FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
In the following pages you should find explanations that answer most frequently asked questions (FAQ). There are three sections:
The first two sections contain short discussions on their specific topic. The last section, Various Subjects, contains terms and rules that did not easily fall into any of the first three categories.
This document is a superset of information presented in the first two issues of Galactic Fire Magazine.
How are cards played (engaged or disengaged): Cards with an engagement cost are played disengaged. Cards without an engagement cost are played engaged.
Two exceptions are abilities and non-passive equipment. These are always played disengaged when being played to a disengaged card.
Anything that affects the engagement cost of cards in the fleet has no effect on how that card is played. Cards which specify that their engagement cost varies by location (or other effect) are played either engaged or disengaged based on the engagement cost at the location (or other effect) to which they are being played.
Where are cards played: Where cards are played is determined by their type (ships are played to the fleet or to terrain in the fleet, bases are only played to terrain in the fleet, etc.). Some types, however, determine where they are played by what is on the card. Cards affecting one or more cards are played to or against the affected card or cards. Cards affecting things other than cards (weapons fire, opponents' card plays, etc.) are played to the owning player's fleet.
When can cards be played: Cards are played during your turn during either card play phase (Play Cards Phase A or Play Cards Phase B). Certain cards exempt themselves from this rule by stating during which phase they are played (Example: "Played during the Weapons Fire Phase" or "May be played during the Allocation Phase"). In the first example, the card must be played during the Weapons Fire Phase. In the second example, the option is given to play the card during the Allocation Phase. It may still be played during a card play phase if desired.
Cards with an "R/" before their card type may be played as a reaction to an opponent's action as long as the card performs a card action (a function stated on the card) or states some rule which is used when played. Cards that state "as a reaction," in their text must be in play to be used (unless the card has an "R/" before their card type). The following are opponent actions to which you may react: Point Allocation, a card being played or placed/moved into play, a card action, weapons fire, and discarding during the discard phase. Keep in mind, even though drawing cards is not on the list, you can react to a card action used to draw cards, such as a cyber mage or quartermaster. See When do cards perform their action under Card Actions.
Turn 1 and 2 Restrictions: Turn 2 begins for all players as soon as the first player has begun his/her second turn. Turn 3 begins for each player as he/she begins his/her third turn.
When do cards perform their action(s): Engaged cards perform their actions during their controller's turn during a card play phase (either Play Cards Phase A or B). Example: An Evil Temple will destroy the opponent's crew as a card action during the temple controller's turn. The exceptions to this are as follows.
Cards played in reaction mode act when played (during any phase or turn). They then may perform their actions during their controller's following and subsequent turn.
Cards which state "as a reaction," may only perform such actions as a reaction to an opponent's action (during any phase of any player's turn). Such cards must be in play to perform their action and require an "R/" to be played in reaction mode.
Some cards act during a different phase as appropriate. A C4 Temporal Mechanic affects the controller's card draw and therefore acts during the Draw Cards Phase. Ships firing weapons may only do so during the Weapons Fire Phase.
Cards played in reaction mode may only fire weapons if played during a Weapons Fire Phase.
Disengaged cards may not perform any actions. Rules on disengaged cards do not apply unless they are strictly self-affecting. Rules on an ability card disengaged due to the crew being disengaged are considered self-affecting if they affect either the ability or the card on which the ability is played. This is to say that a disengaged B4 Border Station will not prevent other bases from being the target of weapons fire, because rules on disengaged cards do not affect other cards. However, a disengaged T3 Crystal Planet (disengaged due to an invasion, for example) is still immune to weapons fire because that rule only affects the card itself.
If a card states that another card may not be used or may not function, the affected card is treated as if it was disengaged. The card is not, however, actually disengaged unless the effect states that it disengages the card.
How many times may cards perform their functions: All engaged cards may perform their action(s) once per turn. Disengaged cards may not perform any actions.
Some cards (such as an A6 Promotion, or a C8 Spiritual Leader) allow certain cards to perform a function twice. If two such cards are applied to the same card, the card would be able to perform two separate functions twice each or a single function three times. Please note that weapons fire is not considered a function.
Ability Cards: Ability cards are played to crew in your fleet unless the ability says otherwise.
Activated: A card that is activated against another card is affecting that card without needing to move against that card. A tractor beam or mine is activated against a ship. It is not considered played against the ship.
Allocation Phase: The Allocation Phase and the Engagement Phase are separate phases. Cards which produce points or modify the production of points do so if they will be engaged during the Engagement Phase. If they will not be engaged, they do not produce or modify points during the Allocation Phase. This allows a card to use its own point modification to pay its own engagement cost. Essentially, at the end of the Engagement Phase, your output must be sufficient to pay for the engagement cost of all cards engaged in the fleet. If a player wishes to modify your output with reaction cards, he may do so while you are allocating or applying points. You must then recheck your points.
When you are done allocating points, declare what ship systems are loaded and what excess points are available (if you plan on applying them). Then apply the points. Points may only be applied to each opponent card once during the Allocation Phase. If you are required to recheck your point output and reallocate, you may reallocate the same number of points (or fewer) to an opponent card. You may not use this opportunity to apply more points. Reacting to point output early in the phase will solve most problems.
Cards with durations advance in duration at the beginning of the Allocation Phase. Cards with durations that affect point output perform their point output or modification to point output before being discarded.
Armor Systems: Armor systems are a special ship system and are not shields or EMF (and are compatible with either). An armor system may be activated any time damage is being applied to the structure of a card with an armor system. They may not be activated if the damage being applied does not penetrate the unit's defenses (shields or EMF). They may not be activated against damage which states that it is structural (such as a boarding party attack). Only normal (not direct structural) damage which reaches the structure (causing structural damage) may be prevented by the use of an armor system.
An armor system may only be activated once against each source of damage. A single weapons volley from multiple sources is considered one source of damage. Armor systems function, regardless of whether the unit is engaged or disengaged. Every time an armor system is activated, it prevents an amount of damage from being applied to the structure equal to its current strength. In doing this, the system loses a single point of strength. Armor systems may not be repaired.
Auctions: When a card requires an auction of points (usually economy), players may bid an amount of points up to the amount they would produce as if it were currently their Allocation Phase. They may not include any point modification from cards not currently engaged. They may not use the point output of cards prevented from producing points (even if they will be able to produce points by their next Allocation Phase).
The winner of the auction has his bid subtracted from his point output of his next Allocation Phase. If all points bid are not paid (possibly due to some effect after the auction), remaining points due must be paid on his following Allocation Phase. Any cards which consume points receive their points before any debt is paid. Any current debt must be taken into account if another auction is held.
Bases: Bases can fire at any standard target (including other bases or terrain). They may not fire at a Sector HQ or Psy Network. Bases are not designated as ground or orbital. Any references to orbiting bases simply refers to bases on the terrain, unless the card states to see the illustration. For these cases, if you see the base floating in space, it is orbital; otherwise, it is not.
Basis of a stack: A card is considered the basis of a stack any time there is one or more cards played to or against it. Any card with the phrase "may not be played to the basis of a stack" will be voided if the card becomes the basis of a stack before its effects are resolved.
Bids: See Auctions in this section for the rules for bidding points.
Card Damage: Card damage is any damage from a source other than weapons fire. The important distinction between the two types of damage is that card damage that is applied to the structure of terrain may not be repaired by repair points unless the source of these points states they may be used to repair card damage. Please note that only cards which specifically state they damage terrain may apply card damage to the structure of terrain.
Card Name: The title of a card includes the name above the illustration and below the illustration. The T5 Planet - Candor II is not considered the same identical card as the T5 Planet - Zambarez Planet.
Card Strength: A card's strength is the number located in the upper left corner of the card. When there are two numbers separated by a slash, the first is the fleet strength (the card's strength when not in the time origin) and the second is the origin strength. Any card with a split strength goes to the time origin when discarded from the fleet. Damage applied to the structure of a card does not affect its strength, only its current strength (see Current Strength in this section). Only cards that state they affect the strength of a card modify a card's strength.
Combined: Whenever two or more cards become combined, they are treated as one card of the appropriate type. The strengths of the two cards are added to determine the strength of the combined card. Any shields and weapons are considered added together, forming one set of weapons and one shield. The point output is combined (and therefore may be modified as a whole). Functions and rules are not combined. Immunities only apply to the points contributed by the immune card. The cards are considered two different cards, with one card being played to the other for the purposes of cards that affect a single card or stack of cards. This is to say, a T6 Vorn with a T4 White Dwarf is 1 terrain for terrain affecting cards such as O7 Interplanetary Conflict, but is a T4 on a T6 for cards such as R/L8 Vacuum Effect.
Cards are only combined while in play. Combined cards which are moved to the reserve fleet, the hand, or the Discard Pile will become separate cards. As an example, when an S1 Patrol Ship combined with an S7 Patrol Ship Courier is destroyed, the patrol ship would be returned to the hand and the courier would be discarded.
When two cards are combined, any damage applied to either card is considered damage applied to the combined cards. The type of damage does not change. Structural damage must remain structural (the same goes for shield damage). When combined cards are separated, the damage may be divided between the two. However, structural damage may not be applied to either card in excess of its strength (the same applies to shield damage).
Combined cards require a command slot based on a single card of the combined strength. A strength six ship (requiring one command slot) combined with a strength two ship (requiring one half of a command slot) becomes a strength eight ship (requiring one command slot).
If an effect (certain fields) allows parts of a combined card to be damaged separately, any currently existing damage must be divided (as if the parts were separating).
Command Points/Slots: Like all points, command points are only generated during the Allocation Phase. These points are converted into command slots for any cards in play which consume a command slot (or half of a slot). Any excess points not needed for command slots may be used to engage cards requiring a command point to engage (time knights). Once this is done, any unused points are converted into command slots. Points not used during the Allocation Phase are lost, but command points not used are always turned into command slots. Command slots last one complete turn (or until occupied).
If you do not generate enough command points to provide a command slot for each card requiring a command slot in play in your fleet (most units and all psys), there is no effect on your cards currently in play. This will prevent you from engaging cards which require a command point to engage (time knights) and also prevents cards which require a command slot from being played.
If a card consuming a command slot is discarded, the slot is only free to use if you were not over your command limit. Any cards in play requiring a command slot that did not receive one during your last Allocation Phase immediately fill any vacant slots.
Units in the time origin require a command slot based on their origin strength.
Complete Turn: A complete turn is from the beginning of your Allocation Phase to the beginning of your next Allocation Phase. A turn is the same as a complete turn. A turn is relative to each player. It is possible for one player to be on his third complete turn while another player is still in the middle of his second turn.
Cards with durations are considered to have been in play one turn during their controller's Allocation Phase. This is regardless of which player turn on which the card is played. An R/S1 Ship from the Future, when played as a reaction during an opponent's Weapons Fire Phase, is discarded at the beginning of the ship controller's Allocation Phase. This is one complete turn.
Control: You must have any required command slot available before you may control a card requiring a command slot. When control is established on such a card, it is no longer using a command slot in the original controller's fleet. The location of the card does not change. Filarians are an exception to this. It is still in the fleet of the person who played the card being a controlled. Again, Filarians are an exception to this. It will only protect the Sector HQ or Psy Network of the controlling player (as appropriate).
The controlling player pays any engagement costs of a controlled card during their Allocation Phase. He uses any functions of the card during his own turn (unless the card functions otherwise).
Current Strength: Current strength is structural strength less any damage applied to the structure. Only when a card uses the term "current strength" is it referring to the remaining strength points. Some of the cards that refer to current strength are the M8 Ship Collector and the O9 Ship Collision.
Cyber Card: Any card with cyber in its name is a cyber card. Also any card treated as cyber is a cyber card. Example: A C5 Psyber Mage which states that it is considered a cyber mage is a cyber card.
Discarded After Use: Any card which is discarded after use stays in play until all functions that the card is going to perform have been completed.
Dragons (D): Dragons are treated as ships for the purpose of card interaction. However, they are a separate category for the purpose of the deck stocking rules. Minor empire dragons must be supported by four main empire ships and/or dragons unless being used as a main empire.
Dragons may not have equipment, crew or occurrence cards played to or against them. Such cards can still affect them. A mine card can damage a dragon. A boarding party can perform a there-and-back mission to the dragon. An R/O5 Volatile Terrain is capable of damaging a dragon which damaged the terrain.
EMF: Electromagnetic field (EMF) defense is a system of defense used by the Mechad. EMF is not shields. Cards that affect shields do not affect EMF unless they state they affect EMF.
In addition to not being able to generate more EMF than twice the strength of the unit, EMF is not allowed to be generated in excess of the sum of the strength of the unit and the strength of the EMF immediately prior to the Allocation Phase. As an example, an S8 Mechad Battleship is played with an EMF strength of eight. If it sustains five points of damage, its EMF strength becomes three. During the next Allocation Phase, it may not be raised above either limit (sixteen and eleven). If it is brought to eleven, and remains at eleven until the next Allocation Phase, the new limits will be sixteen and nineteen. Since both limits apply, the lower limit may not be exceeded.
EMF absorbs damage in a similar manner to shields. It will not absorb damage stated as structural. Damage which bypasses shields must also state EMF, or the EMF will still protect the unit. The P.O.T.'s shield penetration device states in the rules that it also bypasses EMF.
The strength of a unit's EMF is indicated by one or more dice. When damage is applied to the EMF, the strength of the EMF is reduced (adjust the dice). EMF never uses dice to indicate damage as the absorbed damage results in a decrease in strength (this is an exception to how damage is scored). During the Allocation Phase, EMF on units in the fleet is not repaired, it is generated anew.
EMF is generated through the use of nodes. Only a card with nodes may generate EMF. Cards with nodes may not have shield refits applied to them.
If a card with nodes is not engaged during the Allocation Phase, it has an EMF strength equal to the strength of the unit. EMF may not be increased to a disengaged unit. If an engaged unit with nodes is disengaged outside of the Allocation Phase (by a breakdown, for example), its EMF is not affected. If a node refit is destroyed, the current strength of the EMF of the unit will not be affected.
When a unit with nodes is played, it has an EMF strength equal to the unit's strength.
EMF is not considered engagement energy and is not considered for the purposes of escaping a gravity pocket. The production of EMF is not affected by the Corporate E6 Warp Field Destabilization Gun.
Engagement Phase: See Allocation Phase.
Exceptions: The deck stocking rules allow three exceptions to the support rules. You are allowed up to three cards in your deck which are not supported by at least one card of each lesser strength in the same category. Having ships of strength one through seven, two S9s and one S10 would be three exceptions. The two S9s and one S10 are the exceptions. The absence of an S8 is not the exception.
Exclusive Empire Crew: These crew may only be played in a deck representing that empire.
Filarian Infesters: Filarian Infester ability cards may only be used in a Filarian deck. Infesters may only control ship stacks (not dragons or any other card type). A free command slot (or half a slot where appropriate) is required to take control of any card which consumes a command slot (this applies to any form of control, not just Filarian). They gain control of the ship and all cards on the ship stack in the same fleet as the ship (cards played to the ship, not cards played against it). The infested ship stack is moved to the infester's fleet (an exception to the rule that a player's cards are always considered in his fleet, even when against an opponent's fleet). Neither player may voluntarily discard such cards. The Filarian player may not play cards to any cards controlled in this manner (including the ship itself).
Free Flying Shuttles: A free flying shuttle is any shuttle (fighters are shuttles) which is not on another card. Certain crew allow a shuttle to be played independently (i.e. free flying). Also any shuttle moving from one location to another is considered to be a free-flying shuttle while in transition to its new location. It is not a normal function of a shuttle to remain independent. Another card in play must state that they may be in play in this manner. Fighter pilots only affect shuttles at their location and must therefore accompany a shuttle for it to be a free flying shuttle. A free flying shuttle may be the target of weapons fire as is stated in the rules under Weapon Rules: Standard Targets.
Friendly Fire: Cards are not restricted from firing at their own fleet. The only such restriction is that no card may fire at itself.
Fully Engaged: A fully engaged card is both engaged and armed. All weapons and ship systems are armed. A card with nodes, which is fully engaged by another card, may be given EMF equal to twice its strength. However, EMF is not required for such a card to be considered fully engaged.
Generic Ships: Ships with the generic ship background (horizontal blue lines on a blue background) are generic ships. Generic ships are not empire-specific. Having no empire, they may not be used as a main empire. They do not have to be supported by 4 non-minor empire ships and may not be used as a non-minor empire ship supporting a minor empire ship.
Heavy Weapons: A heavy weapon requires an ammunition point to be fired. Once loaded, it remains loaded for a complete turn (until it sees another Allocation Phase) or until fired (whichever happens first). If you gain control of an engaged ship, you would only be able to fire heavy weapons on the turn that control is established if its previous controller armed the heavy weapons and did not fire them (some cards which control other cards exempt themselves from this point requirement).
Independent Shuttle: See Free Flying Shuttles.
Indirigan: The Indirigans are divided into tribes. Each tribe is a separate empire, but they are all affected by cards which affect Indirigans.
Mine Deployment System (MDS): A loaded (1 supply required) MDS is activated as a card action with a mine played to the ship to use the mine without discarding the mine. Each MDS may only be used once per turn. Two loaded MDSs may not activate the same card because each requires its own mine. Also, a single mine may only be used once per turn. The MDS may be loaded during the Allocation Phase regardless of the existance of a mine. A mine may be played to a ship after the MDS is loaded. An MDS is not required to activate the same mine it activated on a previous turn.
Modifiers: The following list covers various types of modifications.
Terrain Output Modifiers: Terrain output modifiers are the only type that are limited. Only the greatest additive modifier and the greatest beneficial multiplicative (greater than x1) for each point type are applied to the terrain. Always apply modifiers in the following order: Additive, beneficial multiplicative, subtractive modifiers, and finally detrimental multiplicative (less than x1). There is no limit on detrimental and subtractive modifiers.
Weapon Fire Modification: There is no limit on the number of cards that may modify the damage caused by weapons fire. For an exception, see O9 Catastrophic Repetition.
Non-Passive (NP): All equipment is rated either P (for passive) or NP (for non-passive). Non-passive equipment may not be engaged at a disengaged location. When played to a disengaged location it is played disengaged regardless of its engagement cost. See Passive.
Passive (P): All equipment is rated either P (for passive) or NP (for non-passive). Passive equipment may be engaged regardless of the engagement state of its location. See Non-Passive.
Persona: Personas are distinguished by the word persona above the card text. Cards which state "only one such card may be in play" use the same rules as personas. While a persona is in play, no player may play that same card. If a persona is removed from play, the card is no longer restricted from being played. If any effect causes a second copy of a persona to come into play, the newly appearing persona would be discarded.
Played against an opponent...: Any card played against an opponent is considered in the fleet of the person who played the card. It is considered against the opponent's fleet. The person who played it may repair it, play other cards to it, etc.
If you play a T6 Black Hole against an opponent, you could play a base on it. You could not play a B5 Penal Colony on it because the penal colony is played against opponent terrain.
Player Turn: A player turn is from the beginning of the current player's turn to the beginning of the next player's turn. A turn and a complete turn are not a player turn.
Cards with a duration measured in player turns start their count on the turn played, with the next player's Allocation Phase being one player turn.
Psy Being: A psy being is any card which can use a psy function.
Reaction Cards: Reaction cards may be played on any player's turn in reaction to an opponent doing one of the following: allocating points, playing a card, performing a card action (including producing points or firing weapons), or voluntarily discarding a card during the Discard Phase. However, to play a reaction card on your turn requires an available card play.
Removed from play: When a card is removed from play (by such cards as an H1 Time Warp or R/O1 Time Skip), its location is not changed. The affected card's entire stack is just treated as if it were not currently part of the game until the effect is over. The only exception is the card removing the stack from play does not remove itself from play.
If a card returns to play and its location has been destroyed, it is discarded if it cannot survive independently.
As an example, if a base with a time warp played against it has its terrain destroyed out from underneath it, the base is not immediately discarded because it is not currently in play. When the duration expires on the time warp, the base would be discarded because it may not be played independently.
If a card is removed from play after performing an action but before the effect is resolved, the effect is delayed until the card returns to play. If the action is still possible, it is performed at this time (opponents may react again). If the action is inappropriate at this time (such as a time skipped unlucky targeting coming into play at the end of the turn or a time skipped shuttle going to a ship that was already destroyed), it is voided. When the action is voided, the card continues as if the action has happened (the unlucky targeting is discarded after use, whereas the shuttle simply returns).
Requires a transporter, shuttle or fighter...: Crew no longer require transportation to function. Such crew operate at their location. They only need transportation to perform their function at a different location.
Shuttles: First, fighters are a subset of shuttles (any reference to shuttles also refers to fighters). Second, equipment may only be played to units (ships or bases). Shuttles which change locations may move to terrain or installations. A shuttle in play on terrain will still function and is not considered free flying.
The phrase "one shot only" after the phaser(s) of a shuttle indicates that each phaser may only be shot once. Certain cards rearm the phasers. This restores their one-shot capability. They may still not be fired more than once per turn. Once fired, they must be rearmed again before they can fire.
Also, any shuttle capable of transporting crew is also capable of moving without crew. Most, but not all, state they may transport up to their capacity. This includes transporting zero crew.
Shuttles may transport disengaged crew, as transporting a crew is a function of the shuttle, not the crew. The same applies to transporters.
Splash Damage: Whenever a card is played in reaction mode to prevent damage from being applied to a target, the damage being applied to the protected card is diverted to the protecting card. If the damage is sufficient to destroy the protecting card, any damage not needed to destroy the protecting card will splash through to the protected target. If the protected target requires a certain type of damage to be affected, but the protecting card can be destroyed by other types of damage included in a volley, the other type of damage will be used to destroy the protector. This allows the appropriate type of damage to splash through.
Damage only splashes through cards just played in reaction mode. If a card was already in play, the splash damage rules do not apply.
Stack: A stack is any card and cards played to or against the card, and any card played to or against those cards, etc. A single card is a stack, however it is not a stack of cards (cards being plural).
Structural Damage: Structural damage is damage which is applied directly to the structure, ignoring shields, EMF, and armor systems. Only cards which state they cause structural damage cause direct structural damage. As of the Universe Edition printing, boarding parties, the C5 Suicide Squad and the C9 Marauder cause structural damage.
Suark Breed: The controller of the highest strength suark may play one card during each opponent's Play Cards Phase A. Once a person plays a card during Play Cards Phase A, you may play your card after the effects of the opponent's card have been resolved. It is not done in reaction mode. Once you play your card, and any reactions to the played cards are resolved, the current player may continue with his turn. If a player announced that he is ready to end his Play Cards Phase A, and a player plays a card using a suark breed, the current player would still be eligable to play cards during the phase.
When any crew in any fleet (not from the hand or the time origin) is going to be discarded (even during the discard phase), the lowest strength suark breed in play is discarded instead. If, for any reason, the crew must still be discarded (his location is gone or his current strength is equal or less than zero), the crew is then discarded. In any such case, only one suark would be discarded for a single crew being discarded.
Terrain: The only things that may damage terrain are cards which state they can damage terrain and heavy weapons fire. Cards like the C9 Marauder (which may be transported to an opponent location) cannot cause its damage to a terrain because it does not state that it may.
Turn: See Complete Turn in this section.
Unexposed: Unexposed cards are positioned face down. Cards on a time capsule are moved to the time capsule unexposed. They are considered out of play until the time capsule is resolved. A time shield, however, is played to the ship stack with which it is played. The unexposed cards, in this case, are treated exactly as if they were exposed (except opponents may not see the front of the exposed cards). A card under a time shield performing an action must be exposed when the action is declared. If an unexposed card is moved away from a time shield, it must be exposed.
Voided: Any time a card play or action is no longer legal, it is voided. Any time an action is voided, the card action is still considered used for that turn.
When an action is voided, the card is discarded if normally discarded after use. Cards not normally discarded remain in play.
If it is the card play (not the card's action) being voided, the card is returned to the hand. Card plays are voided by such cards as the R/O1 Past Transmission and R/O1 Time Compression. These cards affect a player's ability to play cards. A card that finds itself played to an illegal location when its effect resolves is a voided action not a voided play.
Weapons Fire: Cards played in reaction mode may only fire weapons if played during a Weapons Fire Phase. Due to the rule that states you may only react to an opponent's action, if an opponent does not fire weapons, you may not play a reactionary card to fire its weapons.
"X" Cards: "X" cards refers to such phrases as time cards, cyber cards, etc. An "X" card is any card with "X" in the name, either as a whole word or conjoined with one or more words. L9 Accelerated Timeline is considered a time card because the word timeline is a conjunction of time and line. Do not confuse an "X" card with such things as a category card. A luck card is any L card, not a card with luck in its title. Category always takes precedence in this case.