I've been looking for rules for the oversized DS9 token, and I couldn't find any aside from the OP event rules. This hasn't been a problem until a friend wanted to play one last night in a 3-way casual game. I read somewhere that the DS9 isn't playable in tournaments, but I was looking for rules advice in a casual game. Here's what we did:

DS9 can't move, but can rotate as desired when the Captain's turn comes up. (He was playing Kirk, so he basically got to move last, and since there was no movement dial, it was a little easy for him to target).

We also let him choose to either start in a corner or the center. He chose the center, which didn't turn out well for him initially because he was directly between the other two players. I took out 7/8 shields in the first turn, and then we tried to lay off of him for a couple turns because it was his only "ship."

The last issue came up in the end when my other friend, playing all Klingon ran into DS9. We used the normal rules for ships running into each other, but that ended up with his ship "glitching" and getting stuck into the side of DS9 until DS9 was finally destroyed. We later decided that maybe we should have used the rules for running into planets instead of ships. Which is part of the reason I'm typing this right now. At any rate, if anyone knows how DS9 "should" be played in a standard casual game, I'd love to hear it. If not, I don't mind also hearing how you "would have" done something different.

You can find that information towards the end of the first post in this thread:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/...reliminary-faq

But to save you the clicking, here are those rules:

SPACE STATIONS & STATIONARY PLATFORMS

1. Are Space Stations (e.g. DS9, Scenario Space Stations) and Stationary Platforms (OWPs, PDTs) considered "ships" for card text purposes?

Yes, but these "Stations" also follow several special rules as detailed below.

2. Can any special abilities allow a Station to move?

No. This also means that a Station cannot perform a Sensor Echo Action.

3. Can a Station ever have its Agility increased (e.g. Hikaru Sulu, Tom Paris)?

No, although Stations can benefit from abilities that increase overall defense dice (Cloaking, Tetryon Emissions, etc.)

4. Can a Station be damaged by Antimatter Mines?

Yes, but only during the turn that the Mines are dropped directly on the Station. A Station does not receive damage from Mines on subsequent turns.

5. Can a Station be designated as a Flagship using the Flagship Resource?

No.

6. Is it possible for a Station to remove an Auxiliary Power Token or an Energy Dampening Token?

Yes. During a Station's turn to act during the Activation Phase, it removes 1 Auxiliary Power Token or 1 Energy Dampening Token automatically at the end of Step 5 (Clean Up).

Some of these are also applicable but some are clearly meant just for the OP 1 tournament format.
OP TOURNAMENT - MONTH 1

1. The Tournament Guidelines are contradictory regarding the number of points given to a player who receives a Bye. What is the correct amount?

A player receiving a Bye gains 2 points (not 3).

2. Can members of the Away Team use their abilities while on DS9?

No. The only information retained by the Away Team is the Captain's Skill Number.

3. Can you clarify the text regarding battles between opposing Away Teams on Deep Space 9?

The text for this is being revised for greater clarity in later OP Kits:

The player with the highest Captain Skill on DS9 rolls 1 attack die for every card that is in his Away Team; the other player rolls 1 defense die for every card that is in his Away Team. For every uncancelled [Hit] result, the defending player discards 1 Captain or [Crew] Upgrade of his choice from his Away Team. After the player with the higher Captain Skill attacks, the player with the lower Captain Skill attacks with the remaining members of his Away Team in the same way.

If both players have the same highest Captain Skill, then the player with initiative attacks first; however, any defeated Captains or Crew may fire back before being discarded as per the Simultaneous Attack Rule.

Note: If a player has no Captain on DS9, his Away Team is considered to have a Captain Skill of 1.

4. Can I send multiple Captains to DS9?

Yes, all of your cards (even from different ships) are part of the same Away Team. Only use the Captain Skill of your best Captain.

5. If an Away Team's ship is destroyed, what happens to the Away Team?

For purposes of the OP scenario, the Away Team survives on DS9.

6. If DS9 is destroyed, what happens to any Away Teams that are aboard it?

They are destroyed (i.e. discarded from play).

7. Can DS9 fire out of both exposed Pylons, as well as the Main Body, during the same turn? If so, what is DS9's firing arc?

Yes, DS9 can attack with both exposed Pylons and the Main Body every turn. At Range 1-2, its firing arc is in all directions. At Range 3, use the individual Pylons to determine firing arc.

8. How does using the DS9 Token work in normal battles outside the tournament?

• DS9 is not a "normal" ship, and therefore it is only allowed if both players agree to its inclusion. It is certainly not allowed in tournament play unless the scenario specifically calls for it (i.e. you can't fill out your tournament squadron with a DS9 Token!).

• If both players agree to permit DS9 in their game, then the players can either agree on its placement (such as in the dead center of the play area) or perhaps have the owner place it within range 2 of his starting area.

• Alternatively, you can decide that no player controls DS9 and place it equidistant from each Starting Area; in this case, the station costs 0 Squadron Points. Use the rules for taking control of the station from the OP Kit instructions. The main thing here is to make sure both players agree and have a good time!

• Each Pylon, as well as the main body of DS9, can fire independently, giving it a potential 4 attacks per round. When firing from the main body of DS9, you start measuring range from the outside edge of the token.

• For purposes of initiative between DS9's two visible Factions, DS9 is considered to use the Faction with the higher initiative (in this case, Federation).

• DS9 does not move under any circumstances, even as the result of Captain or Upgrade abilities (e.g. Gul Ranor).

• DS9 and all space stations used in Missions are considered "ships" for purposes of card text. However, card text that causes a space station to move is ineffective.

• Secondary Weapons can only be fired from the Pylons on DS9 (not from the Main Body).

It would have been really helpful if the DS9 token came with a reference card or sheet. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll have that included for the Month 6 participation prizes (another DS9 token and ship cards).

Wow, thank you for all of that information. Our friend playing DS9 might want to redo the match, 4 attacks per round is pretty brutal. Although, in that case, I definitely wouldn't have given him a break.

On a side note, I didn't see anything about overlapping. It said early on to count it as a ship...does that mean that if another ship runs into it, they just backtrack until they don't? Because, like I said before, that ended up with one player getting stuck ramming into the docking bay over and over again.

The rules for the OP kit state the Pylons are considered ship tokens/bases with regards to overlap and the main body is considered an Obstacle.

If I understand your issue correctly, the player just needed to pick an maneuver that would clear the PYLON, not the full token. I only know this due to a question I had for Andrew. I'll paste the question and response as I think it's good info for those wanting to run the DS9 token:

OP TOURNAMENT

7. How does using the DS9 Token work in normal battles outside the tournament?

• Each Pylon, as well as the main body of DS9, can fire independently, giving it a potential 4 attacks per round. When firing from the main body of DS9, you start measuring range from the outside edge of the token.



Now, I'm not even sure if it's an issue as I've not gotten my hands on the DS9 token as of yet. As such, these questions may be moot but:

Can the DS9 token fire inward?
When attacking DS9, does one also measure to the edge of the token?

Here's the scenerio I'm envisioning:

The ruling on the main body attacks indicates you measure range from the outside edge of the token.
The rules for the OP kit state the Pylons are considered ship tokens/bases with regards to overlap and the main body is considered an Obstacle.

I'm looking at the possibility that a ship may be able to circumnavigate the main body of the station all the while keeping out of the firing arc of the pylons. They are also technically "outside" the firing arc of the main body unless a player is allowed to shoot inward.
Additionally, you could have a "ship within a ship" and there is nothing in the rules stating how you target if you are either ship. Does the inner ship get to shoot with impunity at the outer edge of the token or can DS9 shoot back in an inward manner?

Does this make sense?

(By the way, I am laughing at the mental image of the Apnex flittering around between the Pylons and main body making "pew pew" sounds.)

Andrew's Response:

I spoke to Chris G. about this, and he explained that the DS9 Token will work in the same way as the DS9 model, and in both cases a ship overlapping DS9 is considered to be under the model (or possibly "over" the space station in 3D conceptual space).

Therefore, DS9 can fire at a ship overlapping it, and this is considered a Range 1 attack. However, because DS9 is literally firing through itself (an obstacle), the defending ship receives +1 defense die. Conceptually, this represents the guns on DS9 avoiding firing at the station itself.

Similarly, a ship overlapping DS9 can fire at the station at Range 1, and DS9 would receive +1 defense die. Conceptually, this is because the ship is weaving around trying to avoid crashing into DS9.

And most importantly, there is no "pew pew" sound in space, although I realize the source material contradicts this.

Andrew

So, we'd only need to avoid the pylons and the main body? Would that also include the outer ring, basically making it where you just have to avoid the grey portions of the token? That makes it a lot easier to maneuver around. We'll have to try that game over sometime; I think it'll play out a lot differently.

Outside ring is fine as far as I can determine.

I would maybe come up with a modified version of the OP events if someone wants to play DS9. Make the objective to capture the station rather than destroy (it seems like it's easy to take out, most of the time).

I had a Kraxon, a Koronak, and a generic Koronak, and I knocked out 7 shields in the first move (he started in the center). The Klingons would probably have ripped up half of its hull, but we actually felt bad about knocking the guy out in the first couple turns, so they started opening fire on me at the first opportunity.

As part of a two man team, it could be a capable retreat point for a light harasser. It would keep people from just doing hit and run passes.

So as a new player I need a clarification. I have the retail version of DS9, how many times per round can it attack?

How does the retail version move. I found a pick of its movement reference card, but there are odd "C" shapes and a green circle in movement zero, assume those are rotations of some kind.
Also, how do you use the 1 and 2 move templates on it?