Combat Phase

The combat phase is broken up in tactical order and combat order. During the round, you will switch back and forth between tactical order and combat order. Keep a running score for each player, as frames are destroyed and stations seized.

Score = number of assets × ppa

As scores change, so does tactical order. The round ends when the last frame has taken its turn. At the end of the round, pick up all marker dice and count down to doomsday.

Tactical order

While in tactical order, the player with the highest score goes first.

  • Choose one of your frames and take its turn.
  • Every frame has one turn per round.
  • If you don't want to go, you can pass to the next player.
  • If you are the last player, you must take a turn. If all your mobile frames have already taken their turns this round, you have to pass to the next player in tactical order. When a mobile frame takes its turn, resolve it. If a frame attacks another frame that has not taken its turn yet, switch to combat order.

Return to tactical order as needed, beginning again with the player with the highest score, until all frames have taken a turn. If you lose all frames, you automatically pass or end the round. You can still count down the doomsday clock.

Combat order

In combat order, the attacking & defending frames' turns entwine.

  • Attacker takes the first part of their turn.
  • When Attacker attacks, their turn pauses.
  • Target frame becomes active
  • Target rolls dicepool and assigns defense value.
  • Attacker resolves any hits.
  • Target removes any damage taken.
  • Attacker finishes turn.
  • Target finishes their turn, including movement and own attacks.
  • This counts as that frame's turn for this round. Combat order continues, as defending frames may attack as part of their turn, too, until all combat is resolved.

Once all combat is resolved, return to tactical order to continue the round.

If a target is activated during combat order and destroyed it does not get to move or attack. If it is not destroyed, though, it still gets to use any dice already rolled—regardless of what systems it may have just lost.

Capturing stations

At the beginning of a game, all stations are under control of their owners. Even without any guards nearby, they remain under their control, until an opponent’s frame captures them.

At any time and for any reason, you gain control of a station when:

  • You have a frame within 1 unit of the station and
  • No other players have a frame within 1 unit of that station.

You lose control of a station when::

  • Any other player has a frame within 1 unit of the station and
  • You do not have a frame within 1 unit of the station.

Recalculate scores immediately when a station is gained or lost.

They can change hands multiple times a round!

Contested stations

In a game with three or more players, it’s possible to lose a stations without any opponent capturing it.

All three conditions need to be met:

  • One frame within 1 unit of a station you own.
  • Two or more hostile frames are also in range.
  • Your frame moves away or is destroyed. When this happens, the hostiles cannot capture the station, because while they are in range, the station is contested by the others. You lose the station, but neither of them get it until they resolve their standoff. Recalculate your own score when you lose the station. The other players recalculate their score when the tie is resolved.