Alternative Rules

This section is my advise on changes to the rules. They are not official in any way, but players can agree to adopt them if they choose.

The Three Step Rule

According to the rules: "When moving or counting along a diagonal path, each diagonal counts as 2 squares." Although this rule is simple, it hardly reflects real distances. In fact, it disagrees with the other miniature combat rules printed by the same company! I suggest using the following rule, if your players agree:

When moving or counting along a diagonal path, the first square counts as 1 square, the second square counts as 2 squares, the third as 1 square and so on... such that every 2 squares moved or counted, counts as 3 squares. (See diagram at left.)

Mathematically this is correct, since in a 90 degree triangle the longest side in not twice as long as one of the shorter sides, but no longer than 1.5 times the length of one of the shorter sides. It also ensures that the first diagonal square from any character is really adjacent to that character in all ways -- including movement. Otherwise a character moving away for another character diagonally would no be subject to attacks of opportunity from a melee weapon, since technically the rules state that they are 2 squares away for the purposes of counting. Using the three step rule listed here, that same movement is subject to attacks of opportunity as the character is only 1 square way.

The Twenty Point Rule

When playing in a tournament, players who are defeated should have one of the characters in their squad granted Reinforcements 20 (During setup, after seeing your opponent's squad, you can add up to 20 points of characters to your squad) This ability stays in effect until the player wins a skirmish. Once they win a skirmish, the ability is lost. If a player is defeated twice, a character is then granted Reinforcements 30 (During setup, after seeing your opponent's squad, you can add up to 30 points of characters to your squad). Players may never add more that 30 points to a squad. This rule is not in effect for players who resign, rather than being defeated.

This rule allows for better challenges to more experienced players and helps prevent players from being repeatedly defeated.

There's a First Time for Everything Rule

Using this rule, new players can build their first squad using any character, regardless of faction. This rule is only in effect for the first 24 hours of play. The intent of this rule is to give new players a head start. The rule is similar to the "Out of the Box" Tournament... where players open a Star Wars Miniatures booster box and play all the characters inside, regardless of faction.

Phased Movement

The game, as played, allows a lot of running and hiding behind objects. In fact, it is completely possible for one character to run from behind one wall of a room to another, across the direct line of fire of a dozen other characters and never even be fired upon! Phased movement gives each character 6 movement points and allows activated characters to spend those movement points in 2 point increments. Sometimes this means that you can only move one square, as when you move into square containing low objects. If a character, in any phase, finds they now have line of sight to any enemy character, they may stop their movement and attack.

Here's an example of phased movement through a door (Click on the end of each sentence to see a diagram):

Luke and Leia both start with 6 movement points. Each character moves two squares from left to right

Leia spends 1 movement point to move up and then ends her phase, as she is next to a door

Luke moves 2 squares, through the now open door

Leia now spends her last 2 movement points to move through the door held open by Luke

Luke moves up a square in the room (from bottom to top) and then diagonally to the right and up (Closing the door) This move is possible through the Three Step Rule above, or if Luke spends a Force point to add to his movement

Note: Since Force points add to movement at the end of the turn, extra Force movement always occurs in the last phase.

Here's another way to look at it. In the diagram on the left, Luke can move from A to B and never be fired on by trooper "C" because of the wall between the trooper and Luke at his ending position B. However, if Luke moves in phases, he can be fired on by Trooper C at the end of his first phase (indicated by the red arrow.)

Characters who use all six of their movements points without stopping to attack, automatically gain six more points and may continue to move. They can still be fired upon by other activated characters that have not yet spent all of their movement points. Players are never forced to spend movement points and may pass during any phase. However, if three passes occur in a row, all movement stops and the round is considered over. The next player must now activate two more characters and continue play.

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