Game Objective

Alright, future Outer Rim legend! In Star Wars: Outer Rim, you'll take on the role of a bounty hunter, a daring smuggler, or a fearless mercenary. Your mission? To leave your mark on the galaxy and become a living legend! Fame is what drives everything here, representing how widely your stories spread and the respect (or fear) you inspire.

The first player to accumulate 10 fame (or 8, for a quicker, learning game) wins the game. So, prepare your ship, recruit your crew, and decide whether you'll work for the Rebels, the Empire, the Hutts, or the crime syndicates. The galaxy awaits you!

Setup

Let's set up the table and prepare your journey through the Outer Rim! Follow these steps for setup:

1. Assemble the Map: Use the map tiles to assemble the board as illustrated in the manual.
2. Prepare Patrol Tokens: Separate the patrol tokens by level (the white dots on the back). Place the level 1 tokens face up on the navigation point spaces (yellow circles) adjacent to the map edges that correspond to their faction icon. The remaining tokens (levels 2, 3, and 4) form four face-down stacks, one for each faction, with the level 4 token at the bottom and the level 2 token on top. Place each stack over the corresponding icon on the map edge.
3. Prepare Contacts: Shuffle all contact tokens face down and place one on each contact space on the map, ensuring the color and number of dots match.
4. Create Token Supply: Separate the credit, damage, and objective tokens into accessible piles for all players.
5. Choose Characters:
   • Each player rolls the six dice. The player who rolls the most ⬢ and ⬣ results is the first player.
   • Clockwise, each player chooses a character and receives:
     • 1 character card ("Personal Objective" side up).
     • 1 corresponding character standee.
     • 1 player board with a fame marker on the "0" space.
     • 4 reputation tokens (1 of each faction), covering the faction icon on the board.
     • 1 starting ship mat (G9 Rigger or G-1A Starfighter side of your choice).
     • 1 reference card.
     • Credit tokens: The first player receives 4,000, the second 6,000, the third 8,000, and the fourth 10,000.
6. Prepare Character: Simultaneously, all players follow the preparation instructions on their character cards:
   • Take the indicated database card. If it's a "Cargo," insert it above your ship mat. Otherwise, insert it below your player card in a "Job or Bounty" slot. Remember that the database is a numbered deck that is never shuffled; keep it in order!
   • Place your character standee on the planet indicated on the database card you just took.
   • If there are REPUTATION instructions, move the corresponding faction token up (⬢) or down (⬣) on your board.
7. Prepare Decks and Mats:
   • Separate the market cards into six decks (by their backs), shuffle each, and place them face down below the map. Reveal the top card of each deck.
   • Separate the encounter cards into seven decks (by their backs), shuffle each, and place them face down next to the map, near the corresponding planet.
   • Keep the database deck in numerical order and within reach of all players.
   • Set aside unused ship mats to form the ship supply.

Ready! The galaxy is set for your adventures!

The Game Turn

In Star Wars: Outer Rim, turns are simple and straightforward, but full of decisions! Starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise, each player takes their turn in three phases:

1. Planning Phase

This is where you decide your next strategic move. Choose ONE of the following options:

• Move your character: Advance your character standee on the map by a number of spaces equal to or less than your ship's hyperdrive ( ) value.
  • You must stop if you enter the Maelstrom space.
  • You must also stop if you enter a space with a patrol token, unless you have positive reputation ( ) with that patrol's faction. If you do, you can pass freely!
• Recover all damage: Heal all damage suffered by your character and your ship.
• Receive 2,000 credits: A little extra cash for your needs.
• Resolve Planning Ability: Some cards may have abilities with the word "Planning" in bold. If so, resolve it!

After choosing and resolving your option, proceed to the Action Phase.

2. Action Phase

This is your chance to make things happen! You can perform any number of the actions listed below, and each can be performed once per Action Phase:

• Trade: If you are in the same space as another player, you can trade bounties, cargo, crew, equipment, jobs, and modifications. The trade does not have to be equivalent, as long as you both agree!
• Market: If you are on a planet, you can buy the top card from one of the market decks. Remember that patrols move after buying a card from the market deck!
• Deliver: Deliver cargo cards and bounty cards to the indicated planets to receive your well-deserved rewards.
• Resolve Action Ability: If your cards have abilities with the word "Action" in bold, resolve them! You can resolve any number of card abilities, but each only once per turn.

When you finish your actions, go to the Encounter Phase.

3. Encounter Phase

In this phase, you resolve a single encounter. Choose ONE of the following options:

• Fight an AI patrol: If there is a patrol in your space and you have negative reputation with its faction, you can initiate combat.
• Resolve an encounter card: Take the top card from the encounter deck corresponding to your space (planet or navigation point). Read it aloud and resolve the sections that apply to your situation (including your reputation with factions). If the card instructs you to receive an item (bounty, cargo, crew, etc.), place it in the corresponding slot. Otherwise, discard it to the bottom of the deck.
• Buy an encounter card: (This option was not detailed in the context, but it is an option listed on the reference card.)
• Resolve a contact token: If there is a contact token in your space and it matches one of your bounty cards, you can choose to fight the contact instead of taking the database card. If you win, decide whether to eliminate them (removing the token from the game) or capture them (placing the token on the bounty card to deliver later). If you lose, the contact token remains on the planet.

After resolving your Encounter Phase, your turn ends and the next player clockwise takes their turn.

Skill Tests

Many cards will ask you to make a skill test (e.g., "Test Piloting"). To do this, you roll two dice. How well you need to roll depends on your experience in the skill:

• Inexperienced (does not have the skill): Needs at least 1 critical (✷) to pass.
• Experienced (has the skill once): Needs at least 1 critical (✷) or 1 hit (✹) to pass.
• Highly Trained (has the skill more than once): Needs at least 1 critical (✷), 1 hit (✹), or 1 focus (◉) to pass.

The result of the test (success or failure) is defined by the card that initiated it.

Combat

Combat occurs when a card instructs you to initiate it or when you encounter a patrol. Players cannot attack each other unless a card allows it. The player who initiates combat is the attacker. Follow these steps:

1. Attacker Rolls Dice: The attacker rolls a number of dice equal to their combat value (ground or ship, depending on the type of combat).
2. Calculate Attacker Damage: Each hit (✹) is 1 damage, and each critical (✷) is 2 damage.
3. Defender Rolls Dice and Calculates Damage: The defender rolls a number of dice equal to their combat value and calculates damage.
4. Determine Winner: Whoever deals more damage wins. In case of a tie, the attacker wins. Resolve any abilities activated by victory or defeat.
5. Suffer Damage: Each player suffers the amount of damage dealt by the opponent. Only players suffer damage.

Jobs

Jobs are secret missions that yield many credits and fame. To attempt a job, you must be at the destination indicated on the card at the beginning of the Encounter Phase. Follow the card's instructions, which will usually lead you to resolve a specific database card. This card will have a series of steps to complete the job. If you are defeated during combat in a job, you fail. Upon completing the job, you receive the reward, and the job card is removed from the game or discarded.

Bounties

Bounties are missions to find and capture (or eliminate) specific contacts. To receive the reward, you need to find the contact (using the colors and dots of the contact tokens on the map) and fight them. If the contact token matches one of your bounty cards, you can initiate combat. If you win, you can eliminate the contact (removing the token from the game) or capture them (placing the token on the bounty card to deliver later). After delivering a captured token, it is removed from the game. If you lose the combat, you keep the bounty card, and the contact token remains on the planet.

End of Game and Scoring

The galaxy is a vast place, but even legends need an end! The game ends as soon as a player reaches the amount of fame needed to win. In your first game, the goal is 8 fame. For experienced players, it can be 10 fame (or 12, with the extended game option).

You can gain fame in several ways, including:

• Completing personal objectives on your character cards.
• Completing ship objectives on your ship mats.
• Completing bounties and jobs.
• Delivering illegal cargo.
• Winning combat against level 2 and 3 patrols.
• Using certain cards from the luxury market deck.

Whenever you gain fame, advance your fame marker on your player board. If there is a tie in fame, all tied players are considered the "most famous."

Defeat

If your character suffers damage equal to their life, or your ship suffers damage equal to its hull, you are defeated. Knock over your character standee, lose 3,000 credits, and discard all your secrets. Your turn ends immediately. In your next Planning Phase, you must choose the option to recover all damage to get back up. Stand up your standee and get back into action!

Tips for Winning

To become a true legend in the Outer Rim, here are some tips to get started on the right foot:

1. Manage Your Reputation Wisely: Your choices affect your reputation with factions. Having positive reputation with a faction can allow you to ignore their patrols, saving time and avoiding unwanted combat. On the other hand, negative reputation can force you into combat. Think carefully about which factions you want to please (or annoy) to facilitate your objectives.
2. Focus on Personal and Ship Objectives: Completing your character's personal objectives and your ship's ship objectives is a consistent source of fame and also unlocks powerful abilities. Keep an eye on them and plan your moves and actions to progress in these tasks. The objective tokens are your allies to stay on track!
3. Take Advantage of the Action Phase: Remember that you can perform any number of actions in the Action Phase. Don't limit yourself to just one! Buy from the market to get new cargo, bounties, crew, or modifications, and deliver what you already have ready. Combining multiple actions can optimize your turn and accelerate your quest for fame.