Gunship: First Strike! Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Box Contents
• Basic Set-Up
• Gunships
  • Components
  • Weapons
• Gunship Set-Up
  • Flight Checklist
• Play Sequence
• Initiative Phase
• Carrier Phase
• Carrier Damage
• The Battle Zone
• Draw Cards
• 1 - Fighter Phase
• Fighter Combat
  • How many dice do I roll?
  • Resolving a Dogfight
  • A Strafing Run
  • Losing your last Fighter
• 2 - Gunship Phase
• Gunship Combat
• Hit Determination
• Gunship Damage
  • Gunship Damage (cont.)
• Ionization Effects
• Long-Range Combat
• Bullseye
• Attack Runs
• Attack Run Damage
• 3 - Repair Phase
  • Repair Actions
  • Moving Ionized cards
• 4 - Discard Phase
• Winning the Game
• Misc. Notes
  • How to apply Fighter and Carrier Hits to a Gunship
  • I rolled for Hit Location and got a "6." Which Engine receives the damage?
  • What happens if I lose both Engines?
  • What happens if my Power Generator is damaged on my Attack Run?
  • If I replace a Wing while Aboard my Carrier, does it come with a Weapon already attached?
  • Does a Gunship with a Slagged Power Generator get any Actions?
• Card Reference

Box Contents

The box contains a Rulebook and the following components:

• 118 Cards, separated into three decks as follows:
  • MAIN DECK - 80 cards
  • BLUE DECK - 19 cards: 2 Unit Cards (Gunship & Fighter Squadron), 1 Action Loss Card, and Weapon, Shield and Armor cards
  • RED DECK - 19 cards: 2 Unit Cards (Gunship & Fighter Squadron), 1 Action Loss Card, and Weapon, Shield and Armor cards
• 10 Boards:
  • 2 Gunship Boards, one in each color
  • 4 Gunship Wings, two in each color
  • 2 Carrier Boards, one in each color
  • 2 Fighter Boards, one in each color
• 24 Fighter Tokens
• Misc.: 2 twelve-sided dice, 4 six-sided dice, 1 eight-sided die

Basic Set-Up

Note: actual set-up may vary due to the size and shape of your table. Feel free to make slight changes and customizations as needed.

1. Players sit across from each other and place their Gunship Boards & Wings as shown, leaving space for cards to be played later in the areas represented by the dashed yellow outlines.
2. Each player places their Armor & Weapon cards near their Gunship Board. These cards will be chosen and deployed before play begins (see "Gunship Set-Up").
3. Each player deploys his 3 Shield cards on his Gunship's Shield Generator.
4. Each player places his Fighter Board where it can be easily accessed. Place 12 Fighter Tokens near each player's Fighter Board.
5. Place the two Carrier Boards as shown, leaving room for a Center Zone between them.
6. Place each player's 2 Unit Cards in the Center Zone as shown.
7. Place a 12-sided die, turned to the number "12," on each Carrier Board in the space shown.
8. Place the Main Deck of cards where each player can get to them, leaving space for a discard pile.
9. Place (1) 8-sided die and (4) 6-sided dice where both players can easily grab them.

Basic Set-Up is now complete. Each player will now build their Gunship and prepare for battle. Proceed to the next section, "Gunships."

Gunships

Note: this section is intended to familiarize you with how your Gunship is put together and what kind of systems it has. Movement and combat are fully explained in later sections.

Your Gunship is made up of 9 Hit Locations and a Hull.

As each Hit Location (also called a Component) takes damage during combat, you will begin to lose functions until they are repaired. Your Gunship Board (which includes the 2 Wing Boards) is there to let you know the following at a glance:

• Which Weapons are currently deployed on your ship
• Current Shield status
• Which Components on your ship are Armored
• Where you have taken damage, and how bad it is

Knowing the status of your Gunship's systems will aid you in making the right tactical decisions to win the battle. Knowing when to attack and when to go in for repairs and new Weapons is a critical part of commanding a Gunship.

Components

Each of the 9 Components of your Gunship has a Hit Location Number (see diagram) that is used in combat to determine what part of your ship has been hit by enemy fire. Below is an explanation of what each Component does in the game:

• 1 - Torpedo Launcher: This is every Gunship's main Weapon for attacking enemy Carriers. A functional Torpedo Launcher allows the play of Torpedo cards. If it is damaged or Ionized, you may not fire Torpedoes.
• 2/3 - Weapon Pods: This is where your Gunship's Blaster Cannons and/or Ion Cannons are attached. These are used primarily for engaging enemy Gunships. Damaged or Ionized Weapons cannot fire.
• 4 - Shield Generator: Shield cards protect your ship from taking damage until they are depleted. If your Shield Generator is incapacitated, you will no longer be able to maintain or raise Shields until it's fixed.
• 5 - Power Generator: This is the main energy source for your Weapons and Engines. Once it begins taking damage, you will get fewer and fewer Actions each turn. If your Power Generator is ever Ionized, your Gunship will shut down completely! (Effects of Ionization are explained in "Gunship Damage.")
• 6 - Engines (2): Having functional Engines allows your Gunship full Movement and Evasive Action ability. Losing one or more will slow you down, making you less effective.
• 7/8 - Wings: Each Gunship has 2 Wings that give you 2 additional Weapon mounts. Wings are the only part of your Gunship where you can deploy Thruster Bombs. Wings can be blown off your ship and may only be repaired while Aboard your Carrier. (See "Repair Phase" for details.)
• Hull: Damage to your Hull does not affect game play, but it also cannot be repaired. This can wear your ship down toward the end of the battle.

Any card that is placed on one of your Components (Damage, Armor, Ionized, etc.) is fit within one of the rectangular borders on your Gunship Board. This makes it easy to keep track of the status of your Gunship's systems.

There are no such areas for the Torpedo Launcher or the 2 Weapon Pods. These are handled by playing the cards "off the Board" as seen in the diagram.

Weapons

In addition to the standard Torpedo Launcher, a Gunship has 3 basic Weapon options. Each has a unique combat ability described below:

• Blaster Cannons are the most accurate Weapons and are used against enemy Gunships and Fighters. Blaster Cannons allow the use of "Hit" cards in combat. (See "Gunship Combat" for details.)
• Ion Cannons are used to disrupt and slow down enemy vessels. While they do not inflict much actual Damage, they have a lasting effect that can eventually leave a Gunship completely defenseless! Ion Cannons allow the use of "Ionized" cards in combat.
• Thruster Bombs are not as accurate as Torpedoes, but they have the power to severely damage an enemy Carrier if you're lucky enough to score hits in the right places! Once you run out, you can return to your Carrier and reload again and again!

Note: when choosing Weapons, please note that some are for Wings only and that there is different artwork for the left and right sides of your Gunship.

Weapon stats:

Weapon	Accuracy	Range	Damage	Targets
Blaster Cannons	GOOD	SHORT or LONG	LIGHT to MEDIUM	GUNSHIPS & FIGHTERS
Ion Cannons	AVERAGE	SHORT or LONG	LASTING EFFECT	GUNSHIPS & FIGHTERS
Thruster Bombs	RANDOM	SHORT	CRITICAL	CARRIER
Torpedoes	GOOD	SHORT	HEAVY	CARRIER

Each Gunship has 5 Weapons. The ship in the diagram is deployed with a good balance of Weapons to make a variety of different attacks: a Blaster Cannon in each Weapon Pod, Thruster Bombs on the left Wing and an Ion Cannon on the right Wing. This can be adjusted during the game.

Gunship Set-Up

Now that you are somewhat familiar with Gunships and how their Components affect game play, it's time to complete Set-Up and start the battle! If this is your first game, we strongly suggest that you set both Gunships to the standard layout as seen in the diagram on the Gunships pages. This is a balanced ship and will allow you to see how all of the different Weapons work during play.

Once you have played a game or two, you should try experimenting with different combinations and other tactics. The Gunship Series is designed to create a new game experience each time based on the choices made by the players. Test things out and have fun!

Flight Checklist

• Choose 2 Weapons for your Weapon Pods (Right and Left).
• Choose 2 Weapons for your Wings (Right and Left).
• Pick 3 Components to Armor and place your 3 Armor cards on them (or choose 2 Components, placing 2 Armor cards on one of them).
• Make sure you have 3 Shield cards on your Shield Generator.
• Deal 5 cards to each Player from the Main Deck.

Game Set-up is now complete. The next several sections deal with the rules for carrying out the battle.

Each Gunship gets 3 Armor cards. You may place up to 2 on any desired Component. The ship in the diagram has 1 Armor card deployed on its Torpedo Launcher and 2 on the Power Generator for extra protection.

Play Sequence

Game is played in turns, which are split into Phases. The Initiative Phase and Carrier Phase are conducted at the start of each turn, and both Players participate.

• Initiative Phase: Players roll to see who goes first this turn.
• Carrier Phase: Assault Carriers fire at each other via drawing cards.
• Draw Cards: Active Player draws enough cards to bring his hand to 5.
• 1 - Fighter Phase: Active Fighters move and attack.
• 2 - Gunship Phase: Active Gunship moves and attacks.
• 3 - Repair Phase: Gunship undergoes repairs and switches Weapons.
• 4 - Discard Phase: Player discards 1 or 2 unwanted cards.

After the Carrier Phase, play alternates. Player 1 performs Phases 1-4, then Player 2 does the same. After Player 2 discards, a new turn begins. Initiative and Carrier Phases repeat. Players will end up going first on some turns, and second on others.

Play continues until one Player has destroyed the other Player's Assault Carrier.*

*Ties are possible. See "Winning the Game."

Initiative Phase

Initiative is decided at the start of every turn. Each Player rolls a 6-sided die. Highest score goes first this turn. Reroll ties.

Carrier Phase

As the Players concentrate on moving and attacking with their Fighters and Gunships, another aspect of the battle is taking place "behind the scenes" as the crews of the 2 Carriers fire their cannons at each other.

Carrier combat is random and out of the control of the Players. Sometimes the Carriers' gunners will do light damage, sometimes heavy, and sometimes they will miss completely. This is determined by the draw of a card.

Carrier combat is simple. Each Player draws the top card off the deck and flips it over. The result will be either 1 hit, 2 hits or a miss. The damage indicated is immediately applied to the enemy Carrier.

• A card with a damage crater symbol indicates 1 Carrier Hit.
• A card with two damage crater symbols indicates 2 Carrier Hits.
• A card with no damage crater symbol indicates a miss.

Some damage crater symbols have a red glow. This has no extra effect in the core game but will come into play in future expansions!

Carrier combat is always considered to be simultaneous. It does not matter which Carrier fired first because the results are always applied at the same time. However, the Player who currently has Initiative should always be the first one to draw.

Some important notes regarding Carrier Combat:

• Carriers never move in the game.
• Only another Carrier or a Gunship's Torpedo can damage Carrier Shields.
• Carriers can never be damaged by Fighters, Blaster Cannons, or Ion Cannons.
• Carriers roll 4 6-sided dice when defending against Gunship attacks. See "Attack Runs" for details.

The Carrier Board carries a Defense Value, which is used in the Gunship Phase (see "Attack Runs").

Carrier Damage

An Assault Carrier can take 12 hits in combat before being destroyed. On the 12th hit it is removed from play and the game ends. See "Winning the Game."

Damage to Carriers is kept track of with the use of a 12-sided die. The first 6 hits that a Carrier takes will not cause actual damage but will be absorbed by its Shields. The 12-sided die starts in the Shield space on the Carrier Board. As Shields are lost, move the die from its starting position one space per hit, until it gets to the circle at the end. Once the die reaches this point, Shields are down and subsequent hits will result in turning the die to show the next lowest number.

Example: A Carrier with no Shields and a die showing "12" takes 2 hits. The die is turned so that the "10" is now showing.

The Battle Zone

Before moving on to how Fighters and Gunships operate, it is important to understand how the area in which the battle is being fought is laid out.

There are 3 possible places that any Unit in the game can be at any time:

• A Friendly Carrier Zone: This is the Board representing YOUR Assault Carrier.
• An Enemy Carrier Zone: The Board representing your OPPONENT'S Carrier.
• The Center Zone: This represents the area BETWEEN the two Carriers.

At the start of every battle, the Gunships and Fighters of both sides are racing toward each other, cannons blazing. Therefore the cards that represent these forces (called Unit Cards) start the game in the Center Zone (see the Basic Set-Up). No Unit may leave the Center Zone until Turn 2.

Should a Player choose to move one or both of his Unit Cards to a Carrier Zone, it is important that the Unit Card(s) overlap the Carrier Board on at least one side. Any Unit Card that does not touch a Carrier Board in this way is always considered to be in the Center Zone, regardless of intent. In the example, the Fighter Squadron of the Red Player is in a Friendly Carrier Zone and all other Units are in the Center Zone.

Movement and combat within these Zones is covered in the next several Sections.

Draw Cards

Right before your Fighter Phase, draw enough cards from the Main Deck to bring your hand to 5. Reshuffle the Discard Pile if the Deck ever runs out.

1 - Fighter Phase

Fighter Squadrons (or Fighters) perform several important roles in the game. Below is a list of things that Fighters can do during the course of a turn:

• Escorting: Protect your Gunship from attacks by enemy Fighters.
• Defending: Attack enemy Units that enter the Zone they occupy.
• Dogfight: Engage an enemy Fighter Squadron in combat.
• Strafing: Engage an unescorted enemy Gunship in combat.

Proceed to "Fighter Combat" below.

Fighter Combat

Fighters may move from one Zone to any other Zone during their turn. They may move and attack freely but must stop if they enter a Zone that contains an enemy Fighter Squadron.

Any time that a Fighter Squadron enters or remains in a Zone with a Defending Squadron, a mandatory Dogfight ensues. Combat is resolved (see below) and their movement ends for that turn.

A Fighter Squadron may LEAVE a Zone that contains an enemy Fighter Squadron if they started their turn in that Zone. This does not require any combat. If a Fighter Squadron starts its turn in a Zone with enemy Fighters and does NOT move, the Dogfight continues.

A Fighter Squadron may move into a Zone containing an unescorted enemy Gunship, Strafe it, and continue moving to any other Zone.

A Fighter Squadron may never attack an enemy Carrier, but they may enter an Enemy Carrier Zone.

Fighters may Escort a friendly Gunship into or through a Zone containing Defending Fighters. Simply move the Fighters into this Zone to start a Dogfight. Your Gunship will then be free to move into or through this Zone during the Gunship Phase because the enemy Fighters will already be in combat.

Fighters may never attack a Gunship that has friendly Fighters in its Zone. The Gunship is considered to be under Escort and a Dogfight will take place instead.

When engaged in a Dogfight, place the two Fighter Squadrons as shown to show that Gunships may move safely through the Zone. Fighters that are engaged in a Dogfight may still be attacked by a Gunship.

Some important things to know about Fighter Combat:

• Fighters roll a number of 6-sided dice determined by how many Fighters are remaining in the Squadron.
• Rolls of 1-4 are Misses. A roll of "5" or "6" is a hit.
• Each hit rolled destroys an enemy Fighter. Destroyed Fighters are marked using Fighter Tokens.
• Every hit scored while Strafing a Gunship results in a Hit card being applied to the target. (See "Gunship Damage.")

How many dice do I roll?

Each Fighter Squadron starts with the ability to roll 4 dice in every combat. Each time that you lose a Fighter in combat, you place a Fighter Token to cover up one of the Fighters on your Fighter Board. You lose 1 die for every 3 Fighter Tokens showing. So a Squadron with 10 Fighters (as seen in the Fighter Squadron diagram) still gets to roll 4 dice, but if they lose one more Fighter, they will then be reduced to 3 dice. A Squadron with only 6 Fighters remaining would roll 2 dice, etc.

Resolving a Dogfight

Attacker (active Player) rolls his Fighter dice and totals up damage. The Defending Player then rolls his dice and does the same. Like Carrier combat, Fighter combat is considered simultaneous, so you always roll the total dice that you started the Dogfight with. Each side only rolls its dice once per Fighter Phase. The Dogfight will continue on future turns unless a Squadron leaves the Zone.

A Strafing Run

In the example, the Blue Fighters are free to Strafe the Red Gunship because there are no enemy Fighters present in the Center Zone. They roll their dice, applying any successful Hits, and may then either stay in the Center Zone, move to their Friendly Carrier Zone, or move into the Enemy Carrier Zone and engage in a Dogfight with the enemy Squadron.

Losing your last Fighter

When your last Fighter is destroyed, remove your Fighter Squadron Unit card from the game. Your Gunship is now extremely vulnerable to attack!

Proceed to the next section, "Gunship Phase."

2 - Gunship Phase

The Gunships are the "Hero" Units of the game. You'll spend more time planning out how to best make use of your Gunship than any other Unit. Using your hand of 5 cards and an assortment of Weapons and defenses, every turn will present a new range of challenges and opportunities.

Gunships have 3 basic missions to which they are equally suited. The choices that you make at the start of the game and adjustments that you make while Aboard your Carrier will give you the tools to:

• Attack the enemy Gunship in order to damage and slow down its ability to attack your Carrier.
• Engage enemy Fighters where possible to help thin out their numbers.
• Make Attack Runs on the enemy Carrier in order to destroy it and win the game.

Your Gunship gets 3 Actions per turn to do one or more of the following at the cost of 1 Action each:

• Move 1 Zone (up to 2 per turn)
• Attack an enemy Fighter Squadron
• Attack an enemy Gunship
• Make an Attack Run on an enemy Carrier

These Actions may be completed in any order you want. For example, a Gunship may move from the Center Zone to the Enemy Carrier Zone, attack the enemy Gunship, and then make an Attack Run all in one turn.

An unescorted Gunship entering a Zone containing an enemy Fighter Squadron will be Strafed by them but does NOT have to stop. It may either continue moving or return fire if desired (at the cost of 1 Action).

An enemy Gunship will not block movement or attack on your turn. Gunships may only attack when it is their turn.

A damaged Power Generator will reduce the number of Actions that you get in a turn (see "Gunship Damage").

Evasive Action may only be played if the target Gunship has at least one functioning Engine.

Evasive Action can NOT be played by a Gunship that is Crippled or Stranded (see "Ionization Effects" and the Engine loss notes under "Misc. Notes").

Evasive Action can be used to evade attacks from Gunships and Carrier Defense Cannons but NOT attacks from Fighters.

A Gunship has 3 Shield cards in place to absorb damage and keep it from affecting your Components. Shields are lost one at a time: one Shield is removed for each hit from a Fighter Squadron, Gunship or Carrier's Defense Cannon roll. Place lost Shields to the side. Ionized cards are not affected by Shields. Shields can be replenished during the Repair Phase.

Armor cards are a Gunship's last line of defense against taking damage. If the result of a Hit Location roll leads to an Armored Component, remove the Armor card and cancel one hit. If more than 1 hit of damage was done, only one is cancelled per Armor card. Armor offers no protection from Ionized cards; place the Ionized card on the Component per standard rules. Armor cards may be replenished during the Repair Phase.

Gunship Combat

The most effective Gunship combat will take place in the same Zone as the target Unit. Some Weapons can make attacks at longer range (see "Long-Range Combat").

Unlike Fighters, most of a Gunship's attacks are made by playing one or more Cards from your hand. To be able to attack a target you must have the appropriate card matched up with a functional Weapon that is on your Gunship Board. The only exception to this is the use of Thruster Bombs, which is a combination of cards and dice (see "Attack Runs").

To make an attack on an enemy Gunship or Fighters, you will need to play one of the following 2 cards:

• Hit card: Playing a Hit card will eliminate 1 Shield card on an enemy Gunship or do Light Damage to a Component if no Shields are present. A Hit card will also destroy 1 Fighter on a 6-sided die roll of "5" or "6" if played against Fighters. For each Hit card that you want to play, you must have 1 functional (undamaged) Blaster Cannon. If you have 3 Blaster Cannons, you may play up to 3 Hits per turn, for example.
• Ionized card: Playing an Ionized card will destroy one Fighter on a "5" or "6" on a 6-sided die when played against a Fighter Squadron. If used against a Gunship, it will ignore Shields and Armor and be placed on whichever Hit Location was rolled (see below). For each Ionized card that you want to play, you must have 1 functional (undamaged) Ion Cannon. If you have 3 Ion Cannons, you may play up to 3 Ionized cards per turn, for example.

Using an Action to make an attack on a Gunship or Fighters allows you to play as many eligible cards as you wish against that target. You do not have to use 3 Actions to play 3 Hits against a Gunship, for example. However, if you attack a different target in the same turn, you will have to use another Action to do so.

If your target was an enemy Fighter Squadron and you rolled one or more hits, your opponent simply places the required number of Fighter Tokens on his Fighter Board.

If your target was a Gunship, you will need to find out where your shots hit and how much damage they did. In the next section you will learn how to determine:

• If the enemy was able to dodge your attack
• What part of his Gunship was hit
• Whether his defenses absorbed any of the damage
• How much damage was done and what effect it has

Hit Determination

Attack cards are played one at a time and laid down on the table near your opponent's Gunship Board. Any attacks that are made against his Gunship have a chance to be evaded. If he has any Evasive Action cards in his hand, he may play one after any of your attacks to cancel it. Otherwise, the attack succeeds and the next step is to determine if Shields will come into play.

Any attack that is not evaded or absorbed by a Gunship's Shields rolls an 8-sided die to determine Hit Location. Each Component on a Gunship has a Hit Location Number (see "Components") between 1 and 8. The roll of the die tells you where to place the attack card. Play of a "Bullseye" card allows the attacker to CHOOSE the Hit Location. This card is explained under "Attack Runs" and "Long-Range Combat."

Attack cards are placed directly on top of the affected Hit Location as seen in the diagram. Damage will remain in place and affect the function of the Component until it's repaired. Ionized cards have a different effect that is explained later.

Gunship Damage

A damaged Component cannot be used. The effect of this on the game is different for each Component type. Here is a list of each Component and what the effect is when a Hit or Ionized card is placed on it:

• Torpedo Launcher: No Torpedo cards can be played by the Gunship.
• Blaster Cannon or Ion Cannon: No attack cards may be played for the Weapon. If damage is upgraded to Heavy, it is removed from the Gunship Board entirely. A Heavy Damage card remains on the affected Weapon Pod Hit Location.
• Shield Generator: No Shield cards may be added until it is repaired. If an Ionized card is played on this Component while Shields are in play, they are turned sideways until the Ionized card is moved. If the Shield Generator is damaged while Shield cards are turned sideways on it, the Shields are lost.
• Power Generator: If a Power Generator receives Light damage, the Gunship loses one Action per turn. Place an Action Loss card on the Gunship Board to remind you. If damage is upgraded to Heavy, the Gunship loses TWO Actions per turn, leaving one. If an Ionized card is ever placed on a Power Generator, the Gunship loses all power (see "Ionization Effects") and is Crippled.
• Engines: Hits and Ionized cards keep Engines from allowing full movement. A Gunship with one damaged or Ionized Engine may still move, but may only move 1 Zone per turn. If both Engines are lost, the Gunship may no longer evade attacks and is Stranded. Effects of being Stranded are explained under "Misc. Notes."
• Wings: One Hit or Ionized card on a Wing will keep the Weapon on that Wing from functioning. If a Wing ever receives Heavy damage, the Wing and Weapon are removed from the Gunship Board and must be replaced. Wings cannot be repaired In-Flight.

For the most part, a Component is either:

• Undamaged (fully functional)
• Lightly damaged (has taken 1 hit)
• Heavily damaged (has taken 2 hits)

NOTE: If a Gunship ever has 12 total hits of damage on its Gunship Board, it is destroyed and removed from play immediately. Hull Hits DO count toward this total but Wing hits do NOT.

Gunship Damage (cont.)

A Component with 1 Hit on it is Lightly damaged. This can be repaired In-Flight with the use of a Damage Control card, or be repaired quickly while Aboard your Carrier (see "Repair Phase").

When a Component that is already Lightly damaged receives a second Hit, the damage is then upgraded to Heavy. Flip the Hit card over to the back side. This damage cannot be repaired In-Flight. The Gunship must land inside the Carrier to fix Heavy damage. Heavy damage takes much longer to repair.

A Component on a Gunship can only hold 2 hits of damage. Any damage above 2 hits that is added later is applied to the Gunship's Hull. The Hull does not have a Hit Location Number but can hold cards just like a Component. There is no limit to how many hits can be done to a Gunship's Hull. Hull Hits cannot be repaired during the game but count toward the 12 hits required to destroy a Gunship.

The only exception to the 2 hits per Component rule is the Slagged card.

Slagged is a special attack card that modifies damage. In Gunship combat, Slagged may be played at the instant when a hit of Light Damage is upgraded to Heavy. It may also be played when a Component that is already Heavily damaged takes a third hit that goes to the Hull. Slagged is never played as Hull Hits. Slagged counts as 3 Hits to the affected Component and can never be repaired during the game.

Another card that modifies damage is Bonus Damage. In Gunship combat, a Bonus Damage card may be played immediately after any Hit of damage has been done to a Shield or Component. Play of this card adds 1 hit to the attack. If this results in Heavy damage, a Slagged card may also be played. Bonus Damage may be played BY Strafing Fighters but may never be played AGAINST Fighters. Bonus Damage is never played with an Ionized card.

If a Gunship fires a Hit at another Gunship that has 1 Shield, and also plays Bonus Damage, treat the attack as two Hits, with the first Hit removing the Shield and the second one rolling for Hit Location as if it were a typical attack.

Ionization Effects

Ionized cards do not usually damage a Component, but they keep it from functioning until they move on to the next one. Ionized cards are moved to a new Hit Location each turn (see "Repair Phase"). You may not make repairs to a Component that is currently Ionized.

If an Ionized card ever hits or reaches your Power Generator, you must discard your entire hand. Remove all Ionized cards from your Gunship Board and place one of them on your Gunship Unit card. If you have Shields on your Shield Generator, turn them sideways. Your Gunship is now Crippled for one turn.

Your opponent will automatically get Initiative on the next turn. On your next turn you will perform the following steps to restore power to your Gunship:

• Draw 5 cards
• Perform Fighter Phase
• Skip Gunship Phase and Repair Phase
• Remove Ionized card from Unit card
• Restore Shields (if any)
• Discard up to 2 cards

Operation of your Gunship will return to normal on your next turn.

Long-Range Combat

Gunships have experienced gunners and the latest in targeting systems. This allows them the ability to make attacks at Long Range and perform precision strikes at crucial times.

Long Range attacks are performed on Gunships that are one Zone away. Fighters and Carriers cannot be attacked at Long Range.

Lay down the attack cards that you plan to use and roll a 6-sided die for each one. A "5" or "6" hits the target and you may determine Hit Location normally. If the target plays Evasive Action, ALL of the attacks miss. The target must decide whether or not to play Evasive Action BEFORE any die rolls are made.

Use of a Bullseye card allows one Long Range attack to succeed with no die roll. This is treated as a separate attack from others being made by rolling dice.

Bullseye has several other game effects that are listed under "Attack Runs." It is one of the game's most useful cards.

Bullseye

• Bullseye may be played along with any Hit or Ionized card to CHOOSE your Hit Location instead of rolling the die. With a little planning, you can use this to devastating effect.
• May also be played to score an automatic Hit against an enemy Fighter instead of the required roll of 5 or 6.
• You may play one Bullseye card to attack at Long Range followed by a second Bullseye card to also allow choice of Hit Location.
• Bullseye must be announced when the attack is made. You can't wait to see if the attack is evaded or where it hits, then decide to play it.

Attack Runs

A Gunship can perform many missions, but the one job it was built for is attacking capital ships at high speed and point-blank range. To win the game you'll have to destroy the other Assault Carrier. To do that, you'll have to make some Attack Runs.

An Attack Run takes place when a Gunship engages an enemy Carrier, suffers its defensive barrage, and then either fires a Torpedo or drops 3 Thruster Bombs. The rules for carrying out an Attack Run are as follows:

• A Gunship may make 1 Attack Run for every Action it has left in the turn.
• A Gunship may only damage a Carrier's Shields with a Torpedo. Thruster Bombs have no effect on Shields. This damage may not be modified by other cards.
• Only Torpedoes and Thruster Bombs can damage a Carrier. The attacking Gunship must have an eligible Weapon in order to make an Attack Run.
• The Carrier will get a chance to fire at the incoming Gunship before each attack. The Carrier rolls 4 6-sided dice for its Defense Cannons.
• Defense Cannon hits are scored the same as for Fighters, except that each "5" results in 1 hit and each "6" results in 2 hits! Defense Cannon hits can be evaded and use Hit Location, etc., just like any other attack, one hit at a time.
• If the Gunship is still able to attack after damage is applied, it may play a Torpedo card or drop Thruster Bombs by removing any Thruster Bombs card on one of its Wings.
• A Gunship may only make one attack per Attack Run.
• A Gunship may only fire one Torpedo per turn.

Attack Run Damage

As discussed under "Carrier Damage," Carriers handle damage a little differently than Fighters or Gunships. A Carrier is destroyed if the 12-sided die is ever turned down to zero. Every Weapon that can damage a Carrier does a set amount of damage. Each hit of damage will move the 12-sided die closer and closer to the end.

Gunship Weapons always do 1 hit of damage to a Carrier for each successful attack. This damage can be modified with the use of Modifier cards.

• Torpedoes always do 1 hit of damage to a Carrier. They never miss. Simply play the card and subtract the damage.
• Thruster Bombs are dropped in groups of 3. Roll 3 6-sided dice and do 1 hit of damage for each roll of a "5" or "6." Remove them from your Wing afterwards.

Modifier cards can greatly affect the outcomes of your Attack Runs. Modifier effects are listed below:

• Bullseye: Play a Bullseye card along with a Torpedo strike to do 1 extra hit of Carrier Damage. A Torpedo may only have one Modifier added to it per attack. You may also play up to 3 Bullseyes when you drop Thruster Bombs. Each Bullseye that you play is an automatic hit, so you roll one fewer die for each card that you play.
• Bonus Damage: Play a Bonus Damage card with a Torpedo strike to do 1 extra hit of Carrier Damage. A Torpedo may only have one Modifier added to it per attack. Bonus Damage may also be added to the damage from any Thruster Bomb that scored a hit. Each Bomb that hits may only be modified once.
• Slagged: Play a Slagged card with a Torpedo strike to do 1 extra hit of Carrier Damage. A Torpedo may only have one Modifier added to it per attack. Slagged may also be added to the damage from any Thruster Bomb that scored a hit. Each Bomb that hits may only be modified once.

When the Damage Die gets down to zero, the Carrier is destroyed! See "Winning the Game."

3 - Repair Phase

Space combat takes a hard toll on a Gunship. Shields are depleted, Components are damaged and Ionized, and Weapons, Armor and Wings can be blown right off.

Fortunately for you, you have a team of Engineers on board. Anything they can't fix can be taken care of with a quick "pit stop" aboard your Assault Carrier. Here are the steps you need to take to keep your Gunship running at peak performance.

Repairs to your Gunship occur either In-Flight or Aboard your Carrier. Simpler tasks like restoring Shields and fixing Light Damage can happen while your ship is out in space with the use of a Damage Control card.

Anything more serious than a quick fix is going to require landing inside your Carrier for one or more turns. This means that your Gunship will have to start a turn in your Friendly Carrier Zone in order to land.

Starting with the turn that the Gunship landed, it now receives 3 Repair Actions per turn that can be used to fix damage, change Weapons, and restore Armor and Shields, etc.

• Damage Control gives you the option of adding a Shield card or removing one Hit card.
• Damage to a Wing cannot be repaired In-Flight.
• Heavy Damage cannot be repaired In-Flight.
• An Ionized Component cannot be repaired until the Ionized card moves away.

The Blue Gunship is going to land inside the Carrier to undergo repairs and has moved to its Friendly Carrier Zone. In the next Gunship Phase, the Gunship will be able to land, since it has started its turn in the Friendly Carrier Zone. A Gunship that is landing inside the Carrier may not spend any Actions for combat or any movement this turn. All focus is on landing and repairs. Flip the Gunship Unit card over to its Hangar side to show that it's not available as a target or for any other activity while Aboard the Carrier.

Repair Actions

While Aboard your Carrier, the following repairs may be carried out on your Gunship by using 1 Repair Action. These may be done in any order and each Action may be done more than once in a turn. The only limit is that you may only do 3 Actions per turn.

• Remove 1 Hit of Light Damage
• Remove 1 Ionized card
• Restore 1 Shield
• Restore 1 Armor card
• Move 1 Armor card
• Remove a Weapon
• Add a Weapon

The following two repairs are more involved and will use up all 3 of your Repair Actions:

• Remove 1 Heavy Damage card
• Replace a Wing

Remember: Hull Hits and Slagged Components can never be repaired in a game.

While your Gunship is Aboard the Carrier, you may still move and conduct combat with your Fighters, draw and discard cards, etc.

If you have a Damage Control card in your hand or if you draw one while Aboard the Carrier, you may play it in the Repair Phase to add an extra Repair Action that turn. Discard after use. There is no limit to the number of Damage Control cards that may be used to give you extra Repair Actions.

When you are ready to get back into the battle, you may spend a Repair Action and declare that your Gunship is Launching. Flip your Gunship Unit card back to its Space side and place it back in the Friendly Carrier Zone. The Gunship may not move this turn but may attack any enemy Units in the Zone.

If there are enemy Fighters in the Friendly Carrier Zone, and no friendly Fighters, the Gunship is subject to being Strafed as it leaves the Carrier.

Moving Ionized cards

The last thing that is done in the Repair Phase is the movement of all Ionized cards from one Component to another. Starting at the top of your Gunship Board, roll a Hit Location for each Ionized card on your ship, one at a time. This will show which Components will be affected on the next turn.

Ionized cards do not move while Aboard the Carrier.

If an Ionized card rolls the same Hit Location that it is already on, it does 1 hit of damage and remains where it is. Take a Hit from the discard pile and place it in the space.

If an Ionized card moves from one Hit Location to a new Hit Location that already contains an Ionized card, 1 hit of damage is added and one of the Ionized cards is put in the discard pile.

4 - Discard Phase

At the end of your turn, you have the option of getting rid of some cards. You may always discard 1 card. If you did not play any cards during your turn, you may discard 2.

If you had Initiative this turn, Player 2 now draws up to 5 cards and takes his turn as normal.

If you did not have Initiative, the turn is now over and a new Initiative Phase will begin the next turn.

Winning the Game

Turns are always played out to their conclusion.

If a Carrier is destroyed by the Player who did not have Initiative that turn, the game is over and that Player has won.

If the Player with Initiative destroys his Opponent's Carrier, play continues. Immediately move any Unit cards that were in the destroyed Carrier's Zone to the Center Zone. The other Player gets to take his last turn in an attempt to create a Tie Game.

If there is no chance of this happening (ex. he has no eligible Weapons for an Attack Run, etc.), the Player may concede the game instead of playing out the turn.

Depending on time available, Players may agree to play best 2 out of 3, etc. For extended play options where the results of every game can affect a longer Campaign, check out the publisher's website.

Misc. Notes

Below are some rules and notes that may not have fit in elsewhere in the rulebook.

How to apply Fighter and Carrier Hits to a Gunship

When a Fighter Squadron or Carrier's Defense Cannon scores hits on a Gunship, it is with dice. So how do we show this damage when these Units do not use cards? Simply pull any Hit from the discard pile and roll for Hit Location as usual. If there are no discarded Hits, you may occasionally have to find them in the deck and reshuffle.

I rolled for Hit Location and got a "6." Which Engine receives the damage?

In this case, roll a second die. On an odd number it is the Left Engine. On an even number, it is the Right one.

What happens if I lose both Engines?

If both Engines are damaged/Ionized, your Gunship may not move. This is called being Stranded. If you become Stranded in a Friendly Carrier Zone, your Carrier can automatically pull you in with a tractor beam next turn.

If you are in the Center Zone, roll 2 6-sided dice at the start of your Gunship Phase. On a "5" or "6" your Carrier will pull you to the Friendly Carrier Zone. If you are in an Enemy Carrier Zone, you will have to rely on back-up thrusters to limp to the Center Zone. Roll 1 6-sided die and move on a "5" or "6." You may attempt these rolls once per turn. You may still attack Fighters and Gunships that are in your Zone, but you cannot make any Attack Runs or Long Range attacks.

What happens if my Power Generator is damaged on my Attack Run?

If you use an Action to conduct an Attack Run and the enemy Carrier scores a Hit to your Power Generator, your Attack Run is cancelled and the Action is wasted. This happens even if the Power Generator is already Heavily damaged and the hit goes to your Hull. If you have any Actions remaining, you may make a new Attack Run if desired.

If I replace a Wing while Aboard my Carrier, does it come with a Weapon already attached?

No. You must Add a Weapon as a separate Action.

Does a Gunship with a Slagged Power Generator get any Actions?

Yes, it still gets 1 Action per turn, but it cannot ever be repaired, so the Action Loss is permanent for this game!

Check out the FAQ on the publisher's website to find answers to other questions like these. The publisher will keep it updated as they receive emails and other feedback.

Card Reference

Listed in alphabetical order. Card names are shown on the cards themselves; the effects are listed here.

• Armor: Each Gunship gets 3. Up to 2 per Component. Absorbs 1 hit of damage. Does not protect against Ionized cards. Can be added or moved for 1 Repair Action.
• Blaster Cannon: Deployed in Weapon Pods. Allows play of 1 Hit / turn. May attack at Long Range. Damages Fighters and Gunships only. Removed if Heavily damaged (damage stays on ship).
• Blaster Cannon (Wing): Deployed on Wings. Allows play of 1 Hit / turn. May attack at Long Range. Damages Fighters and Gunships only. Removed if Heavily damaged, along with Wing.
• Bonus Damage: Adds 1 hit of damage. Counts as two hits if drawn in Carrier Phase. Modifies Attack Run hits. Not applied to Ionized damage.
• Bullseye: Allows choice of Hit Location. Allows one automatic hit in Long Range combat. Counts as two hits if drawn in Carrier Phase. Modifies Attack Run hits.
• Damage Control: Removes one Hit card. Restores one Shield. Counts as a Miss if drawn in Phase 2. Adds a Repair Action if Aboard Carrier.
• Evasive Action: Cancels one attack or hit (except from Fighters). Requires one Engine. Must be played before Long Range die rolls. Counts as a Miss if drawn in Phase 2.
• Hit: Represents Light damage. Targets Fighters and Gunships only. Can be repaired with a Damage Control card while In-Flight. Requires 1 Repair Action to remove from Gunship while Aboard the Carrier.
• Ion Cannon: Deployed in Weapon Pods. Allows play of 1 Ionized / turn. May attack at Long Range. Affects Fighters and Gunships only. Removed if Heavily damaged (damage stays on ship).