Before the game can begin, you'll need to select your forces. If you're using this game in conjunction with The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, your forces will be dictated by the roleplaying scenario. If you're playing a stand-alone game, however, it's now time to purchase your craft with Squadron Generation Points, or SGPs.

Squadron Generation Points

To be able to compare the basic value of different craft, and their pilots and weapons, these factors have been given value in Squadron Generation Points. SGPs measure the skills of the pilots and gunners, and the agility and power of their craft. Through their use, the approximate value of different combinations of opposing forces can be ascertained. 

Players can decide upon a total 'point budget' for each side of the conflict, or these numbers could be dictated by the gamemaster. For a straight squadron vs. squadron battle, we've found that about 800 SGPs is a good number to start off with. Once you've decided how many points each player gets, it's time to 'buy' your ships.

Squadron Generation

First, get a copy of the Squadron Record Sheet, found in the Downloads section. Then, think about what type of craft you'd like to have make up your squadron. If you're going to be using this game in a Star Wars Roleplaying Game scenario, please bear in mind that these Basic rules are for the standard, rank-and-file type of pilot. Player Characters from the RPG should not be subjected to these rules, and will be covered fully in the chapter 'Heroes', in the Advanced game (coming soon!).

Craft Lists

Here follows the listings of the Alliance and Imperial craft included with this game, and their point costs. If you'd like to use starfighters of your own design, don't worry - rules for their adaptation to this game are included further down the page.

Creating Your Forces

Once you've picked your craft, grab the Squadron Record Sheet and fill in the name of the squadron, and craft type. Now, it's time to choose a pilot quality for your squadron, Average, Veteran or Elite, as described in the chapter Morale. The point costs for each quality are as follows:

Attributes and Skills

Next, we'll have a look at your pilots in more detail, in terms of attributes and skills. Attributes come first. Give your pilots' attributes (Dexterity, Knowledge, Mechanical, Perception) each a value between 1 and 4, making sure that the combined total of all attributes equals 8. For example, pilots in a squadron could have a Dexterity of 1, Knowledge of 1, Mechanical of 2, and a Perception of 4. Write these numbers on the appropriate lines on the record sheet - these are the base values for all the skills governed by each attribute.

The next step is to fill in the skills. Decide what skill levels you'd like to give your pilots, to a maximum of the governing attribute +2 (players may decide to waive this rule and play with no skill limit, if they wish). Write these numbers in the left-most box, the one that actually contains the name of the skill. Since you're already paying SGPs for the governing attribute, take the skill in question, and subtract the value of the applicable attribute, writing this number in the box to the right of the skill. This is the point cost for the skill level you've chosen. For example, if the player's squadron has a Mechanical attribute of 4, and he'd like his pilots to have a starfighter piloting skill of 6, it will cost that player 2 SGPs (per pilot, but just enter a 2). In the case of fighters with gunners (like the Y-wing two-seater version), charge yourself double the skill cost in the starship gunnery box.

If you decide to play with no skill limit, skill level is limited only by how many SGPs you're willing to pay. As you can see, pilots of exceptional ability are possible, but depending on your point budget, the number of fighters in that squadron may suffer as a result. Feel free to experiment with different strength/number combinations, and decide what's going to work best in your situation. But for your first few games, it's better to limit skills to the rule of attribute +2.

Once all the skills and their costs are entered, total down the column, adding Pilot Quality, Attributes, and Skills. This number is your Base Crew Cost. Enter it in the appropriate box. 

Craft Specifications

At this point, we enter the statistics for the craft you've chosen (or invented), with the exception of its weapons. This is fairly straight ahead - enter the fighter's maneuverability, space, hull, and shields in the boxes to the right of these systems. Their SGP cost is exactly the same as their value. Total them up, and you've got your Base Craft Cost - enter it in the appropriate box at the bottom. Now add your Base Crew Cost to the Base Craft Cost, entering the total into the box labeled 'Craft & Pilot Cost', at the top of the next column.

Now it's time to add on the weapons. Write the name of each weapon system in its box, but don't worry about the Fire Code at the moment (we'll be filling this value in later, and it doesn't figure into the SGP cost, anyway). Now enter the other weapon values - damage, fire arc, fire control, and ranges. For every point of damage and fire control, the cost is one SGP and for each fire arc the weapon covers, the cost also is one SGP. In addition to this, have a look at the weapon's long range. For every five hexes a weapon's long range can reach, charge yourself another SGP. For example, the common TIE fighter laser cannon, with a fire arc of front, fire control of 3, a damage of 5, and a long range of 25, would cost 14 SGPs.

Once you've totaled all the weapons in this fashion, add up the Craft and Pilot Cost and each of its weapons, putting this total in the Point Cost Per Fighter box. Write the number of craft in the next box, and multiply them together - this is your Base Squadron Cost. You're almost finished!

Leaders and Hot Shots

Depending on how many points you have left over, you might like to make further improvements to a couple of your ships. Firstly, having a really good Leader is never a bad idea. Decide which of your tokens will represent the leader (a token labeled 'Leader' is provided with the game for your convenience), and make a note of this on the line labeled 'ID'. Then, choose a command skill for this craft, no higher than the squadron's command skill +2, and enter it on the line. For every point of command higher than the squadron's command skill, the cost is one SGP.

Similarly, your squadron may have up to two Hot Shots, whose starship gunnery skills are higher than that of their fellows. Make a note of which ships they are, entering these numbers in the Hot Shots' ID spaces. Then, choose a starship gunnery skill for these pilots (no higher than the squadron's starship gunnery skill +2), and once again charge yourself one SGP for each point by which it exceeds the skill of the squadron. Bear in mind that you may want your Hot Shots to be proficient with a different starship weapon, using a different skill, such as missile weapons or something else. If this is so, just cross out starship gunnery from the slot, and write in your preferred skill.

As with skills, players may decide to ignore the 'no higher than the skill +2' rule. However, it's better to stick with it for your first few games.

Add these last few numbers to the Base Squadron Cost. You've now determined your final Squadron Cost!

Filling In the Circles

Now that the whole issue of points is out of the way, we can at last determine the actual numbers you'll be referring to while you play the game! All of these formula are described in their respective chapters, but are repeated here for convenience's sake. After you've filled in all the circles, you're ready to play!

Attack Speed: (Space/2) + starfighter piloting
Full Throttle: Space + starfighter piloting
# of Turns: Maneuverability
Turn Distance: 10 - (Maneuverability + starfighter piloting)
Command: Squadron's command skill, not the leader's
# in Squadron: Number of craft in squadron, including leader and any hot shots
Dodge (Advanced game only): Maneuverability + starfighter piloting
Damage Resistance (shielded): Hull + shields
Damage Resistance (unshielded): Hull
Fire Code: Fire control + starship gunnery