Overview
A d20 system is employed to resolve all actions and circumstances. Some actions or circumstances may require multiple rolls.
Unit Cards, actions from other modules or cards (like Events or Encounters) will dictate the number and type of dice rolled. For instance, an attack may list 4d8. That means an 8 sided dice must be rolled 4 times.
Saving Throws are reactionary dice rolls representing your unit’s ability to evade danger, resist particularly powerful or permanent effects or other mitigation pathways.
DC stands for Difficulty Check, and corresponds to a number you must equal or exceed with your base stat being checked + your dice roll (always a d20). The needed base stat value is on the Unit Card
Except where noted or excepted, Positive Integers are always better
Rules of any game can be daunting, especially if you’ve never played board games or tactical games before. To that end, it is highly recommended that you take a look at each faction’s rule area to get a feel for how constrained, or not, they are by the laws of the universe.
Then, give them a whirl in the Arena’s simplified ruleset.
If you’ve played tabletop tactical or adventure games before, feel free to immerse yourself in the story’s full ruleset. This is the Campaign, and the main maps that come with this game reflect its complete breadth.
If you’re unsure which factions to start with, the MEMS faction is the least rule bound, with the Tractores the most complex.
Stats and Governance
Stats
Units have traits that are called upon during tactical or other times to react or affect circumstances or other objects. DC rolls check against these values. Additionally, Encounter or Event cards will have tasks that require certain values to achieve (lesser values may reward reduced outcomes up to and including failure, and higher values can increase the positive outcomes). Certain equipment or upgrades may also require certain values to wield or fully utilize, with lesser values resulting in reduced output. These stats normally range from 8 to 20, with exceptional beings or objects having extended values and hastily built or badly cared for units having much lower values.
Stat Range Bonuses:
10: No bonuses. Values below this incur negative bonuses
11: +1, +1 DC, +1 Associated Rolls
12: +2, +2 DC, +2 Associated Rolls
13: +3, +3 DC, +3 Associated Rolls
14: +4, +4 DC, +4 Associated Rolls
15: +5, +5 DC, +5 Associated Rolls
16: +6, +6 DC, +6 Associated Rolls
17: +7, +7 DC, +7 Associated Rolls
18: +8, +8 DC, +8 Associated Rolls
19: +9, +9 DC, +9 Associated Rolls
20: +10, +10 DC, +10 Associated Rolls
20+: +1 Cumulative, every 5th +2
Antitypy or ANT
Reflects how well made and sturdy an object is or robust a person or individual is.
Affects the numerical values of HP and Armor
High ANT (20+) confers a once a battlefield perk Impenetrable Shell
This ability is usable just in time (interrupting an attacking player’s turn) or at the start or end of the user’s turn, to grant 500 armor (universal) that lasts for 1 round and 500 HP that is permanent
Yare or YAR
The intrinsic alert to take evasive maneuvers,a ship borne AI’s proactive thruster firings, the nimbleness and fleet footed of a boarder, these are all represented by this stat
Affects the numerical values of movement, dodge chance and opposing Strike Chance rolls
High EVA (20+) confers a once per battlefield perk Preternatural Dodge
This ability is usable in lieu of one attack no matter its source. Can also be used to avoid crashing or having objects crash into player
Intellect or INT
Not just raw intelligence, this also informs on the computational prowess or the tactical acumen a sentient or other source of knowledge possesses
High INT (20+) confers a once a battlefield perk Interposing Rhexis
This ability is usable before another skill, equipment or ability that utilizes a Via component. That component is granted the following additional values:
Ignores 100% of target’s Via DR
50 Universal Damage
5dX Venam damage for 1dX where X is the Rhexis type of the player’s choice
Might or MIG
The severity of force is notated by this stat, as well as the more intangible aspects of its application
Affects the numerical values of mass versus mass or force vs force interactions, as well as overpowering actions, and the amplitude of skills, equipment and abilities
High MIG (20+) confers a once battlefield perk Infinium’s Horizon
This ability is usable to increase the damage output by 1 dice per attack (e.g. a 1d3 x3 would get 3d3 added) of any equipment, skill or ability
Perspicacity or PER
Alertness, perception, and sensor acuity tech are all added up to this measure
Affects the numerical values of Strike Chance rolls, and certain sight based checks
High PER (20+) confers a once a battlefield perk Sight Beyond
This ability is usable to guarantee a critical result (2x effect) on any Strike Chance action (skill, equipment or ability).
Reputation or REP
A unit’s brash commander or a pirate’s charming swashbuckling ways contribute to this metric. A legendary ship will spread fear and respect. Other fleets and units will take note, be you opprobrious or venerated, hated or feared.
Affects the numerical values of persuasion, mercenary interactions and other NPC interactions. Sets maximum deployed fleet size
High REP (20+) confers a once a battlefield perk By Appointment
On the next turn, any of the VIPs (ship, unit or other) within the player’s Deployment area may be placed with 2 hexes of any allied of the unit using this skill. VIPs may be directly deployed to a unit, but it sends any VIPs already present back to the Deployment area
Systems or SYS
Such is the reliance on orderly electrons, or its pathways, across all spacefaring societies, that entire civilizations devoted to creating, protecting and exploiting electronics exist. This stat is a cumulative integer representing how hardened or vulnerable a particular subsystem or other electronic component is or isn’t. It also represents familiarity with such systems. Combined with the INT stat, this determines engineering prowess.
Affects the numerical values of subsystems. Sets the total HP of a unit/ship’s subsystems. Influences INT interactions
High SYS (20+) confers a once a battlefield perk Ōmeisō Netzwerk Emeritus
This ability is usable during a round or as an interrupt to another player’s actions, granting the following
Veteratoria or VET
Every entity with sentience has some measure of wit, cunning, pluckiness and guile. This includes ship borne AI, the lowly soldier and the mightiest conqueror. This stat measures that.
Affects the numerical values of certain skills, abilities, perks and interactions (including domination resistance). Influences REP interactions
High VET (20+) confers a once a battlefield perk Indomitable Oburance
This ability is useable on demand to shrug off one otherwise lethal attack, failed roll or other deleterious action. None of the effects from that action are triggered, and the attacking player suffers the usual cooldown
Designations
Every unit has its role to play in a conflict, from the humble cargo convoy to the bristling weapons platform. There are seven basic roles, listed as designations on each unit’s reference material. These roles can exist singularly or in combination. The roles themselves confer no benefit, but certain factions and units derive benefit from targeting or helping specific types.
Cargo / Convoy
Science
Engineer
Non-Combatant
Troop Carrier
Venam Research Vessel
Permanent Structure
DC and Attack Rolls are done by anyone other than the player(s) interacting. If all players are interacting, rolls are done by opposing faction players of the player currently interacting
Autonomous
DC rolls are done by anyone other than the player interacting
Deployment
In addition to individual faction’s rules on deploying units, the following constraints are always in effect:
Only 4 copies of any one squadron unit may be deployed to the battlefield at once
Only 2 copies of any one dreadnought unit may be deployed to the battlefield at onceA
Only 1 copy of any one command unit may be deployed to the battlefield
Status Effects
Over the course of a campaign, a ship or unit can suffer through a number of both harmful and beneficial effects that influence their continuing interaction with the universe. Special ones will be noted on the corresponding unit’s card and or their entry in the Modulus Fasti.
Damage, basics -
Unit cards spell out types of damage done and types of damage resisted.
Modifiers are also contained on unit cards. These are always added, not multiplied
Damage and resistance are positive integers only. Negative numbers are always rounded up to 0
Fractions are rounded down to the nearest whole positive number
Damage resistance is multiples of 5 damage ablated. So 5 DR is 25 damage mitigated. This is taken off the top, before other calculations
Damage is kept track of by HP counters built into the unit card frames
Sidebar Battles -
Dreadnought ships that are boarded, stations or other orbital bodies that are boarded, planetary surfaces or installations that are landed upon and contested, are all examples of sidebar battles
A map specific to the unit or structure being raided/boarded or secured
A microcosm of the main tabletop board style and construction, replete with insertable maps contextual to the location(these can be preloaded)
Allow full use of figurines and unit cards that are tagged with the Boarder designation
Victory and Defeat
The pangs of defeat and the exultation of victory are reached in a variety of ways. Chief among them, is the destruction of the opposing player’s Command class unit. This counts as a Story Loss, advancing the destroyer along the victory module path and the destroyed down the defeat module path. All is not lost, however, necessarily:
Destroying a Command unit effectively strands all associated units. They are not automatically written off, but their movement is cut in half, resupplies and repair are impossible (unless the unit can self-repair or resupply), and they become targets of opportunity for regional hostile NPCs
Every round after a player loses their command unit, they must draw an Encounter or Event card, alternating between the two. The “Terrible Day” section of the card is carried out instead of the normal actions
Command units are usually Colossi, but can be ANY unit (including Mavens) so tagged
Completing an objective after a command unit loss awards double the Victory Percentage
The other main way to win, or lose a module, is to fulfill all of the module’s objectives or have them snatched away.
Units that take terminal damage have their figurines left where they were destroyed
It is possible to repair units back to operational status from Via or Abilities
Units may have abilities allowing salvage (either during battle, during a Fleet Action or post battle)
Other units may pass through these debris filled hexes, but cannot position themselves there unless they can salvage in one round
Their current status is tracked by a special magnetic inset embedded into the base of the figurine. This includes regular and special statuses, but also if the unit is destroyed
Wins and losses through objectives and combat contribute to a faction’s Victory Percentage.
Actions, Events, Encounters, Objectives and Kills all contribute to a faction’s Percentage.
25% is the maximum a player or faction can achieve per scenario via normal means.
Certain VIPs, objectives or other conditions can increase this number
VIPs do not automatically give their Percentage points, nor are they added to deployments by ownership. Each comes with their own scenario that must be completed between battles. If more than one faction is playing, their involvement is guided by the VIP’s scenario
It is possible to continue a story with a few losses, but each Scenario has hard Victory Percentage checks that are warned about in preceding Modules. Failure to meet these checks constitutes a game over. Players may also decide to start at the very beginning if a different path wants to be followed, or at the beginning of the most recent Scenario
The soft restart may only be attempted if it is mathematically possible to pass the next Scenario’s check
If more than faction is playing against each other, the check for the 4th Scenario dictates which POV and branch every faction will follow. This constitutes a loss story for factions with fewer Victory Percentage points
Factions so branded can still overcome and overtake the leading Faction to achieve their specific victory ending
Physical Components
The Board
A large, sectional hexagonal playing surface. Player areas complete it to form a circle.
The board comes in 3 layers:
The top, hex grid. This is quadrant sectional, and is raised to allow figurine bases to sit flush
The middle, map inset. These can be flat or 3d Paper Printed topographical, and are changed out to match the current objective, campaign or Event/Encounter.
The base. Depending on kickstarter stretch goals, this layer ranges in duty from keeping the rest of the sectionals in place to containing the communications, lighting and other features.
The Plinth
The centremost part of the board, rising to a concave terminus. This terminus has a magnet embedded to allow Objectives, be it space stations, Mavens, or planets, to slightly hover. All 3 card decks jut out below. The DavniЯoscope sits close to the terminus.
DavniЯoscope
A mechanical device attached to the central board’s plinth, that keeps track of in play units, player and NPC alike via aligned rows.
It is manual per map, and both subtractive (units are destroyed) and additive (units are deployed). The mechanism is faction keyed, major and minor, with minor NPCs grouped together.
Dice
A full set of dice needed to play this game is included. General use and names:
3 sided
Damage
Rhexis (Please see the Rhexis rule section)
4 sided
Damage
6 sided
Damage
7 sided (Heptagon)
Rhexis
Damage
8 sided
Damage
10 sided
Damage
12 sided
Damage
13 sided (Tridecagon)
Damage
Rhexis
42 sided (Tetracontadigon)
Tractores
10 sided percentile*
Special, Tables. Percentages
Figurines
Bases can cover 1 - 3 hexes
Each faction has their own overall size, with outliers and exceptions abound
Bases have magnetic attachment points for certain statuses and other game interactions
Bases also have a Turn Order number attachment point. Stretch goals in the kickstarter will add additional functionality like player base connectivity for Vitae at at a glance
Cards
Event Cards
Every 3 movement phases, a player draws one of the Event Cards from the central dais. Event Cards come in three main categories:
Map changes
Hazards
New hexes / Type
Expansion of existing
Removal
Map features
Cosmic phenomenon
Object or Installation happenings
Have the player draw an Encounter Card
Encounter Cards
Encounter Cards can only be drawn from:
Event Card triggers
Map triggers
VIP or Unit triggers
Once drawn, Encounter Cards contain one or some of the following types and or actions:
Spawn a random Fleet
Neutral fleets will have predetermined stats and routes. No bonuses are awarded for trying to help them nor destroying them. Could contain VIP or unit bonuses if captured or destroyed
Hostile fleets will be controlled round robin as their turns come up. They will always attack the nearest Player units. Hostile fleet units have their own mini Unit Cards and data (whole fleet per card). These units may or may not have an objective.
Fleets with an objective will only move towards, and attempt to achieve their objective. They will attack anything that gets in their way but will not stray from their route to do so. Their removal countdown timer only starts when they arrive at their destination
Fleets without an objective will fly around the Quadrant they spawn in, attacking anything that ventures within its confines. They will not leave this Quadrant. Their removal countdown timer begins when they spawn in.
Movement and Action Phases are taken individually.
VIP/Escort Missions
Similar to Neutral random fleets, these units spawn in a specific Quadrant and have a goal Hex, where upon reaching, the Payment portion of their card is paid out to the allied Player. The allied Player is chosen by:
First dibs is the Player who originally drew the Encounter card. They may decline, passing the choice on to the next Player as determined by Movement Phase.
Once an allied Player is chosen, they take over all actions for those units. Movement and Action phases are taken as a Fleet.
Rogue, Derelict or Adrift Units
These are always singular units
They can be VIPs and can be salvageable, repairable and or recruitable.
Repairing and reactivating carries risk. VIPs, as listed on their Unit Cards, can become Neutral, Allied or Hostile after becoming functional again. Players must pay Navarch Omnium to attempt to repair/reactivate and it is not refunded if a less than desirable outcome transpires.
VIPs are very powerful but also worth an incredible amount of salvage, carrying an intrinsic 4x multiplier for such.
Its Unit Card will list the normal stats, along with additional information such as Repair/Reactivation Risk, Cost, whether it can be Recruited, what bonus equipment or other bonuses can be acquired and how, and whether it can be utilized beyond the current map. Most of these units
Exploration Cards
These cards chiefly deal with Rhexii, system/location interactions, and transitory bodies
Unit Cards
Every faction has a set number of active units that can be deployed to the current map, side battles and other objectives. These active cards are placed into printed resin card frames, that have cutouts for unit Vitae (Armor etcetera)
Printed on card
Unit Art (front card)
Stats and Vitae
Equipment (including upgrades)
Skills and Abilities (including upgrades)
Built into card -
Card frames are Faction specific
Inserts, cutouts or divots to house the various counters
Status Effect counters have their insets on the Originating players’ unit card
Category tokens for Status Effects
Equipment – Slide to reveal (down)
Abilities – Slider to reveal (down)
Pips (built into the bottom of the card frame)
Slide to reveal
The limits are faction and unit based
Bonuses to damage are listed on abilities, equipment and skills
Dracovirum
Athanatos’ Geas -
Long before the Dracovir first contemplated their ascension to the stars, the Apudrimus began a generation long exodus from Omne, their shared homeworld. They had always treated the Dracovir tribes as insignificant lessers, mere mutations.
Even as the tribes gave way to an Empyr, a [Redacted] tempered edict borne of a desire to seek out the Apudrimus and why they left no trace in their home system. This has impacted the Elementum the most, though all Dracovir share in the itch within their crystalline cores.
Battlefield implications:
Rhexis Research Stations are twice as beneficial to Victory Points, but twice as negative if captured or destroyed
Rhexis Research Stations cost 1000 from the Navarch Omnium. They take 2 turns to construct. This requires a Colossi or Dreadnaught to remain within 1 hex for the duration of this timer.
These stations generate their bonuses immediately upon construction’s finish.
Rhexii are prioritized by how many hexes they inhabit. This only applies to naturally occurring rifts versus the manufactured rifts some units can produce. Fewer hexes = lesser priority
Any Apudrimus clues (map icons or potential location bonuses) take priority over any other objective or imperative, even impending total annihilation
If the Lembi Requaero is present, it operates with impunity and of its own accord.
MEMS
Ostentatious Compulsion -
MEMS’ Daedalusts are engineers with few equals. Their commitment to the maintenance and upkeep of their mechanical creations borders on the extreme. This is due in part to an obsession with keeping their machines looking as pristine as their first flight, and also due to the highly exacting tuning needed to keep the MEMS operating:
Every turn, the faction must pay in materiel an upkeep cost equal to the total deployment cost times 2
Failure to pay this upkeep results in progressive degradation -
Every turn it is not paid, deployed units take an additional and cumulative -1 to all stats, -1 to damage dealt, +1 damage taken, -1 DC reduction on outgoing skills and abilities, and a +1 DC on incoming skills and abilities
After 10 turns, Skein units cease functioning
After 12 turns, Dreadnaught units cease functioning
After 14 turns, Colossi units cease function and the deployed fleet is forced to withdraw. This counts as a complete loss, and any objectives or victory percentages already earned for the map are not awarded
Successfully paying this upkeep progressively rewards unit bonuses -
After 5 turns, Skeins get a +1 to all stats, +1 to damage dealt, -1 damage taken, +1 DC increase on outgoing skills and abilities, and -1 DC decrease on incoming skills and abilities
After 7 turns, Dreadnought units get a +1 to all stats, +1 to damage dealt, -1 damage taken, +1 DC increase on outgoing skills and abilities, and -1 DC decrease on incoming skills and abilities
After 10 turns, Colossi units get a +1 to all stats, +1 to damage dealt, -1 damage taken, +1 DC increase on outgoing skills and abilities, and -1 DC decrease on incoming skills and abilities
Can manufacture ammo, taking either the movement phase or the action phase. Can use both phases to overproduce and distribute to other allies within a 4 hex AOE
All units are unique and singular
Destruction of a MEMS ejects its Daedalust and Maven(s). They are treated as Squadron units. They each have their own Unit Card. A Daedalust has reduced stats and usually only one ability.
Additionally, a Daedalust shorn from its MEMS has 6 turns to retreat or find a MEMS Construction Facility, or other suitable foundry identified as such, to construct a new temporary MEMS shell. Finding a location kicks off another 6 turn countdown timer, wherein the shell is constructed. This location must be defended or the shell will be destroyed/abandoned.
Failure to retreat, or destruction/abandonment of a temporary shell, results in the permanent death of the Daedalust. It and its MEMS are permanently removed from the game.
Shells have an intrinsic movement of 6 hexes, 400 armor and 400 shields. The Daedalust’s own HP is used. If a shell is destroyed, the Daedalust is immediately killed and the location contains triple the salvage value.
Faction Rules, Quirks and Bonuses
Dracovirum Empyr
Fjarlaegur
Rëmleit -
Among the Fjarl, two things drive their species; the desire to bring honour to their family and the need to explore the unknown. Eventually, this generates a personal missive, ticking over from mere duty to goal and drive. This is their Rëmleit, a lifelong obsession once revealed. It can be anything, though it almost always is a mythical or legendary destination.
Each unit card will have their own Rëmleit. If it's conditions are met, a variety of permanent bonuses, unique abilities or other boons are applied to the unit. This is persistent across the lifetime of the unit instead of the battlefield it transpired.
MEMS Collective
Hanakane Murasaki
Manufactured Excess -
10% chance to be affected by any damaging attack.
This is rolled after Strike Chance / Defense
Being near a self-aspected Pulsar or other star recharges shields up to 600% of their original values
Every Strike Chance that misses adds +1 Strike Chance to the next Form chain
Osakami Sein
Undying Freňine -
Every enemy that attacks a Sein gives it a +1 DR
Max 1 per attacker per round
Every 10 damage that a Sein takes, it’s outgoing damage is increased by 20
Every 1000 damage, cumulatively, that a Sein takes on a Battlefield adds a Freňine scar
Scars give +1 attack dice and +1 on ANT DCs
Scars are permanent across the campaign
Every 20 DR earned on a battlefield, gives them a +5 Strike Chance against the faction that contributed the most
This counter is reset every battlefield
Strike Chance increases are permanent across the campaign
Tractatores
Overview
The Tractatores are a powerful organic android-like species, capable of utilizing the language of the fabric of reality to affect changes to objects and events. This happens within their minds, as mental visualizations running through distinct permutations and setting in place a sequence of events.
Stats and Nuances
Intelligence is the most important stat for a Tractatores, to the near exclusion of others. Every + modifier (12, 14 and so on) from stats adds 2% range to all sequence stages’ percentile rolls. Additionally, for Intelligence over 20, these bonuses are enhanced to 3% and the unit may reroll one result from part of a sequence, per sequence.
Intelligence stat bonuses also add 1 to any dice value needed, per sequence phase, per sequence. This can be added to the beginning or end of the value range.
Tractatores are very hard to fully destroy, instead being kicked out of our plane of existence based partly on their MIG + INT in conjunction with their class.
Squadron units spend no more than 5 turns in their home plane before being able to rejoined unto battle. It costs 700 Omnium to redeploy them.
Dreadnought units spend no more than 7 turns in their home plane before being able to rejoined unto battle. It costs 1200 Omnium to redeploy them.
Colossi units spend no more than 10 turns in their home plane before being able to rejoined unto battle. It costs 1500 Omnium to redeploy them.
The formula to determine how many turns up to these caps:
Squadron
23+ Combined Stats 3 turns
19 - 22 Combined Stats, 4 turns
18 or fewer Combined Stats, 5 turns
Dreadnaught
25+ Combined Stats, 5 turns
20 - 24 Combined Stats, 6 Turns
19 or Fewer Combined Stats, 7 Turns
Colossi
30+ Combined Stats, 7 Turns
24-29 Combined Stats, 8 Turns
23 or Fewer Combined Stats, 9 Turns
All units are unique and singular
During a Sequence, the DR of Tractores is greatly enhanced:
Colossi units are set at 20 DR
Dreadnaughts are set at 12 DR
Skein are set at 7 DR
Units must be within a certain range of their intended target:
Colossi - 9 Hexes
Dreadnaught - 8 Hexes
Skein - 7 Hexes
Cabochons of Power
Beyond the beauty and allure of these gems, a rippling palpable power can be felt in close proximity. Their colours swirl, ebb and flow, with certain patterns seemingly responding to events and nearby cosmic entities.
The practical effect of these gemstones, is each unit’s automatic Sequence. This is indicated on each Unit’s card, listed as Sochair. They are lesser in output and scope, but do not require the normal 3 turn Sequence. Each requires a single Pip.
System
A Tractatores must spend several rounds mapping out what they wish to happen, and as such are unique both in their ruling dice and in their eschewment of the normal movement and combat phases. Each has their own tri-Table (included with the unit’s card) that lists permutations possible per ability and associated costs. The results of these rolls represent what would be the best case in the face of the permutations that are feasible.
Dice -
d42, d20 and Percentile
AOE Markers*
Countdown Markers*
Tractores spend three distinct phases when attempting their actions -
Planning
Round 1 is spent consulting their allies as to what course of action within the Tractatores’ power they should attempt. The player chooses an ability, look it up on their unit’s Quintessence Primary Table, and roll the dice as instructed. These results are then looped into the second round:
Permutations
Round 2 is spent continuing to tweak their mental constructs, with the Bonuses, Contingencies and Errata Secondary Table rolled against.
Perfunction
Round 3 is spent finalizing and then setting in stone the mental visualization. Certain units or abilities allow one last additional modification, rolled for and against on the Perfunction Tertiary Table. During the combat phase of this round, players set their Countdown Marker to the proscribed number, place any and all AOE markers on the battlefield and make note of the final set of events. Tractatores units are free to move and act again, as each ability is a “Fire and Forget” sequence.
Tractatores cannot alter sequences once set, nor can they undertake any other activities once a Planning round has begun. They exist half within this galaxy and another, and as such take only half damage no matter its amount or type. They also project powerful Lepton and Anti-Lepton shields, which force most attack types to pass through rather than interact with and potentially harm the Tractores.
Opposing, or Allied, players controlling units targeted by these sequences will be informed as to which DCs or other rolls they must make. Unless otherwise stated, all Tractores abilities are treated as [Redacted] for DR or mitigation purposes.
Glimmelschlager
Targets of Opportunity
The Syndicate thrives on taking from others, by force and by any means necessary. Any unit marked with Trade, Convoy, Scientific or Salvage is considered a Target of Opportunity. This confers a +2 Strike Chance bonus to any Glimmelschlager unit on the battlefield. Ambush units bump this bonus up to +5.
Syndicate units are also not required to be immediately deployed like other players, but may opt to wait up to 5 rounds before doing so.
Additionally, GS units with the Capture tag have a +5 to Capture rolls on these units.
The following applies to ALL Syndicate factions:
Mercenaries
Overview -
The bulk of Syndicate forces are forcibly indentured mercenaries, with some depraved (to the Galaxy anyways) Mavens joining of their own volition. Any time a Maven or unit is captured as part of the RRR cycle, they are added to one of the remaining GS units, adding ⅓ of their stats and 1 of either their current equipment, skills, or abilities. Traits, Sochair, and Special abilities are excluded. Daedalusts may choose to scuttle themselves and their MEMS, leaving behind an unusable molten salvage, both are irrevocably lost. Units and VIPs so conscripted cannot be upgraded or leveled up. These limitations do not apply to Mavens who willfully join the GS.
Mercenaries are represented by one of 4 pins inserted into the base of any GS unit.
Pins indicate which faction (might have a kickstarter stretch goal to make unique pins per unit/Maven) the captured or volunteer is from:
Colours indicate faction - Empyr, Collective, Syndicate, or Unaffiliated
There are limits to how many mercs a given unit can have, indicated on their vitae card
Skein GS can have 2-3 mercenaries active at any one time
Dreadnought GS can have 4-7 mercenaries active at any one time
Command GS can have up to 10 mercenaries active at any one time
Every type of unit can be turned into a Mercenary, with the following limitations
Skeins cannot have Dreadnoughts or command units assigned to them (VIPs can change this)
Dreadnaughts cannot have command units assigned to them. Only 1 of its Mercenaries can be a Dreadnaught
Command units cannot have more than 3 Dreadnaughts assigned to them, nor more than 1 other Command unit.
Upgrades -
Each upgrade requires a certain amount of Mercenaries, either attached to the unit or within the Ragoût Gras. Mercenaries are dedicated solely to this process during its duration, conferring none of their bonuses. In addition to the mercenaries, a materiel cost must be paid, but this can be taken from the current salvage or by sacrificing mercenaries outright.
Ragoût Gras -
Mercenaries that have volunteered, either forcibly or by choice, but have not been assigned to a deployed unit, are part of the Ragoût Gras. This is a motor pool of sorts, allowing erstwhile commanders to take advantage of battlefield conditions by replacing destroyed mercs, or bolstering for a big push.
Ragoût Gras members contribute no stats, abilities, equipment or any other bonus.
This status can be declared on the battlefield, in which case the pin of the affected mercenary must be removed from its host unit and added to the RG special unit. This unit has no stats and cannot take the field of battle. It lives permanently just on the cusp of the battlefield, within the deployment zone.
RS members can be shuttled into battle into multiple ways:
Without a host unit, this process takes 4 turns
With a host unit, this process takes 1 turn
There is no limit on mercenaries moving to and from this pool, save their RG cost
Ragout Gras local pool
Each unit has a pool of Omnium and other sundries that determines how many Mercenaries it can bring to bear immediately after being deployed to a battlefield. This pool can be replenished directly from the Navarch Omnium (see Fleet Costs), but delays any further actions by 2 turns. It can also be re-funded via salvage, with no delay:
Squadrons must do their own salvage
Dreadnaughts can make their Mercenaries’ generated salvage go towards their local RS pool
Command tagged units can take salvage from any GS unit, except other Command units
Starting Mercenaries
Players can choose to deploy with up to half of their Units’ Max Mercenary slots filled by generic units
Generic units are:
Either Assault, Boarder or Support tagged, with rare units having additional tags and capabilities
Assault units do 2dfaction Modicus each unless otherwise specified, with 15 HP/Shields/Armor
Boarder units do no main map combat damage, unit to unit, but within a side battle have 15 HP/Shields/Armor, do 1d10 Modicus each and movement of 2
Support units do 1d10 Modicus, and can provide up to 2 Pips a round or 25 Shields (or Armor) to their host unit or allies within 3 hexes
Facsimiles of captured units become available on the next battlefield/campaign map
Facsimiles are limited to 3 per captured unit, as some of the hardware and technology is split between the copies.
Escape -
Mercenaries are mentally dominated by special equipment on GS command units called Narghiles. These are interruptible and destroyable. Doing either temporarily disables all Mercenary bonuses but does not free them.
Captured Dracovirum Empyr units and Mavens can attempt to escape their bondage given the following conditions:
More than 5 turns have passed since capture
If this unit is captured during a battle, and fewer than 5 turns have elapsed at the onset of the next one, the remaining turns must still be waited out
Engineering tag
Pay 50 Omnium (captured unit’s player)
If the character is Maven and not a unit, an allied Boarder tag unit must be engaged with the hosting GS unit
Make three successful rolls in a row, after a successful initial 50% roll -
DC 20 MIG
DC 20 INT
DC 20 SYS
Successfully escaping mercenary control leaves them at ⅓ of their HP, Armor, and Shields and places them one hex away from the GS unit they were last assigned to. This places their figurine back out onto the map.
Failing any of the rolls results in detonation of that unit, destroying it and leaving behind salvage as if it had been destroyed in combat.
Raid, Reuse, Reduce
As professional raiders, GS units have many ways of maximizing their often superior numbers and using any spoils immediately. Attacking, capturing or destroying, and taking salvage is referred to as the RRR cycle.
A mercenary tag is added to the captured unit or VIP. May be assigned to any unit currently on the map under the GS banner. This includes other allied players units.
Capturing a unit removes its figurine from the battlefield
The player whose unit was captured must relinquish that unit’s card to the capturing player.
The capturing player receives Omnium as unused equipment and parts are taken from the still intact ship.
100 Omnium for a Skein unit
500 Omnium for a Dreadnaught unit
1000 Omnium for a Colossi unit
Captured Targets of Opportunity give additional bonuses and uses -
Trade or Convoy tagged units can be ransomed for 5x their fleet cost (or more depending on the ransoming unit)
Scientific tagged units can be made to attach to a Rhexis, anomaly or installation, providing half the normal bonuses associated with it. Their presence is represented on the map by a GS token instead of their figurine
Salvage tagged units can be made to automatically generate Omnium during combat in addition to destroyed targets. If parts or equipment are destroyed, an extra 20% salvage is acquired during that combat phase.
If an action or ability requires, or generates, non-GS items; these are ignored and or discarded.
Using boosting, repair or other support abilities affects the hosting GS unit, not the captured unit(s).
If a unit is destroyed, the destroying player gets a 50% bonus on salvage.
Any captured unit may be destroyed by the capturing player, starting on the turn following their capture.
This does not award bonus salvage
Capturing an enemy is a three piece conditional process:
The enemy must be at or below half health
This can include temporary effects
This is based off of a summation of their total HP, Armor and Shields
These values are “locked in” immediately following capture, when totaling up stat bonuses to be added to a host GS unit
A Narghile tagged unit must be intact and on the battlefield
If a Command unit, must be within 10 Hexes
If equipment, ability or skill must be off of cooldown
Capturing Unit must also have the Capture tag
Capture Equipment takes up special ammo slots
Must not be on cooldown
Must make successful, opposed rolls
Stats and bonuses are applied from either or both the capturing unit and its target, these are player versus player rolls
Rolls are as follows
MIG - DC 22
INT - DC 22
SYS - DC 22
All Rolls must succeed, during the same round
The Capturing unit’s fleet cannot attempt multiple captures of the same unit on the same round, unless stated on their unit card.
Another faction member may attempt to do so provided they meet all other criteria
Limitations and Caveats
The Syndicate cannot utilize fleet actions, except for Reload.
Salvage and Omnium work differently with Syndicate members, see the “Raid Reuse Reduce” section.
Syndicate fleets have additional constraints as expressed on individual story modules. These include only allowing certain unit types, strange or offbeat victory conditions and more.
They have a universal Victory Condition, adding 2% to their Victory Percentage:
RRR a command tagged unit and capture a Maven from the same faction. This is in addition to any other available Victory Conditions.
Glimmelschlager Syndicate
Duodecim Gnatus
Skein units of this faction can be catapulted, “thrown”, by Dreadnaughts and Colossi units. Dreadnaughts throw units at a base speed of 2 hexes per turn, Colossi units at a base speed of 3. Specific units and VIPs can modify these values
Skein units are placed with desired Dreadnaught and Colossi units in pre-deployment, or move to them during battle. When a Skein class DG unit gets within one hex of its target, it may attempt an Attachment:
DC is MIG. Base value if not specified on the unit card is 18 +(MIG Bonus)
Successfully Attaching allows the unit to move with the affected target
This status grants +10 to Strike Chance and ignores 3 DR
Passively, this status also does 7 Anticuus damage every round
To break this status, the affected unit must make a second DC MIG check, (base 20)
Plasmids
Plasmid Nurseries
Plasmids have a unique ability to colonize stars. This drives their reproduction, creating a “sea” of non-combatant plasmids that encircle a host star, slowly draining it of fissable materials. They only undertake such colonization when multiple suitable stars are in close enough proximity that they won’t run out of food before their young can traverse the Plasmid Sea to become fully sentient. To this end, all Plasmids contribute by identifying compatible systems and preparing them for colonization. This is represented in game by the Plasmids spending turns and Omnium.
Maps that meet these conditions that are Story/Campaign, are marked as such ahead of time. Encounter or other maps may not be. Players will spend the following:
A dreadnaught unit must visit each identified star and construct a Plasmid Nursery. This takes 4 turns, and costs 250 Omnium a turn. This burns the dreadnaught’s movement phase during the construction, but the unit may undertake combat actions. A Skein unit may contribute double the Omnium at 1 hex adjacency and cut the number of turns in half.
Successfully creating, and defending a Nursery, in as such that play progresses to the next map, generates 2% VP for this faction, and generates 1d6 additional Skein, 1d3 Dreadnaught, and 1 additional Colossi unit on subsequent maps. There are no limits to how many reinforcements can be made available this way.