Embarking on a mission in ISS Vanguard is an exciting, often perilous journey. As a Section Leader, you'll face countless "situations" – events that demand your attention, strategic thinking, and the combined might of your crew. Mastering how to effectively solve these situations is paramount to the success of your campaign and the survival of your brave crew. So, let's dive deep into the heart of ISS Vanguard and learn how to conquer every challenge the cosmos throws your way!
Navigating the Unknown: A Guide to Solving Situations in ISS Vanguard
Hey there, future space pioneer! Are you ready to lead your crew into the uncharted depths of space, unravel alien mysteries, and perhaps even save humanity? Excellent! Then let's start by understanding one of the most crucial aspects of ISS Vanguard: solving situations. This isn't just about rolling dice; it's about making informed choices, leveraging your crew's strengths, and adapting to the unexpected. So, buckle up, because your journey to becoming a master of crisis management begins now!
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| Iss Vanguard How To Solve Situations |
Step 1: Understanding the Situation (and its Context!)
Before you even think about rolling a single die, you need to truly understand what you're up against.
- Read the Situation Card Carefully: Every situation card has crucial information. Pay close attention to:
- The Flavor Text: This sets the scene and often provides subtle clues about the nature of the challenge. Don't skim it!
- The "Effect" Text: This is what happens if you don't solve the situation, or if you fail certain checks. Knowing the consequences helps you prioritize.
- The "When Solved" Text: This tells you the rewards for success. Is it a discovery? Morale boost? New recruit?
- The "Requirement" or "Dice Combination" Section: This is the core of how you'll attempt to solve it. It will list specific icons, dice types, or combinations needed.
- Check Global Conditions: Always, always look at the current Global Condition card on the planet board. These can significantly alter the difficulty or outcomes of your dice checks, often adding extra icons to dice or imposing penalties/bonuses. A seemingly simple situation can become much harder (or easier!) under certain planetary conditions.
- Assess Your Crew's State: How are your Crewmembers doing? Are they injured? Do they have enough available Section dice? Are any resting? A well-rested and healthy crew is far more capable of tackling difficult situations.
Step 2: Assembling Your A-Team: Choosing the Right Crew and Resources
Now that you know what you're facing, it's time to decide who's going to step up and what tools they'll bring to the table. This is where the synergy between your Sections truly shines!
QuickTip: Look for repeated words — they signal importance.
- Identify Key Section Strengths:
- Security (Red Dice): Often excel at physical challenges, combat, and situations requiring raw power. Look for their Strength (fist) and Protection (shield) icons.
- Recon (Blue Dice): Masters of movement, perception, and navigation. Their Agility (foot) and Stealth (eye) icons are vital for exploration and avoiding trouble.
- Science (Green Dice): Best for analysis, research, and understanding alien phenomena. Focus on their Intellect (brain) and Biology (DNA) icons.
- Engineering (Yellow Dice): Experts in repairs, construction, and manipulating technology. Their Tech (gear) and Construction (hammer) icons are invaluable.
- Match Crewmembers to Requirements: Look at the dice combinations or specific icon requirements on the situation card. Which of your available Crewmembers has the best chance of rolling those symbols? Remember that different dice types (Basic, Specialized, Universal, Expert, Wild) have varying probabilities for specific icons.
- Consider "Convert" Abilities: Many Crewmembers have "Convert" abilities that allow them to change one rolled icon into another. These are incredibly powerful for mitigating bad rolls and ensuring success. Plan your Crewmember activations around these abilities.
- Utilize Equipment and Discoveries: Do you have any Equipment cards or Gathered Discoveries that could assist? Some equipment grants additional dice, re-rolls, or converts icons. Others might allow you to ignore certain penalties or gain bonuses. Don't forget these crucial assets!
- The Power of Assistance: Remember that other Section players can Assist a Dice Check by spending a Charge token to add one of their Available Section dice to the Roll Pool. This is often the difference between success and failure, so communicate with your team!
Step 3: The Dice Check: Rolling for Destiny
This is the moment of truth! Performing a Dice Check is a structured process that you'll become very familiar with.
- Declare Your Intent: Clearly state which Crewmember(s) will attempt to solve the situation and which Section dice they will use.
- Form the Roll Pool: Gather all the chosen Section dice and any assisting dice from other players. Place them in the Roll Pool.
- Roll the Dice: This is the exciting part! Roll all the dice in your Roll Pool.
- Resolve Injury and Danger Dice (if any): If you rolled any Injury dice (due to previous wounds) or Danger dice (from certain situation effects), resolve them before applying special effects or matching combinations. Injury dice can add further complications, while Danger dice can trigger negative global effects.
- Apply Special Effects (Top to Bottom, Left to Right): Some cards or situations have special effects that trigger based on certain rolled icons. These are resolved before attempting to match the combination. Resolve them in the order indicated. These effects often "consume" dice, moving them to the Spent Pool.
- Important Note: An "Immediate Special Effect" (indicated by a specific icon) will immediately end the Dice Check process, moving all dice to the Spent Pool, and resolving the corresponding outcome. So be mindful if you trigger one!
- Match the Dice Combination: Now, compare the icons remaining in your Roll Pool to the required Dice Combination on the situation card (or Global Condition).
- You must match all the required icons.
- You can use more dice than required, but you must use at least the required number and type.
- You may use Convert abilities from your Crewmembers or equipment to change rolled icons into the ones you need.
- Any dice used to match the combination are moved to your Spent Pool.
- Mark Outcomes / Progress:
- If you successfully matched the combination, you apply the "When Solved" outcome. This might involve gaining discoveries, increasing morale, or resolving a logbook entry.
- If the situation involves a "track" (like a progress track), you move the marker along the track. When the marker reaches the "Outcome" space, its effect is applied.
Step 4: Facing the Consequences: Handling Failure and Adapting
Not every attempt will be a success. Failure is a part of ISS Vanguard, but it doesn't have to be the end of your mission.
- Understand Failure Outcomes: Situation cards will often specify what happens on a failed attempt. This could be gaining an Injury, losing Supplies, increasing the Threat Level, or triggering a negative Logbook entry.
- Mitigation and Damage Control:
- Injury Management: If a Crewmember gains an Injury, make sure to apply it correctly. Too many Injuries can lead to an "Evac Log" and potentially force an early return to the ISS Vanguard.
- Resource Management: Keep a close eye on your Supplies and other critical resources. Running out can put your crew in a dire situation.
- Adapt Your Strategy: If a particular approach isn't working, don't be afraid to change tactics. Perhaps a different Crewmember or Section can take on the challenge next time, or you need to acquire new equipment or discoveries to improve your chances.
- The Long Game: Remember that ISS Vanguard is a campaign game. A single failed situation might be a setback, but it's rarely mission-ending. Learn from your mistakes, adapt your crew and ship, and push forward!
Step 5: The Ship Management Phase: Recover and Re-strategize
After each planetary exploration, you return to the ISS Vanguard for the Ship Management phase. This is your crucial opportunity to heal, research, recruit, and prepare for your next mission.
QuickTip: Scan for summary-style sentences.
- Resolve Awaiting Situations: Any Situation cards that were moved to the "Awaiting..." envelope are resolved here. These often represent ongoing issues that need attention between missions.
- Heal and Rest: Send injured Crewmembers to the Medbay, allow resting Crewmembers to become available again, and refresh your Section dice from the Spent Pool.
- Research and Production: Spend your gathered Discoveries and Leads to research new technologies, build new equipment, or upgrade your ship's facilities. These upgrades can be game-changers for future situations.
- Recruit New Crewmembers: If you've lost crew or simply want to strengthen your roster, recruit new members. Look for recruits with dice conversions or abilities that complement your existing team's strengths or address weaknesses you've identified.
- Upgrade Your Lander: Invest in a better Lander to carry more supplies, equipment, or even additional Crewmembers, giving you more flexibility on planetary explorations.
- Strategic Planning: The Ship Management phase is where you make crucial long-term decisions. Don't rush through it! Think about the challenges ahead, the resources you have, and how you can best prepare your crew for the next unknown.
10 Related FAQ Questions
Here are some common "How to" questions regarding situations in ISS Vanguard, with quick answers:
How to prioritize situations on a planet? Prioritize situations that are tied to your current objective, those with immediate negative effects if ignored, or those offering crucial discoveries or resources you desperately need.
How to mitigate bad dice rolls during a Dice Check? Utilize Crewmember "Convert" abilities, spend Command tokens for re-rolls if available, or ask other players to "Assist" with their own dice and abilities.
Tip: Take a sip of water, then continue fresh.
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How to manage Injuries effectively? Try to heal Injured Crewmembers during the Ship Management phase. During planetary exploration, consider resting an Injured Crewmember if their condition is too detrimental, or using equipment that prevents or heals injuries.
How to get more Section dice? You can gain new Section dice through certain discoveries, research projects, or by ranking up your Crewmembers.
How to best utilize Assistance from other players? Communicate clearly! Explain what icons you need and what dice you've rolled. Other players can then decide if their available dice or abilities can help you succeed.
Tip: The middle often holds the main point.
How to recover from a failed situation? Assess the immediate consequences (injuries, lost supplies). If possible, retry the situation with a different approach or postpone it if resources are too low. Focus on regrouping during the next Ship Management phase.
How to prepare for unexpected situations? Maintain a balanced crew with diverse dice icons, ensure you have some versatile equipment, and always try to keep a few Command and Energy tokens in reserve for unforeseen challenges.
How to use Discoveries to solve situations? Many Discoveries, once gathered and "unloaded" during Ship Management, provide ongoing benefits or one-time effects that can be spent to help with Dice Checks or bypass certain situation requirements.
How to improve my Crewmembers' chances of success? Rank up your Crewmembers to unlock more dice slots and powerful abilities. Equip them with specialized gear that boosts their section's strengths or provides useful conversions.
How to avoid over-committing resources to a single situation? Evaluate the potential rewards versus the cost (dice, supplies, risk of injury). Sometimes, it's better to accept a minor negative outcome and preserve resources for a more critical future situation.
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