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.
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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.
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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.
