HOW  TO  PLAY

Welcome to the Star Heroes: Trading Card Game, my name is Richard, and I'm the creator. In this series of videos, I'm going to walk you through the game step by step so you know how to play. Let's get started...

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HOW TO WIN

The winner of the game is the first player to reach 20 Stellar Points or the first player to reduce their opponent's Stellar Points to -20. You accumulate Stellar Points in any number of ways, such as by launching successful missions into outer space, deploying starships and space stations, setting up bases on new worlds, conducting research, attacking or sabotaging your opponent, and a myriad of other ways. But be careful! Your opponent will be doing the same thing, and each time you are attacked, you can also lose Stellar Points, so be sure to keep those defenses up.

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STAR HERO CARDS

Star Heroes are the most important cards, these are the leaders of your expeditions through the solar system and are your first line of defense against your opponent, so it is important you choose the right one, as only one space hero can be active at any given time. Each player may have a maximum of 6 Star Heroes in their flight deck.

 

Star Heroes are used to attack your opponent's Star Heroes, starships, space stations, planetary bases, and their space points directly.

 

Each Star Hero has a weapon and shield value. The weapon value is the strength of their attack, and the shield value is the amount of damage they can take before being destroyed.

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Here is an example; We have one Star Hero with 3 weapons, and the opponent's hero has 4 shields. When the Star Hero attacks, the opponent's Star Hero takes 3 damage and will have 1 shield remaining. If the Star Hero's shield drops to 0, they are destroyed and sent to the scrapyard.

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Be sure to also pay close attention to your Star Heroes skills, as each of them has a different effect. Some Star Heroes also have a special skill that is marked with a star and can play a key role in how you achieve victory.

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MISSION CARDS

Mission cards are the start of your journey through the solar system. These cards give you your objectives, such as landing on the surface of the moon, setting up a base on Mars, building a space station in outer space, and much more.

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Mission cards, when completed successfully, award you with Stellar Points. After each successful launch, you add the value of your mission cards, along with any other card that awards Stellar Points, and add those Stellar Points to your total. Remember, the winner of the match will be the first player to reach 20 Stellar Points.

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Once used and the Stellar Points calculated, your Mission cards are sent to the junkyard.

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VESSEL CARDS

Vessel cards are one of the most important cards in the game. Vessels are the Starships and Space Stations you will deploy in outer space and the Planetary Bases that you will build on new worlds. (circle the vessel designation and card title). Each of these cards has a different function; Starships are mostly used for attack and defense, space stations for research, but can also be used for attack and defense, and planetary bases for support.

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And just like your Star Hero cards, your vessels have a weapon and shield value that works in exactly the same way. And like your Star Hero cards, each of your vessels also has a specific function that can be used to gain an advantage over your opponent. Some vessels also have a special function that is marked with a star and can play a key role in how you achieve victory.

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Once launched on a successful mission, vessels are moved from the spacedock to outer space, where they become active and can be used to attack and defend. Any function or special function only becomes active once in outer space. While the vessel is on the spacedock, it is inactive and cannot be used.

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And remember, your opponent will not only be trying to destroy your vessel in outer space but also while it is in spacedock. After all, a spaceship is not a threat if you blow it up before it even deploys!

 

RESEARCH CARDS

Research cards are vital in accumulating Stellar Points and can also reward you with special benefits. Each research card has a Stellar Points value that, when launched successfully on a mission, is calculated and added to your total. Research cards are played face-down to give you the element of surprise; after all, we don't want your opponent to know what you have up your spacesuit sleeves! You can launch up to 3 research cards on any given mission. Once used, the Stellar Points calculated, and any special effect activated, your research cards are sent to the junkyard.

 

But be careful, as your opponent can sabotage or even steal your research and take those precious Stellar Points for themselves!

 

GROUND CREW CARDS

Ground Crew cards are the backbone of your deck and one of the main forms of protection against your opponent. You Ground crew will support your Star Heroes and help defend against sabotage, intrusion, and interference. They will protect your vessels in spacedock and do everything they can to make sure your missions launch successfully. But like any double-edged sword, they can also be used to sabotage, exert political pressure, and influence your opponent's actions.

 

Ground crew cards are played face-down to give you the element of surprise; after all, what good is a secret weapon unless it is secret?

 

Every ground crew card is activated by flipping. Some Ground Crew cards can only be used once, while others remain on the field, so pay attention to what the card says.

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And remember to account for your opponent's Ground Crew, as well, as they will be intent on stopping you from achieving victory!

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STARTING YOUR FIRST GAME

Each player will need a 60-card deck to play the game. The first step is to shuffle your deck and place it in the flight deck section of your gaming mat. The second step is to decide who will go first; we recommend a coin toss or rock, paper, scissors. Both players then start by drawing 7 cards. Now, you're ready to begin your journey of intergalactic conquest.

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There are 4 phases; the drawing phase, the attack phase, the launch phase, and the deployment phase. But since it is only the first turn of the game, we skip right to the Deployment Phase.

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The player who goes first can begin deploying their cards. If you have a space hero, it is highly recommended that you deploy them as they are your first line of defense and also the easiest way to attack your opponent. Your primary aim should be to deploy a mission, launch vehicle, and payload so that you can launch a mission during your next turn, but more on that later. It is also helpful to deploy research and ground crew cards face-down on the field if you think they will benefit you.

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The first player then ends their turn, and the second player does the same. After both players have taken their first turn, the game begins.

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TURN PHASES

As we discussed in the last video, there are 4 phases. We talked about the deployment phase, so now that you're onto your second turn, let's talk about the other phases.

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First is the drawing phase. At the start of each turn, you draw a new card from your flight deck.

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Second is the attack phase. This is where you can use your payloads in outer space to attack your opponent. And remember, if your opponent doesn't have any space heroes or payloads in outer space, you can attack their space points directly.

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Third is the launch phase. If you have a mission and launch vehicle on the launchpad from the turn before, you can now launch it into outer space. You can launch missions without payloads, as this will still award you space points, but ideally, you want to launch a payload, too, for maximum impact. And remember to flip your research cards over before launching to gain additional space points and benefits.

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4. The Deployment Phase. This is when you prepare for your next turn. In this final phase, you can start a new mission, deploy a launch vehicle and payload, as well as a space hero, ground crew, and research, ready for your next turn.

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Then you end your turn, and your opponent begins theirs.

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Rinse and repeat until either you or your opponent reach 60 Space Points. If, however, neither of you reach 60 Space Points by the end of the game, the player with the most Space Points wins.

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You may need to play a few test games to get the hang of it, which is absolutely fine! After all, space Empires aren't built in a day.

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YOU'RE READY

Now that you're familiar with the Space Heroes: Trading Card Game and how it works, all that is left is to begin your journey of exploration and conquest across the solar system. Good luck building your new Empire, Space Hero.