Action Cards (Third Edition)

This page lists all Action Cards in Twilight Imperium Third Edition (Including both expansions)

Base Game

There are 103 action cards in the base game of Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition

Card Name	Number in Deck	Play	Effect
Armistice	1	As an action	Choose an opponent and a planet you control. The chosen opponent cannot invade the chosen planet this round
Chemical Warfare	1	Immediately before an invasion combat	If you have a Dreadnought in a system containing an enemy controlled planet, play this card to destroy half the defending ground forces (rounded up). Bypasses enemy PDS.
Civil Defense	1	As an action	Place 2 free PDS on any planet you control that does not already have a PDS
Command Summit	1	During the Strategy Phase	Receive 2 Command Counters and place them in your Command Pool
Council Dissolved	1	Immediately after a player uses the Political Strategy Card	The player who chose the Political Strategy card does not draw any Political Cards
Corporate Sponsorship	1	Immediately before purchasing a new technology	You may purchase a Green Technology for 4 fewer resources
Cultural Crisis	1	During the Strategy Phase	Choose a player (may be yourself). That player loses all racial abilities this round
Determine Policy	1	Immediately before a Political Card is drawn	Choose an agenda from the Political Deck, from the discarded Political cards or from the current laws in play. The council must now vote on this agenda rather than draw a new political card. If you chose an agenda from the Political deck, shuffle the deck
Diplomatic Immunity	1	As an action	Choose a system in which you have at least one spaceship. Only you may activate the chosen system this turn
Direct Hit (!)	4	Immediately after the ship has been damaged in a Space battle you were participating in	Destroy an opponent's enemy ship
(!) Replaced by Direct Hit! Cards in Shattered Empire Expansion
Disclosure	1	At any time	Look at all of an opponent's Action Cards. Then choose and discard one
Discredit	1	Immediately after another player casts a vote during the resolution of a Political Card	Change another player's vote to "Abstain" even if the Political card is an "Elect" vote
Dug In	1	Immediately before Bombardment	Choose a planet. Your Ground Forces on that planet are immune to Planetary Bombardment this round
Emergency Repairs	2	At any time	Choose a system. Immediately repair all of your Dreadnoughts and War Suns in the Chosen system
Experimental Battlestation	1	After an opponent has activated a system and moved any ships into the system	Choose one Space Dock. That space Dock can immediately fire 3 times at an enemy fleet in range as if the Space Dock were one of your PDS units
Fantastic Rhetoric	1	Immediately before you vote on the resolution of a Political Card	You gain 10 additional influence for 1 vote
Fighter Prototype	1	Immediately before a Space Battle	Choose a system. All of your fighters in that system receive +2 on all combat rolls for one combat round
Flank Speed	4	Immediately after activating a system	Choose a system you have just activated. Increase the movement of all ships moving into that system by 1
Focused Research	1	Immediately before purchasing a technology that requires another single technology that you do not possess	Spend 6 resources to ignore 1 prerequisite technology requirement in the tech tree
Ghost Ship	1	Replaced by Card of the same name released in the Shards of the Throne Expansion
Good Year	1	As an action	Receive 1 Trade Good for each planet you control outside your home system
Grand Armada	1	During the Strategy Phase	There is no fleet supply limit for your ships in your home system this round. At the end of the Status Phase, you must remove any ships that exceed your normal fleet supply limit
Influence in the Merchant's Guild	1	As an action	Break one trade agreement in play
Insubordination	1	As an action	Remove 1 Command Counter from the pool of one opponent
In the Silence of Space	3	Immediately after activating a system	Choose one of your fleets. All ships in that fleet with a movement of 2 or more can pass through but not stop in system occupied by enemy ships during this activation
Into the Breach	1	Immediately before any space battle begins	Choose 1 Dreadnought. All ships in the fleet containing that Dreadnought receive +1 on combat rolls for the remainder of the battle. The first 2 hits against your fleet must be applied to the chosen Dreadnought
Local Unrest	4	As an action	Choose a planet in a non-home system. Exhaust that planet and destroy one Ground Force (if able). If there are no ground forces left, it reverts to neutral status
Lucky Shot	1	As an action	Destroy 1 enemy Dreadnought, Cruiser or Destroyer currently in a system containing a planet under your control
Massive Transport	1	As an action	You may immediately move one of your existing Space Docks to another friendly planet. A route that does not contain enemy ships must exist between the two planets
Masters of Trade	1	At any time	Play only if you have two trade agreements. Choose and refresh up to two of your exhausted planets
Minelayers	1	Immediately after an enemy fleet enters the system	Each of your cruisers in the system strikes one automatic hit before the first round of the Space Battle
Morale Boost	5	Immediately before any Space Battle or Invasion Combat round	For one combat round all of your units receive +1 on all combat rolls
Multiculturalism	1	During the Strategy Phase	Choose one racial ability possessed by one of your opponents. You gain that ability this round
Opening the Black Box	1	Immediately before purchasing a technology	All your red planets grant a tech credit of 2 (rather than 1) when you purchase a red technology
Patrol	1	As an action	Move up to 2 Cruisers or Destroyers in an activated system to an empty, adjacent system/systems. Then, place Command Counters from your reinforcements in those systems
Plague	1	As an action	Choose a planet your opponent controls. Roll a die for each Ground Force unit on that planet. If the number rolled is even, that unit is destroyed. Your opponent retains control of the planet even if all of their Ground Forces are destroyed
Policy Paralysis	1	Immediately after the Primary ability of a Strategy Card is resolved	Choose an opponent. That opponent may not participate in the secondary ability of the currently active Strategy Card
Political Stability	1	During the Status Phase	Keep your current Strategy Card instead of relinquishing it at the end of the game round. You do not select a new Strategy Card during the Strategy Phase of the upcoming round. You cannot play this card if you chose the Imperial or Initiative Strategy Card this round
Privateers	1	As an action	Choose an opponent. Take all the Trade Goods in their Trade Good area. Place half (rounded down) in your Trade Good area and discard the rest
Productivity Spike	1	During the Strategy Phase	Choose one of your Space Docks. The production capacity of that Space Dock increases by a number equal to its planet's influence this round
Public Disgrace	1	Immediately after a player has chosen a Strategy Card	Play this card to force that player to return that Strategy Card and choose a different one
Rally	1	As an action	Receive 1 Dreadnought in your home system
Rare Mineral	3	Immediately after successfully invading a neutral planet	Receive 3 Trade Goods
Recheck	4	Immediately after you or an opponent has rolled a die during a Space Battle or Invasion Combat in which you are participating	Force any one combat die to be re-rolled
Reparations	1	Immediately after you lose control of a planet	Choose and exhaust a planet controlled by an opponent who has just taken control of a planet from you. Then, choose and refresh one of your planets with an equal or lesser resource value
Rise of a Messiah	1	As an action	Receive 1 Ground Force unit on each planet you control
Ruinous Tariffs	1	Replaced by Card of the same name released in the Shattered Empire Expansion
Sabotage	5	Immediately after another player plays an Action Card	Play this card to cancel the effect of any action card played, then discard both cards. Cannot cancel another Sabotage
Scientist Assassination	1	During the Strategy Phase	Choose a player. That player cannot acquire or purchase technology this turn
Secret Industrial Agent	1	As an action	Destroy any one Space Dock that is not in a home system
Shields Holding	1	Immediately after your opponent has rolled all combat dice and before you have removed casualties	Cancel up to 2 hits during one round of Space Combat you are participating in
Signal Jamming	4	During the Strategy Phase	Choose a non-Home system. Take a Command Counter from any other player's reinforcements and place it on the chosen system
Skilled Retreat	4	Before any round of a Space Battle	Choose one of your fleets that is participating. Place a Command Counter from your reinforcements in a friendly or empty unactivated system adjacent to that fleet. Move the chosen fleet into that system
Spacedock Accident	1	As an action	Choose a Space Dock in a non-home system. The owner of the Space Dock may not build units at the chosen Space Dock this round
Star of Death	1	Replaced by Card of the same name released in the Shards of the Throne Expansion
Stellar Criminals	1	As an action	Choose an opponent. That opponent must choose and exhaust half of their unexhausted planets (rounded down)
Strategic Bombardment	1	As an action	Play only if you have a War Sun in a system containing one or more planets controlled by an opponent. Exhaust those planets. Then, roll a die. On a result of 1-5, discard this card as normal. On a result of 6+, return this card to your hand
Strategic Flexibility	1	At the End of the Strategy Phase	Play this card to return the Strategy Card you have chosen and replace it with one of the remaining Strategy Cards.
Strategic Shift	1	At the Start of the Strategy Phase	Choose one Strategy Card. No player may choose that Strategy Card this round
Successful Spy	1	As an action	Take 2 random Action Cards from one opponent
Synchronicity	1	During the Strategy Phase	Search the Action Card deck. Choose 1 Action Card and place it in your hand. Then, shuffle the deck
Tech Bubble	1	Immediately after executing the Primary ability of the Technology Strategy Card	You may spend 1 Command Counter from your Strategy Allocation area to also execute the Secondary this round. You must pay the normal cost for the technology
Thugs	1	Immediately after the text of a Political Card has been read and before the first vote is cast	Choose a player. That player may not participate in the vote on a Political Card for the remainder of this round
Touch of Genius	1	At the time specified by this card being duplicated	Spend 3 influence to duplicate the effects of any other Action card in the discard pile
Trade Stop	1	During the Strategy Phase	Break all trade agreements in play (including your own)
Transport	1	As an action	Choose a planet you control. You may move up to 3 Ground Forces from the chosen planet to another planet you control. A route that does not contain enemy ships must exist between these two planets.
Unexpected Action	1	As an action	Remove one of your Command Counters from the board and place it with your reinforcements
Uprising	1	As an action	Choose 1 non-home system. Exhaust each planet in that system (if able)
Usurper	1	During the Strategy Phase	Play only if you control Mecatol Rex. Place this card on the Mecatol Rex system. While this card is in play, you gain votes equal to twice the influence value of Mecatol Rex (even if exhausted). Discard this card from play if you lose control of Mecatol Rex
Veto	1	After a Political Card is read and before any player has voted	Discard the Current Agenda. The Active player must draw another Political Card
Voluntary Annexation	1	As an action	Choose any neutral planet in a system adjacent to a system containing a planet you control. Place 3 Ground Forces there. You now control this planet
War Footing	1	As an action	Choose 1 system. Your fleet supply limit in that system is increased by 2 for the rest of this game round. At the end of the Status Phase, you must remove any ships that exceed your normal Fleet Supply limit

Shattered Empire Expansion

The Shattered Empire Expansion introduced 40 new action cards

Card Name	Number in Deck	Play	Effect
Advanced Reinforcements	2	As an action	Place 2 Ground Forces or 1 Shock Troop on any one planet you control
Alien Technology	1	As an action	You may immediately spend 4 resources to receive one technology (for which you have the necessary prerequisites). This cost cannot be reduced
Bribery	1	Immediately after all players have voted on an Agenda	You may add one additional vote to your total for each trade good you spend
Communications Breakdown	2	Immediately before a space battle in which you are participating	No players may play Action Cards until the end of the Battle (except Sabotage)
Courageous to the End	2	Immediately after 1 of your ships is destroyed	Roll 2 dice. For each roll ≥ your ship's combat value, your opponent must immediately take one casualty. You may use this card even if your ship should not return fire
Direct Hit!	4	Immediately after the ship has been damaged	Destroy one damaged Dreadnought or War Sun
Enhanced Armor	2	As an action	Until the end of the round your Cruisers gain the Sustain Damage ability
Equipment Sabotage	2	As an action	Destroy up to 2 PDS on the planet of your choice
Experimental Weaponry	2	Immediately before any round of combat	Until the end of the combat round, all hits from your Dreadnoughts and War Suns may not be applied to fighters unless there are no other ships present
Faulty Targeting Systems	2	At any time	Cancel a Minelayers Action Card or discard 1 Space Mine in any system or force one opponent to reroll one of their PDS rolls
First Strike	2	Immediately after the Strategy Phase	You may take your first action of the Action Phase before the player with the Lowest initiative number. Then resume order of play as normal
Flanking Tactic	2	Immediately before a Space Battle in which you are participating	Your opponent may not retreat from the battle (regardless of abilities or action cards)
Flawless Strategy	1	As an action	You may execute the Primary Ability of any Strategy Card not chosen during this Strategy Phase. Each other player may then execute the card's secondary as normal In a 4 or 8 player game discard this card and draw another action card
Friendly Fire	4	Immediately before a space battle that you are participating in	If your opponent has more fighters than non-fighter ships int this system, they must immediately lose half their fighters (rounded down)
Master of Fate	1	During the Status Phase, Immediately before any players have drawn action cards	Draw a number of Action Cards equal to the number of players. You may look at them and distribute one of them to each player. Players will receive 1 fewer action cards during this status phase
Military Foresight	2	After one of your ships is lost in a space battle	Place the destroyed ship on this card. At the start of the next status phase, place this ship at any one of your Space Docks (for free) and discard this card. If you do not have any space docks on the board, that ship is discarded
Ruinous Tariffs	1	Immediately after the chosen player receives Trade Goods from their active trade agreements	Choose a player with whom you have a trade agreement. That player must give you half of the Trade Goods in their Trade Good area (rounded up)
Rule by Terror	1	Immediately before a space battle in which you are participating	If you have a War Sun or 2 Dreadnoughts present, then your opponent must either immediately retreat (if able) or immediately take 2 casualties
Strategic Planning	2	During the Strategy Phase	You do not have to pay Command Counters from your Strategy Allocation area in order to execute the secondary ability of Strategy Cards for the remainder of the Game round
Surprise Assault	1	After activating a system containing one of your blockaded Space Docks	Immediately after (optionally) moving ships into the system, you may build at your blockaded Space Dock(s). A space battle is then initiated.
Target Their Flagship!	2	Immediately before a Space Combat	Choose one of your ships and target one opposing ship. Roll 1 die; if the roll is ≥ your ship's combat value, the target ship is immediately hit (and does not return fire). Your ship does not roll during the first round of combat
Temporary Stability	1	During the Strategy Phase, before any players have chosen Strategy Cards	Players may not play any Action Cards until the next Status Phase (except Sabotage). Any player may discard 3 Action Cards from their hand at any time to Cancel this Card.

Shards of the Throne Expansion

The Shards of the Throne Expansion introduced 34 new Action Cards

Card Name	Number in Deck	Play	Effect
A Beacon of Hope	3	At the start of a battle involving your flagship	Each natural 10 you roll during this battle deals 2 hits (instead of 1) If not playing with the Flagship option, spend this card as if it were 1 trade good
A Mighty Empire	2	When Purchasing 1 of your Race-specific Technologies	Reduce the cost of the Race-specific technology by 1 for each VP you have If not playing with the Race-specific technology option, spend this card as if it were 1 Trade Good
Collect Bounty	2	After you destroy an ememy Mercenary in battle	Gain 5 Trade Goods If not playing with the Mercenaries option, spend this card as if it were 1 Trade Good
Council Disbanded	1	Immediately after a player executes the primary ability of the Political or Assembly Strategy Cards	Cancel the Primary and Secondary ability
Counter	1	After your Bodyguard is targeted by a spy	Kill the spy who targeted your bodyguard If not playing with the Galactic Senate option, spend this card as if it were 1 Trade Good
Geomagnetic Mines	2	At the start of a battle involving an enemy Mech	Destroy 1 enemy mech If not playing with Mech option, spend this card as if it were 1 Trade Good
Ghost Ship	1	As an action	Place a free destroyer in any non-home system that contains a wormhole and no enemy ships
Hired Gun	2	As an action	Recruit the top card of the mercenary deck If not playing with the Mercenaries option, spend this card as if it were 1 Trade Good
Miraculous Recovery	2	As an action	Return 1 of your killed Representatives to your hand If not playing with the Political Intrigue option, spend this card as if it were 1 Trade Good
Moment of Triumph	1	After you destroy an enemy flagship or War Sun in battle	Gain 1 VP
Moving Speech	3	After all representatives have been revealed	Only Councilors may vote on this agenda If not playing with the Galactic Senate Option, spend this card as if it were 1 Trade Good
Overrun	3	At the start of a battle in which one of your Mechs are involved	Destroy 1 enemy infantry If not playing with Mech option, spend this card as if it were 1 Trade Good
Paralyzing Serum	3	After you reveal a Spy Representative Card	Assassinate 1 enemy Representative participating in this council If not playing with the Political Intrigue option, spend this card as if it were 1 Trade Good
Press Charges	2	After your Representative is targeted by a spy	Each player who chose a spy may not vote on this agenda If not playing with the Political Intrigue option, spend this card as if it were 1 Trade Good
Send Proxy	3	After 1 of your Representatives are killed	You may vote in this council even though your representative was killed If not playing with the Political Intrigue option, spend this card as if it were 1 Trade Good
Star of Death	1	Immediately before the Planetary landing segment of the Tactical Action sequence	Choose a planet in a system containing 1 of your War Suns. Destroy every ground force, PDS, Space Dock, Mech, Leader and Mercenary on the planet. Then, place a Radiation Domain Counter on the Planet and revert the planet to neutral status
The Hand that Takes	2	After a player fails to pay a Trade Good for the Mercenary	Destroy any 1 unit in a Mercenary's system If not playing with the Mercenaries option, spend this card as if it were 1 Trade Good