Starmada Admiralty Edition

Quick Start Rules

1. Pre-game Setup
(Note: this assumes players are using the standard scenario from Section 2.1.)
• Each player makes of a force list of 1000pts (or less). Optionally players may mutually agree on
another point limit. No ship may have a combat value greater than 50% of the total force value.
Players must bring a data card and model for each of their ships.
• Using the standard sized map (approx. 24x24 hexes) players alternate placing models within 3 hexes of
their side of the map. The player with more ships in his fleet places first. If a player has more than
twice as many ships he places 2 at a time.

2. Game Turn Sequence

A. Orders Phase
• Players record the following on their data cards if applicable:
o Activation or Deactivation of a Cloaking Devise
o Mode of fire for Dual Mode Weapons
o Initiation of Evasive Movement (for ships with an engine rating of 4 or more only)
• Remove any ship from the board if it activates its cloaking devise and remove any seeking weapons
targeting the ship. Leave a marker on the board indicating where the last known location of the ship
was and indicate last known heading.
• Replace any ship on the board if it deactivates its cloaking devise.

B. Movement Phase
• Players alternate moving ships. The player who has more ships moves first. If that player has more
than twice as many ships he moves 2 at a time.
• Each ship has a number of movement points equal to its current engine rating. A ship may move
forward 1 hex, turn 60 degrees, or “sideslip” for 1 movement point. A ship may move backwards 1 hex
for 2 movement points. A ship must move forward 1 hex between turns and sideslips (including the
previous turn).
o Evasive movement costs half the engine rating rounded up.
o Players must record their movement for any ships which are cloaked. For any ship that is
currently cloaked AND was also cloaked the previous turn, roll to see if the ship is detected (see
B.3) after it has been moved. If the ship is detected place it on the table in its new location.
• Ships may move through other ships or fighters. Ships in the same force may end movement in the
same hex. Ships in different forces may not end their movement in the same hex (if it is unavoidable
see Section D.1).
• Ships that move off the board are considered destroyed.
C. Fighter Phase
• Players alternate activating fighters. The player who has more fighters activates first. If he has more
than twice as many fighters he moves 2 at a time.
• Fighters may move as many hexes as they have a speed rating. Fighters do not have a facing. Fighters
may move through other hexes containing ships or other fighters, but may not end their movement in
a hex containing an enemy element.
o As an exception if a fighter wishes to initiate a dog fight with an enemy fighter it must move
into the hex containing the enemy fighter.
• If the fighter flight is a “seeker” (i.e. missiles) it must move towards its target. Each move must bring it
closer. The controlling player may chose the exact path if more than one option is available.
• Immediately after moving a fighter may attack an enemy element in an adjacent hex or the fighter
flight that it has engaged in a dog fight. See D. Combat Phase below for how to resolve shooting.
(Note: seeker flights also attack from an adjacent hex).
• Resolve the effects of the fighter attack and apply results immediately, which may include the
explosion of a ship if destroyed.

D. Combat Phase
• Players alternate shooting with ships. The player who has more ships selects a ship first. If that players
has twice as many ships he selects 2 at a time.
• The selected ship first designates the target(s) for each weapon on the ship. Targets must be within
the firing arc of the weapon and within range (both listed on data card of the ship for all its weapons).
Weapon arcs are shown below:

• All weapons in a battery firing at the same target are resolved at the same time:
o Roll to hit the target. To hit a player must roll equal to or greater than the accuracy of the
weapon, modified by range and other factors.

+1 to hit at short range

-1 to hit at long range
• To determine which range band you are in divide the range of the weapon
battery by 3. This is short range. Double that number is medium range.

-1 to hit fighters

Evasive movement makes it more difficult to hit the ship performing evasive movement
and for it to hit other ships. The degree is based on the engine rating of the ship:
• 4-8: -1 to hit
• 9-15: -2 to hit

The number of dice rolled to hit is equal to the number of weapons in the battery
multiplied by the ROF.
o Roll to penetrate the target’s shields. To penetrate the targets shields a player must roll greater
than the target’s shield rating.

This die roll may be modified by special weapon properties.

Roll a number of dice equal to the number of hits that were scored times the impact
(IMP) of the weapon. Each point that penetrates the shields is a point of damage.
 o Roll to determine where damage is allocated.

For each point of damage roll a die.

See the ships data card as to what systems are hit and mark them off. This may change
the shield and engine ratings of the ship. (Note the damage does not take affect until a
ship has completed all its firing, so if the shield rating of the target is reduced, use the
rating it had before firing was resolved for all subsequent attacks by the same ship).

If a weapon is hit roll again on the weapon damage table on the ship data card to
determine which batteries will lose weapons.
• If the ship is reduced to 0 hull points it is destroyed and immediately explodes. (see Section E.3). If the
shooting ship still had weapons to fire at the destroyed ship those shots are lost.
• Immediately after a ship has resolved all of its weapons fire it may activate teleporters.
o Each teleporter may attempt to land one marine squad.
o Roll one die for each teleporter. If the die roll is greater than the range to the target ship the
teleporter has “hit”.
o For each hit, roll one die to penetrate the shields of target ship. Each die that is greater lands
one marine squad on the ship. Cross one marine squad off of the ship doing the teleporting.
o Marine squads that neither hit nor land are not crossed off.

E. End Phase
• Resolve ship board combat:
o Roll one die for each marine squad on both sides:

1-2: no effect

3-4: remove 1 enemy marine squad

5-6: remove 2 enemy marine squad
o If there are still defending marine squads nothing happens.
o If the number of attacking marine squads is greater than or equal to the number of remaining
hull points than the ship is captured. Remove it from play it is considered destroyed.
• Launch Fighter Flights
o Ships size 1-3 may launch 1 flight of fighters
o Ships size 4-8 may launch 2 flights of fighters
o Ships size 9-15 may launch 3 flights of fighters
o Larger ships may launch 4 flights of fighters
o Place the fighter flights in the same hex as the carrier. If the fighter flights are “seekers”
designate a target for them and write it down on the data sheet.
• Check Victory Conditions
o Sum the combat ratings of all the destroyed ships on both sides.
o If one side has “destroyed” more than half the value of the enemy fleet they win!
Optional Rules
Starmada AE has many optional rules. Below is a list of the default optional rules our group will using.
Optional rules not listed below are not in effect. If you and your opponent wish to change this list, discuss and
decide on which ones you will be using BEFORE the game begins:

B. Starship Options
• All options are available for ship design

C. Weapon Options
• All options are available for weapon design

D. Movement Options
• D.1 Basic Movement – This replaces the regular movement rules (3.0)
• D.4 Evasive Movement
• D.7 Sequential Movement – This eliminates the need to write down movement orders except for
cloaked ships

E. Combat Options
• E.3 Explosions – Apply this immediately after a ships hull is reduced to 0 during the combat phase
because of Option E.5 below
• E.5 Sequential Combat – Damage is resolved immediately after a ship fires in the combat phase instead
of in the end phase

F. Fighter Options
• F.1 Customized Fighter Flights – All options available for Fighter Design
• F.2 Dogfights
• F.3 Independent Fighters
• F.4 Launch and Recovery – All fighters except independents must start the game onboard their carriers
• F.6 Strikers
• F.7 Breachers
• F.8 Combat Interception
• F.9 Dual Mode Fighters

G. Terrain Options
• All options available and to be specified in the scenario or by mutual agreement of all players.