Coexist

Category: Rules

Coexist is a new mechanic introduced in the Thunder's Edge expansion.

Some game effects allow a player's units to COEXIST with other player's units on a planet. Whilst there, they do not trigger ground combat. If either player reactivates the system, they may declare ground combat against units they were formerly coexisting with.

Coexisting structures are blockaded (cannot produce ships). If the coexisting player places, produces, or moves additional units onto the planet, those units also coexist.

The player whose units triggered coexistence does not gain or retain control of the planet card; if they already controlled it, the player they are now coexisting with gains control of it.

If a player's coexisting units become the only units on a planet, that player gains control of the planet.

When scoring objectives, a coexisting player counts as controlling the planet they are coexisting on; they do not count as controlling the planet for any other game ability or effect.

Coexisting & Invasions

Coexisting units can make Invasions complicated. As such, the changes to the Invasion Step of a Tactical Action will be written here in step-by-step order in italics to make this clearer during play.

STEP 1: Bombardment

• The active player may use the “Bombardment” ability of any of their units in the active system.
  • Coexisting units can be bombarded.
  • When a player makes a BOMBARDMENT roll against a planet that has coexisting units, the active player divides their units with BOMBARDMENT into groups, which bombarding different player's ground forces, rolling against them separately. In short, each unit can only use BOMBARDMENT against a single player's units.

STEP 2: Commit Ground Forces

• If the active player has ground forces in the space area of the active system, they may commit any number of those ground forces to land on any of the planets in that system.
• To commit a ground force to a planet, the active player places that ground force unit on that planet.
• The planet may contain another player’s ground forces.
• If the active player does not wish to commit ground forces, they proceed to the “Production” step of the tactical action.

No changes to this step.

STEP 3: Space Cannon Defense

• If the active player commits any ground forces to a planet that contains units that have the “Space Cannon” ability, those “Space Cannon” abilities can be used against the committed ground forces.
• If the active player committed ground forces to more than one planet that contained units with a “Space Cannon” ability, the active player chooses the order in which those “Space Cannon” abilities are resolved.

Technically no changes. However, both the controlling player and the coexisting player may have units with the SPACE CANNON ability so either player may use them.

STEP 4: Ground Combat

• If the active player commits ground forces to land on a planet that contains another player’s ground forces, those players resolve a ground combat on that planet.
  • The active player must resolve ground combat against the controlling player first.
  • If the active player is successful, or the active player is the controlling player, they may decide whether to resolve ground combat against the coexisting player, or they may decide to leave those units in a state of coexistence.
• If players must resolve a combat on more than one planet, the active player chooses the order in which those combats are resolved.

STEP 5: Establish Control

• The active player gains control of each planet they committed ground forces to that still contains at least one of their ground forces.
• When a player gains control of a planet, any structures on the planet that belong to other players are immediately destroyed.
  • Not official but based on wording, this will include any coexisting player's structures.
• When a player gains control of a planet, they gain the planet card that matches that planet and exhaust that card.
• A player cannot gain control of a planet they already control.
• If there was a ground combat, and all units belonging to both players were destroyed, the player who was the defender retains control of the planet and places one of their control markers on the planet.
  • If all units from both the invading and controlling players are destroyed, if the coexisting player still has units, the coexisting player will gain control of the planet.

Methods to Coexist

There are a few ways through which players may end up coexisting on a planet. They are:

• The Deepwrought Scholarate's RESEARCH TEAM faction ability and their agent, Doctor Carrina.
• The Firmament's mech, Viper EX-23.
• The Titans of Ul's SLUMBERSTATE COMPUTING breakthrough.
• The Crash Landing Action card.
• The Exchange Program Action card.

FAQ

Q: If I have a single unit with BOMBARDMENT over a planet that is being coexisted on, can I bombard both players' units?

A: No. You must pick one player and roll BOMBARDMENT against their units.

Q: If I'm coexisting on Mecatol Rex and use the Imperial strategy card, do I gain a Victory Point or do I draw a Secret Objective?

A: You will draw a Secret Objective. The Imperial strategy card is not an objective, so you are not considered to be controlling Mecatol Rex and will not score the point.

Q: If I'm coexisting on a planet with a player that has my Support for the Throne promissory note and they activate that system, do they have to give Support for the Throne back?

A: Yes. They activated a system that contains 1 or more of your units. The same is true for the Alliance promissory note.

Q: If I’m coexisting on my Home planet, am I still able to score public objectives?

A: Yes.