Setup
Use the Advanced Set-up from the Rules with the following changes:
Place Starting Leaders
Gather the four leaders that do not have a recruit icon and places them in the box labeled “Leader Pool”
The Empire starts with five Leaders. Recruit the 5th by drawing one Action Card (keep drawing until the Empire acquires the additional Leader)
Prepare Time Track
Then place the time marker on space “1” of the track and the reputation marker on space “14” of the track
Prepare Objective Deck
Sort the objective cards into three piles based on the number shown on the card back (I, II, or III)
Remove the “Heart of the Empire” (Level II) Objective card
Draw one card from the objective deck
Prepare Action Decks
Gather all action cards that have a recruit icon and shuffle them to create two action decks. Place them facedown next to each faction sheet on the side labeled “Action Deck.”
Prepare Mission Cards
Starting Missions: Starting mission cards are identified by a curved arrow at the bottom of the card. For both sides take four starting mission cards and set them aside.
Remaining Missions: For both sides take the remaining mission cards and shuffles them to create the mission deck. Place it facedown next to each faction sheet on the side labeled “Mission Deck.”
Shuffle one of each of the five different Project cards into the Empire’s Main Missions Deck.
Place Starting Units and Loyalty
Loyalty
Shuffle the probe deck and reveal cards from the top of the deck until three Rebel systems and five Imperial systems have been revealed
Place a Rebel loyalty marker in each of the three Rebel systems. Place a subjugation marker in the first two Imperial systems drawn and an Imperial loyalty marker in each of the other three Imperial systems drawn
Return the five Imperial probe cards to the game box. Then shuffle all other probe cards back into the probe deck
Empire Deployment
Deploy the Empire Units as follows (use D6, as needed):
- 2 TIE Fighters & 2 Stormtroopers in each of the initial six Systems
- Randomly deploy 3 Star Destroyers in 3 separate Systems (1 each); deploy 3 Assault Carriers in the remaining 3 Systems
- Randomly deploy 1 AT-AT to a System; then deploy 5 AT-STs (1 per System) in the remaining 5 Systems
- Randomly deploy the Death Star
Place a Death Star on space 3 of the build queue and the in-construction Death Star, a subjugation marker, 4 TIE Fighters and 1 Stormtrooper in one of the 6 neutral single-triangle resource systems chosen at random from: Felucia, Kessel, Malastare, Alderaan, Rodia or Ryloth, return its probe card to the game box
- 2 Stormtroopers in each of the 6 Systems
- Randomly deploy 3 Star Destroyers in 3 separate Systems (1 each); deploy 3 Assault Carriers in the remaining 3 Systems
- Place a TIE Fighter in each system except Coruscant, then randomly add TIE striker to 2 of those five and a TIE Fighter to the remaining 3.
- Randomly place 2 Assault Tanks and 4 AT-STs in each of the 6 systems (1 per system)
- Randomly place an AT-AT in one of the 5 systems - not Coruscant
Rebel Deployment
The Rebel player receives:
- 1 Corellian Corvette
- 1 Rebel Transport
- 2 X-wings
- 2 Y-wings
- 6 Rebel Troopers
- 2 Airspeeders
- 1 Corellian Corvette
- 1 Rebel Transport
- 1 X-wing
- 1 Y-wing
- 1 U-wing
- 5 Rebel Troopers
- 2 Airspeeders
- 1 Rebel Vanguard
These units can be placed in the “Rebel Base” space of the game board and/or in any one Rebel or neutral system
Action Cards
For both sides draw two random starting action cards (i.e., the action cards without a recruit icon on them). These cards provide special, once-per-game abilities
Rebel Base
The Solo Player chooses the Rebel Base’s location from among the 8 Remote Systems, after placing all Starting Units and Loyalty Markers. The Empire knows it is located in one of these Systems (acquired vital information through its intelligence networks), and will aggressively search for it
Draw Starting Hand
Take the four starting missions and draw two cards from the mission deck to create your starting hand
Assign Leaders to Missions
Rebel player assigns leaders to missions
Create Mission Deck
Draw a specified number of Missions (see Missions Table, below) shuffle the drawn cards, and place them in a facedown pile, forming the Initial Missions Deck
Play Action Cards
Roll a D6:
1-3:
The Empire does not use its Assignment Action Card
4-6:
The Empire uses its Assignment Action Card
The Empire plays all Action Cards designated as playable during the Assignment Phase
Play Missions
Starting with the Rebel player, alternate taking turns
Play Missions / Activate Systems
Rebel player can reveal missions or active systems
Establishing a New Base
The Rebels may establish a new Base similar to the normal procedure. First, return all Probe cards of uncontrolled (no Imperial Ground Units there) Remote Systems from the Empire’s stack to the Probe deck, and shuffle it. Second, the Rebels draw the usual number of cards up to a maximum of the difference between the Turn and Reputation Markers, and establish a new Base in any Remote System drawn. Third, the Empire returns to searching for the Rebel Base as it did prior to revealing the base. Finally, place the Gather Intel card back into the Starting Missions Deck
Opposing Rebel Missions
Only if there are more Imperial Leaders than unrevealed Initial Mission cards, the Empire may issue an order (on a D6 result of 4+) to send their “best” qualified Leader to oppose a Rebel Mission. If no Leader has matching Skill icons, the Leader with the fewest total number of Skill icons becomes eligible
Join a Battle
Only if there are more Imperial Leaders than unrevealed Initial Mission cards, the Empire will send an eligible Leader to join the battle with either no Leader or one possessing no Tactics Value(s). Prioritize eligible Leaders with a “Start of Combat” Action card and either the highest combined Tactics Values (if both Theaters) or the highest Tactic Value (in the appropriate Theater)
Play Initial Missions
The Empire always complete Initial Missions first before Activating Systems for movement
Undertaking Initial Missions: Flip over the top Mission from the deck and assign the “best” qualified Leader (pictured Leader or the Leader possessing the most matching Skill icons)
If a Mission proves unplayable (no appropriate Leader or for any reason), select a new Mission from the appropriate Deck and place all unfulfilled Mission cards at the bottom of their respective Decks
If a mission cannot be performed due to circumstances that may change (e.g. no leaders captured yet, Death Star hasn't moved), put the card at the bottom of the Initial Missions Deck. Reserve the leader who would have undertaken the mission. Once all other Initial Missions and movement have taken place, attempt to resolve any unplayable mission(s) with reserved leader(s). If the mission(s) still cannot be performed, draws a new mission(s)
scienceSelect Mission locations based on either the Empire’s Card Decision Making List or the System with the Highest Production Value.
Capturing Leaders
A captured Rebel Leader is considered a Ground Unit, and held captive by the strongest Imperial Space Unit currently in the System where he/she is located
Acquiring Project Cards
Any Projects acquired during the game are placed face-down (without looking at them) beside the Main Missions Deck, and are placed on top of the deck after it is reshuffled at the end of the Command Phase
Activate Systems
The Empire may, having undertaken all initial Missions, use Leaders to Activate Systems (Move Units) to the nearest PRB(s) or Revealed Rebel Base
Movement Rules
Before moving, roll a D6
1-3:
Move the Empire's Units to the closest system that contains the rebel pieces. Prioritize: Loyal Systems > largest fleet
4-6:
Move the Empire’s Units by the shortest possible route toward the nearest unexplored (Probe Card not yet obtained) Remote System (also known as the Possible Rebel Base [PRB]) and will attack any rebel ships in their way.
Move the Empire’s Units by the shortest possible route toward the nearest unexplored (Probe Card not yet obtained) Remote System (also known as the Possible Rebel Base [PRB]) and will attack any rebel ships in their way.
When moving into a System, the Empire will move all Units from adjacent Systems into the Activated System, bringing along as many Ground Units as they can transport, prioritizing Space Units with the highest Strength values.
IMPORTANT: The Empire must leave a single weakest Ground Unit behind to make a valid move. If the fleet has been selected (because they are closest) but cannot leave a Ground Unit behind, place a Leader into the System, along with a Stormtrooper from supply. The fleet will then be able to move on a later turn.
After a successful move - with Ground Units - to a Remote System, immediately obtain that system's Probe Card (reshuffle deck). If the Empire ever loses its last Ground Unit stationed on a Remote System (e.g. due to a Combat loss), return the Probe Card to the Probe Deck and reshuffle.
When the difference between the Turn and Reputation Markers is ≤ 5, Imperial fleets may move (once/turn) even if there’s a Leader in the starting System. The Empire will change its movement behavior once the Rebel Base is revealed (See Revealing the Rebel Base below)
Revealing the Rebel Base
Reveal The Rebel Base only after the Empire has obtained Probe Cards for the other 7 Remote Systems OR when the Empire has any Ground Units in that System.
Once revealed, remove the Gather Intel Starting Mission from the pile (it may return to play if the Rebels establish a new base).
Note that when the Rebel Base is revealed and/or when the difference between the Turn and Reputation Markers is ≤ 5, Imperial fleets may move (once/turn) even if there’s a Leader in the starting System (track this by, e.g., laying down the Leader activating the System initiating the movement).
Also, the Empire now prioritizes eligible Systems closest to the Rebel Base for both the purposes of fleet movement and deployment of forces. When the Empire chooses to activate a System, calculate the difference between the Turn and Reputation Markers. If all fleets within this range have been moved, shift priority to other fleets which will target the nearest uncontrolled (possessing no Imperial Ground Units) Remote Systems. When the Empire reveals the Rebel Base, the Empire draws 3 cards (1 Starting Mission and 2 Main Missions) during the Assignment Phase
Battles
While Battles will play out normally, the Empire will not draw/use any Tactics cards. Additionally, follow these special rules:
While Battles will play out normally, the Empire will randomly draw one Advanced Tactic Card per attack. Additionally, follow these special rules:
dark_mode- Any Special Icons rolled are considered “hits” vs. Rebel Units
-
You MUST reroll up to the
number of “hits” equal to
the Theater-specific Tactics
Value of the Empire’s Leader
(starting with the “Direct
Hit” followed by
regular/single hits) until
they’re all used; balance
may carry-over to later
rounds.
For example: Empire's Leader has a tactics value of 2. You MUST ignore your first two hits and re-roll those dice. If you roll no hits, the two re-rolls will carry-over to the next attack - The Empire will assign hits vs. Rebel Units with the following priority: Ion Cannon, Weakest Units (Remaining Health); and Greatest Firepower (i.e. number of attack dice rolled) [Note: Use Golden Rule to break ties]
- THE DEATH STAR: The Empire will ONLY target the Rebel Base, a PRB, or a System with Rebel Loyalty and/or any Rebel Ground Units
Unused Leaders
In the unlikely event that their remain any unused leaders, draw and undertake a Mission/Leader from the Main Missions Deck
Maintenance
At the end of the Command Phase, shuffle both Mission Decks separately and place any Project Cards acquired on top of the Main Mission Deck
Retrieve Leaders
Each player takes all of his leaders from the game board and returns them to his leader pool. If a leader is still on a mission card, it returns to the leader pool, and the card returns to the player’s hand
Draw Missions
Rebel player draws two mission cards and, if there are more than 10 cards in his hand, he discards down to 10 cards
The Empire does not draw Mission cards during the Refresh Phase. Empire missions are drawn during the Assignment phase
Launch Probe Droids
Reveal two Probe Cards, as per the normal rules
Draw Objective
The Rebel player draws one objective card and adds it to his hand
Advance Time Marker
Advance the time marker one space along the track. Then players recruit and/or build if any icons are shown in the time marker’s new space
Rebels Recruit
Rebel player draws two cards from his action deck, chooses one leader shown on either card, and places that leader in his leader pool
Empire Recruit
The Empire draws one Action Card, randomly choosing if there are available leaders. Draw again, if necessary
Build Units
The Empire Builds before the rebels
Follow normal building rules
Deploy
Empire Deploy
The Empire Deploys before the rebels
Follow the steps below to deploy units, adhering to the max 2 units placed per system rule:
- Locate the Highest Production Value System
- Locate the Empire system closest to (in priority order) the RB/PRB > Rebel system (tie going to production strength) > Imperial production strength science
- Find the Theater (Space or Ground) with the fewest Units
- Place the strongest available unit in this Theater Note: If the Empire doesn’t have a Unit to place in-Theater, place the strongest Built Unit of the other Theater-type into its Theater (if there are the same number of Units in each Theater, randomly choose between the Theaters)
- Move to the next Highest Production Value System; Resolve from the beginning of the flowchart, wrapping back around to the first Highest Production Value System, if necessary
- Return to the beginning of the flowchart, wrapping back around to the first located system if necessary science
Rebels Deploy
Rebel player follows normal deployment rules
Remote Systems List
The Rebel Base will be revealed only after the Empire has obtained the Probe Cards for the other 7 Remote Systems OR when the Empire has any Ground Units in that System
Empire movement and deployment will change priority when Rebel Base is revealed
