Action Cards (First Edition)

This page lists all Action Cards in Twilight Imperium (First Edition)

Base Game

There are 76 Action Cards in the Base game. 12 of these are Trade Agreements

Card Name	Number in Deck	Skill Requirements	Play	Text
Alien Artifact	1	-	During the Political Phase	If your total tech levels surpass 10, use this card to destroy an entire planet and all space ships in that system. This card cannot be used on a planet in a home system
Chemical Warfare	2	-	Immediately before your Invasion Combat Segment	If you have a Dreadnought in a system containing an enemy controlled planet, destroy half of the defending Ground Forces (rounded down). Chemical Warfare can bypass enemy PDS
Civil Defense	1	-	During the Political Phase	Place 2 free PDS on any planet under your control
Council Dissolved	1	Diplomacy or Warfare	Immediately before the Political Phase	The Political Phase is skipped this turn
Disclosure	2	-	During the Place New Units Phase	Look at all of an opponent’s action cards
Elite Fighter	3	-	Immediately before the Purchase Units Phase	Nominate 1 new Fighter as elite. When elite fighters hit in combat, roll another die. If the result is an even number, you may choose the casualty
Fantastic Rhetoric	2	-	Immediately before you vote during the Political Phase	Gain 10 additional influence for this vote
Flank Speed	4	-	Immediately before a specific fleet moves in the Movement Segment	Increase the move value of that fleet by 1 this turn
Good Year	2	-	Immediately before the “Collect Trade Income Phase”	Receive 5 additional credits for each of your active Trade Agreements
Influence in the Merchant’s Guild	4	-	During the Political Phase	Destroy any 1 active Trade Agreement
In the Silence of Space	2	-	Immediately before your Movement Segment	Your fleet may pass through a system occupied by enemy spaceships (May only be used by a fleet with movement of 2 or more)
Leader	1	-	During the Receive Credits Phase	Select a unit. This unit and all units that accompany it into battle receive +1 on all combat rolls. You must pay 5 credits during each Place New Units Phase. If you fail to pay, the unit is destroyed
Local Efficiency	1	-	During the Political Phase	Select one of your Spacedocks. That spacedock may produce 3 additional units for the remainder of its existence
Lucky Shot	2	-	At any time	Destroy 1 enemy Dreadnought or Cruiser currently in a system containing a planet under your control
Master of Trade	1	-	Immediately after establishing the final trade agreement	If you have trade agreements with all other players, immediately receive a number of credits equal to 10x the number of players
Merciless Offensive	1	-	Immediately before your Movement Segment	All your attacks this turn are at +1. After your turn, you must immediately pay 25 credits or remove half the credit value of all of your forces
Morale Boost	4	-	Before any combat round	For one combat round all your units fight at +1
Rally of The People	1	-	Immediately before the “Place New Units Phase”	Receive 2 Dreadnoughts in your Home system
Rare Mineral	1	-	Immediately after successfully invading any neutral planet	Immediately receive 25 Credits
Rise of a Messiah	1	-	During the Political Phase	Receive 1 Ground Force on each planet you control
Sabotage	5	-	Immediately after another player plays an action card (other than another Sabotage)	Cancel the effect of that card, then discard both cards
Scientist Assassination	1	-	During the Technology Phase	Subtract 1 tech level from any player
Secret Industrial Agent	1	-	During the Political Phase	Destroy any Spacedock that is not in a home system
Set Agenda	1	Diplomacy	Immediately before the Political Phase	Choose any agenda from the political card deck, discarded political cards or current laws. The council must now take action on this agenda rather than drawing a political card
Signal Jamming	3	-	Immediately before your opponent’s Movement segment	Select 1 enemy fleet. That fleet cannot move this turn
Skilled Retreat	4	-	Before any round of the Space Battle Segment	Immediately move your fleet to an adjacent friendly or empty system. After retreating, the attacking player resumes their turn
Spatial Jump	1	Technology	Immediately before your Movement Segment	You may move 1 of your fleets anywhere in the galaxy. However; you must remove half the credit value of the fleet on transit.
Stellar Criminals	2	-	Immediately before the Receive Credits Phase	Halve any one opponent’s income for 1 turn (round down)
Successful Spy	2	-	Immediately before the Receive Credits Phase	Randomly steal 2 action cards from 1 opponent
Technological Breakthrough	1	-	During the Political Phase	Advance 1 tech level in any field
Touch of Genius	2	-	Immediately before the “Draw Action Cards Phase”	Choose any card from the action card deck or from the pile of used/discarded action cards instead of drawing a card
Trade Agreement	12	-	Immediately before your Movement Segment	Choose another player to be your trade partner. In the Collect Trade Income Phase, trade partners receive 1 credit for each planet controlled by their partner. Either trade partner can cancel this agreement at any time Only 1 Trade Agreement can be active between 2 players at any given time
Trade Stop	1	Trade or Diplomacy	During the Political Phase	Discard ALL active Trade Agreements
VETO	1	-	During the Political Phase, before the first vote is cast	Discard the current agenda. Draw another political card
Voluntary Annexation	2	-	Immediately before your Movement Segment	Choose any neutral planet adjacent to your home system. Place 3 ground forces there. You now control this planet

Borderlands Expansion

The Borderlands Expansion introduced 16 new Action Cards

Card Name	Number in Deck	Skill Requirements	Play	Text
Blitz	1	-	After a successful invasion	Take control of any enemy Spacedock and PDS on the invaded planet
Climb Mount Nitaka	1	-	Immediately before your Movement Segment	You may attack 1 player with whom you are at ‘Peace’. You are now at ‘War’ with that player
Convoy Raiders	1	Piracy	Immediately before the Collect Trade Income Phase	Steal the entire trade income from 1 Trade Agreement (Both trading partners must surrender their trade income to you)
Deep Infiltration	1	Espionage	Immediately after Purchase Units Phase	During this turn sequence, all PDS on 1 enemy planet are useless (May not fire or prevent bombardment)
Deep Space Hijack	1	-	At any time	As an enemy fleet enters a system with at least 1 planet occupied by you, remove 1 Dreadnought or Cruiser from the fleet and place a corresponding ship of your own fleet in your home system. If you have Piracy or Espionage, you may hijack 2 ships (May not be used if the enemy fleet enters your home system)
Evolution	1	-	During the Political Phase	Pay 15 Credits to gain any skill (does not include special skills)
Field Repair	1	-	During the Political Phase	Remove up to 2 Damage counters from any fleet
Fly on the Wall	1	Espionage	During the Technology Phase	You may purchase any tech advance just purchased by an opponent for only 10 credits (must be within 1 step of your own tech level)
Galactic Phonebook	1	-	Immediately after any LAW has been passed	Delay the effects of that law for 1 turn
Iron Vest	1	-	Immediately after a successful assassination attempt on your personnel	The assassination is averted
Latest Craze	1	-	Immediately before the Purchase Units Phase	Choose 1 unit; all players must buy at least 1 this round. If a player lacks the necessary funds to purchase this unit, they must surrender all credits to the bank without receiving any units
Local Unrest	1	-	During the Political Phase	For this turn, the selected Capital planet is considered a 0-0 planet
Minesweep	1	Technology	At any time	Eliminate all mines from 1 star system
Planned investment	1	-	During the Political Phase	Give up to 10 credits to another player. If this player ends the turn sequence with more resources than they began with, you receive triple the amount invested from the bank
Project ‘51’	1	-	Immediately before the Purchase Units phase	Nominate 1 new Cruiser as elite. Elite cruisers receive +2 on all combat rolls
The Wind of Change	1	-	During any space battle in which you are participating	Sacrifice 1 fighter to destroy any enemy ship

Distant Suns Expansion

The Distant Suns Expansion introduced 12 new Action Cards

Card Name	Number in Deck	Requirements	Play	Text
Anarchy	1	-	During the Political Phase	Force 1 ‘Discontent’ planet to immediately go into ‘Rebellion’
Diversified Trading	1	-	Immediately before your Movement Segment	Treat this card like any regular Trade Agreement As long as any neutral Ground Force counters remain in play, you collect 3 credits during the Collect Trade Income phase
Elbbuh Clarity	1	-	At any time	Probe any neutral planet. You may invade, if able, that planet this turn
Elite Carrier	1	-	Immediately before the Purchase Units Phase	Nominate 1 new Carrier as elite. Elite Carriers gain +2 movement, may probe and invade a planet during the same Invasion Combat Segment and all fighters based on them fight at +1
Lights Out!	1	6+ Combined tech levels	At any time	Use this card to replace any Supernova hex with an unused empty Hexboard piece
Local Pride	1	-	During the Political Phase	Play this card on any ‘Content’ Planet Roll a die and place the corresponding units there: 1-3: One Spacedock 4-6: One PDS 7-10: 2 Ground Forces
Reparations	1	-	Immediately after a successful invasion on one of your planets	Force the invading player to pay you 3 Credits for every Ground Force you lost during the Invasion (Or as many credits as the invader has if they do not have enough)
Sabotage	1	Identical to cards of same name (see above)
Tactical Barrage	1	-	Immediately after rolling for all your ships after a combat round	You immediately fire an extra shot from 3 of your participating ships of your choice
Terrorism	1	-	At any time	Force any two ‘Content’ planets into ‘Neutral’ status
Trade Agreement	2	Identical to cards of same name (see above)

Trivia

• "Climb Mount Nitaka" is the English translation of the infamous Japanese Phrase "Niitakayama Nobore". This code authorized the activation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour