The Complete Rulebook

The Fabled Star

Cosmology · Before Reckoning

Hear now the oldest truth. Before the first throne was raised. Before the first fleet crossed the dark. Before memory learned its own name. There was the One Star. Alone.

Not a sun among suns. Not a god among gods. The First Light. The First Will. The beginning from which all life, all hope, and all purpose would descend.

For an age beyond all reckoning, it burned alone within the endless silence. Within its brilliance slumbered every world yet unborn, every soul yet imagined, every kingdom, every triumph, every sorrow.

And the One Star came to know the greatest truth. Creation demands sacrifice. To remain whole was to remain alone. To give life was to surrender eternity. So it chose to break itself.

Its light became the stars. Its breath became the heavens. Its memory became time. Its dreams became worlds. Its heart became the Shards.

The Shards

Artifacts · Age of Light

Across the newborn galaxy they scattered, each carrying a fragment of the First Will. Some bore courage. Some bore wisdom. Some bore justice. Some bore sacrifice. Some carried mysteries no mortal soul was ever meant to comprehend.

Thus began the Age of Light. Yet the Shards endured even as the dark rose against them — fragments of the First Star blazing against impossible darkness.

Their light carved pathways where none should exist. Their radiance held the abyss at bay. The children of the First Star crossed the heavens guided not by stars, but by broken ones.

If the Shards are united, the Light may become whole again. But should the Void seize them first, creation itself will be undone.

The Void

Cosmology · Ongoing

Beyond the last star, beyond the edge of memory, beyond the reach of time itself, lies the Void. Not emptiness. Not death. But the absence of creation.

An endless abyss that rejects all things born of the First Light. It cannot create. It cannot dream. It cannot love. It can only unmake.

For as long as a single star burns, the Void has failed. Since the birth of creation it has raged an eternal war against the Light.

The Void births horrors without number. Living eclipses. Kings of ash. Sun-eaters. Choirs whose songs unravel the minds of those who listen. Things without names, because no language survives those who behold them.

The Unmade

Enemies · Ongoing

Within the Void's infinite darkness dwell the Unmade. Ancient beings woven from oblivion itself. They possess no souls. They cast no true shadows. They leave no footprints upon history.

Where they pass, reality frays. Light withers. Hope dies. Memory dissolves.

They do not wage war for territory. They do not seek kingdoms. They do not hunger for power. Their only purpose is annihilation.

Entire armadas have crossed into the darkness only to return centuries later. Their hulls untouched. Their crews stood smiling from flayed bodies of their own doing — unable to feel pain, unable to remember what it means to live. The Void had remembered them. And remade them.

The Beacons

History · Age of Light

For thousands upon thousands of years the Light held. Empires rose beneath the Beacons. Great fleets defended the sacred lanes. Kings swore oaths before the Shards.

Still the Void waited. Patient. Watching. Learning. Its hatred never diminished. Its hunger never slept.

Now the ancient balance begins to fail. Forgotten Beacons ignite once more. Dormant Shards awaken beneath abandoned worlds. Ancient bloodlines hear voices carried through dreams. Fleet augurs chart impossible movements beyond the last light.

The Shard War

History · The Age of Broken Light

And in the endless darkness, the Unmade stir. The abyss opens. The legions of oblivion gather. The oldest enemy marches once more.

For they know what mortals have forgotten: the scattered heart of the First Star is awakening.

Should the Void seize the Shards, creation will not be burned, nor conquered. It will be forgotten — as though it had never existed. The stars will fade. Time will unravel. Hope will become a memory with no one left to remember it.

The age of waiting is over. The Beacons burn. The Void rises. The Shards awaken. And across the heavens, every empire prepares for the final war between Creation and Oblivion. This is the Shard War. This is the Age of Broken Light.

1Core Statistics

Core Rules

Every unit card uses the stat line M · BS · D · SH · AC · HP · LD · CR · T.

Rule

All unit cards use the following stat order: M (Movement), BS (Ballistic Skill), D (Dodge), SH (Shields), AC (Armor Class), HP (Hull Points), LD (Leadership), CR (Crew), T (Tonnage). A characteristic shown as — indicates the unit does not possess that characteristic.

In play

Stat limits: Movement max 12/12, min 3. Ballistic Skill best 3+, worst 10+. Dodge best 3+, worst —. Shields max 20, min —. Armor Class best 3+, worst —. Hull Points min 1. Leadership is Target/Dice, best 3/10, worst 10/1. Crew is Target/Dice, best 3/10, worst 10/1.

Example

LD 5/4 means roll 4 dice; each die equal to or greater than 5 is a success.

Designer note

Target/Dice characteristics let two ships share a profile shape while feeling completely different at the table.

FAQ

• What does a dash mean on a card? The unit does not possess that characteristic at all.
• Is Tonnage used for anything besides ramming? Yes — Tonnage determines objective control.

2Universal Dice Rules

Core Rules

Natural 1s and 2s always fail. Natural 10s are Critical Hits.

Rule

Natural rolls of 1 and 2 always fail. Natural rolls of 10 are Critical Hits. Critical Hits cannot be Dodged, still affect Shields, apply all normal weapon effects, and may gain additional effects from the weapon's Type or other in-game occurrences, such as Explosions, Boarding, Leadership rolls, and Ramming, to name a few.

In play

Fabled Star is a d10 system. Because 1s and 2s auto-fail, no amount of modifiers ever makes an attack certain, and because 10s always crit, no target is ever completely safe.

Example

A BS 4+ unit rolling 2, 4, 10, 1 scores one normal hit and one Critical Hit; the 2 and 1 auto-fail.

Designer note

Auto-fail and auto-crit bookends keep swing in every roll without needing a separate confirmation step.

FAQ

• Can a Critical Hit be dodged? No. Criticals cannot be Dodged, but they still interact with Shields.
• Does a modifier let a 2 succeed? Never — 1 and 2 always fail regardless of modifiers.

3Unit Classes

Core Rules

Ten classes, each with set base counts, weapon systems, Orders, and Abilities.

Rule

Bases per unit: Fighter 4, Bomber 3, Escort 2, Frigate 2, Destroyer 1, Cruiser 1, Battleship 1, Capital Ship 1, Carrier 1, Dreadnought 1.

In play

Weapon Systems by class: Fighter 1, Bomber 1, Escort 1, Frigate 2, Destroyer 2, Cruiser 2, Battleship 3, Capital Ship 3, Carrier 3, Dreadnought 4. Orders by class: Fighter/Bomber/Escort/Frigate 0, Destroyer 1, Cruiser 1, Battleship 1, Capital Ship 2, Carrier 1, Dreadnought 3. Abilities by class: all classes 1, except Capital Ship 2 and Dreadnought 2.

Example

A Dreadnought fields a single base with 4 weapon systems, 3 Orders and 2 Abilities.

Designer note

Small classes are squadrons; large classes are command platforms. Orders are the dividing line between them.

FAQ

• Can a Fighter issue Orders? No — Fighters, Bombers, Escorts and Frigates have 0 Orders.

4Dogfighters (Universal Fighter Class Rule)

Core Rules

Every Fighter has Dogfighters for free — it never consumes the Fighter's single ability slot.

Rule

Dogfighters: each remaining Fighter base contributes 1 Attack with its Fighter weapon. When targeting a unit whose bases are 40mm or smaller, each remaining Fighter base instead contributes 2 Attacks. Fighter weapons also have a maximum range of 6".

In play

Dogfighters is a Universal Fighter Class Rule: it is printed on every Fighter unit at no cost and does not use the Fighter's one printed ability slot, leaving that slot free for faction identity. Because attacks scale with surviving bases, offensive output degrades naturally as casualties are removed.

Example

A standard four-base Fighter squadron generates: 4 bases — 4 attacks (8 vs ≤40mm targets); 3 bases — 3 attacks (6); 2 bases — 2 attacks (4); 1 base — 1 attack (2).

Designer note

Making Dogfighters universal keeps small-craft duels lethal while leaving each faction's Fighter ability slot open for identity — the Myr-Valari Veilwing, for example, spends its slot on Dodge/BS tricks.

FAQ

• Does Dogfighters use the Fighter's ability slot? No. It is a Universal Fighter Class Rule and is always free.
• Which targets trigger the doubled attacks? Any unit whose bases are 40mm or smaller — including other Fighters, Bombers and Escorts.

5Precision Strike (Universal Bomber Rule)

Core Rules

Every Bomber has Precision Strike for free — it never consumes the Bomber's faction ability slot.

Rule

Precision Strike: each surviving Bomber base contributes 1 Attack with its torpedo weapon. When targeting a unit whose bases are 50mm or larger, the torpedoes gain +1 Attack per remaining Bomber base. Bomber torpedoes have a maximum range of 6".

In play

Precision Strike is printed on every Bomber at no cost and leaves the single faction ability slot free for identity. Bombers also follow Squad Leader and Cohesion, and can never control objectives.

Example

A full three-base squadron makes 3 attacks normally, or 6 attacks against 50mm+ bases; at 2 bases it is 2/4, at 1 base 1/2.

Designer note

Bombers punch up: they are weak against small craft but devastating against capital hulls, mirroring Dogfighters on the Fighter side.

FAQ

• Does Precision Strike use the Bomber's ability slot? No. It is a Universal Bomber Rule and is always free.
• Which targets trigger the bonus attacks? Any unit whose bases are 50mm or larger.

6Launch Bays

Core Rules

Launch Bays deploy Fighters; they do not regenerate them. Fighter restoration is a Carrier-only capability.

Rule

Capacity: a Launch Bay Tier ship may begin the battle with 1 Fighter unit embarked per Tier. Launch: the Launch Bay ship's base is treated as the controlling player's battlefield edge when launching its embarked Fighter unit; the Fighter enters using its normal movement rules and becomes an independent unit after launch. No Fighter Regeneration: a normal Launch Bay cannot restore destroyed Fighter bases. Destroyed While Embarked: if the Launch Bay ship is destroyed while a Fighter unit remains embarked, that embarked unit is destroyed.

In play

This supersedes the older Launch Bay text that allowed base restoration. Launch Bays are deployment platforms only. Fighter restoration/regeneration is instead a Carrier-specific capability and is never inherent to a Launch Bay Tier. Embarked units are not on the battlefield, cannot be targeted, cannot contest objectives, contribute no Tonnage and do not count for Initiative.

Example

Launch Bay Tier 1: This unit may embark 1 Fighter unit. When launched, treat this unit's base as the controlling player's battlefield edge and resolve entry using the Fighter's normal movement rules. If this unit is destroyed while the Fighter remains embarked, the embarked Fighter unit is destroyed.

Designer note

Separating deployment from recovery gives the Carrier class a distinct logistical identity instead of making every Launch Bay hull a repair station.

FAQ

• Can a Launch Bay restore destroyed Fighter bases? No. Only Carriers may recover or restore Fighter units.
• What happens to an embarked Fighter if the host dies? It is destroyed along with the ship.

7Movement & Movement Sticks

Manoeuvre

All movement is measured with 3", 6", 9" and 12" sticks.

Rule

Place the chosen movement stick against the front edge of the base, move the base along the stick, and stop anywhere along it. A full move ends with the rear edge of the base touching the far end of the stick.

In play

Units with an A/B movement value may combine both values into one continuous movement path. Combined Movement is primarily used to move over obstacles, clear terrain, and prevent bases ending movement on terrain.

Example

Combined Movement totals: 9/6 = 15", 6/6 = 12", 9/9 = 18", 6/3 = 9".

Designer note

Sticks remove tape measures from the manoeuvre phase entirely — the table stays fast.

FAQ

• Must I move the full stick? No. A unit may stop anywhere along the stick.
• Is Combined Movement two moves? No — it is a single continuous movement path.

8Squad Leaders & Cohesion

Manoeuvre

Multi-base units move from the Squad Leader and must stay in an unbroken chain.

Rule

One base in the unit is designated the Squad Leader. All movement measurements are taken from the Squad Leader. After moving the Squad Leader, every remaining base must touch at least one other base in the unit and maintain a continuous chain of contact back to the Squad Leader.

In play

Applies to Fighters, Bombers, Escorts and Frigates. Casualties are removed so that the Squad Leader is always the last base removed. If only the Squad Leader remains, the unit continues functioning normally.

Example

Valid: Leader ↔ Base ↔ Base ↔ Base. Invalid: Leader ↔ Base Base ↔ Base.

Designer note

A lone surviving Squad Leader still fights at full function — squadrons die hard.

FAQ

• Can the Squad Leader be removed early? No — it must be the last base removed.

9Action Points & Actions

Actions

Every activated unit receives 2 AP to spend on Move, Fire, Shields Back Online, Aim, Brace, Scan, Board or Ram.

Rule

Each activated unit receives 2 AP. Each action may only be performed once unless a rule states otherwise. Move (1 AP): move up to the unit's movement value; a unit with #/# may spend another AP to move again using the second number, or spend 2 AP to combine values into one long movement. Fire (1 AP): fire any or all weapon systems; only 1 AP per turn may be spent on Fire.

In play

Shields Back Online — 1 AP: see the dedicated Shield Recharge rule. Aim — 1 AP: pick one weapon system and improve BS by 1 for the next Fire action (never beyond 3+). Brace — 1 AP: improve AC by 1 until the next activation. Scan — 1 AP: make an LD roll to reveal Stealth units by beating their Stealth Difficulty, interact with objectives by beating their Objective Difficulty, or resolve mission effects. Board — 1 AP: requires CR, a target within 3", and the target's SH reduced to 0. Ram — 1 AP: requires Tonnage and base contact.

Example

A Frigate spends 1 AP to Move 6" and 1 AP to Fire both weapon systems.

Designer note

Two AP forces a real choice every activation: reposition, shoot, or protect.

FAQ

• Can I fire twice in one activation? No — only 1 AP per turn may be spent on Fire.
• Can I move twice? Yes, if the unit has an A/B movement value; the second move uses the second value.

10Shield Recharge

Actions

Action Cost: 1 AP — roll 4d10 at 7+/x4 to restore missing SH.

Rule

A unit with one or more missing Shield (SH) points may perform a Shields Back Online action. Spend 1 AP and roll 4d10. For each successful roll of 7+, restore 1 missing SH to the unit. A unit cannot restore more SH than its current maximum Shield value.

In play

Combined Shields: for a multi-base unit using Combined Shields, restored SH is returned to the unit's Combined Shield pool. The unit cannot restore its Combined Shields above the maximum allowed by its current number of surviving bases. Destroyed bases do not contribute SH to this maximum.

Example

A unit has SH 8 but currently has only 3 SH remaining. It spends 1 AP to perform Shields Back Online and rolls: 3 · 7 · 8 · 10. Three dice succeed on 7+. The unit restores 3 SH, increasing its current Shields from 3 to 6.

Designer note

Capping restoration at the current maximum prevents overshielding, while the fixed 4d10 pool keeps the action predictable and fast to resolve.

FAQ

• Can a unit with full shields perform Shields Back Online? No — it must have one or more missing SH points.
• Does a destroyed base still contribute to maximum SH? No — destroyed bases do not contribute SH to the maximum.

11Combat & Fire Sequence

Combat

Declare, roll BS, dodge, shields, armour, damage, destruction.

Rule

1. Declare Weapon/Weapon Systems. 2. Declare Targets. 3. Roll BS. 4. Resolve Dodge. 5. Resolve Shields. 6. Roll AC. 7. Apply HP Damage. 8. Resolve Destruction.

In play

Attacks may be allocated among any targets you have attacks for. For each successful hit the target rolls Dodge; each successful Dodge cancels one hit, and Critical Hits cannot be Dodged. Remaining hits are applied to Shields, removing 1 SH each unless modified by weapon effects. Weapon type effects are then applied before AC is rolled and HP damage assigned.

Example

A Pulse Laser — Ion, 9", Dmg 2, 4 Attacks may target up to four separate units within 9", in any combination.

Designer note

One declaration step, one allocation step — split fire is a first-class tactic, not an exception.

FAQ

• Do Shields stop Criticals? Criticals cannot be Dodged, but they still affect Shields.
• Can attacks be split? Yes — allocate attacks among any legal targets in range.

12Weapons & Weapon Types

Combat

Weapon Name — Type, Range, Dmg, Attacks. Five types: Energy, Auto, Piercing, Ion, Blast.

Rule

Weapon profiles are written as: Weapon Name — Type, Range, Dmg, Attacks. Example: Pulse Laser — Ion, 9", 2, 4. Damage is rated 1 to 5.

In play

E — Energy: when rolling one or more Critical Hits, reduce target Dodge by 1 to a maximum of 1. A — Auto: each Critical Hit generates +1 additional hit. P — Piercing: reduce target AC by 1; Critical Hits reduce target AC by 2. I — Ion: remove 2 SH per hit; Critical Hits remove 1 additional Shield per hit. B — Blast: multiply attacks by the number of bases in the target unit.

Example

Standard range bands are the only legal ranges: 3", 6", 9", 12", 15", 18", 21", 24", 27", 30" — applying to weapons, abilities, Orders, auras and mission effects.

Designer note

Fixed range bands mean every measuring stick on the table doubles as a range check.

FAQ

• Can a weapon have a 10" range? No — only the standard range bands may be used.
• How does Blast scale? Attacks are multiplied by the number of bases in the target unit.

13Boarding & Ramming

Combat

Crew-on-crew actions at 3", and Tonnage-driven collisions in base contact.

Rule

Boarding requires both units to have CR, the target's SH to be 0, and the target within 3". Both players roll CR and compare successes; ties go to the defender. If the attacker wins, the defender takes HP damage equal to the difference (some factions may make a Dodge save). If the defender wins, the attacker is repelled.

In play

Ramming requires base contact. The ramming unit rolls dice equal to its Tonnage; each 5+ scores a hit. The defender makes a Dodge roll if applicable, and any hits left over are taken by both attacker and defender. These hits ignore Shields. If the target has moved 3" or more, ramming hits are scored on a 4+.

Example

A Tonnage 6 Cruiser rams and rolls six dice, scoring three hits on 5+; both ships take the undodged hits.

Designer note

Ramming hurts the rammer too — it should always feel like a decision made in desperation.

FAQ

• Who wins a tied boarding roll? The defender.
• Can you board a shielded ship? No — the target's SH must be reduced to 0 first.

14Round Sequence

Turn Structure

Command Phase, Initiative Phase, Activation Phase, End Phase.

Rule

Each round runs: 1. Command Phase — start of round abilities, Command Point generation, Order generation, ongoing effects. 2. Initiative Phase — both players select a unit with LD and roll it; most successes gains Initiative. 3. Activation Phase — players alternate activating units. 4. End Phase — objective control and end of round effects.

In play

Initiative tie breakers, in order: lower LD target number wins, then more LD dice wins, then re-roll. The winner chooses First or Second Activation. On activation a unit enters the battlefield if not already in play, gains 2 AP, spends AP on actions, then resolves end of activation effects such as Burning, status effects and ability triggers.

Example

Round 1: roll Initiative. Player A activates a Fighter which enters from the board edge and moves 15" using Combined Movement. Player B activates a Frigate, entering and moving 9". Play continues alternating.

Designer note

No units begin on the battlefield, which naturally creates an opening approach phase of the battle.

FAQ

• Who picks activation order? The player who wins Initiative chooses First or Second Activation.
• Do units start deployed? No — every unit begins off the battlefield and enters on its first activation.

15Activation Advantage & Action Tokens

Turn Structure

Losses are compensated with Action Tokens so activation counts stay fair.

Rule

At the start of each round, if one player has lost more units than their opponent, they gain Action Tokens equal to the difference. During the Activation Phase an Action Token may be spent instead of activating a unit.

In play

Only units lost are counted, not the total number of units in each fleet. This prevents activation imbalance as fleets are ground down at different rates.

Example

Player A has lost 2 units and Player B has lost 1, so Player A gains 1 Action Token.

Designer note

Compensating for losses rather than list size keeps horde and elite fleets equally playable.

FAQ

• Do I get tokens for having fewer units? No — only for having lost more units than your opponent.

16Leadership & Orders

Command

LD is Target/Dice and drives Initiative, Orders, objectives and abilities.

Rule

Leadership is written Target Number / Dice. With LD 5/4 you roll 4 dice and each result of 5 or more is a success. Leadership is used for Initiative, Orders, objective interactions, scenario actions and special abilities.

In play

Orders are tactical directives available to larger ships and are not Command Points. Each unit may issue a number of Orders equal to its Orders characteristic during its activation, and the Orders available are printed on the unit card. Orders by class: Destroyer 1, Cruiser 1, Battleship 1, Capital Ship 2, Carrier 1, Dreadnought 2. Orders may target friendly units within 12" unless stated otherwise.

Example

Example Orders — Full Burn: +3" to the target's next Move. Lock Target: +1 BS against one enemy unit until end of round (never beyond 3+). Brace Positions: reroll failed AC rolls. Hold Formation: ignore cohesion penalties until end of round. Emergency Power: restore +1 SH, not exceeding starting SH.

Designer note

Orders define the command identity of every ship from Destroyers through Dreadnoughts — far more than statlines do.

FAQ

• Are Orders paid for with CP? No — Orders are not Command Points.
• What is the default Order range? 12" to friendly units, unless the Order states otherwise.

17Deployment & Battlefield Setup

Battlefield

Board sizes, terrain placement, alternating deployment, and reserves.

Rule

Battlefield sizes: Skirmish (500) 3' × 3'; Standard (1000) 4' × 4'; Battle (2000) 44" × 60". Before deployment: place objectives, place terrain, determine deployment zones, roll Initiative, deploy fleets.

In play

Recommended terrain is 4–6 pieces on a Standard table and 6–8 on a Battle table. Each player deploys by entering on their board edge, and no unit may move on from outside this zone unless a special rule allows it. The player without Initiative deploys first, then players alternate placing units. Multi-base units deploy the Squad Leader first with remaining bases placed in legal cohesion. Units with Launch Bays, Deep Strike abilities or scenario reserve rules must begin off the battlefield and enter according to their rules.

Example

A 1000 point Standard game is played on 4' × 4' with 4–6 terrain pieces and 5–8 objectives.

Designer note

Board edge entry replaces deployment zones, so the first two rounds are a real approach.

FAQ

• Who deploys first? The player without Initiative.

18Entering the Battlefield

Battlefield

Fabled Star has no deployment zones — fleets arrive from the board edge on first activation.

Rule

All units begin off the battlefield. When a unit enters for the first time, place the appropriate movement stick so that one end touches the player's battlefield edge, then move the unit along the stick using normal movement rules. The unit may stop anywhere along the stick; a full move ends with the rear of the base touching the far end. This counts as the unit's Move action for that activation.

In play

A unit entering play may use its full Movement characteristic, including Combined Movement, and is treated exactly as if it had begun the game on the battlefield. Multi-base units place the Squad Leader along the stick first, then place remaining bases in legal cohesion. The player's battlefield edge remains a valid position for entry throughout the game.

Example

A Fighter with M 9/6 places a 9" stick against its board edge, moves onto the table, then may spend remaining AP to move a further 6" — or use Combined Movement for 15".

Designer note

A unit does not simply appear touching the board edge — it moves on, and that movement is spent.

FAQ

• Can I hold units back? Yes — a unit not yet on the battlefield may be chosen as an activation at any point.
• Does entry cost AP? It counts as the unit's Move action for that activation.

19Terrain, Cover & Line of Sight

Battlefield

Asteroid fields, debris, void rifts, stations and gravitic anomalies.

Rule

Asteroid Field: blocks movement paths, provides Cover. Debris Field: does not block movement, dangerous terrain. Void Rift: dangerous terrain, scenario dependent. Station: blocks movement and Line of Sight. Gravitic Anomaly: scenario effect, pushes or pulls nearby ships.

In play

If terrain obscures any amount of a target, the target gains Cover: -1 BS to the attacking player. A unit has Line of Sight if a straight line can be drawn from any point of its base to any point of the target base without crossing blocking terrain. Friendly and enemy ship bases do not block Line of Sight.

Example

A Cruiser shooting a Frigate half-hidden behind an asteroid field attacks at -1 BS.

Designer note

Ships never block each other's fire — the third dimension is assumed, and gunlines stay readable.

FAQ

• Do ships block Line of Sight? No — only blocking terrain does.

20Objectives & Control

Battlefield

Tonnage within 3" decides control at the end of each round.

Rule

To contest an objective a unit must have LD and Tonnage. Fighters and Bombers may never claim objectives. At the end of each round, identify eligible units within 3" of the objective, add their Tonnage values, and the highest total controls it.

In play

Objectives must be placed more than 12" from another objective and more than 6" from a table edge. Recommended counts: 500 points — 3 objectives; 1000 points — 5–8; 2000 points — 8–12.

Example

Two Cruisers of Tonnage 5 each within 3" of an objective total 10 Tonnage and hold it against a Tonnage 8 Battleship.

Designer note

Tonnage-based control makes heavy hulls the true objective anchors, and screens genuinely valuable.

FAQ

• Can Fighters hold objectives? No — Fighters and Bombers may never claim objectives.
• When is control checked? At the end of each round, in the End Phase.

21The Command Board

Command

Every faction has a Command Board: 1 Faction Ability, CP generation, and 6 Command Abilities.

Rule

Every faction possesses a Command Board representing its battlefield doctrine and leadership structure. A Command Board consists of 1 Faction Ability, its CP Generation value, and 6 Command Abilities. Orders are not part of the Command Board — Orders are issued by individual ships during their activation. The Command Board represents the combined command capability of the entire fleet, not a specific commander, flagship, captain, or first officer.

In play

The Faction Ability is always active unless stated otherwise, costs no CP, and affects every unit in the faction. Command Points are generated at the start of each round, may be spent on Command Abilities, and are lost at the end of the round — CP may never be saved between rounds unless a rule states otherwise. Command Abilities are purchased with CP, may be used at the timing specified by their rules, and may only be used once per round unless stated otherwise. They never require Leadership tests. CP generation follows the faction's Command Doctrine: Light 2 CP, Standard 3 CP, Elite 4 CP per round; no faction may generate more than 4 CP per round unless a special rule states otherwise. Command Abilities are written as: Ability Name, CP Cost, Timing, Effect.

Example

MYR-VALARI COMMAND BOARD — Faction Ability: Veilstride Grace (reroll one failed Dodge roll per turn). CP Generation: 3 CP per round. Command Abilities: Ghost Signal (1 CP, before a friendly unit moves, +3" Movement for that Move); Veil Lure (1 CP, target friendly unit suffers -1 BS from enemy attacks until end of round); Starlit Feint (1 CP, target friendly unit rerolls one failed Dodge roll); Whisper Step (2 CP, target unit with T 5 or less immediately moves 3"); Luminous Rhythm (2 CP, target unit's Dodge becomes 8+ until end of round); Unseen Cascade (3 CP, after a friendly unit finishes activating, immediately activate another friendly unit). ||| CONSUMED COMMAND BOARD — The Hunger Within. Commander Burst 2 CP · First Officer Burst 1 CP · Total command capacity 3 CP per round. Faction Ability: The Hunger Reaches (always active, 0 CP) — Consumed units may Board enemy units within 6" instead of 3"; when a Consumed unit makes a CR roll during a Boarding action, Critical Hits are scored on 9+ and each counts as 2 successes; all other Boarding requirements, including SH 0, still apply, and a unit may only perform one Board action per activation. Command Abilities: Predatory Surge (1 CP, before Move, +3" to that Move — if it ends within 6" of an enemy with CR, gain +1 CR die until end of activation); Close the Distance (1 CP, before Fire, weapon systems with a maximum range of 9" or less reroll one failed attack roll); Blood Scent (1 CP, after Fire, gain +1 CR die against an enemy that suffered HP damage, applying only to a Boarding CR roll); Tendrils of the Hunger (2 CP, before Board, that unit's Boarding range becomes 9" — SH 0 still required unless overridden, and no additional Board action is granted); Feasting Frenzy (2 CP, start of friendly activation, that unit's single Board action costs 0 AP); Through the Veil (3 CP, before Board, ignore the requirement that the target's Shields be reduced to 0 — remaining Shields neither prevent Boarding nor absorb the resulting damage; requires the 2 CP Commander Burst and 1 CP First Officer Burst spent together). Consumed doctrine: CLOSE · BREACH · BOARD · CONSUME.

Designer note

The Command Board cleanly separates faction identity (Faction Ability), strategic resources (CP and Command Abilities), and ship command capability (Orders and LD). Status: locked in canon.

FAQ

• Do Orders come from the Command Board? No. Orders are ship-level and require Leadership tests; the Command Board is the fleet-wide strategic layer.
• Can I bank unspent CP? No — unused CP are lost at the end of the round unless a rule specifically says otherwise.
• Do Command Abilities need a Leadership test? Never. Only Orders require LD rolls.

Children of the First Light

Heirs of the Broken Star

The empires born of the One Star's sacrifice. Their fleets cross the heavens guided not by stars, but by broken ones.

Beacon Lanes — the light of the Shards carves pathways where none should exist.

The Unmade

Woven from Oblivion

Ancient beings of the Void. They possess no souls, cast no true shadows, and leave no footprints upon history.

Annihilation — they do not seek kingdoms or power; where they pass, reality frays.

Fighter Wing

Fighter · 60 pts · 4 bases · 0 order slots · 1 ability slot

Four bases moving as one from the Squad Leader. Fighters may never claim objectives. Dogfighters is free to every Fighter, leaving the single printed ability slot for faction identity. Offensive output degrades with casualties: 4 bases 4/8 attacks, 3 bases 3/6, 2 bases 2/4, 1 base 1/2.

Abilities: Squad Leader & Cohesion, Dogfighters (Universal Fighter Class Rule — does not use the Fighter's ability slot) — Fighter weapons have a maximum range of 6". Each remaining Fighter base contributes 1 Attack; when targeting a unit whose bases are 40mm or smaller, each remaining base instead contributes 2 Attacks.

Bomber Wing

Bomber · 75 pts · 3 bases · 0 order slots · 1 ability slot

Three bases moving as one from the Squad Leader. Each surviving Bomber contributes 1 Attack; Precision Strike adds +1 Attack per remaining base when targeting units on 50mm or larger bases (x3 normally, x6 against 50mm+). Precision Strike is free and leaves the single faction ability slot open. Bombers cannot control objectives.

Abilities: Precision Strike (Universal Bomber Rule), Squad Leader & Cohesion

Escort Squadron

Escort · 80 pts · 2 bases · 0 order slots · 1 ability slot

The smallest hull with Leadership and Tonnage — it can hold an objective, barely.

Abilities: Evasive Screen — when targeted by a ranged attack, if this unit moved during its previous activation it may reroll one failed Dodge roll against that attack., Combined Shields — each base contributes SH 2 (4 combined at full strength; maximum drops to 2 once a base is destroyed)., Squad Leader & Cohesion — the Squad Leader is the last base removed and all remaining bases keep a continuous chain of base-to-base contact to it., Objective Control — each remaining base contributes T 1, so a full squadron contributes T 2.

Frigate Squadron

Frigate · 110 pts · 2 bases · 0 order slots · 1 ability slot

The last class to use Squad Leaders, and the first with two weapon systems.

Abilities: Forward Observers — when a friendly unit targets an enemy unit within 6" of this unit, that friendly unit gains +1 BS against that enemy during its Fire action., Combined Shields — each base contributes SH 3, so a full squadron has 6 combined SH; if one base is destroyed maximum combined SH falls to 3., Squad Leader — one base is the Squad Leader and must be the last base removed., Cohesion — remaining bases maintain a continuous chain of base-to-base contact to the Squad Leader., Objective Control — each base contributes T 2, so a full-strength squadron contributes T 4.

Destroyer

Destroyer · 145 pts · 1 base · 1 order slot · 1 ability slot

The first class able to issue an Order — the beginning of command identity.

Orders: Attack Run — LD Difficulty 2, Range 12": target friendly unit gains +1 BS for one weapon system until the end of the round.

Abilities: Hit & Run — this unit may Move after performing a Fire action, overriding the normal restriction on moving after firing.

Cruiser

Cruiser · 190 pts · 1 base · 1 order slot · 1 ability slot

Cruiser · 1 base · 75mm. Launch Bay Tier 1: may embark 1 Fighter unit. When the embarked Fighter launches, treat this unit's base as the controlling player's battlefield edge and enter play using the Fighter's normal movement rules, including Combined Movement; the Fighter then becomes an independent unit with its own Squad Leader and cohesion. While embarked, the Fighter is not on the battlefield, cannot be targeted, cannot contest objectives and does not contribute to Initiative. If this unit is destroyed while a Fighter remains embarked, that Fighter is immediately destroyed. Launch Bay Tier 1 does not restore destroyed Fighter bases — regeneration is reserved for Carriers.

Orders: Full Burn

Abilities: Launch Bay Tier 1

Battleship

Battleship · 280 pts · 1 base · 1 order slot · 1 ability slot

Battleship · 1 base · 90mm. Single Base: SH 10 and HP 10 are tracked normally — Combined Shields and squadron casualty rules do not apply. Objective Control: contributes T 7 while within 3" of an objective and otherwise eligible to control it. The Celestial Lance Battery is the primary heavy anti-ship system, the Prismatic Ion Array strips shields to expose hulls, and the Starlight Auto Battery is a close-range defensive battery for lighter vessels.

Orders: Priority Target — LD Difficulty 4, Range 12": choose one enemy unit within 12" and place a Priority Target Token beside it. The next friendly unit to attack that enemy gains +1 BS with one weapon system for that attack. After that weapon system resolves its attacks, remove the token.

Abilities: Phase Matrix — at the start of this unit's Fire action, select one weapon system; that weapon system may reroll failed BS rolls during this Fire action.

Radiant Court

Capital Ship · 340 pts · 1 base · 1 order slot · 1 ability slot

Capital Ship · 1 base · 100mm. Single Base: SH 12 and HP 12 are tracked normally — Combined Shields and squadron casualty rules do not apply. Objective Control: contributes T 8 while within 3" of an objective and otherwise eligible to control it. The Radiant Lance Battery is the primary long-range anti-ship system, the Prismatic Ion Battery strips shields to prepare targets, and the Starlight Auto Battery handles close defence against lighter vessels.

Orders: Strategic Fire — LD Difficulty 4, Range 12": select 1 friendly unit within range, including the Radiant Court itself. During that unit's next Fire action this round, select one weapon system; that weapon system may reroll failed BS rolls.

Abilities: Void Harmonics — friendly units within 6" of this unit gain +1 LD die. The Radiant Court counts as a friendly unit to itself and therefore benefits from Void Harmonics.

Carrier

Carrier · 300 pts · 1 base · 1 order slot · 1 ability slot

A Carrier may transport up to 3 squadrons of Fighters, Bombers, or any combination of the two. Units held in its Launch Bays must begin off the battlefield and enter play by their own rules. Order: Recover Craft (Difficulty 3) — the Carrier may return 1 Fighter squadron to its launch bay. Place the Fighter squadron within the Carrier's launch bay. A squadron recovered in this way is considered to have already activated this turn and may not activate again this round.

Orders: Recover Craft

Abilities: Launch Bays (Reserves)

Dreadnought

Dreadnought · 480 pts · 1 base · 2 order slots · 2 ability slots

Four weapon systems, maximum Shields and the best Armor Class in the game — oblivion given a hull.

Orders: Emergency Power, Brace Positions

Abilities: Boarding (CR), Ram (T)

vJuly 30 — Core Rules Consolidation

2026-07-30

• Stat line locked to M · BS · D · SH · AC · HP · LD · CR · T.
• Stat limits revised: Movement max 12/12, Shields max 20, Dodge best 3+, LD and CR best 3/10.
• Critical Hits still affect Shields and cannot be Dodged.
• Action Points fixed at 2 per activation; only 1 AP per turn may be spent on Fire.
• Shield Recharge added: 7+ for 1 AP, 6+ for 2 AP.
• Ramming clarified: hits on 5+, or 4+ if the target moved 3" or more; hits ignore Shields.

vJuly 30 — Battlefield — Fleet Entry Deployment

2026-07-30

• Traditional deployment zones removed — all units begin off the battlefield.
• Units enter along a movement stick placed against their battlefield edge.
• Objective control now totals Tonnage of eligible units within 3".
• Cover standardised to -1 BS; ship bases never block Line of Sight.

vJuly 30 — Command — Leadership & Orders

2026-07-30

• Leadership formalised as Target/Dice and used for Initiative, Orders and objectives.
• Orders are not Command Points; each unit issues Orders equal to its Orders characteristic.
• Default Order range set to 12".
• Action Tokens added to offset activation imbalance from losses.