The Sword and the Stars
Sequence of Play

Before play: vote on the status of LA'DAU

  1. Event Chit Segment
  2. The Rounds 1. Round One
    1. Year Card Distribution Phase
    2. Raider Phase
    3. Outworlder Phase
    4. Initiative Determination Phase
    5. First Player-Turn
    6. Second Player-Turn
    7. Remaining Player-Turns
    8. Colonization Phase (optional)
    2-5. Rounds Two through Five
  3. Stargate Maintenance
  4. Vote to End the Game
  5. End of the Game-Turn

Effects of Range

Tech Level of BaseMax Range for Interstellar Operations
3 3 systems or less
2 2 systems or less
<=1 Adjacent system only
Add 1 Resource Point (RP) for each System on Raid or Conquest. Subtract 1 from Effectiveness Rating (ER) for each System.

Stargate is equivalent to making the Base adjacent to every target and costs +1 RP whenever used. However, if both Base *and* Target have Stargates, added RP cost is 0. There is never a range penalty to ER due to Stargate, but Base Tech Level of at least 2 is necessary.


Scenarios

NumberPlayersDescription
261Solitaire empire building
272Two small empires clash
283Three systems, one per corner of the board
293-5Large empire in center surrounded by hostile neighbors
303-5Smaller empire in revolt surrounded by hostile neighbors
314-5Five more or less equal empires (most balanced)
325Five larger "equal" empires
333-4Smaller empires after Draka have struck (very good for 4)
344-5Tiny former empire makes a comeback against larger neighbors
352-5Grand scenario in which players enter randomly

Notes to keep in mind

  1. Exploitation automatically reduces Tech Level by 1.
  2. Stargates may only be used by the owning player.
  3. Raiders and Outworlders may attack other than adjacent systems.
  4. After the DraKa have come and gone, a 6 is treated as a normal Outworlder.
  5. Don't spend for Range on Communications although it still subtracts.

Subtle Differences with Empires of the Middle Ages

  1. Tech Level Norm has no effect on Tech Level Maximum; it is always +3. Tech Level of +4 is not allowed.
  2. Sector Checks affect only the branch of government currently in use.
  3. Seats may be changed to areas of different ideology in the following order of priority:
    1. same race/same ideology
    2. same race/related ideology
    3. same race/unrelated ideology
  4. Players may not return from exile via Raiders or Outworlders.
  5. The number of owned Confederation systems is added to the Diplomatic Sector in Special Sessions. Atjay is worth 5 votes.
  6. Atjay Tech Level always increases unless affected by Genocide or at +3 (at the beginning of each round).
  7. Event chits are not replaced until all 50 have been drawn.
  8. Diplomatic Success B chits affect a group of the same ideology.
  9. Tech Level is added to the die roll in Raid/Exploitation attempts.
  10. Range for Conquest, Raid and Communication Endeavors is based on Tech Level limitations.
  11. Conquest has a basic cost of 1.
  12. Communications may be attempted from any owned system.
  13. T/C gives either a Trade Connection or a Conquest.
  14. Intercepts may be undertaken if a player's path runs through an owned system. Thus, conceivably, several players could conduct intercepts against a single operation.
  15. Partial Conquest markers reduce by their number the owning player's ER when undertaking Stellar operations and also reduce Tax Value.
  16. Atjay may not be converted or colonized. When Stellar operations are undertaken, Rebellion checks are made.
  17. If the final modified Conversion Differential is 5 or less, then all independent systems of that specific Ideology are converted.
  18. To colonize, each Base must be capable of undertaking an Interstellar Operation against the Target.
  19. The LA'DAU vote is made at the outset of each scenario.

Sword and the Stars Terms

Empires equivalents

event chit event card
exploitation plunder
government sectors leader statures
ideology religion
operations endeavors
conquest conquest
raid pillage
communicate diplomacy
intercept defense
guardian web fortification
govern rule
stargate ---
outworlder magnate
planet number population
race language
raider raider
resource points gold
star system area
target system target area
taxation taxation
tech level social state
total war --- (Crusade)
treaty claim
unrest & rebellion unrest & rebellion
special sessions diplomatic parleys
trade connections diplomatic ties
draka mongols
tech advance year of plenty
tech decline year of famine
revolt outbreak of heresy
tech failure epidemic
tech breakthrough ---
government toppled leader dies heirless
epidemic epidemic
lynlynan's syndrome plague
treaty signed recognition of claim
diplomatic success dynastic inheritance
confederation influence influence in church hierarchy
trade disrupt diplomatic coup
resource output grows enlargement of demesne
weapon advance weapons advance
tactical advance tactical systems
ideological fervor missionary fervor

Tue Jan 26 11:22:14 PST 1999
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