Map

The chapter 1 map

The ship can only travel along nodes, which come in two types: Main Nodes allow only forward movement while Secondary Nodes allow movement in both directions but costs 1 Fuel per move. Most nodes do not display what to expect until you're adjacent to them. The more a ship travels without docking at a station the more likely it is to suffer a malfunction, which inflicts a permanent Disadvantage until repaired at a station.

Conflict zones will always trigger a combat encounter if standing with the node's faction is Hated or Disliked. If standing is Neutral or Allied combat is usually optional.

Elite Combat zones contain a difficult combat encounter but defeating it offers more Credits and two cards instead of one. There is a small chance to avoid the combat encounter, in which case attacking will reduce standing with the node's faction.

Enemies increase in strength with each chapter.

Factions

Most nodes are under the control of one of the game's four factions: Solarii, Starkin, Free-Roamers and Deadweights. Events that take place in the node as well as rewards offered for missions are influenced by the current standing with its faction. Standing with factions can be changed by various events and comes in 4 levels:

Standing	Value
Hated	0-1
Disliked	2-3
Neutral	4-5
Allied	6

Stations

Docking at stations requires paying 40 Credits if standing with its faction is Hated or Disliked, otherwise it is free. If allied with the Deadweights docking requires an intimidation attempt, which is only passed if the ship has a weapon score of 3. Each Mk.I weapon adds 1 and each Mk.II weapon adds 2 to the weapon score. Docking allows the following actions:

• Buy Fuel: Cost starts at 30 Credits and increases by 5 Credits with each purchase.
• Enter the hangar: Allows repairing the ship or buying and selling equipment. Repairing the ship costs 2 Credits per damaged Hull in chapter 1 and 3 Credits per damaged Hull in chapter 2. Equipment is sold at half the buying price.
• Crew activities: +2 Morale for the next 3 nodes.
• Ship and equipment maintenance: Can choose to remove a card or add a card from a random selection (selection doubled if station is neutral). Costs is 20 Credits if Allied, 25 Credits if Neutral, and 40 Credits if Disliked or Hated. The offered cards can be refused but this will not refund the Credits spent. Can also turn the A.I. crewmember into an A.I. Core item that can be sold for 100 Credits.
• Fix ship malfunctions: Only appears if the ship is suffering from a malfunction and removes it for 25 Credits.
• Buy a modded transponder: Only available at pirate stations, costs 35 Credits and allows docking at another station once.

Escalation Level

Once the first run has been completed the Escalation Level is unlocked when starting a new run, which makes the run more difficult. Completing a run using Escalation Level will unlock the next Escalation Level. Each level includes the effects of previous levels.

Escalation Level	Added effects
0	Elite enemies start with a random combat modifier
1	-1 starting fuel -1 fuel when entering a new sector
2	Regular enemies have more Hull
3	Repairs cost +2 more credits per damaged hull point
4	Elite enemies have more Hull
5	Fuel prices further increase by 5 Credits with each purchase
6	Tyrant boss has 11 more Hull SCN "Custodian" boss has 24 more Hull
7	Equipment and subsystems are more expensive