Alternate Victory Condition

Multi-player (non-team) Victory Condition:

This victory condition is meant for multi-player games where the players do not want to play teams and they are pressed for time, although it could be used in any scenario. I would probably never use this in a two player game, but it will shorten a multi-player game. A player still wins by being the first to conquer a homeworld or A player wins by scoring 3 Colony Points. A player gets a Colony Point by: o Destroying (not damaging) another player's colony. This includes new colonies, but not colony ships. Once gained, this Colony Point can not be lost. o By having a 5 CP colony in the deep space section of the map at the end of any economic phase (after colony growth). Unlike the point for destroying colonies, this Colony Point is not permanent. A player has it only for so long as he has a 5 CP colony in the deep space section of the map. A player wins the instant he scores his third colony point and the game ends immediately, even if it is mid-turn. If multiple players score their third Colony Point in the same economic phase, the win goes to the player with the most Colony Points. In the event of a tie, after the purchases for the economic phase are completed, the players add up the CP value of all combat capable ships they have on the board and the winner is the player whose fleet adds up to the most CP. If playing with the random map set up then, obviously, there is not a dedicated deep space section of the map. Colony Points are only scored for destroying colonies, not for having them.

New Scenarios
These are not so much alternate victory conditions as they are different scenarios. The above alternate victory condition impacts strategy very little. All the scenarios will play *mostly* similar with or without the alternate victory condition. These scenarios, while maintaining the flavor of the game, will impact strategy more dramatically. With both of the following scenarios a player STILL wins by being the first to destroy a homeworld, but there is also another way to win. You can't focus so much on the other way to win that you let your defense go slack. Use victory point chips or money from another game or scrap paper to track Victory Points. Everyone's total score is known and is open information at all times.

King of the Warp Point:

Before the deep space counters are placed on the map, the warp points are taken out of the mix. Depending on the scenario, a number of warp points are placed in mutually agreed upon hexes in the deep space portion of the map. Unused Warp Points should be placed to the side and not mixed in with the rest of the deep space markers. NONE of the Warp Points in this scenario are connected. The Warp Points are the key to victory. They represent access to vast scientific treasures and ancient civilizations. By studying them, players unlock knowledge that will lead them to make 1

galaxy changing advances and, more importantly, will score victory points that will lead to them winning the game. :-) Mine Sweepers have a dual function in this scenario. They not only sweep mines but they act as Science Vessels. Yes, I know it says SW on the counters, but in this scenario it is also as if they say SV, as in Science Vessels. Pretend that the SW was put on the counter by someone who heard the words "Science Vessel" spoken by someone with a bad TV Russian accent (I'm looking at you Chekov). That is why they say SW instead of SV. You must still research Mine Sweeping technology to build SWs. Each SW functions as both a Sweeper and a Science Vessel. Players score 1 Victory Point during the economic phase for each Warp Point that they have a Science Vessel in the same hex. All Science Vessels in the same hex as a Warp Point must be revealed during the economic phase. Players should decide at the start of the game how many economic turns they want the game to last. The game ends after that economic turn. 10-12 economic turns are good for a shorter game, depending on the scenario. This scenario also works with a longer, 15-20 economic turn game, although players in that one will have to be careful not to become too focused on the Warp Points as it will become more and more likely that someone will launch a game winning attack against a homeworld. The player with the most Victory Points at the end of the agreed upon number of economic phases is the winner. In the case of a tie, the tie is broken as described in the above alternate victory condition (CP size of fleet). Some guidelines on Warp Point placement: o It is suggested that you use either 1 Warp Point or o 1 less Warp Point than the number of people or o 1 more Warp Point than the number of people. o Each of the above will make for a very different and interesting game - is it important to hold one Warp Point or do I need to hold multiple Warp Points?, etc., but it is strongly suggested that you do not use a number of Warp Points equal to the number of players. o All of the Warp Points can be placed centrally or one could be place to the advantage of each player with an extra one in the middle. There are a lot of options and each will change the game. o If the players can not agree on the placement of the Warp Points, then one player should place all the Warp Points while the others choose their starting positions before he does. Alternate Point Scoring: As a twist to this scenario, players can agree that they will score 1 Victory Point per Science Vessel at a Warp Point in the economic phase. This will change the scenario strategy significantly (weighing combat fleet size verses number of Science Vessels is tough) and it is recommended that you play this version only with one Warp Point.

Grab the Artifacts:

Extra pieces or counters will be needed for this scenario. Pieces from an old Risk game will work well. These represent ancient artifacts of great value to be gathered and studied. One of these extra pieces is placed in every deep space hex (along with the exploration marker). After exploration, these pieces remain in the hex even if the system marker is removed (Danger!, etc.). The exception is the Supernova. The artifact is removed in that case. Artifacts may only be moved by Miners. Place the artifact on the Miner counter, when a Miner picks it up. They may pick up an artifact at any point during their move. Each Miner may carry only one artifact at a time. 2

Artifacts being towed by Miners are destroyed if the Miner is destroyed. Miners may drop off artifacts at their home planet or at a colony that is connected by MS Pipelines to the home planet (it is assumed a civilian ship is able to transport the artifact from there). Miners may not drop off artifacts at colonies that are not yet connected. Although the counter mix only provides 2 Miners, each player is allowed to build 4 in this game. A spare counter from another game, a miniature, or a different ship from this game can be used to represent the extra Miners. It is not ideal, but using Fighter Squadrons #7 and #8, face up, with no number counter under them, will work. Each artifact dropped off is worth 1 Victory Point the instant it is dropped off. The game ends immediately (even in the middle of a turn) once someone has scored enough victory points that there is no possible way that their total may be passed by another player given the artifacts remaining on the board. In the event of a tie, the person who achieved their Victory Point total first is declared the winner.