About Imperium

Imperium is a two-player strategy game set among the stars. The Terrans venture from Sol to explore the neighboring stars -- only to find most of them controlled by a vast empire called the Imperium. Inevitably, the dominating force of the Imperium and the expansionist philosophies of the Terrans lead to interstellar war.

One player assumes the role of the provincial governor in command of the Imperium forces, a strong fleet with an imposing presence among the stars. The other player commands the Terran forces, a modest fleet determined to expand into Imperium-controlled space. During the course of several rounds, each player:

•	Receives income from worlds and outposts.

•	Maintains starships, managing the quality and cost of maintenance.

•	Builds new starships, troops, and defensive units, managing the strategy and cost of production.

•	Moves starships and cargo from planet to planet, deciding which forces to deploy where.

•	Engages in space combat, space-to-surface combat, and surface combat, defending or attacking territory.

In addition, the Imperium player may benefit or suffer from the mandates of the emperor or events in other provinces of the Imperium.

Victory is determined by the amount of glory the Imperium player gains or loses. The Imperium player attempts to accumulate glory by conquering Terran worlds and outposts, while the Terran player attempts to deprive the Imperium player of glory by defending Terran territory and conquering Imperium worlds and outposts. If the Imperium gains enough glory, he or she wins the game. If the Imperium loses enough glory, the Terran player wins the game.


Order of play

Each player begins a new game with some territory established on the star map. The Imperium player begins the game with worlds on Dingir, Gashidda, and Ishkur. The Terran player begins the game with worlds on Sol, Alpha Centauri A, Alpha Centauri B, and outposts on Junction, Barnard's Star, and Proxima Centauri. In addition, each player receives an allotment of forces, which appear in the Unit window as "unplaced units."

Play proceeds in turns, with each turn divided into the following phases:

•	A new game begins in the Terran Place phase. The Terran player places his or her allotted forces on the star map, considering strategy and whether ships will receive civilized maintenance or frontier maintenance.

•	During the Imperium Place phase, the Imperium player places his or her allotted forces on the star map, considering strategy and whether ships will receive civilized maintenance or frontier maintenance.

•	During the Terran Maintenance phase, the Terran player receives income from worlds and outposts and maintains starships.

The Terran Maintenance phase is followed by the Terran Build phase, in which the Terran player builds new starships, troops, outposts, and planetary defense mechanisms (PDMs).

The Terran Build phase is followed by the Terran First Movement phase, in which the Terran player moves starships, carries cargo, and can engage in combat.

•	During the Imperium Reaction phase, the Imperium player can move starships and carry cargo on a limited basis in reaction to where the Terran player moved starships, transported cargo, or initiated combat.

•	During the Terran Second Movement phase, the Terran player has a second opportunity to move starships, carry cargo, and engage in combat.

At the end of the Second Movement phase, the Terran player can construct any kits that he or she moved to a planet.

•	During the Imperium Maintenance phase, the Imperium player receives income from worlds and outposts and maintains starships.

The Imperium Maintenance phase is followed by the Imperium Build phase, in which the Imperium player builds new starships, troops, outposts, and PDMs.

The Imperium Build phase is followed by the Imperium Appeal phase, in which the Imperium player has the opportunity to appeal to the emperor for increased production or increased finances.

The Imperium Appeal phase may be followed by an Imperial intervention event, in which the Imperium player benefits from or suffers the effects of events in other provinces of the Imperium.

This is followed by the Imperium First Movement phase, in which the Imperium player moves starships, carries cargo, and can engage in combat.

•	During the Terran Reaction phase, the Terran player can move starships and carry cargo on a limited basis in reaction to where the Imperium player moved starships, transported cargo, or initiated combat.

•	During the Imperium Second Movement phase, the Imperium player has a second opportunity to move starships, carry cargo, and engage in combat.

At the end of the Second Movement phase, the Imperium player can construct any kits that he or she moved to a planet.

During the Replacements phase, the Imperium player can order replacements for any ships destroyed in combat during the game turn.

A new game turn then begins with the Terran placing on the star map any units built during the previous Build phase.


Allotted forces

Each player begins a new game with the following forces:

Unit	Imperium	Terran
Unplaced worlds	3	0
Unplaced outposts	7	0
Outpost kits	0	3
Destroyers	4	2
Ground troops	3	2
Heavy cruisers	1	0
Jump troops	1	1
Light cruisers	2	1
Monitors	1	1
Missile boats	0	1
PDMs	3	2
Scouts	2	6
Tankers	1	0
Transports	4	6


Rules

Objective

•	The Imperium player attempts to accumulate glory by conquering Terran worlds and outposts, while the Terran player attempts to deprive the Imperium player of glory by defending Terran territory and conquering Imperium worlds and outposts.

Glory

•	At the beginning of the game, the glory bar is ten points long, and the glory marker is in the middle of the glory bar.

•	If the Imperium gains glory by destroying Terran outposts or neutralizing Terran worlds, the glory marker moves toward the red (Imperium) end of the bar. If the Imperium loses glory by appealing to the emperor or losing worlds or outposts to the Terrans, the glory marker moves toward the blue (Terran) end of the bar.

•	Neutralizing a world moves the glory marker four points. Neutralizing an outpost does not move the glory marker.

•	Destroying an outpost moves the glory marker one point. A world cannot be destroyed, only neutralized.

•	Appealing to the emperor moves the glory marker two points toward the Terran end of the glory bar.

Winning or losing the game

•	The Imperium wins the game when the glory marker remains in the red end of the glory bar until the beginning of the next game turn. The Terrans win the game when the glory marker remains in the blue end of the glory bar until the beginning of the next game turn.

•	At the beginning of game turn four (and each game turn after), the glory bar shortens by one point on either end, so that the Imperium wins or loses sooner. If the Imperium player does not destroy Terran outposts or neutralize Terran worlds by the eighth game turn, the Terran player wins the game.

Starting a game

•	The Terran player always takes the first turn of a new game.

•	Imperium-controlled planets are highlighted in red. The Imperium player begins the game with worlds on Dingir, Gashidda, and Ishkur.

•	Terran-controlled planets are highlighted in blue. The Terran player begins the game with worlds on Sol, Alpha Centauri A, Alpha Centauri B, and outposts on Junction, Barnard's Star, and Proxima Centauri.

•	Each player receives an allotment of units, which appear in the Unit window as "unplaced units."

Placing units on the star map

•	Units that have not been placed on the star map appear in the Unit window as "unplaced units."

•	Outposts must be placed before worlds.

•	Outposts are usually placed on secondary (gray) planets, although they can also be placed on primary (green) planets.

•	Worlds must be placed on primary planets.

•	A planet can only support one world or outpost.

•	Units other than outposts and worlds must be placed on a connected world or outpost.

•	Non-ship units and transports appear on the planet's surface. All other starships appear in orbit.

•	Outposts, worlds, and planetary defense mechanisms (PDMs) cannot be moved after they are placed.

•	All unplaced units must be placed on the star map.

Receiving income

•	During the Maintenance phase, you receive resource units (RU) from the worlds and outposts you control. Income is calculated as follows:

	Imperium	Terran
Connected worlds	1 RU	8 RU
Unconnected worlds:	1 RU	6 RU
Connected outposts:	1 RU	1 RU
Unconnected outposts:	0 RU	0 RU
Imperial budget:	10 RU	0 RU
•	An outpost is connected if you can hyperspace jump from it to a friendly world without encountering enemy starships other than tankers or transports.

•	An Imperium world is connected if the Imperium player can hyperspace jump from it to another Imperium world without encountering enemy ships other than tankers or transports.

•	A Terran world is connected if the Terran player can hyperspace jump from it to Sol without encountering enemy ships other than tankers or transports.

•	If a hyperspace jump route passes through Sirius, you must have a tanker at Sirius in order for the world or outpost to be connected.

•	An outpost can be connected to an unconnected world.

•	An outpost on Luuru is connected.

Maintaining starships

•	During your Maintenance phase, you can perform civilized maintenance on all of your eligible starships, or you can itemize which ships receive civilized maintenance so that you have more resource units (RU) to spend on new units during the Build phase.

Civilized maintenance

•	When a ship receives civilized maintenance, you pay the ship's maintenance cost in RU during your Maintenance phase and the ship is guaranteed not to become disrupted.

•	Ships on worlds, monitors on outposts, and ships at Dushaam or Nusku (if there is a world on Dushaam) are eligible to receive civilized maintenance.

•	If you choose not to pay for civilized maintenance, ships receive frontier maintenance.

Frontier maintenance

•	When a ship receives frontier maintenance, you do not pay the ship's maintenance cost in RU during your Maintenance phase and chance determines whether the ship becomes disrupted.

•	Starships on outposts receive frontier maintenance. Monitors on outposts and ships at Dushaam or Nusku (if there is a world on Dushaam) receive frontier maintenance if you choose not to pay for civilized maintenance.

•	Ships with a high maintenance cost are likely to become disrupted during frontier maintenance.

Disrupted ships

•	A starship becomes disrupted (outlined in yellow) if it is on a world and you do not pay for civilized maintenance or if it is on an outpost and it does not receive adequate frontier maintenance.

•	Ships with a high maintenance cost are likely to become disrupted during frontier maintenance.

•	A disrupted ship may be unable to hyperspace jump. Disrupted starships that cannot hyperspace jump are outlined in red.

•	A disrupted ship does not perform as well in combat. It cannot use high-intensity missiles, its beam factor or missile factor is reduced by one, which decreases the chance that it will destroy its target, and the attacking ship's beam factor or missile factor is increased by one, which increases the chance that the disrupted ship will be destroyed. During space-to-surface combat, the defensive fire result of an outpost, PDM, or world firing on a disrupted ship is reduced by one, which increases the chance that the disrupted ship will be destroyed.

•	A disrupted cargo-carrying ship can still transport cargo.

•	A starship can recover from disruption during the next Maintenance phase if it is on a world and you pay for civilized maintenance, or if it is on an outpost and it receives adequate frontier maintenance.

Building new units

•	During your Build phase, you can order as many units as you can purchase with your available resource units (RU), or you can save some or all of your RU for a future Build phase.

•	Most units require one turn to build and appear in the Place phase of the next turn, except for battleships, dreadnoughts, and improved dreadnoughts, which require two game turns to build.

•	The Imperium player must have permission from the emperor (as the result of Imperial intervention or an appeal) to build an attack cruiser, battleship, dreadnought, heavy cruiser, or improved dreadnought.

•	Attack cruisers and improved dreadnoughts are only used in the Imperium fleet.

•	Missile boats are only used in the Terran fleet.

Moving units

•	Starships can move by hyperspace or sublight.

•	Fighters, ground troops, jump troops, outpost kits, and PDM kits cannot hyperspace jump or travel by sublight. They must be carried as cargo aboard a transport. Fighters can also be carried aboard a mother ship.

•	Combat occurs if a player ends the First Movement phase, Second Movement phase, or Reaction phase in a location occupied by combat-capable enemy units.

Hyperspace movement

•	Starships making hyperspace jumps move from planet to planet along the green hyperspace jump routes.

•	Starships can make an unlimited number of hyperspace jumps during the First Movement phase and Second Movement phase.

•	During the Reaction phase, starships can move from the surface or orbit of one planet (not both) to multiple planets within three hyperspace jumps.

•	All ships can hyperspace jump except fighters and monitors.

•	A ship making a hyperspace jump does not engage in combat with enemy ships occupying the interstellar space hexes in the jump route.

•	You must have a tanker at Sirius before starships can hyperspace jump from there.

Sublight movement

•	Starships traveling by sublight move through the black interstellar space hexes on the star map at the rate of one hex per game turn.

•	Starships can travel by sublight only during the First Movement phase.

•	All ships can move by sublight except fighters, missile boats, and transports.

•	Monitors can only travel by sublight.

Carrying cargo

•	A cargo-carrying ship can load and unload three loads of cargo during the First Movement phase and Second Movement phase.

•	A cargo-carrying ship can load or unload cargo (not both) during the Reaction phase.

•	Fighters, ground troops, jump troops, outpost kits, and PDM kits must be carried as cargo aboard a transport. Fighters can also be carried aboard a mother ship.

•	A mother ship can carry three sets of fighters per combat round and unload them in space.

•	A transport can carry one ground troop, jump troop, outpost kit, or PDM kit. A transport can also carry one set of fighters, but it cannot unload them in space.

•	Battleships, dreadnoughts, improved dreadnoughts, and monitors can carry one jump troop as cargo and unload them in space.

•	Jump troops can be carried on a battleship, dreadnought, improved dreadnought, monitor, or transport. Jump troops can unload in space and jump to the planetary surface.

•	Attack cruisers, destroyers, fighters, heavy cruisers, light cruisers, missile boats, scouts, strike cruisers, and tankers cannot carry cargo.

•	A disrupted cargo-carrying ship can still transport cargo.

•	When a cargo-carrying ship is destroyed in combat, its cargo is also destroyed.

•	Cargo on the planetary surface cannot be loaded onto a transport in orbit. You must move the transport to the planetary surface.

•	Cargo cannot be transferred between ships in orbit.

•	Jump troops automatically unload when a transport attempts to land during space-to-surface combat.

•	Ground troops automatically unload when a transport lands during space-to-surface combat.

Constructing kits

•	After your Second Movement phase, you can construct outpost kits into outposts and PDM kits into PDMs.

•	The outpost kit or PDM kit must be carried as cargo aboard a transport and unloaded onto a planet.

•	An outpost or PDM cannot be moved after it is constructed.

Space combat

•	Combat occurs if a player ends the First Movement phase, Second Movement phase, or Reaction phase in a location occupied by combat-capable enemy units.

Retreating

•	Retreating ships are fired upon by the enemy and cannot return fire.

•	Ships that survive and are capable of hyperspace jumps can move to a friendly planet within one hyperspace jump of the planet from which you are retreating without encountering combat-capable enemy ships. If there is not a friendly planet to retreat to, you can retreat to an unclaimed planet.

•	If you do not have anywhere to retreat, you must engage in combat.

•	Fighters, monitors, and disrupted ships outlined in red cannot hyperspace jump and are unable to retreat.

•	Ships that cannot retreat remain in combat until they defeat the enemy or are destroyed.

•	Neither player can retreat if combat occurs in an interstellar space hex.

Engaging in space combat

•	The first round of combat is always fought at long range. In subsequent rounds of combat, chance (slightly in favor of the player with fewer ships) determines which player chooses the range.

•	The range determines the weapons a ship can use: beams, missiles, high-intensity missiles, or suicide attack.

•	The numbers below each ship (for example, 2-2-4) indicate the ship's beam factor, missile factor, and shield factor.

•	Ships with a high beam or missile factor have a better chance of destroying the enemy in combat. Ships with a high shield factor have a better chance of surviving an attack during combat.

•	Each player chooses a defender or attacker until one player matches all of his or her units against an enemy unit.

•	Fighters can unload from a mother ship during space combat.

•	If one player has more units than the other player, he or she can allocate the remaining units against one of the enemy’s units, or can withhold the remaining units from combat.

•	The icon in front of each ship indicates the type of attack. The attack type you can choose for each starship depends on the type of weapons a starship is equipped with, whether the ship is disrupted, whether you are engaging in short-range or long-range combat, and which attack type your opponent's ship is using.

•	Beams can only be used at short range.

•	Missiles are most effective at long range. They can be used at short range, but their missile factor is reduced by half (odd numbers are rounded down). For example, if a ship's long-range missile factor is five, its short-range missile factor is 2.

•	High-intensity missiles double a starship's missile factor (to a maximum of 12) for a single round of combat; however, the ship is unable to fire missiles in subsequent rounds of combat.

•	High-intensity missiles are most effective at long range. They can also be used at short range, but their missile factor is reduced by half (odd numbers are rounded down) and then doubled. For example, if a ship's missile factor is five, its short-range missile factor is 2, which is doubled to result in a high-intensity missile factor of 4. A disrupted ship cannot use high-intensity missiles.

•	Suicide attacks must be made at short range using beams. A starship making a suicide attack moves closer to the enemy ship it is matched against, increasing the amount of damage it may cause. However, the target of the suicide attack fires first using beams or missiles (at half factor). If multiple ships make suicide attacks against a single ship, the targeted ship fires a shot at each suicide ship. If the ship making the suicide attack survives, it fires at the target with its beam factor increased by one.

•	If an icon does not appear, the ship does not have weapons to use at the range or under the circumstances. You cannot select an attack type if a ship is not equipped with beams or missiles, is only equipped with beams in long-range combat, or is only equipped with missiles and fired high-intensity missiles in a previous round of combat.

•	Missile boats can only fire missiles, not beams.

•	Terran monitors and scouts are not capable of long-range combat because they are not equipped with missiles.

•	Mother ships, tankers, and transports are not capable of combat.

•	If an enemy starship is making a suicide attack, you must target that ship in order to retain your right to fire the first shot.

Stalemate

•	Stalemate results if the ships in combat cannot destroy each other. For example, combat between two transports ends in stalemate because neither ship is equipped with weapons.

•	If there is an attack type that one ship can use to destroy the enemy, combat continues until the ship uses the appropriate attack type successfully. For example, if a ship can only destroy the enemy by making a suicide attack, then combat continues until the ship destroys the enemy with a suicide attack.

Surface-to-space combat

•	Combat occurs if a player ends the First Movement phase, Second Movement phase, or Reaction phase in a location occupied by combat-capable enemy units.

•	During space-to-surface combat, you can bombard the planetary surface, attempt a landing, or both.

•	Only ships equipped with missiles can bomb, and a ship must have a missile factor of at least 7 to neutralize or destroy a target on the planetary surface.

•	Multiple ships can combine their missile factors and bomb the same target.

•	A ship must survive defensive fire from outposts, PDMs, and worlds on the planetary surface in order to land.

•	Jump troops can unload in space. Jump troops on a transport automatically unload when the transport attempts to land.

•	Outposts and worlds can only be neutralized by bombing. Other units can either be neutralized or destroyed.

•	The result of bombardment is determined according to the bombardment fire results.

•	If the bombardment destroys all enemy units on the planetary surface, the attacking player controls the planet (and landing units appear on the planetary surface).

•	If outposts, PDMs, or worlds survive the bombing, each unit fires at each of the bombing ships (and landing transports or jump troops), and the outcome is determined by the defensive fire results.

•	If none of the attacking player's units survive, the defending player controls the planet and the game proceeds to the next phase.

•	If only the attacking player's units survive, the game proceeds to the next phase, but both players' units remain in the battlefield.

•	If landing transports or jump troops survive, they move to the planetary surface, ground troops on a transport automatically unload, and surface combat begins.

Surface combat

•	Combat occurs if a player ends the First Movement phase, Second Movement phase, or Reaction phase in a location occupied by combat-capable enemy units.

•	Each player selects a defender or attacker until one player matches all of his or her units against an enemy unit.

•	Ground troops and jump troops must be allocated first, followed by planetary defense mechanisms (PDMs), starships, worlds, and outposts.

•	If the attacking player has fewer troops than the defending player, the defending player can allocate remaining troops. If the defending player has fewer troops than the attacking player, the defending player must match PDMs, starships, worlds, and outposts against attacking troops.

•	A planetary surface cannot be conquered in one round of surface combat if there are more defending units than attacking troops.

•	Neutralized troops can participate in one round of combat to screen another unit or to divide the enemy forces, but they cannot attack.

•	A PDM only fires surface-to-space missiles and should be defended from surface attack using ground troops.

•	Worlds can only be neutralized in combat, not destroyed.

•	Ground troops fire first against jump troops. If the jump troops survive, they can return fire.

•	Worlds, outposts, and PDMs cannot fire during surface combat.

•	After each combat round, surviving units can be reallocated, except for screened units.

•	Defending units not matched against an attacking unit are screened, and do not participate in surface combat.

•	A defensive unit not matched against an attacking unit is screened. Screened units do not participate in combat, even if combat continues in another round or if the units defending the screened unit are destroyed.

•	Surface combat ends when one player's combat-capable units are destroyed or neutralized. The winner of surface combat controls the planet.

•	If you neutralize a world, you must leave ground troops or jump troops on the planetary surface until the end of the game turn in order to claim ownership of the planet. If you leave the world unguarded before the end of the game turn, it reverts to the original owner.

•	Untenable surface combat occurs when all troops defending a screened non-combat unit (outpost, PDM, transport, or world) are destroyed and attacking troops survive. The attacking troops cannot destroy the screened units during the current game turn. Combat does not continue until after the next Movement or Reaction phase. Defending troops must land on the planet before the end of the game turn to defend the screened non-combat units, or the units become the attacker and, without troops to defend them, blow up.

Appealing to the emperor

•	During the Appeal phase, the Imperium player can appeal to the emperor for increased production or finances.

•	Only the Imperium player can appeal to the emperor.

•	Appealing to the emperor always costs two glory points, and there is a chance that the emperor will ignore your request or refuse any more appeals for the rest of the game.

•	You cannot make an appeal if it will reduce your glory points to zero.

•	If you appeal for increased production, the emperor might:

Accelerate the production of ships by three game turns so that all ordered ships and three game turns of Imperial replacements appear during the next Place phase.

Grant permission to build a battleship, dreadnought, heavy cruiser, or improved dreadnought. You must use your own resource units (RU) and can build the specified ships until permission is rescinded.

Grant a gift of any three ships. You do not pay the production cost of the ships, and they are available immediately.

•	If you appeal for increased finances, the emperor might grant additional RU on a one-time basis or grant a permanent budget increase of 1 to 5 RU.

Imperial intervention

After the Appeal phase, the Imperium player may experience the effects of economic or political events in the larger Imperium dynasty, including:

Boom

•	Your budget is increased by 10 resource units (RU) for the current game turn.

Depression

•	Your budget is reduced by 10 RU for the current game turn. If deducting 10 RU from your budget decreases your total income to zero or less, your RU is instead reduced to 1 for the next three game turns.

•	If the Imperium experiences a boom during the three game turns, the depression ends immediately and is replaced by the effects of the boom.

Emperor's attention

•	All glory gains and losses are doubled for the game turn, except appeals to the emperor, which still cost two glory points.

Civil war

•	The Imperium has entered into civil war. You can remain uninvolved, or you can support the loyalist faction or the insurgent faction.

•	If you remain uninvolved, your budget is reduced by 3 RU (to a minimum of 1 RU).

•	If you participate in the war, you must send units totaling a number of missile factors to support one of the factions.

•	Each ground troop or jump troop counts as two missile factors.

•	You can send an unlimited number of units. Each 20 missile factors sent in support of the loyalists adds one to the roll, and each 10 missile factors sent in support of the insurgents subtracts one from the roll.

•	If you support the loyalists and they win the war, the units you sent are returned one to four game turns later, depending on chance, and you receive a permanent budget increase of 1 to 6 RU.

•	If you support the insurgents and they win the war, the units you sent are returned two to four game turns later, depending on chance, and you receive an RU bonus equal to the value of the units you sent.

•	If you support either side and they lose, the units you sent are either destroyed or returned four game turns later, depending on chance, and your budget is reduced by 3 RU (to a minimum of 1 RU).

•	You do not have to pay the maintenance cost of starships sent to support either faction.

•	The units return through Dingir, Gashidda, Ishkur, or Kinunir.

Frontier crisis

•	You must send starships totaling the required number of missile factors to a military emergency in another province. The ships return in two game turns.

Mandated offensive

•	The emperor dictates that you mount an offensive and provides you with one of the following combinations of ships: two improved dreadnoughts and two attack cruisers; two dreadnoughts and two attack cruisers; three improved dreadnoughts and two attack cruisers; one battleship and two attack cruisers; or two battleships and one attack cruiser.

•	The ships arrive through Dingir, Gashidda, Ishkur, or Kinunir at the beginning of your next game turn and can be used until you fail to increase your glory points during a game turn.

•	The Imperium player must pay the maintenance cost of the ships provided for the mandated offensive.

•	Ships provided for a mandated offensive do not return Imperial replacements if they are destroyed in combat.

Recentralization

•	The emperor rescinds permission to build attack cruisers, battleships, dreadnoughts, heavy cruisers, and improved dreadnoughts.

Reinforcements and token reinforcements

•	The emperor provides an allotment of RU to build reinforcements.

•	The allotted RU is separate from your other RU.

•	At least half of the allotted RU must be spent on starships.

•	You can only order one battleship, dreadnought, improved dreadnought, or monitor.

•	Unspent RU is lost.

•	The reinforcements appear immediately and must be placed on the star map at Dingir, Gashidda, Ishkur, or Kinunir.

Ordering Imperial Replacements

•	Only the Imperium player can order Imperial replacements.

•	The Imperium does not provide replacements for non-ship units, fighters, or monitors.

•	Imperial replacements are provided free at the rate of one ship per game turn.

•	Imperial replacements appear in the order that you choose them. If a ship has not been replaced yet, you can remove it from the replacements list so that the ship following it appears sooner.


Using the interface

The Imperium game screen includes the following areas:

•	Star map

•	Game Turn indicator

•	Phase indicator

•	Glory bar

•	Player's persona

•	RU indicator

•	Unit window

•	Projected Income button

•	Force Profile button

•	Done button

•	Place button

•	Load/Unload button


Using the star map

The star map shows the star systems in conflict between the Imperium and Terran forces. Imperium-controlled planets are highlighted in red, and Terran-controlled planets are highlighted in blue. A player gains control of an unclaimed planet by placing a world or outpost there during the first Place phase of a new game, or by constructing an outpost there during a subsequent phase.

There are two types of planets: primary and secondary. A primary (green) planet can support one world or outpost. A secondary (gray) planet can support one outpost, but no worlds.

Most planets are connected by green hyperspace jump routes, which most starships can use to travel from one planet to another. Most starships can also use interstellar space hexes to travel by sublight.

You can zoom the star map between short-range and long-range views.

To display the units on a planet or interstellar space hex

Click a planet or interstellar space hex on the star map. The units located there appear in the Unit window.


Game Turn indicator

The Game Turn indicator shows the current game turn.


Phase indicator

The Phase indicator shows the current phase of the game turn.


Glory bar

The glory bar displays how much glory the Imperium has gained or lost. At the beginning of the game, the glory marker appears in the middle of the glory bar. If the Imperium gains glory by destroying Terran outposts or neutralizing Terran worlds, the glory marker moves toward the red (Imperium) end of the bar. If the Imperium loses glory by appealing to the emperor or losing worlds or outposts to the Terrans, the glory marker moves toward the blue (Terran) end of the bar.

Glory points

•	Neutralizing a world moves the glory marker four points. Neutralizing an outpost does not move the glory marker.

•	Destroying an outpost moves the glory marker one point. A world cannot be destroyed.

•	Appealing to the emperor moves the glory marker two points toward the Terran end of the glory bar.

At the beginning of game turn four (and in each subsequent game turn), the red and blue ends of the glory bar lengthen by one point, so that the Imperium wins or loses sooner. By the end of game turn eight, the Imperium loses if the glory marker is still in the middle.

Winning the game

The Imperium wins the game when the glory marker remains in the red end of the glory bar until the beginning of the next game turn. The Terrans win the game when the glory marker remains in the blue end of the glory bar until the beginning of the next game turn.


Player's persona

Each player's name and face is taken from the MPG-Net Theater persona used to create or join a game. The Imperium player always appears in the red window on the left, and the Terran player always appears in the blue window on the right.

Note  If you change your persona in the Theater, you can still play existing games of Imperium, but the window displays the face and name of the persona with which you originally started the game.


RU indicator

The RU indicator shows how many resource units (RU) a player has.


Unit window

During the Place phase, the Unit window displays your unplaced units so that you can place them on the star map.

When you click a planet or interstellar space hex on the star map, the units located there appear in the Unit window. Ships in orbit are shown in the top half of the window, and units on the planetary surface are shown in the bottom half of the window.

Note  To redisplay your unplaced units during the Place phase, click the Place button.

To display the description of a unit

Using the right mouse button, click a unit in the Unit window.


Projected Income window

The Projected Income window shows how many resource units (RU) a player will receive as income during the Maintenance phase given the current game conditions. You can display the Imperium or Terran Projected Income window, but you cannot display both at the same time.

To display the Projected Income window

Click the Projected Income button.


Using the Force Profile window

The Force Profile window shows the location and status of a player's units. You can display the Imperium or Terran Force Profile window, but you cannot display both at the same time.

To use the Force Profile window

1	Click the Force Profile button.

2	Click the scroll arrows at the top of the window to choose the units you want to view:

•	All units
Shows all of the units a player has on the star map.

•	Disrupted ships
Shows all of a player's disrupted starships.

•	Next turn build
Shows the units the player can place on the star map in the next game turn.

•	2 turn build
Shows the units the player can place on the star map in two game turns.

•	Replacement list (Imperium Force Profile only)
Shows the replacement ships the Imperium player can place on the star map at the rate of one ship per game turn.

3	Scroll through the units. The selected unit is shown in the circle at the top of the list and its description and location are shown. To locate the unit on the star map, click the Find on Map button. If a unit has not been placed on the star map, its location is shown as "Place List."


Turning music on or off

You can listen to the Imperium music while you play, or you can turn it off.

To turn music on or off

1	Move your pointer to the top of the game screen to reveal the menu bar.

2	On the Sound menu, select the Music check box. If there is a check mark in the box, music is on; if the check box is clear, music is off.


Turning sound effects on or off

You can turn the Imperium sound effects on or off.

To turn sound effects on or off

1	Move your pointer to the top of the game screen to reveal the menu bar.

2	On the Sound menu, select the Sound check box. If there is a check mark in the box, sound is on; if the check box is clear, sound is off.


Resetting windows to default position

When you move a window (such as the Force Profile window) to another location on the screen, it appears there each time you open it.

To reset open windows to default position

1	Move your pointer to the top of the game screen to reveal the menu bar.

2	On the Windows menu, click Reset.


Zooming the star map

You can zoom the star map between short-range and long-range views.

To zoom the star map

1	Move your pointer to the top of the game screen to reveal the menu bar.

2	On the Windows menu, click Zoom Map.


Taking your turn

When it is your turn, the word "Imperium" or "Terran" appears at the top of the game screen, the Imperium or Terran symbol appears below the Game Turn indicator, and the panel above the Game Turn indicator is open and blinking.

If it is your turn, you can play while the other player is offline. When a player is offline, the face of his or her persona is dimmed.

Note  The Terran player always takes the first turn of a new game.


Chatting with the other player

You can chat with the other player during a game and display a record of your conversation using the chat log.

To chat with the other player

1	Type a message. A message window appears as soon as you begin typing.

2	To delete the message, click Clear. To send the message, press ENTER. Your message appears on the other player’s screen next to your persona's face.


Displaying the chat log

You can chat with the other player during a game and display a record of your conversation using the chat log.

To display the chat log

1	Move your pointer to the top of the game screen to reveal the menu bar.

2	On the Chat menu, click Open Chat Log. A message box displays the messages you and your opponent type.

3	Click Up or Down to scroll the chat log.


Turning paging on or off

You can choose whether you want other players to be able to page you from the MPG-Net Theater while you are playing Imperium.

To turn paging on or off

1	Move your pointer to the top of the game screen to reveal the menu bar.

2	On the Chat menu, select the Paging check box. If there is a check mark in the box, paging is on; if the check box is clear, paging is off.

To respond to a page

Exit the game. You return to the Imperium conference room. To chat with the person who paged you, click the table at which they are sitting, and then type a message.

For more information about using the conference room, click the Question Mark button on the Gold toolbar in the MPG-Net Theater, and then click the Book button.


Exiting the game

When you exit a game of Imperium, your game is saved and you return to the Imperium conference room in the MPG-Net Theater. When a player is offline, the face of his or her persona is dimmed.

Note  If you are disconnected from MPG-Net while you are playing Imperium, you resume play from the same point in the game when you reconnect.

To exit the game

1	Move your pointer to the top of the game screen to reveal the menu bar.

2	On the Game menu, click Exit.


Place phase

During the first Place phase of a new game, you place your allotted units on the star map. During subsequent Place phases, you place units that you ordered in a previous Build phase or (if you are the Imperium player) Imperial replacements you received during the Replacement phase.

To end your Place phase

Place all of your unplaced units on the star map.

 Related Topics


Placing units on the star map

When you have units to place on the star map, they appear in the Unit window as "unplaced units."

At the beginning of a new game, the Terran player places his or her allotted units first, followed by the Imperium player.

Note  Before placing your units you should understand how you receive income from worlds and outposts and perform maintenance on your starships. You might also want to refer to the strategy tips.

To place a unit on the star map

Click an unplaced unit (or units) in the Unit window, and then click a planet on the star map.

Notes

•	Outposts must be placed before worlds.

•	Outposts are usually placed on secondary (gray) planets, although they can also be placed on primary (green) planets.

•	Worlds must be placed on primary planets.

•	A planet can only support one world or outpost.

•	Units other than outposts and worlds must be placed on a connected world or outpost.

•	Non-ship units and transports appear on the planet's surface. All other starships appear in orbit.

•	Outposts, worlds, and planetary defense mechanisms (PDMs) cannot be moved after they are placed.

•	You must place all of your unplaced units on the star map.


Maintenance phase

During your Maintenance phase, you:

•	Receive income.

•	Perform maintenance on your starships.


Receiving income

When you enter your Maintenance phase, you receive resource units (RU) from the worlds and outposts you control. If it is your opponent's Maintenance phase, spies report how much income your enemy has received.

Income is calculated as follows:

	Imperium	Terran
Connected worlds:	1 RU	8 RU
Unconnected worlds:	1 RU	6 RU
Connected outposts:	1 RU	1 RU
Unconnected outposts:	0 RU	0 RU
Imperial budget:	10 RU	0 RU
To display your income during other phases, click the Projected Income button.


Performing maintenance

After receiving income during your Maintenance phase, you are told how many of your starships require civilized maintenance and how many resource units (RU) it will cost to maintain them. Your other starships receive frontier maintenance.

Note  Monitors on outposts and ships at Dushaam or Nusku (if there is a world on Dushaam) receive civilized maintenance. If you do not pay for civilized maintenance, these ships receive frontier maintenance.

To maintain your ships

To perform civilized maintenance on all of your eligible starships, click Maintain All.

To itemize which ships receive civilized maintenance, click Itemize. The Maintenance hangar appears.


Using the Maintenance hangar

The Maintenance hangar shows the starships that can receive civilized maintenance. Your other starships automatically receive frontier maintenance.

You can perform civilized maintenance on all of your eligible starships, or you can itemize which ships receive civilized maintenance so that you have more resource units (RU) to spend on new units during the Build phase.

Note  Monitors on outposts and ships at Dushaam or Nusku (if there is a world on Dushaam) receive civilized maintenance. If you do not pay for civilized maintenance, these ships receive frontier maintenance.

To use the Maintenance hangar

1	Scroll through the starships. The selected starship is shown in the circle at the top of the list and its description and location are shown. To locate the ship on the star map, click the Find on Map button.

2	By default, the ships shown in the list will be maintained.

Click the Do Not Maintain button if you do not want to perform maintenance on the selected ship. The maintenance cost of the ship is credited to your available RU, and the ship is outlined in yellow to indicate that it will not receive civilized maintenance.

Click the Maintain button to perform maintenance on the selected ship. The maintenance cost of the ship is deducted from your available RU, and the yellow outline disappears from the ship.

3	Click OK to close the Maintenance hangar and end the Maintenance phase.


Build phase

During the Build phase, you can use the Production hangar to order new units.


Building new units

During your Build phase, you can use the Production hangar to build as many new units as you can purchase with your available RU, or you can save some or all of your resource units (RU) for a future Build phase. Most units appear in the Place phase of the next game turn, except for battleships, dreadnoughts, and improved dreadnoughts, which require two game turns to build.

The Imperium player must have permission from the emperor (as the result of Imperial intervention or an appeal) to build an attack cruiser, battleship, dreadnought, heavy cruiser, or improved dreadnought.

To build new units

1	Scroll through the units in the inventory list. The selected unit appears in a circle at the top of the list and its description and cost are shown. Units are grayed if you do not have enough RU to order them.

2	Click the unit you want to order (or click Order to order the selected unit). The cost of each unit is deducted from the available RU, and the order list displays the unit, quantity ordered, and number of game turns required to build the unit.

To cancel an ordered unit, click the unit in the left column. To cancel the entire order, click Cancel Order.

3	Click Done to close the Production hangar and end the Build phase.


Appeal phase

During the Appeal phase, the Imperium player can appeal to the emperor for increased production or finances.


Appealing to the emperor

The Imperium player can appeal to the emperor for increased production or finances. However, appealing to the emperor always costs two glory points, and there is a chance that the emperor will ignore your request or refuse any more appeals for the rest of the game.

Note  You cannot make an appeal if it will reduce your glory points to zero.

Increased production

If you appeal for increased production, the emperor might:

•	Accelerate the production of ships by three game turns so that all ordered ships and three game turns of Imperial replacements appear during the next Place phase.

•	Grant permission to build a battleship, dreadnought, heavy cruiser, or improved dreadnought. You must use your own resource units (RU) and can build the specified ships until permission is rescinded.

•	Grant a gift of any three ships. You do not pay the production cost of the ships, they appear immediately, and Imperial replacements are provided if they are destroyed in combat.

Increased finances

If you appeal for increased finances, the emperor might:

•	Grant additional RU on a one-time basis.

•	Grant a permanent budget increase of 1 to 5 RU.

 Related Topics


Imperial gift

As the result of an appeal for increased production, the emperor grants a gift of any three ships. You do not pay the production cost of the ships, they appear immediately, and Imperial replacements are provided if they are destroyed in combat.


Imperial intervention

After the Appeal phase, the Imperium player may experience the effects of economic or political events in the larger Imperium dynasty, including:

•	Boom

•	Civil war

•	Depression

•	Emperor's attention

•	Emperor's succession

•	Frontier crisis

•	Mandated offensive

•	Recentralization

•	Reinforcements

•	Token reinforcements


Boom

Due to economic boom in the Imperium, your budget is increased by 10 resource units (RU) for the current game turn.


Depression

Due to decreased economic activity in the Imperium, your budget is reduced by 10 resource units (RU) for the current game turn. If deducting 10 RU from your budget decreases your total income to zero or less, your RU is instead reduced to 1 for the next three game turns. If the Imperium experiences a boom during the three game turns, the depression ends immediately and is replaced by the effects of the boom.


Emperor's attention
Emperor’s attention

The emperor has focused attention on your province. All glory gains and losses are doubled for the game turn, except appeals to the emperor, which still cost two glory points.


Emperor's succession
Emperor’s succession

The emperor is dead and the Imperium is in upheaval. With the change of command, there is a chance that major policy change will occur, which may lead to civil war or any other Imperial intervention event.


Civil war

The Imperium has entered into civil war. You can remain uninvolved, or you can support the loyalist faction or the insurgent faction. If you remain uninvolved, your budget is reduced by 3 resource units (RU) (to a minimum of 1 RU).

If you participate in the war, you must send units totaling a number of missile factors to support one of the factions. Each ground troop or jump troop counts as two missile factors. You can send an unlimited number of units. Each 20 missile factors sent in support of the loyalists adds one to the roll, and each 10 missile factors sent in support of the insurgents subtracts one from the roll. You do not have to pay the maintenance cost of starships sent to support either faction, and the units return through Dingir, Gashidda, Ishkur, or Kinunir.

•	If you support the loyalists and they win the war, your units are returned one to four game turns later, depending on chance, and you receive a permanent budget increase of 1 to 6 RU.

•	If you support the insurgents and they win the war, your units are returned two to four game turns later, depending on chance, and you receive an RU bonus equal to the value of the units you sent.

•	If you support either faction and they lose, your units are either destroyed or returned four game turns later, depending on chance, and your budget is reduced by 3 RU (to a minimum of 1 RU).

To send units to civil war

1	Scroll through the units in the force list. The selected unit appears in a circle at the top of the list and its description and location are shown. To locate the unit on the star map, click the Find on Map button.

2	Click the unit you want to send (or click Send to send the selected unit).

To remove a unit from the send list, click the unit. To remove all units from the send list, click Cancel.

3	Click Done to close the Civil War window and send the units.


Frontier crisis

The emperor dictates that you send starships totaling the required number of missile factors to a military emergency in a frontier province. The ships return in two game turns.

To send ships to a frontier crisis

1	Scroll through the ships in the force list. The selected ship appears in a circle at the top of the list and its description and location are shown. To locate the ship on the star map, click the Find on Map button.

2	Click the ship you want to send (or click Send to send the selected ship). The missile factor of each ship is deducted from the required missile factor.

To remove a ship from the send list, click the ship. To remove all ships from the send list, click Cancel.

3	Click Done to close the Frontier Crisis window and send the ships.


Mandated offensive

The emperor dictates that you mount an offensive and provides one of the following combinations of ships:

•	Two improved dreadnoughts and two attack cruisers.

•	Two dreadnoughts and two attack cruisers.

•	Three improved dreadnoughts and two attack cruisers.

•	One battleship and two attack cruisers.

•	Two battleships and one attack cruiser.

The ships arrive through Dingir, Gashidda, Ishkur, or Kinunir at the beginning of the next game turn and can be used until you fail to increase your glory points during a game turn.

Notes

•	The Imperium player must pay the maintenance cost of the units provided for the mandated offensive.

•	Ships provided for a mandated offensive do not return as Imperial replacements if they are destroyed.


Recentralization

The emperor is displeased with the lack of production of warships and rescinds permission to build attack cruisers, battleships, dreadnoughts, heavy cruisers, and improved dreadnoughts.


Reinforcements

The emperor has provided an allotment of resource units (RU) with which you can order reinforcements to bolster your struggle in this province. The allotted RU is separate from your other RU and any unspent RU is lost. At least half of the allotted RU must be spent on starships. You can only order one battleship, dreadnought, improved dreadnought, or monitor.

To order reinforcements

1	Scroll through the units in the inventory list. The selected unit appears in a circle at the top of the list and its description and cost are shown. Units are grayed if you do not have enough RU to order them.

2	Click the unit you want to order (or click Order to order the selected unit). The cost of each unit is deducted from the allotted RU, and the order list displays the unit, quantity ordered, and number of game turns required to build the unit.

To cancel an ordered unit, click the unit. To cancel the entire order, click Cancel Order.

3	Click Done to close the Reinforcements window.

The reinforcements are available immediately. You must place them at Dingir, Gashidda, Ishkur, or Kinunir.


Token reinforcements

The emperor has reluctantly provided an allotment of resource units (RU) with which you can order reinforcements to bolster your struggle in this province. The allotted RU is separate from your other RU and any unspent RU is lost. At least half of the allotted RU must be spent on starships. You can only order one battleship, dreadnought, improved dreadnought, or monitor.

To order token reinforcements

1	Scroll through the units in the inventory list. The selected unit appears in a circle at the top of the list and its description and cost are shown. Units are grayed if you do not have enough RU to order them.

2	Click the unit you want to order (or click Order to order the selected unit). The cost of each unit is deducted from the allotted RU, and the order list displays the unit, quantity ordered, and number of game turns required to build the unit.

To cancel an ordered unit, click the unit. To cancel the entire order, click Cancel Order.

3	Click Done to close the Token Reinforcements window.

The reinforcements are available immediately. You must place them at Dingir, Gashidda, Ishkur, or Kinunir.


First Movement phase

During your First Movement phase, you can:

•	Load and unload cargo. Each cargo-carrying ship can carry three loads of cargo during this phase.

•	Move starships from planet to planet, making an unlimited number of hyperspace jumps.

•	Move starships by sublight.

Note  If you end your First Movement phase in a location occupied by combat-capable enemy units, you will engage in combat.

To end your First Movement phase

Click Done.


Reaction phase

During your Reaction phase, you can:

•	Load or unload cargo, but not both.

•	Move starships from the surface or orbit of one planet to multiple planets within three hyperspace jumps. For example, if you move a transport from the surface of a planet, you can only move other ships from the surface of that planet (not its orbit) during your Reaction phase.

Notes

•	Starships cannot travel by sublight during this phase.

•	If you end your Reaction phase in a location occupied by combat-capable enemy units, you will engage in combat.

To end your Reaction phase

Click Done.


Second Movement phase

During your Second Movement phase, you can:

•	Load and unload cargo. Each cargo-carrying ship can carry three loads of cargo during this phase.

•	Move starships from planet to planet, making an unlimited number of hyperspace jumps.

Notes

•	Starships cannot travel by sublight during this phase.

•	If you end your Second Movement phase in a location occupied by combat-capable enemy units, you will engage in combat.

To end your Second Movement phase

Click Done.


Constructing a kit

If you have outpost kits or planetary defense mechanism (PDM) kits on a planetary surface, you can construct them after your Second Movement phase.

To construct a kit

1	Scroll through the outpost kits and PDM kits. The selected kit appears in a circle at the top of the list, and its location is shown. To locate the kit on the star map, click the Find on Map button.

2	Click the Construct button. The kit becomes an outpost or PDM.

Click the Do Not Construct button. The outpost or PDM becomes a kit.

Note  Be sure that the outposts and PDMs are located where you want them because you cannot move them after you close the window.

3	Click OK to close the Construction window. The outpost or PDM appears where you constructed it.


Replacement phase

During the Replacement phase, the Imperium player can order Imperial replacements for starships destroyed in combat during the game turn.


Ordering Imperial replacements

The Imperial Replacements window displays all of the Imperium ships that were destroyed in combat during the game turn. If you order replacement ships, the emperor provides them (during future Place phases) at the rate of one ship per game turn. The replacement ships appear in the order that you choose them. If a ship has not been replaced yet, you can remove it from the replacements list so that the ship following it appears sooner.

Note  The Imperium does not provide replacements for non-ship units, fighters, or monitors.

To order Imperial replacements

1	In the casualties list, click the ship you want to replace, and then click Add. The ship appears in the replacements list.

To permanently remove a ship from the replacements list, click the ship, and then click Remove.

2	Click Done to close the Imperial Replacements window.


Retreat phase

If you retreat, you use the Retreat phase to move your surviving ships from the planet occupied by the enemy. A yellow outline appears around the planet (or planets) you can retreat to on the star map. You can move to a friendly planet within one hyperspace jump of the planet from which you are retreating without encountering combat-capable enemy ships. If there is not a friendly planet to retreat to, you can retreat to an unclaimed planet. If you do not have anywhere to retreat, you must continue in combat.

Note  Fighters, monitors, and disrupted ships outlined in red cannot hyperspace jump and are unable to retreat.

To retreat

Click the planet to which you want to retreat. All starships capable of hyperspace jumps move there. Ships that cannot retreat remain and combat continues until they defeat the enemy or are destroyed.


Moving starships

During your First Movement phase and Second Movement phase, you can move starships from planet to planet, making an unlimited number of hyperspace jumps. During your First Movement phase, you can also move ships by sublight.

During your Reaction phase, you can move starships from the surface or orbit of one planet to multiple planets within three hyperspace jumps. For example, if you move a transport from the surface of a planet, you can only move other ships from the surface of the planet (not its orbit) during your Reaction phase.

To move a starship

1	Click a location on the star map. The units located there appear in the Unit window.

2	Click the ship (or ships) you want to move.

3	To hyperspace jump, click a planet on the star map that is connected by a green hyperspace jump route. To travel by sublight, click an interstellar space hex on the star map.

Notes

•	Fighters, ground troops, jump troops, outpost kits, and planetary defense mechanism (PDM) kits must be carried as cargo.

•	In order to move starships from Sirius, you must have a tanker there.

•	If you end a Movement or Reaction phase in a location occupied by combat-capable enemy units, you will engage in combat.


Loading and unloading cargo

•	During the First Movement phase and Second Movement phase, a ship can carry three loads of cargo.

•	During the Reaction phase, a ship can load or unload cargo, but not both.

•	A disrupted cargo-carrying ship can still transport cargo.

•	Units on the planetary surface cannot be loaded onto transports in orbit. You must move the transport to the planetary surface.

•	Cargo cannot be transferred between ships in orbit.

•	Fighters on a mother ship (not a transport) and jump troops can unload in space.

•	Jump troops automatically unload when a transport attempts to land during space-to-surface combat.

•	Ground troops automatically unload when a transport lands during space-to-surface combat.

•	When a cargo-carrying ship is destroyed in combat, its cargo is also destroyed.

To load cargo onto a ship

1	Click the location of the cargo on the star map. The units located there appear in the Unit window. You must have a cargo-carrying ship at the location.

2	Click the cargo to load (or click the Load/Unload button). The Loading and Unloading window appears.

3	In the Loading and Unloading window, click the cargo to load. A cargo-carrying ship is highlighted. If you want to load the cargo onto this ship, click Load. If you want to load the cargo onto a different ship, click that ship and then click Load.

To unload cargo from a ship

1	On the star map, click the location of the ship to unload.

2	Click the Load/Unload button. The Loading and Unloading window appears.

3	Click the ship to unload.

4	Click Unload.


Engaging in combat

You can initiate combat during your First Movement phase, Second Movement phase, or Reaction phase by moving units to a location occupied by combat-capable enemy units. A yellow cloud appears on the star map at the location in conflict. If you end the phase in a location of conflict, you engage in combat.

Combat is fought in the following sequence:

•	If a player moves ships to a planet or interstellar space hex with combat-capable enemy ships in orbit, space combat occurs.

•	If one player controls a planet's orbit and the other player controls the planet's surface, space-to-surface combat occurs.

•	If a player moves units to the surface of a planet controlled by the other player, surface combat occurs.


Space combat

Space combat occurs when a player moves starships to a planet or interstellar space hex with combat-capable enemy ships in orbit.

Note  Fighters can unload from a mother ship during space combat.

During space combat:

•	The first round of combat is always fought at long range. In subsequent rounds of combat, one player chooses the range.

•	Each player chooses to retreat or engage (unless you do not have anywhere to retreat, in which case you must engage).

•	Each player selects a defender or attacker.

•	If one player has more ships than the other player, he or she can allocate the remainder to combat.

•	Each player chooses an attack type for each ship.

•	If one player allocates ships to combat, the other player selects which ship to target in the attack.

Each ship fires once at the enemy ship matched against it. Destroyed ships disappear, and surviving ships remain on the screen. If both you and your opponent have surviving ships, you enter another round of space combat. This continues until a player retreats or all of a player's ships are destroyed.

Stalemate

Stalemate results if the ships in combat cannot destroy each other. For example, combat between two transports ends in stalemate because neither ship is equipped with weapons. However, if there is an attack type that one ship can use to destroy the enemy, combat continues until the ship uses the appropriate attack type successfully. For example, if a ship can only destroy the enemy by making a suicide attack, then combat continues until the ship destroys the enemy with a suicide attack.


Choosing the range

Space combat occurs at long range or short range. The range determines whether a ship can use beams, missiles, high-intensity missiles, or suicide attack.

The first round of combat is always fought at long range. In subsequent rounds of combat, if each player has surviving ships, chance (slightly in favor of the player with fewer ships) determines which player chooses the range.


Choosing to retreat or engage

The defending player chooses whether to retreat or engage, and then the attacking player chooses whether to retreat or engage.

Notes

•	Neither player can retreat if combat occurs in an interstellar space hex.

•	Fighters, and monitors, and disrupted ships outlined in red cannot hyperspace jump and are unable to retreat.

If you engage in combat, your ships face the enemy ships in preparation to fire at them. If you retreat, your ships turn away from the enemy ships in preparation for retreat. The enemy ships fire at you, but you cannot return fire. If ships survive and are capable of hyperspace jumps, you can move them to a friendly planet during the Retreat phase. Ships that cannot retreat remain, and combat continues until they defeat the enemy or are destroyed.


Selecting a defender or attacker

The defending player chooses a unit to defend against attack, and then the attacking player chooses a unit with which to attack. Each player continues to choose a defender or attacker until one player matches all of his or her units against an enemy unit.

To select a defender or attacker

Click the unit you want to commit to combat. The unit appears in a box in the combat screen to face off against an enemy unit.

Notes

During surface combat:

•	You must allocate all of your ground troops and jump troops first, followed by your planetary defense mechanisms (PDMs), starships, worlds, and outposts.

•	Neutralized troops can participate in one round of combat to screen another unit or to divide the enemy forces, but they cannot attack.

•	If the attacking player has fewer troops than the defending player, the defending player can allocate remaining troops. If the defending player has fewer troops than the attacking player, the defending player must match PDMs, starships, worlds, and outposts against attacking troops.

•	A planetary surface cannot be conquered in one round of surface combat if there are more defending units than attacking troops.


Allocating the remainder of your units

If you have more units than the other player, you can allocate the remaining units against one of the enemy’s units, or you can withhold the remaining units from combat.

To allocate remaining units

Click a unit, and then click a combat box.

To omit remaining units

Click Done.


Choosing an attack type

The attack type each starship can use depends on the type of weapons it is equipped with, whether it is disrupted, the range of combat, and the attack type the enemy ship is using.

To choose an attack type

1	Click a ship. The icon in front of each ship indicates the type of attack. If an icon does not appear, the ship does not have weapons to fight with at the range or under the circumstances.

•	Beams

•	Missiles

•	High-intensity missiles

•	Suicide attack

•	No attack type

2	Click Done when you have chosen an attack type for each of your ships.


Beams

Beams can only be used at short range. Suicide attacks must be made at short range using beams.


High-intensity missiles

High-intensity missiles double a starship's missile factor (to a maximum of 12) for a single round of combat; however, the ship is unable to fire missiles in subsequent rounds of combat.

High-intensity missiles are most effective at long range. They can also be used at short range, but their missile factor is reduced by half (odd numbers are rounded down) and then doubled. For example, if a ship's missile factor is five, its short-range missile factor is 2, which is doubled to result in a high-intensity missile factor of 4.

Note  A disrupted ship cannot use high-intensity missiles.


Missiles

Missiles are most effective at long range. They can be used at short range, but their missile factor is reduced by half (odd numbers are rounded down). For example, if a ship's long-range missile factor is five, its short-range missile factor is 2. High-intensity missiles double a ship's missile factor.


Suicide attack

Suicide attacks must be made at short range using beams. A starship making a suicide attack moves closer to the enemy ship it is matched against, increasing the amount of damage it may cause. However, the target of the suicide attack fires first using beams or missiles (at half factor). If multiple ships make suicide attacks against a single ship, the targeted ship fires a shot at each suicide ship. If the ship making the suicide attack survives, it fires at the target with its beam factor roll increased by one.


No attack type

You cannot select an attack type if:

•	A ship is not equipped with beams or missiles.

•	A ship is only equipped with beams in long-range combat.

•	A ship is only equipped with missiles and fired high-intensity missiles in a previous round of combat.


Selecting a target

If there are multiple ships allocated against one of your ships, you can choose which ship to fire at during combat.

Note  If an enemy starship is making a suicide attack, you must target that ship in order to retain your right to fire the first shot.

To target a ship

1	Click the ship to target.

2	Click Done.


Space-to-surface combat

Space-to-surface combat occurs when one player controls a planet's orbit and the other player controls the planet's surface. During space-to-surface combat, you can bombard the planetary surface, attempt a landing, or both.

Bombardment

Only ships equipped with missiles can bomb, and a ship must have a missile factor of at least 7 to neutralize or destroy a target on the planetary surface. Multiple ships can combine their missile factors and bomb the same target.

1	Click a ship in orbit.

2	Click an enemy unit on the planetary surface. The ship is positioned over the target in preparation for bombing.

3	If you are finished bombarding and/or landing, click Done.

Landing

A ship must survive defensive fire from outposts, planetary defense mechanisms (PDMs), and worlds on the planetary surface in order to land. Jump troops can unload in space. Jump troops on a transport automatically unload when the transport attempts to land.

1	Click a ship in orbit.

2	Click the landing pad on the planetary surface. The ship is positioned over the landing pad in preparation for landing. Multiple ships can land on the landing pad.

3	If you are finished bombarding and/or landing, click Done.

If you have engaged in bombardment, each ship fires on its target and the outcome is determined by the bombardment fire results.

Note  Outposts and worlds can only be neutralized by bombing. Other units can either be neutralized or destroyed.

If the bombardment destroys all enemy units on the planetary surface, the attacking player controls the planet (and landing units appear on the planetary surface). If outposts, PDMs, or worlds survive the bombing, each unit fires at each of the bombing ships (and landing transports or jump troops) and the outcome is determined by the defensive fire results.

If none of the attacking player's units survive, the defending player controls the planet and the game proceeds to the next phase. If only the attacking player's units survive, the game proceeds to the next phase, but both players' units remain in the battlefield. If landing transports or jump troops survive, they move to the planetary surface, ground troops on a transport automatically unload, and surface combat begins.


Surface combat

Surface combat occurs when one player lands units on a planetary surface where enemy units are located.

During surface combat:

•	Each player selects a defender or attacker.

You must allocate all of your ground troops and jump troops first, followed by your planetary defense mechanisms (PDMs), starships, worlds, and outposts. Neutralized troops can participate in one round of combat to screen another unit or to divide the enemy forces, but they cannot attack.

•	If the attacking player has fewer troops than the defending player, the defending player can allocate the remainder to combat. If the defending player has fewer troops than the attacking player, the defending player must match PDMs, starships, worlds, and outposts against attacking troops.

Ground troops fire first against jump troops. If the jump troops survive, they can return fire. Worlds, outposts, and PDMs cannot fire during surface combat. After each combat round, surviving units can be reallocated, except for screened units. Surface combat ends when one player's combat-capable units are destroyed or neutralized. The winner of surface combat controls the planet.

Notes

•	A planetary surface cannot be conquered in one round of surface combat if there are more defending units than attacking troops.

•	If you neutralize a world, you must leave ground troops or jump troops on the planetary surface until the end of the game turn in order to claim ownership of the planet. If you leave the world unguarded before the end of the game turn, it reverts to the original owner.

Screened units

A defensive unit not matched against an attacking unit is screened. Screened units do not participate in combat, even if combat continues in another round or if the units defending the screened unit are destroyed.

Untenable surface combat

Untenable surface combat occurs when all troops defending a screened non-combat unit (outpost, PDM, transport, or world) are destroyed and attacking troops survive. The attacking troops cannot destroy the screened units during the current game turn. Combat does not continue until after the next movement or Reaction phase. Defending troops must land on the planet before the end of the game turn to defend the screened non-combat units, or the units become the attacker and, without troops to defend them, blow up.


Strategy tips

•	The Imperium player has the advantage of placing his or her forces after the Terran player, which allows the Imperium player to view the Terran player's strategy.

•	Agidda and Nusku/Dushaam are good blocking points to Imperium territory. Barnard’s Star and Procyon are good blocking points to Terran territory.

•	The Imperium player begins the game with a tanker and can attack through Sirius during the first game turn. The Terran player must build a tanker in order to pass through Sirius.

•	The Terran player can build heavy combat ships, which the Imperium player can only build with the emperor's permission.

•	The Imperium player must stay on the offensive by engaging in combat and taking control of Terran territory. If the Imperium player does not destroy Terran outposts or neutralize Terran worlds by the eighth game turn, the emperor will lose patience with the war and concede victory to the Terrans.

•	The Imperium fleet is largely equipped with missiles, which are most effective at long range, while the Terran fleet is mostly equipped with beams, which are only effective at short range. This gives the Imperium the advantage in the first round of space combat, which always occurs at long range.

•	The Imperium player can appeal to the emperor for increased production or finances; however, appeals cost two glory points and there is a chance that the emperor will not grant the appeal.


Getting Help

You can get Help with Imperium in the following ways:

•	Use the Imperium online Help to learn more about a particular topic.

To use the online Help offline, go to C:\Program Files\MPG-Net\Games\Imperium (or where you installed the MPG-Net software), and then click Imperium.hlp.

•	Click the Question Mark button, and then click any area of the game screen to display context-sensitive Help.

•	Using the right mouse button, click any unit shown in the Unit window to display a description of the unit.

•	Using the right mouse button, click any ship on the screen during space combat to display a description of the attack type.

•	Ask other players about the game in the Imperium conference room.

•	Visit the MPG-Net Forum on The Microsoft Network for additional information and technical support. To visit the MPG-Net Forum, connect to MSN, and then type the Go word mpgnet


Attack cruiser

Attack cruisers have the highest beam factor of the cruisers. They are used only in the Imperium fleet, and the emperor must grant permission before the Imperium player can build one.

Attack cruisers can hyperspace jump or travel by sublight. They cannot carry cargo.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	14 RU	--
Turns to build:	1	--
Maintenance cost:	4 RU	--
Beam factor:	7	--
Missile factor:	5	--
Shield factor:	5	--


Battleship

Battleships have the highest beam, missile, and shield factors. Their high shield factor protects them against defensive fire from planetary defense mechanisms (PDMs). They are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets, but the emperor must grant permission before the Imperium player can build one.

Battleships can hyperspace jump or travel by sublight. They can carry one jump troop as cargo.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	20 RU	20 RU
Turns to build:	2	2
Maintenance cost:	6 RU	6 RU
Beam factor:	7	12
Missile factor:	12	9
Shield factor:	9	9


Destroyer

Destroyers are small starships designed for escort duty and limited independent operations. They are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets.

Destroyers can hyperspace jump or travel by sublight. They cannot carry cargo.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	3 RU	3 RU
Turns to build:	1	1
Maintenance cost:	2 RU	2 RU
Beam factor:	2	3
Missile factor:	2	1
Shield factor:	2	2


Dreadnought

Dreadnoughts are heavily armed and armored starships designed as the mainstay of the fleet, but their usefulness is offset by their high maintenance cost. Their high shield factor protects them against defensive fire from planetary defense mechanisms (PDMs). They are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets, but the emperor must grant permission before the Imperium player can build one.

Dreadnoughts can hyperspace jump or travel by sublight. They can carry one jump troop as cargo.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	16 RU	16 RU
Turns to build:	2	2
Maintenance cost:	6 RU	6 RU
Beam factor:	4	10
Missile factor:	9	9
Shield factor:	8	7


Fighter

Fighters are small starships designed for tactical combat. They are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets.

Fighters cannot hyperspace jump or travel by sublight. They must be carried as cargo on a mother ship or transport. A mother ship can carry three sets of fighters and unload them in space. A transport can carry one set of fighters and cannot unload them in space.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	1 RU	1 RU
Turns to build:	1	1
Maintenance cost:	1 RU	1 RU
Beam factor:	1	2
Missile factor:	2	1
Shield factor:	2	2


Ground troop

A ground troop is one reinforced army division, including manpower and heavy artillery. Ground troops are used in both the Imperium and Terran forces. Ground troops fire first when matched against jump troops during surface combat.

Ground troops must be carried as cargo on a transport.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	2 RU	2 RU
Turns to build:	1	1
Combat factor:	1-3	2-4


Heavy cruiser

Heavy cruisers are standard combat ships with equal beam, missile, and shield factors. They are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets, but the emperor must grant permission before the Imperium player can build one.

Heavy cruisers can hyperspace jump or travel by sublight. They cannot carry cargo.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	12 RU	12 RU
Turns to build:	1	1
Maintenance cost:	4 RU	4 RU
Beam factor:	5	6
Missile factor:	5	6
Shield factor:	5	6


Improved dreadnought

Improved dreadnoughts have higher beam and missile factors than a standard dreadnought. Their high shield factor protects them against defensive fire from planetary defense mechanisms (PDM). They are used only in the Imperium fleet, and the emperor must grant permission before the Imperium player can build one.

Improved dreadnoughts can hyperspace jump or travel by sublight. They can carry one jump troop as cargo.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	18 RU	--
Turns to build:	2	--
Maintenance cost:	6 RU	--
Beam factor:	6	--
Missile factor:	10	--
Shield factor:	8	--


Jump troop

A jump troop is an elite, highly trained ground force. Jump troops are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets. They have a high combat factor and are lightly equipped, which enables them to unload in space rather than landing on the planet's surface in a cargo-carrying ship. However, when matched against ground troops during surface combat, ground troops fire first. If the jump troops survive, they can return fire.

Jump troops must be carried as cargo on a battleship, dreadnought, improved dreadnought, monitor, or transport.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	3 RU	3 RU
Turns to build:	1	1
Combat factor:	3-6	4-6
Note  In space-to-surface combat, jump troops have a shield factor of 7.


Light cruiser

Light cruisers are the smallest of the cruisers and are designed for light combat. They are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets.

Light cruisers can hyperspace jump or travel by sublight. They cannot carry cargo.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	6 RU	6 RU
Turns to build:	1	1
Maintenance cost:	3 RU	3 RU
Beam factor:	2	5
Missile factor:	4	1
Shield factor:	3	4


Missile boat

Missile boats can only fire missiles and they are used only in the Terran fleet.

Missile boats can hyperspace jump, but they cannot travel by sublight. They cannot carry cargo.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	--	4 RU
Turns to build:	--	1
Maintenance cost:	--	1 RU
Beam factor:	--	0
Missile factor:	--	6
Shield factor:	--	1


Monitor

A monitor is a heavily armed and armored ship used primarily to defend important planets. Monitors have a high shield factor that protects them against defensive fire from planetary defense mechanisms (PDMs). Monitors are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets.

Monitors can only travel by sublight; they cannot hyperspace jump. They can carry one jump troop as cargo.

Terran monitors are not capable of long-range combat because they are not equipped with missiles.

Note  Monitors on outposts receive civilized maintenance. If you do not pay for civilized maintenance, a monitor receives frontier maintenance.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	6 RU	6 RU
Turns to build:	1	1
Maintenance cost:	3 RU	3 RU
Beam factor:	0	9
Missile factor:	10	0
Shield factor:	7	8


Mother ship

A mother ship is a non-combat ship that can carry, launch, and retrieve three sets of fighters during each round of combat. Mother ships are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets. A disrupted mother ship can still carry, launch, and retrieve fighters. However, if the mother ship becomes disrupted with fighters on board, the fighters are also disrupted.

Mother ships can hyperspace jump or travel by sublight.

Mother ships are not equipped with beams or missiles.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	7 RU	7 RU
Turns to build:	1	1
Maintenance cost:	1 RU	1 RU
Beam factor:	0	0
Missile factor:	0	0
Shield factor:	1	2


Outpost

An outpost is a frontier establishment used to exploit and control a planet. Outposts are usually placed on secondary (gray) planets, although they can also be placed on primary (green) planets. A planet can only support one outpost or world. Outposts are placed at the beginning of a new game, and they can be constructed from outpost kits.

Note  An outpost cannot be moved after it has been placed or constructed.

If a neutralized world is the only enemy unit on a planet, you can build an outpost on the planet to claim control of the world and permanently neutralize the enemy world. Starships on outposts receive frontier maintenance.


Outpost kit

An outpost kit can be constructed into an outpost.

To construct an outpost kit into an outpost

1	Load the outpost kit onto a transport.

2	Move the transport to an uninhabited planet.

3	Unload the outpost kit from the transport.

4	During the next game turn, construct the outpost kit.

Note  A planet can only support one world or outpost.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	4 RU	4 RU
Turns to build:	1	1


Planetary defense mechanism (PDM)

A PDM is a surface-based facility used to protect worlds and outposts against bombardment from space. PDMs are placed on planets with a world or outpost. PDMs are placed at the beginning of a new game, and they can be constructed from PDM kits.

Note  You cannot move a PDM after you have placed or constructed it.

PDMs only fire surface-to-space missiles, so you should use ground troops to defend them from surface attack.


Planetary defense mechanism (PDM) kit

A PDM kit can be constructed into a PDM.

To construct a PDM kit into a PDM

1	Load the PDM kit onto a transport.

2	Move the transport to a planet where you have an outpost or world.

3	Unload the PDM kit from the transport.

4	During the next game turn, construct the PDM kit.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	10 RU	10 RU
Turns to build:	1	1


Scout

A scout is a lightly armed ship designed for exploration and courier duty. Scouts are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets.

Scouts can hyperspace jump or travel by sublight. They cannot carry cargo.

Terran scouts are not capable of long-range combat because they are not equipped with missiles.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	1 RU	1 RU
Turns to build:	1	1
Maintenance cost:	1 RU	1 RU
Beam factor:	1	2
Missile factor:	1	0
Shield factor:	1	1


Strike cruiser

A strike cruiser has a high missile factor and is effective for bombing. Strike cruisers are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets.

Striker cruisers can hyperspace jump or travel by sublight. They cannot carry cargo.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	10 RU	10 RU
Turns to build:	1	1
Maintenance cost:	4 RU	4 RU
Beam factor:	2	0
Missile factor:	7	8
Shield factor:	4	5


Tanker

A tanker is a non-combat ship that refuels starships so that they can hyperspace jump from Sirius. Tankers are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets.

Tankers can hyperspace jump or travel by sublight. They cannot carry cargo.

Tankers are not equipped with beams or missiles.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	2 RU	2 RU
Turns to build:	1	1
Maintenance cost:	1 RU	1 RU
Beam factor:	0	0
Missile factor:	0	0
Shield factor:	1	1


Transport

A transport is a non-combat ship that carries one fighter, ground troop, jump troop, outpost kit, or planetary defense mechansims (PDM) kit. Transports are used in both the Imperium and Terran fleets. A disrupted transport can still carry cargo.

Transports can hyperspace jump, but they cannot travel by sublight.

Transports can be placed on the planetary surface or in orbit.

To move a transport to orbit

1	Click the planet where the transport is located. The transport appears in the Unit window.

2	Click the transport in the Unit window, and then click the planet on the star map.

	Imperium	Terran
Production cost:	1 RU	1 RU
Turns to build:	1	1
Maintenance cost:	1 RU	1 RU
Beam factor:	0	0
Missile factor:	0	0
Shield factor:	1	1


World

A world is a civilized industrial establishment on a primary (green) planet. A planet can only support one world or outpost. Worlds are placed at the beginning of a new game and cannot be moved after they are placed. You cannot build new worlds and they change hands only in limited circumstances. Worlds can only be neutralized in combat, not destroyed. Starships on worlds receive civilized maintenance.


Beam factor

A starship's beam factor indicates its chance of destroying an enemy ship during short-range space combat. The higher a ship's beam factor, the better its chances in combat. A ship's beam factor is the first number shown below each ship in during combat (for example, 2-2-4). The second number is the ship's missile factor, and the third number is the ship's shield factor.

The following table shows how the game determines the result of beam fire during combat. For example, if a ship with a beam factor of 1 fires against a ship with a shield factor of 1 and the game rolls a 4 or greater, the beam penetrates the shield and destroys the ship.

Shield Factor

Beam Factor	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1	4	4	5	6	6	7	7	8	9
2	3	4	5	5	6	7	7	8	9
3	3	4	4	5	6	6	7	8	8
4	2	3	4	5	5	6	7	7	8
5	2	3	4	4	5	6	6	7	8
6	2	3	3	4	5	5	6	7	7
7	1	2	3	4	4	5	6	6	7
8	1	2	3	3	4	5	5	6	7
9	1	2	2	3	4	4	5	6	6
10	1	1	2	2	3	4	5	5	6
11	1	1	1	2	3	3	4	5	5
12	1	1	1	1	2	2	3	3	4


Bombardment fire results

During space-to-surface combat, each bombing ship fires at its target, and the outcome of the bombardment fire is determined as shown in the following table. For example, if a ship with a missile factor of 7 to 13 (or multiple ships with a combined missile factor of 7 to 13) bombard a target and the game rolls a 1, the target is neutralized.

Note  Outposts and worlds can only be neutralized by bombing. Other units can either be neutralized or destroyed.

	Missile Factor
Die Roll	0-6	7-13	14-20	21-27	28-34	35-41	42+
1	S	N	N	D	D	D	D
2	S	S	N	N	D	D	D
3	S	S	S	N	N	D	D
4	S	S	S	S	N	N	D
5	S	S	S	S	S	N	N
6	S	S	S	S	S	S	N
D = target destroyed

N = target neutralized

S = target survived


Cargo-carrying ships

The following ships can carry cargo:

•	Battleships, dreadnoughts, improved dreadnoughts, and monitors can carry one jump troop.

•	Mother ships can carry, launch, and retrieve three sets of fighters during each round of combat.

•	Transports can carry one set of fighters, or one ground troop, jump troop, outpost kit, or planetary defense mechanism (PDM) kit.


Cargo

The following units must be carried as cargo:

•	Fighters

•	Ground troops

•	Jump troops

•	Outpost kits

•	Planetary defense mechanism (PDM) kits


Civilized maintenance

When a ship receives civilized maintenance, you pay the ship's maintenance cost in resource units (RU) during your Maintenance phase and the ship is guaranteed not to become disrupted.

Ships on worlds receive civilized maintenance. Monitors on outposts and ships at Dushaam or Nusku (if there is a world on Dushaam) also receive civilized maintenance. If you do not pay for civilized maintenance, these ships receive frontier maintenance.


Combat factor

A unit's combat factor indicates its chance of destroying an enemy unit during combat. The higher a unit's combat factor, the better its chances in combat. A unit's combat factor is shown above the unit.


Connected worlds and outposts

•	An outpost is connected if you can hyperspace jump from it to a friendly world without encountering enemy starships other than tankers or transports.

•	An Imperium world is connected if the Imperium player can hyperspace jump from it to another Imperium world without encountering enemy ships other than tankers or transports.

•	A Terran world is connected if the Terran player can hyperspace jump from it to Sol without encountering enemy ships other than tankers or transports.

•	If a hyperspace jump route passes through Sirius, you must have a tanker at Sirius in order for the world or outpost to be connected.

•	An outpost can be connected to an unconnected world.

•	An outpost on Luuru is connected.


Defensive fire results

During space-to-surface combat, each outpost, planetary defense mechanism (PDM), and world fires at each bombing and landing ship, and the outcome of the defensive fire is determined as shown in the following table. For example, if an outpost, PDM, or world fires at a ship with a shield factor of less than seven and the game rolls a 1 or 2, the target is destroyed.

If the targeted ship has a shield factor of 7 or higher, the defensive fire result is increased by one, which decreases the chance that the target will be destroyed. Jump troops have a shield factor of 7.

If the targeted ship is disrupted, the defensive fire result is decreased by one, which increases the chance that the target will be destroyed.

Die Roll	Outpost	PDM	World
1	D	D	D
2	D	D	D
3	S	S	D
4	S	S	S
5	S	S	S
6	S	S	S
D = target destroyed

S = target survived


Disrupted

A disrupted starship is outlined in yellow. A starship becomes disrupted if it is on a world and you do not pay for civilized maintenance or if it is on an outpost and it does not receive adequate frontier maintenance.

Effects of disruption

•	A disrupted ship may be unable to hyperspace jump. Ships with a high maintenance cost are likely to be unable to hyperspace jump if they are disrupted. Disrupted starships that cannot hyperspace jump are outlined in red.

•	A disrupted ship does not perform as well in combat. It cannot use high-intensity missiles, its beam factor or missile factor is reduced by one, and the attacking ship's beam factor or missile factor is increased by one. During space-to-surface combat, the defensive fire result of an outpost, planetary defense mechanism (PDM), or world firing on a disrupted ship is reduced by one, which increases the chance that the target will be destroyed.

•	A disrupted cargo-carrying ship can still transport cargo.

Recovering from disruption

A starship can recover from disruption during the next Maintenance phase if it is on a world and you pay for civilized maintenance, or if it is on an outpost and it receives adequate frontier maintenance.


Frontier maintenance

When a ship receives frontier maintenance, you do not pay the ship's maintenance cost in resource units (RU) during your Maintenance phase and chance determines whether the ship becomes disrupted. Ships with a high maintenance cost are likely to become disrupted during frontier maintenance.

Starships on outposts receive frontier maintenance. Monitors on outposts and ships at Dushaam or Nusku (if there is a world on Dushaam) receive frontier maintenance if you do not pay for civilized maintenance.


Hyperspace jump

A hyperspace jump is a movement from one planet to another using one of the green lines connecting two planets on the star map. A ship making a hyperspace jump does not engage in combat with enemy ships occupying interstellar space hexes in the hyperspace jump route. All ships can hyperspace jump except fighters and monitors.


Interstellar space hex

An interstellar space hex is any black, empty hexagon on the star map.


Maintenance cost

Maintenance cost indicates how many resource units (RU) you must spend during the Maintenance phase to perform civilized maintenance on a starship.


Missile factor

A starship's missile factor indicates its chance of destroying an enemy ship during space combat, or an enemy unit during space-to-surface combat. The higher a ship's missile factor, the better its chances in combat. A ship's missile factor is the second number shown below each ship in during combat (for example, 2-2-4). The first number is the ship's beam factor, and the third number is the ship's shield factor.

The following table shows how the game determines the result of missile fire during combat. For example, if a ship with a missile factor of 1 fires against a ship with a shield factor of 1 and the game rolls a 5 or greater, the missile penetrates the shield and destroys the target.

Shield Factor

Missile Factor	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1	5	6	6	6	7	7	7	8	8
2	5	5	6	6	6	7	7	7	8
3	5	5	5	6	6	6	7	7	7
4	4	5	5	5	6	6	6	7	7
5	4	4	5	5	5	6	6	6	7
6	4	4	4	5	5	5	6	6	6
7	3	4	4	4	5	5	5	6	6
8	3	3	4	4	4	5	5	5	6
9	3	3	3	4	4	4	5	5	5
10	2	3	3	3	4	4	4	5	5
11	2	2	3	3	3	4	4	4	5
12	2	2	2	3	3	3	4	4	4


Production cost

Production cost indicates how many resource units (RU) you must spend to order a unit during the Build phase.


Resource units (RU)
Resource unit (RU)

Income and expenses are calculated in resource units (RU). During the Maintenance phase, each player receives RU for the worlds and outposts he or she controls. The Imperium player also receives income from the Imperial budget. Each player can spend RU to perform civilized maintenance on starships located on worlds and to order new units during the Build phase.


Shield factor

A starship's shield factor indicates its chance of deflecting enemy fire during combat. The higher a ship's shield factor, the better its chances in combat. A ship's shield factor is the third number shown below each ship in during combat (for example, 2-2-4). The first number is the ship's beam factor, and the second number is the ship's missile factor.


Sublight

A starship traveling by sublight moves through the black interstellar space hexes on the star map at the rate of one hex per game turn. A ship can only make sublight movement during the First Movement phase. All ships can move by sublight except fighters, missile boats, and transports. Monitors can only travel by sublight.


Turns to build

Turns to build indicates how many game turns must pass before a unit ordered in the Build phase appears in the Place phase.

For example, if you order a unit that requires one turn to build, you can place the unit on the star map in the Place phase of the next game turn. If you order a unit that requires two turns to build, you can place the unit on the star map in two game turns.


Construct button

Click this button to construct the selected kit.


Create Game button

Click this button to create a new game of Imperium.


Done button

Click this button to end your turn.


Do Not Construct button

Click this button if you do not want to construct the selected unit.


Do Not Maintain button

Click this button if you do not want to perform civilized maintenance on the selected ship.


Find on Map button

Click this button to find the selected unit on the star map. The location is highlighted on the star map, and the units located there appear in the Unit window.


Glory bar


Force Profile button
Imperium Force Profile button

Click this button to display the Imperium player's Force Profile window, which shows the location and status of all Imperium units.

Terran Force Profile button

Click this button to display the Terran player's Force Profile window, which shows the location and status of all Terran units.


Projected Income button
Imperium Projected Income button

Click this button to display the Imperium player's Projected Income window, which shows the Imperium player's projected income given the current game conditions.

Terran Projected Income button

Click this button to display the Terran player's Projected Income window, which shows the Terran player's projected income given the current game conditions.


Imperium button

Click this button to display the Imperium toolbar.


Load/Unload button

Click this button to display the Loading/Unloading window if you are the Imperium player.

Click this button to display the Loading/Unloading window if you are the Terran player.


Maintain button

Click this button to perform civilized maintenance on the selected ship.


Place button

Click this button to display your unplaced units in the Unit window.


Start Game button

Click this button to start a new or saved game of Imperium.