Objective token
Collect your own tokens from friendly worlds at the start of Refresh. Three collected tokens can win this three-player game.
Rule reference: RR14
3-player playthrough
Forbidden Stars: glossary and rules terms
Definitions from the authored tutorial, with stable links for sharing a particular term. The selected edition and scenario determine how each rule applies.
Open the interactive tutorial →36 terms
Friendly world
A world containing your units or a structure with your control marker, and no enemy presence. Empty abandoned worlds are uncontrolled.
Rule reference: RR3
Uncontrolled area
An area with no faction units or controlled structure. You may enter it, but cannot use a newly captured world as a friendly path in the same movement step.
Rule reference: RR3 / FAQp1
Advance
Move ships, then ground units into the active system. Start at most one combat; if no combat occurred, an orbital strike may be possible.
Rule reference: RR2
Deploy
Purchase units using a friendly factory in the active system, then purchase at most one structure on a friendly world.
Rule reference: RR6
Dominate
Collect the assets printed on friendly worlds in the active system, then optionally use the faction-sheet ability.
Rule reference: RR7
Strategize
With a presence in the active system, buy up to one combat upgrade and one order upgrade. Put the resolved token on the event deck.
Rule reference: RR13
Order stack
Tokens are placed facedown on top and resolve from the top. An opponent can cover and delay an order.
Rule reference: RR12
Active system
The system in which the current order was revealed. Most order effects are limited to this system.
Rule reference: RR2
Materiel
The purchase resource tracked on a dial from zero to fourteen. Friendly worlds provide income at Refresh.
Rule reference: RR8
Cache token
Spend at most one per purchased unit or structure to reduce its materiel cost by two. Keep at most three in your play area.
Rule reference: RR3
Forge token
An asset used for printed forge costs or to reduce one unit purchase’s command requirement by one. It does not lower the unit’s printed command level.
Rule reference: RR8 / FAQp1
Reinforcement token
Commit after rolling combat dice, attacker first. Each counts as a level-zero unit, adds no initial dice, and returns to supply after combat.
Rule reference: RR11
Command level
The number of cities you currently control. This limits normal unit and upgrade purchases; losing a city does not remove existing units or cards.
Rule reference: RR5
Factory
A structure that allows normal Deploy unit purchases in its system. The capacity of its world contributes to the system’s deploy limit.
Rule reference: RR7
City
A three-materiel structure that raises command level by one while you control it. It has no combat value.
Rule reference: RR3
Bastion
A two-materiel structure with two combat dice, three health and two morale. It cannot rout and normally prevents orbital strikes.
Rule reference: RR3 / FAQp1
Unit capacity
Printed skulls limit units on a world; a void holds three. Combat may begin with up to five attackers, but excess units must be destroyed after the order.
Rule reference: RR13
Transport path
Ground units move along adjacent friendly areas to their destination. A friendly ship makes its void a usable link. Paths are fixed before ground units move.
Rule reference: RR9 / FAQp1
Orbital strike
If the Advance did not start combat, unrouted ships in one void may strike an adjacent enemy world in the same system. Only offence dice deal damage; surviving units do not rout.
Rule reference: RR9 / FAQp2
Warp Storm
A barrier along a system edge that blocks normal unit movement. Events move storms along one of their two printed directions. Each storm moves at most once each Refresh.
Rule reference: RR14 / LTP7
Combat
Roll dice and draw five cards each, then resolve up to three execution rounds. Players choose cards facedown; attacker reveals and resolves first.
Rule reference: RR4
Offence
The bolter icon. During combat, compare your offence total with the opponent’s defence to determine damage. The record abbreviates it B.
Rule reference: RR5
Defence
The shield icon. It reduces incoming combat damage. The record abbreviates it S; shields do not defend against an orbital strike.
Rule reference: RR5
Morale
After three execution rounds, add morale dice, printed card morale and unrouted units/bastions. Defender wins ties. The record abbreviates the die M.
Rule reference: RR4–5
Damage
Assign each packet to an eligible unit or bastion. Lethal damage destroys it and excess carries to another; a surviving unit routes. Damage does not persist to the next assessment.
Rule reference: RR6
Routed unit
A unit tipped onto its side. It adds no initial combat dice or final morale and cannot meet unit prerequisites or move normally. It can retreat.
Rule reference: RR11
Rally
Stand a routed unit upright. All routed units rally during Refresh; some combat cards and schemes rally earlier.
Rule reference: RR11
Retreat
The defeated force moves together to one legal area and routes. Attackers return to an origin; defenders prefer a friendly area and face extra origin restrictions.
Rule reference: RR11 / FAQp1
Scheme
An event retained faceup for its printed trigger. A new scheme replaces older schemes. Some consume a turn instead of revealing an available order.
Rule reference: RR7 / FAQp2
Tactic event
Resolve its optional printed effect now, then immediately shuffle the card back into the event deck. Storm movement occurs first.
Rule reference: RR7
Combat upgrade
Purchase both copies, remove both copies of one other card and shuffle the ten-card combat deck. The purchase and removed pair are public.
Rule reference: RR5 / FAQp2
Order upgrade
A faceup card improving a particular order. Each has a once-per-round limit; flip it when used and ready it at round end.
Rule reference: RR10
Objective tie-break
When multiple factions reach the objective target together, compare collected objectives, then friendly worlds, then board units. A remaining tie is a shared victory.
Rule reference: RR14
Refresh
Collect objectives, collect materiel, rally units, resolve events/storms, then pass first player and advance the round. Stop immediately if collection ends the game.
Rule reference: RR10
Sources and scope
The delivered route was checked against the official rules, reference guide, original card faces and located FAQ v1.1 on 8 September 2026. The tutorial includes rule references for the actions it demonstrates.
Reading guide reviewed 2026-09-15; based on tutorial v1.0.4. This date records an editorial review of the existing tutorial, not a new rules edition. Strategic suggestions are conditional interpretations, separate from official rules.