses are A pirate vessel has 1/2D6 beams and 1/2D6 missiles. A pirate
explained in the section on Interstellar Combat. vessel has a maximum damage of (1D10+5) x 10 damage points
(Example: Player activates 4 shields, and has 1 Damage Control (so the vessels will have from 60 to 150 damage points).
team; he rolls a 7 for losses; he only has to lose 2 Crew Teams.) 3. When a pirate vessel is contacted, the player has three options
5. GRAVITY WELL: Gravity wells drag ships off course from which to choose. He may run from the pirates; he may
proportional to the ship's speed. The player has a choice: he may attempt to bribe the pirates to allow his ship to pass; or he may
either cease movement for the turn, and proceed normally on the fight the pirates.
next turn, or pay an energy cost equal in units of energy to the 4. RUN: A player may run to avoid contact as follows. The player
ship's current speed to make course corrections and continue picks a speed from two to twelve; he may pick any speed
moving on that turn. regardless of how many engines his ship has, and he pays an
amount of energy equal to the speed chosen. He then rolls 2D6; if
3.3 STELLAR ENCOUNTERS: TRADERS
the roll is less than or equal to the speed chosen, he has escaped;
1. A player may encounter a merchant's trading vessel as a result if the roll is greater than the speed chosen, he has failed to escape
of an encounter. There are a variety of things which a player may and must proceed to combat. The player may subtract one from
purchase or trade with the merchant. A player may purchase/trade his die roll for each Navigation team in his crew. No actual
for any or all of the following in one encounter. movement takes place with an escape; the ship remains in the
2. MERCHANDISE: same hex and may proceed with movement normally for the
CREW TEAMS: A player may purchase one crew team of any remainder of the turn. (The vessel uses Overdrive on its engines for
type at a cost of 35 energy units per team. a brief pulse of hyperspeed to escape the situation).
SHIP'S COMPONENTS: A player may purchase any one ship's When a ship uses Overdrive to attempt escape, there is a chance
component (engine, shield, missile, beam, or teleporter) at a cost of damage to the engines. If the escape die roll was a 2 or a 12,
of 35 energy units. engine damage has occurred; the player then rolls 1D6 to
determine the number of engines incapacitated. See Damage
ENERGY: A player may trade any number of crew teams for
Repair for how to repair engines so damaged.
energy units, at the ratio of 15 energy units for each crew team ex-
changed in this fashion. As it is usually a standard mission to fight the pirates, a player
Note that these prices and exchange ratios are less favorable than loses 25 VPs if he runs from the pirates without combat.
the standard ratio of exchange for Bonus Resource points, that is 5. BRIBE: The player may offer from 10 to 50 energy units as a
25 units for 1 crew team or 1 ship's component. This price rise bribe to the pirates. The player chooses the amount he wishes to
represents the trader's premium markup for availability in space. offer, then rolls 1D6 and multiplies the result by 10 to determine
STELLAR MAPS: A player may purchase one Stellar Map at a the pirate's demand. If the bribe offered is equal to or greater than
cost of 5 energy units. The stellar map may be used to help the demand, the pirates let the ship proceed; if the bribe was
alleviate the effects of the hazards of space which may be inadequate, combat ensues. The pirates take the entire bribe
encountered, as follows: offered regardless of the roll for their demand; they take the bribe
Cloud: Roll 3D6 rather than 2D6 to pass through safely. even if it was inadequate and combat ensues, so the energy units
offered as a bribe are always lost. There is no VP loss for bribing
Asteroid Belt: As for Cloud, roll 3D6 rather than 2D6.
Gravity Well: Pay only half the usual cost to continue moving. the pirates.
Radiation Storm: Roll 1D6 rather than 1D10 for crew losses. (Example: Player offers 40 units of energy as a bribe; the pirates'
A player may have in his possession no more than one Stellar Map demand roll is a 2, or 20 units, but all 40 units offered are lost. On
at a time. When he uses a Stellar Map to assist his crew in a demand roll of 5 or 6, the bribe would have been inadequate and
handling an encounter, it is expended; he may purchase another combat would have resulted.)
map on a subsequent turn. 6. COMBAT: A player may engage the pirate vessel in space
PLANETARY MAP: A player may purchase a planetary map for combat; this will be the usual option chosen. See Space Combat
each planetary system in the game, at a cost of 5 energy units for the procedure. If the combat is proceeding unfavorably, the
each. A planetary map helps a player only when prospecting for player may choose to try to run after any round of combat, using
fuel. A player with a planetary map for a given planet may add 3 the Overdrive procedure described above. The player must take a
to his die roll when prospecting for fuel. VP loss as follows for running, depending upon how many rounds
of combat have occurred:
7
 After 1 round of combat -20 VPs 2. The Space Combat Display reflects the range between the
After 2 rounds of combat -15 VPs opposing ships; range is the only consideration that affects combat
After 3 rounds of combat -10 VPs resolution. Each box on the display equals 50,000 kilometers;
After 4 rounds of combat -5 VPs
After 5 rounds of combat no VP loss maximum effective range is 10 boxes, or 500,000 kilometers.
If the player defeats the pirate vessel in space combat, he gains 10 3. At the start of the combat situation, the player places an
Victory Points. appropriate enemy ship counter (to match his encounter) in the
'Enemy Ship Start' box adjacent to the '10' range box, unless the
3.5 STELLAR ENCOUNTERS: ENEMY VESSEL combat is occurring after a failed parlay with a Zangid warship. In
1. Players may encounter a vessel belonging to the Zangids, the that case, the Zangid ship is placed on the '7' box instead.
Confederacy's enemy with whom an uneasy truce is in force. 4. Space Combat is resolved in rounds. As many rounds are
2. There are three possible classes of enemy vessels, Battle resolved as are necessary to decide the combat. A combat is
Cruiser, Battleship, and Dreadnought, with ship's decided when one of the ships involved is destroyed or forced to
components standardized as follows: break off, or if the player decides to have his ship attempt escape.
Battle Cruiser: 1 Beam, 1 Missile, 100 points Maximum Damage. All combat rounds occur during the same segment of that player's
Battleship: 2 Beams, 2 Missiles, 150 points Maximum Damage. turn, in the encounter hex. No actual movement occurs on the
Dreadnought: 3 Beams, 3 Missiles, 200 points Maximum Damage. map board, and the player may resume movement after the
combat situation is resolved.
3. When a player encounters an enemy vessel, he has three
choices of action: he may run, he may parlay, or he may engage in 5. A space combat round consists of a movement segment and a
combat. combat segment, the enemy vessel will always move 1 box closer
to the player's ship, until the range is reduced to T. The player has
4. RUN: A player may attempt to escape using the overdrive the option of further closing the range by moving the enemy ship
mechanism outlined in section 3.4 under Pirates. Running without counter 1 additional box closer on the Combat Display. The
engaging in parlay or combat is considered to be cowardice in the player's ship is represented by a diagram on the Display and is
face of the enemy, and results in the loss of 25 VPs. never moved. The range may never be increased once combat has
5. PARLAY: A player may attempt to parlay with the enemy to begun, but the player may choose to hold (maintain) range to
continue the truce locally. The chance for success depends upon prevent the enemy ship from moving 1 box closer.
the class of the enemy ship; a more powerful enemy ship is apt to Following movement, the combat segment occurs. At the start of
be less reasonable than a smaller ship. The player must roll greater each combat segment, the player must decide how many of his
than or equal to the score indicated below on 1D20 to parlay ship's shields he will activate for that round, at a cost of 1 energy
successfully; he may add 1 to his die roll for each Sentient Contact unit per shield per round. Any or all shields may be activated each
team in his crew. round; however, the energy cost must be paid each round. Shields
Enemy Battle Cruiser: 9 or higher; score 5 VPs. Enemy Battleship: will help reduce damage from enemy fire. Enemy ships have no
11 or higher; score 10 VPs. Enemy Dreadnought: 13 or higher shields.
score 15 VPs. If the parlay fails, combat ensues, at a closer range The player must decide how many missiles and/or beam weapons
than normally (see Space Combat). he will fire that round, at an energy cost of 1 energy unit per
6. COMBAT: A player may engage the enemy vessel in combat; weapon per round. The player may fire any or all weapons each
see Space Combat for the procedure. If the combat is proceeding round; energy cost need not be kept track of for the enemy ship.
unfavorably for the player, he may escape using the overdrive All weapon firing is assumed to be simultaneous for damage
procedure. purposes; for convenience, the enemy's shots should be resolved
The player must take a VP loss for running as follows, depending first. The chance to hit an opposing ship depends upon the range,
upon the number of rounds of combat that have occurred: as below. One D20 is rolled for each weapon being fired; if the roll
After 1 round of combat -20 VPs is greater than or equal to the number indicated on the Space
After 2 rounds of combat -15 VPs Combat Table for the weapon at the given range, the opposing
After 3 rounds of combat -10 VPs ship has been hit. Damage is then determined. The player may add
After 4 rounds of combat -5 VPs 2 to his die roll for each Fire Control Team he has in his crew for
After 5 rounds of combat no VP loss each roll; enemy vessels never have this bonus.
If the enemy vessel is defeated in combat, the player gains VPs as Space Combat Table (1D20)
follows: Range Beam (to hit) Missile (to hit)
1 7 8
Enemy Battle Cruiser 5 VPs 2 8 10
Enemy Battleship 10 VPs 3 9 12
Enemy Dreadnought 15 VPs 4 10 14
5 11 16
3.6 SPACE COMBAT 6 12 NA
1. Encounters with pirate or Zangid ships may result in space 7 13 NA
combat. Space combat is resolved according to the following 8 14 NA
9 15 NA
procedure using the Space Combat display on the map board. The 10 16 NA
player controls the action of his own ship; the enemy vessel (pirate NA=Not allowed, Max. range is 5
or Zangid) follows certain automatic actions.
8
Damage: If a weapon hits, damage is determined as follows. For 3.7 STELLAR ENCOUNTER: MAJOR EVENT
beam weapons, roll 2D6 and multiply by 3 for the number of
1. When a '20' is rolled on the Stellar Encounter Table, a Major
damage points; for missile weapons roll 2D6 and multiply by 5.
Event has occurred. The player rolls on the Major Event Table,
(Missile weapons are more deadly, but have less range and
below.
accuracy, than beam weapons.)
Major Event Table (1d20)
Critical Hits: If the damage die roll is 2, 3, 11, or 12 (on the 2D6), 1 Disturbance at Home Base:
a critical hit against one of the ship's components has been Directional equipment malfunction (Navigation)
obtained. The player rolls 1 six-sided die and checks the Critical 2 Disturbance at Home Base:
Hit Table to determine which component has been damaged; that Defense system malfunction (Fire Control)
component will be unusable until repaired. 3 Disturbance at Home Base:
Critical Hit Table (1d6) Damaged vessel requires repair (Damage Control)
1 Engine 4 Disturbance at Home Base:
2 Teleporter Geologic Disturbance (Geology)
3 Shield 5 Disturbance at Home Base:
4 Beam Power plant malfunction (Fuel Engineers)
5 Missile 6 Disturbance at Home Base:
6 Roll twice again* Crop Failure (Botany)
*No result on second roll. 7 Disturbance at Home Base:
Crew Hits: If the damage die roll is 7 or 8, a crew team has Unusual animal behavior (Animal Physiology)
sustained loss from the hit. One ten-sided die is rolled to determine 8 Disturbance at Home Base:
randomly the crew team type which suffers the loss, based on the Local sentient unrest (Sentient Contact)
crew team random number; if there is no team of the type 9 Disturbance at Home Base:
indicated to lose, the die is rolled again. One six-sided die is then Disease epidemic (Medical)
rolled to determine the extent of the loss to the team: on a die roll 10 Disturbance at Home Base:
of 1 the crew team is eliminated; on a roll of 2-6, the team is Local rebellion (Military)
incapacitated (and cannot be used) for that many turns (the number 11, 12 New Tax on Traders
rolled). The crew team counter should be placed on the Turn 13, 14 Increased Tension with Zangids
Record Track of the Star Log to indicate when it will again be 15, 16 Increased Zangid Raiding
available for use. 17, 18 Increased Pirate Raiding
19, 20 Increased Trader Activity
Note that the Damage, Critical Hit, and Crew Hit rules also apply
to losses caused by the Interstellar Encounters (Asteroid Belt and 2. DISTURBANCE: A disturbance has occurred at home StarBase.
Radiation Storm). Players should return to StarBase as soon as possible to resolve
the disturbance: all players lose 2 VPs/turn until the disturbance is
Shields: Each shield activated negates 10 damage points that resolved. The same mechanism for resolving a disturbance on a
would have been incurred. Shields have no effect on Critical Hits colony is used, see Planetary Encounters. The player resolving the
or Crew Hits, even if all the damage points have been negated. disturbance earns a bonus 15 VPs.
6. If a ship suffers 100% of its allowable maximum damage, it is 3. NEW TAX ON TRADERS: Prices on trader goods are raised
destroyed. However, as space vessels are very expensive, space by 1D10 x 10% for all players for the remainder of the game.
combat doctrine holds that a ship must break off combat and 4. INCREASED TENSION WITH ZANGIDS: If an enemy vessel is
attempt to escape when it has sustained 75% damage, at the end encountered, and the player wishes to parlay, he must subtract 5
of any combat round. This 75% break off rule applies to both from his parlay die roll. This applies to all players for the
enemy vessels (pirate and Zangid), as well as to player ships. An remainder of the game.
enemy ship that has no functioning weapons will always break off.
5. INCREASED ZANGID RAIDING: Whenever a player is rolling
When an enemy ship breaks off, it automatically succeeds. The to see if a stellar encounter occurs during the movement portion of
combat ends, the player earns the appropriate VPs, and play his turn, a die roll of '1' indicates possible contact with a Zangid
continues. vessel. The die is rerolled as follows: 1 = Battle Cruiser; 2 =
If the player chooses to break off · either voluntarily, because the Battleship; 3 = Dreadnought; 4, 5, 6 = False Report, no enemy
combat is proceeding unfavorably, or is forced to do so at the 75% vessel in sector. Applies to all players for the remainder of the
damage level · he must do so using the Overdrive escape game.
procedure detailed in section 3.4. He must choose a speed of at 6. INCREASED PIRATE RAIDING: Whenever a player is rolling
least 7 for Overdrive when escaping; he may not deliberately for an encounter during movement, a die roll of '2' indicates
choose a lower speed, hoping to prolong the combat. The player possible contact with pirates. The die is then rolled again as
must take a VP loss for breaking off combat (whether voluntarily or follows: 1-3 = pirates contacted; 4-6 = false report, no pirates in
due to the 75% rule) based on the number of rounds of combat sector.
fought, as detailed above. 7. INCREASED TRADER ACTIVITY: Whenever a player is rolling
If both the player's ship and the enemy ship are forced to break off for a Stellar Encounter during movement, a die roll of '3Ê indicates
combat after the same round of combat, there is no VP loss or a possible encounter with a trader. A six-sided die is rolled where a
gain. If the player's ship is destroyed, he is out of the game and roll of 1-3 = trader contacted; a roll of 4-6 = false report, no
loses all VPs. traders in sector.
9
8. The three major events which affect the stellar encounter roll · a) General Damage Repair: General damage may be repaired
Increased Zangid Raiding, Increased Pirate Raiding, and at no energy cost. The player rolls the usual 1D6, and adds 1
Increased Trader Activity · may occur collectively in the same for each available Damage Control team, and multiplies by ten
game, and are in addition to the usual stellar encounter on a die to see how many damage points are repaired.
roll of '6'. b) Critical Hit Repair: One critically hit ship component may
3.8 DAMAGE REPAIR be repaired. This is the only way that a ship without Damage
1. When a ship sustains damage as a result of space combat or Control teams can repair a critical hit.
other stellar encounters (i.e., asteroids), the player may wish to c) Refueling: The player may refuel with 25 additional energy
repair the damage. This is to prevent the possibility of ship loss if units.
further damage might be incurred. d) Crew Requisition: The player may obtain 1 crew team of
2. If a player wishes to repair damage in space, he must spend an any type.
entire turn doing so, without moving and without performing any Example: A ship with a critically hit teleporter and no Damage
planetary exploration. Control team arrives at StarBase. The ship may spend 1 turn
3. General Damage: The repair of accumulated damage points is repairing the teleporter, then a second turn obtaining a Damage
performed through the expenditure of energy units. For each 1 Control team, before resuming normal movement.
energy unit expended, 2 damage points may be removed. 2. A player is allowed to remain at StarBase at the start of the
The total of general damage points that may be removed in 1 turn game to requisition additional fuel and/or crew teams if so desired.
is determined as follows. The player rolls 1D6 and multiplies the When remaining at StarBase, however, players should keep in
result by 10 for the maximum damage to be repaired in that turn. mind the VP bonus of 5 VPs/turn for finishing before the time
If the player wishes to repair more than allowed by this roll, he limit and the VP penalty of 2 VPs/turn after the time limit.
may spend an additional turn (rolling again for repair allowed that
turn).
Damage Control teams may help repair damage. For each
Damage Control team assigned to repair of general damage, the
player may add 1 to his die roll for repair allowed.
Example: A destroyer has sustained 60 points of damage, which
the player wishes to repair. He assigns 1 Damage Control team to
general damage repair, and then rolls a 3; this is increased by 1 to
4, so he could repair 40 points of general damage, at a cost of 20
energy units.
4. Critical Hit Damage: Damage Control teams are the only means
available to repair Critical Hit damage to ship components
(engines, shields, teleporters, beams, missiles). During a repair
turn, each Damage Control team may be assigned to either general
damage repair, as above, or to repair a specific Critical Hit.
Each Damage Control team assigned to repair a Critical Hit allows
the player to roll 1D6 to see if the repair succeeds; on 1-3 the
repair succeeds, and the component returns to normal function; on
4-6 the repair fails (but the player may try again on another repair
turn).
More than 1 Damage Control team may be assigned to repair a
given critical hit, or to General Damage repair, but all assignments
must be made before any dice are rolled.
Example: A player with a ship with 40 damage points and 1
Critical Hit to a shield has 2 Damage Control teams. He assigns
both to the Critical Hit, and rolls a '2' with the first team, repairing
the shield. The assignment of the second team is wasted; it cannot
be reassigned to repair general damage. If the first team's attempt
had failed, the player would have had a second chance (a second
die roll) to repair the Critical Hit to the shield with the second
team.
3.9 RETURN TO STARBASE
1. During the course of play, the player may be called upon to
return to StarBase to resolve a disturbance, or may choose to
return to StarBase. If a player is at StarBase, and is not resolving a
disturbance, he may choose to repair or restock his ship. If the
ship remains at Base for an entire turn, he may perform any one
of the following four functions:
10
4. PLANETARY EXPLORATION
4.1 PLANETARY ENCOUNTERS
1. When a player's ship arrives at a planet, the player will send
teams from the ship's crew down to the planet to explore it, as well
as resolve any mission for the planet. The successful resolution of
encounters during planetary exploration is the main way of earning
victory points, reflecting the ship's major function of information
gathering about strange, new worlds.
2. When the first player in a particular game to arrive at a given
planet does so, he rolls 1D10 to determine the planet's
environment indicates a Cataclysm; the player would then reroll on
environment type. The planetary environment remains this
the Cataclysm Table to determine which Cataclysm occurred.
type for subsequent players to visit the planet. Environment types
will largely determine the nature of encounters the exploring party Disasters (including Cataclysms) need not have any teams assigned
will have. to them; they cannot be resolved and do not yield any victory
points. Disasters will affect the activities of teams in the other
Environment Table (1d10)
encounters.
1 Grassland 6 Mountain
2 Forest 7 Glacier Only one Disaster may occur on a planet. If the encounter die rolls
3 Jungle 8 Radiated call for another Disaster, the roll is ignored and the die is rerolled.
4 Desert 9 Volcanic Disasters are clearly marked with an asterisk on the encounter
5 Swamp 10 Aquatic tables to indicate that only one Disaster may occur on a given
planet.
Like Earth, many planets have a multitude of different
environments; the type determined indicates the dominant Example: On a Glacier planet, the player rolls a 2 - Geologic; then
ecosystem of the planet. a 13 - Ice Storm; then a 20 - Cataclysm. The third roll is ignored
as the party has already encountered a Disaster on that planet, the
3. After determining the environment type, the player may Ice Storm; the die is rerolled for the third encounter.
examine the various encounter tables, but he must choose the
composition of his initial landing party before he determines which 6. Once the encounters have been determined, the player may
encounters will actually occur. A player may send down as many assign his exploring teams to the encounters. Assignments are
exploring teams as he has teleporter units. Players may choose the made by placing the team counters in the Encounter boxes on the
mix of teams to be sent to the planet freely, within the crew limits Planetary Display. A player may only assign Military teams or the
of his ship; however, certain types of teams will convey an appropriate Specialty team to an encounter. Specialty teams are as
advantage in resolving various encounters. follows:
The player sets aside the crew team counters in the exploring party Geologic: Geology Team
and then determines which encounters will occur. Plant: Botany Team
Herbivore/Carnivore: Animal Physiology Team
4. Players will generally have three encounters on a planet. If the Sentient: Sentient Contact Team
planet has a previously assigned mission, the player will determine
Disease: Medical Team
two additional encounters; if the planet has no mission, three Fuel Prospecting: Fuel Engineering Team
encounters will be determined. The encounters are determined by
Disturbance: Specialty team given by mission
rolling 1D20 and consulting the Planetary Encounter Table for the
appropriate planetary environment. Military Teams do not have a specialty encounter (except a
Disturbance related to them), but may be assigned to any
In addition to the three encounters determined above, players may encounters; this gives them the greatest flexibility of assignment.
choose to attempt a fourth encounter · prospecting for fuel to
replenish their ship's energy reserve. Fuel prospecting may be Navigation, Damage Control, and Fire Control Teams have no
done on any environment, and is done solely at the player's specialty encounter except a Disturbance related to them, and
option. cannot be assigned to any other encounter. Generally, these teams
should not be sent to explore a planet unless a previously known
5. There are several different types of encounters the exploring
disturbance related to them is given as a mission. Players may
party may have. Geologic features (mineral deposits), Plant species, assign their teams in any number and combination within the
Animal species (herbivores or carnivores), Sentient species
above limits. Depending upon the encounters rolled, some of the
(organized societies), or exotic diseases may be encountered. The teams in the initial landing party may not be able to be assigned
player may assign some of his exploring teams to these
(place their counters in the 'Unassigned' box). Players must assign
encounters; successful resolution of the encounters gains victory at least one team to each encounter (except Disasters); if a player
points.
cannot or chooses not to assign any teams to a given encounter,
There are also a variety of Disasters which may befall a party. he forfeits the encounter, and loses VPs equal to the value of the
Some Disasters are specific for the type of environment (Desert - encounter. For this reason, a player may wish to include several
Drought; Mountain - Avalanche; Glacier - Ice Storm; Radiated - Military Teams in his initial landing party; the flexibility of
Radiation; Volcanic - Lava Flow). In addition, a roll of '20' in any

11
assignment of these teams will help prevent forfeiture of exactly as standard encounters of the given type, except that an
encounters due to the lack of appropriate specialists. Investigation is worth 15 VPs instead of the usual VP value.
Example: A player with 6 teleporters on his ship chooses to send When playing with more than one player, the activities one player
six teams to a Desert planet. After examining the Desert Encounter has on a given planet have no effect on any other player exploring
table, he chooses 2 Geology, 1 Animal Physiology, and 3 Military the planet, either at the same time or subsequently, except with the
teams. His rolls call for a Geologic encounter, a Plant encounter, resolution of missions. A given planet will have the same mission
and a Drought. He assigns the two Geology teams and 1 Military for all players. When the first player doing so completes a mission,
team to the Geologic encounter and the other 2 Military teams to the mission is nullified for all other players. If another player
the Plant encounter. The Animal Physiology team may not be subsequently lands on the planet, he just determines two
assigned, as no Animal encounter occurred. No teams need be encounters. If another player is on the same planet at the same
assigned to the Drought, a Disaster. time, attempting to solve the same mission, he must abandon the
Once determined, encounters for a given player on a given planet mission. In effect, the other player(s) forfeit the mission except that
are not changed; the same encounters continue until resolved or they do not lose any VPs (as the mission has been completed,
forfeited. A subsequent player landing on the same planet will albeit by their competition). For this reason, the sequence of play
determine his own party's encounters independently. by the various players may be critical when two or more are on the
same planet attempting to resolve the same mission. The player
7. Once the teams have been assigned, the player proceeds with
who moves first in a given turn will have the first opportunity to
attempting to resolve the encounters. Each turn, the affects of
complete the mission and earn the VPs.
Disasters are determined first; then. Disease encounters are
resolved. This is done in this order because Disasters and Diseases 11. Colonies (Optional Rule): Some of the missions involve
can affect the other teams on the planet. Other encounters may be resolving disturbances on previously established colonies.
resolved in any order the player desires. The mechanics of Presumably, the planetary expedition would have the advantage
encounter resolution are detailed for each type of encounter in the of local guides on a colony world.
following sections. On a colony, the player may add 1 to the die roll used for any
8. When a player successfully resolves an encounter, he gains a encounter other than the disturbance, to reflect these local guides.
specified number of VPs; when he forfeits an encounter, he loses In addition, for any Plant encounter, the player may refer to the
that specified number of VPs. A player must remain at a particular less severe 'Other Turn' chart to determine losses rather than the
planet until he has resolved or forfeited all encounters on that more severe 'First Turn' chart, as the guides have warned them
planet. The player should keep track of how many turns he has somewhat.
spent on a given planet, as some of the encounters provide a Since certain information is already known about the life forms on
bonus toward resolution with increasing time spent investigating a colony, the VP value of an encounter on a colony is lowered by
the encounter. 1 (except for the disturbance).
9. On any subsequent turn that a player is continuing his Both parts of this rule must be used together, and it is done only if
exploration of a given planet, he may reassign his teams between all players agree to the use of this option.
encounters, and may send substitutions of teams from the ship's
crew, to replace any losses incurred and to substitute more
4.2 PLANETARY DISASTERS
appropriate specialty teams. 1. Disasters may befall the teams sent to investigate a planet.
Certain disasters are specific to the type of environment; a roll of
Teams may be freely exchanged as long as the total number of
20 in any environment indicates that a Cataclysm has occurred,
teams left on the planet does not exceed the teleporter capacity.
and 1D20 is rolled on the Cataclysm Table (below) to determine
The teleporter capacity represents the ability of the ship to sustain
which cataclysm occurs. Only one disaster may occur per planet; if
the expedition. Since the player will have greater knowledge of the
the encounter die rolls call for a second disaster, that roll is ignored
nature of the encounters, substitution of teams on subsequent turns
and rerolled. Disaster encounters are marked with an asterisk on
may improve the chance of success.
the encounter tables.
Example: Returning to the above example on the Desert planet,
2. Disasters need not have any teams assigned to them; they may
after the first turn on the planet, the player has not successfully
not be resolved and earn no VPs, although they may affect the
resolved either encounter, and has lost the 1 Military team from
abilities of other teams on the planet to operate. The effects of any
the Geologic encounter as a casualty. He chooses to return the
disaster are applied each turn before resolving any other
Animal Physiology team, which he could not assign, and send
encounters.
down 2 Botany teams which he assigns to the Plant encounter. He
then transfers 1 Military team from the Plant encounter to the 3. AVALANCHE: Specific for Mountain environment. The same
Geologic encounter. He still has within the maximum limit of 6 procedure is used for TIDAL WAVES on aquatic planets, and
teams, as the 2 Botany teams replace the lost Military team and LAVA FLOW on Volcanic planets, except for determining the
the Animal Physiology team sent back to the ship. effect of losses on teams. There is a chance that some of the
exploring teams will encounter an avalanche/lava flow/tidal wave.
10. Missions: There are two types of missions that may be
Each turn the player rolls 2D6. If he rolls greater than or equal to
assigned to a planet; Disturbances and Investigations. If a mission
the number of teams he has on the planet, they are safe. If he rolls
is assigned, only two other encounters will be randomly
less than the number of teams he has present on the planet, they
determined, as above.
will incur losses. 1D20 is rolled on the loss table below to
Resolution of Disturbances is explained under Disturbance
encounters (Section 4.3). Investigation missions are conducted
12
determine the number of teams lost. The player may choose which CATACLYSMS: Roll 1D20
teams will be lost from among those on the planet. 1 Ion Storm 11 Poisonous Atmosphere
Avalanche/Lava Flow/Tidal Wave Loss Table (1D20) 2 Ion Storm 12 Poisonous Atmosphere
1-3 No losses 3 Ion Storm 13 Poisonous Atmosphere
4-11 1 Team Lost 4 Psionic Storm 14 Severe Weather
12-16 2 Teams Lost 5 Psionic Storm 15 Severe Weather
17-18 3 Teams Lost 6 Earthquake 16 Pirates
19-20 Roll Twice (Reroll if rolled again) 7 Earthquake 17 Pirates
8 Heavy Gravity 18 Enemy Battle Cruiser
The player rolls 1D6 for each team to be lost to determine the 9 Heavy Gravity 19 Enemy Battleship
effect as follows: 10 Heavy Gravity 20 Enemy dreadnaught
Avalanche/Tidal Wave: 1-2 = Team eliminated;
a) EARTHQUAKE: Use the same procedure as for Avalanche.
3-6 = Incapacitated for the rolled
number of turns b) HEAVY GRAVITY: Heavy Gravity limits team effectiveness
Lava Flow: 1-4 = Team eliminated; through increased fatigue. The specialty team bonus for all
5-6 = Incapacitated for the rolled specialty teams is reduced from plus 2 to plus 1 for this planet.
number of turns c) ION STORM: An Ion Storm interferes with teleporter operation.
4. DROUGHT: Specific for Desert environment. Severe water The player is limited to exchanging/reinforcing only one team per
shortage requires extra support from the ship for the exploring turn with the resources of his shipÊs crew.
party. The player must pay 1 energy unit per team on the planet d) POISONOUS ATMOSPHERE: The atmosphere is toxic,
per turn. causing severe discomfort. The specialty team bonus is reduced
5. ICE STORM: Specific for Glacier environment. Severe cold from +2 to +1 for plant, herbivore, carnivore, and sentient
limits exposure. The player must decide before each turn to either encounters.
withhold half of the teams (rounded up) on the planet from being e) PSIONIC STORM: Psionic waves of an unknown source
assigned to an encounter or he must pay 1 energy unit per team antagonize all animal life. The player must add 4 to his loss die roll
per turn in additional support. in Animal encounters, and to the combat die roll in Sentient
Example: The player has seven teams on a Glacier planet and has encounters.
an Ice Storm. He must either withhold four teams or pay 7 energy The player must subtract 2 from the die roll for the Befriend option
units per turn to use them all. in all Animal and Sentient encounters.
6. RADIATION: Specific for Radiated environment. The severe f) SEVERE WEATHER: Severe weather conditions limit exposure.
radiation limits allowable exposure. The player must withhold half Use the same procedures as outlined under Ice Storm.
(rounded up) of all teams present on the planet from encounters.
g) TRADER, PIRATES, ENEMY VESSEL: Use the same
Planetary Encounter Tables (1D20)
Encounters Grassland Forest Jungle Desert Swamp Encounters Mountain Glacier Radiated Volcanic Aquatic
1 Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic 1 Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic
2 Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic 2 Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic
3 Plant Plant Plant Geologic Plant 3 Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic
4 Plant Plant Plant Geologic Plant 4 Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic
5 Plant Plant Plant Geologic Plant 5 Geologic Geologic Geologic Geologic Plant
6 Herbivore Plant Plant Geologic Plant 6 Plant Geologic Geologic Geologic Plant
7 Herbivore Herbivore Plant Plant Plant 7 Plant Plant Geologic Geologic Plant
8 Herbivore Herbivore Herbivore Plant Plant 8 Herbivore Herbivore Geologic Geologic Plant
9 Herbivore Herbivore Herbivore Herbivore Herbivore 9 Herbivore Herbivore Plant Plant Herbivore
10 Herbivore Herbivore Herbivore Herbivore Herbivore 10 Carnivore Carnivore Herbivore Herbivore Herbivore
11 Carnivore Carnivore Herbivore Carnivore Herbivore 11 Carnivore Sentient Carnivore Carnivore Herbivore
12 Carnivore Carnivore Carnivore Sentient Carnivore 12 Sentient Sentient Sentient Sentient Herbivore
13 Carnivore Carnivore Carnivore Disease Carnivore 13 Sentient Ice Radiation* Lava Carnivore
Storm* Flow*
14 Sentient Sentient Carnivore Drought* Sentient 14 Sentient Ice Radiation* Lava Carnivore
Storm* Flow*
15 Sentient Sentient Sentient Drought* Disease 15 Avalanche* Ice Radiation* Lava Carnivore
Storm* Flow*
16 Sentient Sentient Sentient Drought* Disease 16 Avalanche* Ice Radiation* Lava Carnivore
Storm* Flow*
17 Sentient Sentient Disease Drought* Disease 17 Avalanche* Ice Radiation* Lava Sentient
Storm* Flow*
18 Sentient Disease Disease Drought* Disease 18 Avalanche* Ice Radiation* Lava Sentient
Storm* Flow*
19 Disease Disease Disease Drought* Disease 19 Disease Disease Disease Disease Disease
20 Disaster* Disaster* Disaster* Disaster* Disaster* 20 Disaster* Disaster* Disaster* Disaster* Disaster*

13
procedure as for the Stellar Encounters of the same name. Note 4.4 DISTURBANCES
that those teams on the planet are not available for use on the ship
1. Disturbances may occur as an initial mission or as a result of a
during such an encounter.
Major Event (at home StarBase). The same procedure is used in
8. Note: Cataclysms or other disasters only affect the player who both cases, except that at home StarBase the Disturbance will be
rolls them, even if other players are exploring the same planet at the only encounter, while on a planet there will be two other
the same time. Either the disaster is localized to one portion of the encounters.
planet where the affected player is exploring, or, in the case of
2. Only Military teams or the specialty team appropriate to the
such problems as heavy gravity or poisonous atmosphere, proper
disaster may be assigned. Each turn, the player may try to resolve
precautions have been taken by other parties to neutralize the
the disturbance by rolling 1D20 and consulting the Resolution
adverse effects.
Table that appears below. If his roll is greater than or equal to the
4.3 DISEASE ENCOUNTERS score indicated, the disturbance has been successfully resolved; if
1. Disease may be encountered in any environment. Disease his roll is less than the score indicated, he has failed, but may try
encounters should be resolved first each turn; the disease may again on the next turn. With each successive turn spent on the
affect other teams on the planet, assigned to other encounters. disturbance, the chance for successful resolution increases. A
player may add 2 to the die roll for each appropriate specialty
2. Only Medical or Military teams may be assigned to the Disease
team assigned to a disturbance.
encounter. Each turn, the player may try to cure the disease, by
rolling 1D20 on the Cure Table. If his score is greater than or 3. Successfully resolving a disturbance is worth 15 VPs. If a player
equal to the score indicated, the disease has been cured; if his roll fails to resolve a disturbance after the fifth consecutive turn, he
is less than the score indicated, he has failed, but may try again the must forfeit the encounter, and loses 15 VPs.
next turn. For each successive turn spent studying the disease the If more than one player is simultaneously trying to resolve a
chance for a cure increases. The player may add 2 to his die roll disturbance, the first one to do so successfully earns the VPs. The
for each Medical team assigned to the disease. Curing a disease other players must then cease their efforts, but they do not lose
earns 10 VPs. any VPs (as they would from a forfeit).
3. Each turn, until the disease is cured, the die is rolled for losses 4. Each turn, after the roll for resolution, the player must
after the roll for cure. The loss die roll is made even if no teams are determine if the teams investigating the disturbance sustain any
assigned to the disease encounter; a disease encounter may not be losses. Loss Table A is used when the disturbance applies to
forfeited, the effects of loss still apply. If the disease has not been Navigation, Fire Control, Damage Control, Fuel Engineering,
cured by the fifth consecutive turn on the planet, the player loses or Botany Teams; Loss Table B is used when the disturbance
10 VPs and cannot try to cure that disease any longer; the effects applies to Military, Sentient Contact, Medical, Geology, or Animal
of the disease remain as long as any teams remain on the planet. Physiology Teams, and generally indicates higher losses.
4. Losses are determined by rolling 1D20 and consulting the Loss results require the usual 1D6 Casualty Roll be made to
Disease Loss Table. The player may choose which teams are to be determine the effect of the loss: 1 = Team Eliminated; 2-6 = Team
lost from the teams present on the planet, not just those assigned incapacitated for the rolled number of turns.
to the disease encounter. The full number of losses called for must Resolution Table (1D20)
be taken. This is unlike other encounters where any loss First Turn 15
results apply only against teams assigned to those-encounters. Second Turn 12
5. Optional Rule: Specialty teams operating in a diseased Third Turn 09
Fourth Turn 06
environment do so at lower efficiency. The specialty team bonus Fifth Turn 03
for all such specialty teams (except the Medical teams working on
the disease) is reduced to plus 1, rather than the usual plus 2,
Loss Table A*
until the disease is cured. 1-13 No Effect
Disease 14-18 1 Team Lost
Cure Table (1D20) Loss Table (1D20) 19-20 1 Appropriate specialty team lost if
1st Turn 17 1-3 No Loss available, otherwise 2 teams lost
2nd Turn 14 4-8 1 Team Lost *Navigation, Fire Control, Fuel Engineering,
Botany
3rd Turn 11 9-12 2 Teams Lost
4th Turn 8 13-14 3 Teams Lost
5th Turn 5 15-17 Medical Team Lost* Loss Table B†
1-6 No Effect
18-20 Roll Twice 7-13 1 Team Lost
(Reroll if rolled again) 14-16 2 Teams Lost
*lf no Medical team is available, treat as 3 Teams Lost. 17-20 1 Appropriate specialty team lost if
6. The usual casualty roll is made for each team to be lost from available, otherwise 2 teams lost
Disease: 1-2 = Team eliminated; 3-6 = Team incapacitated for the †Military, Medical, Animal Physiology, Sentient
Contact, Geology
rolled number of turns. If the team is incapacitated, place the team
counter on the Turn Record Track for the turn it will again be 4.5 GEOLOGIC ENCOUNTERS
functional.
1. Geologic encounters involve prospecting for precious
minerals; they may occur on any planet environment. Only
14
Geology or Military teams may be assigned to investigate a The die roll is modified based on the planetary environment as
Geologic encounter. follows: -1 for Grassland, +1 for Desert, Swamp, Mountain,
2. Each turn a player is investigating a Geologic encounter, he may Glacier, Radiated, or Volcanic
roll to see if he has discovered the mineral deposits. The table used 4. Each turn a player is studying a plant species, he rolls 1D20 to
depends upon the planetary environment; Table A is used for see if his study has been successful. The chance for success
Grassland, Forest, Jungle, and Swamp environments; Table B is depends upon the plant modifier. If his roll is greater than or equal
used for Mountain, Desert, Glacier, and Aquatic environments; to the score indicated, he has studied the plant successfully and
Table C is used for Radiated and Volcanic environments. gains the VP value. If his score is less than the indicated number,
If the player rolls greater than or equal to the number indicated on he has failed that turn, but may try again on the next turn. The
the table, he has found the mineral deposits and has successfully chance for success increases with each successive turn spent
resolved the encounter. If his roll is less than the number indicated, studying the plant. The player may add 2 to his die roll for each
he has failed, but may try again on the next turn. Each successive Botany team assigned to the encounter, unless the modifier is
turn spent on a Geologic encounter improves the chances of Sentient. In this case (only), Sentient teams may be assigned to a
success. Plant encounter; there is no bonus for the Botany teams but there
is a plus 2 bonus for each Sentient Contact team assigned to the
The player may add 2 to the die roll for each Geology team that
Sentient Plant encounter.
has been assigned to the encounter.
5. If the plant modifier is Food Crop, Nutritious, or Sentient, there
3. After rolling for resolution of the encounter, the player must
is no risk of loss to the studying teams. If the modifier is
then roll to determine if his teams have sustained any losses while
Poisonous, Medicinal, or Aggressive, the investigating teams must
investigating the Geologic encounter. The Loss Table used is the
determine if they suffer any losses. After rolling for the study of the
same as the Resolution Table (A, B, or C), depending upon the
plant, the player must roll on the appropriate loss table. On the
planetary environment.
first turn the plant is studied, the player consults the loss table
Results from the loss table require the usual casualty roll. 1D6 is labeled 'First Turn'. This column has higher losses, reflecting the
rolled where 1 = Team eliminated and 2-6 = Team incapacitated fact that the investigating teams have no warning to take
for the rolled number of turns. precautions. On turns after the first turn the plant is contacted, use
4. When the player successfully resolves a Geologic encounter, or the 'Other1 loss column. Loss results are rolled on the appropriate
has to forfeit, he then determines the VP value. Unlike other Loss Table and followed by the usual roll for casualties. This is
encounters, the VP value for a Geologic encounter is variable; the made on 1D6: 1 = Team Eliminated; 2-6 = Team incapacitated for
player rolls 2D6 for the VP value of the encounter. the rolled number of turns. Place incapacitated team counters on
Geologic Encounter Resolution Table (1D20) the turn record track for the turn they will return to action.
Table A Table B Table C Note that poisonous plants add a modifier of -1 to the casualty
First Turn 17 15 14 effect roll on the 1D6.
Second Turn 14 12 11
Third Turn 11 09 08 Aggressive Loss (1D20)
Fourth Turn 08 06 05 First Turn Other
Fifth Turn 05 03 02 01-03 No Effect 01-08 No Effect
Grassland Mountain Radiated 04-07 1 Team Lost 09-12 1 Team Lost
Forest Desert Volcanic 08-15 2 Teams Lost 13-18 2 Teams Lost
Jungle Glacier 16-20 1 Botany team lost* 19-20 1 Botany team lost*
Swamp Aquatic
*If available, otherwise treat as 2 Teams lost.
Geologic Encounter Loss Table (1D20)
Poisonous Loss (1D20)
Table A Table B Table C
First Turn Other
No Effect No Effect No Effect
1 Team Lost 1 Team Lost 1 Team Lost 01-03 No Effect 01-10 No Effect
2 Teams Lost 2 Teams Lost 2 Teams Lost 04-12 1 Team Lost 11-18 1 Team Lost
1 Geology* 1 Geology 1 Geology* 13-16 2 Teams Lost 19-20 1 Botany team lost*
*This indicates that 1 geology team is lost, if available, otherwise treat 17-20 1 Botany team lost*
as 2 teams lost *If available, otherwise treat as 2 Teams lost.
4.6 PLANT ENCOUNTERS Medicinal Loss (1D20)
1. Plant encounters may occur in any environment. First Turn Other
2. Only Botany and Military Teams may be assigned to a Plant 01-07 No Effect 01-12 No Effect
encounter. 08-18 1 Team Lost 13-18 1 Team Lost
3. On the first turn a plant is encountered, the player determines 19-20 1 Botany team lost* 19-20 1 Botany team lost*
what type of plant is encountered by rolling 1D6 for the plant *If available, otherwise treat as 2 Teams lost.
modifier as listed below: 6. Food Crop, Sentient, and Medicinal Plants are worth 7 VPs if
1 = Food Crop 4 = Poisonous studied successfully; Nutritious, Poisonous, and Aggressive Plants
2 = Nutritious 5 = Medicinal are worth 5 VPs.
3 = Sentient 6 = Aggressive
15
 Plant Study Tables (1D20)
Modifier Die Roll (1D6)
Study Die Roll 1: Food Crop 2: Nutritious 3: Sentient 4: Poisonous 5: Medicinal 6: Aggressive
First Turn 16 15 17 15 16 17
Second Turn 13 12 14 12 13 14
Third Turn 10 09 11 09 10 11
Fourth Turn 07 06 08 06 07 08
Fifth Turn 04 03 05 03 04 05

4.7 ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS: HERBIVORES & Herbivore Carnivore

01 Passive 01 Aggressive
CARNIVORES 02 Intelligent 02 Intelligent
1. Herbivores and Carnivores may be encountered in any 03 Sentient 03 Sentient
environment. A similar procedure is used for resolving encounters 04 Speedy 04 Speedy
with both types of animals. Only Animal Physiology or Military 05 Large 05 Large
teams may be assigned to an Animal encounter. 06 Armored 06 Armored
2. When resolving an Animal encounter, a player has a choice of 07 Camouflaged 07 Camouflaged
four options in trying to study the animal successfully. The four 08 Flying 08 Flying
options are, in order of increasing hostility towards the animal, 09 Small 09 Small
Befriend; Trap; Chase; Hunt. Each turn, a player must choose one 10 Horned 10 Venomous
of these four options. If a particular option fails on one turn, the
The same modifier tables are used in any environment.
player may try that option again on the subsequent turn, or may
choose a different option. However, a player may not choose an 5. Each turn, the player may try to study the animal using one of
option that is less hostile than one he has already tried. (For the four options. He may roll 1D20 to determine if the option was
example, if a player tried to Chase and failed, he could not on a successful; if his roll is greater than or equal to the score indicated
subsequent turn try Befriend or Trap.) on the Animal Encounter Chart for that type of animal and the
Option chosen, he has succeeded. If his roll is less than the score
3. There are ten distinct modifiers for each animal, herbivore or indicated, he has failed; he may try the same option or another
carnivore. The likelihood for a particular option succeeding option on a later turn. Unlike some of the other encounters
depends upon the type of animal and its modifier. Thus, a Befriend (Geologic, Plant, etc.), there is no bonus for successive turns spent
option is far more likely to succeed with a Passive Herbivore than on the encounter.
with an Aggressive Carnivore.
The player may add 2 to his die roll for each Animal Physiology
While many animal species have more than one trait in life, only team assigned, unless the modifier is Sentient. In this case only, the
the dominant modifier to the animal's behavior is considered. 2 point bonus is applied for Sentient Contact teams Assigned to
4. When an animal is first contacted, the player must choose his the encounter. This is the only case when Sentient Contact teams
initial option before knowing what the modifier will be, knowing may be assigned to an Animal encounter.
only that the animal is an herbivore or a carnivore. The player 6. Each turn, after rolling for the option to study the animal, the
chooses his option, then rolls 1D10 on the appropriate modifier player must determine if the investigating teams suffer any losses.
chart. The player rolls 1D20 on the Herbivore or Carnivore Loss Table
for the option chosen. In general, the more hostile options will
result in greater losses. The modifier of the animal affects the Loss
Die Roll in four cases:
Aggressive Carnivore = Add 4
Large Herbivore or Carnivore = Add 2
Passive Herbivore = Subtract 4
Small Herbivore or Carnivore = Subtract 2
Animal Encounter Tables (1D20)
Herbivores 1: 2: 3: 4: 5: 6: 7: 8: 9: 10:
Option Passive Intelligent Sentient Speedy Large Armored Camouflaged Flying Small Horned
Befriend 11 10 09 15 15 15 17 16 13 15
Trap 08 17 19 12 09 09 13 15 15 12
Chase 07 10 11 16 07 07 11 11 11 09
Hunt 06 08 08 08 08 11 10 09 07 08
Carnivores 1: 2: 3: 4: 5: 6: 7: 8: 9: 10:
Option Aggressive Intelligent Sentient Speedy Large Armored Camouflaged Flying Small Venomous
Befriend 20 10 09 18 18 18 19 19 17 19
Trap 15 17 19 14 11 11 15 16 17 14
Chase 10 11 12 16 07 07 12 12 12 11
Hunt 09 09 09 09 09 11 10 09 08 09
16
The effect of the loss is determined in the usual fashion by rolling 8 = 20th Century
1D6 for each team lost: 1-2 = Team eliminated; 3-6 = Team 9 = Space-faring
incapacitated for the rolled number of turns. 10 = Psionic superbeings
Herbivore Loss Table (1d20) 3. When a sentient race is first contacted, the player determines
Befriend: 01-14 No Effect their apparent tech level by rolling 1D10. The player must then
15-18 1 Team Lost choose his initial contact option (see below). The player then rolls
19-20 1 Animal Physiology Team Lost if Available, 1D20 for the tech level modifier to determine the actual tech level
otherwise 2 Teams Lost of the race.
Trap: 01-11 No Effect The apparent tech level is a first impression, which may or may
12-17 1 Team Lost not be accurate.
18-20 1 Animal Physiology Team Lost if Available, Tech Level Modifier
otherwise 2 Teams Lost
1 = Minus 5 11 = No Change
Chase: 01-08 No Effect
2 = Minus 4 12 = No Change
09-17 1 Team Lost
3 = Minus 3 13 = Plus 1
18-20 1 Animal Physiology Team Lost if Available,
4 = Minus 2 14 = Plus 1
otherwise 2 Teams Lost
5 = Minus 2 15 = Plus 1
Hunt: 01-05 No Effect
6 = Minus 1 16 = Plus 2
06-17 1 Team Lost
7 = Minus 1 17 = Plus 2
18-20 1 Animal Physiology Team Lost if Available,
8 = Minus 1 18 = Plus 3
otherwise 2 Teams Lost
9 = No Change 19 = Plus 4
10 = No Change 20 = Plus 5
Carnivore Loss Table (1d20) If the modifier calls for a level lower than 1, treat as 1; if it calls for
Befriend: 01-10 No Effect a level higher than 10, treat as 10.
11-17 1 Team Lost
18-20 1 Animal Physiology Team Lost if Available, 4. The player has four options for means to contact the sentients.
otherwise 2 Teams Lost The four options, in order of increasing hostility, are Befriend,
Trap: 01-07 No Effect Bribe, Show of Science, and Show of Force. If a particular option
08-16 1 Team Lost is unsuccessful on one turn, it may be tried again on a subsequent
17-20 1 Animal Physiology Team Lost if Available, turn, or another option may be chosen. However, a player may
otherwise 2 Teams Lost not choose an option less hostile than one previously tried.
Chase: 01-04 No Effect 5. Each turn, the player may try to contact the sentients by rolling
05-15 1 Team Lost 1D20 and consulting the Sentient Encounter Table appropriate to
16-20 1 Animal Physiology Team Lost if Available, the tech level and the option chosen. If the roll is greater than or
otherwise 2 Teams Lost equal to the score indicated, successful contact has been made; if
Hunt: 01 No Effect the roll is less than the score indicated, the player has failed, but
02-14 1 Team Lost may try again next turn.
15-20 1 Animal Physiology Team Lost if Available, The player may add 2 to his die roll for each Sentient Contact
otherwise 2 Teams Lost team assigned to the encounter.
4.8 SENTIENT ENCOUNTERS 6. Each turn, after rolling for contact, the player must determine
whether or not his attempt has resulted in combat. The player rolls
1. Sentients are highly intelligent species which have evolved 1D20 and consults the Sentient Combat Table for the option
communication skills and organized societies. Sentients are not chosen. The chance for combat depends solely on the option
necessarily humanoid. Sentients may be encountered in any chosen, and not the tech level of the sentients. If combat does
environment. Only Sentient Contact and Military teams may be occur, the losses suffered by the player are based on the tech level
assigned to a Sentient encounter. of the sentients. Each team so lost is rolled for, as usual, with 1D6
2. The key characteristic of a Sentient race is its technical where 1 = Team eliminated; 2-6 = Team incapacitated for the
development. The tech level reflects technological sophistication, rolled number of turns.
which in turn is reflected in the race's approach to various means Regardless of combat, there is no penalty in attempting contact
of contact. again; indeed, the player may try again the same approach that
Tech levels range from 1 to 10, with Earth-historical equivalents previously resulted in combat. Losses are the only penalty for
listed below: combat.
1 = Caveman 7. There is no separate option table for the Bribe option. Instead,
2 = Barbarian the Befriend table is used, except that the player may try to modify
3 = Greece/Rome the die roll through bribery, by expending energy units to produce
4 = Medieval 'gifts' for the sentient race. The player must expend 1 energy unit
5 = Renaissance per tech level to produce a die roll modifier of +1, to a maximum
6 = Industrial Revolution of +5 (for five times the tech level in energy units expended).
7 = 19th Century

17
Energy units spent on gifts are expended whether or not the For each successive turn spent looking for fuel, the chance for
option succeeds. success increases. The player may add 2 to his die roll for each
For example, a player wishes to bribe a tech level 4 race to obtain Fuel Engineering team assigned to this encounter.
a +3 modifier; he must pay 12 energy units, 1 per tech level or 4 3. After rolling to find fuel each turn, the player must then roll to
for each +1 modifier. determine if the teams searching have suffered any losses. The
8. If a sentient race is successfully contacted, the player earns VPs Loss Table used (A, B, or C) depends upon the environment in the
equal to 5 plus the Tech level of the race. Thus, contacting a same way that the prospecting table does.
sentient race of Tech level 4 is worth 9 VPs, 5 base VPs plus 4 For each team lost on the table, 1D6 is rolled in the usual fashion
bonus VPs for their tech level. to determine casualties: 1 = Team Eliminated; 2-6 = Team
9. Optional Rule: If a sentient race is successfully contacted, they incapacitated for the rolled number of turns.
will provide guides which will help in resolving other encounters on 4. When a player has successfully prospected for fuel, the amount
the planet. The player may add 1 to the die roll for resolving all of fuel found is determined as follows, depending upon
other encounters on the planet from the point of successful contact environment:
on. Table A: 1D6 x 5 Energy units
Sentient Encounter Tables (1D20) Table B: 2D6 x 5 Energy units
Tech Level Befriend/Bribe Show of Science Show of Force Table C: 3D6 x 5 Energy units
1 16 11 08 The energy/fuel found is automatically added to the ship's store of
2 18 14 06 fuel/energy reserve. There is no VP value for a Fuel Prospecting
3 12 06 11 encounter.
4 15 16 08 5. A player may repeatedly search for fuel on the same planet.
5 16 10 07 However, each time he searches for fuel again, he must start over
6 15 09 08 again using the 'First Turn' column on the prospecting table. (In
7 15 08 08 essence he is attempting to find another site on the same planet.)
8 12 07 09
9 10 11 15 Fuel Prospecting Table (1D20)
10 08 13 18 Table A Table B Table C
First Turn 17 15 14
Second Turn 14 12 11
Sentient Combat Tables (1D20)
Third Turn 11 09 08
Befriend Bribe Show of Science Show of Force
Fourth Turn 08 06 05
01-18: NE 01-15: NE 01-13: NE 01-09: NE Fifth Turn 05 03 02
19-20:CT 16-20: CT 14-20: CT 10-20: CT FUEL 1d6x5 2d6x5 3d6x5
NE = No Effect; CT = 1 Combat Team lost if available, otherwise Grassland Mountain Radiated
2 Teams Lost; CT = Combat results (see loss table for proper Forest Desert Volcanic
Tech Level) Jungle Glacier Asteroid Belt
Swamp Aquatic
Loss Table
Tech Level Result Fuel Prospecting Team Loss Table (1D20)
1-4 1 Team Lost Table A Table B Table C
5-6 2 Teams Lost 01-12 = No Effect 01-10 = No Effect 01-08 = No Effect
7-8 3 Teams Lost 13-16 = 1 Team 11-15 = 1 Team 09-13 = 1 Team
9-10 4 Teams Lost Lost Lost Lost
4.9 FUEL PROSPECTING 17-18 = 2 Teams 16-17 = 2 Teams 14-16 = 2 Teams
Lost Lost Lost
1. In addition to the three usual encounters on a planet, a player 19-20 = 1 Fuel 18-20 = 1 Fuel 17-20 = 1 Fuel
may, at his option, choose to attempt a fourth · prospecting for Engineering Team Engineering Team Engineering Team
fuel. Fuel prospecting may be performed in any planetary Lost if available, Lost if available, Lost if available,
environment, or in an asteroid belt as the only encounter. Only otherwise treat as 2 otherwise treat as otherwise treat as 2
Fuel Engineering or Military teams may be assigned to fuel Teams Lost. 2 Teams Lost. Teams Lost.
prospecting.
2. Each turn, the player may try to find fuel by rolling 1D20. The
table used depends upon the planetary environment as follows:
Table A: Grasslands, Forest, Jungle, Swamp
Table B: Mountain, Desert, Glacier, Aquatic
Table C: Radiated, Volcanic, Asteroid Belt
If the roll is greater than or equal to the score indicated on the
table, the player has found fuel. If the roll is less than the indicated
score, the player has failed, but may try again on the next turn.
18
5. ENDGAME AND NOTES
5.1 VICTORY
1. Throughout the course of play, the players will earn VPs for
various activities. A running total of current VPs should be kept, as
current VP total affects the sequential order of each turn between
the players.
2. A summary of VPs scored follows; VPs are scored when an
encounter is successfully resolved.
a) Disturbance: 15 VPs (Mission)
b) Unusual Activity: 15 VPs (Mission) 5.2 CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP
c) Plant: 5 or 7 VPs, depending upon modifier
d) Herbivore: 5 VPs 1. The following rules section is a purely optional section that
e) Carnivore: 7 VPs allows players to tie a series of games together, with their
f) Sentients: 5 VPs plus 1 VP/Tech Level of race performance in one game affecting the next game.
g) Geologic: 1D6 VPs 2. The player may participate in the game through the persona of
h) Disease: 10 VPs the Captain of the Ship, representing his personal involvement in
i) Pirates: 10 VPs any events. The Captain is rated in ten areas, each corresponding
j) Zangid Vessel: 5 VPs for Battle Cruiser, 10 VPs for to the function of one of the crew teams.
Battleship, 15 VPs for Dreadnought. (Same VP value 3. The player begins the game with his Captain rated 0 in all 10 of
whether the encounter is resolved by combat or parley.) the areas of specialization. Following the first game, he may
3. VPs may be lost as follows: choose to give his Captain experience in one or more areas,
a) - h) above: When an encounter is forfeited, the VP depending upon VP score. For each 50 VPs in a game, the player
value of the encounter is lost. may give his Captain a +1 rating in any one area.
i) and j) above: VPs are lost only if the player is forced to A Captain is limited to a plus 1 experience in any area until he has
or decides to break off combat. VP loss depends upon achieved a total of five experience bonuses, in five different areas.
how many rounds of combat have been fought as follows: At this point, the player may use additional experience bonuses to
increase a rating to +2 if so desired. The Captain is then limited to
Run after 1st combat round = lose 20 VPs a +2 maximum bonus until ten experience bonuses have been
Run after 2nd combat round = lose 15 VPs earned, when a limit of +3 in each area is allowed; this is the
Run after 3rd combat round = lose 10 VPs maximum bonus allowed in the game. Experience bonuses are
Run after 4th combat round = lose 5 VPs cumulative from one game to another.
Run after 5th combat round = lose 0 VPs
Run before any combat round is fought = lose 25 VPs 4. The player may use his Captain's experience bonus as follows:
k) above: For each team permanently lost (eliminated), Navigation, Damage Control, or Fire Control: May apply the
subtract three VPs. experience bonus whenever a die roll is called for that particular
specialty's bonus during interstellar movement or combat.
4. The time limit for the standard game is twenty turns. For each
turn before the time limit expires that a player completes his Geology, Botany, Animal Physiology, Sentient Contact, Medical,
mission (visiting all four planets and returning to StarBase), the Military, or Fuel Engineering: May be sent to a planet with the
player earns 5 Bonus VPs. For each turn after the time limit has exploration teams as a bonus participant (the Captain is not
expired that the player uses to complete his mission, he loses 2 considered a Team for purposes of teleporter limits, energy
VPs. support limits, or total team numbers).
5. When playing with more than one player, players who complete The Captain may be assigned to any encounter allowed by his
their mission receive a 5 VP bonus per player per turn for each area(s) of specialization and may apply his bonus to any die roll
other player who has not yet completed his mission. The bonus is where that specialty bonus is called for during encounter
separate from any other bonus related to the time limit. resolution.
6. When playing with more than one player, the highest score of The Captain's bonus is not reduced under Disease or Heavy
VPs (VP total) wins. In the solitaire version of play, players may Gravity (as other specialty team bonuses are reduced).
rate themselves as follows: The Captain is exempt from loss results in an encounter unless all
Less than 50 VPs: You are reassigned to command a other teams are lost and a further loss is called for. The usual loss
garbage scow. die roll is made, depending upon the situation, for how the Captain
50-75 VPs: You are mentioned in dispatches. is affected by a loss result.
76-100 VPs: You receive a commendation. It is suggested that if a Captain is sent down to a planet and the
101+ VPs: You are recommended for promotion. ship also faces an encounter, the Captain cannot apply his bonuses
Players should also see the following section, Captain of the Ship, to the ship in such an encounter. After all, even the Captain can
for a method of allowing continuity for their ship's captain between only be in one place at one time.
games.
19
Optional: Players may wish to start their captains with some pieces provided). Larger space battles might be conducted in
experience as a game-balancing aid. At the start of the game, each which multiple Zangid ships must be defeated by the joined
player rolls 1D6. A roll of1-4 indicates their captain has 1 forces of two or more players.
experience bonus, in any desired area. On a roll of 5-6, the captain 5. The default game time is set for 20 turns. This could be
receives 2 experience bonuses. This option may be particularly increased or decreased to adjust difficulty.
considered if the optional rules for extending hazards into adjacent
hexes are used. 6. After determining a planet’s starting hex with 1D6 in the initial
setup, roll an additional 1D6, assigning the hex immediately
5.3 INITIAL SHIP STATS above as ‘1’ and clockwise around 2-6. Move the planet to the
1. For beginning players it may be easier to use the following stats hex indicated on the die to increase variability of planet
for all ships being commanded by the players. In later games, placement prior to moving it the additional 1D6+5 hexes. Other
players will probably wish to use the standard rules for designing methods may be similarly devised.
their own ships (as far as components). This section will allow 7. An enemy ship may, as a more advanced tactic, attempt to
novice players to begin play without undue concern about move toward a range above 5 in combat if it has no more
unfamiliarity with the rules and mistakes in ship design that would missiles. This would prevent the player from using available
result from this. missiles.
2. This section is purely optional and novice players may choose 8. If a ship does not move, fight, or explore in a given turn, the
their own ship's components if so desired. engineering teams may generate energy by using the ship’s
3. The following is the suggested basic set of ship's components: engines. Up to 5 engineer teams may be assigned to power
Engines: 7 (6 basic plus 1 extra from resource points) generation in a turn. The player rolls 1D6, and if the result is
Teleporters: 8 (6 basic plus 2 extras) equal to or fewer than the number of teams assigned, 1 energy
Shields: 4 (3 basic plus 1 extra) unit is generated. If a roll of 6 occurs, 1D6 is rolled to determine
Beams: 2 (1 basic plus one extra) the number of teams lost. Roll as usual to determine the outcome
Missiles: 1 for each team lost: 1 = Team Eliminated; 2-6 = Team
Fuel: 100 Energy Units incapacitated for the rolled number of turns. There is no VP value
Armor: 100 Damage Points for generating fuel in this way.
4. The following is the suggested crew complement: Note that this optional rule should be considered carefully before
Navigation: 1 Team implementing into the game, since it allows generation of energy
Fire Control: 1 Team without access to other sources such as asteroids and planets.
Damage Control: 1 Team 9. A hazard may be spread over more than 1 hex. When a ship
Geology: 2 Teams leaves a hex with a hazard and rolls 1D6 to determine whether
Fuel Engineers: 2 Teams there are encounters in the next hex, a roll of 5 indicates the
Botany: 2 Teams previous hazard extends into the hex now occupied by the ship. If
Animal Physiology: 3 Teams a ship moves into a hex adjacent to a hazard already placed, a roll
Sentient Contact: 3 Teams of 4 or 5 indicates the hazard extends into the hex. In both cases,
Medical: 3 Teams a roll of 6 indicates the usual roll on the Space Encounter Table for
Military: 7 Teams a random encounter. Although only one hazard may exist in one
hex, if a hex is adjacent to two hazards a roll must be made for
5.4 ALTERNATE RULES each hazard to determine if it extends into the hex. Whichever
1. It is recommended that new players play the game as written hazard is indicated first is used.
until enough familiarity is achieved to assess how alternate rules 10. Trading between players: If 2 players' ships occupy the same
will affect game play. hex at any time, they may trade ship components, crew teams,
2. The default play setup calls for 4 planets to be placed on the and/or energy if desired. The terms of exchange may be worked
board for 1-4 players. Additional planets could be placed, or out in any manner agreed upon.
fewer planets could be placed. One rule might be to have one
fewer mission available relative to the player number, to make
5.5 STAR EXPLORER with STARSHIPS & SPACEMEN
attaining missions even more competitive. The list of missions in Star Explorer can be used to generate a
mission for an adventure of Starships & Spacemen. Note that a
3. Additional planets could be placed, totaling half the number of
Battle Cruiser in Star Explorer has 25 crew teams, and 50 crew
planets with missions, up to an equal number of planets with
members in Starships & Spacemen. As a result, a crew team will
missions. These “minor” planets are available for fuel
consist of two characters. The outcomes generated for crew teams
prospecting only. To increase difficulty of fuel prospecting
that go planet-side may be used as a way of resolving the outcome
(making the assumption that these extra planets are less than of NPC teams. NPCs will generally be Ensigns.
ideal locations) Table A would be used when determining the
chances of success, and Table C would be used in the event of
crew team loss.
4. Additional mission types might be devised in addition to those
on the Mission Chart. For example, a planet or area of space
might be occupied by Zangid forces (using the extra Zangid ship
20