Star Wars PocketModel TCG



The Star Wars PocketModel TCG (Trading Card Game) was manufactured by WizKids, Inc., a division of The Topps Company, Inc. The game incorporates the use of constructable starship models, punched out of styrene cards, as well as special gameplay cards and dice rolls. The game was officially released in June 2007. Ship models include ship classes from all six films, representing Rebel, Imperial, Republic, and Separatist forces. The game was produced by WizKids, Inc. until November 10, 2008, when Topps terminated the game company's operations and discontinued its brand lines, including Star Wars PocketModel TCG.

Rules
The game is played out in turns between 2-8 players. Each player has a deck of cards, used for combat and as objectives, and a fleet of playing pieces, called units. Each unit has a value represented by build stars. The number of build stars a unit has tells you what the unit costs to add to your fleet. Build stars are also often referred to by combat cards, objective cards, and in the rules of the game. Each unit also has four values (Attack, Damage, Defense, and Shields). Units that a player controls in the game are called friendly units. Units that the opponent controls in the game are called opposing units.

A game is played with at least 30 build stars of units (20 in the player's home zone, and 10 in reserves) along with a deck of at least 30 cards. Players use units to "strike" objectives in their opponent's home zone while defending their own home zone's objectives against opposing units. In order for units to "battle" each other, both players roll dice adding attack bonus attributes when applicable, trying to beat or tie the total defense value of the opposing unit. If a unit is hit, damage is cumulative and is calculated by adding the damage power of the friendly unit to any bonuses that may apply, and comparing that to the opposing unit's shield rating. If the damage sustained is greater than the shield value, the opposing unit is destroyed. A player loses when either all friendly units in play or all of their objectives are destroyed.

Cards
There are two types of cards in this set: Combat cards and Objective cards. Combat cards can be played only during a combat action, and they have special effects on the game. Objective cards mainly can be used only in the home zone of the player that the card belongs to. They represent essential resources that opponents will seek to destroy, and also have special effects on the game. With the release of the "Scum and Villainy" expansion, new objectives, called Forward Objectives have a special ability allowing one per player to be played into the contested zone, potentially for a total of up to eight objectives active in the contested zone depending on the number of players in the game. The Clone Wars Conquest expansion of the game was supposed to introduce Unique Objectives, which had their own special game mechanic.

Although not pertinent to game play, cards are numbered in each set according to rarity, beginning with common cards, then uncommon, followed by rare. Though not any rarer than previous rare cards in a set, the last few cards are printed with foil. These were initially exclusive to combat cards bearing images of prominent characters from the Star Wars Universe. With the release of the second expansion of the game (Order 66), however, foil printed objective cards were introduced. Reprints of other rare cards in foil with alternate images were issued for the purpose of being used as tournament prizes. Two versions of the "alternate art" foil cards were printed for prize support. The word "WINNER" appears in silver letters on the bottom-right side of the card designated for the tournament champion. Fellowship winners (runners up) are awarded the alternate art foil missing the "WINNER" label. These foil reprints have the same collector number as the original counterparts from the sets they are from.

Icons
Icons printed on cards are used in conjunction with the icons printed on the bases of playing pieces (ships, vehicles, or creatures referred to as units) in the game. When a unit in a battle has an Icon in common with the combat card played with that unit, it receives the ability from that card. Units with green Match Icons benefit from card abilities with matching green icons. Units with silver Power Match Icons benefit from card abilities with matching silver icons, yet gain other special persistent abilities during game play as well. Gold Wild Icons grant abilities to a variety of units, such as those with a certain number of build stars.

Match Icon (green hexagon) — Card abilities work on units with matching icons on their bases. Wild Icon (yellow/gold triangle) — Unless specified, may be used with any unit. Power Match Icon (gray/silver diamond) — The icon allows card abilities work on a unit with matching icon(s) on its base, but it also grants a persistent special ability.
 * Droid (astromech)
 * Laser (target lock)
 * Torpedo (proton torpedo)
 * Trooper (stormtrooper helmet)
 * Leader (4 delta shapes in formation with the lead highlighted)
 * Battle droidGA (battle droid head)
 * BlasterGA (blaster rifle)
 * TransportGA (line of clone troopers)
 * EliteO66 (two military stripes)
 * AirborneO66 (Republic gunship)
 * RuthlessSAV (Mandolorian helmet)
 * CommandCW (double semi-circles on either side of a delta)
 * DogfightCW (X-wing profile)
 * ReconCWT (scout trooper helmet)
 * Force (lightsaber with wings)
 * Luck (dice)
 * Carrier (3 TIE fighters in a hangar) — You may use this ability instead of taking an action this turn. If this unit occupies your opponent’s home zone, put up to 2 build stars of units from your reserves into your opponent’s home zone.
 * Turbolaser (white starburst) — +1 damage against or units 4 or 5 build stars.
 * ArmorGA (black shield) — Reduce damage dealt to this unit by 1.
 * VeteranSAV (white heraldic banner w/black star) — If this unit destroys a unit that has the same or more build stars, flip its base and use the values printed there. This unit begins the game with the Veteran icon showing.
 * CloakTFU (3 vertical "S" lines) - When you choose this unit for a move action, it may cloak (flip its base from the name side to the CLOAKED side) or uncloak (flip its base from the CLOAKED side to the name side) instead of moving. A cloaking unit can't be chosen for combat actions or strike actions.  This unit begins the game uncloaked.
 * ConvertCW (2 circling arrows) - If this unit is chosen for a move action, you may flip over its base instead of moving it.
 * ArtilleryCWT (target site) - When a unit with the Artillery Icon is chosen as an attacker, this unit may battle a defender in an adjacent zone. Resolve this battle normally, except that:
 * 1) the Defender may not make a base roll,
 * 2) the attacker may not play a card, and
 * 3) if the attack hits, the attacker deals 1 damage for each Artillery Icon on its base instead of its printed damage value.
 * HeroCWQ

GA First introduced in the Ground Assault release.

O66 First introduced in the Order 66 release.

SAV First introduced in the Scum and Villainy release.

CW First introduced in the Clone Wars release.

CWT First introduced in the Clone Wars Tactics release.

CWQ To have been introduced in the Clone Wars Conquest release.

Units
The playing pieces in the game are made up of different starships, vehicles, and riding creatures from the Star Wars universe. A space unit is identified by the black background on its base, while a ground unit has a base with a beige background. Space units are able to attack other space or ground units in any zone. Ground units only attack other ground units in any zone, but are allowed to attack space units in a home zone, as well as defending against space units in the contested zone.

Affiliations
A player does not need to use units of the same affiliation, but may may mix and match units from different affiliations and eras to build a fleet. Affiliations are identified by their respective logos printed either on the base or the support stem. Affiliations may have significance in a game, due to certain cards targeting specific factions.


 * Republic
 * Separatist
 * Imperial
 * Rebel

Alternately, with the release of the "Order 66" expansion, the Jedi Order can be considered to be a faction in of itself with the introduction of combat and objective cards that target units with the word Jedi in the unit's name (i.e. Mace Windu's Jedi Fighter Tank).

Initially, the only unit without an allegiance to any faction is the Episode III variant of the Millennium Falcon unit which was released with a commemorative tin at the Star Wars Celebration IV event. However, with the release of "Scum and Villainy", more units were printed without faction affiliations.

Sets
Each set (the first set - also called the Base Set - and any subsequent expansion sets) is available in foil packs, which have a MSRP of $4.99. Designed to be playable in a mini-version of the game right out of the pack, each pack of the Star Wars PocketModel TCG includes:
 * 4-8 PocketModels on 2 styrene cards (usually one common card, and one uncommon or rare card)
 * 6 game cards
 * 2 micro dice
 * Rules

The full game is played with a fleet of PocketModels of up to 30 "build stars" (a fleet size point limiter with units ranging in point values from 1 to 5), and a deck of 30 cards.

The Base Set and the Ground Assault expansion contain 120 game cards (some of which are printed as foils), and 36 styrene cards of units (larger units filled an entire card, while smaller units fit 2 to 4 on a card). Units available in these packs include ground units with biege bases, and space units with black bases. Silver or gold borders around the bases indicate uncommon and rare trade value respectively. Units with silver- or gold-colored borders are more powerful than normal units. Units without a colored borders on their bases are common.

Beginning with the third set (or second expansion), Order 66, sets are made up of 60 cards as well as a lesser number of styrene sheet units.

Expansions
The game was planned to be released in several (over six) expansions and several supplemental products. Expansions are the way in which new cards and units are released to add to the game.

Expansions produced by WizKids

 * ''Star Wars PocketModel TCG: Base Set
 * ''Star Wars PocketModel TCG: Ground Assault
 * ''Star Wars PocketModel TCG: Order 66
 * ''Star Wars PocketModel TCG: Scum & Villainy
 * ''Star Wars PocketModel TCG: Clone Wars
 * ''Star Wars PocketModel TCG: Clone Wars Tactics
 * ''Star Wars PocketModel TCG: Clone Wars Conquest
 * ''Star Wars PocketModel TCG: Secret Weapons
 * ''Star Wars PocketModel TCG: Galaxy at War

Notes and References
PocketModel Trading Card Game