Space Wars is a card game of skill and tactics for 2 to 8 players that simulate battle between mighty Starships in the cold vacuum of space. Players fight it out in a battle to control the last ship in the game.

Starting The Game

     To play you will need at least two decks of ordinary playing cards, in larger games (6 to 8 players) 3 decks are recommended. Jokers should be left in the decks. Aces are considered low.

     The cards are shuffled into a single pile and ten cards are dealt to each player. The remaining cards are placed face down in the centre of the table as the draw pile.

Creating A Ship

     Once all players have chosen a ship type the ship cards are revealed (turned face up) and any extra cards are discarded. If playing fighters the card on the table should be discarded and the player's hand split into three piles of three. Once divided into three piles, cards cannot be swapped between fighters. Play then progresses clockwise around the table with the player to the left of the dealer going first.

     Example: Rob chooses to play a Battleship. He places the queen required face down on the table in front of him. Along with all of the other players he turns his card over. Rob leaves the Queen on the table to represent his ship and discards one card to take the number of cards in his hand to nine.

Turn Sequence

     The following actions take place each turn:

1. Tactical - Choose an attack card for each ship in your possession
2. Engage - Move attack card(s) to targets
3. Battle-stations! - Defend against attack cards
4. Engineering - Repair and Rearm

1. Tactical

     Example: Rob decides to try a boarding manoeuvre. He selects a picture card from his hand and lays it face down on the table in front oh his ship.

2. Engage

     All players put their attack cards against the ship that is being attacked at the same time. It is important that this is done simultaneously so that players cannot see who is attacking whom. You can attack more than one ship at a time and attack each ship more than once providing that you have enough attack cards.

     Example: Rob now moves the attack card over to Darren's ship, leaving it face down.

3. Battlestations

     Play then progresses around the table with the person to the left of the dealer going first. The attack card(s) for each ship attacked are turned face up. The defending player must then defend with cards as shown in the table above. Note that all attack cards are turned up and the defender then chooses the order of defence.

     If a laser or missile card is played in attack the defending player must play as many shield/ECM cards as possible to meet or exceed the total set by the attacking player. For every point of missiles or lasers that cannot be blocked a card is lost from the hand. When all cards have been lost the ship is out of the game.

     If a boarding action card is played the attacking player must then play a second card, which must be a club. A second card must be played regardless of the suit of the initial picture card. This card represents the crew being used to board. The attacking player may play only one card. The defending player then plays as many club cards as possible to meet or exceed the total set by the attacking player. If the attacking player has a higher total than the defending player then the attacking player takes the ship and the cards associated with that ship and plays that as a separate ship. If there are any outstanding attack cards on the ship then the player who has boarded must defend against those cards.

     Example: Darren has only one attack card on his ship. He turns the card face up to reveal a picture card. Rob immediately places his crew card, a seven of clubs on the picture card. Darren smiles wickedly and counters with a three and a five. Rob's attempt to take Darren's ship has failed.

4. Engineering

     For each ship that has at least one card remaining draw one card from the draw pile to signify repairs. A ship cannot be repaired beyond its starting size. If a player has more than one ship the cards should be drawn from the pile without turning them over and laid face down on the ships. The player may then look at the cards for each ship. Cards cannot be swapped between ships.

     If you run out of cards in the draw pile shuffle any discarded cards and place them face down as the draw pile.

Winning The Game

     If the player loses all of his/her ships due to destruction or boarding they are out of the game. The winner is the last person left with a ship. It is possible for two or more players to wipe each other out in the same turn. In that case the result is a draw.

Tactical Tips

     Don't play a Mother Ship just because you have a Joker in your hand. Make sure you have plenty of picture cards in your hand too. Motherships are big targets!

     When playing fighters try to spread your cards between the fighters at the start. Remember that you can't move them around later and you don't know what cards you're going to pick up during engineering.

     If a player has to repel a boarding action this often leaves them low on crew for an opportunistic strike next turn.

     It is more difficult to defend against missiles than lasers.

     Low denomination cards, e.g. ace, two, three and four can often force a player with only high denomination cards in their hand to discard high value cards against their wishes.