New Player’s Guide to Objectives

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Objectives are a bit overwhelming. 36 cards of tiny, cryptic text. Ugh, where to begin? Well, hopefully right here! I’m going to cover 8 objectives, and that should be enough to get you started. If I don’t include an objective, it’s not that I necessarily think it sucks. It may just be too complicated, easy to turn around on a new player, or just too darn fleet specific (Abandoned Mining Facility, for example.)

Red: Assault

Most Wanted (Default)

The grand daddy of all objectives. If your fleet has a flotilla, then you really can’t go wrong with Most Wanted. Typically you will pick their capital ship, but not always. Especially against an MSU, you may instead go for a Gladiator or MC30c. Something that *has* to get in close to be effective. Really the toughest part of using Most Wanted is getting your opponent to pick it. 🙂

Surprise Attack (Alternate)

Speaking of objectives that your opponent is unlikely to pick, we have Surprise Attack. Their capital ship is forced to deploy on the station (which you got to place). And then you assign 3 dials that will deal out raid tokens. Their speeds are also limited. Admittedly, I have yet to play a game where anyone picked Surprise Attack. 🙂

Yellow: Defense

Planetary Ion Cannon (Default)

This is a great default for the new player because it goes well in any fleet and it is impossible for your opponent to flip it on you. Worst case scenario is your opponent simply avoids all the tokens. Which is pretty tough, considering a range of 3 makes a pretty large diameter. I recommend placing the objective tokens in the middle of the map .

Contested Outpost (Dangerous Alternate)

It really doesn’t get much simpler than Contested Outpost. Since you get to place the station, you get to set your kill box. Ideally, you’ll have a slow moving monster to collect points, ie Star Hawk, HMC80, ISD, MC75, Acclamators, Onager, Interdictor, etc, while faster broadside ships shoot into the kill box, ie MK2, Arquitens, CR90s, MC30c, Gladiators, Munis, etc. You can also plant your squads nearby and your opponent is forced to fly into them. Just remember, the station doesnt heal or obscure shots. I labeled this objective dangerous, because it’s common for your opponent to just win the battle and start collecting points off the station, but I’ve included it anyway.

Asteroid Tactics (Alternate)

If your list is going to have trouble versus squadrons, then Asteroid Tactics may help. What is especially nice is that you get to place all the obstacles. Works well with Lando or Romodi too.

Blue: Navigation

Solar Corona (Default)

Your opponent is forced to deploy everything — typically they’ll choose the middle — then you get to choose a flank and put the Solar Corona to your back. Great for any fleet, but especially good for ones that have few deployments because your opponent cannot out-deploy you.

Infested Fields (Alternate)

Similar to Asteroid Tactics, except now you’ll want at least a few squads to pick up your share of the objective tokens (typically 3 out of the 5). Again, works well with Romodi.

Superior Positions (Dangerous Alternate)

When you play with Superior Positions, you’re basically saying whoever wins the squad battle should win the entire game. If you have a squad list to end all squad list, then go for it. If not, then you may wish you had kept it in the binder. (It’s not fun when your ships get turned into piñatas and you find yourself actively trying to fly off the board / not use defense tokens just so they die quicker.)

This is getting a little long, so I just want to end real quick by saying never pick Fleet Ambush. You’ll typically find it’s actually your fleet that gets ambushed. 🙂

Best!

Wild Space

p.s. If you want a much more comprehensive — and more useful — guide, then I cannot recommend Cannot Get Your Ship Out enough.