Rules: Mine Field

Mines and Mine Fields are a dangerous to interstellar space travel, but are excellent area-denial strategic weapons.

## Combat Effect

Moving a Battle Force into a Hex that has a Mine Field deployed will result in the Mines attacking the Battle Force as per Combat Rules with the following Guidelines:

* The Battle Force has the option to withdrawal (unless the Mine Field is cloaked).
* The Combat Potential for the Mine Field is the total Attack Rating of the Mine Field
* Mines Combat Coefficient is determined on a Battle Intensity Rating (BIR) of 1, regardless of the opposing Battle Forces BIR level.
	+ Standard Ion/Gravetic Mine have a Roll of 1 or 2 on the BIR table (Die roll of 1 to 3 = 1, 4 to 6 =2)
	+ Cloaked Ion/Gravetic Mine have a Roll of 1 to 3 on the BIR Table (Die roll of 1 to 2 = 1, 3 to 4 = 2, 5 to 6 = 3)
	+ Self-Replicating Cloaked Ion/Gravetic Mine roll standard 1D6.
* The opposing Battle Force uses it Damage Points to inflict damage against the Mine Field, decreasing its Attack Rating by that level. (example: Battle Force inflict 5 damage points against Mine Field of 25, the Mine Field is reduced to 20.) Note: This does not effect the Self-Replicating Cloaked Mines.
* The Mind Field Rating is also reduced by the number of damage points it inflicted against the Battle Force. (example: Mine Field inflicted 5 points of damage to battle force, the attack rating of the Mine field is dropped by 5 for the next round). Note: This does not effect the Self-Replicating Cloaked Mines.

## Missions

If a Mine Field is detected, instead of attempting to destroy it directly with ships (or in the case of Self-Replicating Cloaked Mines, which can't be destroyed in that method), Governments can deploy hero characters or espionage units on missions to attempt to de-activate/destroy the mine field by other means. (example: Antigraviton pulse to de-active the replication abilities and destroy Self-Replicating Cloaked Mines). The More difficult and size of the mine field, the more difficult the mission(s).

Other Mission options are also possible.

## Cost

* Standard Ion/Gravetic Mine = 1 Economic Point for 2 Points of Attack Rating.
* Cloaked Ion/Gravetic Mine = 1 Economic Point for 1 Point of Attack Rating.
* Self-Replicating Cloaked Ion/Gravetic Mine = 2 Economic Point for 1 point of Attack Rating.

Example: a 20 point Standard Ion/Gravetic Mine Field would cost 10 Economic Points.

Note: Self-Replicating Cloaked Mines must be researched before they are available for deployment.

## Deployment

A Battle Force must deployed to the Hex in which the mine field is to be laid.

It takes one (1) ship of frigate size or larger, one (1) turn to deploy two (2) points of mine field.

(example: Ten (10) Ships can deploy 20 points of mine in one turn, but it would take one (1) ship twenty turns to deploy a Ten turns to deploy a 20 point mine field.

A Tug type vessel can deploy up to five (5) points of mine per turn.

Note: The Entire mine field must be deployed before it can be activated and it can not be added to after it has been activated without it being deactivated for an entire turn before hand (requires Battle Force be deployed to the hex, then one turn to de-activate the field, then additions can be done as per deployment rules). If an opposing Battle Force enters the area before the mine field is activated, the mines do not count as part of the defending units (the mine layer force) nor do they attack the opposing force. If the Opposing forces defeats or forces the withdrawal of the deploying force, the mind field is considered destroyed.