Lifeboats and Multi-Player

Under the Advanced Rules, Battlespace Sirius™ can be played with up to 6 players and an extra endgame dimension is added with the introduction of Lifeboats (emergency interstellar vessels that give a player an extra chance to prevail after his or her Ship is destroyed). All of the Basic Rules apply, with the additions and modifications described below. 

Lifeboats

If your Ship is destroyed, hope remains. Your Lifeboat gives you another chance to stop your opponent. Lifeboats continue along your interstellar trajectory with limited firepower and maneuverability. Each Lifeboat is different. Lifeboats have the following relevant characteristics:

Hull: Lifeboats do not have Shields, but they have sturdy Hulls. A roll against your Lifeboat ≥ your Hull value will destroy your Lifeboat.

Position: If your Lifeboat’s Position feature says “Yes” you may shift Position like a Ship, enabling you to target your opponent’s weak Ship Sides.

Sentry: If your Lifeboat’s Sentry feature says “Yes” you may give Sentry Fire during Enemy Reaction.

Weapon: If your Lifeboat has a Weapon value it may Lock Targets and Fire the stated number of Weapons during your turn.

To play Battlespace Sirius with Lifeboats, the following rule modifications apply:

SETUP

• Shuffle the 8 Lifeboat cards and place them face down on the play area.
• After Select your Ship and before Place Power Clips, draw a random Lifeboat card. You may look at it, but you needn’t reveal its features to your opponent(s).
• During Place Power Clips, place your Lifeboat under your Ship card such that when the Ship is removed from play (destroyed) the Lifeboat is revealed. Secure the Ship card and Lifeboat card together with the Ship Power Clips.

DESTROYED SHIPS

• When or if your Ship is destroyed, you remove any remaining Power Clips, remove the Ship card from play, and the Lifeboat remains in its place.
• If your Ship is destroyed before your Fire step, your turn ends. (Locked Targets are no longer locked.)

MANEUVER

• Lifeboats can Position like Ships if they have “Position: Yes.”
• Lifeboats can’t Rotate (nor do they need to—all attacks are against their Hull rather than a Shield on a Ship Side).

LOCK TARGETS

• If you Lock Targets against a Lifeboat you are locking on its Hull. You do not target a “Side” of the Lifeboat.
• Lifeboats Lock Targets like Ships. They can Lock Target on any Lifeboat or any Ship Side that is facing the Lifeboat.

ENEMY REACTION

• Your Lifeboat can’t Rotate during Enemy Reaction, but it can give Sentry Fire if it has “Sentry: Yes.”

FIRE

• Your Lifeboat fires from a central Weapon array. If your Lifeboat has a Weapon value, it can Fire a number of Weapons equal to its stated Weapon value. 

WINNING AND LOSING

• The destruction of a Ship does not end the game. If your opponent’s Lifeboat is destroyed, you win. If your Lifeboat is destroyed, you lose. If neither player is willing or able to Fire, the match is a draw.

POWER

• Lifeboats to not use Power like Ships. Their features are static.

3-6 Players

Multiple factions struggle to control Earth. Each Ship races home to turn the tide of battle for its particular faction and must stop the others. All rules apply with 3 or more players with the following additional considerations.

You win by having the last vessel in play.

ORDER OF PLAY

• Play proceeds clockwise from the Priority player.

PLACE SHIPS

• Ships are placed in Priority Order parallel to each other. Ships can be placed between other Ships already placed. When this occurs, slide Ships apart in the play area to make room.
• Although Ship cards are placed close to each other in the game, there is actually a lot of room in interstellar space, and Ships are many kilometers apart.

VISIBILITY, RANGE, TARGETABILITY

• All Vessels are Visible, in Range, and Targetable. Every vessel can be seen and fired upon. Ships directly between 2 vessels do not block targeting or firing. If another vessel is directly horizontal or vertical to the moving vessel, it is in Square Position. All other positions are in a Corner quadrant.

MANEUVER

• A vessel may Position to a place between other vessels. When this occurs, consider the vessel’s destination and review the playfield to determine the relative position of all other vessels with respect to that destination. Slide vessels to make room for the Positioning vessel, keeping all relative positions (square positions and corner quadrants) intact.

 

LOCK TARGETS

•  You may Lock Targets on any vessel and multiple vessels, provided you have the Power to complete the total attack. Weapon Power requirements cumulate. Your Ship Side with at least 3 Power can Lock Targets on up to 4 vessels (all 4 Weapons), but the Power requirement will be 3 (for 4 Weapons fired), although you fire only 1 Weapon at each of the targeted vessels. If its Power is reduced by Sentry Fire before your Fire phase and you lack sufficient Power to hit all Locked Targets, you may choose which Locked Target(s) to release. A Lifeboat with 2 Weapons can Target Lock 1 vessel with 2 Weapons, or 2 vessels with 1 Weapon each.

ENEMY REACTION

• Only vessels that have been Target Locked may engage in Enemy Reaction. The moving player determines the order in which other players execute Enemy Reaction.

FIRE

• You choose the order in which you Fire. However, the Power cost of Weapons per Ship Side is cumulative, and you must preserve sufficient Power to Fire upon each Locked Target, if possible.

For a Glossary of Terms CLICK HERE.

Copyright (c) 2019 John Conway