Star Wars -The Queen's Gambit is a boardgame created by Avalon Hill and based on the movie Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. In this game, either 2 players against each other or 4 players form two teams of two. Either way, each side assumes the role of either the Trade Federation or Naboo forces and fight a four front battle, paralleling the movie. The four fronts are the "Plains of Naboo", the "Theed Palace", the "Generator Core", and the "Droid Control Ship". The first two fronts use a hexagonal grid for placing and moving pieces, while the Generator Core battle is based on a slightly more standard means of movement. The final front is based on clearing grids which have certain blocked numbers through which Anakin must move. Game play is driven by cards (which determine which pieces are moved) and dice (which determine the results of attacking and defending).
The following instructions on how to play the game should be followed for both 2 or 4 player set ups unless otherwise indicated.
Objects of the game
Trade Federation Player's Object
The Trade Federation player must make sure that the Naboo player can never achieve a majority in the Throne Room (a special area in the Theed Palace). This involves killing all but two of the Naboo player's pieces in the Theed Palace. (Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan count towards the Naboo's piece count).
Naboo Player's Object
The Naboo player must not only maintain a majority, but wipe out all the droids. This is most easily done by moving Anakin all the way to the Droid Control ship, thereby destroying it and all the droids. All of the Trade Federation pieces except Darth Maul and the two viceroys are droids.
Cards, Charts, etc.
The Starfighter cards must be shuffled and placed in a pile, face down, in a location easily accessible to the Trade Federation player. Each player must also take their respective decks and split them into the Battlefield and Theed Palace decks. Then those decks are placed on the players' own side of Theed Palace's first level board beside the major gameboard the deck controls (the Battlefield deck by the Battlefield board and so on). The four reference charts should be placed in front of their respective players and boards and within easy reach. Damage counters should be placed on the pictures of the pieces which they count damage for, with the "AH" side up. Pieces that require counters are the Fambaas, the Catapults, the MTTs, the ATTs, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Darth Maul, Captain Panaka, and both Queen Amidalas. The Naboo player must also place the green counter with the Queen's image on it on the real queen (Red or Purple...player's choice) and not her decoy. The "Go First" piece is placed beside the Trade Federation Battlefield deck. In a two player game, each player takes five cards from each deck for a total of 10 cards in their hand. In a four player game, each player takes three cards from each deck for a total of 6 cards in their hand.
Game Play
Two-Player
Each player choses four cards from their hand of ten to play, placing them face down in front of them. Once both players have picked their four cards, any bonus cards (explained later) are placed underneath this pile of four. Then, the player with the "Go First" piece takes the top card from his/her pile and plays it. Players alternate playing the cards until there are no cards left in their piles. If one player has more cards than the other, then that player continues to play the remainder of his/her cards until (s)he is finished. Once all cards have been played, the "Go First" piece moves to the other player. Each player then draws two cards from either deck to replenish their hand of 10. The next round then starts.
Four-Player
Play is slightly different for 4 players. Each player plays two cards from their hand instead of four. At the end of the round, each player draws one card from each deck instead of two. Play passes clockwise from the lead player (assigned earlier). One player on each side controls the palace and the Jedi/Sith while the other controls the Battlefield and space battles. The team players may play cards for either battle, show their teammates their cards, and discuss the best possible moves. Ultimately, though, the pieces are moved and the dice rolled by the player controlling that particular battle. The "Go First" piece moves clockwise, starting from the Trade Federation Battlefield/space player and then moving to the Naboo player for the same board, and so on. Last, all bonus cards go under the pile of the Battlefield/space player.
Winning the Game
Trade Federation Player(s)
The Trade Federation player(s) wins when he or she destroys all but two of the Naboo pieces in the Theed Palace.
Naboo Player(s)
The Naboo player(s) must shut down the droids by destroying the Trade Federation Control Ship. If, after that, Darth Maul is dead, they win. If he is not, they then move to obtain a majority in the Throne Room. Anytime that the Naboo player has a majority in the throne room, they win.