All of the spaceships used in the Basic Game are warships. Space stations that serve as bases for these military vessels also are used. All of the various types of ships and stations used in the Basic Game are described below. Besides a short report about the ship, each description includes the number of hull points the vessel has, the types of weapons it can carry, how many limited supply weapons (torpedos and rockets) it carries, the defensive systems built into the ship and movement information.

Not all ships of the same type are identical. All ships of one type will have the same ADF, MR and hull points. The weapon and defense information, however, lists the maximum amount of equipment a ship can carry. Many ships do not carry their maximum armament.

Fighters. Fighters are small, single-seat spaceships. They must be based on an assault carrier or a space station. Fighters are fast and maneuverable. but because they are small the only weapons they can carry are three assault rockets. Their size also makes them easy to destroy.

A fighter that has fired all of its assault rockets can dock at a station or assauIt carrier to rearm. In order to dock, the fighter must stop (have a speed of O) in the same hex as the station or assault carrier.

To be rearmed, a fighter must spend one complete game turn on board its station or carrier. If the fighter's base is attacked, the fighter cannot be rearmed that turn. A fighter that is docked cannot be attacked.

Assault Scout. Assault scouts are larger than fighters, and carry five crew members. They are as fast as fighters, and are big enough to operate without a base station or carrier. They are lightly armed and easily damaged, however.

Like fighters, assauIt scouts can rearm at a space station. They cannot be attacked while docked at the station. Assault scouts cannot be rearmed at assault carriers.

Frigate. Frigates are small warships, carrying about 25 crew members. They are commonly used as patrol ships by the UPF, as they are large enough to handle most pirate ships and other criminal vessels.

Destroyer. Destroyers are slightly larger than frigates, and also a little slower. They carry 40 to 50 crew members. Their main function is to escort larger ships.

Heavy Cruiser. These large ships were the first space battleships. Advances in technology have caused them to be downgraded to cruisers, and they tend to be slow and somewhat clumsy compared to most modern warships.

Battleship. These galactic dreadnoughts are the mightiest vessels to travel between the stars. The UPF has only a few of them, and they usually stay near the largest space stations. Battleships have never fought in ship-to-ship battles, so their effectiveness is a matter of theory.

Assault Carrier. This type of ship is a relatively new development. Assault carriers carry groups of four to 10 fighters through the Void, launching the fighters where they are needed and taking them back on board to refuel and rearm.

Space Station. These are large outposts that orbit planets. A space station has no engines to move itself; it simply serves as a base of operations for other ships.

Any ship can dock at a space station by entering the station's hex and stopping there. At the end of the movement phase, the ship's counter is placed under the station's counter to show that it has docked. As long as the ship remains there. it is linked to the station, and people and supplies can move back and forth freely. The ship can leave the station during its movement phase, and pays no penalty for doing so. When the station moves, the ship that is leaving does not move with the station. It can move normally during its movement phase.

A docked ship can use its battery weapons to help defend the station. A docked ship cannot fire any forward-firing weapons. torpedos or ICMs.

An attacker must declare whether his ship is firing at the space station or at a ship that is docked with the station. Any docked ship except fighters and assault scouts can be attacked by enemy ships. If a station is destroyed while ships are docked at it, each docked ship takes points of damage equal to one-half of the station's original hull points. If a ship is destroyed while docked, the station takes points of damage equal to one-half of the ship's original hull points.