Stay Alert: External Threats!

Hey there! I wanted to talk to you about something really important. Have you ever thought about the threats we face from outer space? It’s wild, but true! There are a lot of dangers out there that we need to be aware of.

Now, I know it might sound surprising, but let’s think about it. Our planet Earth is constantly bombarded by objects from space. These objects can be as small as dust particles or as large as asteroids. And when they collide with our atmosphere, things can get pretty intense!

So, let’s break it down. Here are a few key threats from outer space that we should know about:

1. Meteoroids:

Imagine this: tiny pieces of rocks or metal hurtling towards Earth at incredible speeds! These are meteoroids, and they can cause some serious damage when they crash into our planet. Sometimes, they burn up in the atmosphere and create a spectacular light show called a meteor shower. But other times, they can make it all the way to the ground, causing destruction in their path. Ouch!

2. Asteroids:

Now, let’s talk about the big guys. Asteroids are chunks of rocks and metals that are larger than meteoroids. Some of them can be massive, almost like small planets! If an asteroid collides with Earth, it can have a devastating impact. Just think about the dinosaurs and what happened to them. Yep, you got it right! It’s believed that an asteroid collision caused their extinction. Scary stuff!

3. Comets:

Comets are like icy wanderers in space. They are made up of a mixture of frozen gases, dust, and rocky material. When they come close to the Sun, they start to heat up and release gas and dust, creating a glowing coma around them. If a comet were to collide with Earth, it would be a sight to behold! But it wouldn’t be a pleasant surprise, that’s for sure.

So, what can we do about these external threats? Well, first of all, we need to keep an eye on the sky. Scientists and astronomers all around the world are constantly monitoring space for any potential dangers. They use telescopes and space probes to track and study asteroids, comets, and other celestial bodies. By doing this, they can calculate their trajectories and predict if they pose a risk to our planet. It’s like a cosmic early warning system!

Additionally, scientists are researching ways to deflect or destroy any objects that might come too close to Earth. There are even plans to send spacecraft to study asteroids up close and learn more about their composition and structure. By understanding these celestial threats better, we can come up with strategies to protect ourselves.

Remember, we’re not alone in this vast universe. Space is full of wonders and mysteries, but it’s also a space full of potential dangers. The key is to stay curious and informed, and to support the work of scientists and organizations dedicated to keeping us safe.

So, my friend, let’s keep our eyes on the skies and be prepared for whatever might come our way. Together, we can navigate the cosmic road ahead!

When a Phantom Fighter is in action, all weapons systems completely ignore it. They’re like it doesn’t even exist. It’s as if they have some kind of super stealth technology that makes them invisible to any enemy weapons.

But here’s the real kicker: if the Phantom Fighter is targeted by a rocket after revealing itself, that rocket is toast. It gets destroyed with absolutely no effect. Talk about a wasted effort!

Cryoshield Fighter and Cryoshield Frigate

The Cryoshield is a total game-changer. It’s like having an invincible force field. The first time a threat targets the Cryoshield, it absorbs all the damage. It’s like nothing can get through, no matter how strong the enemy’s attack or how many shield points they have. It’s unstoppable. Just put a black block on the Cryoshield icon to show that it’s been destroyed. But don’t worry, in later turns, the threat can get targeted and damaged just like any other.

Destroyer

Now, the Destroyer is a force to be reckoned with. When it comes to attacking, it doesn’t mess around. It deals out serious damage. But here’s the twist: for every point of damage that gets through the shield, you draw not one, but two damage tiles. It’s like a double whammy. The Destroyer takes no prisoners. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Welcome to the World of Energy Cloud and Maelstrom!

When you find yourself facing a threat within range of the powerful pulse cannon, firing it will leave the threat defenseless. Their shield points will drop to zero for that turn, while the pulse cannon inflicts damage. It’s a double-edged sword, though, as the threat’s shield points will regenerate on subsequent turns, unless hit again by the pulse cannon.

Discover the Scout

Here’s an interesting twist: the Scout is a clever little ship that can avoid being targeted by a heavy laser cannon. Instead, the cannon will automatically aim at the closest threat in its path, leaving the Scout undisturbed. Quite a handy advantage!

When I perform the Scout’s X action, something interesting happens. It boosts the attacks of all other external threats by +1 strength until the Scout is destroyed. It’s like they get a little extra power! This bonus applies to all attacks, including the special attacks of the Nemesis and Asteroids. What’s really crazy is that it even applies to threats that haven’t shown up yet. So they’re supercharged from the start!

Now, if I perform the Scout’s Z action and it survives, this bonus sticks around until the mission is over. So I have to be careful not to get destroyed or else I lose this advantage. It’s like a double-edged sword – powerful, but risky.

And when I perform the Scout’s Y action, things start moving. All the other threats move forward one square. They move in order, following their numbered tokens. If a threat lands on an X, Y, or Z square, it immediately takes the action shown there. It’s like a domino effect, one thing leading to another.

Swarm

I can tell you that the Swarm is a tricky enemy to defeat. You have to hit it three times on separate turns to destroy it, no matter how powerful your weapons are. But here’s an exception: when the Leviathan Tanker is destroyed, the Swarm can get two damage in on that turn.

Jellyfish

Now, when it comes to the Jellyfish, things get interesting. If you target it, you actually add 2 points to the strength of the attack instead of subtracting. But if you don’t target it, the Jellyfish takes no damage at all.

Marauder

Ah, the Marauder. Once it performs its X action, all external threats, including itself, get an extra shield point. This bonus even applies to threats that show up after the Marauder’s X action. And if the Marauder performs its Z action and survives, that bonus lasts until the mission is over.

Leviathan Tanker

When the Leviathan Tanker is destroyed, all threats outside the ship get an additional red block, regardless of their shields or special abilities. This means that even threats that cannot be targeted, threats protected by cryoshields, and even the Swarm itself will take an extra point of damage.

Psionic Satellite, Pulse Satellite

If a Satellite is positioned at a distance of 3, all weapons systems will ignore it. It won’t affect any attacks or damage calculations.

Behemoth

When Interceptors exclusively target the Behemoth, their strength is increased from 3 to 9. However, the player controlling them will be knocked out and their battlebot squad will be disabled for the entire mission. This results in a -3 score penalty for the player and prevents other players from taking out the interceptors. Even if the heroic battlebot action is used to increase the interceptors’ strength to 10, the player will still be knocked out and the squad will still be disabled.

If there’s another threat nearby, I’ll attack it along with the Behemoth. Don’t worry, I won’t knock you out. It’s just my usual strength of 1.

Juggernaut

If I’m on a path, rockets will only go after me. They’ll target me, even if I’m far away. Oh, and after they damage me, I get an extra shield point.

Nemesis

I attack all areas when the Compute Damage step ends and I get a red block. It doesn’t matter if it comes from a destroyed Leviathan Tanker. Oh, and I take damage from my own actions. My shield points can’t protect me from that. If I destroy myself, it counts as a destroyed threat and you get to keep my card as a trophy.

If the Nemesis does its Z move, you will lose. Sure, it might be a little comforting to know that the Nemesis gets destroyed too, but losing doesn’t earn you any points.

Small Asteroid, Asteroid, Big Asteroid

After each round of damage calculation, when an Asteroid is destroyed, it launches an attack based on the number of X and Y spaces it has crossed or landed on. If there are several attacks, they are resolved one by one, starting with the threat that has the lowest numbered token.