Choose your side and conquer your enemy in a tactical battle, picking off ships with your heavy guns, or leave things to chance and plunge headfirst into battle, hoping your maneuvers will be enough to save your ships.
This is a deck based around the space combat that takes place in the Halo novels and the limitations of that universe(Slipspace, nukes, shields, prowlers, etc). This is my first deck, so please leave opinions, criticisms, war stories, etc in the talk page.
One more thing...no Halo Installations, Flood, Master Chief or Forerunners. It would just complicate things to try and tie this in with the whole Halo story arc.
Turn Structure
You may play any number of Things during your turn, but may not return them to your hand, unless you play Transition to Slipspace. There are three types of Actions in this deck, Fleet Actions, Inventory Actions, and Ship Actions. These are meant to represent armaments that your ships are equipped with before the fight. You may play any number of Fleet Actions per turn, as long as you have at least one Ship in play. Ship Actions are already on the cards. You may only play one Ship Action per Ship. Each Ship can only play one Ship Action per turn. Inventory Actions must be equipped to a ship when you play it, by declaring it to all players.
For example,
P1: I play Covenant Cruiser. It is equipped with Pulse Laser Turrets.
You may play any number of Inventory Actions per turn.
Winning Conditions
Destroy all of an opponent's ships in play to eliminate them. You can use any method to do this, including: boarder type Actions, Objectives, Direct Engagements or good old fashioned SHOOTING.
Survive to win. Surrender is not an option, whichever side you play, so this means either eliminate all opponents or make a tactical retreat of 4 ships into Slipspace to win.
Special Rules
A player must choose a race and faction at the start of the game. These are:
Human(UNSC), Human(Insurrectionists), Covenant(Sangheili/Elites) and Covenant(Jiralhanae/Brutes)
Each race has card limitations and advantages, i.e. the Insurrectionists cannot use Spartan teams, but can use the Black Market or Piracy to easily procure ships.
Each faction in play has their own draw pile, independent of players. This is further separated into Ships and Actions. Each faction also has their own discard pile, also independent of players. Any cards that aren’t faction-specific go into a separate draw and discard pile. Also, the non faction-specific but race-specific cards (The ones with a corner value of H or C) go into a separate draw pile. When discarded they go into the player’s faction discard pile.
When you draw, you draw one Ship from your faction Ship pile or your race Ship pile. You draw two Actions from your faction Action pile, your race Action pile, or the non race-specific Action pile. You always discard into your race discard pile. Any cards that refer to searching the draw pile or discard pile refer to ALL draw or discard piles.
Basically, the UNSC and Sangheili can use things like boarder type Actions to instantly destroy ships, but the Insurrectionists and Jiralhanae can use their specialist Actions to gain(or regain) more ships. So you can choose your style of play AND what race you want to use without being tied to any specific way of playing.
At the start of the game, draw five Ships and three Actions. During your first turn, you may play any number of these. Maximum hand size is seven.
Prowlers
UNSC Prowlers are invisible to sensors, either until they use a ship Action, or if you equip it with FENRIS nukes, HORNET mines or NOVA bomb, revealed by Cerenkov radiation. When a prowler is played, it cannot be targeted by ANY attack. During this time, it may play any card Actions as normal.
Slipspace
Your hand is considered to be anywhere away from the battle. When you put a ship into play, it transitions into and out of slipspace to get to the battle. You cannot move your ships in play to your hand unless you play Transition to Slipspace.
Shields
All Covenant ships are considered to be WSA(With shields active) at the start of the game. When Covenant shields are dissipated by an enemy attack, they are considered to be WSD(With shields dissipated) for the rest of the game. Covenant ships WSA cannot be destroyed except where cards disagree. Covenant ships WSD and Human ships are both vulnerable to attack, and thus being destroyed.
Objectives
When this is in play, Choose one enemy player to have 5 turns to destroy it, or their fleet is destroyed and they are eliminated from the game. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships. Playing any ship(including prowlers, which are invisible as normal) onto an Objective protects it in this manner, each ship adding another layer of shielding. Glassing and MAC Orbital Bombardment cannot be used on the Objective until each ship on the Objective is removed from it. However, any ships on an Objective cannot use any of their Actions until put into play somewhere else.
Card List
WSD = With shields dissipated.
WSA = With shields active.
Card cornervalues represent ship strength and Race. CS means Covenant Sangheili, CJ means Covenant Jiralhanae, HU means Human UNSC and HI means Human Insurrectionists. C and H alone means Covenant and Human.
Action - Inventory
Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may also use this if you are Jiralhanae.
Action - Inventory
When Direct Engagement is played, play this to destroy one random enemy ship, regardless of dice rolls.
Action - Inventory
Play only when your Objective is destroyed. Enemy fleet that destroyed your objective is reduced to one.
CS
Slipspace tracking drone
Action - Inventory
Play only when your Objective is destroyed. After one turn, search the draw pile for a Sangheili Objective and play it immediately.
Action - Inventory
Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may also use this if you are UNSC.
CJ
Pack Leader Call To War
Action - Fleet
Search the draw pile for a Covenant ship and move it into your hand.
CJ
Pack Leader Call To War
Action - Fleet
Search the draw pile for a Covenant ship and move it into your hand.
Action - Fleet
Search the discard pile for a Covenant Action and move it into your hand.
Action - Fleet
Search the discard pile for a Human Action and move it into your hand.
Action - Fleet
Search the discard pile for a Human ship and move it into your hand.
Action - Inventory
Play this when you destroy an enemy ship to gain control of it. If it is Covenant WSD, its shields remain dissipated.
Transition to Slipspace
Action - Fleet
Move one of your ships from in play to your hand.
Transition to Slipspace
Action - Fleet
Move one of your ships from in play to your hand.
Transition to Slipspace
Action - Fleet
Move one of your ships from in play to your hand.
Poor Tactical Positioning
Action - Fleet
Play when you destroy an enemy ship to destroy 3 additional enemy ships.
Poor Tactical Positioning
Action - Fleet
Play when you destroy an enemy ship to destroy 3 additional enemy ships.
Poor Tactical Positioning
Action - Fleet
Play when you destroy an enemy ship to destroy 3 additional enemy ships.
Direct Engagement
Action - Fleet
All players place all their Ships into play. Each Ship you control is set one target. Subtract defenders' Ship Strength from attackers' Ship Strength. Any Ship whose Ship Strength is reduced to zero or less is destroyed. No other Actions may be played this turn.
Direct Engagement
Action - Fleet
All players place all their Ships into play. Each Ship you control is set one target. Subtract defenders' Ship Strength from attackers' Ship Strength. Any Ship whose Ship Strength is reduced to zero or less is destroyed. No other Actions may be played this turn.
Direct Engagement
Action - Fleet
All players place all their Ships into play. Each Ship you control is set one target. Subtract defenders' Ship Strength from attackers' Ship Strength. Any Ship whose Ship Strength is reduced to zero or less is destroyed. No other Actions may be played this turn.
Action - Inventory
Play with Spartan Team to ignore the effects of the first dice roll. You may choose the effect performed. Play against enemy boarder type Actions to negate effects.
Action - Inventory
Play with Active Camo Elites to ignore the effects of the first dice roll. You may choose the effect performed. Play against enemy boarder type Actions to negate effects.
Action - Inventory
Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields.
Action - Inventory
Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields.
Action - Inventory
Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields.
Action - Inventory
Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields.
Thing - Boarder
Play onto a ship to indefinitely negate the effects of enemy Boarders. Action: If you have a Human transport, discard Spartan Team and roll 2d6. If first roll is 6, gain control of target ship. If first roll is 1-5, destroy target ship. If second roll is 6, do not discard Spartan Team. If second roll is 1-5, discard Spartan Team as normal.
HU
Reach Orbital Defence Grid
Thing - Objective
Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 5 or more. If Earth Orbital Defense Grid is in your hand or in play, discard this card and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.
HU
Earth Orbital Defence Grid
Thing - Objective
Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 5 or more. If Reach Orbital Defense Grid is in your hand or in play, discard this card and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.
Thing - Ship
Action: Glassing: When an enemy player plays an Objective, put Covenant Cruiser into play for three turns to destroy it. Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card.
Thing - Ship
Action: Glassing: When an enemy player plays an Objective, put Covenant Cruiser into play for three turns to destroy it. Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card.
Thing - Objective
Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 4 or more. If Unyielding Hierophant is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.
Thing - Objective
Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 4 or more. If Reach CASTLE BASE is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.
Thing - Boarder
Play onto a ship to indefinitely negate the effects of enemy boarder type Actions. Action: If you have a Covenant transport, discard Active Camo Elites and roll 2d6. If first roll is 6, gain control of target ship. If first roll is 1-5, destroy target ship. If second roll is 6, do not discard Active Camo Elites. If second roll is 1-5, discard Active Camo Elites as normal.
Thing - Ship
Action: MAC gun Orbital Bombardment: When an enemy player plays an Objective, put Human Cruiser into play for three turns to destroy it. Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card.
Thing - Ship
Action: MAC gun Orbital Bombardment: When an enemy player plays an Objective, put Human Cruiser into play for three turns to destroy it. Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card.
50C
Covenant Capital Ship
Thing - Ship
Action: Energy Projectors: Destroy one enemy ship. Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: Grav Lift: Use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.
Thing - Ship
Action: Super MAC gun: Destroy one enemy ship. Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: ODST HEV pods: Use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.
Thing - Ship
Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action against ANY of your ships, play this to subtract two from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: ODST HEV pods: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.
Thing - Ship
Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action against ANY of your ships, play this to subtract two from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: ODST HEV pods: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.
Thing - Ship
Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action against ANY of your ships, play this to subtract two from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: Grav Lift: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.
Thing - Ship
Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action against ANY of your ships, play this to subtract two from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: Grav Lift: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.
Thing - Ship
Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: ODST HEV pods: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.
Thing - Ship
Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card. Action: ODST HEV pods: Can use to negate boarder type Actions on Objectives.
HI
Eridanus II, Rebel Base
Thing - Objective
Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 4 or more. If The Rubble is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.
Thing - Objective
Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 4 or more. If Eridanus II is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.
Thing - Objective
Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 4 or more. If Centennial Orbital Elevator is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.
CJ
Earth, Centennial Orbital Elevator
Thing - Objective
Action: play this to immediately destroy an enemy ship if their fleet size is 4 or more. If Harvest is in your hand or in play, discard and draw another card. Objectives can be attacked with boarder type Actions in the same way as ships.
Thing - Ship
Action: SHIVA missile: Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may only use this Action when Human Destroyer is the only card you have in play. Action: MAC gun: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed.
Thing - Ship
Action: SHIVA missile: Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may only use this Action when Human Destroyer is the only card you have in play. Action: MAC gun: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed.
Thing - Ship
Action: SHIVA missile: Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may only use this Action when Human Destroyer is the only card you have in play. Action: MAC gun: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed.
Thing - Ship
Action: Plasma torpedo: Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may only use this Action when Covenant Destroyer is the only card you have in play. Action: Plasma turrets: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed.
Thing - Ship
Action: Plasma torpedo: Up to three enemy ships in play are destroyed if Human or Covenant WSD. Shields on enemy ships are dissipated if Covenant WSA. You may only use this Action when Covenant Destroyer is the only card you have in play. Action: Plasma turrets: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed.
Thing - Ship
Action: MAC gun: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card.
Thing - Ship
Action: MAC gun: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. Action: Launch Longswords: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Pelicans: Enables Human boarder type Actions once for this card.
Thing - Ship
Action: Plasma turrets: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card.
Thing - Ship
Action: Plasma turrets: Choose an enemy ship. If target ship is Covenant WSA, dissipate target shields. If Human, or Covenant WSD, target ship is destroyed. Action: Launch Seraphs: When an enemy uses a boarder type Action, play this to subtract one from the second dice roll, and add one to the first. Action: Launch Phantoms: Enables Covenant boarder type Actions once for this card.
Print this deck
