COMBAT

All Combat in the game represents “plasma gunfire” (from the Marine units) and “laser energy fire” (from the Kay’otz units, though humans don’t yet really know technically what kind of weapon it is). Since these warring units are from different physical dimensions, traditional melee or hand-to-hand combat cannot be conducted – humans and the Kay’otz are not able to physically grapple with one another (other than by being accidentally landed on by jumping/warping units).

All units issue fire when allowed to do so by their chosen/assigned Action for the turn. A firing unit refers to the Combat Factor (CF) listed on the bottom left of its counter (the number in the white or red circle). This is the number of dice normally rolled to resolve Combat. Each unit conducts combat individually – units firing at the same target unit do not add their CF’s together. There is no “range” limitation (exception: see the BUMP gun below) and thus most units may fire any distance. However, Marine units (only) must be able to “see” their intended target. Draw an imaginary “line of fire” from the center of firing unit’s hex to the center of the intended target unit’s hex. If that line crosses inside or on the hexside (edge) of any intervening hex containing “blocking” terrain (a Forest, Building or Lava Flow hex) or another unit (Marine or alien), then the combat cannot be conducted against that target (exception – see the BUMP Gun below). Note that targets merely occupying a blocking terrain hex may be fired upon if not otherwise blocked. A Marine unit with a “Paralyzed” marker may not fire at all. The alien Monolith unit can never be targeted or destroyed.

Marine Combat: A Marine unit using a Full Fire action rolls a number of dice equal to its Combat Factor. The unit reduces its CF by one (-1) in each of the following qualifying cases:
a) The unit chooses the Shoot & Scoot action using regular gunfire (such units may move first and then conduct Combat or vice versa);
b) The firing unit is Stunned;
c) The targeted alien unit is in a Forest, Rough or Building terrain hex.
A Marine unit increases its CF by one (+1) in each of the following qualifying cases:
a) The unit is adjacent to an Active Marine HQ unit when it conducts combat;
b) The targeted alien unit is Dormant;
c) The targeted alien unit is in an adjacent hex.
Note that all the above adjustments to a unit’s CF are cumulative. If the modified CF is less than “1”, no Combat can be conducted.

The player rolls the net number of Combat dice and compares each die to the targeted alien unit’s Defense Number (DN). The DN is in the bottom right of a unit’s counter (black number in a yellow shield). If the alien unit does not have an Alien Dimensional Manifestation (ADM) marker, its DN is automatically “3” or “4” (as printed on the counter). Each combat die that is greater than the unit’s DN is a Hit. If three or more Hits are scored, the alien unit is eliminated from the game and removed from the map. If less than three Hits are scored, there is no effect (however, see ADM markers below).

ADM Markers: If the alien unit receives one or two Hits, and the unit does not currently have an ADM marker, a randomly drawn ADM is assigned to the Kay’otz unit. This represents that unit’s new DN for the remainder of the game. If no Hits are scored on the unit, then the alien unit’s DN remains “3” or “4”.

Special Ops BUMP Gun: The Marine Special Ops unit is armed with a new, still-experimental weapon called the Bionic Ultraviolet Multidimensional Phaser (BUMP) gun. It is extremely deadly, but also unpredictable. The BUMP gun can fire through any kind of terrain or units (i.e., it is never blocked) but it can only fire at an alien unit that is within six or fewer hexes of the firing unit. If a unit fires, it rolls one die on the BUMP Gun Table below for the results. Deduct one (-1) from the die roll if the unit is doing a Shoot & Scoot action and deduct one (-1) if the firing unit has a “Stunned” marker. Apply the net roll as follows

1 = Misfire! No effect on the targeted alien unit plus flip the Special Ops unit over to its “Out of Ammo” side.
2 = Energy Recoil! No effect on the targeted alien unit plus give the Special Ops unit a “Stunned” marker
3 = Beamed! The targeted alien unit is blasted to a random hex. If it lands on an Active Marine unit, the alien unit is eliminated. If it lands on a “Paralyzed” Marine unit or another alien unit it is placed in an eligible adjacent hex.
4 – 6 = Vaporized! The targeted alien unit is eliminated.

Kay’otz Overlord Unit Elimination: If the player eliminates an Overlord unit (a #7 unit), he also randomly draws one of the face-down Kay’otz Mission Goal cards (unless there is only one marker remaining, in which case nothing happens). Note that this allows the player to narrow down the ways the Kay’otz can possibly win the game.

Out of Ammo: If any normal Marine unit Combat die roll (not when firing a BUMP Gun) yields two or more “1’s” on the dice, the unit resolves the Combat normally but is then flipped over to its “Out of Ammo” side. “Out of Ammo” units may only use their kinetic-damage sidearms (a fancy name for their pistols), which can only target an alien unit in an adjacent hex and have a Combat Factor of “3” (designated “3A” on the unit counter). Note that Logistics units have pistols on their front side and if they run out of ammo, they may not fire at all. Units that are already on their “Out of Ammo” sides ignore any further “Out of Ammo” results. Units remain on their “Out of Ammo” sides until Re-Supplied (see E5).

Kay’otz Unit Combat: Kay’otz units are instructed when to conduct Combat by the drawn Kay’otz Activation Card and do so using the same basic procedure as Marine units. Alien units use their full CF unless modified by a number of conditions. If the net Combat Factor is then “0”, no fire is conducted. In addition, Kay’otz Combat is never blocked by terrain (except Lava Flow hexes or hexsides) or other units– their “line of fire” may freely pass through non-Lava Flow obstacles. “Dormant” Kay’otz units and the Monolith unit do not conduct Combat. A Kay’otz unit reduces its CF by one(-1) in each of the following qualifying cases:

a) If the targeted Marine unit is located in or the alien’s “line of fire” crossed through a Forest, Rough or Building terrain hex or hexside;
b) If the targeted Marine unit is located in or the alien’s “line of fire” crossed through a Strongpoint hex or hexside (this can be cumulative with the above modifier).

A Kay’otz unit increases its CF by one (+1) in the following qualifying case:

a) If the target unit is in an adjacent hex.

The player rolls the net number of Combat dice and compares each die to the targeted Marine unit’s Defense Number (DN). Each die roll that is greater than the targeted Marine unit’s DN scores one Hit. If the Combat scores one or two Hits, the Marine unit becomes “Stunned”. If the combat scores three or more Hits, the Marine unit becomes “Paralyzed. If a previously “Stunned” unit gets another “Stunned” result, it becomes “Paralyzed”. Multiple “Paralyzed” results have no additional effect. Kay’otz units do not become “Out of Ammo”.