Star Trek Alliance: Infinite Frontier - Away Missions

Shortly after the end of the Dominion War, the discovery of a semi-stable wormhole leading to the edge of the galaxy has reignited Starfleet’s passion for exploration. You are a Federation Starfleet officer, assigned to a special Fleet Task Group, given the mandate to explore this new region known as The Verge.

But a starship can only take you so far. When it comes to discovery, there is no substitute for putting actual boots on the ground of a strange new world, leaving footprints in the regolith, and filling your lungs with alien air.

Not all encounters will be peaceful, and environmental hazards abound when stepping into the unknown. You and your crew fully accept the risks, and stand ready to face down anything in the pursuit of knowledge…

Star Trek Alliance: Infinite Frontier – Away Missions is a co-operative skirmish-style miniatures game in 28–32mm scale. It can be played as either a standalone game, or as an optional expansion for the Star Trek Alliance: Infinite Frontier campaign, where you may choose to play a ground mission any time you encounter a planet.

The Away Missions expansion tasks players with directing a small Starfleet away team as they navigate an unknown planet and work to achieve their objectives in the face of opposition from hostile parties.

Taking place in a brand new corner of the galaxy means you may encounter new life and new civilizations that nobody has ever seen before, allowing you to play using whatever models and terrain you already have.

Each mission is generally standalone, representing a single sortie that has no direct effect on any subsequent missions, but rules are provided to allow you to chain them together into a loose campaign if you so choose.

Missions can also be randomly generated, with a wide variety of different terrain features, environmental conditions, and objectives that can be mixed and matched in various combinations to create a unique play experience each time.

For this campaign, all players are Starfleet officers who have been chosen to form an Away Team that will be sent down to the surface.

You begin with 75–125 points (depending on the size of game you want to play) to spend on assembling and outfitting your team to accomplish your mission. Not all characters need to be worth an equal number of points, and not all equipment slots need to be filled.

A handful of pre-made characters and adversaries are provided, along with a formula for quickly assembling a hostile force to face off against, if you want to get started right away without having to do any of the administrative work.

All the adversaries that you face in the game will be controlled using simple, pre-determined logic tables, but you will have to do all the dice rolling and handle all the movement for both sides.

Additionally, since no table can cover every possible outcome, there will be times where results will come down to a judgement call, particularly with psionics. When in doubt, you should rule in favor of the AI, since it is at an inherent disadvantage compared to the freedom, creativity, and adaptability of human players.

Ultimately, this is YOUR game! You and your play group are free to interpret, modify, or outright ignore any rules that get in the way of your enjoyment. When in doubt, pick the option that you find the most fun.

In addition to these rules, you will need:

• One copy of the core Star Trek Alliance box
• A 2’×2’ to 3’×3’ play area
• 4–10 models for each faction
• One or more 4” Range rulers
• A handful of six-sided dice (d6)
• Lots of scatter terrain

You may often be instructed to increase or decrease the number of dice you are rolling, known as your Dice Pool (DP). This is indicated in the rules by “+1DP” to add one of the relevant dice type (attack, defense, or d6) to your roll, or “-1DP” to roll one fewer of the relevant dice type. These modifiers are cumulative.

No roll can go lower than one die, regardless of how many changes to the Dice Pool may be indicated.

Some weapons or equipment will add a modifier to various rolls (e.g. “+1 to DIS rolls”). In this case, simply add the specified number to the result rolled. This is not a change to the Dice Pool. If a model receives modifiers (positive or negative) from several different sources, apply them all to the result rolled to get the final total.

Some weapons or equipment will allow you to re-roll dice for certain rolls (e.g. “re-roll all on RNGD rolls”). This means when performing that particular skill check, any die that lands on the specified result can be re-rolled.

You may not re-roll a die more than once. After any re-roll, the new result becomes locked in.

The game has two kinds of dice rolls – opposed and unopposed.

• When making an opposed roll, you are testing your model’s skills directly against those of another model (e.g. your model’s Ranged Combat vs. their model’s Defense when performing a Shoot action).
• When making an unopposed roll, you are testing your model’s skills against a fixed probability of success (e.g. when recovering from the staggered condition). Roll your dice against 2d6, unless otherwise specified. If you equal or exceed this roll, you succeed.

• All distances are measured using a Range ruler – a 4” length, marked in the middle.
• The furthest extent of “within Range 1” is when a Range ruler, placed between a model and another model or object, is still in contact with both.
• Movement always occurs in a straight line along the Range ruler, which counts as one Move action.
• A model does not have to move the full distance of the Range ruler, but partial moves still count as one Move action.

Each model has the following skills which determine its attributes and abilities in the game.

• Movement (MOV): Rated 1–3, determines how many of the model’s actions can be Move actions.
• Defense (DEF): Measured in defense dice, represents how resistant the model is to injury.
• Ranged Combat (RNGD): Measured in attack dice, represents ranged combat expertise and weapon proficiency.
• Close Combat (CLOS): Measured in attack dice, represents close combat expertise and proficiency.
• Discipline (DIS): Measured in d6s, represents specialist training, mental fortitude, and bravery.

Models are also outfitted with weapons and equipment, or can have psionic abilities, which may affect these skills.

Each model has a “hitbox,” which approximates the volume of space it occupies, and is intended to account for all the different poses between models when determining Line of Sight (LOS).

A model’s hitbox is defined as a vertical cylinder the same diameter as the model’s base and as tall as the highest point of the model’s head (or torso, if that is higher). If a model is crouched, treat its hitbox as being the same height as if it were standing (i.e. it must still be placed down to be fully hidden by cover).

Note that the model’s pose makes no difference in regards to the size or shape of its hitbox. Limbs, weapon barrels, antennas, and other protrusions overhanging the base do not expand the model's hitbox.

If the model is not mounted to a base, use your best judgement and make sure all players agree with the decision.

The game mostly uses true Line of Sight (LOS). Look over the shoulder of your model to determine if its target is out in the open, or if it has cover.

• If the target’s hitbox is exposed and within the model’s Field of View, the model has LOS.
• Protruding limbs, tentacles, weapon barrels, etc., do not count towards LOS. Assume models have a self-preservation instinct, and are making an active effort not to expose themselves to enemy fire. Use your discretion and sense of fair play.
• If any portion of the target’s hitbox is obscured, including by other models, the target has cover.
• Line of Sight cannot be drawn to a down model (see Conditions) that is behind an Obstacle.

A model’s Field of View (FOV) defines the area that the model has awareness of from its current position and facing, and is used when determining Line of Sight. It is equivalent to a starship’s firing arc in the core Star Trek Alliance game.

Models have a 180° Field of View to the front by default, while psionics always have a 360° Field of View. Use your best judgement, but mark the model’s base if you need to.

Models can only attack things that are within their Field of View and Line of Sight. For example, an enemy model moving out of cover behind a friendly model cannot be attacked by the friendly model because it is facing the wrong direction. On its turn, the friendly model must first rotate to face the enemy model before it can attack (Rotating is a free action, and does not count as movement).

The game is ideally played on small boards, densely packed with scatter terrain. The exact layout of objects within the play area is entirely up to you, but since ranged weapons can shoot any distance, it is important that there are no unobstructed sightlines across the entire board.

If you do not have a dedicated play mat, you can use tokens to denote the corners of the board, or use tape or string to clearly mark out edges. The latter option can also be used to denote interior walls, such as for those scenarios taking place aboard a ship or space station.

Each scenario will specify exactly where on the board that players should deploy their Away Team, but generally-speaking, the deployment should take place within Range 1 of the bottom edge of the play area.

Each mission map also includes a number of red “deployment vectors” that correspond to the result of a dice roll. Adversaries should be deployed within Range 1 of that vector. Roll for each model, and models should ideally each deploy from a different vector whenever possible.

In the event that you have run out of models when instructed to deploy reinforcements, remove one or more models currently on the board and redeploy them as new Adversaries. Always remove the model worth the lowest point value, or if tied, the one that is furthest from any player-controlled model.

To help differentiate between models and keep track of which character sheet corresponds to which model, you may find it helpful to number each model, and record that number in the I.D. field on its character sheet.

A piece of tape stuck to the model’s base can be used to record its number, or its sequence in the activation order.

Unless otherwise specified, when activating models, they should be activated in ascending order, starting with the model with the lowest point value and lowest Discipline skill.

This simulates the less-experienced rookies impulsively charging headlong into the fray, while the veterans take some time to assess the situation before engaging.

In the event of a tie, randomly determine which model should activate first.

Replenish your pool of Command Points.

• You receive 3 Command Points per round for a 125-point game, or only 2 Command Points for a 75-point game.
• Unused Command Points from the previous round cannot be carried over into the next round.
• If your Leader is out of action, you receive 1 fewer Command Point.

Activate models in the following order:

• Your Leader and all Away Team models within Range 1 of your Leader.
• All Adversary models (see Adversary Logic, rulebook pages 17–20).
• Your remaining Away Team models, further than Range 1 from your Leader.

Use an Activated () token to help you keep track of which models have already activated.

Each model can perform 3 actions on its turn, in any order, chosen from the list below. Some options require more than one action to perform. Resolve each action fully before moving to the next.

• Move
• Stand
• Recover
• Use/Interact
• Aim
• Shoot
• Fight
• Disengage
• Psionic Ability

Once all models have been activated, resolve the End Phase.

• Remove all movement tokens.
• Resolve any scenario-based events.
• Roll for hostile reinforcements.
• Return to the Command Phase.

• Any model not touching (i.e. in base-to-base contact with) an enemy may perform Move actions up to its Movement skill value.
• For each Move action, the model may move up to Range 1 in a straight line.
• A model may move over Obstacles (see Terrain) at no penalty.
• Climbing a terrain piece that is as tall or slightly taller than the model generally costs one action. Use your best judgement.
• A model that comes into contact with Difficult Terrain must stop, and use another Move action to continue.
• A model that comes into contact with an enemy model must stop.
• Place a Movement token () next to the model for each Move action it takes.
• You may face a model in any direction at the end of its move, or place it down (i.e. go prone), if you wish.

• A down model must perform a Stand action to be placed upright and become ready.

• A staggered model (see Conditions) must first make an unopposed Discipline roll to Recover before it can do anything else.
• Roll a number of d6s equal to the model’s Discipline skill (plus modifiers). If the total result equals or exceeds that of the unopposed roll, remove the token to make the model ready.

• For 2 actions, any model not touching an enemy model may use an item of Equipment, or interact with an object in the environment. A model may not perform any Shoot or Fight actions in the same turn that it performs a Use/Interact action.
• Some scenarios may require a Use/Interact action to complete an objective.
• Some scenarios may require an unopposed roll to successfully complete the Use/Interact action.

• A model may perform Aim actions with certain ranged weapons, either once or twice as indicated in its Ranged Weapons Table entry (denoted as “Aim1” or “Aim2”).
• Each Aim action adds +1DP to the model’s next Shoot action, if taken before its turn ends.

Shooter

• Winded: If the shooting model has 2 or more Movement tokens, it rolls Ranged Combat with -1DP.
• High Ground: If the shooting model is firing down on a target from an elevated position, it rolls Ranged Combat with +1DP.

Target

• Moving Target: If the target model has Movement tokens beside it, it rolls Defense with +1DP.
• If the target model is concealed by any amount of cover, it rolls Defense with +1DP.
• If the target is staggered, it rolls Defense with -1DP.

• Any model touching an enemy may perform Fight actions up to the maximum for its weapon, as shown on the Close Combat Weapons Table.
• The attacker rolls a number of attack dice equal to their model’s Close Combat skill (plus modifiers), while the target rolls a number of defense dice equal to their model’s Defense skill (plus modifiers).
• Each Evade () result rolled by the target cancels out one Hit () result rolled by the attacker.
• A Critical Hit () result counts as two Hits, and requires two Evades to cancel. It must be fully-cancelled, and cannot be downgraded to a regular Hit if only one Evade is available.
• After cancelling all possible hits, consult the Fight Result Table (see right):

Attacker

• Charge: If the attacking model began its turn further than Range 1 away from the target and has 2 Movement tokens, it attacks with +1DP.

Target

• If the target model and the attacking model are on opposite sides of an Obstacle, the target rolls Defense with +1DP.
• If the target is down or staggered, it rolls Defense with -1DP.
• If the target is down and staggered, it rolls Defense with -2DP.

• A model touching an enemy may spend 2 actions to move up to Range 1 away from the enemy model.
• This move must not bring the model into contact with another enemy model.
• Place a movement token next to the model after the Disengage.

A ready model is unaffected by any of the below conditions, and can perform any action.

A down model is laid on its side.

• A down model cannot perform any actions except Stand, to become ready.
• A down model is not considered to be touching the base of an enemy model in regards to Move or Shoot actions.
• A down model cannot perform any counter-actions from the Target Table.

Place a Disabled () token next to a staggered model to indicate its condition.

• A staggered model cannot perform any actions except Recover.
• A staggered model is not considered to be touching the base of an enemy model in regards to Move or Shoot actions.
• A staggered model cannot perform any counter-actions from the Target Table.

An out of action model has been incapacitated, and is removed from the board.

Convert all results from a single skill roll into Hit or Evade results. You may use Clutch once per round.

Increase a single model’s MOV by 1 for this activation (to a maximum of 3).

Increase a single skill roll by +1DP. You may only use Focus once per game.

When a Shoot action is declared against one of your models, you may spend a Command Point to move that model up to Range 1. This move must not bring it into contact with an enemy model. If the attacker still has Line of Sight, resolve the Shoot action as normal. If the attacker no longer has LOS, their action is lost. Dodge can be used once per round, and may not be used to escape an Overwatch shot.

When a Fight action is declared against one of your models, spend a Command Point to attack first. Your model resolves a Fight action against its attacker. If the attacker survives and is not down or staggered, they may continue their Fight action and your defending model rolls Defense with -1DP. You may use First Strike once per round.

If an enemy model performs a Move action and one of your models has LOS at any point during that move, you can spend a Command Point to take a single Shoot action with that model. This interrupts the enemy’s Move action. If the target ends up down or staggered, they do not complete their Move. You may use Overwatch once per round.

If a model is about to be taken out of action, you can spend a Command Point to have the model perform a single Shoot or Fight action. After this action is resolved, remove the model as normal.

• Attacker declares a target.
• Defender declares whether they are using First Strike or Dodge.
• Attacker declares whether they are using Focus.
• Defender declares whether they are using Focus.

• Blocking Terrain: Larger pieces of terrain such as buildings, ruins, or walls capable of blocking movement and Line of Sight.

• Obstacles: Small pieces of terrain such as rocks, barriers, barrels, etc. that are generally not attached to the ground. Obstacles provide cover but can be traversed freely.

• Difficult Terrain: Areas of ground that would slow down movement such as water, rubble, thick underbrush, or more exotic terrain. A model entering an area of Difficult Terrain must stop when its base is fully within that area, ending its current Move action before moving again.

• Elevated Terrain: You and your play group should decide before the game begins if terrain can be climbed. Gaps between pieces of Elevated Terrain can be jumped if the players want to allow it. Any gap of half a Range ruler or less can be jumped as part of a Move action if the model has enough movement for it’s base to be fully on the other side.

• Falling: Any model that is forced to move off of Elevated Terrain falls. It must make a DEF roll vs. 2 attack dice if falling from half a Range ruler of height, increasing by +1DP for each additional half Range ruler (round up). Treat any result on the Target Table less than 7 as down.

Although most games are assumed to take place outdoors on a planet’s surface, you may still encounter doors if playing a mission set aboard a ship or space station, or if you choose to populate the play area with accessible buildings as scatter terrain.

Doors are considered Blocking Terrain. Unless otherwise stated, doors default to being Unlocked and Closed, meaning they cannot be moved through until Open, and also block Line of Sight. Open doors do not block Line of Sight and do not affect movement.

Automatic doors will switch to the Open state when any model comes within half a Range ruler, and switch back to Closed when there are no models within half a Range ruler. Otherwise, a model must come into base contact with the door and perform a Use/Interact action to open it, or possibly even Lock it themselves.

Some scenarios may require an unopposed roll to open a door, such as if it is Locked or barricaded shut.

Using a ladder allows a model to move vertically, up to a distance of Range 1, at the cost of one Move action. If a ladder is taller than a model’s available Move actions, the model must take multiple rounds to complete the climb.

Models that are climbing cannot perform any other actions, and may not be rotated or placed down at the end of its move if still on the ladder.

If a model is attacked while using a ladder and is hit (i.e. must roll on the Target Table), it will fall.

Treat dangling ropes, vines, and any other straight vertical climb as you would a ladder. Stairs can be traversed freely like any other open terrain, and do not negatively affect movement at all.

Throughout a campaign, your models can grow and advance. To do this, your models must spend Experience Points (XP).

Experience Points are earned during games for completing certain actions or meeting specific criteria. Unless otherwise stated, each model in an Away Team earns their own Experience Points and can only spend them on themselves. A model can save up their Experience Points over many games, and may spend them at any time between games.

Models gain the following points after each scenario:

• 1 XP for every successful Shoot or Fight action.
• 5 XP for every adversary taken out of action.
• 1 XP for surviving the mission (i.e. never being taken out of action).
• 5 XP for never being down or staggered.

As well as these individual Experience Points, an Away Team may gain the following points to either divide amongst themselves, or be kept collectively:

• 5 XP for achieving the mission goal.
• 5 XP for neutralizing all Adversaries on the board.

A model may increase a single skill by 1 level or +1DP for a cost of 50 Experience Points. It may also unlock an additional weapon or equipment slot (up to a maximum of 2 each) for a cost of 15 Experience Points, plus the cost in points of each piece of equipment.