In particular, the sections on Unit Types, Leadership Tests, The Turn, The Movement Phase, The Shooting Phase, The Ordnance Phase and The End Phase contain all the core rules you need to play and it is there you will find most of the information you’ll need. If you start in this way you will find that you pick up the basic rules in a few games and will be able to play for much of the time using just the information on the playsheets. As you introduce other elements into your games, such as squadrons and lumbering battleships, read through the appropriate rules to refresh your memory and refer to them during play.
The very first part of the rules, the bit you’re reading now, is given over to discussing common conventions used in Battlefleet Gothic, model scale, what you will need to play and so on. Even if you are familiar with wargaming in general you may find it useful to read over this section before going on to the rest of the book.
As well as the Battlefleet Gothic rulebook, there are a number of other things you’ll require to be able to play. For a start, you will need two or more players, with models to represent their ships. You will also need a battlefield to fight over. Any firm, level surface will do, such as a tabletop or an area of floor — most kitchen tables will do fine! It’s a good idea to use an old sheet or blanket to protect the table from scratches and chips. Some players make a special gaming board from chipboard or other similar material, which they can place on top of a table to extend their playing area. Onto this surface, you can then place the celestial objects around which the battle is fought, such as planets, moons, asteroid fields and dust clouds. You can find out more about fleets and the battlefield later on.
+As well as the Battlefleet Gothic rulebook, there are a number of other things you’ll require to be able to play. For a start, you will need two or more players, with models to represent their ships. You will also need a battlefield to fight over. Any firm, level surface will do, such as a tabletop or an area of floor — most kitchen tables will do fine! It’s a good idea to use an old sheet or blanket to protect the table from scratches and chips. Some players make a special gaming board from chipboard or other similar material, which they can place on top of a table to extend their playing area. Onto this surface, you can then place the celestial objects around which the battle is fought, such as planets, moons, asteroid fields and dust clouds. You can find out more about fleets and the battlefield later on.
As well as players, ships and a battlefield there are a few other things you will need. At least one measuring device marked in centimetres (such as a retractable tape measure or ruler). All distances in this book are given in centimetres. You will also need some ordinary six-sided dice and a pen and some paper for noting down damage to ships and other details.
At this early stage in the book it’s worth establishing some initial principles about the Battlefleet Gothic game.
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ This document doesn't include all of the lore that was present in the original RThe actual base of a ship model represents very close range around the ship, no more than a few thousand kilometres. At this distance all kinds of dangers can affect the ship itself such as torpedoes, deep space bomber squadrons, other ships exploding or asteroids striking. Hence, for the purposes of the game, if something affects an area of the battlefield, like the markers used to represent torpedo salvoes or the boundaries of an asteroid field, a ship is affected if its base is touched, or if a ship moves so that its base comes into contact with the hazard.
+The actual base of a ship model represents very close range around the ship, no more than a few thousand kilometres. At this distance all kinds of dangers can affect the ship itself such as torpedoes, deep space bomber squadrons, other ships exploding or asteroids striking. Hence, for the purposes of the game, if something affects an area of the battlefield, like the markers used to represent torpedo salvoes or the boundaries of an asteroid field, a ship is affected if its base is touched, or if a ship moves so that its base comes into contact with the hazard.
As well as being very big, space is also infinitely wide, high, deep etc. Despite this, Battlefleet Gothic is played on a flat tabletop. To allow for the vagaries of three dimensions and the vast distances involved, ships can move and fire past each other without any risks. It’s easy to imagine that individual ships are just a few hundred kilometres higher or lower than each other and so have plenty of clear space to manoeuvre in. The reason for the lack of 3D movement is twofold.
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ This document doesn't include all of the lore that was present in the original RBattlefleet Gothic allows you to fight space battles amidst the cold, bright stars of the Gothic Sector during the period of raging war and unbridled destruction heralded by the ninth Black Crusade of Abaddon early in the 41st millennium. At this time Imperial, Chaos, Ork and Eldar ships of all sizes clashed in deadly conflict. Massive beweaponed battlecruisers joust with lances of fusion fire, lumbering battleships duel with coruscating salvoes of destruction while their agile escort ships dart through the fray to slash at the battling leviathans.
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ This document doesn't include all of the lore that was present in the original RSome circumstances will make it easier or harder for a vessel to use special orders. To represent this, there are two modifiers that can apply to Command checks, one positive and one negative. Under no circumstance can a ship’s Leadership be modified higher than Leadership 10. A leadership check roll of 11 or 12 always fails unless SPECIFICALLY stated otherwise.
For example, the Imperial cruiser Agrippa (Leadership 7) wants to use All Ahead Full orders to catch up with the Chaos cruiser Unclean. The Chaos cruiser used Lock On orders last turn so the Agrippa gets a +1 modifier to its Leadership value. Rolling 2D6 the Imperial player gets a 2 and 6 for a total of 8 and passes its Command check by equalling its modified Leadership value.
Sometimes a ship will have to test against its Leadership value for something other than using special orders. In these cases the test is for the captain and his crew to pull off a courageous or difficult undertaking.
-For example, a successful test against Leadership is required for a ship to ram an enemy, safely navigate an asteroid field or target a specific vessel. These tests are taken like Command checks by rolling a number of dice and comparing the total score to the ship’s Leadership value. If the score is equal to or less than the ship’s Leadership, the test is passed.
+For example, a successful test against Leadership is required for a ship to ram an enemy, safely navigate an asteroid field or target a specific vessel. These tests are taken like Command checks by rolling a number of dice and comparing the total score to the ship’s Leadership value. If the score is equal to or less than the ship’s Leadership, the test is passed.
Leadership tests can be undertaken even if a Command check for special orders has been failed earlier in the turn. No modifiers apply to leadership tests — such modifiers are unique to command checks for special orders.
Both players may move any Ordnance markers (such as torpedoes or fighter squadrons) which are still on the tabletop, having been launched in a previous turn. See the Ordnance rules for more details.
Both players may attempt to repair critical damage which has been inflicted on their ships: D6 Blast Markers are also removed by the player whose turn it is. See the End Phase rules for more about repairs and removing Blast Markers.
+Both players may attempt to repair critical damage which has been inflicted on their ships: D6 Blast Markers are also removed by the player whose turn it is. See the End Phase rules for more about repairs and removing Blast Markers.
Ships are pushed through the firmament by the most powerful engines anywhere in the galaxy. In space combat, the thrust available to a vessel can mean the difference between survival and destruction.
All ships can move at up to their normal speed. Speed varies from one ship to another, but by way of example, an Imperial Lunar class cruiser has a speed of 20 cm.
-A ship’s normal move may be increased by using the All Ahead Full special order that follows. A vessel’s move can also be decreased in some circumstances during a battle. Damage to the ship may inhibit the efficiency of its engines and reduce its top speed, and a ship which moves through Blast Markers will be slowed slightly by the shockwaves and explosions.
+A ship’s normal move may be increased by using the All Ahead Full special order that follows. A vessel’s move can also be decreased in some circumstances during a battle. Damage to the ship may inhibit the efficiency of its engines and reduce its top speed, and a ship which moves through Blast Markers will be slowed slightly by the shockwaves and explosions.
Ships moving under engines retain enormous amounts of momentum. If a vessel slows down without the correct preparations, it is so big that there is a very real chance that its structure will be damaged because the whole of its vast length isn’t moving at the same speed. Because of this, ships must always move at least half of their speed unless they use the Burn Retros special order, detailed below. Ships who are unable to move half their speed (due to damage, Blast Markers, etc.) must move the maximum possible distance instead.
+Ships moving under engines retain enormous amounts of momentum. If a vessel slows down without the correct preparations, it is so big that there is a very real chance that its structure will be damaged because the whole of its vast length isn’t moving at the same speed. Because of this, ships must always move at least half of their speed unless they use the Burn Retros special order, detailed below. Ships who are unable to move half their speed (due to damage, Blast Markers, etc.) must move the maximum possible distance instead.
The bigger a ship, the slower it will turn. While light escort ships are quite agile, larger cruisers are ponderous beasts. The time lag between a cruiser applying thrust and turning is considerable. Battleships take even longer to manoeuvre.
When ships move they have to travel in a straight line, directly ahead. However, ships may make one turn
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ This document doesn't include all of the lore that was present in the original RRamming is determined by base-to-base contact. If any part of the ramming ship’s base contacts any part of the rammed ship’s base in the course of its movement, the ram is considered to be successful. If the ramming ship hits, roll 1D6 for each point of its starting damage capacity (not the damage capacity it has left). Any dice that equal or beat the target’s armour value score a point of damage on it. Damage from rams is not deflected by shields. The ramming ship may well suffer damage too, so the vessel being rammed rolls a number of D6 equal to half its starting damage. Any dice which equal or beat the ramming ship’s front armour rating score a point of damage. If the vessels are hitting head on (i.e. front to front) the rammed or defence vessel rolls a number of dice equal to its full starting damage capacity. Once the ram attempt is resolved, the ramming ship continues its movement.
Ramming example: The Agrippa, a Lunar class cruiser, rams the Unclean, a Murder class Chaos cruiser in the starboard side. The Agrippa had a starting damage capacity of 8 so it rolls 8D6 to damage the Unclean (which has Armour 5), rolling 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6 and scoring 3 points of damage. By way of return the Unclean (with a starting damage capacity of 8) rolls 4D6 to damage the Agrippa (which has armour 6 on the front thanks to its armoured prow) rolling 3, 3, 5, 6 and scoring 1 point of damage.
-If either ship is destroyed and explodes due to ramming, the explosion (and any subsequent hits) is resolved at that moment. The ramming and rammed ship will both always be in the explosion. If it was the rammed ship that exploded it is easier to finish the ramming ships movement as normal, but unless it has special rules to navigate Blast Markers it will be slowed by Blast Markers from the explosion.
+If either ship is destroyed and explodes due to ramming, the explosion (and any subsequent hits) is resolved at that moment. The ramming and rammed ship will both always be in the explosion. If it was the rammed ship that exploded it is easier to finish the ramming ships movement as normal, but unless it has special rules to navigate Blast Markers it will be slowed by Blast Markers from the explosion.
While a ramming vessel may later attempt to board or shoot, it may only attempt to board a vessel if it ends up in base contact with one at the end of its full movement. This does not necessarily have to be the same vessel it just rammed.
When ramming defences, they always roll their full number of starting damage capacity to damage the ramming ship as if prow-on, as defences are more solidly built than ships are.
* This is for a tabletop feature such as an asteroid field or planet. If a tabletop effect such as a radiation burst or solar flare is taking place this bonus applies anywhere on the tabletop.
+* This is for a tabletop feature such as an asteroid field or planet. If a tabletop effect such as a radiation burst or solar flare is taking place this bonus applies anywhere on the tabletop.
A vessel that moves off of the table edge during play for any reason counts as being disengaged. Or, in order to disengage, a ship or escort squadron must pass a Leadership test at the end of its Movement Phase with the following modifiers:
All positive and negative modifiers must be added together before determining the leadership check, even though check rolls of 11 or 12 still automatically fail.
-For instance, a ship or escort squadron with Ld9 attempts to disengage after moving within 5 cm of three Blast Markers and an asteroid field (+4Ld) with no enemy ships or ordnance markers within 15 cm (no negative modifier). Even though the effective leadership to disengage is now Ld13 because these must all be added together BEFORE the roll, the player must still roll no higher than 10 to not fail the check. If the test is passed, the disengaging ship is removed from the tabletop and may not return during the game. If the test is failed the ship remains in play but may not fire, launch ordnance or attempt to use special orders (except Brace for Impact!) during the turn.
+For instance, a ship or escort squadron with Ld9 attempts to disengage after moving within 5 cm of three Blast Markers and an asteroid field (+4Ld) with no enemy ships or ordnance markers within 15 cm (no negative modifier). Even though the effective leadership to disengage is now Ld13 because these must all be added together BEFORE the roll, the player must still roll no higher than 10 to not fail the check. If the test is passed, the disengaging ship is removed from the tabletop and may not return during the game. If the test is failed the ship remains in play but may not fire, launch ordnance or attempt to use special orders (except Brace for Impact!) during the turn.
Any ship or squadron that, through a combination of effects, is reduced to Leadership 1 or less must attempt to disengage or move toward the closest table edge.
A vessel not hulked that moves off of the table edge during play for any reason counts as being disengaged.
An escort squadron that successfully disengages only counts as being 10% destroyed against the full value of all the escorts in the squadron. It counts as 25% destroyed if the squadron was crippled before disengaging, as in if at least half the escorts in the squadron were destroyed (rounding down) before the squadron disengaged. If any single ship in an escort squadron disengages, the whole escort squadron must then immediately and in subsequent turns attempt to disengage following normal rules. This prevents an escort squadron from disengaging one or two vessels to keep leadership or victory point benefits, then pushing the rest of them in a suicide run at the enemy.
Capital ships in a squadron may disengage separately, relying on their individual base leadership to do so, not the highest leadership in the squadron. If it attempts to disengage and fails, it falls out of the squadron and may not attempt to re-join it. This is in addition to all other effects for ships that fail to disengage when attempting to do so. A ship that disengages successfully counts as 10% of its point value for the enemy, or 25% if it is crippled before it disengages. This is NOT in addition to the 25% victory point value if it remains on the table at the end of the game but is crippled.
As ships can overlap by flying over/under one another it is possible to stack ships. When ships overlap it is common practice to remove the models from their flying bases. To keep things clear, it is usually best to have a few stemless flying bases around with a straight line draw from the central hole to the bases edge to indicate direction. If desired, numbered contact markers can be used for this as well. The drastic weakening of their shield strength usually discourages this as described in the section on Blast Markers, but it is completely legal.
+As ships can overlap by flying over/under one another it is possible to stack ships. When ships overlap it is common practice to remove the models from their flying bases. To keep things clear, it is usually best to have a few stemless flying bases around with a straight line draw from the central hole to the bases edge to indicate direction. If desired, numbered contact markers can be used for this as well. The drastic weakening of their shield strength usually discourages this as described in the section on Blast Markers, but it is completely legal.
Cruisers and escorts can be stacked to follow the movement of battleships and other models that use a large base. If the models do not physically fit where they should be located, a contact marker or similar can be used for this purpose. As a rule, ships should only be stacked or overlap as an unavoidable consequence of movement or to attain a particular shooting solution and should not be used solely because it is allowed. When a ship is forced to stand still, it counts as being targeted as Defences. Minimum move distance to not count as defences is at least 5 cm. At no time do ships count as moving simultaneously (even if in a squadron) and must always be moved one at a time, in any order desired by the owning player.
@@ -689,7 +689,7 @@ This document doesn't include all of the lore that was present in the original RWeapons batteries form the main armament for most warships, ensuring that much of their hull is pock-marked by gun ports and weapon housings. Each battery consists of rank upon rank of weapons: plasma projectors, laser cannons, missile launchers, rail guns, fusion beamers and graviton pulsars. Weapons batteries fire by salvoes, using a coordinated pattern of shots to catch the target in the middle of a maelstrom of destruction.
If a ship’s weapons battery is within range and fire arc of the target, look up the battery’s firepower on the ship’s data sheet. Then look up the target’s type and orientation on the Gunnery table that follows.
-If a ship or squadron is firing multiple weapons that rely on the gunnery, they may be fired simultaneously. Calculate the dice on the gunnery table separately for each type of gunnery weapon. This means you do not suffer gunnery shifts due to Blast Markers caused by other members of the same squadron in the same Shooting Phase. The order in which these weapons hit is up to the shooting player, so Bombardment Cannons can hit after weapons batteries have taken down shields for instance, or vice versa if desired.
+If a ship or squadron is firing multiple weapons that rely on the gunnery, they may be fired simultaneously. Calculate the dice on the gunnery table separately for each type of gunnery weapon. This means you do not suffer gunnery shifts due to Blast Markers caused by other members of the same squadron in the same Shooting Phase. The order in which these weapons hit is up to the shooting player, so Bombardment Cannons can hit after weapons batteries have taken down shields for instance, or vice versa if desired.
Find your total firepower on the column on the left of the table. Next look across the top of the table to find the target type you are shooting at.
The target’s orientation is worked out by tracing the line of fire to its base and using the bearing compass to see which aspect is facing the firer.
Which way the target is travelling is important for gunnery purposes as it is much harder to hit a target moving across your sights (i.e. abeam) than one closing or moving away from you.
@@ -697,13 +697,13 @@ This document doesn't include all of the lore that was present in the original RAny battery weapon that always counts targets as closing on the gunnery table still uses the far left column when targeting defences, applying any modifiers as applicable.
If a combination of ships in a squadron has a firepower value greater than 20, look up 20 and the remaining firepower values separately and add them together. For example, a squadron of two Carnages can have up to firepower 32 in one broadside, or firepower (20+12).
Sometimes conditions will affect how difficult a target is to hit. Ships at very long range will be hard to hit and at close range they will be easy to hit. Debris, radiation, etc., can obscure a target and are represented by Blast Markers. These are described in more detail later, but for now it’s worth knowing that they can make a target harder to hit. Even weapon batteries that always count as closing can be affected by these modifiers.
+Sometimes conditions will affect how difficult a target is to hit. Ships at very long range will be hard to hit and at close range they will be easy to hit. Debris, radiation, etc., can obscure a target and are represented by Blast Markers. These are described in more detail later, but for now it’s worth knowing that they can make a target harder to hit. Even weapon batteries that always count as closing can be affected by these modifiers.
Modifiers are applied in the form of column shifts. A good modifier (such as being at close range) means that you move across the Gunnery table one column to the left when you work out how many Hit dice to roll. A bad modifier (such as being at long range) means you move across one column to the right. No target aspect or modifier can adjust shooting beyond the far left or right columns on the gunnery table. The gunnery modifiers are summarised as follows:
For example, as shown earlier, the Unclean firing at the Agrippa rolls 7D6. If the Agrippa were within 15 cm you would shift one column left on the Gunnery table and the Unclean would roll 9D6 instead. If the Agrippa was over 30 cm away the column shift to the right would mean the Unclean rolled 5D6 instead.
| Catastrophic Damage Table | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2D6 | Extra Blast Markers | Result |
| 2D6 | Extra Blast Markers | Result |
| 2-6 | 1 | Drifting Hulk: The ship is reduced to a shattered hulk drifting in space. The wreck moves 4D6 cm forward in each of its subsequent Movement Phases. Place a Blast Marker in contact with the wreck’s base after each move. |
Ships that are reduced to zero hits and become hulks no longer have shields, holofields or any other similar mechanism.
The turret value of a hulk is reduced to zero, and turrets have no effect. Bombers do not subtract the hulk’s turret strength from their attack runs.
-Hulks cannot be fired upon or boarded by friendly vessels or ordnance in an attempt to deny victory points to the enemy or induce catastrophic damage. Torpedoes that hit a friendly hulk still inflict hits normally, but torpedoes cannot be deliberately aimed at friendly hulks.
+Hulks cannot be fired upon or boarded by friendly vessels or ordnance in an attempt to deny victory points to the enemy or induce catastrophic damage. Torpedoes that hit a friendly hulk still inflict hits normally, but torpedoes cannot be deliberately aimed at friendly hulks.
While enemy ships can choose to fire on a hulk, they do not have to pass a leadership check to ignore one if it is the closest target. A player can fire on an enemy hulk if it is not the closest target, but it must make a leadership check normally.
When shooting at hulked ships, use the destroyed ship’s Armour value to roll for hits. Roll once on the catastrophic damage table each time hits are inflicted by shooting or ordnance from a given ship, squadron or ordnance wave (regardless of the number of hits inflicted), not once for each additional hit inflicted.
Exploding ships count as an area effect and cannot be saved against by holofields, though shields still work normally.
@@ -888,16 +888,16 @@ equal to half the ship’s starting Damage capacity. Roll to hit as normal.<In the Ordnance Phase players move and attack with any ordnance they have launched on previous turns. Sometimes both players will have to move ordnance so it’s important to know who moves first. In this case the player whose turn it is moves all their ordnance first.
All ordnance has a speed value that dictates how far it moves during each Ordnance Phase. Ordnance attacks are represented by markers which are moved on the tabletop. Ordnance markers in a wave or salvo must be spread in contact with each other and cannot be stacked.
Ordnance weapons are not shielded like larger ships, so they may be destroyed if they pass through Blast Markers. If an Ordnance marker passes through Blast Markers during its movement, roll a D6. The Ordnance marker is removed from play on a roll of 6.
+Ordnance weapons are not shielded like larger ships, so they may be destroyed if they pass through Blast Markers. If an Ordnance marker passes through Blast Markers during its movement, roll a D6. The Ordnance marker is removed from play on a roll of 6.
Ordnance attacking ships with Blast Markers in base contact must also pass this test, as the ship’s base is under the effect of the Blast Marker touching its base (as described earlier).
Only one roll is made regardless of the number of Blast Markers passed through. Ordnance waves or salvoes only need to make this test once per movement, regardless of the number of Blast Markers moved through.
Ordnance may be fired at in the Shooting Phase with direct fire weapons. A ship firing at ordnance does not have to make a leadership check to ignore closer targets, nor does it have to make a leadership check to ignore enemy ordnance if it is the closest target. It must still make a leadership check to split its fire between ordnance targets, just as it would have to split fire normally. It also must make a leadership check to fire on an enemy ordnance marker, wave or salvo if it is not the closest enemy ordnance marker in range.
-Weapon batteries firing at ordnance use the Ordnance column on the Gunnery table. This is because ordnance targets are relatively small and fast moving. Target aspects are not taken into account, but column shifts for range and Blast Markers do apply. Lances and weapons batteries both need 6s to hit ordnance because they are such difficult targets. If an Ordnance marker is hit it is removed from play. Any Ordnance markers caught in a nova cannon detonation are also removed from play.
+Weapon batteries firing at ordnance use the Ordnance column on the Gunnery table. This is because ordnance targets are relatively small and fast moving. Target aspects are not taken into account, but column shifts for range and Blast Markers do apply. Lances and weapons batteries both need 6s to hit ordnance because they are such difficult targets. If an Ordnance marker is hit it is removed from play. Any Ordnance markers caught in a nova cannon detonation are also removed from play.
Ordnance attacks are always resolved immediately, including in the Movement Phase when a ship moves into enemy ordnance. This also allows small torpedo salvoes from escorts to be used to clear the way of enemy fighters in the Ordnance Phase so that larger salvoes can get through, etc. This includes Hit-and-Run attacks caused by ordnance (instead of in the End Phase), such as by assault boats and boarding torpedoes.
+Ordnance attacks are always resolved immediately, including in the Movement Phase when a ship moves into enemy ordnance. This also allows small torpedo salvoes from escorts to be used to clear the way of enemy fighters in the Ordnance Phase so that larger salvoes can get through, etc. This includes Hit-and-Run attacks caused by ordnance (instead of in the End Phase), such as by assault boats and boarding torpedoes.
Ordnance markers must always attack the first ordnance or vessels they come in contact with (when applicable). For example, a fighter squadron marker may not ignore a small torpedo salvo it is actually in contact with to attack a larger one nearby, or an attack craft wave may not ignore an escort it is in contact with to attack a nearby cruiser.
-If two ships with the same base size are so aligned that they for all intents and purposes are occupying the same 2D position on the table when they are attacked by ordnance, the attacking player can pick which ship he or she is attacking. Put simply, if there is no way to visually identify which of two stacked or overlapping ships is actually closer to attacking ordnance, the attacker decides which target is being attacked.
+If two ships with the same base size are so aligned that they for all intents and purposes are occupying the same 2D position on the table when they are attacked by ordnance, the attacking player can pick which ship he or she is attacking. Put simply, if there is no way to visually identify which of two stacked or overlapping ships is actually closer to attacking ordnance, the attacker decides which target is being attacked.
The term ‘torpedo’ has always been used to describe any long-range missile carried by a spaceship. A typical anti-ship torpedo is over 200 feet long and powered by a plasma reactor, which also acts as a sizeable portion of its warhead, turning it into a devastating plasma bomb. The area of a ship given over to the torpedo tubes is a massive space criss-crossed by lifts, hoists and gantry cranes for moving the huge missiles from the armoured magazine silos where they are stored to the launch tubes.
@@ -913,7 +913,7 @@ equal to half the ship’s starting Damage capacity. Roll to hit as normal.<An entire salvo of torpedoes can be triggered prematurely by the following circumstances:
Boarding torpedoes are designed to punch through the outer hull of an enemy vessel and plunge a squad of heavily armed troops inside to sabotage the target ship’s systems.
Boarding torpedoes are launched like ordinary torpedoes and ships that can carry them are noted in the fleet lists. It is not possible to launch ordinary torpedoes and boarding torpedoes from a ship in the same turn. Unlike ordinary torpedoes, boarding torpedoes can make a single 45° turn at the start of every Ordnance Phase, measured from the centre of the marker.
-They cannot turn 45° in the same turn they are launched. They may elect to ignore hulks. If boarding torpedoes move into contact with a ship’s base, they attack just like ordinary torpedoes (roll for turrets and to hit). Each one that hits makes a Hit-and-Run attack in the Ordnance Phase rather than inflicting a point of damage. Hit-and-Run attacks are discussed in the End Phase section.
+They cannot turn 45° in the same turn they are launched. They may elect to ignore hulks. If boarding torpedoes move into contact with a ship’s base, they attack just like ordinary torpedoes (roll for turrets and to hit). Each one that hits makes a Hit-and-Run attack in the Ordnance Phase rather than inflicting a point of damage. Hit-and-Run attacks are discussed in the End Phase section.
When boarding torpedoes come in contact with any other torpedoes except other friendly boarding torpedoes, they will be removed as normal.
Boarding torpedoes do not attack friendly ships (including hulks) they come in contact with, nor are they removed by friendly fighters in contact.
Attack craft are launched from a ship’s launch bays and may include fighters, bombers or assault boats. Launch bays are rated by the number of squadrons they can launch at once, for example a Dictator class cruiser with four bays can launch four squadrons. Each squadron is represented by a single marker.
At the time of launch, the player may select which attack craft to use from amongst those available to his ship. The launch could include fighters and bombers, or be made exclusively of one type. Each type is represented by a different marker.
Unlike torpedoes, attack craft can turn freely and move in any direction, up to the distance indicated by their speed on the ship’s profile.
-Any attack craft that come into contact with Ordnance markers or ships must attack as explained in their relevant sections that follow. They are assumed to be able to avoid or ignore closer targets or obstructions unless the course of their movement unavoidably brings them in contact, such as Blast Markers, other ordnance or celestial phenomena. Attack craft can ignore any targets they are not actually in contact with, but they cannot “fly through” enemy ship bases to attack a desired target behind them. However, attack craft can select to target vessels with small bases “hiding” inside the footprint of a large ship base as long as the attack craft actually have the range to reach the smaller base (this is the only manner in which attack craft may ignore the first ship’s base they come in contact with). Torpedoes still behave normally and cannot select targets in this manner (this includes boarding torpedoes or any other “special” torpedo type). Ships with bases stacked in this manner may mass turrets against ordnance as described in the relevant section.
+Any attack craft that come into contact with Ordnance markers or ships must attack as explained in their relevant sections that follow. They are assumed to be able to avoid or ignore closer targets or obstructions unless the course of their movement unavoidably brings them in contact, such as Blast Markers, other ordnance or celestial phenomena. Attack craft can ignore any targets they are not actually in contact with, but they cannot “fly through” enemy ship bases to attack a desired target behind them. However, attack craft can select to target vessels with small bases “hiding” inside the footprint of a large ship base as long as the attack craft actually have the range to reach the smaller base (this is the only manner in which attack craft may ignore the first ship’s base they come in contact with). Torpedoes still behave normally and cannot select targets in this manner (this includes boarding torpedoes or any other “special” torpedo type). Ships with bases stacked in this manner may mass turrets against ordnance as described in the relevant section.
When attacking ships, an assault boat or bomber wave that destroys a ship expends the entire wave to do so and is removed, even if individual markers have not yet rolled their attacks.
Ships in base contact may mass turrets together, each increasing the turret strength of a ship under attack by 1. Regardless of how many ships are in base contact with each other, no single ship can mass turrets with more than three others, providing a maximum of +3 dice when rolling turrets. The ships that mass turrets with a ship under attack take on the same ordnance restrictions as the ship under attack, such as using turrets to defend against either attack craft or torpedoes (not both) in a given Ordnance Phase. Only the ship actually being attacked can apply its own turret value as a negative modifier to bomber attack dice rolls. Ships that are braced can mass turrets and have turrets from other ships massed to defend it. Ships that are crippled cannot mass turrets but can have turrets from other ships massed to defend it.
A ship with 0 turret strength (such as Eldar or hulked vessels) cannot offer a bonus to massed turrets, but may itself benefit from massed turrets from a ship with turret strength 1 or more. This applies both to ships desiring to defend a friendly hulk or a fleet defending an allied Eldar vessel.
-No more than one ship can be moved at a time for any reason; ships will only be able to benefit from massed turrets after or before the Movement Phase is complete but not during. This does not affect how and in what order ships escorted by CAP are moved. An extremely unusual circumstance may occur where a ship extremely near to but not actually touching an enemy ordnance marker has a friendly ship move in base contact with it while it simultaneously contacts the ordnance marker. In this and ONLY this case can it then mass turrets while moving!
+No more than one ship can be moved at a time for any reason; ships will only be able to benefit from massed turrets after or before the Movement Phase is complete but not during. This does not affect how and in what order ships escorted by CAP are moved. An extremely unusual circumstance may occur where a ship extremely near to but not actually touching an enemy ordnance marker has a friendly ship move in base contact with it while it simultaneously contacts the ordnance marker. In this and ONLY this case can it then mass turrets while moving!
When a ship launches its attack craft squadrons it can despatch them as individual squadrons or combine them into waves of squadrons. To show a wave place the Attack Craft markers so they’re touching (they cannot be stacked) and keep them together as they move. If a wave contains attack craft moving at different speeds, they move at the speed of the slowest.
Attack craft waves must be assembled into the smallest circumference possible, such as a block of four, two rows of three, etc. For example, a single wave of eight ordnance markers cannot be stretched out into a single-file line eight markers long.
If enemy fighters/turrets attack a wave they must remove any fighter squadrons before moving onto the bigger ships. You can use this rule to put your wave together so that it contains fighters who will defend the vulnerable bombers or assault boats, sacrificing themselves to save the bigger vessels.
Waves of attack craft can split up during their move if you wish. However, once squadrons have split up they may not recombine into waves. A wave may only be formed when the craft are launched from their mother ship.
-The greatest benefit of attacking in a wave is that a defending ship’s turrets only fire once at the whole wave, so there is a better chance of the ships in the wave surviving the defences than individual squadrons have. On the downside, if a wave of attack craft is hit by long-range gunnery or lances, the whole wave is destroyed. Likewise, if the wave rolls a 6 while moving through Blast Markers, the entire wave is removed. An entire wave is removed after attacking a ship, even if the target is destroyed before all ordnance markers complete their attacks.
+The greatest benefit of attacking in a wave is that a defending ship’s turrets only fire once at the whole wave, so there is a better chance of the ships in the wave surviving the defences than individual squadrons have. On the downside, if a wave of attack craft is hit by long-range gunnery or lances, the whole wave is destroyed. Likewise, if the wave rolls a 6 while moving through Blast Markers, the entire wave is removed. An entire wave is removed after attacking a ship, even if the target is destroyed before all ordnance markers complete their attacks.
Fighters are small, fast and extremely agile. They are only armed with weapons suitable for destroying ordnance, including other attack craft. In combat, the fighter’s job is to intercept enemy ordnance and protect the vulnerable bombers and assault craft on their way to and from their target.
One or more fighter markers on CAP may elect to move with its ship in the Movement Phase (thus remaining in base contact) to intercept ordnance that may be in its way, but if it does so it may NOT then move in the Ordnance Phase. In other words, no double moves. Fighters on CAP then stay on CAP for that turn unless removed. If when doing so they move farther than the attack craft can move normally in a single Ordnance Phase (such as 20 cm Thunderhawks escorting a Cobra that moves 30 cm), they then cannot move in the opposing player’s Ordnance Phase as well, though they are still capable of defending the ship they are in base contact with normally.
An ordnance marker or wave is considered to move with the ship it is escorting and will protect the ship against enemy ordnance it encounters even in the midst of the ship’s movement.
-Multiple fighters on CAP in base contact with a single ship function as independent markers in all respects and are not a wave. When encountering Blast Markers, roll once per squadron marker. This includes if the ship is subsequently destroyed, at which time the fighter markers roll separately against the effects of the explosion. Any markers that survive subsequently act as separate ordnance markers and may move again in the subsequent Ordnance Phase.
-Only fighters and ordnance markers that behave as fighters can be used as CAP. Bombers and attack craft cannot be used as CAP to protect against ramming or Hit-and-Run attacks by other ships the escorted ship encounters in its own Movement Phase. For example, a bomber can’t be placed on CAP to escort a cruiser so that it immediately makes attacks upon an enemy ship the cruiser moves in base contact with. This includes resilient bombers such as Mantas.
+Multiple fighters on CAP in base contact with a single ship function as independent markers in all respects and are not a wave. When encountering Blast Markers, roll once per squadron marker. This includes if the ship is subsequently destroyed, at which time the fighter markers roll separately against the effects of the explosion. Any markers that survive subsequently act as separate ordnance markers and may move again in the subsequent Ordnance Phase.
+Only fighters and ordnance markers that behave as fighters can be used as CAP. Bombers and attack craft cannot be used as CAP to protect against ramming or Hit-and-Run attacks by other ships the escorted ship encounters in its own Movement Phase. For example, a bomber can’t be placed on CAP to escort a cruiser so that it immediately makes attacks upon an enemy ship the cruiser moves in base contact with. This includes resilient bombers such as Mantas.
Multi-role ordnance markers that can act as fighters on CAP but are also capable of attacking ships (such as Fighta-Bommas and Thunderhawks) can only attack ships during the Ordnance Phase unless an attacking ship moves into contact with them during the enemy’s Movement Phase. They may not otherwise attack a ship until they leave CAP first. See the following two examples:
An Ork Terror Ship with two fighta-bommas in base contact serving as CAP rams and/or boards an Imperial cruiser. The fighta-bommas it dragged along in the course of its movement do not automatically attack the Imperial cruiser as well but must wait until the Ordnance Phase, and even then may only do so if the attacking ship ends its movement in base contact with the target vessel because attack craft that escort a ship in the Movement Phase cannot also move in the Ordnance Phase. If engaged in a boarding action and the Terror Ship ends its movement in base contact with the Imperial cruiser, the fighta-bommas may attack it in the Ordnance Phase before the boarding action takes place in the End Phase. An Imperial cruiser rams and/or boards an Ork Terror Ship that has two fighta-bommas in base contact serving as CAP. In this case the Imperial cruiser must follow all rules for moving in contact with enemy ordnance. After resolving the ram attack (if successful), the fighta-bommas immediately attack the Imperial cruiser and are removed. If engaged in a boarding action and the Imperial cruiser ends its movement in base contact with the Terror Ship, the fighta-bommas still resolve their attack immediately, before the boarding action takes place in the End Phase.
Note: The same example would apply for other multi-role attack craft that behave as fighters on CAP, such as Thunderhawks. Note that because the markers are not in a wave, if a ship is destroyed by markers in CAP, no further markers are lost to attacking the destroyed ship.
@@ -992,7 +992,7 @@ equal to half the ship’s starting Damage capacity. Roll to hit as normal.<Fighters on CAP don’t attack torpedoes or mines being launched from a friendly ship it is protecting or from friendly ships in base contact including when launching a massed torpedo salvo. However, they will defend against torpedoes and enemy mines in any other instance.
Resilient attack craft such as Manta bombers and Thunderhawks that end their movement in base contact with a ship escorted by CAP (meaning they are already in base contact with a ship when stopped by the fighter), use their 4+ save to survive the attack and subsequently survive against turrets may no longer move or attack other ordnance markers. However, they may complete their attack run against the target vessel normally as long as they do not have to move any more to do so. For example, two Mantas attack an Ork Terror Ship with a fighta-bomma in base contact serving as CAP.
Each fighter in a wave of bombers actually attacking a ship will add +1 attack to the total attack run of the wave, regardless of whether they are shot down by turrets or not. The maximum number of bonus attacks that can be added in this way cannot exceed the number of surviving bombers in the wave. There must be at least one surviving bomber in the wave after turret fire to gain these bonus attacks, and fighters are removed before any other type of ordnance. Fighters that never made it because they were intercepted by defending fighters (even those on CAP) don’t add to this suppression bonus. See the following examples:
+Each fighter in a wave of bombers actually attacking a ship will add +1 attack to the total attack run of the wave, regardless of whether they are shot down by turrets or not. The maximum number of bonus attacks that can be added in this way cannot exceed the number of surviving bombers in the wave. There must be at least one surviving bomber in the wave after turret fire to gain these bonus attacks, and fighters are removed before any other type of ordnance. Fighters that never made it because they were intercepted by defending fighters (even those on CAP) don’t add to this suppression bonus. See the following examples:
An Emperor battleship (foolishly) launches a single wave of three bombers and five fighters against a Devastation cruiser with three turrets and no CAP. The Devastation’s turrets roll 4, 5, 6 to knock down three fighters. The three bombers now each roll 1D6-3 (minimum zero) attacks regardless of whether or not any of the fighters survived against turrets. Now only three of the five fighters that escorted the bombers provide an additional +1 attack because there are only three bombers in the wave, for a single total addition of +3 attacks.
An Emperor battleship launches a single wave of four bombers and four fighters against a Devastation cruiser with three turrets and no CAP. The Devastation’s turrets roll 4, 5, 6 to knock down three fighters. The four bombers now each roll 1D6-3 (minimum zero) attacks regardless of whether or not any of the fighters survived against turrets. Now all four of the fighters that escorted the bombers provide an additional +1 attack because there are four bombers in the wave, for a single total addition of +4 attacks.
After the attack the assault boats return to their ship to be reloaded with troops and refuelled. Remove the Squadron marker from play when the attack is made in the End Phase.
Attack craft that are “resilient”, meaning they have a 4+ save against other ordnance such as Thunderhawks or Eldar fighters, can only attempt this save once per Ordnance Phase, regardless of attacking or being attacked. Even if they roll a 4+ to remain in play, they have to stop movement where the ordnance interaction took place and cannot move further for that Ordnance Phase, and they lose their 4+ save for the rest of that phase as well (or Movement Phase if save is made while in CAP). In all cases, resilient attack craft that fail to make their save are immediately removed.
+Attack craft that are “resilient”, meaning they have a 4+ save against other ordnance such as Thunderhawks or Eldar fighters, can only attempt this save once per Ordnance Phase, regardless of attacking or being attacked. Even if they roll a 4+ to remain in play, they have to stop movement where the ordnance interaction took place and cannot move further for that Ordnance Phase, and they lose their 4+ save for the rest of that phase as well (or Movement Phase if save is made while in CAP). In all cases, resilient attack craft that fail to make their save are immediately removed.
Ordnance that use this save and end their movement in contact with an enemy vessel may attack it normally.
Resilient attack craft that behave as fighters must always do so when in contact with other ordnance, even if they may serve another function as well, such as Thunderhawks. Attack craft that do not function as fighters but have a save against fighter attacks, such as Tau Manta bombers, ignore any other type of ordnance except fighters in the same manner other bombers or assault boats do.
Any second interaction in the same Ordnance Phase such as attacking multiple markers in the same phase will cause the marker to be automatically removed, as normal fighters would be were they not resilient. The attacking player always decides the order of the ordnance interaction. For example, if two Thunderhawks move in contact with two Chaos Swiftdeath fighters, the Space Marine player decides in which order the ordnance interacts. He can decide Thunderhawk #1 removes one fighter, makes its 4+ save and remains in play, then decide Thunderhawk #1 removes the second Swiftdeath, in which case Thunderhawk #1 is automatically removed but Thunderhawk #2 remains in play without using its save and can thus move full distance. Conversely, the Space Marine player may decide to engage the Swiftdeaths one apiece, in which case both Thunderhawks remain in play if they both make their saves, but both expend their saves for that Ordnance Phase in the process. In this case, both Thunderhawks end their movement where they came in contact in the Swiftdeaths and may not continue to move full distance.
If two markers that both have a 4+ save attack each other and both remain in play by successfully rolling their saves, they stop movement and remain in contact until the next turn’s Ordnance Phase. However, if any marker that saves is attacked again in the same phase, it (along with the marker that attacked it) is automatically removed.
-If a wave containing resilient attack craft attacks or is attacked and a save is made, ordnance markers that make saves may no longer move. However it may be split from the wave to allow the rest of the wave to continue its movement. Attack craft in the wave that were not attacked (and thus didn’t use their 4+ save) complete their movement normally. For example, instead of ignoring it, a wave of four Thunderhawks in the course of their movement attacks a single Ork Fighta-bomma not in base contact with a ship (rules for attacking ships with fighters on CAP remain unchanged). One Thunderhawk attacks the fighta-bomma, removing it. If it rolls its 4+ save it may remain in play, but it must stop where it made contact with the fighta-bomma and not move until the next Ordnance Phase. The remainder of the Thunderhawk wave may continue to move its full distance. In essence, the Thunderhawk marker that engaged the fighta-bomma peeled off the wave to engage it while the rest of the wave continued on to its target.
+If a wave containing resilient attack craft attacks or is attacked and a save is made, ordnance markers that make saves may no longer move. However it may be split from the wave to allow the rest of the wave to continue its movement. Attack craft in the wave that were not attacked (and thus didn’t use their 4+ save) complete their movement normally. For example, instead of ignoring it, a wave of four Thunderhawks in the course of their movement attacks a single Ork Fighta-bomma not in base contact with a ship (rules for attacking ships with fighters on CAP remain unchanged). One Thunderhawk attacks the fighta-bomma, removing it. If it rolls its 4+ save it may remain in play, but it must stop where it made contact with the fighta-bomma and not move until the next Ordnance Phase. The remainder of the Thunderhawk wave may continue to move its full distance. In essence, the Thunderhawk marker that engaged the fighta-bomma peeled off the wave to engage it while the rest of the wave continued on to its target.
During the End Phase, players sort out any events which have been set into action during the turn, such as repairing any critical damage. Some of the Blast Markers are removed from the table, as the energy and debris they represent is naturally dissipated. The End Phase is also a good opportunity to tidy up the table top, count victory points, check up on scenario victory conditions and break out the biscuits. The End Phase works in the following order:
+During the End Phase, players sort out any events which have been set into action during the turn, such as repairing any critical damage. Some of the Blast Markers are removed from the table, as the energy and debris they represent is naturally dissipated. The End Phase is also a good opportunity to tidy up the table top, count victory points, check up on scenario victory conditions and break out the biscuits. The End Phase works in the following order:
Both players can attempt to repair critical damage during the End Phase. Repair crews will be working continuously of course, welding up hull breaches, re-routing power conduits, putting out fires and generally trying to keep the ship functioning. To represent this, capital ships roll 1D6 per Damage point remaining in the End Phase. Each roll of a 6 enables the ship to repair one critically damaged system or put out one fire. If the ship has any Blast Markers in contact, the player only rolls half as many dice as usual (rounding up).
+Both players can attempt to repair critical damage during the End Phase. Repair crews will be working continuously of course, welding up hull breaches, re-routing power conduits, putting out fires and generally trying to keep the ship functioning. To represent this, capital ships roll 1D6 per Damage point remaining in the End Phase. Each roll of a 6 enables the ship to repair one critically damaged system or put out one fire. If the ship has any Blast Markers in contact, the player only rolls half as many dice as usual (rounding up).
With time, the debris and shock waves represented by Blast Markers will dissipate sufficiently to be of no further impediment to ships or their weapons. To represent this, the player whose turn it is rolls a D6 and removes that many Blast Markers. Blast Markers in contact with ships’ bases may not be removed, but otherwise the player is free to choose which ones will go.
+With time, the debris and shock waves represented by Blast Markers will dissipate sufficiently to be of no further impediment to ships or their weapons. To represent this, the player whose turn it is rolls a D6 and removes that many Blast Markers. Blast Markers in contact with ships’ bases may not be removed, but otherwise the player is free to choose which ones will go.
Boarding actions are bloody, desperate battles between ships at very close range. The boarding vessel manoeuvres close to an enemy ship and sends a wave of armed crewmen across via teleporters, shuttles, life pods and in pressure suits to grab a foothold on the outer hull of the enemy vessel. The attackers then blow breaches in the hull and swarm in to try to overcome the defending crew in vicious firefights and hand-to-hand combat. Boarding actions are dangerous for both sides: even a victorious ship may suffer critical damage in the fighting or a prospective victim may explode with catastrophic results.
A ship may attempt a boarding action if it’s in base contact with an enemy vessel in the End Phase before damage control has been attempted or Blast Markers are removed. If a vessel is going to attempt a boarding action it must be declared in the Movement Phase when contact is made. Vessels attempting to board an enemy ship may not fire weapons or launch ordnance in the same turn because their crews are too busy participating in the boarding action.
+A ship may attempt a boarding action if it’s in base contact with an enemy vessel in the End Phase before damage control has been attempted or Blast Markers are removed. If a vessel is going to attempt a boarding action it must be declared in the Movement Phase when contact is made. Vessels attempting to board an enemy ship may not fire weapons or launch ordnance in the same turn because their crews are too busy participating in the boarding action.
Under no circumstances may a player initiate a ship-to-ship boarding action during the enemy’s turn, though it may defend against an enemy boarding action normally.
Ships involved in boarding actions may not be shot at, nor can torpedoes be deliberately aimed at them. Attack craft also may not attack them.
To resolve the action, both players roll a D6 and add the appropriate modifiers from the following list.
@@ -1082,7 +1082,7 @@ equal to half the ship’s starting Damage capacity. Roll to hit as normal.<This is the final boarding value and it is this value, that offers the +1, +2, +3, +4 boarding modifier.
The player with the highest total score is the winner. The losing ship suffers 1 point of damage for each point it lost the combat by. The total score is NOT limited to 6 and can potentially result in a roll of up to 12 or more. Do not check normally for critical damage for any damage caused.
-Instead, there is a chance of each ship suffering a single critical hit during the fighting as shown on the table below. If a ship is reduced to 0 damage by a boarding action do not roll on the Catastrophic Damage table, instead the ship automatically becomes a drifting hulk (exception: if a ship is reduced to 0 damage by a critical hit, roll for catastrophic damage as normal). Ships which survive being boarded may move off normally in their next Movement Phase.
+Instead, there is a chance of each ship suffering a single critical hit during the fighting as shown on the table below. If a ship is reduced to 0 damage by a boarding action do not roll on the Catastrophic Damage table, instead the ship automatically becomes a drifting hulk (exception: if a ship is reduced to 0 damage by a critical hit, roll for catastrophic damage as normal). Ships which survive being boarded may move off normally in their next Movement Phase.
| Defences Critical Hits Table | ||
|---|---|---|
| Defences Critical Hits Table | ||
| 2D6 Roll | Extra Damage | Result |
Some large defensive platforms, such as space stations and the huge Blackstone Fortresses, have multiple hits. When it comes to taking damage, these work just like capital ships. They suffer critical hits just like capital ships and get crippled once they have lost half their damage points. If a defence with multiple hits is reduced to 0 damage, roll on the Catastrophic Damage table. However, defences never drift, they always remain in place.
+Some large defensive platforms, such as space stations and the huge Blackstone Fortresses, have multiple hits. When it comes to taking damage, these work just like capital ships. They suffer critical hits just like capital ships and get crippled once they have lost half their damage points. If a defence with multiple hits is reduced to 0 damage, roll on the Catastrophic Damage table. However, defences never drift, they always remain in place.
You remove D6 Blast Markers from each defence with a speed of 0 cm in each End Phase after all other actions in the End Phase. This only applies to stationary defences, not planetary defences that behave as ships (such as monitors or system ships). This also does not apply to ships on standby or ships reduced to 0 cm due to movement effects but otherwise capable of movement.
+You remove D6 Blast Markers from each defence with a speed of 0 cm in each End Phase after all other actions in the End Phase. This only applies to stationary defences, not planetary defences that behave as ships (such as monitors or system ships). This also does not apply to ships on standby or ships reduced to 0 cm due to movement effects but otherwise capable of movement.
Warp rifts are especially unstable and dangerous forms of celestial phenomena, and planetary defences of any type cannot be placed closer than 30 cm to a warp rift, with all other rules still applying normally. This means if a particular defence must be placed within 15 cm of celestial phenomena, it still must be so placed, and it can’t be placed within 30 cm of a warp rift.
+Warp rifts are especially unstable and dangerous forms of celestial phenomena, and planetary defences of any type cannot be placed closer than 30 cm to a warp rift, with all other rules still applying normally. This means if a particular defence must be placed within 15 cm of celestial phenomena, it still must be so placed, and it can’t be placed within 30 cm of a warp rift.
In order to fight a battle you will need somewhere to set up your battlefield – any flat, stable area will do. Some people make do with a smooth bit of floor but most use a kitchen or dining table (preferably protected by a cloth or blanket).
By far the best option, if it’s available, is to fight over a gaming board made up of sheets of chipboard, plywood or MDF laid over another table. Typically the battlefield should be between 6' to 8' long (around 1.8 metres to 2.4 metres) and 4' to 6' wide (1.2 to 1.8 metres).
You can play on a smaller area quite easily but you’ll need to keep the forces that are fighting proportionately smaller to ensure that you’ve got some room to manoeuvre.
Space, the void, vacuum. Sounds empty, but actually there’s all kinds of stuff floating around between the stars. It’s not exactly densely packed, of course, but it has its effects on navigation and combat, so, strategy being what it is, this means that battles will usually be fought around and over it. For example, dust clouds and asteroid fields are enough to force a ship to slow down as it passes through the area, making it an ideal spot for an ambush. Equally, capturing or raiding worlds will always be an objective of enemy ships, ensuring that space combat will often happen in close proximity to planets.
+Space, the void, vacuum. Sounds empty, but actually there’s all kinds of stuff floating around between the stars. It’s not exactly densely packed, of course, but it has its effects on navigation and combat, so, strategy being what it is, this means that battles will usually be fought around and over it. For example, dust clouds and asteroid fields are enough to force a ship to slow down as it passes through the area, making it an ideal spot for an ambush. Equally, capturing or raiding worlds will always be an objective of enemy ships, ensuring that space combat will often happen in close proximity to planets.
Incidentally this section is called Celestial Phenomena because terrain simply didn’t seem like the right word. Nonetheless this is terrain for space battles and it forms an important part of the game – so don’t skimp on it!
So you’ve got your battlefield, but it’s a featureless, empty void. While this might be appropriate if you’re in the depths of space it makes for a rather dull battle. Celestial phenomena are an important feature of every battlefield. A good commander will use them to his best advantage during a battle, blocking the enemy’s lines of fire, getting his heavy ships into good firing positions and concealing his escorts until they are ready to strike.
Building up a collection of scenery to represent celestial phenomena is an important and enjoyable part of the hobby, as it enhances your games. Most types can be easily represented on the tabletop at minimal cost using sand, pebbles, etc. Beyond this there are almost limitless opportunities for making scenery easily and cheaply. With a little effort you will soon become an expert at constructing planets, moons and other phenomena out of the most mundane of household goods. You can find plenty of examples of home made scenery online and the White Dwarf magazine often contains articles about making scenery and can serve as an invaluable source of ideas and inspiration.
@@ -1249,24 +1249,24 @@ equal to half the ship’s starting Damage capacity. Roll to hit as normal.<At the mercurial zone the sun’s ferocity is still awesome to behold, but solar flares less frequently reach out to burn everything in their path. Occasionally a planet can be found in the mercurial zone which can sustain limited life deep underground or constantly moving around its dark side to shelter from the sun’s rays.
+At the mercurial zone the sun’s ferocity is still awesome to behold, but solar flares less frequently reach out to burn everything in their path. Occasionally a planet can be found in the mercurial zone which can sustain limited life deep underground or constantly moving around its dark side to shelter from the sun’s rays.
| D6 Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Solar Flare |
| 2 | Radiation burst |
| 3 | Asteroid field |
| 2 | Radiation burst |
| 3 | Asteroid field |
| 4 | D3 gas/dust clouds (solar filaments or flare remnants) |
| 5 | D3 gas/dust clouds (solar filaments or flare remnants) |
| 6 | Planet (roll again: 1-5 = small, 6 = medium)* |
| D6 Roll | Result |
| 1 | Roll again: 1-3 = Radiation burst; 4-6 = solar flare |
| 2 | Asteroid field |
| 1 | Roll again: 1-3 = Radiation burst; 4-6 = solar flare |
| 2 | Asteroid field |
| 3 | D3 asteroid fields |
| 4 | D3 gas/dust clouds |
| 5 | D3 gas/dust clouds |
| D6 Roll | Result |
| 1 | Asteroid field |
| 1 | Asteroid field |
| 2 | D3 asteroid fields |
| 3 | Gas/dust clouds |
| 4 | D3 gas/dust clouds |
| D6 Roll | Result |
| 1 | D3+1 asteroid fields |
| 1 | D3+1 asteroid fields |
| 2 | D3 asteroid fields |
| 3 | D3 gas/dust clouds |
| 4 | Gas/dust cloud |
| D6 Roll | Result |
| 1 | D3 asteroid fields |
| 1 | D3 asteroid fields |
| 2 | Asteroid fields |
| 3 | D3 gas/dust clouds |
| 4 | Gas/dust cloud |
| 5 | Warp rift |
| 5 | Warp rift |
| 6 | Small planet (a rogue planet in a highly eccentric orbit)* |
Once you have established which way is sunward, you can start to place celestial phenomena. Each of the types is listed as follows with suggested sizes and methods of placement. However, if you have phenomena made up on bases of a particular size or something similar just use them the way they are. Likewise, don’t let the following suggestions stop you from doing something interesting or exciting: they are just there as guidelines to take some of the brain ache out of setting up the tabletop, not as definitive rules.
Any celestial phenomena affect a ship as soon as it contacts a ship’s base. However, it does not block fields of fire unless it physically blocks line of sight from the stem of the shooting ship to the stem of the target ship.
-As warp drive implosions are not affected by celestial phenomena for purposes of line of sight, this includes when it takes place inside celestial phenomena such as asteroid fields. Being inside, outside or the other side of an asteroid field from an exploding ship does not affect whether or not it is in the explosion’s 3D6 cm blast radius.
+As warp drive implosions are not affected by celestial phenomena for purposes of line of sight, this includes when it takes place inside celestial phenomena such as asteroid fields. Being inside, outside or the other side of an asteroid field from an exploding ship does not affect whether or not it is in the explosion’s 3D6 cm blast radius.
Gas and dust clouds represent areas of space with a notably greater density of (mostly) hydrogen gas or tiny particles of matter. These clouds may be fragments left over from the formation of stars and star systems, the outer fringes of nebulae or protostars, or even gasses ejected by solar flares. They represent a moderate navigational hazard to shipping: basic shielding is sufficient to prevent damage occurring but ships are slowed somewhat by passing through them. Gas and dust clouds impair targeting by weapon batteries and may destroy ordnance which passes through them, making them potentially useful areas to exploit in ship-to-ship combat.
+Gas and dust clouds represent areas of space with a notably greater density of (mostly) hydrogen gas or tiny particles of matter. These clouds may be fragments left over from the formation of stars and star systems, the outer fringes of nebulae or protostars, or even gasses ejected by solar flares. They represent a moderate navigational hazard to shipping: basic shielding is sufficient to prevent damage occurring but ships are slowed somewhat by passing through them. Gas and dust clouds impair targeting by weapon batteries and may destroy ordnance which passes through them, making them potentially useful areas to exploit in ship-to-ship combat.
To ships in base contact, gas and dust clouds have the same effect as a single Blast Marker in all respects (i.e. on firing, movement, shields, Leadership and ordnance). Eldar and their kin can make a leadership check to ignore all effects of gas clouds, and their escorts may re-roll this result for free. If passed, it will take no damage nor suffer any effects of being in contact with it. If a ship having 0 shield strength explodes due to contact with a gas/dust cloud, the explosion will originate at the point the ship entered the cloud.
Ships using All Ahead Full special orders make the test on 3D6 instead.
Escort ships may re-roll the Leadership test if they fail it, but the second roll stands whether it is successful or not. A ship that fails the Leadership test suffers D6 damage from asteroid impacts, but its shields will block damage as normal.
Escort and capital ship squadrons make this leadership test normally, once for the whole squadron. In the case of capital ship squadrons that fail this test, each ship that comes in base contact with the asteroid field in any way suffers D6 damage. Escort squadrons re-roll this leadership test for free. In the case of escort squadrons that still fail this re-roll, D6 damage is distributed among the escorts that actually contacted the asteroid field, in the order that the ships were moved. In all cases, shields (but not holofields) work normally against hits.
-Blast Markers are not placed when asteroid impacts take shields down, however the ship will be slowed down 5 cm as if it has moved through Blast Markers that turn.
+Blast Markers are not placed when asteroid impacts take shields down, however the ship will be slowed down 5 cm as if it has moved through Blast Markers that turn.
Hulks which drift into an asteroid field are destroyed.
Attack craft squadrons which move through an asteroid field are destroyed on a D6 roll of 6.
Ships cannot shoot into or out of an asteroid field. However, shooting between ships inside an asteroid field can take place only if both the shooting and target ships are both inside an asteroid field. Lances and weapon batteries have no more than 10 cm range, Nova Cannons don’t work and torpedoes of any type cannot be used. Shooting at enemies within 10 cm range does not impart a right column shift when inside an asteroid field. Attack Craft work normally but must make a D6 roll every Ordnance Phase they remain in the field, with every wave or individual marker removed on a roll of 6. Ships that are braced or crippled may not shoot inside an asteroid field.
@@ -1400,7 +1400,7 @@ equal to half the ship’s starting Damage capacity. Roll to hit as normal.<Planets are usually so far apart that only one will be placed on the tabletop, although in spectacular ‘When Planets Collide’ scenarios you might want to place two planets in shockingly close proximity.
Occasionally planets (usually the larger ones) have rings made up of gas, dust and asteroids. These are represented by gas and dust clouds and/or asteroid fields placed in a ring around the planet.
+Occasionally planets (usually the larger ones) have rings made up of gas, dust and asteroids. These are represented by gas and dust clouds and/or asteroid fields placed in a ring around the planet.
If there is a large planet on the table roll a D6. On a 5 or 6 it has rings around it. Place D3 rings around the planet, then roll a D6 to see what sort each ring is: 1-4 = gas/ dust, 5-6 = asteroid. Each ring is D6 cm wide and begins D6×5 cm away from the planet’s edge. Note that some may end up merging into one another, but that’s fine.
Roll a D6 at the start of each turn. If more than one flare was generated as part of the celestial phenomena roll a D6 per flare generated. On any roll of a 6 a flare occurs, but a flare will only manifest itself once per game. Once a flare occurs, this roll no longer needs to be rolled. Each ship on the tabletop has one Blast Marker placed sunward of them. Any ship without shields will suffer one hit and will take critical damage on a roll of 4 or more on a D6. Roll a D6 for each Ordnance marker – on a 4 or more it is removed from play. Eldar and their kin can make a leadership check to ignore all effects of solar flares, and their escorts may re-roll this result for free. If passed, it will take no damage but instead turn directly away from the solar flare and move 2D6 cm.
As well as solar flares and often in conjunction with them, a sun will frequently emit bursts of radiation, including electromagnetic and radio waves. These temporarily scramble any communications traffic between ships and even disrupt ship-board commnets. Commanding a ship in these conditions is extremely difficult and for this reason most commanders assiduously avoid the flare region of the local star.
+As well as solar flares and often in conjunction with them, a sun will frequently emit bursts of radiation, including electromagnetic and radio waves. These temporarily scramble any communications traffic between ships and even disrupt ship-board commnets. Commanding a ship in these conditions is extremely difficult and for this reason most commanders assiduously avoid the flare region of the local star.
Roll a D6 at the start of each turn. If more than one radiation burst was generated as part of the celestial phenomena, roll a D6 for each one generated. For each roll of 5 or 6 a radiation burst occurs. Only one radiation burst can happen per turn even if multiple radiation burst were rolled for. Roll a D6 to see what the interference level of the burst is and all ships on the table reduce their Leadership value by the interference level for that turn. For example, if a radiation burst occurs and a 3 is rolled for the interference level, all ships suffer -3 to their Leadership for the rest of the turn.
In addition to the reduced Leadership for the interference, Fleet Commanders may only use their re-rolls for Command checks for their own ship or squadron during radiation bursts.
@@ -1460,7 +1460,7 @@ equal to half the ship’s starting Damage capacity. Roll to hit as normal.<First Turn tells you which fleet has the first turn. Often the players roll a D6 and the winner can choose whether to go first or second.
Special Rules gives you details of any rules that are specific to that scenario, such as making a planetary assault, using special Contact markers, squadrons being on standby orders and so forth.
Game Length tells you how many turns the battle will last for, together with any other events which may end the battle.
-Victory Conditions is the important bit! It is here that you’ll find what your fleet must do in order to win. Often victory points are used to determine the winner, and the rules for these are as follows.
+Victory Conditions is the important bit! It is here that you’ll find what your fleet must do in order to win. Often victory points are used to determine the winner, and the rules for these are as follows.
In many scenarios, the winner will be the player who scores the most victory points. Victory points are a measure of how much damage a fleet has inflicted on its enemy and are won by crippling and destroying enemy ships. Additional victory points can also be scored by achieving certain objectives, as detailed in the Victory Conditions section of the scenario, such as escaping an attack or attacking an enemy base. Victory points are earned as follows:
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| 2 | Secret Intelligence: Spies and traitors could be found in nearly every fleet in the Gothic War. Although mostly they were only useful for informing the enemy about fleet movements at the strategic level, occasionally they could gain knowledge of the fleet commander’s battle plan just prior to an engagement and get this information to the other side. You gain an extra fleet commander re-roll for this battle. -Nominate one enemy capital ship, where your informant is hiding out. You must board this ship, or make a Hit-and-Run attack on it at least once to extract the informer. (0/-1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Experimental Ship: Both sides tried numerous ploys to gain whatever edge they could over their enemy. Strategy and tactics would be changed and one area of experiment was ship design itself. Many ships were fitted with one-off weapons, engines or shield systems and their performance was closely monitored. Even recovered ancient technology or alien artefacts were sometimes retro-fitted to a ship to change its performance in one way or another. Unfortunately, there was no perfect combination and whenever something was improved, something else had to be sacrificed to accommodate the new systems. Randomly select a capital ship in your fleet. This ship has recently been fitted with an experimental system that has yet to be tried out in the heat of battle. Roll a D6 on each of the following tables to see how the ship has been altered (re-roll the side effect if the two contradict each other):
|