[D'rek]

The Seven are still struggling with their efforts to dominate the galaxy. While the conflict escalates,
the leaders receive discomforting reports from the newly discovered sectors, from Sigma Hydrae
to Theta Ophiuchi. The systems previously thought to be empty are suddenly swarming with
Ancients – whole worlds of them, with ship capabilities way beyond anything seen before.

They are not willing to negotiate.

The former adversaries need to find allies among themselves to face the rising threat. At the same
time new factions are trying to get a foothold on the galaxy and even overthrow the Seven. The
times are interesting indeed.

The Ancients are rising. Will your civilization rise above the others and emerge victorious?

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Players Boards:

Mechanema (cerveza_fiesta)

Spoiler

 PB - Mech.jpg (683.58K)
Number of downloads: 6

Terran Union (twelve)

Spoiler

 PB - TerUni.jpg (699.58K)
Number of downloads: 2

Hydrani Progress (Tattersail) - dead

Spoiler

The Exiles (D'rek)

Spoiler

 PB - Exiles.jpg (777.12K)
Number of downloads: 2

Keepers of Magellan (Imperial Historian)

Spoiler

 PB - MagKep.jpg (718.62K)
Number of downloads: 1

Enlightened of Lyra (Khellendros)

Spoiler

 PB - Lyra.jpg (745.53K)
Number of downloads: 1

Orion Hegemony (EmperorMagnus)

Spoiler

 PB - Orion.jpg (688.16K)
Number of downloads: 3

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Latest Supply Board:

Spoiler

 SUPPLY BOARD.jpg (309.7K)
Number of downloads: 4

Latest Map:

Spoiler

 GAME BOARD.jpg (1.15MB)
Number of downloads: 1

Latest Simple Map:

Spoiler

 Circle Map.jpg (277.81K)
Number of downloads: 2

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Dice history:

I am using Orokos for rolling dice for combat. Orokos maintains a dice roll history so other players can easily verify that dice are not being re-rolled to benefit one player. The dice history can be viewed on the Orokos ME_Eclipse_G2 Campaign page.


The description decodes as follows:

R2H203B1_e1 - EM Crs (1xO), Ax Shp (4xY), EM Drd (1xO, 1xY)

R2 = Combat Phase of Round 2
H203 = Occuring in Hex #203
B1 = Battle #1 in Hex 203 (there could be multiple sequential battles)
m / e1 = Missile Round / Engagement Round 1

EM Crs (1xO) = EmperorMagus' Cruiser, which will roll 1 orange die
Ax Shp (4xY) = Ancient Ships, which will roll 4 yellow dice


If you click on the number in the Results column, you can see the collective dice rolls, ie: 7d6: 19 [7d6=1, 3, 3, 3, 1, 4, 4]

The dice are assigned in the order stated in the description (which will be the order the ships engage in).

So in the examples above:
R2H203B1_e1 - EM Crs (1xO), Ax Shp (4xY), EM Drd (1xO, 1xY)
7d6: 19 [7d6=1, 3, 3, 3, 1, 4, 4]


EM's Cruiser needs to roll 1 orange die, so the first die result (1) will be what the cruiser rolls. Then the Ancient Ships need to roll 4 dice, so the next four results will be what they roll. Lastly, EM's dreadnaught needs to roll one orange and one yellow, so the next die result will be the dreadnaught's orange die result and the last will be its yellow die result.

If a ship is rolled for but destroyed before it would attack, the dice results that would have been used for it are simply passed over.


In battles where players wish to retreat in the middle of engagement rounds, some variation of this system may be used.

---

Core Rules: morgy's dropbox link
Expansion Content: bgg link - requires an account unfortunately (not all expansion add-ons/variants will be used)


House Rules:

• Reputation tiles are face up (so no unfair advantage to moderator)
• Once enough tiles of a technology have been drawn that everyone in the game could research it, any further tiles drawn of that tech will be discarded and replaced

This post has been edited by D'rek: 01 April 2013 - 10:13 AM

[D'rek]

Reference #1 - Actions

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EXPLORE

For each hex symbol above your EXP action circle:

1) Choose an unexplored hex that is adjacent to a hex where you have an influence disc or an
unpinned ship

2) A hex of the corresponding Tier is randomly drawn (everyone gets to see it)

3) Either:

a} Discard the hex. Your action is over.
b} Orient the hex so you have a full wormhole between it and any hex you could have explored it from.

4) If the new hex has no ancients, you may place an Influence Disc and population cubes (if you have unflipped colony ships) in it immediately



INFLUENCE


Part 1 - For each disc symbol above your INF action circle (everyone has 2):

Move an Influence Disc
From:
• your Influence Track, or
• a hex where you have an Influence Disc

To:
• an empty hex with a wormhole to a hex where you have a disc or a ship, or
• a hex where only you have a ship, or
• back to your Influence Track.


Part 2 - For each colony ship symbol (little hexagon under the INF action circle):

Flip one of your colony ships face up


***Parts 1 and 2 can be done in any order



RESEARCH

For each research symbol above the RES action circle:

A} Pay the cost of an available Development, move its tile next to your Player Board and receive whatever bonus it grants you

OR

B} Pay the science cost (number to the left of the slash at the bottom of a technology tile) of an available Technology and move its tile from the Supply Board to your Player Board. Place the new Technology in the leftmost available space of its corresponding row. Rare Technologies can be placed in any row.

***Discounts: if the empty technology space on your player board you are moving a new technology to has a negative number at the bottom, you can subtract that amount from the total price of the technology you are buying and putting there. The end price cannot be less than the number to the right of the slash in the technology tile.



UPGRADE

1) Remove as many Ship Parts from your ship blueprints as you want

2) Place up to as many ship part tiles on your blueprints as you have upgrade icons over the UPG action circle

Note:

• Ship parts cannot be placed on other ship parts
• Starbases cannot have drives
• Interceptors, Cruisers and Dreadnaughts must have at least one drive
• Each ship type must produce at least as much energy as it consumes

MOVE

For each move symbol (arrow) next to your MOV action circle, you can activate a ship (you can activate the same ship multiple times). An activated ship can move through a complete wormhole to
an adjacent hex once for each hex symbol in its blueprints


Pinning:

If you have ships in a hex that also has enemy ships, one of your ships for each enemy ship present is "pinned". A pinned ship cannot move out of the hex and cannot be used to Explore.

If you have more ships in the hex than the sum of all enemy ships, your surplus ships are not pinned and can be moved out of the hex. You can choose which of your ships are not pinned.

Starbases, Ancient Ships and Ancient Cruisers count for pinning. The GCDS and Ancient Dreadnaught pin all ships.


BUILD

For each wrench you have above the BUI action circle (Nanorobots provides an additional wrench), pay the cost to build a ship, orbital or monolith and add it to the board.

ie: Octavius has 2 Wrench at his Build action, and he has Nanorobots. He pays 3 materials to build an Interceptor, 5 materials to build a Cruiser and 10 materials to build a Monolith, placing each in hexes where he has an influence disc.





REACTIONS

After you have passed, you can perform Reactions. A reaction can be either the Upgrade, Move or Build action, but you only get one upgrade icon, arrow or wrench (even with nanorobots). Once the last player has passed, no more Reactions can be done.

This post has been edited by D'rek: 14 January 2013 - 06:32 PM

[D'rek]

Reference #2 - Combat

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Combat occurs whenever ships who don't particularly like each other end the round in the same hex as each other. Most of the time, a battle just involves each ship firing cannons at each other (rolling dice) until one side has completely exploded, but there are additional nuances that can make for enormous and complex battles between multiple fleets.

When the Combat Phase begins, battles are resolved one at a time, from the highest-numbered hex to the lowest.


Hits and Misses:

Ships in battle can be grouped into ship types per player - that is, each ship type of each player will act as a whole and at the same time. If a player has 3 cruisers in a battle, they will all fire at the same time and individual cruisers cannot retreat while other remain in the battle. Whenever a ship type fires upon another (either missiles or cannons), the player rolls dice corresponding to the missiles or cannons that the ship type is firing, one for each missile/cannon icon on the ship type's blueprints multiplied by the number of ships present.

For example, if Bob has 4 cruisers in a battle, and his cruisers have 2 yellow cannon icons and 1 orange cannon icon on his cruiser blueprints, when it is his cruisers' turn to fire he will roll 8 yellow and 4 orange dice. If one of his cruisers explodes, then the next time his cruisers fire he will roll 6 yellow and 3 orange dice. The colours are important as they are used to indicate differences in damage amounts - yellow dice represent ion weapons which do 1 damage per hit, while orange dice represent plasma weapons which do 2 damage per hit. If four of Bob's yellow dice result in hits but none of his orange dice do, his plasma weapons missed and some of his ion weapons hit. He cannot choose afterwards to have the dice rolls that hit be coming from his plasma weapons instead!

The result of the dice roll of each weapon determines whether it will hit (cause damage to an enemy ship) or miss (do nothing):

1 - Always a miss
2/3/4/5 - Subject to computers and shields
6 - Always a hit

For all rolled dice results from 2 to 5, all the computer values (the positive numbers in white) on the ship type's blueprints are added to the dice result. If, with the computer bonuses, the dice results are still below 6, then they will still miss and can be discarded (ie: with +2 in computer values, anything below a 4 will always miss). If the result is 6 or higher, it will hit or miss depending on the enemy ship's shield values (negative numbers in black). If the original die result, plus the firing ship's computers, minus the target ship's shields, equals 6 or higher, it hits. Otherwise, it misses.

The player who is firing cannons/missiles (ie: who is rolling the dice) assigns each die (s)he rolls to an enemy ship. Since enemy ships may have different shield values, certain die will be capable of hitting only certain enemy targets.


Basic Computer-Shield Tactics:

>> If you are firing upon a variety of enemy ship types with different amounts of shields, use your natural sixes on the ship with the highest shields so you don't get stuck with being able to only hit it with fives or sixes at the end of the battle

>> To counter the above, equip all your ships with the same shield value.

>> Shields are only good for countering computers. If your opponent has a lot of shields, consider replacing your computers with more hull or weapons.

>> +4 cumulative computers will let you hit with any roll except a one. If the enemy has no shields, there is no benefit to having more than +4 computers.


Retreat:

When a ship type would normally fire their cannons during a battle, the owner can choose instead to begin a retreat of that ship type. All the ships of that type are turned to face away from the enemy and do not fire their cannons. The next time after that that they would fire their cannons (if any are still alive), the ships are removed from the battle.

Retreats must occur through a full wormhole connection to an adjacent hex where you have an influence disc (wormhole generators and warp portal rules also apply), and the hex to which you retreat must not have any enemy ships (this may depend on the order of resolution of battles).



Sides of a Battle:

Without alliances, all battles will have only 1 player on each side (or the Ancients, or the GCDS). If multiple players move ships into the same hex, multiple 1-versus-1 battles will take place, in the reverse order that they entered the hex (with the Ancients always going last, and a player with an influence disc in the hex always going last or before the Ancients).

For example, if hex #199 has one Ancient Ship in it, Draco has influenced it but has no ships in it and the following occurs:

-Planta move ships into the hex
-Hydra move ships into the hex
-Draco moves ships into the hex
-Orion moves ships into the hex

then during the combat phase, Orion and Hydra will battle first. Whomever wins that battle will then have a battle with Planta with their surviving ships. The winner of that battle will then battle Draco. If the winner of that battle is not Draco, they will fight the Ancient Ship. If the Ancient Ship is defeated, the winner will then fire upon any Draco population cubes at the end of the combat phase, as normal.


Players who are in an alliance can fight together in battle. If any player in an alliance has ships that will enter into combat, the alliance as a whole is treated like a single player - all members of the alliance's ships fight on the same side in one big battle.

If a hex has ships from 3 alliances, or from some combination of more than three individual players or alliances, the battles occur using the same order system as for individual players, so the order could be something like: Nova Alliance (entered the hex 3rd) battles Planta (entered the hex 2nd), and the winner battles the Vortex Alliance (entered the hex 1st).

Damage to ships is only removed at the end of the Combat Phase, so it carries over from battle to battle!




Full sequence of a single battle:

Determine the initiative of each ship type and order them from highest to lowest (initiative is the number of triangular funny hats on the ship's blueprints). Ships with higher initiative will act before those with lower initiative. In the case of a tie, if one side is the Ancients or GCDS, they always win ties. Otherwise, the player with an influence disc in the sector wins the tie. If neither side of the tie has an influence disc in the sector, the one who first moved a ship into the sector wins the tie.


The Missile Round

For each ship type, in initiative order:

• The owner of the ship type (attacker) rolls dice for each missile he has (if any) on each ship of that type (ie: if you have 2 cruisers and 3 missiles on your cruiser blueprints, you fire 6 missiles when it is the cruisers' turn)
• The attacker assigns each die that is high enough to hit an enemy ship to a particular enemy ship, considering the firing ship type's computers, enemy shields and Distortion Shields. Dice that did not roll high enough to hit any enemy ship are discarded.
• If any defending ship that has been assigned a die is owned by a player with Point Defense Cannons, that defending player rolls dice for all his cannons once, and if any succeed (considering only his computers) each hit can destroy one missile targeting this defender's ships (but not an ally's ships)
• Any remaining missiles hit and damage is tallied/noted. Dead ships are removed from the board.

Engagement Rounds

For each ship type, in initiative order:

• If the ship type had previously begun to retreat, each ship of that player and type now retreats from the hex and is removed from the battle. Otherwise:
• The owner of the ship type (the attacker) decides whether to fire cannons or to begin a retreat of that ship type. If he decides to fire cannons:
  • The owner of the ship type rolls dice for each cannon he has
  • The attacker assigns each die that is high enough to hit an enemy ship to a particular enemy ship, considering the firing ship type's computers, enemy shields. Dice that did not roll high enough to hit any enemy ship are discarded.
  • The damage of each die to each assigned ship is tallied/noted. Dead ships are removed from the board.

After each ship type of each player has had its turn, any once-per-engagement-round effects are processed (the only one I can think of is that ships with the Morph Shield regenerate 1 HP here). Then you restart the Engagement Round process again, and continue to do so until one side of the battle has retreated or been destroyed (or a mix of both).


End of Battle:

When only one side of a battle has any surviving ships remaining (all ships of the other side have died or retreated), the battle ends and the surviving side wins.

Both sides then draw a number of Reputation Tiles, one of which can be kept and placed in a shield-shaped slot on your reputation track. The number of reputation tiles you can draw to choose from is determined as follows:

• If you fought without successfully retreating, you draw one tile
• For every Interceptor, Starbase or Ancient Ship you destroyed in the battle, you draw one tile (only the final hit matters to determine who destroyed the ship)
• For every Cruiser or Ancient Cruiser you destroyed in the battle, you draw two tiles
• For every Dreadnaught, GCDS or Ancient Dreadnaught you destroyed in the battle, you draw three tiles
• You cannot draw more than five tiles

If you have no empty slots for a new reputation tile, you can swap it with one you already have. You do not have to keep one of the reputation tiles you draw (if you have no empty slots for a new one and all your current ones are better). After you place the reputation tile, any other tiles that were drawn and any that came off your board are put bag in the bag.

When an alliance fights together in battle, the above conditions apply to them individually. ie: if one member of the alliance retreats and another does not, one of them gets to draw a tile for fighting. Likewise, they only draw tiles for ships their own ships personally destroyed.

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Post-Combat


Attacking Population:

After all battles have been fought, if there are any ships in hexes where there are also enemy population cubes, the ships will fire upon the population. Each ship rolls all of its cannons a single time. For every point of damage (not the same as a hit - an Antimatter Cannon rolling a 6 hits once but deals four points of damage), a population cube is removed from the hex. The cannon rolls work like normal, with computers adding to dice rolls. The population cubes are not considered to have any shields.

The player who owns the ships can decide which population cubes are removed. The owner of the cubes then places them in their graveyards according to the type of resource slot they came from (money to money, and so on). Cubes coming from white planets can be placed on any graveyard, and cubes coming from orbitals may be placed on either the money or science graveyard.

The Neutron Bombs technology allows any ship to automatically kill all the population cubes in the hex without rolling its cannons (or even having any cannons). The Neutron Absorber technology nullifies this ability. The Planta always automatically lose all their population cubes as if the enemy had Neutron Bombs (even if they have Neutron Absorbers).

Attacking population does not count as a battle. If a ship ends the action phase in an enemy hex with no enemy ships, no reputation tiles will be drawn even if they attack the population cubes.


Removal of Influence:

After all attacks on population have been carried out, if there are any hexes where:

• a player has an influence disc
• there are enemy ships in the hex
• the player has no population cubes in the hex

then the influence disc is removed and returned to the player's influence track


Post-Combat Influencing:

After influence discs have been removed, any player may place an influence disc from their influence track into a hex where they have a ship, there are no enemy ships and there is no enemy influence disc. You can do this even if no battle was fought there. If multiple allied players have ships in an otherwise-empty hex, the first player to have moved a ship into the hex has first dibs on influencing it. If they do not want to, the next ally to have moved ships in can do so, and so on.

This post has been edited by D'rek: 06 February 2013 - 04:20 PM

[D'rek]

Reference #3 - Upkeep and Cleanup

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After the combat phase ends, there is one last opportunity to use any colony ships you might have left (either for colonizing sectors you just took over in combat, or if you purposely waited until now to colonize).

Once that is done, it's time to pay upkeep and receive income! Money always happens first, but you receive income at the same time as you pay your upkeep. Here's the process:


1. Mentally compute your net money: [Money in bank] + [Income money] - [Upkeep]

(Upkeep is the left-most negative number showing on your influence track. The more hexes you control and actions you take, the higher it will be.)
(Your income is the left-most number showing in your population tracks. The more population cubes you place on the board through colonization, or put on ambassadors through trade pacts, the higher your income will be.)

2. If the result of that mental calculation is a positive number or zero, move your money marker to that number and continue to step 3. If the result is a negative number, you can either:

{a} trade some science or materials into money, or
{b} remove your influence disc from one hex on the board, returning it to your influence track and returning any population cubes from that hex to their appropriate population tracks (if the hex had money cubes, this may not help at all)

Then go back to step 1 and re-calculate (after each time you do either {a} or {b}). Note that you cannot remove as many influence discs from hexes as you want - only as many as is needed to get out of bankruptcy. If you are in a situation where you would want to do this, trade away some money on your last action to get farther into bankruptcy.

3. Increase your science marker by the amount of your science income.

4. Increase your materials marker by the amount of your materials income.


Note that we normally just do upkeep all at once, but in really sticky situations the rules actually call for players to do their upkeep in the same order that they used in the previous round, so if you want you can insist on waiting for someone before you to do their upkeep first (possibly because you need to choose whether to trade science or materials for resources).


After everyone is done their upkeep, preparations for the next round are done. In no particular order:

• Everyone flips up their colony ships
• Everyone moves discs from actions back to their influence track
• Everyone moves cubes in their graveyards to the appropriate population tracks
• Everyone flips their Pass card back up
• The round marker is moved forward by one
• New technologies are drawn and placed on the supply board (the number drawn depends on the number of players at the start of the game)

Then the next round begins!

This post has been edited by D'rek: 22 January 2013 - 12:28 AM

[D'rek]

Reference #4 - Technologies and Developments

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Technologies and Developments are both acquired with the Research action by paying their listed costs. Technologies only cost science, while Developments have varied costs. Both give immediate bonuses when bought or access to new capabilities, such as advanced ship parts or wormhole generators.

Researching numerous technologies is one way to gain Victory Points. You need to be careful, though, as there are not enough spaces in the player board to research everything...


Regular Technologies

These technologies are drawn randomly at the start of each round and placed on the supply board where they can be purchased. There are many copies of each technology, so numerous playes can acquire them (the cheaper ones have the most). There are three technology tracks - Military, Grid and Nano. These technologies must be placed in their appropriate track, but you can research each track in any order.

List of Regular Technologies:

Spoiler

 core tech overview.jpg (190.02K)
Number of downloads: 3

Rare Technologies

Rare tech is drawn randomly with the regular techs, but there is only one of each rare technology tile, making them hotly contested. For the most part, rare technologies provide their owner with complex new capabilities that may only really be useful in certain circumstances, but when used correctly can turn certain defeat into overwhelming victory. Rare technologies can be placed on any tech track, allowing you to maximize discounts but also preventing you from researching as many regular technologies of that track.

List of Rare Technologies:

Spoiler

 raretech.jpg (69.06K)
Number of downloads: 2

Not listed, but also included:

Tractor Beam
Cost: 3/2
When you have the Tractor Beam technology, opponents cannot retreat from a battle against you.

Developments

Unlike technologies, all the developments are available from the start of the game. Like rare tech, there is only one of each development. Most developments allow you to tweak your existing empire for better economics or more points, as opposed to providing entirely new capabilities.

List of Developments

Spoiler

 devs.jpg (74.41K)
Number of downloads: 2

This post has been edited by D'rek: 14 January 2013 - 07:10 PM

[D'rek]

Reference #5 - Ship Parts

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Ship parts are tiles that can be placed on the ship blueprints of your player board using the Upgrade action. There are three ways to acquire ship parts:

• The blueprints of your ships start with some ship parts already printed in place
• Some ship parts are available to everyone at the start of the game (Ion Cannon, Electron Computer, Hull, Nuclear Drive, Nuclear Source)
• You can research technologies which grant access to new ship parts
• Discover rare ship parts by claiming discovery tiles

Other than those gained from discovery tiles, any ship part can be placed an unlimited number of times as long as you have access to it.


Ship parts gained from discovery tiles can only be placed once, either immediately upon receiving them for free, or later on with the upgrade action (but if you take the 2VP bonus of the discovery tile you cannot later place the ship part). Furthermore, if a discovery ship part is ever removed it is gone forever!

Additionally, you cannot place ship parts on top of other ship parts, except for on the pre-printed parts on your board (if you could, you would be able to make multi-layer ships that quickly adapt to your opponents' counter-moves via the unlimited removals of the Upgrade action). Ship parts can also be put anywhere on your ships - engines can be in the front, missiles in the back, etc!




Cannons

 All Cannons.jpg (8.99K)
Number of downloads: 1

In combat, all ships take turns firing their cannons upon each other. When it is a ship type's turn to fire, you roll the number of dice of each colour shown on that ship type's blueprint, times the number of ships of that type that are firing. So, each dice roll will represent one cannon part firing. The number of stars shown in the cannon's coloured square is the amount of damage points it does to enemy ships - the dice colour is just an easy way of keeping track of this (yellow for 1, orange for 2 and red for 4). Each cannon can only hit one enemy ship, so a successful roll of one red die against four enemy ships with 1 hit point each will still only kill one enemy ship!





Missiles

 All Missiles.jpg (6.02K)
Number of downloads: 0


Before any cannons fire in battle, all missiles fire once. Missile ship parts are usually easier to stack en masse on your ships, and so can lead to devastating fleets that roll dozens of dice before the enemy can even fire! However, if enough missiles miss that the enemy is not eliminated, ships with only missiles will have no way of fighting back once the cannons begin shooting! Missile symbols look and work just like cannons in terms of dice rolling and damage. They have little noses and pointy tails to tell them apart from cannons.





Hull

 All Hulls.jpg (7.59K)
Number of downloads: 0


Hull parts give ships additional hit points so they can absorb more damage before exploding. Every ship has one natural hit point, and when lost the ship is removed from the board. For every star-in-a-circle symbol - the hull symbol - on a ship blueprint, ships of that type have 1 additional hit point, meaning they can withstand 1 additional point of damage before exploding.





Computers

 All Computers.jpg (7.47K)
Number of downloads: 0


When rolling dice for cannons or missiles, if the resulting die is a 1 it misses and if a 6 it hits, end of story. If the result is a 2, 3, 4 or 5, it is subject to computers and shields. For every white plus-number on the firing ship's blueprints, the die result is increased by that amount. If the die result is increased from 2, 3, 4 or 5 into 6 or higher, the cannon/missile hits. If not, it misses. Many computers also provide initiative bonuses.





Shields

 All Shields.jpg (6.64K)
Number of downloads: 0


Shields are the opposite of computers. After a ship has rolled a die to fire a cannon/missile and the computer value has been added, the negative black numbers of any shields in the target ship are subtracted from the die result. If this brings the die result back under 6, the shot misses. Shields are more effective when fighting with one ship type, or if every one of your ships in the battle has the same shields, since otherwise your opponent can decide that his rolls are aimed at the ship type(s) that do not have shields.

ie: Bob's cruiser is firing a cannon at Amy's interceptor and dreadnaught. Bob rolls a 5 and has a +2 computer, making the die result a 7. Amy's dreadnaught has a -2 shield, but her interceptor has no shield. If Bob decided that roll should target the dreadnaught, the final die result would be 5 and a miss, so instead he decides that the roll should target the interceptor, where it is a 7 and hits.





Sources

 All Sources.jpg (10.57K)
Number of downloads: 1


Sources provide energy to ships. The sum of all the numbers on top of the lightning symbols is the energy produced for that ship type. Other ship parts have small numbers next to the lightning symbol in the lower right corner of the ship parts - these ship parts consum that amount of energy. Your ships must produce as much or more energy than their ship parts consume! Many ship parts do not consume any energy - it is possible to have a powerful ship without a lot of energy consumption, especially with missiles.





Drives

 All Drives.jpg (9.45K)
Number of downloads: 1


Drives allow your ships to move. When a ship is activated, for every hex symbol on its blueprints it can move from one hex to another adjacent hex. Aside from the Jump Drive, this move must be through a full wormhole, or a half-wormhole if you have Wormhole Generators. Since Move actions grant the player multiple activations (arrows), a ship can move several times the number of hexes in one action if multiple activations are used on the same ship.


Interceptors, Cruisers and Dreadnaughts must always have a Drive, while Starbases may never have a Drive.





Misc

 All Misc.jpg (4.36K)
Number of downloads: 0


The Sentient Hull provides both a +1 Computer and an additional hit point.




The Interceptor Bay provides a unique ability for Interceptors to enter within a Cruiser or Dreadnaught and move with it, as well as providing an additional hit point. Interceptors may not have the Interceptor Bay ship part (and it would be useless for Starbases to have it).


When performing a Move action with ships that have the Interceptor Bay ship part:

1. Choose a ship to activate

2. If the ship has (an) Interceptor Bay(s), you can move (at no cost) Interceptors "inside" the ship. The Interceptors must already be in the same hex as the activated ship to move inside it. The activated ship cannot have more Interceptors inside it than there are Interceptor symbols on its blueprints (2 per Interceptor Bay ship part).


3. Move the activated ship as usual. The Interceptors inside the ship do not count for pinning.

4. After the activated ship is done moving, you may unload out of the ship as many Interceptors as you want. They are added to the hex the activated ship is in (at no cost).

5. Repeat steps 1-4 for all activations (arrows) of the Move action.

6. All Interceptors inside any ship must unload into the hexes their carrier ships are in (at no cost).

7. The Move action ends.

This post has been edited by D'rek: 14 January 2013 - 08:16 PM

[D'rek]

Reference #6 - Discoveries

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Discoveries are tiles that players can find and claim throughout the galaxy, rewarding the player with either Victory Points or special bonuses.

Discovery tiles appear on some hexes once those hexes are explored. Every hex with an Ancient Ship (or two) on it will also have a discovery tile, but there are also hexes with discovery tiles but no Anceints (typically empty or 1-planet hexes, especially in Tier III). The galactic centre also has a discovery tile. Lastly, the Magellan race has a special ability to acquire one extra discovery tile directly.

Discoveries are placed face down on the hexes when they appear, so you do not know which discovery it will be. The first player to place an influence disc in the hex flips over the discovery tile (everyone gets to see what it is) and can either take the bonus shown OR permanently gain 2 Victory Points.


List of Discovery Tiles:

Ancient Technology (x3) - You may immediately take the cheapest Technology Tile you don't already have from the Supply Board and place it on your Player Board for free. This can include Rare Technologies. Discounts do not apply to determining which technology is cheapest. If there is a tie for cheapest technology, choose amongst the ties.

Ancient Cruiser (x3) - Gain a free Cruiser in the hex where you made the discovery

+8 Money (x3) - Immediately gain 8 money

+5 Science (x3)

+6 Materials (x3)

+3 Money | +2 Science | +2 Materials (x2) - Immediately gain 3 money, 2 science and 2 materials

Ancient Orbital (x2) - Place the Ancient Orbital in the hex where it was found - it functions like a regular orbital and also has an artifact.

Warp Portal - Place the Warp Portal in the hex where it was found - it functions like a regular warp portal and also gives 2 VP to the player who controls the hex it is in at the end of the game.

Ancient Ship Parts - When you discover any of the ancient ship parts, you can immediately place it upon your ship blueprints for free. You can remove one ship part tile in order to replace it with the ancient ship part. Alternatively, you can keep the ancient ship part beside your player board and add it later using the upgrade action, but even if you never use it you will not gain the 2 VP from having skipped the bonus. Once an ancient ship part has been placed on your blueprints, if it is ever removed it is discarded.

The ancient ship parts are:

• Hypergrid Source
• Axion Computer
• Flux Shield
• Conformal Drive
• Ion Turret
• Shard Hull
• Ion Missile
• Ion Disrupter
• Jump Drive
• Morph Shield
• Muon Source

This post has been edited by D'rek: 07 February 2013 - 02:49 PM

[D'rek]

Reference #7 - Expansion Content

---

Expansion Content Included in this Game:

1. 7 Player Game

• There are 7 players in the game.
• Player homeworlds are placed in Tier III, instead of Tier II.
• Homeworld orientation is chosen by each player after they choose their race (before the next player chooses his/her race). You can choose any orientation so long as at least one wormhole is pointed towards a Tier II sector.
• Each player removes one population cube from their population tracks at the start of the game and discards it (you can choose which track)
• More of some base technologies are added to the tech bag
• More reputation tiles are added to the bag
• Outer sectors: 22
• Starting tech tiles: 22
• New tech each round: 10
• Starting developments: 8

2. New Races - There are 4 more races to choose from (like the Terrans from the core game, the Magellan have 3 identical factions)

3. New Discovery Tiles - There are more discovery tiles available, mixed in with those from the core game. Discovery tile draw will still be completely random.

4. Rare Technologies - There is one tech tile of each Rare Technology. They are drawn randomly alongside the regular technologies and work just like regular techs, except that they can be placed on any technology track. Some rare technologies are also starting technologies for certain races.

5. Developments - Instant or lasting bonuses that can be purchased with the Research action for the price shown. There is only one of each Development. Since we have 7 players, all Developments will be available for purchase.

6. Warp Portals - Three possible hexes, one discovery tile, and one development feature Warp Portals. Each hex with a Warp Portal is connected to every other hex with a Warp Portal as if they were connected via a full wormhole connection.

7. Alliances

Spoiler

OVERVIEW

Players may decide to join their efforts andfound an Alliance. Allies may move in each others' hexesand they battle together against their enemies. At the endof the game, the Allied players will share their points and win or lose together.

PREPARATIONS

Alliances are not used in two or three player games. In the four and five player games, only two players may belong to the same Alliance.founding an alliance Two players, who have Diplomaticrelations with each other, may agree on founding an Alliance at any time during either player's action in the Action Phase. They both take an Alliance Tile of one yet unfounded Alliance and place them face up next to their Player Boards. In a game of six or more players, a third player may join the Alliance if he has Diplomatic Relations with either of the two Allies and if both founders agree. You can only be part of one Alliance.

EFFECTS OF THE ALLIANCE

The players in the same Alliance are not allowed to attack each other. They are allowed to move in and through their Allies' hexes. Allied Ships donot pin each other. They are added together when checking whether they are pinned by opponents.

Combined battle: In combat, the players of the same Alliancebattle together on the same side in the same battle, instead of fighting separate battles. If one of the Allies is the defender, all other allies are also considered defenders and win Initiative ties.

Ancient targeting priority: If the Ancients have multiple similar targets (for example, their die roll allows them todestroy a Dreadnought from two different Allies), they attack the player who entered the hex last. Following the base rules, the Ancients will always try to destroy the largest Ship, or inflict as much damage as possible, regardless of the Ship owner.

Reputation Tiles: All Allied players will draw Reputation Tiles for the battle and for the Ships they personally destroyed, in the order they entered the hex. You may show Reputation Tiles to your Allies, but do not have to.

Influence priority: At the end of the Combat Phase, if several Allies are in a hex where an Influence Disc can be placed, the player who entered the hex first has the first priority toplace the disc; if he doesn't want to, the player who entered next may place the disc, and so on.

Leaving the Alliance: You can leave the Alliance during any of your actions in the Action Phase by flipping your Alliance Tile the Betrayer side up before taking the action. The other players in the Alliance keep their Alliance Tiles face up. Leaving the Alliance does not affect your Diplomatic Relationships nor give you the Traitor Card. However, if you leave the Alliance while you have Ships in a hex with your former Allies' Ships or Disc, you are considered to have attacked them and receive the Traitor Card. You may not rejoin an Alliance you have once left.

Alliance Tile Points: At the end of the game, a face up Alliance Tile is worth 2 Victory Points. An Alliance Tile with the Betrayer side up is worth –3 Victory Points.

Last Round Restriction: Alliances may not be founded or left on the last round of the game.

Scoring: At the end of the game, all players of the same Alliance will add up their points and divide them between the players (rounding down). They share the win if their score is the highest. For a possible tiebreak, their Resource totals are divided in the same way.

Descendants of Draco: If you're allied with the Descendants of Draco, you still have to battle the basic Ancient Ships. Your Descendant allies are not allowed not battle them.

8. Direction of Play Variant - The first player to pass gets to go first in the next round, as per usual. The second player to pass chooses whether the next round rotates through player actions in clockwise or counter-clockwise fashion. If you are the second player to pass, declare your choice when you pass.

9. Galactic Takeover - Instead of the GCDS, the center hex is occupied by the Ancient Dreadnaught. The Ancient Dreadnought pins all Ships just like the GCDS. When you destroy the Ancient Dreadnought, keep the tile face down next to your Player Board. It is worth 1 Victory Point at the end of the game. Destroying the Ancient Dreadnought allows you to draw three Reputation Tiles.

***Note: Contrary to the ordinary Ancient sectors, the Descendants of Draco must battle the Dreadnought if they move to the Galactic Center hex. Contrary to the basic Ancient Ships, a surviving Dreadnought does
not give the Descendants any Victory Points at the end of the game.

This post has been edited by D'rek: 15 January 2013 - 05:36 AM

[D'rek]

Reference #8 - Races

---

Terran (up to 6 players can play as Terrans - each Terran faction has the same capabilities and starting sector layout)

Spoiler

Although the species is still known as the Terrans, its different factions have long since left their home system and now call new, distant systems their home. After the wormhole drive technology was discovered, the six main factions set out to colonize the nearby systems, leaving the ruined and dying home planet behind. The Terrans have proven to be a surprisingly adaptable and versatile species. After surviving the near-disastrous First Contact and the subsequent war with the species they named the Hegemony, they have made rather steady development and are now more or less unanimously regarded as a reliable member of the Galactic Council. The main drawback of the Terran society, and probably the reason prohibiting them to rise to true greatness, is their inherent need to squabble and form miniature factions amongst themselves.

Advantages:

• Can activate 3 ships with one Move action (most other races: two)
• Trade Ratio: 2-to-1
• Starting Tech: Starbase

Other:

• Starting Storage: 3 money, 4 science, 4 materials
• Reputation Track: 1 ambassador slot, 4 ambassador/reputation slots

 TerAll - homeworld.jpg (51.54K)
Number of downloads: 1
 TerFed board.jpg (569.79K)
Number of downloads: 1

Magellan (up to 3 players can play as Magellans)

Spoiler

The Magellan are forever travelling between galaxies in their enormous worldships, collecting and exploiting relics of civilizations long gone. Their ships synthesize resources from the cosmic debris and are able to sustain the worldship during the long aeons spent in the void. Several Magellan factions have specialized in tracking the Ancient relics, looking for their source. Just as the Ancients are rising, the great worldships arrive on the fringes of our galaxy. The Council informants claim that the pattern of their appearance suggests that the Magellan are here not just to explore and exploit, but to seek a long-standing galactic dominance.

Advantages:

• 1 Victory point at the end of the game for each used or discarded Discovery Tile
• Revelation: the first time a technology track reaches 4 researched technologies, gain a free Discovery Tile
• Starting Tech: Fusion Source
• At any time, can flip an unused colony ship to gain one free resource

Disadvantages:

• With the Influence action, can only flip up one colony ship (most races: 2)

Other:

• Starting Storage: 2 money, 2 science, 3 materials
• Reputation Track: 4 ambassador/reputation slots

Homeworld:

• 1 science slot
• 1 advanced science slot
• 1 money slot
• 1 advanced money slot
• 1 materials slot
• worth 3 VP
• 1 artifact

 Magellan Wardens.jpg (504.2K)
Number of downloads: 5

Eridani

Spoiler

Epsilon Eridani, the capital system of the Empire in its heyday, was a sight yet unrivalled: whole moons – some records claim even planets – were shaped to celebrate the might and wisdom of the Forever Emperor. Their wealth was beyond anything ever documented. Yet, after surviving through what they call the Silent Era, the Empire has been reduced to rubble. The resources of the capital system have been depleted and most of their power disintegrated, yet the Heirs have not given up hope. The new dawn may rise in the uncharted systems.

Advantages:

• Starts the game with two random Reputation Tiles
• Starting Tech: gauss Shield, Fusion Drive, Plasma Cannon
• Start with a lot of money (see Starting Storage)

Disadvantages:

• Have two fewer Influence Discs

Other:

• Different Ship Blueprints: Dreadnaught has +1 Energy built-in (otherwise everything is the standard blueprints)
• Starting Storage: 26 money, 2 science, 4 materials
• Reputation Track: 4 ambassador/reputation slots

Homeworld:

• 1 money slot
• 1 advanced money slot
• 1 science slot
• 1 advanced science slot
• worth 3 VP
• 1 artifact

 Eridani - Board.jpg (151.41K)
Number of downloads: 2

Hydrani

Spoiler

Never satisfied, never complete – the Progress are ever striving further. The Hydrans have long since embraced technology as their main interest, constantly evolving and augmenting their society and even themselves with new inventions. The speed of their technological progress is unparalleled among the Seven. Although very difficult to access by the layman, the universities and laboratories of Beta Hydri are held in very high esteem by the scientists species-wide.

Advantages:

• Can research two technologies or buy two developments (or one of each) with the research action
• Starting Tech: Advanced Labs

Other:

• Starting Storage: 2 money, 5 science, 2 materials
• Reputation Track: 1 ambassador slot, 3 ambassador/reputation slots

 Hydran Homeworld.jpg (52.85K)
Number of downloads: 4
 Hydran board.jpg (577.13K)
Number of downloads: 2

Planta

Spoiler

Even though they are by far the most different species of the Seven, the Planta have long been a steady Council member. Being a moss-like species with a distributed sentience, their intentions are sometimes difficult to decipher. After overgrowing most of the planets and moons in the Cygnus system, they seem to be content in just expanding their lush growth in new systems, fully co-operating with the other species, who mostly regard them as harmless companions. The Planta are phenomenal navigators, which makes them very respected in interspecies trading vessels.

Advantages:

• Can explore two hexes with one explore action
• Four colony ships instead of 3
• Gain an extra Victory Point for each hex owned at the end of the game
• Starting Tech: Starbase

Disadvantages:

• Population are always automatically killed by enemy ships

Other:

• Different ship blueprints - Each ship has one fewer slot for ship parts, but they have extra built-in computers/sources. Each ship also has less initiative.
• Starting Storage: 4 money, 4 science, 4 materials
• Reputation Track: 1 ambassador slot, 3 ambassador/reputation slots

Homeworld:

• 1 science slot
• 1 money slot
• 1 materials slot
• worth 3 VP
• 1 artifact

 Planta - Board.jpg (150.68K)
Number of downloads: 1

Descendants of Draco

Spoiler

The Descendants are rumoured to be directly related to the Ancients. While there is no concrete proof on this, the statistics show that the survival ratio in the Descendant-Ancient contact is significantly higher for the Descendants than the other Seven. Hailing from the Draco system, the Descendants are a somewhat elusive species. While they are a fully recognized member of the Galactic Council, their Ambassadors still often cause discomfort among the other species.

Advantages:

• When exploring, can draw two hexes and choose which one to use (or discard both)
• Gain an extra Victory Point for each Ancient Ship still on the board at the end of the game

Other:

• Starting Storage: 2 money, 4 science, 3 materials
• Reputation Track: 4 ambassador/reputation slots
• They do not combat Ancient Ships. Are not pinned by Ancient Ships. Can place their influence discs and population cubes in hexes with Ancient Ships in them. Cannot claim the discovery tiles in hexes which have Ancient Ships in them. Will fight before Ancient Ships in battle order.

Homeworld:

• 1 science slot
• 1 money slot
• 1 advanced materials slot
• worth 3 VP
• 1 artifact

 Draco.jpg (149.15K)
Number of downloads: 2

Mechanema

Spoiler

After a long and difficult process, the Mechanema have only recently been accepted as a full member of the Council. Although they have been proven sentient in every legal way defined by the other Seven, and the Auriga system has been assigned as their sovereignty by the Council, there are still occasional disputes on the matter. The birth of the species dates back in the early days of the Galactic Center, when the artificial intelligences of various species were allowed to integrate. The Mechanema are quite respected for their technological advancements – in fact, the basic Ship types now commonly used among the spacefaring races were originally designed by them.

Advantages:

• Can upgrade three (other races: two) ship parts with one Upgrade action
• Can build three things (other races: two) with one Build action
• Cheaper building costs
• Starting Tech: Positron Computer

Other:

• Starting Storage: 3 money, 3 science, 3 materials
• Reputation Track: 4 ambassador/reputation slots

Homeworld:

• 1 science slot
• 1 money slot
• 1 advanced money slot
• 1 advanced materials slot
• worth 3 VP
• 1 artifact

 Mechanema - Board.jpg (148.23K)
Number of downloads: 3

Orion Hegemony

Spoiler

The Hegemony originally hails from the Orion system, but their fleets are known to have actively patrolled the general volume since the early times. The tragedy that fell upon the Terran Federation Dreadnought "Juri Gagarin" and its accompanying fleet may well have been due to a grave misunderstanding in interspecies communication – plausible enough in a mutual First Contact. The long war that followed and their seemingly overwhelming military power gave the Hegemony their commonly used name. After the peace was established and the interspecies collaboration took its first steps with the creation of the original Galactic Center, the Hegemony has now been recognized as a benevolent species, and their past as a ruthlessly efficient war machine has been reduced to a historical side note.

Advantages:

• Begin with a Cruiser instead of an Interceptor
• Starting Tech: Neutron Bombs, Gauss Shield

Disadvantages:

• Trade Ratio: 4-to-1

Other:

• Different ship blueprints - the normally-empty slots are filled with gauss shields, ships have more initiative and there are built-in sources.
• Starting Storage: 3 money, 3 science, 5 materials
• Reputation Track: 1 reputation slot, 4 ambassador/reputation slots

 Orion - homeworld.jpg (49.03K)
Number of downloads: 1
 Orion - board.jpg (153.86K)
Number of downloads: 1

The Exiles

Spoiler

When the Cataclysm Wars swept through the galaxy, one of the civilizations was exiled from the core. The Exiles were forced to live in the outer rims of the galaxy and had to adapt to the harsh void. They found their new habitat in the Orbitals, capable of supporting their civilization even in systems with low resources. The Orbital technology was eventually adopted – some would claim stolen – by many of the Seven, and while the Exiles still are superior in Orbital design, this causes friction between the Council and the Exiles. The latter are demanding to be considered a full member of the Council, so far to no avail.

Advantages:

• Gain an extra Victory Point for each orbital which has one of your cubes at the end of the game
• Starting sector begins with an orbital in it
• Starting Tech: Orbital, Cloaking Device

Other:

• Starting Storage: 2 money, 3 science, 4 materials
• Reputation Track: 4 ambassador/reputation slots
• Cannot build starbases. Orbitals which have an Exiles population cube function as Exiles ships - they cannot move but fight and pin like starbases would. Their blueprints are different from starbases. When they are destroyed in combat, the orbital remains but the population cube is removed to the graveyard. Your opponent draws 1 reputation tile per orbital eliminated in combat.

Homeworld:

• 1 orbital (either science or money)
• 1 advanced money slot
• 1 materials slot
• 1 advanced materials slot
• worth 3 VP
• 1 artifact

 Exiles.jpg (509.43K)
Number of downloads: 2

Rho Indi Syndicate

Spoiler

The Terran–Hegemony War (30.027–33.364) tore the Rho Indi sector apart, leaving whole planetary systems in ruin. After the war, shady individuals and factions of all known species began to gravitate towards the lawless haven of The Desolation, as it soon became known. These days the sector is controlled by the Syndicate, a ruthless faction whose ships have recently raided many unsuspecting systems. Their fleets appear unexpectedly, striking fast and causing fear and terror with their stealth attacks. The Syndicate are known to occasionally ally with whoever pays the most, but also regarded fickle allies at best.

Advantages:

• Start with two Interceptors (most races: 1)
• Can activate 4 ships with the Move action (most races: 2)
• No minus points for having the Traitor Card at the end of the game
• Pillage: After drawing reputation tiles following combat, gain money equal to one less than the number of reputation tiles drawn (ie: draw 4 reputation tiles, gain 3 money)
• Starting Tech: Starbase, Gauss Shield

Disadvantages:

• Two colony ships (most races: 3)
• Two ambassadors (most races: 3)
• Cannot construct Dreadnaughts
• Starting sector is worth 0 VP

Other:

• Different ship blueprints - No Dreadnaughts. Ships have higher initiative and have built-in Gauss Shields
• Starting Storage: 2 money, 3 science, 3 materials
• Reputation Track: 3 reputation slots, 2 ambassador/reputation slots
• Trade Ratios: 3 Money >> 2 Science or 2 Materials, otherwise 3 >> 1

Homeworld:

• 1 money slot
• 1 advanced money slot
• 1 materials slot
• 1 advanced materials
• worth 0 VP
• 1 artifact

 Rho Indi.jpg (504.72K)
Number of downloads: 2

Enlightened of Lyra

Spoiler

The Enlightened preferred the reclusion of the Lyra system, slowly expanding their elaborate Shrine grid into the neighboring star systems and subliming their minds into it. The Enlightened were only recently contacted by the Seven, when the edges of the growing grid were discovered. As the Shrines connect in the mind sublimation process, they form powerful Trinities that reshape the base manifold structure, allowing for significant leaps in the civilization' progress. The Enlightened colonisation fleets have reportedly tapped into the grid, causing minor warping of the causality continuum and turning the tide of several battles.

Advantages:

• Can flip an unused colony ship to re-roll a faild die roll in combat
• Gain an extra Victory Point for each shrine owned at the end of the game
• Starting Tech: Distortion Shield

Other:

• Starting Storage: 2 money, 3 science, 3 materials
• Reputation Track: 4 ambassador/reputation slots

Shrines: In the beginning of the Upkeep Phase, you may construct one Shrine on any hex you control. Shrines cost Resources. A Shrine may only be placed next to a planet of the same color. Each planet may only hold one Shrine, and each hex may hold several Shrines. Any color may be placed next to a grey planet. If you build all three Shrines of the same cost, you immediately receive the related Shrines Bonus Tile. Shrines of Freedom (cost 2) tile gives you all the abilities of the Wormhole Generator Technology. Shrines of Prosperity (cost 4) tile gives you an extra Influence Disc. Shrines of Enlightenment (cost 6) tile gives you 3VP at the end of the game.

Homeworld:

• 1 science slot
• 1 advanced science slot
• 1 money slot
• 1 advanced money slot
• 1 materials slot
• 1 advanced materials slot
• worth 3 VP
• 1 artifact

 Lyra.jpg (516.34K)
Number of downloads: 4

This post has been edited by D'rek: 07 February 2013 - 03:01 PM

[D'rek]

Game Setup:

Random.org randomized the player list into this:

• cerveza_fiesta
• Twelve
• Tattersail
• D'rek
• Imperial Historian
• Khellendros
• EmperorMagnus

Cerveza will be the starting player.

In reverse order of the list (ie: starting with EM, then Khell, then IH, etc), each player must now choose a player board and race. The race you pick also removes the race on the other side of the player board from being used - ie if you choose the Terran Federation, no one can then choose the Hydrani. Then, you must choose how to orient your homeworld, with at least one wormhole connection facing into the second ring of hexes. Use the map below to see where everyone's homeworld will be. Lastly, choose which population track you wish to remove and discard one cube from - money, science or materials.


Player boards are as follows:

Eridani / Terran Directorate
Hydrani / Terran Federation
Planta / Terran Union
Descendants of Draco / Terran Republic
Mechanema / Terran Conglomerate (white)
Orion Hegemony / Terran Alliance
The Exiles / Wardens of Magellan
Rho Indi Syndicate / Keepers of Magellan (grey)
Enlightened of Lyra / Sentinels of Magellan


 GAME BOARD - half size.jpg (535.82K)
Number of downloads: 1

This post has been edited by D'rek: 14 January 2013 - 05:13 PM

[twelve]

So by the look of the map we are not doing Ancient Homeworlds? Khell, IH and you D'rek look like you have a lot of open space in which to expand.

[twelve]

IH can you unpin Diplomacy 8 and pin this thread for us?

[D'rek]

twelve, on 14 January 2013 - 04:16 PM, said:

So by the look of the map we are not doing Ancient Homeworlds? Khell, IH and you D'rek look like you have a lot of open space in which to expand.

Correct, no ancient homeworlds. I agree about the open space, and had thought about doing a different layout than what is in the rules, but I assume this was considered and tested by the developers. I think the main point is that there is one less route to the center than players, so someone's gonna be fighting over it somewhere. The most squishy area being the Tier I hex most likely fought over, it makes sense to put it near the first/last players (CF and EM) since they have the player selection advantage - ie EM can pick a race good for fighting over that Tier I hex, and CF picks last so can pick a good counter to whatever EM picks.

Plus being near people means more diplomacy/alliance possibilities.

I did decide to go with the ancient dreadnaught in the middle though, so if people with more space seem to have an easier time building themselves up it won't be too easy for them to grab the middle very quickly.

[EmperorMagus]

D, on 14 January 2013 - 04:47 PM, said:

twelve, on 14 January 2013 - 04:16 PM, said:

So by the look of the map we are not doing Ancient Homeworlds? Khell, IH and you D'rek look like you have a lot of open space in which to expand.

Correct, no ancient homeworlds. I agree about the open space, and had thought about doing a different layout than what is in the rules, but I assume this was considered and tested by the developers. I think the main point is that there is one less route to the center than players, so someone's gonna be fighting over it somewhere. The most squishy area being the Tier I hex most likely fought over, it makes sense to put it near the first/last players (CF and EM) since they have the player selection advantage - ie EM can pick a race good for fighting over that Tier I hex, and CF picks last so can pick a good counter to whatever EM picks.

Plus being near people means more diplomacy/alliance possibilities.

I did decide to go with the ancient dreadnaught in the middle though, so if people with more space seem to have an easier time building themselves up it won't be too easy for them to grab the middle very quickly.

As If I'd know what race was good for what.
Seriously people, someone help me. You won't get this game started in a timely fashion otherwise.From what I've read, the best race for a first game is Terran, So which Terran should I pick to take out the most scary "other" race?

[Tattersail_]

I'll be back on in around 3 hours to do what's needed. If it is not my turn then I will pass the provisional to someone.

[twelve]

EmperorMagus, on 14 January 2013 - 05:00 PM, said:

D, on 14 January 2013 - 04:47 PM, said:

twelve, on 14 January 2013 - 04:16 PM, said:

So by the look of the map we are not doing Ancient Homeworlds? Khell, IH and you D'rek look like you have a lot of open space in which to expand.

Correct, no ancient homeworlds. I agree about the open space, and had thought about doing a different layout than what is in the rules, but I assume this was considered and tested by the developers. I think the main point is that there is one less route to the center than players, so someone's gonna be fighting over it somewhere. The most squishy area being the Tier I hex most likely fought over, it makes sense to put it near the first/last players (CF and EM) since they have the player selection advantage - ie EM can pick a race good for fighting over that Tier I hex, and CF picks last so can pick a good counter to whatever EM picks.

Plus being near people means more diplomacy/alliance possibilities.

I did decide to go with the ancient dreadnaught in the middle though, so if people with more space seem to have an easier time building themselves up it won't be too easy for them to grab the middle very quickly.

As If I'd know what race was good for what.
Seriously people, someone help me. You won't get this game started in a timely fashion otherwise.From what I've read, the best race for a first game is Terran, So which Terran should I pick to take out the most scary "other" race?

I think most of us other than D'rek or IH haven't played a game yet (I'm not counting me as I took over for ment and was quickly eliminated) so other than those two I don't think any of the rest of us know much more than you. You could pick the Terrans that could take the Orion Hegemony out of play. I don't know which one that is. I think they are the strongest military race or take the Magellan race that takes out the Pirates as they seem to be geared to fighting. I think the Erandi have a military tech advantage as well early game so you could take the Terrans that would eliminate that race too. Or you could take one of those alien races for yourself and be the big bully.

[Khellendros]

Hey D'rek, the description for the Descendants of Draco is actually for the Planta.

[Imperial Historian]

I'll pin this topic when I get home. Could you post up the player sheets for each race d'rek? I couldn't see the new blueprints anywhere in the rules.

Regarding races, militarily orion are the best, though mechanema are almost as good, and have more flexibility to play peacefully. Terrans usually are pretty strong due to their extra move which can grant an advantage.

Descendants and planta aren't recommended for this version due to balance issues.

Of the others hydrans are the best for turtling and going all out research. Eridani are difficult to play as, I'd avoid them.

Can't comment on the new races, but drek wants to play the pirates.

[cerveza_fiesta]

Quote

In reverse order of the list (ie: starting with EM, then Khell, then IH, etc), each player must now choose a player board and race. The race you pick also removes the race on the other side of the player board from being used

What does this mean? other side of the player board?

[D'rek]

Khellendros, on 14 January 2013 - 05:05 PM, said:

Hey D'rek, the description for the Descendants of Draco is actually for the Planta.

oopsie, thanks

Imperial Historian, on 14 January 2013 - 05:05 PM, said:

I'll pin this topic when I get home. Could you post up the player sheets for each race d'rek? I couldn't see the new blueprints anywhere in the rules.

Yup, I am gradually getting them sorted and adding them to the races reference. Hydrani, terran and orion are up so far.

cerveza_fiesta, on 14 January 2013 - 05:09 PM, said:

Quote

In reverse order of the list (ie: starting with EM, then Khell, then IH, etc), each player must now choose a player board and race. The race you pick also removes the race on the other side of the player board from being used

What does this mean? other side of the player board?

Adding that info to the post now!

This post has been edited by D'rek: 14 January 2013 - 05:10 PM