Update: Edition 2

Edition 2 introduces big updates to Star Carriers, both to the kit and playbook, including all new SHIP miniatures, and rules for RESOURCES, home PLANETS, sustainability, ENIGMAS, and exchanges.


What's new in Edition 2


Kit

The new kit not only brings Star Carriers to a more accessible retail price, it reduces set-up time, and improves probabilities for discovering STARS, PLANETS and ENIGMAS, the density of STAR systems, and proximity of STATIONS, creating a faster-paced game with more dynamic interactions between players. New SHIP miniatures replace the original folded cardboard ones in 6 different colors.

Edition 2 kit on the table-top.


Resources
Earning

The order in which colonized PLANETS earned RESOURCES was not clearly specified in the Edition 1 playbook, and it was often assumed each player earned RESOURCES from their colonized PLANETS on their individual turns. Colonized PLANETS actually all earn RESOURCES simultaneously at the start of each turn.


At the start of each turn, all colonized PLANETS for all players earn RESOURCES together.


Collecting

Although colonized PLANETS all earn RESOURCES simultaneously, SHIPS must collect them from STATIONS before they can be used. This means all players can immediately collect RESOURCES from STATIONS where they have SHIPS. However initiative determines the order that players get to move SHIPS to other STATIONS to collect those RESOURCES, and actively use them during the explore and expand phases.


All players can immediately collect RESOURCES from STATIONS where they have SHIPS, but initiative determines the order that players get to move SHIPS and collect RESOURCES from other STATIONS.


Trade rate

Edition 1r4 introduced the option of using a revolving rate with the D6 as a counter. Edition 2 now includes a biased D6 that limits the trade rate to ×3, with 50% probability of ×1, and 33% probability of ×2.


Biased D6

The biased D6 has an uneven ratio of values up to 3, and keeps the game's risk level lower than the normal D6.

Revolving rate

Players can choose to use a revolving trade rate instead by using the D6 as a counter. At the start of the game, players agree on a maximum rate, for example 3, and then count-up each turn from 1 to the maximum rate. This can either reset to 1 again on the next turn, or count-down on the next turns back to 1. A revolving rate adds more predictability to the game's risk level.


Home planets

A player's home PLANET now enables their essential INNOVATIONS for founding STATIONS and building SHIPS. If a player's home PLANET is annexed by another player, they are not eliminated, but lose their capability to expand, unless they regain their home PLANET, or annex another player's home PLANET.

Home PLANET INNOVATIONS

A player's home PLANET is essential for the INNOVATIONS that enable founding STATIONS and building SHIPS. Even though a player's other STATIONS can continue to earn RESOURCES, without their home PLANET, they can no longer colonize new PLANETS or build SHIPS at any of their STATIONS.


Sustainability

Net sustainability can be used to determine the winner if players decide to end the game before elimination. Only Class II PLANETS are sustainable, and are affected by the type of STAR they orbit.


Stars

STAR classes are now also identified by their type (D, G, M), which distinguishes their sustainability on Class II PLANETS from the number of PLANETS they can support in orbit.

Class I: Type-D white dwarf STAR remnant, hot and dense leftover core without any fusion, capable of 1 PLANET in orbit.

Moderate sustainability factor: × 2

Class II: Type-G yellow main sequence STAR, moderate temperature with hydrogen-fusing core, capable of 2 PLANETS in orbit.

High sustainability factor: × 3

Class III: Type-M red giant STAR, cool temperature with helium-fusing core prior to supernova, capable of 3 PLANETS in orbit.

Low sustainability factor: × 1


Planets

PLANET classes have more purpose. While Class I PLANETS can be colonized for fewer RESOURCES, and Class III PLANETS earn the most RESOURCES each turn, only Class II PLANETS are sustainable due to their habitable terrestrial biospheres.

Class I: Small terrestrial PLANET with no biosphere, produces 1 RESOURCE per turn, primarily in the form of metals and minerals.
Class II: Terrestrial PLANET with habitable biosphere, produces 2 RESOURCES per turn, mainly organic and biological.
Class III: Gas giant PLANET with dense toxic atmosphere, produces 3 RESOURCES per turn, generally chemicals and energy.


Enigmas

Previously only available with the ENIGMAS extension, which was included in the Extended Edition 1, Edition 2 now includes Class I Supernovas. This inclusion introduces new players to ENIGMAS without adding all the extended rules.

Classifying ENIGMAS

Besides their appearance and size, ENIGMAS are classified by class, effect, and duration.
Class (I-III): How many D6 are rolled for its initiative.
Effect: What it does to SHIPS, such as scatter, delay, or damage.
Duration (1-3): How many turns it remains in effect.


Roll 1D6 for a Class I Supernova’s initiative, and the scatter dice for direction.
Roll 1D6 for each Class I SHIP’s initiative and add any modifiers from INNOVATIONS.
Multiple SHIPS give players a fleet advantage by taking the SHIP with the highest D6 along with modifiers as the fleet initiative. If the SHIP or fleet initiative is equal or higher than the Supernova’s initiative, it escapes and can continue to explore.
If the SHIP or fleet initiative is lower than the Supernova’s initiative, it moves off-course in the direction of the scatter dice at the same range as the Supernova’s initiative. As the ENIGMA’s duration is 2 turns, the SHIP or fleet must attempt to escape it again the next turn.


Exchange

More specific rules have been codified for acquiring and loading PAYLOADS, transporting them, and resolving exchanges, including the ability for players to counter.


Acquiring and loading

PAYLOADS are acquired for their cost × trade rate during the expand phase of the turn, and can be loaded into SHIPS at STATIONS. This means they can be exchanged after the next explore phase.


PAYLOADS can be acquired for cost × trade rate RESOURCES, and loaded onto a SHIP at a STATION during the expand phase.


Fleets

Fleets no longer sum the total D6s for initiative, but instead take the SHIP with the highest D6 as the fleet initiative. A fleet can only have a maximum of 3 SHIPS. This shifts the advantage of fleets from having a purely linear power scale to a probability advantage that still permits inferior SHIPS the ability to successfully defend.

Take the SHIP with the highest D6 along with modifiers as the fleet initiative when transporting PAYLOADS with multiple SHIPS.
Players can collaborate to achieve fleet advantage by combining SHIPS against another player.


Countering

If a player has an equal or higher initiative, they can choose to counter the exchange, by offering to acquire the PAYLOAD at its cost × 1. If so, both players roll for initiative again. The player with the lower initiative must accept the counter. Countering is an opportunity to "steal" a PAYLOAD from another player at the lowest cost despite the trade rate.

The player with equal or higher initiative can choose to counter the exchange for the PAYLOAD at its cost × 1.
Both players roll for initiative again. The player with the lower initiative must accept the counter.


Salvaging resources

To salvage RESOURCES, only SHIPS and PAYLOADS at STATIONS can be decommissioned and recycled. Salvaged RESOURCES can be collected and used immediately.

A SHIP's salvage value is based on its class, and is indicated on its INNOVATION card.
Collect salvaged RESOURCES, and remove decommissioned SHIPS.
Decommissioning ships

A player's SHIPS at any STATION, not those in transit, can be decommissioned for the salvage value indicated on their INNOVATION card. It is not necessary to decommission SHIPS at the same STATION as the exchange, especially when protecting the STATION from being annexed. Collect salvaged RESOURCES, and remove decommissioned SHIPS.

The salvage value from recycling a PAYLOAD is indicated on the PAYLOAD chip.
Collect salvaged RESOURCES, and return recycled PAYLOADS to the bottom of the stack.
Recycling payloads

A player's PAYLOADS at any STATION, not those in transit, can also be recycled for the salvage value indicated on their PAYLOAD chips. Collect salvaged RESOURCES and return recycled PAYLOADS to the bottom of the PAYLOAD stack.


End game

Players can end the game by sustainability instead of elimination.


Sustainability

Net sustainability is determined by the colonized Class II PLANETS occupied by players SHIPS, and the sustainability factor of the types of STARS they orbit.

Players determine net sustainability by adding together:
Each colonized Class II PLANET with SHIP × the sustainability factor of the STAR's type.
Colonized Class II PLANET with SHIP (2) × Type-G STAR (3) = sustainability of 6.
+
Colonized Class II PLANET with SHIP (2) × Type-M STAR (1) = sustainability of 2.
+
If playing with INNOVATIONS, all advancement points from the player's INNOVATIONS.
Advancements points from Smart Drones (+2), Brain Drive (+2) and EQ Sensors (+2) = +6 sustainability.