Forbidden Stars

2015

Engage in an epic cosmic battle with Forbidden Stars! Command unique factions, build massive armies, exploit enemy weaknesses, and seize victory in the Herakon Cluster.

180
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Forbidden Stars is a board game that takes you to the universe of Warhammer 40,000, immersing you in a grand interstellar conflict between the most powerful races in the cosmos. This epic game is designed for 2-4 players and is set in the Gothic Sci-Fi world of Games Workshop’s beloved franchise.

The game’s setting is the Herakon Cluster, a new system of planets and stars that has just appeared in the galaxy. The four mighty factions – the Ultramarines, the Ork Waaagh! armies, the Eldar of Craftworld Iyanden, and the evil forces of Chaos – are all seeking to claim this new territory and its ancient, powerful artifacts.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The board game ‘Forbidden Stars’ comes with a variety of components that each have their own role to play in the game. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

1. Rulebook:

The rulebook provides detailed instructions on how to play the game. It contains the objective of the game, setup instructions, gameplay rules, and explanations for all game components.

2. Game Board Pieces:

These are modular tiles that are used to construct the game board. Each piece represents a different sector of the galaxy with unique features that can affect gameplay.

3. Faction Sheets:

These sheets represent the different factions players can choose from. Each sheet lists the faction’s unique abilities, units, and strategies.

4. Combat Cards:

These cards are used during combat scenarios. Players draw and play these cards to determine the outcome of battles.

5. Event Cards:

These cards introduce random events that can alter the course of the game. They can be positive or negative, adding an element of unpredictability to the game.

6. Objective Cards:

These cards represent the objectives that players must accomplish to win the game. Each objective card has different requirements and rewards.

7. Order Tokens:

Players use these tokens to issue orders to their units on the game board. The type of order a player can issue depends on their faction and the current state of the game.

8. Unit Tokens:

These tokens represent the different military units that players can deploy. Each unit has different strengths and weaknesses, and their deployment is crucial to a player’s strategy.

9. Warp Storm Tokens:

These tokens represent warp storms that can appear on the game board. Warp storms can block movement and disrupt players’ plans.

10. Dice:

Dice are used to resolve combat scenarios. The number rolled can determine whether an attack is successful, how much damage is dealt, and other combat outcomes.

11. Resource Tokens:

These tokens represent the resources that players can collect and spend during the game. Resources are used to build units, issue orders, and achieve objectives.

12. Upgrade Cards:

These cards allow players to improve their units and abilities. Upgrades can give players an edge in combat and help them achieve their objectives more efficiently.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Forbidden Stars is an exciting board game where players take on the role of one of the four factions of Warhammer 40,000 universe. The goal of the game is to claim objective tokens from the other players’ systems. To set up the game, follow the steps below:

1. Assigning Factions:

Each player chooses one of the four factions – Space Marines, Orks, Eldar, or Chaos Space Marines. Every faction has unique abilities, marked by their Faction Sheet. Players also receive a deck of Combat Cards and a deck of Order Upgrade Cards corresponding to their chosen faction.

2. Setting up the Board:

Arrange the game board as per the layout illustrated in the game manual. The layout varies depending on the number of players. The board is composed of System Tiles, with Warp Storm tokens placed between the tiles in the designated positions.

3. Placing Objective Tokens:

Each player places one Objective Token on the system indicated on their faction’s Objective Setup card. The token should be placed in the system that belongs to one of the opponents. The objective of the game is to capture these tokens.

4. Preparing the Material and Event Decks:

Shuffle the Event deck and place it near the game board. Each player receives starting units and structures as indicated on their Faction Sheet and places them in their Home System. Additionally, each player receives starting Material (resource) tokens as indicated on their Faction Sheet.

5. Preparing the Order Tokens:

Each player receives a set of Order Tokens, which are used to perform actions during the game round. Each faction has the same four types of Order Tokens: Deploy, Strategize, Dominate, and Advance.

6. Random Elements:

There are several random elements in Forbidden Stars. The initial setup of the System Tiles and Warp Storm tokens can change each game, creating a different game board every time. The Event Deck, which introduces unpredictable events, is shuffled and drawn at random during the game.

With the above steps, you are now ready to start playing Forbidden Stars. Remember, the key to victory is to strategically place your Order Tokens and effectively manage your resources. Good luck!

Game flow Round and round we go

Forbidden Stars is a strategic board game where players take on the role of one of four factions in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The game is played in rounds with each round being divided into three distinct phases: the Planning Phase, the Operations Phase, and the Refresh Phase.

1. Planning Phase:

Order Placement: During this stage, players take turns placing one of their available Order tokens face down on a system in the game board. The Order tokens represent different types of actions such as Strategic, Deploy, Dominate, or Advance.

2. Operations Phase:

Order Resolution: Players take turns revealing and executing their placed orders starting from the order that was placed first. The player that placed the order must resolve it before the next player can resolve theirs.
Combat: If an Advance Order results in units from different factions sharing the same system, a combat occurs. The combat is resolved in three rounds where players alternate playing Combat cards from their hands and rolling dice to determine the outcome.

3. Refresh Phase:

Score Objective: During this phase, players can score objectives if they control the corresponding objective token on the game board. The first player to control a certain number of objectives wins the game.
Material and Reinforcement: Players gain resources based on the systems they control and can use these resources to bolster their forces for the coming rounds.
Reset: All used tokens and cards are returned to their respective pools and decks. The round marker is advanced one space forward and a new round begins with the Planning Phase.

Each phase offers strategic choices and challenges, requiring players to plan ahead and adapt their strategies based on their opponents’ actions. The game continues in this cycle until a player achieves the victory condition of controlling a specific number of objectives.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In Forbidden Stars, a strategic board game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, the main objective is to collect a set number of objective tokens, depending on the number of players. The scoring system revolves around these objective tokens.

Scoring Objective Tokens

Objective tokens are earned by ending your turn with one of your units on a system that contains one of your objective tokens. The token does not necessarily need to be on the same world as the unit, just in the same system. When a player ends their turn with a unit in such a position, they take the token and place it on their faction sheet.

2-player game: Each player sets up 4 objective tokens, the first player to collect 3 wins.
3-player game: Each player sets up 3 objective tokens, the first player to collect 3 wins.
4-player game: Each player sets up 3 objective tokens, the first player to collect 3 wins.

Tie-breaking Rules

If two or more players manage to collect the necessary number of objective tokens in the same turn, the game moves into a tie-breaker. The tie is broken in the following order:

The player with the most total units (ground units and void units combined) on the game board wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most structures on the game board wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most material (including stored material) wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who is earlier in the turn order wins.

Note: Remember that the game ends instantly when a player collects the required number of objective tokens. This means there are no “last round” where all players get an equal number of turns.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

‘Forbidden Stars’ is a strategic war game that takes place in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. While the game’s core rules are straightforward, there are several rare or special rules and exceptions that players should be aware of:

1. Warp Storms:

Warp Storms are represented by tokens that can alter the shape of the game map. These cannot be crossed by any standard means. However, certain faction abilities and order upgrades can allow units to bypass these obstacles.

2. Combat Exceptions:

The game’s combat rules have a couple of notable exceptions. For example, if a player’s unit is destroyed during the Execution phase of combat, any remaining dice that unit has are also removed. Additionally, if a battle ends in a tie, the defender is considered the winner.

3. Objective Card Exceptions:

Each player has a set of Objective cards that guide their strategy. However, a player can only claim an Objective card if they control the specific system indicated on the card at the end of the game round, even if they had control of it earlier in the round.

4. Orbital Strike:

An Orbital Strike is a special action that can be performed by a player’s flagship. It allows the player to destroy a unit on a planet from orbit. However, it can only be used once per round and cannot be used on a planet with a Warp Storm.

5. Rule Clarifications:

Order Resolution: If two players have placed an order on the same system, the player who placed their order first resolves their order first.
Strategic and Material Values: The strategic and material values of a system are only used when resolving the Dominate order. They do not affect combat, unit production, or any other aspects of the game.
Unit Upgrades: When upgrading a unit, the upgraded unit replaces the base unit. The base unit is not added to the player’s reserves.