Astris

Rules

4. Card Types

4.1 Homeworld#

A unique card representing the faction's planetary capital. Begins the game in play and is set aside rather than included in the main deck. Generates the player's primary Currency income each turn and contributes Votes.

Most Homeworlds have a flip or Contested face. The standard rule that Homeworld destruction or successful Liberation equals immediate game loss applies, but specific Homeworlds may flip rather than be lost (e.g., Kam Miinus flips to the IHN Astris Star Spacecraft on first destruction; the Spacecraft itself becomes the loss-trigger card thereafter). Once a Homeworld has flipped to its alternate face, it cannot flip back.

4.2 Locations#

Permanent territory cards. Locations include Planetary Locations and Surface Locations (planetary sites) and may be subtyped further (industrial center, ethos center, political center, etc.). Planetary Locations represent the most powerful locations that a faction can control and have a "Capacity" value. This value indicates how many Surface Locations may be deployed to that Planetary Location. Surface Locations may not be deployed without an associated Planetary Location. Most Locations have a flip icon and a Contested back face whose type line is labeled 'Contested.' Whenever a player plays a Location (Surface or Planetary) they may move any Galactic Factor by 1 point (they may increment or decrement any GF by 1).

4.3 Characters#

Cards representing named individuals from the universe. Characters carry two Drives, one Morality, a starting CP value, Rank, Attack, Defense, and a printed Penalties block specifying CP penalties for actions of mismatched Morality. Characters are the primary executors of player actions: they perform combat, contribute to Liberations, execute Character Action Maneuvers, and bind to Storylines.

Per-Character Penalty calibration is intentional — different Characters with the same Morality may have different Penalty profiles based on their personal history.

Characters when played are deployed to Planetary Locations or Spacecraft. A Planetary Location or Spacecraft may have an unlimited number of Characters deployed to it unless the card otherwise specifies.

4.4 Ground Units#

Non-character military and civilian forces similar to Characters but lack the personal arc machinery of Characters. They contribute to combat and liberation through Attack, Defense, and Rank. Ground Units can both have a Reverse face or not — those that do not go to the Depleted pile when destroyed. Ground Units are deployed to a Planetary Location or a Capital Ship the controller controls (§10.5), and may be moved from there to Surface Locations and other permanents under §14. Any number of Ground Units may occupy the same permanent unless otherwise specified.

4.5 Spacecraft#

Vehicles that operate in space rather than on a Location's surface. Similar to Ground Units, Spacecraft can have a Reverse face or not.

Spacecraft divide into two categories, distinguished by the subtype printed on the type line. Every Spacecraft prints either Capital Ship or a non-capital subtype.

Capital Ships are the large vessels of a faction's fleet. They deploy only to the Space Band, occupy no card, and never move. They transport Characters, Ground Units, and Non-Capital Spacecraft, attack other Spacecraft, intercept, and — with the Orbital Bombardment ability — attack Locations, Characters, and Ground Units in an adjacent Band. See §18.55.

Non-Capital Spacecraft are small craft; Fighter is the first such subtype. They may be moved between Bands like Characters and Ground Units, and their combat role depends on where they are: a Non-Capital Spacecraft in the Space Band not deployed to a Spacecraft fights as a Spacecraft, while one deployed to a Location or a Capital Ship fights as a Ground Unit. See §18.56.

4.6 Devices#

Technology cards — weapons, upgrades, special-purpose equipment. Devices may attach to other cards in play via the Attach keyword (§18) or remain in play as standalone effects. Some Devices have flip faces and may be labeled Fallen on the back face.

4.7 Maneuvers#

Action cards played for an immediate effect, then placed in the Depleted pile. Maneuvers are categorized along two axes: timing (Fast or Slow) and executor (Character Action or Political Action).

Timing types:

  • Fast Maneuver: Playable during the Admin, Draw, or Action phases of any player's turn (the controller's turn or another player's turn). Not playable during the Ready Phase or the End Phase.
  • Slow Maneuver: Playable only during the controller's own Action Phase. May be played at any sub-phase within the Action Phase (Deployment, Movement, Combat, or Liberation).

Executor subtypes:

  • Character Action: Requires activating a Character to execute the Maneuver. The Maneuver carries a Morality. If the executing Character's Morality differs from the Maneuver's Morality, the Character takes the CP penalty listed in their Penalties block (see §7).
  • Political Action: Played by the controller acting as the government they represent. Does not require or activate a Character. Does not carry a Morality. Typically pays a Vote cost in addition to Currency.

Policy Restriction (optional):

A Maneuver with a Policy Restriction lists a Galactic Factor and a target zone or zones (e.g., 'RLGN at -3 or -4'). If the listed Galactic Factor is currently within the target zone, the Maneuver plays at base cost. If not, the listed penalty cost is paid in addition to the base cost. See §18.8.

Binding (optional):

A Maneuver whose executor line includes the Binding keyword (e.g., "Slow Maneuver - Binding Character Action") becomes a permanent when it resolves rather than going to the Depleted pile. It remains in play (typically attached to a target) and applies its effect continuously until it is removed by its printed destroy clause or another effect. Binding is distinct from Bind (the Storyline–Character attachment in §8.10); a Binding Maneuver does not create a Storyline bond. See §18.42.

Some Maneuvers have flavor-only Archive back faces with no gameplay impact.

4.8 Storylines#

Narrative arc cards that bind to Characters or remain in play for the controlling player. Storylines have multiple Chapters that progress over time, conferring rewards or penalties. Two principal flavors: Aspirational (the controller wants completion) and Cursed (the controller wants the storyline in play but does not want completion).

Storylines may be played in any Act (I, II, or III) unless a specific card prints a timing restriction. Once played, a Storyline cannot be voluntarily discarded — it must complete naturally, complete via Skip, or be removed by a disruption Maneuver. Removing a Bound Storyline flips the bound Character to their Fallen face. If the Character is already Fallen, then they are destroyed and placed into the Depleted pile.

On final completion, a Storyline flips to its Reverse face. The Reverse face may be a Completed Storyline, or may be any other card type (Spacecraft, Device, Location, etc.) per §8.9. The bound Character remains in play. There is no Resolved pile and no Character Ascension mechanic.