Part 1: INTRODUCTION

Each player in a STAR FRONTIERS game plays a character, either a human or an alien living far in the future. In some ways characters are like the pieces used in other games, but players in a role-playing game do not simply roll dice and move pieces around on a board. Characters can do anything a real person could do if he was living in a STAR FRONTIERS world: shoot a laser, drive a hovercar, hunt down dangerous space pirates, operating an exploration ship that is seeking out strange new worlds, or anything else the player wants the character to do. Players are not limited to only a few actions by the rules. A player has complete control over his character, and makes all the decisions for him.

 In fact, you can think of your character as being you, placed in a science fiction world. Your character may not be like you at all -- it may even be an alien, unlike anything you've ever seen before -- but you make all the decisions, and act through your character. This is part of the fun of role playing, even if you are not a hero in real life, you can become one in a STAR FRONTIERS game.

 Unlike many other games, there is no clear winner or loser in a STAR FRONTIERS game. In most games, the players will have a goal, such as capturing a group of criminals who have kidnapped a high ranking government person or recovering a rare artifact that was lost when a starship crashed on an unchartered planet. If the players cooperate and reach their goal, everyone wins. A skillful player who uses the same character in several adventures will see that character rewarded, becoming richer, more powerful and able to handle more difficult missions.

Two dice are included in STAR FRONTIERS games. They are numbered from 0 to 9. They are called ten- sided dice (abbreviated d10).

 If the rules tell you to roll one ten-sided die (abbreviated 1d10), roll one die to get a number from 1 to 10. A zero is read as a 10.

 If the rules tell you to roll two ten-sided dice (abbreviated 2d10) roll both dice and add the results to get a number from 2 to 20. A zero is read as a 10. For example, if the rolls were 0 and 4, the result would be (10 + 4 =) 14. More dice can be rolled to give results of 3-30 (3d10), 4-40 (4d10), etc.

 If the rules tell you to roll percentile dice (abbreviated d100), roll both dice. Instead of adding the results, read the dark-colored die as the first (tens) digit and the light-colored die as the second (ones) digit. A zero is read as a zero. The following table shows several examples of rolls. 
  

Part 2: CHARACTER GENERATION

 Each of these abilities will have a score from 1 to 100. An ability score of 1 means the character is very poor in that ability, while a score of 100 means the character has very high ability in that area. Players find their ability scores by rolling dice. This is explained under How To Create Characters.

Explanation Of Abilities

 Strength is a measure of how strong the character is. A character with a low Strength score is scrawny and weak. A character with a high Strength score is very strong. A character with a Strength score of 100 may be one of the strongest characters on that planet.

 Stamina measures a character's physical fitness and general health. A character with low stamina will get tired easily and will be prone to injury and disease. A character with high Stamina could work hard all day without getting tired, and might never be sick a day in his life. Stamina also measures how badly a character can be wounded before he passes out or dies.

 Dexterity measures a character's coordination. Character's with low Dexterity scores are clumsy, while characters with high Dexterity scores are very agile. Dexterity is very important in combat.

 Reaction Speed measures the quickness of a character's reflexes. If a character with a low Reaction Speed is attacked suddenly, he probably will fumble with his weapon and react slowly. A character with a high Reaction Speed could draw and fire a weapon quickly, jump out of the way of falling boulders, etc.

 Initiative is not really an ability, but a character's Initiative modifier is important. It is equal to the character's Reaction Speed divided by 10, and is used to determine which character acts first in a fight.

 Intuition measures a character's alertness and ability to draw conclusions from what seem to be unrelated facts. Characters with high Intuition scores are more likely to solve problems by having hunches or making guesses than by carefully considering all the evidence.

 Logic is a character's ability to solve problems in an orderly, step-by-step way. It is the opposite of Intuition. Characters with high Logic scores make good scientists and computer experts.

 Personality measures how well a character gets along with other intelligent beings. Characters with high Personality scores are friendly, pleasant and persuasive, while those with low scores may be grouchy and hard to get along with.

 Leadership measures a character's ability to give orders that other people will understand and obey. It also measures how willing other people will be to work for the character, take his advice or follow him into a dangerous situation.

Players can choose to make their characters members of one of four races: Human, Dralasite, Vrusk or Yazirian.

 Humans are similar to Earthmen, but these Humans developed on another planet closer to the center of the galaxy. Humans are considered the average characters in STAR FRONTIERS games, so their abilities are not modified when the character is created. However, since Humans have no racial/special abilities, the compensation here is they may add five points to any single ability of the player's choice (not both sides, just one score from a pair).

 Dralasites are rubbery, elastic aliens sometimes called "blobs." They can change their shape at will. creating as many artificial arms and legs (pseudopods) as they need at the moment, with a maximum of one limb per 10 DEX points (rounded up). As such, a player must declare which limb is the "dominant" hand. They are stronger than Humans, but are also slower. They enjoy philosophical debates and have a very strange sense of humor; they love telling old jokes and puns they hear from Humans. A Dralasite may roll ½ INT (rounded up) or less to detect if someone is telling a lie.

 Vrusk look like large insects, and are sometimes called "bugs." They are quicker than Humans, but are not as strong. They are also ambidextrous and quite flexible, so they may use either hand for operating equipment from many different angles that might strain a member from another race. Vrusk are excellent businessmen and merchants. They love art, beauty and music. A Vrusk may roll ½ LOG (rounded up) or less to comprehend something he/she doesn't immediately understand.

 Yazirians are tall, light-boned humanoids with furry manes around their necks. Humans nicknamed them "monkeys" because they look a little like chimpanzees. Thin membranes that stretch between their arms, torso and legs allowed Yazirians to glide between the trees on their native planet. They are generally smarter and quicker than the other races, but are not as strong. Their eyes are very sensitive to light, so they usually wear dark goggles during the day. Yazirians were very warlike in the past, and are still considered pushy and aggressive by other races. A Yazirian may roll ½ STA (original score, not current. Round up) to go into a berserker like battle rage, gaining +10 to hit in melee combat.

To create a STAR FRONTIERS character, follow the nine steps given.

 1. Use the STAR FRONTIERS character sheet included with the game, or make a copy on a blank sheet of paper. Use a pencil when you fill in the sheet, because some things may change during the game.

 2. To find your character's Strength/Stamina ability score, roll percentile dice. Find the number you rolled on the ABILITY SCORE TABLE. Your base score for that ability is the number listed under the die roll. Write this number in the space marked "Base Score" for STR/STA on the character sheet.
 

 EXAMPLE: Remington Braun is creating a STAR FRONTIERS character. To find his character's Strength/Stamina base score, he rolls percentile dice. The result is 53. Checking the ABILITY SCORE TABLE, he sees this gives his character a Strength/Stamina base score of 45.

 3. Repeat step 2 to get your character's Dexterity/Reaction Speed, Intuition/Logic and Personality/Leadership base scores.

 4. Decide which race you want your character to be. Your choice will affect your ability scores as described in step 5. Any number of players can choose the same race for their characters. Groups with characters from several races usually are more successful and more fun to play.

 5. Add or subtract from your STR/STA base score the number shown in the STR/STA column of the ABILITY MODIFIERS for your race. Write the result on both sides of the slash in the space marked "STR/STA ___/___" on the character sheet. This number is your ability score for both Strength and Stamina.
 

EXAMPLE: Remington Braun has decided he wants his character to be a Dralasite. Looking at the line of the ABILITY MODIFIERS for Dralasites, he sees that he must add 5 to his Strength/Stamina base score. This is because Dralasites are stronger than the other races. Adding 5 to his base score of 45, Remington gets a final Strength/Stamina ability score of 50 for his character. He writes ''50'' in both blanks after "STR/STA" on his character sheet.

 6. Repeat step 5 for Dexterity/Reaction Speed, Intuition/Logic and Personality/Leadership. Once all four pairs have been determined and adjusted for race, the player may opt to exchange up to ten points from one side of a pair to the other to further define that character. 
 EXAMPLE: Remington Braun wants his character to have more Intuition than Logic in order to better utilize the Dralasite's ability of lie detection. Norel-Kho's LOG is reduced by 5 so that his INT may increase by 5 for a final INT/LOG: 55/45 

 7. Divide your Reaction Speed score by 10. If the result is a fraction, round it up to the nearest whole number. The final result is the character's Initiative modifier. Write it in the space marked ''IM'' on the character sheet.

 EXAMPLE: Remington Braun's character has a Reaction Speed of 45. To find his Initiative modifier, he divides 45 by 10. He gets a result of 4½ . Because this is a fraction, he rounds it up to the nearest whole number, which is 5. He writes "5" in the space marked ''IM" on his character sheet.

 8. Give your character a name. If your character is an alien, try to give it an alien-sounding name. Remington decides to name his Dralasite "Norel-Kho Speetrazer".

 9. Primary Skill Area Finally, select your character's Primary Skill Area. You may choose between Military, Technical, or BioSocial to define the character's career field. The PSA will never change. Your character's PSA will allow for bonuses in certain situations to assist the resolution process. The character starts with Level 1 in that PSA. For each level in that PSA the character gets a +5 bonus per level to ability checks up to level 6. To move up in levels, you must complete a number of adventures as shown in the Level Progress Table.

Level Progress Table
Level	#Adventures
1	0
2	2
3	5
4	9
5	14
6	20

To use a PSA, use the applicable ability score plus the PSA level bonus. Skill checks work just like ability checks: roll d100 and try to roll less than or equal to the PSA’s chance to succeed. You may only perform a skill check once in the Basic game.

There are three Primary Skill Areas (PSAs), each with an associated ability set (These do not preclude the use of other abilities in their profession. It just means these are the usual go-to abilities associated with it.):

Military PSA deals with demolitions, combat, military operations, and law enforcement. These characters tend to be police officers, corporate security personnel, private investigators, bodyguards, enforcers, bounty hunters, and mercenary soldiers.  A Military PSA character may operate any weapon with a successful skill check. They use STR and DEX to determine hits in hand-to-hand and ranged weapon combat (respectively). STA and RS would be the secondary abilities as they determine the ability to overcome combat damage/physical exertion as well as reacting to on-the-spot activities as they occur.

Technological PSA are characters that specialize in mechanics, electronics, machinists, pilots, drivers, computer experts, or any position working with various types of technology, including machines, computers, and robots. A Technological Expert may drive or fly and fix any vehicle or piece of equipment with a successful skill check. They use INT/LOG for problem solving, diagnostics, and intricate repair work. DEX & RS are the secondary abilities, for delicate hand work along with responding quickly and surely to crisis situations.

BioSocial PSA deals with physical and psychological sciences affecting genetics, health and fitness, and dealing with the intelligent races and their surroundings (including botany, zoology, finding directions, and social interaction). A BioSocialist may cure diseases and treat mental illnesses with a successful skill check. They may operate as guides, scouts, or scientists for scientific or military expeditions. A BioSocialist may map, navigate, and plot routes in any region of a planet with a successful skill check, as well as the application of additional physical or psychological healing outside of a hospital, clinic, or laboratory.They use INT/LOG for problem solving, coming up with cures and straightening out peoples' problems, along with remaining alert to their surroundings. PER & LDR would be secondary abilities as this will be used to interact with others on a frequent basis.

 EXAMPLE: Norel-Kho has held a long fascination with hovercraft, so he chooses the Technological PSA for his career base. Remington Braun writes this down on the back of his character sheet.

Part 2c: Original Basic Character Sheet

As seen on the back cover of the Star Frontiers/Alpha Dawn Basic Rulebook ---

Part 3: BASIC RULES

The Basic Game uses very simple rules for moving and fighting. New players should read these rules carefully and play the sample adventures before trying to learn the more advanced rules in the Expanded Game rule book.

THE MAP AND PLAYING PIECES

The two adventures included with the STAR FRONTIERS basic game take place on the large city map. The map shows the downtown area of Port Loren. Areas to the east, west and south of the map are residential. The spaceport is to the north. Each square on the map is 5 meters across.

 Most large buildings (the Government Building, Pan-Galactic Corporation headquarters, the Medical Complex, etc.) extend several stories below the ground as well as two or three stories above the ground. Pedestrian walkways connect some buildings, and cross above the roads. The monorail is built above the buildings and walkways.

 The cardboard playing pieces must be separated before they can be used. These counters include characters of all the races. Each player should choose a piece that resembles his character. There also are counters for vehicles, animals and strange aliens. Most of these are needed only in the Expanded Game.

GAME TURNS

STAR FRONTIERS games are played in turns. Each turn is six seconds long, so there are 10 turns to one minute. Note that game time is not the same as real time; it might take several minutes to play a six second game turn if a lot is going on.

 During his turn, a character can do any one of the following things: 1. move 2. fire a weapon 3. move and fire a weapon 4. reload a weapon 5. stand and do nothing.

GAME TURN SEQUENCE

Each turn, players must do things in the order listed below.

 1. Roll dice to see which side has initiative.
2. All characters on the side with initiative can move.
3. All characters on the side with initiative can attack.
4. All characters on the side without initiative can move.
5. All characters on the side without initiative can attack.

 A player is not required to move or attack with his character. If the character moves or attacks, however, it must move or attack at the correct time during the turn.

INITIATIVE

At the beginning of each turn, one player from each side must roll 1d10. The result of this roll is added to the Initiative modifier of the character with the highest Reaction Speed from that side. Whichever side gets the highest total has initiative for that turn, which means they get to move and attack first.

 If the totals are equal, then neither side has initiative. When this happens, the side with the highest single reaction speed moves and attacks first, followed by the other side. However, damage caused by successful attacks does not take effect until after both sides have fired that turn (see Combat for more information).

 Players must roll for initiative every turn of every fight.

MOVEMENT

Characters can move at two different speeds: walking and running. The MOVEMENT TABLE shows how many meters characters from each race can move in one turn while walking or running. Moving diagonally is permitted.
 
 

MOVEMENT TABLE

	Meters Moved per Turn
Race	Walking	Running
Human	10	30
Dralasite	5	20
Vrusk	15	35
Yazirian	10	30

The numbers shown are the maximum distances a character can move at that speed. A Human, for example, could walk 1 or 10 meters in a turn, or could run 15, 20, 25, or 30 meters in a turn.

 Encumbrance ( optional rule ). A character may carry his or her ½STR in mass (kg) without penalty. Going over results in half normal movement rates for up to full STR in mass (i.e. a STR:50 character can carry 25kg with no penalty, maximum 50kg, so an encumbered human could only walk at a maximum of 5 m/turn or run at 15 m/turn).
 Roads. Crossing a road will slow a character down, because he must dodge traffic. When a character wants to cross a road, he must stop next to it, no matter how many meters of movement he has left. On the next turn, the character is placed directly across the road, and can move no farther that turn. The character can move normally on the next turn. There is no penalty for running alongside a road.

 Pedestrian Walkways. To get onto a pedestrian walkway, a character must enter from one of the ends. A character does not have to stop before crossing a road if he is on a pedestrian walkway. Characters can walk underneath pedestrian walkways without any penalty as long as they are not crossing the road underneath said walkway.

 Buildings. A character can enter or leave a building only through a door or from a pedestrian walkway. Characters entering or leaving through a door must stop moving when they reach the door. On the next turn, they can move through the door at their full movement rate. Characters can move about freely inside buildings.

 Parking Areas. Characters can move normally through parking areas beneath buildings or on rooftops (see Vehicles). Characters must enter and leave parking areas through entrance ramps or elevators in the mall.

 Stacking Counters. Only one playing piece can be in a map square at a time, unless:

 1. The characters are getting on, off, or occupying the monorail or a vehicle.

 2. One of the characters is on a pedestrian walkway and the other is on the ground beneath the walkway. 
 3. The map scale is greater than one square = 1 meter

 A character can move through a square that contains another character.

The Monorail

 The monorail is the fastest way to travel long distances in the city. To get on the monorail, a character must move into a monorail terminal square and stop. The next turn, the character gets into one of the monorail cars and the car leaves. Monorail cars travel 50 meters per turn. Cars can leave a terminal in either direction (there are two tracks), but cannot change direction between terminals. A car must stop at each terminal for one turn before moving on.

 If more than one character is boarding at the same terminal at the same time, they must get into the same car. If the characters want to get into different cars, one of them must wait until the next turn. when another car arrives. Each car can hold up to six passengers.

 Riding the monorail costs 1 credit per day. After paying the fare, a character can ride the monorail as many times as he wants that day. A character must have his ID card to board the monorail.

---

Vehicles

Part One: Hovercraft

Hover Cars (a.k.a. "Skimmers")

 Skimmers are similar to automobiles, but have protected hoverfans instead of wheels. They float on a cushion of air 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) above the ground, but when not in use the vehicle rests on the ground. A skimmer can hold up to five passengers plus the operator. 100kg of cargo may be loaded into a 1 cubic meter space in the trunk. 

 Skimmers have a maximum speed of 60 meters per turn, and must stay on the roads (except when parked). A character can get into a skimmer on the same turn he moves into the skimmer's square, but the skimmer cannot move that turn. On the next turn, the skimmer can move up to 15 meters. It can accelerate up to 50 meters on the following turn (thus reaching its top speed).

 Skimmers must slow down when they turn or move through an intersection. (Magnetic field generators built into the roads automatically reduce the speed of approaching vehicles.) A skimmer can move only 25 meters if it turns or moves through an intersection during its movement. If a skimmer is in the middle of an intersection or turning a corner at the start of its move, it can move only 25 meters.

 EXAMPLE: A skimmer traveling at a speed of 50 meters/turn is 35 meters away from a corner (position A). The skimmer must reduce its speed to 35m/turn and stop just short of the corner (position B). On the next turn it can move twenty five meters and turn the corner (position C). On the following turn it can move at full speed. 
 

Hovercycles (a.k.a. "Glider Bikes")
 Hovercycles are similar to motorcycles, but have a trio of hoverfans (one in front/two rear) instead of wheels. Like a skimmer, they float on a cushion of air 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) above the ground. A hovercycle can be ridden by the operator plus one passenger, and may carry up to 20kg in a 0.5 cubic meter space. Aside from passenger/cargo capacity, a hovercycle performs like a skimmer.

Hover Transports (a.k.a. "Swoop Trucks")
 Hover Transports are similar to larger cargo vehicles, but like a skimmer they have hoverfans (although much larger in size to move larger loads). They also ride on the same cushion of air (30cm above the ground). A standard hover transport can accomodate three persons (including the operator, who must have PSA:Tech) but may carry up to 10,000kg in an enclosed 30 cubic meter space. The hover transport performs as a skimmer.
 Variant transports may incorporate open cargo areas or even passenger accomodations. A passenger transport would hold up to 60 persons (plus the operator) but cargo would be limited to 1000kg in a 5 cubic meter space. Military & police versions accomodate up to 13 persons in addition to the operator, and a convertible 20 cubic meter hold could contain an additional 16 persons (via folding seats) and 5,000kg of goods. Finally, a recreational version houses up to eight persons in comfort with sleeping, cooking, and sanitation equipment and may stow 1600kg in 8 cubic meters worth of space.

Part Two: Ground Vehicles

Ground Cars
 Similar to modern day automobiles, ground cars are four wheeled vehicles that utilize electrical power rather than a fuel burning engine. They are not as fast as hovercraft but are more maneuverable, and can be taken off road if needed (a condition that is limited to ground clearance).
 A ground car may move at a maximum speed of 50 meters/turn, and may corner at up to 35m/turn. They may move up to 20 meters from a stop, and accelerate to top speed on the following turn. Like skimmers, a ground car may contain an operator plus up to five passengers, along with 100kg in a 1 cubic meter space. 

Ground Cycles
 Ground Cycles are similar to modern motorcycles, but like their ground car brethren they incorporate similar electrical propulsion. A ground cycle can be ridden by the operator plus one passenger, and may carry up to 20kg in a 0.5 cubic meter space. A ground cycle performs at the same specifications as a ground car.

Ground Transports (a.k.a. "Land Barges")
 Ground Transports are similar to modern cargo haulers, but like a ground car they utilize electric powerplants coupled to six to ten wheels. The standard ground transport can accomodate three persons (including the operator, who must have PSA:Tech) but may carry up to 10,000kg in an enclosed 30 cubic meter space. The ground transport performs as a ground car..
 Variant ground transports are similar to the appropriate variant hover transports.

All Terrain Vehicles (a.k.a. "Explorers")
 An ATV is a heavy four wheeled vehicle designed for more rugged environments, each massive wheel has its own electric motor, and the wide tires offer fantastic stability. 
 Moving from a standstill, the ATV may only move ten meters and accelerate by an additional ten meters each following turn, until the top speed of 40m/turn is attained. The vehicle may corner at any sped up to said top speed.
 The ATV may accomodate up to six persons including the operator (who must be PSA:Tech) along with 2,000kg in a six cubic meter area. The vehicle is airtight and has sleeping, cooking, and sanitary accomodations for extended use.

Part Three: Aerial Vehicles
 
GliJet
 A Gli-Jet is a rocket-trubine pack with folding/collapsible glider wings. The turbines ar used to achieve sufficient altitude, at which point the wings are deployed for gliding. The two electrical turbines use powerpacks (see Weapons) instead of parabatteries, one on each engine. The turbines may be used for gaining both altitude and speed while the wings are deployed.
 The powerpacks provide sufficient thrust for up to two minutes of use (20 turns). Each "burst" will achieve 50 meters of altitude or 50m/turn of velocity, with a minimum 50 meter height and 50m/trun velocity. Gliding will result in a lossof 10m/turn, but allows for a minimum speed of 10meters per turn with the turbines off. Altitude will drop by 5 meters per turn until the operator lands (or crashes if unconcious), unless a burst from the turbines which can propel the operator 50 meters higher. No cargo is permitted beyond what the character can normally carry. Anyone may operate a GliJet, although use within a populated area is typically frowned upon.

ElectroCopter
 ElectroCopters are electric powered helicopters similar to modern helos, with the obvious powertrain differences. The copter may accomodate up to 4 persons including the operator (who must be a PSA:Tech) and may carry 500kg of goods in a 5 cubic meter area. 
 The ElectroCopter may move up to 100 meters per turn and climb 50 meters per turn, both applicable in the same action. Taking off requires three turns: one turn to board, the next turn starting the rotors, and the third turn it may lift off to 10 meters. On the fourth turn it may accelrate by 50 meters per turn in any direction (including up) and may change altitude indefinitely while maintaining any speed up to its top speed. The copter may also change direction, up to 180 degrees, in a single turn.

Air Car
 Air Cars are vertical take off/landing craft (VTOL) which resemble a cross between a car and airplane. The sliding rooftop canopy can be left open or closed, although the higher speeds mandate closing the canopy. Like the Copters, an air car may accomodate up to four persons including the PSA:Tech operator, and 1000kg in a 2 cubic meter space.
 It requires the same three turns for take off as the ElectroCopter, however once off the ground (10 meters) it may accelerate by 50 meters per turn and change altitude indefinitely by 25 meters per turn. Top speed is 300 meters per turn and direction changes are limited to 90 degrees per turn. Any speed over 100m/turn requires closing the canopy.
 

 Rental Vehicles. Vehicles can be rented for varying rates depending on the selected vehicle. To get a rental, a character must move next to the road and signal for one with his communicator. The vehicle, being driven by a computer, will arrive two turns later. The character can get into the vehicle on the turn it arrives, but can't move till the next turn. The character who is driving the vehicle must have his ID card. Only ground and hover cars/cycles may be rented in this manner. The same vehicles and any other may be obtained in a vehicle rental/sales facility, and the renter's ID must be presented (which will also verify eligibility to operate anything other than a car or cycle)

 Underground Parking. Most buildings in populated cities have underground parking garages for ground vehicles. Characters must use the entrance ramps to get into or out of these areas. Vehicles can drive through these areas at a speed of 25 meters per turn or less. Characters can walk or run through these areas at normal speeds.
 Rooftop Parking. Selected buildings may offer rooftop parking for aerial vehicles. This would include local government, police, and medical complexes; larger businesses (like Pan Galactic), and public living facilities (hotels and apartment towers). Police, medical, local government offices, and business parking is restricted, but characters working for such organizations may obtain clearnace to land. Any vehicle sales/rental building will also have rooftop parking for servicing aerial vehicles.

 

Vehicle	Start Speed	Top Speed	Turn Speed	Price/Rental Fee
Hover Car	15 m/turn	60 m/turn	25 m/turn	4000 or 10/day
Hover Cycle	15 m/turn	60 m/turn	25 m/turn	1000 or 5/day
Hover Transport	15 m/turn	60 m/turn	25 m/turn	10000 or 20/day
Ground Car	20 m/turn	50 m/turn	35 m/turn	2500 or 10/day
Ground Cycle	20 m/turn	50 m/turn	35 m/turn	1000 or 5/day
Ground Transport	20 m/turn	50 m/turn	35 m/turn	7500 or 15/day
ATV	10 m/turn*	40 m/turn	40 m/turn	10000 or 25/day

*An ATV may only accelerate at 10 meters/turn, all other vehicles may reach their top speed on the second turn of movement.

Vehicle	Take Off Ht/#Turns	Accel/Altitude Change	Top Speed	Maneuver	Price/Rental Fee
Gli Jet	50m / 1	50mpt /50m*	50m/turn	360º	1500 or 20/day
ElectroCopter	10m / 3	50mpt / 50m	100 m/turn	180º	20000 or 40/day
Air Car	10m / 3	50mpt / 25m	300 m/turn**	90º	25000 or 50/day

Part 4: COMBAT

Characters are in combat whenever at least one of them is attacking another in any way. Guns and grenades are the most common ranged weapons, and there are a variety of hand weapons as well. Three of a character's abilities are important in combat: Dexterity, Strength, and Stamina. A character's Dexterity score determines his chance to hit a ranged target. A character's Strength score determines his chance in a melee situation. A character's Stamina score is the number of points of damage the character can take before passing out.

Sighting

 A character must be able to see his target in order to shoot, throw a grenade, or engage inhand to hand combat with it. A character can see his target if a straight line from the center of his square to the center of the target's square is not blocked by a building. A building does not block a character's line of sight if the character is in a position where he can lean around the corner to shoot. Monorails, walkways, trees and other small obstacles do not block the line of sight. The Sighting Diagram shows several examples of clear and blocked lines of sight.

 The Human at A can see the Yazirian behind the low wall at 8. If the Yazirian crouches behind the low wall, he will be completely hidden from the Human. The Human can not see the Dralasite at C because it is hidden by the corner of building 2. If the Dralasite was leaning around the corner, the Human could see it. The Vrusk at D is blocked from the Human's view by the corner of building 1. If the Human leans around the corner, he can see the Vrusk.

Combat Procedure

 Whenever a character attacks another character or any other target, follow this step-by-step procedure.

 1. Determine the distance via the most direct path from the attacker to the target. Count the area the target is in, but not where the attacker is in.

 2. Check the WEAPONS TABLE for the weapon the attacker is using. The distance in meters from the attacker to the target determines whether the target is at Point Blank, Short, Medium, Long or Extreme range. A target that is beyond Extreme range cannot be hit.

 3. Subtract the Range Modifier (where applicable) for this range from the firing character's Dexterity score. The Range Modifiers are shown in parentheses beneath the ranges.

 4. If the firing character was running or riding in a skimmer, subtract 10 from the result from step 3.

 5. If the target has cover (see Cover), subtract 10 from the result from step 4. This final number is the character's "chance to hit."

 6. Roll percentile dice. If the number rolled is less than or equal to the character's chance to hit from step 5, the character hits the target. If the number rolled is higher than the character's chance to hit, the character misses the target. (If the character missed with a grenade, it will go off in another square; see Grenade Bounces.)

 7. If the target was hit, the character who fired checks the WEAPONS TABLE to see how much damage his weapon causes. The character rolls the indicated number of dice and the target subtracts the result from his Stamina.

 EXAMPLE: Norel-Kho is shooting a gyrojet pistol at a target 40 meters away. This is medium range (-20). Norel-Kho's Dexterity score is 45. Subtracting 20 because of the range gives Norel-Kho a 23% chance to hit. Remington Braun rolls percentile dice and the result is 13. This is less than Norel-Kho's chance to hit, so he hit the target. Remington rolls 2d10 for damage, and the result is 12. The target character must subtract 12 points from its Stamina.

1. Find Dexterity for ranged weapon attacks, Strength for melee weapons.

 2. Determine the range to target, where applicable.

 3. Subtract range modifier from Dexterity, where applicable.

 4. Subtract 10 if attacker or target is running or riding in skimmer, and -10 is target has cover. Allpenalties are cumulative. 

 5. Add +5/level if attacker has PSA: Military
 6. Roll d100, if less than or equal to CHANCE TO HIT then you hit. (If threw grenade and missed check Grenade Bounces.)

 7. Roll damage.

Weapon Ranges

 When a character throws a doze grenade, his chance to hit the target is determined normally. If the percentile dice roll is less than or equal to the character's chance to hit the grenade goes off where the character wanted it to. If the dice roll is higher than the character's chance to hit. the grenade bounces into a different square before going off.

 The direction the grenade bounces is determined by rolling 1 d10 and checking the diagram below. The grenade bounces in the direction shown by the number that was rolled on the die. The diagrams show grenades coming from several different directions. If the grenade did not come exactly from one of these directions, use whichever diagram is closest to the situation.

Grenade Bounce Diagrams

Direction of Throw
* is target square

 The distance the grenade bounces depends on howler it was thrown. The table below shows how far grenades will bounce if they are thrown from different ranges:
 
 

A grenade will stop if it hits a wall or other obstacle.

 EXAMPLE: Norel-Kho is throwing a doze grenade from long range. The grenade misses its intended square. Remington Braun rolls 1 d10 and gets a 5. The grenade bounces 3 squares directly to the right of the target square. and then goes off. If anyone was in that square, they would be knocked out by the gas.

 The effect of a doze grenade is described under Damage.

Automatic Hits

 A roll of 01 to 05 always is a hit, regardless of modifiers, if the target is visible and in range. For example, if a character with a Dexterity score of 35 shoots at a target at Extreme range, his chance to hit is -45%. However, if the character rolls 01 to 05 on percentile dice, he hits the target anyway.

Cover

 Cover is any solid object that can protect someone from gunfire. A character who is partially hidden by a wall, a rock, a skimmer, etc., has cover. A character has cover if he is in any of the following situations:

 1. The character is in a space containing a monorail pylon, a statue, trees, low walls, large rocks or a parking area entrance ramp.

 2. The character is inside a building. This applies whether the character is fighting opponents who are also inside the building or is standing next to a door or window and shooting at targets outside.

 3. The character is standing near the corner of a building, in a position that lets him lean around the corner to shoot at a target.

 4. The character is standing on a pedestrian walkway.

 5. The character is riding in a skimmer.

Vehicles

 A character who is riding in a skimmer can fire a weapon, but has a -10 modifier for moving (the same as if the character were running). A character who is driving a skimmer cannot shoot a gun.

 All characters who are riding or driving skimmers have cover.

 A character riding in a monorail car cannot shoot at anyone outside the car, or be shot at by anyone outside the car.

Damage

 When a shot hits its target, the firing character must roll dice to see how badly the target is injured. The WEAPONS TABLE lists how many dice of damage each weapon causes.

 Damage caused by weapons is subtracted from the target character's Stamina. When a character's Stamina is reduced to O or less, the character is unconscious. An unconscious character cannot move or fire for the rest of the game. The character will die unless given a Staydose injection (see First Aid Pak).

 EXAMPLE: Norel-Kho's Stamina score is 50. He is hit by a stunstick and takes 8 points of damage. His Stamina is reduced to 42. After four more turns, Norel-Kho's Stamina has been reduced to 9 by two more wounds. On the next turn, Norel-Kho is shot with a laser pistol and takes 12 points of damage. This reduces his Stamina to -3, so Norel-Kho passes out from the wounds.

 Doze Grenades. Doze Grenades release a small cloud of fast-acting knockout gas. Any being in the same square as a doze grenade when it goes off will be knocked unconscious for one hour if he fials the STA check. A Stimdose will wake up the character, but will not restore 10 Stamina points. The gas affects only the square it is in, and lasts only until the end of the turn it is thrown.

Ammunition

 Most guns in the Basic Game use either an ammunition clip or a powerpack. These fit into the handle of the weapon. All weapons have their own clips or powerpacks, and they can be interchanged only between pistol and rifles of the same classification..

 The number of shots in each powerpack or clip is shown on the following table:
 
 

Players must keep track of how many shots their characters have fired. When their weapon is out of ammunition, characters cannot fire until they reload.

 Reloading. A character can reload a weapon with a fresh clip in one turn if the character does not run (and the character has a fresh clip). A weapon cannot be fired on the turn it is reloaded.

A wounded character can recover 10 points of Stamina by giving himself a Stimdose injection with the spray hypo from his first aid pak (see First Aid Pack). The effect of a Stimdose is temporary; after three hours, the 10 points are lost and the character must rest without moving for 24 hours. A Stimdose will not help a character whose Stamina has been reduced below 0. It will not raise a character's current Stamina above his original Stamina.

 Hospitals

 At the end of an adventure, characters that are still conscious can take themselves and any unconscious friends to the Medical Complex to be healed. Healing costs 1 Credit per Stamina point recovered.

 Characters who can not pay the hospital costs will be healed, but they must pay the hospital as soon as they earn enough money to do so.

STAR FRONTIERS games allow something other games usually do not; a player can have his character try to do things that are not described in the rules.

 Character abilities determine a character's chance of performing an action not explained in the rules. The player must roll a number equal to or less than the appropriate ability score on d100 to succeed. All the players should decide if an action is possible and which ability should be used to determine success. For example, players might decide a character can tackle another character by rolling a number equal to or less than his Strength score on d100.

 If an action is very easy the player may add 5, 10, or 15 points to his score when trying to perform the action. If the action is difficult the player may subtract 5, 10, or 15 points from his score to determine if the character succeeds. All the players must agree that the character should get a bonus or penalty. Players also should decide the result of the action; if the character fails, does he fall and take damage? What happens to a character who is tackled?

 Reactions

 At some time, a player character may want to talk to a shopkeeper, pedestrian or other character that is not being controlled by another player (such characters are called non-player characters or NPCs). The player must determine the NPC's response. If the player rolls his character's Personality score or less on d100 the NPC will be friendly and cooperative. If the player rolls greater than the character's score, the NPC will be uninterested or unfriendly. In either case, the players must decide what the NPC will do.

Part 5: EQUIPMENT

Standard Equipment Pack

The standard equipment pack contains many useful items, but does not include any weapons other than a single doze grenade. The entire pack costs 150Cr if purchased and masses 1kg. Items included in the standard equipment pack are explained below:

Chronograph/Communicator. This device looks like a large wristwatch, but it can do many things. It is a watch with a lighted face that can be used as a stopwatch; it is a mini-calculator; it is a radio/video communicator that can be used to talk with other characters up to 5 kilometers away. It can be used to summon the police or a rental skimmer, as well. The chronocom is the msot costly item inthe pack, 100Cr if purchased separately.

Coveralls. This is a highly durable, waterproof suit. It will keep the character warm in cool weather and cool in hot weather. It has large pockets on the hips, legs and chest, as well as several smaller pockets on the sleeves.

Doze Grenade. This is the only weapon in the standard equipment pack. See Damage: Doze Grenades for more information. The doze grenade costs 10Cr if purchased separately. 

First Aid Pak. This kit contains a spray bandage, an antiseptic spray and a spray hypodermic. The spray hypo does not use a needle, and is painless. It contains one dose of each of these two survival drugs:

STIMDOSE: A Stimdose injection gives a character 10 extra Stamina points for three hours. After three hours, the character loses the 10 Stamina points and must rest without moving for 24 hours. A Stimdose injection will not raise a character's current number of Stamina points above his original Stamina score. A Stimdose will not revive a character whose Stamina has been reduced to 0 or less. It wail revive a character who was knocked unconscious by a doze grenade, but will not restore 10 Stamina points to the character.

STAYDOSE: Staydose puts a character to sleep for 24 hours, slows down his heartbeat and breathing, and helps stop bleeding. If a character's Stamina has been reduced to O or less, a Staydose injection must be given in 10 turns and will keep the character alive until he is taken to a hospital.

ID Card. All characters carry an ID card. An ID card can be used only by its owner, because the computers which read ID cards also scan the character's thumbprint.

ID cards are commonly used as credit cards. When a character buys something, his ID card must be inserted into a computer. He places his thumb (or paw, or digit, or pseudopod) on a screen so the character can verify his identity, and then the money is deducted automatically from the character's bank account. This same process is used to pay for monorail rides and rented skimmers. Money can be deposited into an account without the card, but the card is needed to get money out.

Pocket Tool. This device is similar to a pocket knife, but it includes many small tools besides a pen-knife blade; a universal screwdriver, a small adjustable wrench, vice pliers, a hole puncher, an electromagnet, and a small flashlight that will shine up to 25 meters.
 

Other Miscellaneous Equipment

 Anti-Shock Implant This small surgically implanted device, attached to the spinal column or nerve bundle, makes a character immune to electrical stun attacks. The implant costs 2,000Cr including the operation, and requires one day in a medical facility.
 BackPack This carry-sack with shoulder straps will support up to 20kg in a 0.5 cubic meter space, which can expand up to 1 full cubic meter. Anything within those dimensions may fit inside. A backpack costs 10Cr
 First Aid Pack Refill This refill contains 3 stimdoses and 1 staydose, and costs 20Cr.
 Flashlight This illuminating device is the size of a pen, its beam will shine up to 100m and the battery will last for 200 hours. The flashlight costs 5Cr
 Freeze Field This device, powered by a standard 20SEU PowerPack, is used to preserve a character beyond the time limit of a staydose. The device uses 1SEU per hour and can be replaced at any time, however if the power reaches zero the character can not be revived and is considered dead. The Freeze Field will require a tune-up after each use, and costs 100Cr at any medical facility. A freeze field costs 1,200Cr and masses 4kg 
 Gas Mask This device, worn around the head (except for vrusk who wear it under their abdomens) will filter out any hazardous gas or emmissions, but will not work in a vacuum as it requires oxygen for the filters to work. A gas mask costs 30Cr
 Infra-Red Goggles allow a character to see heat images in total darkness. They can be used to spot living beings that are concealed by low-light foliage or darkness, but will not work in bright sunlight conditions. IR goggles cost 300Cr
 Infra-Red Jammer This device masks a character from any IR detection. It will operate off of a standard powerpack or beltpack, using 1SEU per minute. An IR jammer costs 500Cr and masses 1kg
 Magnigoggles These goggles will magnify visual images much like binoculars do, tripling the distance a character would otherwise normally see. Magnigoggles cost 200Cr
 Rope This 25 meter length of braided dura-plastic cord will support up to 500kg. A rope costs 2Cr and masses 1kg
 Scope reduces range by one rating, thus a long range shot would be treated as a medium range modifier. A scope costs 100Cr and masses 0.5kg
 Solvaway is a solvent used to dissolve tangler threads, it must be applied by someone other than the entangled person. One vial contains enough to treat one tangler grenade detonation. Each vial costs 10Cr
 Sungoggles are high quality sun protection. Yazirians must wear these inthe daytime or suffer a -15 penalty on all actions. Sungoggles cost 2Cr each
 Survival Rations This small package contains enough concentrated food and water purification tablets for one person for five days. One package of rations costs 2Cr 

 Tool Kits: Several specialty tool kits are available for Technical & BioSocial PSA characters to enable them to perform their duties.
   >  Electronics ToolKit This toolkit allows for the PSA bonus to be applied when any Tech PSA character is working on a computer or robot. An electronics kit costs 500Cr and masses 10kg
   >  Environmnetal Kit This toolkit allows for the PSA bonus to be applied when any Tech PSA character is conducting any scientific data gathering such as soil samples, atmospheric testing, or other such environmental work. The kit costs 500Cr and masses 5kg
   >  Mechanics ToolKit This toolkit allows for the PSA bonus to be applied when any Tech PSA character is wroking on a vehicle or piece of machinery. A mechanics kit costs 500Cr and masses 12kg
   > Medical Kit using this kit, a BioSocial PSA character may effect +20STA toward healing (in addition to the temporary ten points allotted from a Stimdose), for up to 20 uses. The +20STA healing process may only be performed once per day per person, any further healing will need to be performed at a full medical facility such as a hospital or ship's medical lab. The kit costs 500Cr and masses 5kg
 Tornadium D-19 or "Kaboomite"  is the standard plastic explosive used by Frontier military personnel. A 50 gram charge will cause 5d10 damage in a 1 meter radius. Additional charges will cause an extra 5d10 per charge, and the blast radius will be 1 meter for every 100grams used. Only a PSA:Military character may use D-19. A single 50 gam charge costs 50Cr, 20 charges mass 1kg
 Variable Timer/Detonator These are used to detonate D-19, the timer may be set in increments of 1-60 seconds, minutes, or hours by any PSA:Military character. A VT Detonator costs 5Cr
 Water Pack this package contains eight 1 liter plastic bags of treated drinking water. The bags are resealable and the pack may be converted into a backpack for carrying purposes. One character will consume one liter per day during survival situations. The water pack costs 4Cr and masses 4kg

Weapons

Weapons usually are purchased by the character, but may also be assigned to characters at the start of a mission by their employers based on what sort of mission they are undertaking. All pistols have the same range, and all rifles have the same range. This is explained in the Combat section.

Energy Weapons fire a beam of intense energy in a burst that lasts only a fraction of a second. Laser weapons are the most common sidearm on the frontier worlds, and are often called "blasters." Energy weapons in the basic game include Laser Pistols and Rifles, along with an ordinance grade Heavy Laser (see Ordinance below). A fourth weapon, the Stun Gun, operates on an electrical shock principle, and is only effective at shorter ranges. With the exception of the Heavy Laser, all utilize the standard 20 charge powerpack.

Energy Weapons List

Weapon	Damage	Ammo Use	Cost	Mass
Laser Pistol	4d10	2 charges	600Cr	1kg
Laser Rifle	6d10	2 charges	800Cr	3kg
Stun Gun	STUN	2 charges	500Cr	1kg
Heavy Laser	12d10	4 charges	4000Cr	20kg

Gyrojet Weapons fire bullets that are actually small rockets. They do not have a Point Blank range because the rocket powered projectile needs some distance to accelerate to an effective speed. There are four types of gyrojet weapons in the Basic game: the Gyrojet Pistols & Rifles and two pieces of ordinance grade weaponry, the Grenade Rifle and the Rocket Launcher. Gyrojet clips for the pistols and rifles hold only 10 rounds because the bullets are large, and they are interchangeable between the rifle and pistol. Grenade Rifles use standard grenades fitted into a special rocket porpelled "bullet", and the Rocket Launcher uses a single large diameter rocket that needs to be manually loaded after each use. 

Gyrojet Weapons List

Weapon	Damage	Ammo Use	Cost	Mass
Gyrojet Pistol	4d10+5	1 jet round	200Cr	1kg
Gyrojet Rifle	6d10+5	1 jet round	300Cr	4kg
Grenade Rifle	grenade	1 bullet	700Cr	4kg
Rocket Launcher	15d10	1 rocket	5000Cr	15kg

Projectile Weapons fire standard powder/case bullets. The hand-held grade types can be fired twice per combat turn or a full ten round burst that will cover up to 5 adjacent targets in a 5 meter area. The hand-held projectile weapons include the Automatic Pistols and Rifles, and a belt-fed Light Machine Gun. The ordinance piece is a Recoilless Rifle. The bulletclips contain 20 rounds and are interchangeable between pistols and rifles. The Light Machine Gun utilizes a 100 round belt. The Recoilless Rifle uses a large high power casing that must be manually loaded after each discharge

Projectile Weapons List

Weapon	Damage	Ammo Use	Cost	Mass
Automatic Pistol	2d10 each or 5d10 burst	1 or 10 bullets	200Cr	2kg
Automatic Rifle	3d10 each or 6d10 burst	1 or 10 bullets	300Cr	4kg
Lt. Machine Gun	10d10	10 bullets	1000Cr	10kg
Recoilless Rifle	12d10	1 artillery round	4000Cr	20kg

Grenades are hand held "bombs" that can be set to detonate on impact or a six second timer. They are available in three types: Doze (sleep gas), Fragmentation (shrapnel), and Tangler (incapacitating web).

Grenades List

Grenade Type	Damage	Defense	Cost	Mass
Doze	Sleep	STA to avoid	10Cr	0.2kg
Fragmentation	8d10	RS for ½DMG	20Cr	0.2kg
Tangler	Entanglement	RS to avoid	25Cr	0.2kg

Melee Weapons
 Any hand held weapon used for close range melee combat is a melee weapon. This would include swords, knives, and clubbing weapons to name a few. Some special high tech melee weapons utilize a powerpack, and inflict extra damage. 

Artillery includes any heavy weapon which is fired on a bipod/tripod mount or shoulder fired. An assistant is often handy for reloading such weapons, and a -10 modifier is applied to any non-military PSA operator. Ammunition is typically unique to each weapon. The Heavy Laser, Rocket Launcher, and Recoilless Rifle from above are typical artillery weapons found in the Basic game.

Defenses
 There are two categories of defenses: body armor and defensive screens. Body armor is worn and will protect a character as long as it is durable, but will need to be replaced after so many uses. A screen is worn on the belt and powered by a separate power source that also attaches at the belt, and will absorb damage depending on remaining power. 
 Armor: there are two types of armor: skeinsuits and albedo suits. Skeinsuits are comprised of a dull ballistic material known as "skein-weave" which absorbs kinetic damage, while an albedo suit is a shiny reflective material generically known by its trade name "albedoline" which will deflect a laser beam.  
 Skeinsuits will absorb ½ damage from any projectile or gyrojet weapon attack, and will do so up to 10 times before the suit needs replacing. Albedo Suits will absorb the full damage from a laser attack and will do so five times before needing replacement.
 Defensive Screens: just like body armor, there are two types of defensive screens, Albedo Screens and Inertia Screens. Both use aspecial  50 charge powerpack, and upon activation the wearer will be coated by an energy field that surrounds his/her entire body at a 1cm away from the flesh. SInce it is so close to the wearer, any weapons that he/she is holding will be able to be used as the field simply will not extend far enough away to impede their use. Activation uses one charge, and constant use will further drain 1 charge every minute (10 six second turns).
 Like an albedo suit, the energy field of an Albedo Screen will absorb laser damage. Each hit drains 4 charges from the powerpack. An Inertia Screen works the same way as a skeinsuit, absorbing half damage from any ballistic attack at a rate of 2 charges per hit. Players must keep track of how much power remains as well as how long the screen is activated, as leaving a screen on for extended periods of time can drain the power supply before the defense is actually needed.

Standard currency in STAR FRONTIERS games is the Credit, abbreviated Cr. Prices for common items appear in the lists above.

Part 6: Glossary of Terms

Ability score --- A measure of a character's natural physical or mental ability. Characters in STAR FRONTIERS games have eight important abilities, organized in pairs. Strength and Stamina, Dexterity and Reaction Speed, Intuition and Logic, Personality and Leadership. Each of these abilities has a score between 1 and 100.

 Clip --- An ammunition container or powerpack for a weapon. A clip fits directly into the weapon. Each type of weapon has its own clip.

 Cover --- An obstacle that can protect a character from gunfire.

 Credit (Cr) --- The basic unit of money in STAR FRONTIERS games.

 d10 --- The abbreviation for 10-sided die When preceded by a number, it tells players how many 10-sided dice to roll for a specific result For example. 2d10 is two 10-sided dice.

 d100 --- The abbreviation for percentile dice.

 Damage --- An infraction of the effect of a weapon on both people and structures. Whenever a weapon hits its target, it causes damage Damage is subtracted from a character s Stamina.

 Dexterity (DEX) ---- The ability that measures coordination.

 Doze Grenade --- A small container that releases a cloud of fast-acting knockout gas. A character affected by a doze grenade will be unconscious for one hour.

 Dralasites --- One of the four space-faring races in STAR FRONTIERS games Dralasites are blobbish creatures that can change their shape. They are stronger than Humans. but also slower. They love philosophy. debates and weird humor.

 Frontier --- The star systems where Dralasites, Humans, Vrusk and Yazirians met. It contains many new colonies and unexplored worlds.

 Gyrojet Pistol --- A weapon that fires small rockets instead of ordinary bullets A gyrojet causes 2d10 points of damage when it hits its target.

 Hologram --- A realistic 3-dimensional picture that is created with projectors, much like a modern movie.

 Humans --- One of the four space-faring races in STAR FRONTIERS games They are identical to the humans of Earth, but originated on a different planet.

 Initiative --- A term used to note which team gets to move and attack first. The character on each side with the highest Initiative modifier rolls 1d10 and adds his IM to the roll. The side with the highest total has initiative for that turn and gets to move and attack first.

 Initiative Modifier (IM) --- One-tenth of a character's Reaction Speed score. It is used to determine which side has initiative each turn.

 Intuition (INT) --- The ability that measures a character's creativity, perception and knack for understanding things immediately.

 Laser Pistol/Rifle --- Weapons that fire pulses of focused light that are so intense they can burn hoIes in metal plates.

 Leadership (LDR) --- The ability to give orders and command a large group of people.

 Logic (LOG) --- The ability to think in an orderly way and to solve problems through reasoning.

 Monorail --- A mass transit system that uses six-passenger cars riding a magnetic cushion on an elevated one-rail track. A character can ride the monorail all day for 1 Cr.

 Needler Pistol --- A short-range weapon that fires a cluster of small needles, causing 2d10 points of damage when they hit.

 Non-Player Character (NPC) --- This is any character in a STAR FRONTIERS game that is not being controlled by one of the players. NPCs usually are controlled by the reader or referee.

 Pan-Galactic Corporation --- The oldest and largest interstellar company. PGC is one of the most powerful organizations in the Frontier.

 Party --- A group of characters working together on an adventure.

 Pedestrian Walkways --- Small bridges built across roads and between buildings to make traveling on foot in the city easier and safer.
Percentile Dice (d100) --- Two 10-sided dice, rolled together. The darker die is multiplied by 10, and then the two results are added together to get a number from 1 to 100.

 Personality (PER) --- The character ability that measures charm, physical appearance, friendliness and persuasiveness.

 Player Character --- A character in a STAR FRONTIERS game that is being controlled by a player.

 Range Modifier --- A number that is subtracted from a character's Dexterity score when the character fires a weapon. The range modifier increases with the range.

 Reaction Speed (RS) --- The character ability that measures a character's reflexes and quickness.

 Reader --- A person who reads a programmed adventure to the players as they play, rather than running a player character himself. The reader is replaced by a referee in the Expanded Game.

 Role-Playing Game --- A game that allows players to act out the exciting adventures of their characters, without being restricted by rules that limit what they can do.

 Sathar --- A race of aggressive, worm-like creatures that have attacked and destroyed Frontier outposts and colonies. Very little is known about them because no Sathar has ever been captured alive.

 Scenario --- A short story or situation. used as the background for a STAR FRONTIERS adventure or shootout.

 Skimmer --- A five-passenger vehicle that floats on a cushion of air. They can be rented for 10 Cr per day.

 Spray-Hypo --- A pocket-sized medical instrument that stores drugs under pressure. The spray hypo can inject these drugs painlessly into a patient.

 Stamina (STA) --- The character ability that measures general health and physical fitness. It also is a measure of how much damage a character can take before being knocked unconscious.

 Star Law Rangers --- A branch of the UPF that operates as a sort of interstellar police force. It concentrates on finding Sathar agents, but also fights space pirates and other interstellar criminals.

 Staydose --- A drug that will put a character to sleep for 24 hours and keep him alive after his Stamina is reduced to zero or less.

 Stimdose --- A drug that can be used either to restore 10 Stamina points to a wounded character or to wake up a character who has been knocked unconscious by wounds or a doze grenade.

 Strength (STR) --- The character ability that measures muscle power.

 To-Hit Roll --- A percentile dice roll that determines whether a character hits the target he is shooting at. A character's percentage chance to hit his target is his Dexterity score modified by the range to the target and the target's movement and cover status.

 Trivid --- Three-dimensional (holographic) television.

 Turn --- The game turn is the basic measure of time in a STAR FRONTIERS game. Each turn is six seconds long. Playing a turn can take more than six seconds, but the turn itself represents six seconds of time for the player characters.

 United Planetary Federation --- A loose alliance formed between many planetary governments after the first Sathar attacks. The UPF is not an an interstellar government; it is a defense organization devoted to protecting member planets from Sathar takeover or destruction. The UPF also has its own police force, the Star Law Rangers. The Rangers track down and capture Sathar undercover agents. However, their authority is not recognized on all planets.

 Vrusk --- One of the four space-faring races in STAR FRONTIERS games. Vrusk resemble large insects, and sometimes are called "bugs" by the other races. Their society is organized around large companies. They love beauty and order. Vrusk are quicker than humans, but not as strong.

 Yazirians -- One of the four space-faring races in STAR FRONTIERS games. Yazirians are tall humanoids with manes, nicknamed "rnonkeys" by the other races. They are generally smarter and quicker than the other races, but are not as strong. Other races consider them aggressive and pushy. 

Part 1: Introduction

Accompanied by a Stiletto class assault scout ship, the UPF Frigate Z'Gata cruised toward the orbiting station Doliin Bay. The ship's commander, Beril Gamache, was nervous. Doliin Bay, and its mining colony on the planet Kenzah' Kit, were on the very edge of the Frontier. Reports of unfamiliar ships had been trickling in from this area for the last few months. Gamache hated to carry a valuable cargo into a border system without more information about possible dangers.

Suddenly, the frigate's sensors lit up: long range detectors reported two ships emerging from the Void inside the system. Immediately, the commander ordered all hands to their stations. There was no good reason to be suspicious, but he had an odd feeling . . .

As the intruders closed in. Gamache studied the computer's report:

The UPF ships swung into an intercept course. With weapon crews on alert, Z'Gata's automatic beacons began radioing friendly messages in all known languages toward the unidentified ships. The intruder's reply vaporized the Stiletto's starboard thrusters in a blinding laser flash - The Second Sathar War had begun!

Part 2: TURN SEQUENCE

The Basic Game can be played by two or more players. The players must be divided into two teams: the United Planetary Federation and the Sathar, an evil race of worm-like aliens. Each player controls one or more starships in a space battle. Two sample battle set-ups, called scenarios, are given at the end of the Basic Game. Players can make up an endless variety of scenarios on their own.

Sequence of Play

The game is played in a series of game turns. Each game turn is divided in half. The first half is Side A's turn and the second haIf is Side B's turn. During Side A's turn, Side A is the moving side and Side B is the non-moving side. During Side B's turn, Side B is the moving side and Side A is the non-moving side. During each side's turn, players do the following things in order:

1. Player A's Turn

a. Movement

Player A announces which of his ships are using masking screens. A masking screen counter is placed on top of each of these ship counters.

Ships and space stations in orbit are moved one hex, following the direction of their orbit.

Player A moves each of his ships, making sure that no ship moves a longer or shorter distance than its speed from the previous turn will allow. The player writes down each ship's new speed after it moves.

b. Combat

The non-moving player (player B, in this case) announces which of his ships will shoot at moving ships, and which weapons they will use. The non-moving player then resolves all of these attacks and their effects are applied immediately.

The moving player (player A, in this case) announces which of his ships will shoot at the non-moving player's ships, and which weapons they will use. He then resolves all of these attacks, and their resuIts are applied.

2. Side B's Turn --- The steps described above are repeated, bul Side B becomes the moving side and Side A becomes the non-moving side.

Part 3: MOVEMENT

Speed

Every ship has a speed when the game starts. This speed is the number of hexes the ship will move on the space map during its turn. Players should write down each of their ships' speeds so they remember them during the turn. Also, a ship's speed this turn will affect its speed next turn.

Acceleration and Deceleration

Each ship has an Acceleration/Deceleration Factor (ADF). This is a number that tells the player how many hexes the ship can add to or subtract from its speed in one turn. Ships accelerate or decelerate just before they move. A ship cannot accelerate and decelerate on the same turn.

EXAMPLE: A ship that moved five hexes last turn has a speed of 5 at the beginning of this turn. If its ADF is 2, it can add one or two hexes to its previous speed. or subtract one or two hexes from its previous speed. This turn, the ship can move 3. 4, 5, 6 or 7 hexes. The player decides he wants the ship to move 6 hexes this turn. He moves the ship 6 hexes, then writes down "6" as the ship's speed so he will remember it next turn.

STOPPING. A ship can stop movi ng (decelerate to a speed of O) only if its speed during the previous turn was equal to or less than its ADF. A ship that had a speed of O during the last turn can remain at O, or accelerate to any speed up to its ADF. A ship does not move at all on the turn it stops.

TOP SPEED. Ships do not have a top speed. They can accelerate to any speed, but players may find that ships traveling very fast willbe forced to leave the map.

Turning

Each ship has a Maneuver Rating (MR). This number tells the player how many times the ship can turn during its move.

The bow (front) of a ship always must point at one of the six sides of the hex the ship is in. When a ship moves, it must move into the hex it is facing.

A ship can turn after it enters a hex. A ship turns by rotating so that itsbow faces the first hexside to its right or left. During its move, a ship can make a number of turns equal to its MR. A ship can turn only one hexside in any hex, however. If the number of hexes a ship moves is less than its MR, it still can turn only once per hex.

EXAMPLE: The frigate in the illustration has a speed of 7 and an MR of 3. The player controlIing the ship decides she wants it to perform a wide turn. She moves the ship forward three hexes and turns it one hex side to the left. She then moves it two more hexes and turns to the left again. So far, the ship has moved five hexes and turned twice. She moves the ship one hex forward. turns it left again, and finishes the move by moving the ship one more hex forward. The ship has now moved seven hexes and turned three times.

If a ship has a speed of zero through the entire turn, it can rotate during its movement phase so it faces any hexside.

Stacking Counters

Any number of ships can be in one hex at the same time. Ships can shoot at other ships in the same hex without penalty.

Planets

A hex that contains a planet counter is blocked. No ship can move into or through that hex. The planet also blocks shots if the shortest path from the attacker to the target must be traced through the planet's hex.

Orbiting Planets

Any ship that starts its move in a hex next to a planet can orbit that planet. The player simply announces during his movement phase that the ship is orbiting the planet.

A ship that is orbiting a planet has a speed of zero. However, the ship automatically moves one hex around the planet each turn. The direction of the orbit (clockwise or counterclockwise) is up to the player who controls the ship. Once it is established, the direction cannot be changed unless the ship leaves orbit and returns to start a new orbit in the opposite direction. The ship in the illustration is orbiting clockwise. The numbers show how many turns it will take the ship to move from its starting hex to the various hexes around the planet. It will return to its starting hex in six turns.

Because a ship in orbit has a speed of zero. it can rotate to face any hexside during its movement. The ship can rotate this way even if it leaves orbit during the turn. If the ship leaves orbit, it still has its full MR to use during its move.

Moving Off The Map

Ships that ieave the map are considered lost and are taken out of the game. If a ship travels off the map because it cannot turn before reaching the edge, then it cannot return to the map on a later turn.

Part 4: COMBAT

A ship can fire its weapons during the opposing player's movement phase and during its own combat phase. Weapons cannot be fired at any other time during the turn.

Range

Before firing any weapons. the player that is attacking must count the range from the attacking ship to its target. To find the range, count the number of hexes in the shortest path between the attacking ship and the target sh ip. Count the hex the target ship is in, but not the hex the attacking ship is in. Weapons cannot be fired at targets beyond a certain range. and some weapons become less effective at long ranges; see Weapon Systems for more information.

Fields of Fire

Laser batteries, torpedos and rocket batteries can be fired in any direction. Laser cannons and assault rockets can only be fired straight ahead of the firing ship. Laser cannons and assault rockets are called Forward Firing Weapons. Forward firing weapons can be fired at any target inside the three-hexwide area outlined in the diagram. (The weapons are not limited to the range shown in the diagram. The field of fire extends to the limit of the weapon's range. Targets in the central row of hexes are easier to hit; see Head-On Shots.)

                               HEAD-ON SHOTS

If a moving ship enters a hex containing an enemy ship. the moving ship may always use its FF weapons against that enemy ship. The enemy ship, however, may only use an FF weapon for defensive fire if the last hex the moving ship was in before entering the enemy's hex was in the enemy ship's forward field of fire.

Aiming Weapons

A player must announce which weapons he is using and which targets he will use them against before the dice are rolled to resolve any attacks. If a target is destroyed by the first few shots, any other weapons the player had aimed at that target must be fired, even though there is nothing for them to hit. The attacker cannot shift these weapons to a new target once they are aimed. If these wasted shots include torpedo or rocket fire, these weapons are fired and must be crossed off the attacking ship's record sheet.

EXAMPLE: A player announces he will fire five weapons - two lasers, two torpedos and a rocket battery - at an enemy. The lasers and one torpedo are enough to destroy the target. The second torpedo and the rocket battery are wasted shots, because their target is already destroyed.

Combat Procedure

When a player wants to shoot at an enemy ship, he must use the Combat Table. Find the row on the Combat Table that lists the weapon being fired, and the column that lists the defensive system being used by the target ship. The number that is printed at the intersection of the weapon's row and the defense's column is the attacker's percentage chance to hit the target. If the attacker rolls this number or less on d1OO, the target ship has been hit. If the target ship has more than one defensive system operating, the defense that is most effective against the attacking weapon is used.

EXAMPLE: A laser battery is being fired at a ship that has a reflective hull. According to the Combat Table, the laser battery has a 50% chance to hit its target. The attacking player rolls d100 and the result is 26. This number is less than or equal to 50, so the laser hits the ship. If the ship had a masking screen, the laser battery would have had only a 1O% chance to hit, and a roll of 26 would have missed.

Attack Modifiers

A ship's percentage chance to hit its target can be modified by several factors. These are explained below.

Head-On Shots. If a forward-firing weapon is used against a target in the center row of the three-hex firing area, the attacker can add lO% to his chance to hit. This central row is shown in the Forward Field of Fire diagram. If a ship with a forward-firing weapon enters the same hex its target is in, the attacking ship automatically gets the head-on bonus.

Range Diffusion. Laser cannons and laser batteries become less effective at longer ranges. The attacker's chance to hit his target with a laser weapon is reduced by 5% x the range to the target.

EXAMPLE: A ship is firing its laser cannon at an enemy ship that is four hexes away. The target ship has a reflective hull, so the attacker's base chance to hit is 60%. The attacker is making a head- on shot, increasing the chance to 70%. This is reduced by (4 x 5% =) 20% because of the range. The attacker will hit the enemy ship on a d100 roll of (70-20=) 50 or less.

Evasive Maneuvers. Fighters and assault scouts have a special defensive ability. Because they are small and maneuverable, these types of ships can try to dodge torpedos that have been launched at them. The player controlling the ship under attack must declare that he is taking evasive action. The MR of the evading ship is then multiplied by 5% and the result is subtracted from the torpedo's percentage chance to hit.

If the evading ship is not destroyed by the torpedo, it must turn in every hex it enters during its next move. until its MR is used up. The ship must move a number of hexes equal to or greater than its MR on its next turn; it cannot evade by staying in its hex and rotating. An evading ship can zig-zag or move in a circle.

Rate of Fire

Laser cannons, laser batteries and rocket batteries can be fired during both the controlling player's combat phase and during his opponent's combat phase. Torpedos and assault rockets can be fired only during the controlling player's combat phase. A ship with more than one torpedo, assault rocket or rocket battery can fire each only once per turn. For example, a ship with four torpedos and two rocket batteries can fire only one torpedo and one rocket battery per turn.

Automatic Hits and Misses

If a target is within a weapon's maximum range, a dl100 roll of 5 or less always will hit the target, even if the attack's chance to hit was modified to O by range, evasion or other factors. Similarly, a d100 roll of 96 or more will always miss, even if the attack's chance to hit was modified above 100%.

Defensive Attacks

The non-moving player can shoot at his opponent's ships at the start of his opponent's combat phase. Moving ships can be shot at in any hex they moved through during their move. No shots are resolved until after all ships have finished moving. At that time, the non- moving player can shoot at any of his opponent's ships as if they were in any hex they moved through during the turn. The non- moving player can place upsidedown counters in hexes his opponent's ships move through, so he will remember where the opposing ships traveled.

Laser cannons, laser batteries and rocket batteries can be fired defensively at the start of the moving player's combat phase. Torpedos and assault rockets cannot be launched at this time; they can be used only during the player's own combat phase.

Ship Damage

If a weapon hits its target, the player who made the attack must roll dice to determine how many points of damage the attack caused. The number of dice rolled depends on the weapon used; this information is listed on the Combat Table.

Each ship has a number of Hull Points. When a ship is hit, the number of points of damage caused by the attack is subtracted from the ship's hull points. When all of the ship's hull points are gone, the ship is destroyed and immediately removed from the map.

EXAMPLE: An assault scout has 15 hull points. In one turn it is hit by a rocket battery (2d1O points of damage). The attacking player rolls 2d1O and gets a total of 11 points of damage. The defending player subtracts 11 from his ship's 15 hull points, leaving it with 4 hull points. On the next turn, the ship is hit by a laser battery (1d10 points of damage). This attack causes 6 points of damage. This damage reduces the ship's hull points to O or less, so the ship is destroyed and the player removes it from the map.

Weapon Systems

The following weapons are used in the Basic Game. The abbreviations listed after the weapon name are explained at the end of the weapon list.

Laser Cannon - FF / RD / Range: 10 / Damage: 2d10
A laser cannon is a large weapon that is mounted on the bow of a spaceship. It fires an intense, concentrated beam of light.

Pod Laser - FF / RD / Range: 5 / Damage: 1d10
A pod laser system is a down scaled set of laser battery guns fixed onto a hull to provide a forward firing energy weapon for smaller craft.

Laser Battery - RD / Range: 9 / Damage: 1d10
A laser battery is a cluster of very small laser cannons mounted in a rotating turret. It can fire in any direction, but is not as powerful as a laser cannon.

Torpedo - MPO / LTD / Range: 4 / Damage: 4d10
A torpedo is a self-guided nuclear bomb that homes in on its target after it is launched. Torpedos are propelled by prolonged fission reactions which enable them to travel at tremendous speeds. A ship can carry only a limited number of torpedos, and these must be marked off the ship's record sheet as they are used.

Assault Rockets - MPO / FF / LTD / Range: 4 / Damage: 2d1O+4
Assault rockets usually are carried by fighters and other small ships. They can be launched at a target during the owning player's combat phase. Assault rockets are powered by a brief fusion reaction which causes them to fly even faster than torpedos. Unlike torpedos, however, assault rockets are not guided missiles. They rely on their tremendous speed to hit their target before it can dodge away. A ship can carry only a limited supply, so assault rockets must be marked off the ship's record sheet as they are fired.

Rocket Battery - LTD / Range: 3 / Damage: 2d10
A rocket battery is a cluster of small rocket launchers. These rockets are much smaller than assault rockets, but they cause nearly as much damage as an assault rocket because many rockets are fired together. Like torpedos and assault rockets, rocket batteries must be marked off the ship's record sheet as they are fired.

Explanation of Terms

FF --- Forward-firing weapon

MPO --- Moving Player Only. MPO weapons can be fired only during the attacking player's combat phase.

RD --- Range Diffusion. The accuracy of RD weapons is reduced by 5% x the range to the target.

LTD --- Limited Supply. A ship can carry only a limited supply of these weapons. They must be marked off the ship's record sheet as they are fired.

Range: # --- The weapon can be used only against targets within the listed range of hexes.

Damage: #d10-- - This is the number of 1 O-sided dice that are rolled to determine how many points of damage are caused by a successful attack.

Defensive Systems
The following types of spaceship defenses are available in the Basic Game. If a ship has more than one defensive system, an attack's chance to hit is calculated against the most effective defense.

Reflective Hull. This is mirror-Iike paint that is sprayed onto a ship's hull. It will often cause a laser beam to bounce off the ship without causing any damage. A reflective hull is the most common defense on spaceships.

Masking Screen. A masking screen is created when a ship releases a cloud of water vapor into space. The vapor crystalizes a nd forms a protective cloud surrounding the ship. Besides making the ship more difficult to hit, a masking screen absorbs energy from a laser. If a ship is hit by a laser while inside a masking screen, the amount of damage that is rolled is divided in half (fractions are rounded up). The result is the number of damage points inflicted on the target ship. A masking screen has exactly the same effect on a laser fired out of the screen as it does on a laser fired into the screen. If a ship surrounded by a masking screen fires its lasers, resolve the attack as if the defending ship is masked.

To indicate that a ship is using a masking screen, place a screen counter on top of the ship counter.This screen counter stays on top of the ship as long as the ship travels in a straight line at its current speed. If a ship or space station in orbit around a planet creates a masking screen, the screen will last through one complete orbit. The hex the ship or station was in when the screen was created should be marked with an upside-down counter, so players will know when one orbit is finished. A ship can carry only a limited number of masking screens. These must be marked off the ship's record sheet as they are used. When all of them are used, the ship cannot create any more masking screens.

Interceptor Missiles (ICM). Interceptor missiles are small missiles that can be fired at incoming torpedos, assauIt rockets and rocket battery barrages. Before the torpedo or rocket attack is resolved, the player controlling the target ship can declare that it is launching ICMs. The player must declare how many ICMs the ship is using. The attack's chance to hit is determined as if the attack was hitting a reflective hull or a masking screen, whichever the ship is using. The number of ICMs launched by the target ship is multiplied by the modifier on the Combat Table, and the result is subtracted from the attack's chance to hit.

EXAMPLE: A torpedo is launched at a ship with a reflective hull. The player that controls the target ship announces that it wiII fire two of its ICMs in defense. The torpedo normaIly has a 70% chance to hit, but each of the ICMs lowers this by lO%. The torpedo's final chance to hit is (70 - 20 =) 50%. A ship carries a limited number of ICMs. Whenever one is used. it must be checked off the ship's record sheet. ICMs can defend onlv the ship that launched them.

Part 5: SPACE SHIPS

All of the various types of ships and stations used in the Basic Game are described below. Besides a short report about the ship, each description includes the number of hull points the vessel has, the movement information, the Damage Control Rating, the types of weapons it can carry as well as how many limited supply weapons (torpedos and rockets) it carries, and the defensive systems built into the ship.

Not all ships of the same type are identical. All ships of one type will have the same ADF, MR, DCR, and hull points. The weapon and defense information, however, lists the maximum amount of equipment a ship can carry. Many ships do not carry their maximum armament.

Fighter: Fighters are small, single-seat spaceships. They must be based on an assault carrier or a space station. Fighters are fast and maneuverable. but because they are small the only weapons they can carry are three assault rockets. Their size also makes them easy to destroy.

A fighter that has fired all of its assault rockets can dock at a station or assauIt carrier to rearm. In order to dock, the fighter must stop (have a speed of O) in the same hex as the station or assault carrier. To be rearmed, a fighter must spend one complete game turn on board its station or carrier. If the fighter's base is attacked, the fighter cannot be rearmed that turn. A fighter that is docked cannot be attacked. A fighter may also land on a planet for rearming. To do so it must first orbit the planet (re: ending it's move in a hex adjacent to a planet with a speed of zero), and then it may enter the atmosphere onthe next turn.  There are two weapons configurations for a fighter, it can have either configuration but prior to launch the specific configuration must be stated and it can not change until the fighter docks with a station or carrier, or if it lands on a planet with a host base.

Like fighters, assauIt scouts can rearm at a space station. They cannot be attacked while docked at the station. Assault scouts cannot be rearmed at assault carriers, but they may land on a planet like fighters.

Frigate: Frigates are small warships, carrying about 25 crew members and up to 15 troops. They are commonly used as patrol ships by the UPF, as they are large enough to handle most pirate ships and other criminal vessels. The smallest of the big ships, they are often considered as capital ships whether serving as a flagship for local planetary militias or operating under UPF detachment. Frigates and larger warships may not land on a planet.

A docked ship can use its battery weapons to help defend the station. A docked ship cannot fire any forward-firing weapons. torpedos or ICMs. An attacker must declare whether his ship is firing at the space station or at a ship that is docked with the station. Any docked ship except fighters and assault scouts can be attacked by enemy ships. If a station is destroyed while ships are docked at it, each docked ship takes points of damage equal to one-half of the station's original hull points. If a ship is destroyed while docked, the station takes points of damage equal to one-half of the ship's original hull points.

Part 6: Ship Construction

Part 7: Ship Operations

Part 8: Campaign Info

   --- Work In Progress ---

The Frontier

 > Deployment Map
 > System Key
 > The UPF
 > Planetary Militias
 > Star Law
 > MegaCorps
 > the Sathar
 > Pirates