The bridge of the UPF Constellation was bathed in blue light. Flipping the protective cover off the switches on the console before him, the captain powered the ship's defenses and armaments. They'd found the Sathar, and it was now or never.
    "CONDITION RED! RED ALERT!" blared the speakers.
    The captain nodded shortly. "Lasers locked in, Mister Kandrel?"
    "Locked and ready, sir," called the gunnery officer.
    "Bring them to bear on target." The target was a white dot moving across the viewscreen, coded symbols flickering beside it. "Fire at will, Mister Kandrel."
    "Aye-aye, sir!" The lieutenant opened the protective cover for the switches. Without hesitation he triggered four on the top row.

    All eyes watched the viewscreen intently. A few seconds later it blinked, and the moving white dot was no longer there.

INTRODUCTION

These rules convert the board movement and combat systems given in the KNIGHT HAWKS^TM game so they may be used with TSR, Inc.'s KNIGHT HAWKS game miniatures to fight battles in outer space. To use these conversion rules, a player needs to be familiar with the KNIGHT HAWKS game.
    Combat results and other game variables are decided by rolling one or more 10-sided dice, to get results from 1-10, 1-100, 2-20, etc. Combat results are shown in the KNIGHT HAWKS game, under the Advanced Game Combat Table.
    All miniature figures represent one vessel of a particular class. The only exception to this rule is a grouping of five fighters, molded as a "flight."

TIME SCALE

One game turn equals ten minutes of game time (not real time). During this turn, both players move and conduct all their attacks. Everything occurring in this turn is considered simultaneous.
    Players roll a die for initiative before movement each turn. The player winning the roll has the option of being the first or last one to move and fire offensive weapons.
    Note: Seeker missiles for either side are always moved last in a turn, after both sides have already moved.

DISTANCE SCALE CONVERSIONS (HEXES-INCHES)

One hex from the KNIGHT HAWKS game maps represents an area 10,000 km across; using miniatures, two inches will equal 10,000 km (so one inch equals 5,000 km in the gamescale). A turn from one hex-side to another in the KNIGHT HAWKS game becomes a 60 degree turn in the miniature version.

MOVEMENT

Each ship retains its specific acceleration and deceleration factor (ADF) as outlined in the rules. All ADFs are measured in increments of two inches (10,000 km).
    Players may never willingly "ram" one starship into another. To do so would totally destroy both vessels. Players must move so as to avoid collision whenever possible.
    Any evasive movement is noted on the ship log, and that vessel is moved at one-half normal speed.
    Turning: A protractor may be used to determine turning angle. For every two inches of forward movement, a player may make one facing change of 60 degrees or less. This may be done in accordance with MR rate, i.e., a player with 2 MR may make no more than two 60-degree changes in his turn. Players do not have to turn during their move if they do not want to. All ships must move 2" forward prior to executing any turns.
    Exception: Any player not moving may face his vessel in any direction he chooses, regardless of MR rate.

RANGE

In the KNIGHT HAWKS game, all ranges are measured in hexes (each hex being 10,000 km). When using these rules for miniatures, one inch equals 5,000 km. A weapon with a range of ten hexes thus fires twenty inches. Simply double the range in hexes to find a weapon's range in inches.
    Note: Mark a white dot on the front (center) of each miniature's stand. All measurement from one vessel to another should use the white mark as a reference. This dot also serves as a point of reference for all forward-firing (FF) lasers.
    When measuring, round up all fractions of an inch if the distance is half an inch or greater. Round down if the distance is less than half. This is used or determining all movement distances and ranges.
    Optional rule: All ranges may be estimated prior to being measured. If a target is out of range, you have wasted your shot. All fire must be "laid-in" (i.e. allocated) before combat begins.

AREA (ZONES OF CONTROL)

No ship may move within one-half inch of another ship. No ship may fire through another vessel. All ships must have a direct line of sight between their guns and their intended target. Destroyers will often "screen" larger ships, intercepting fire intended for the capital ship, by blocking the line of site between it and other ships. Ships arranged with only one-half inch between them "screen" ships behind them from enemy fire.
    Exception: Fighters may maneuver between larger ships, enter and exit an assault carrier, and fly in formation in any area of one-half inch. Individual fighters conduct their attacks as part of a formation. Generally a group of fighters will attempt to intercept another group of fighters or an unescorted vessel.

FIRING

Ships with forward-firing weapons (FF) may fire those FFs only within a 60 degree arc, 30 degrees to either side of their bow (front). Turret-mounted weapons may fire in a 360 degree arc, all around the ship.
    Vessels firing in a straight line from their front with FF weapons stand a slightly better chance to hit; use the HEAD-ON charts for this. Any ship firing at a target within 5 degrees of its center line receives the bonus for a "head-on" shot. Use the white dot on the stand to measure these shots.
    Defensive fire: During its defensive phase of turn, a ship may fire at any target which is in its unimpeded field of fire. A ship which is screened may not be fired upon. Only laser cannons, ICMs, laser batteries, and rocket batteries may be fired defensively.
    All ICMs must be fired at designated incoming attacks. ICMs cannot be allocated  to all incoming attacks, but specific ones, i.e., an ICM cannot be used against both fire from a rocket battery and a torpedo. It must be used only against one or the other. If a player wishes protection from both, he must fire at least two ICMs.
    Seeker missile fire: Use paper counters to represent Seeker missiles. These missiles have a duration of six turns, and a maximum 24" speed. Because of their size and guidance systems, seekers may change direction up to 180 degrees before moving. Any ship coming within 2" of a seeker will activate it. Seeker missiles always move last in a turn, after all other movement has taken place.
    Torpedo fire: Torpedoes have a duration of one turn, and a range of eight inches. Torpedoes must be able to trace a path to their target without coming closer than one-half inch to any other target. If a torpedo comes within one-half inch of a target, it hits that target instead of its original target.

DAMAGE

As noted in the KNIGHT HAWKS^TM game, ships have several means of protection which must be indicated on the ship log if used. Examples of ship defenses include reflective hulls and masking screens, and their effects should be taken into consideration before damage is assessed.
    All damage take effect at the end of both players' turns. Damage is assessed according to the hit chart (p. 12) in the KNIGHT HAWKS game rules. Any ship receiving 92-97% results has navigation damage, and must follow the last course written down until the damage is repaired. This means a vessel repeats the entire movement pattern of its precious turn, or follows its last course.
    You may attempt to repair damage at the end of every third turn. The KNIGHT HAWKS game rules for damage repair apply.
    Ships unable to maneuver may crash into other ships, destroying both. This may occur because of damage to navigation, but never on purpose.

STARSHIP VESSEL TYPES

The following is a list of Federation and Sathar spaceships, with suggested statistics for their speed (S), turning (T), hull points (HP), and weapons (W). All of these miniatures are now available in boxed sets from TSR, Inc.

Four UPF unarmed freighters were in the company of a UPF frigate and one military armed freighter; all were approaching the star system Ktsa-Kar from Kizk-Kar, their last stop. They were in the military jurisdiction of the planet Ktsa-Kar when they were attacked by a Sathar light cruiser and two Sathar frigates. At first they were not disturbed, because of "reasonable" activity by pirates in the area. The convoy sent information to the local military interceptor base, and an assault scout hunter-killer team of two assault scouts was dispatched. When the assault scouts arrived, they were greeted by empty space and the destroyed hulks of the convoy.
    Set up: Sathar have one light cruiser and two frigates. They enter at extreme weapon range from the convoy at an eight o'clock intercept angle. The UPF convoy consists of our unarmed freighters, one armed freighter, and one frigate. The two UPF assault scouts enter at a twelve o'clock intercept angle at the beginning of the ninth game turn. All ships are fully armed and ready.
    Victory conditions: The Sathar must destroy all unarmed freighters for a marginal victory, the entire convoy for a tactical victory, and all UPF vessels for a decisive victory. The UPF receives a marginal victory for destroying one Sathar ship, a tactical victory for destroying two Sathar ships, and a decisive victory if all Sathar vessels are destroyed.

Four UPF assault scouts, a destroyer, and a frigate, encountered a pirate assault scout (class B, "gull-wing") near Prenglar as it closed with a UPF freighter carrying war material. In the ensuing combat, the pirate assault scout was easily destroyed, The group proceeded on a four o'clock interception course with Prenglar, but were jumped by a Sathar heavy cruiser on a two o'clock intercept course. The Sathar cruiser surprised the small escort group, destroying two assault scouts and the freighter. In the combat, it badly mauled the destroyer before it was destroyed itself.
    Set up: Option A - The freighter and pirate assault scout start together in the center of the playing area. The UPF force approaches at extreme weapons range from the four o'clock area and engages the pirate assault scout. One turn after the assault scout is destroyed, the Sathar heavy cruiser will enter at extreme weapons range from the two o'clock position and engage the UPF fleet.
    Option B - Assume the pirate vessel has been destroyed, and arbitrarily halve the number of torpedoes and rocket batteries each UPF ship has to simulate shots fired in their engagement with the pirate. The Sathar is fully armed. It enters from the two o'clock intercept position at extreme weapon range and attacks the freighter and rescue fleet.
    Victory conditions: The Sathar player receives a portion of a victory for every vessel he destroys. If the Sathar destroys the freighter, he receives a marginal victory. If he destroys the freighter and either of the capital ships, the Sathar has a tactical victory. If the freighter and two or more of the UPF vessels are destroyed, the Sathar has a decisive victory. The UPF receives a tactical victory for keeping the freighter from being destroyed, and a decisive victory if he keeps the freighter from being destroyed and destroys the Sathar ship.

A pirate base was discovered off the farthest planet of Zebulon. A punitive expedition under Admiral Kraal, consisting of the UPF Constellation (a battleship), the Port Yziar (a destroyer), the Klikk-T'llicck (a frigate staffed mainly by Vrusk), two assault scouts, and the military armed freighter, Rub'n Jamz, was sent to neutralize the pirate force. Acting as a decoy, the Rub'n Jamz fled from the pirates who sent their entire strike force, a frigate and two assault scouts (one a class B "gull-wing", and the other, a class A "arrow wing") after the freighter. Waiting on the sunward side of the planet was the entire UPF assault force.
    In the following battle, the entire pirate force was destroyed, with only the loss of one assault scout to the UPF fleet of Admiral Kraal. This region of space remained pacified until three years later when the yacht, Cassidine Breeze, was waylaid by an old pirate assault scout which was obviously just passing through the area.
    Set up: The Rub'n Jamz starts in the middle of the playing area. All pirate vessels start at maximum weapon range on a six o'clock intercept angle. On the second turn, the UPF force enters. The assault scouts start from the ten o'clock position at maximum weapon range from the freighter, and all other UPF vessels start at an eight o'clock interception angle from the UPF freighter at maximum range.
    Victory conditions: For every vessel the pirate destroys, he receives victory points equal to the number of hull points of the vessel. A marginal victory is 70 hull points destroyed; a tactical victory is 175 hull points; a decisive victory is any score over 225 hull points. If the UPF player destroys one pirate vessel he receives a marginal victory; two pirate ships, a tactical victory; and three pirate ships, a decisive victory.

After Admiral Kraal's victory over the pirates near Zebulon, he was alerted to a sub-space SOS and took his fleet to pick up survivors. In reality, the Sathar had picked up his communications and had hastily sent a fleet consisting of one Sathar heavy cruiser, one Sathar light cruiser, and one Sathar frigate to the area designated by the SOS. When the UPF fleet arrived, they found the Sathar fleet heading toward them on a twelve o'clock intercept course.
    In the ensuing battle, the UPF assault scouts, the freighter and the frigate were destroyed. The destroyer was damaged badly and repairs on her were so extensive that she was not recommissioned until the hostilities of the second Sathar war were over. Even Admiral Kraal's flagship, the Constellation, was badly damaged and out of action for the better part of a year. The UPF did manage to destroy all the Sathar vessels involved in the action, but at a terrible cost.
    Set up: The Sathar and UPF fleets enter on a collision course at maximum weapon range. The Sathar are fully armed, and the members of the UPF have only the armaments remaining to them after their destruction of the pirate fleet (see incident 217-K, scenario III). When the UPF fleet enters, the freighter is screened from the Sathar by the battleship Constellation.
    Victory conditions:  The Sathar receive a marginal victory if they destroy two UPF ships. They receive a tactical victory if they destroy three UPF ships, and a decisive one if they destroy four UPF vessels. The UPF receives a marginal victory if they destroy one Sathar vessel. If they destroy two Sathar vessels, they receive a tactical victory, and a decisive victory if they destroy all three Sathar vessels.