REFERENCE Defense Roll Summary Crippled

CHART The Defender’s roll equals the roll of two dice modified by:
The Game Turn + Avoidance*

Initiative Phase + Rating Missile Defense** Stunned

• Roll Initiative +3 if Defender has Evasion counter

First Ship Phase* *This is the Avoidance value for the arc from which the attack is originating.
Thus, if the attacker is in the target’s Front arc, the defender’s Front Avoidance Overthrust
Main Phase value is added to (or subtracted from) the target’s die roll.
• Players alternate taking Actions with independent Units. For each Unit: **If Missile Defense is listed, the Unit is equipped with a decoy launcher that
confuses attacks with the “Missile” characteristic (‘Mis’).
• Place or remove Overthrust counters before Movement or Actions.
Evasive
• Move and/or take Action(s)
Second Ship Phase* Damage Procedure
End Phase Total Damage = Margin of Success x Damage Multiplier ECM ECM
• Actions and Command Points go back to zero. If Total Damage > Stun Threshold, target is Stunned (Unit gains Stunned counter) 1
*Spaceships are not used in the demo game, since their rules are too If Total Damage > Crippled Threshold, target is Crippled (Unit permanently gains
detailed to fit within this small space. The Phases in italics are provided for Crippled counter)
completeness’ sake and can otherwise be ignored. TAR. Targeted ECM
If Total Damage > Overkill Threshold, target is destroyed ECM
Attack Roll Summary 180 o 90 o Aiming
The Attacker’s roll equals the roll of two dice modified by:
+ Attack’s Accuracy (see Datacard)
-3 if Attacker has Overthrust counter
+ Close Combat Optimized bonus (if applicable)
If the Attacker’s roll is higher than the Defender’s, the attack is a hit. If the DP9-300, $0.95 us/can SRP
target’s roll ties the attacker’s roll or is higher, the attack misses.

Forward (F) Fixed Forward (FF)

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 The End Phase: this Phase is very important for warships,
To the Stars! but less so for other Units. Since spaceships are not covered in
Combat
Lightning Strike is meant to be played as a tabletop miniatures this demo game, ignore this phase. Command Points go back The basic goal of maneuvering in battle is to get in a position
game; for this demo, counters will do just as well. All that is to zero. Any Action not spent by this point is lost. to attack (and hopefully destroy) the enemy. All Units in Light-
needed to play is a large flat surface like a table, although ning Strike are assumed to have enough ammunition to last
scenery can be added: for example, asteroids may be repre- A game may end when one side has completely cleared all through a battle. Only some special weapons require ammu-
sented by pieces of foam or by small rocks. Cotton can be opponents from the table, or when all sides but one concede nition to be tracked; rules for such weapons are provided
used for dust or other particulate clouds. victory. Depending on which scenario (if any) is being played, with their descriptions. Units are also assumed to have suffi-
other conditions for victory may also exist, adding to or re- cient fuel to last through the battle.
“Unit” here refers to a combat unit, usually a vehicle. The char- placing the basic goal of completely destroying one’s
acteristics of four common space combat vehicles are pro- opponent(s). Line-of-Sight: space is big. There is seldom any cover worth
vided; each Player can control one or several. All vehicles speaking of, and it is generally not hard to get a clear shot at
have a cost listed as Threat Value; each side should have the a target — provided one knows where it is. Line-of-Sight (LOS)
same amount of points to spend to ensure that the battle is fair. is defined as the knowledge a Unit has of the exact location of
Each Player should have a Lightning Strike datacard for each Command Points its target, and the implied ability to launch an attack against
Unit counter in play (make copies as needed). Command Points (CPs) represent the pilots reacting to or an- it. If a Unit does not have LOS because its target is hiding
ticipating the enemyís actions. CPs are valid for one round behind a rock, dust cloud or another Unit, then the target may
Make copies of the rules and datacards, then cut out the ruler, not be attacked until LOS is established. LOS is blocked if the
only, but are refreshed during each new Initiative roll. A single
counters and the reference screen using sharp scissors. It’s a target is in base-to-base contact with an intervening piece of
Command Point may be used as an additional regular Action
good idea to print a separate copy of the rules and the screen terrain or a similarly intervening other Unit whose Size is equal
incurring no penalty. One Command Point can be used to buy
to have them handy during the game. A few six-sided dice to or greater than the Unit being targeted. Also see Obstacles,
a +2 modifier to a single Defense roll. A Command Point can
will also be required. further on.
be used to activate a Unit out of sequence – to get out of
The game is played in turns, each representing about 30 sec- harm‘s way, for example. In the latter case, the Unit must not
Firing Arcs: vehicles may only detect and target opponents
onds of combat time. Each centimeter on the tabletop repre- have been activated (i.e., moved) previously, and it cannot be
that are within their weaponsí firing arcs. There are several
sents approximately 500 meters of space. The scales of the moved again (though it may act if it has any Actions left).
firing arcs: Forward (F), Right (Rt), Left (L), Rear (Rr), Fixed
counters and miniatures are not “accurate;” if they were actu- Finally, a Command Point may be used to turn a Unit around
Forward (FF) and Turreted (T). The first four are 180-degree
ally in scale, they would be microscopic! The Player is seeing by up to 180 degrees, even if it has been activated before
arcs; side arcs include directly forward and backward. The
the same view an admiral would see on his battle display: the (and thus has no MP left). A Unit can use only one Command
fixed forward arc is a 120-degree arc on a Unitís front fac-
actual Unit only occupies the centerpoint of the miniature or Point per round.
ing. Turreted arcs span 360 degrees.
marker, and its position and range to other Units is measured
from its center. Movement Range: measure the distance in centimeters from the center
Each Unit has a Movement entry on its data card. This is the of the attacker’s counter to the center of the target’s. Units in
Players should take turns setting up on opposite sides of the
basic distance (in centimeters) that the Unit may move each physical or base-to-base contact are considered to be in close
playing field, each starting within twenty centimeters of his
turn. All Units may only move once per Phase. Units may move combat, and the range between them is considered to be zero
edge of the field. Units may start the game with Special Move-
over and through each other without harm, with effectively no (or “C” on the datacards). The Range column on the datacards
ment counters (Overthrust or Evasion — see further for expla-
chance of a collision. Units may also end their movement any- provides range information for attacks in one or more range
nations on those).
where, even atop other Units, although this may get awkward. bands. These bands correspond with the bands that are in the
A Unit that leaves the edge of the playing area is considered Accuracy and Damage columns, giving an attack different
Game System Basics to have retreated from battle and is immediately out of the Accuracy and Damage values depending on the range to the
Lightning Strike uses ordinary six-sided dice. When two or game. target. If a weapon does not have ‘C’ as one of its range
more dice are rolled simultaneously, their results are not added bands, then it cannot be used in close combat.
together. Instead, the highest value rolled is considered to be Evasive maneuvers must be declared before the activa-
the outcome of the die roll. If more than one ‘6‘ is rolled, each tion. This adds +3 to all defense rolls for that Unit for the com- Avoidance: all Units have an Avoidance value, which de-
extra ‘6‘ adds one (1) point to the total. If every die rolled bat round, but forbids it from taking any Action. Multiple “eva- fines their ability to dodge or otherwise avoid detection or
turns up ‘1,‘ the die roll is a fumble and an automatic failure. sive” counters cannot be stacked. Exos cannot both evade and being struck by an attack. Standard Units have fixed Avoid-
Unless otherwise mentioned, all die rolls are counted this way. overthrust; Fighters can, but must move at least their basic ances, which act as modifiers applied to all of that Unit’s de-
Modifiers can be added to the total of the die roll. If negative Move. fense rolls.
modifiers lower the total below zero, the final result is always
Exo-Armors: an exo-armor may, during its activation, move Defense Arcs: these are similar to fire arcs, but they are
zero.
anywhere within a circle centered on its starting position in largely simplified. There are only two defense arcs, Front and
In the introductory game, all crewmen are standard pilots: that turn and whose radius in centimeters is equal to the Move- Rear. For standard Units, each arc is a one-hundred-eighty-
they have a Skill level of 2. This means that whenever a Skill ment available that turn. For instance, an exo with Movement degree semicircle, covering the front half and rear half, re-
test must be made, two dice are rolled. If a Player‘s die roll is 10 cm that starts at point A may end up anywhere within 10 spectively, of the Unit. Attacks that originate from the Unit’s
greater than his opponentís (or a given numeric Threshold), centimeters of point A; its path may be in any direction and in front use its Front defense stats, while attacks from the rear use
the test succeeds. The degree of success is defined by the Mar- any shape. The exo-armor’s facing is independent of its move- the Rear defense stats.
gin of Success (MoS), a value equal to the difference between ment; the exo may fly ‘backwards’ for the entire battle, if its
the two rolls. If a Player‘s die roll is less than his opponentís, owner so desires. The only purpose of facing is to determine Ranged Combat
the test fails. The degree of failure is defined by the Margin of which side is the ‘blind’ (or rear) side. If an exo-armor is at-
Attack Rolls: combat is always harder under certain condi-
Failure (MoF), a value equal to the difference between the two tacked while not activated, its current facing is used for target-
tions, easier under others. Modifiers resolve this by introduc-
rolls. If the two die rolls are equal, a draw occurs. Draws are ing purposes. At the end of its activation, an exo-armor may
ing penalties and bonuses to each and every combat roll. Re-
won by the defender. be turned to face any direction, and will remain so until its
fer to the Attack Roll table for the complete procedure. Each
next activation.
“Attack” line on the datacard corresponds to one weapon; for
The Turn Sequence An exo-armor may use Overthrust movement. The use of each Action spent to attack a target, the Unit may choose one
Lightning Strike is played as a series of turns during which Overthrust movement must be declared at the start of the exo- of those weapons to use. The only way to attack with more
both Players may act. In each turn, Players will roll off to de- armor’s activation, and an Overthrust counter is immediately than one type of weapon in a single turn is by expending
termine initiative. The Player who wins initiative decides which placed on the Unit. The Overthrust movement allowance is the more Actions.
Player will go first. When both Players have completed their number after the slash in the datacard’s Movement entry. At-
Defense Roll: targets rely on several modifiers to help them
actions for the turn, another turn begins, with a new roll for tacks and other Actions are made with a -3 modifier until the
avoid shots. Refer to the Defense Roll table for the complete
initiative. start of the exo-armor’s next activation (this status is denoted
procedure. A target‘s Avoidance affects how easy it is to hit; it
by the Overthrust counter).
Initiative Phase: each Player rolls two dice — the high roll may vary depending on the facing of the target.
wins, reroll ties. The winner gains initiative for one full turn. At Space Fighters: under normal movement, a fighter may
the beginning of the Main Phase, the Player who has initiative move a number of centimeters equal to its basic Movement.
chooses which side must go first (if there are more than two Fighters must pay for facing changes: they may make one turn
Players, the winner of initiative decides the order in which the of up to ninety degrees at any point for free; any additional
Players will go). turns cost half of the fighter’s Movement. For example, a Lancer
has a basic Movement of 12 — if it only turns ninety degrees,
The Main Phase: this is where the vehicles move and act.
it may move 12 centimeters. If it wants to turn around com-
The term activation is used to refer to a Unit’s movement
pletely, it may only move a total of 6 centimeters. A fighter
and actions, when it is actively doing something during the
cannot move in any direction like an exo-armor, but must in-
Main Phase, as opposed to sitting around. A Unit’s activation
stead move in the direction in which its nose is facing.
comprises the period of time between a Player’s choosing it
and it finishing any movement or Actions it needs to execute Fighters excel when throttles are opened wide. A fighter using
for the turn; this may be, if the Player desires, no movement Overthrust uses the Movement after the slash on its datacard.
and no Action at all. The fighter may make only one turn of up to ninety degrees at
the start of its phase. It may make no other turns at all. An
At any point in its activation (i.e. before, during or after its
Overthrusting fighter must also move a minimum distance equal
movement), a standard Unit may use any or all of its Actions.
to its basic Movement. Fighters have no penalties for attacking
The number of Actions a Unit may spend each turn is listed on
or performing other Actions while using Overthrust movement,
its datacard. For most non-ship Units, this number is one, al-
and so do not need to be marked with Overthrust counters.
though some (like CEGA’s Wraith fighter) have two or more.
At the start of a Unit’s activation, the Player may choose to
retain, add or remove an Overthrust or Evasive counter (see
Movement) from the Unit. The Unit then moves or acts as its
owning Player desires. A standard Unit has one activation
each turn and may thus only move its full MP allowance once
per turn.
 Rock Fields: These are dense manmade fields of depleted
Close Combat mining asteroids. They inflict a -2 penalty to Units attempting
When two or more Units are in contact, they are considered to to fire into, out of, or through any part of the rock field. Units
be in close combat. If one of the Units is smaller than the other, entering a rock field must make a Skill check against a Thresh-
it may hide behind the larger Unit; LOS cannot be drawn to old of 2. If the roll is failed, the Unit takes a single Crippled hit
the hiding Unit if the larger Unit is between the smaller Unit from a collision.
and the Unit attempting to draw LOS. If the Units are the same
Size, then any ranged attack on one of those Units has a chance Factory Complexes: These are huge arrays of robotic
of accidentally hitting the other; roll randomly to see which manufacturing complexes. They inflict a -2 penalty to Units
Unit is attacked, and then make the attack-defense roll as nor- attempting to fire into or through any part of the complex.
mal. A Unit that is in close combat with several other Units They do not penalize Units that are firing from inside the com-
may choose which of the other Units with which it is in base- plex, however. Factory complexes do not have any penalties
to-base contact it will attack, with no chance of striking the associated with entering them.
wrong target.

In close combat (‘C’ range), Units add the rating of the Close
Electronic Warfare
Combat Optimized Perk (if available) to their Attack and De- ECM (Electronic Counter Measures) systems consist of jam-
fense rolls when fighting Units without this characteristic. If mers, white noise generators and other devices that can only
both the attacker and the target have this Perk, use the differ- be effectively canceled out by dedicated ECCM (Electronic
ence between the two ratings (if any) as the attack and de- Counter Counter Measures) systems. Units equipped with ECM
fense bonus for the Unit with the higher Close Combat Opti- and ECCM are marked as such on their data cards.
mized rating. A Close Combat Optimized Unit cannot be at- It costs one Action to activate ECM, and it costs one Action
tacked from behind in close combat unless there is more than every turn thereafter to maintain it. A Skill roll is made, and
one attacker. It may always turn itself to face an incoming the rating of the ECM is added to the result: this is the ECM’s
close combat attack; however, it must keep its new facing Threshold. Place an ECM counter with the Threshold near the
even after the attack ends, and it may not turn in this manner broadcasting Unit; no Units on the opposing side may use
if there is currently an enemy in base-to-base contact with it. Command Points. If the Unit cannot pay an Action to maintain
its ECM (if, for instance, it is Stunned and wishes to remove the
Damage Stun counter), the ECM counter is removed at the end of its
An attack’s damage is equal to the Damage Multiplier times Action phase. If a Unit that is activating or maintaining ECM is
the Margin of Success of the attack roll. The final damage is Crippled, its ECM counter is removed, and it may no longer
compared to the target’s Protection rating. There are three val- use ECM. If several Units on the same side use ECM at the
ues for each defense arc: the Stun Threshold, the Crippled same time, only the highest gets a counter.
Threshold and the Overkill Threshold. Furthermore, there are
two possible types of damage, designated by letters next to the Targeted ECM: instead of using ECM to create broad-based
Damage Multipliers on the data cards. Type shows whether the communications disruption, an electronics-warfare Unit can
attack is ‘P’ (Projectile) or ‘E’ (Energy). Certain Units are better also attempt to interfere with a single target on a deeper level;
protected against one type of damage than another: if a Unit is ECM can also help a friendly Unit by masking its location. By
attacked with a weapon that does this type of damage, it gets spending one action, the ECM-using Unit may nominate a single
a different Protection (listed beside ‘Protection’ on the Datacard). target (including itself). An opposed Skill roll is made: both
Units add their Electronics; the attacker also adds its ECM,
If the damage is less than or equal to Stun, the hit was a glanc- and the target may add its ECCM, if desired. The target may
ing blow, and no important damage is incurred. If the dam- decline to roll, using zero as its result. If the attacker wins,
age is greater than the Stun Threshold, the Unit is Stunned. If place the counter next to the Unit being affected. If the target is
the damage is greater than the Crippled Threshold, the Unit is friendly, it gains a +2 bonus to its Avoidance while the Tar-
Crippled. Finally, if the damage is greater than the Overkill geted ECM counter is in play.
Threshold, the Unit is destroyed outright. A Threshold number
must be exceeded, not merely equaled, to have an effect: thus, If the target is an enemy, it receives a -2 penalty to its Attack
a Unit that sustains damage equal to the Overkill Threshold is rolls, may not use ECM or spend Command Points. These ef-
only Crippled, not Overkilled. Only the most severe of these fects last as long as the Targeted ECM counter is in play. Any
possible damage results applies to the target: a Unit that sus- number of Targeted ECM counters may be present at any time,
tains Crippling damage gains only a Crippled counter. It does though they are not cumulative. In each End Phase, every Unit
not gain a Stunned counter, even though the damage was with Targeted-ECM counters make a Skill roll against 4 for
obviously enough to exceed the Stunned Threshold. Only one each ECM counter (friendly or hostile) it has; if the roll suc-
damage result can be inflicted from each hit. ceeds, remove the counter. A Unit with ECCM may spend an
Action to remove an enemy ECM counter on it without having
Stunned Units are mildly shaken up by the attack, but not to roll, but is unable to use ECCM to help other Units.
seriously damaged: place a Stun counter on the Unit. To re-
move it, the Unit must spend one Action. If, at any time, a Unit Electronic Counter Counter Measures (ECCM): Units
has two Stunned counters, both Stuns are immediately removed with ECCM can use it to dispel the effects of hostile ECM. For
and replaced with a single Crippled counter. Note that a each Action spent on ECCM, a Skill roll is made, and the Unit’s
Stunned Unit is not required to remove the Stun counter if it ECCM rating is added to the result. If the total is higher than
does not want to: the only danger is that if the Unit gets Stunned the ECM Threshold, the ECM counter is removed. If the total is
again, it will become Crippled. lower than the Threshold, the attempt fails and the ECM counter
remains. If the roll ties the ECM Threshold, the ECM Threshold
is halved (rounding down) but remains (the counter should be
Crippled Units are permanently affected. They follow the ‘rule
changed). Crippled Units may not use ECCM.
of halves:’ values for Movement and weapon damage are all
halved, rounding up. A Crippled counter may not be removed
from a Unit; it stays until the Unit is dead (or repaired after the
battle). If a Unit ever has two Crippled counters on it (from
new damage or an accumulation of two Stuns), it is immedi-
ately Overkilled.
Overkilled Units are immediately eliminated from the game
and should be removed from the board as they explode in a
blinding ball of fire.

Obstacles
If Players decide to use Obstacles, each should get to place an
equal number of Obstacles on the table, all assigned randomly.
Obstacles block LOS but otherwise pose no threat to anyone,
having no Actions or defenses. Each Obstacle marker is con-
sidered to actually be in scale with the table: any contact with
an Obstacle results in that Unit being affected by it. Obstacles
may not be destroyed.
Dust Clouds: These vast areas are filled with electromag-
netic radiation-absorbing dust. Exo-armors and fighters in-
side a dust cloud get a +1 bonus to their Defense rolls.

Debris Fields: These are like dust clouds, but are made up
of larger objects. In game terms, they work just like dust clouds,
with one addition: Units entering a debris field must make a
Skill check against a Threshold of 2. If the roll is failed, the
Unit takes a single Crippled hit from a collision.
 RANGES
JOVIAN
CEGA

0
CLOSE
CLOSE
1
2
3
4

ECM ECM ECM ECM TAR.

5

1 1 1 1 ECM

ECM ECM ECM ECM TAR.

6

1 1 1 1 ECM

TAR. TAR. TAR. TAR. TAR.

7

ECM ECM ECM ECM ECM

8
9
10
11

JOVIAN FORCES CEGA FORCES

PATHFINDER SYREEN
12

TV: 8 ACTIONS: 1 SIZE: 3 TV: 7 ACTIONS: 1 SIZE: 3

E-TRONICS: +2 MOVE: 10/20 FACING: Exo E-TRONICS: 0 MOVE.: 15/25 FACING: Exo
AVOIDANCE: 0/-1 PROTECT.: 4/10/12, 4/10/12 AVOIDANCE: 0/-2 PROTECT: 3/6/11, 3/6/11
PERKS/FLAWS: Close Combat (2), ECCM (4) PERKS/FLAWS:Close Combat (1),ECCM (3)
13

ATTACKS ARC RANGE ACC. DAM. NOTES ATTACKS ARC RANGE ACC. DAM. NOTES
P. Cannon F C/10/25 +1/+1/0 4/3/2 E ACDLS Laser F C/15/30 +1/0/0 4/3/2 E -
14

PATHFINDER SYREEN
TV: 8 ACTIONS: 1 SIZE: 3 TV: 7 ACTIONS: 1 SIZE: 3
15

E-TRONICS: +2 MOVE: 10/20 FACING: Exo E-TRONICS: 0 MOVE.: 15/25 FACING: Exo
AVOIDANCE: 0/-1 PROTECT.: 4/10/12, 4/10/12 AVOIDANCE: 0/-2 PROTECT: 3/6/11, 3/6/11
PERKS/FLAWS: Close Combat (2), ECCM (4) PERKS/FLAWS:Close Combat (1),ECCM (3)
ATTACKS ARC RANGE ACC. DAM. NOTES ATTACKS ARC RANGE ACC. DAM. NOTES
16

P. Cannon F C/10/25 +1/+1/0 4/3/2 E ACDLS Laser F C/15/30 +1/0/0 4/3/2 E -

17

LANCER WRAITH
TV: 8 ACTIONS: 1 SIZE: 3 TV: 10 ACTIONS: 2 SIZE: 3
E-TRONICS: 0 MOVE.: 15/45 FACING:Fighter E-TRONICS: 0 MOVE.: 10/35 FACING: Fighter
18

AVOIDANCE: -1 -3 PROTECT.: 4/6/11, 4/6/11 AVOIDANCE: -1 -3 PROTECT.: 6/12/18/6/12/18

PERKS/FLAWS:ECM (3),ECCM (4), Missile Defense (2) PERKS/FLAWS: none
ATTACKS ARC RANGE ACC. DAM. NOTES ATTACKS ARC RANGE ACC. DAM. NOTES
UP TO 30cm

Light Missiles FF C/10/25 0/0/-1 3E Mis P. Cannon FF C/15/30 +1/0/0 3/2/1E -

19

LANCER WRAITH
20

TV: 8 ACTIONS: 1 SIZE: 3 TV: 10 ACTIONS: 2 SIZE: 3

E-TRONICS: 0 MOVE.: 15/45 FACING:Fighter E-TRONICS: 0 MOVE.: 10/35 FACING: Fighter
AVOIDANCE: -1 -3 PROTECT.: 4/6/11, 4/6/11 AVOIDANCE: -1 -3 PROTECT.: 6/12/18/6/12/18
21

PERKS/FLAWS:ECM (3),ECCM (4), Missile Defense (2) PERKS/FLAWS: none

ATTACKS ARC RANGE ACC. DAM. NOTES ATTACKS ARC RANGE ACC. DAM. NOTES
Light Missiles FF C/10/25 0/0/-1 3E Mis P. Cannon FF C/15/30 +1/0/0 3/2/1E -
22
UP TO 30cm

23