While most of the battles in the Gothic War took place within star systems, some small raiding forces found that nebulas containing thick enough dust to fog sensors and obscure vision were perfect places to lose pursuing fleets - or perhaps to ambush them.
Agree on a points value total for the battle. The attacker may spend the full amount on his fleet. The defender (i.e. the raider) may take half the amount, plus 1d3 guided mines (see "special rules" below).
The battle takes place inside a dust nebula, which causes the entire table to count as being in a dust cloud. In addition to the normal rules for dust clouds from the "tabletop fetures" apply the special visibility rules detailed below.
Within the nebula there may be lumps of more dense matter - protoplanets forming, the kernel of stars-to-be, trapped dead planets. Use the "Outer Reaches" terrain generator, ignoring gas/dust cloud results.
The defender takes twice as many contact markers as he has squadrons and/or single ships. Each ship/squadron, as well as the mines, is secretly assigned to one of those markers. The remainder are unassigned, and used as "dummies" to trick the attacker.
Determine a random table edge for the attacker to enter from. The defender then deploys all his markers anywhere not within 30 cm of that edge.
The attacker takes first turn, entering through the designated table edge.
Low visibility:
The density of the dust and the low visibility reduces the range on lances and gun batteries to 20cm, and the nova cannon cannot be fired at all.
The speed of all ordnance is reduced by 10 cm, in addition to the normal 1 in 6 chance each turn of a spontaneous detonation, destruction, or plainly getting dispersed and lost.
Rerolls may not be used on ships more than 20 cm from the fleet commander's ship.
Hidden Movement:
In order to represent the defender setting the trap is in an area he is familiar with, his contact markers stays hidden. His markers are not revealed until they are within 20 cm of one of the attacker's ships or attack craft, or when a torpedo salvoe strikes the marker. If the revealed marker represent a ship squadron, one ship of the squadron replaces the marker, and the others are set up within formation distance, facing in the same direction. They may not be set up within 20 cm of any of the attackers ships/attack craft, including the revealing one.
The defender may move his markers in any way the ship(s) represented by it may. Of course he may choose to move/turn at a less-than-maximum rate, in order to make some markers seem to be heavier ships than they really are.
The dummy markers may be moved and turned in any way the defender sees fit. Of course, the attacker may start to suspect that there is something fishy about them if they suddenly starts moving 90 cm/turn...
Once revealed, a ship stays revealed for the rest of the game.
Guided Mines:
The heavy-armoured mines used within a dust nebula do not reduce their speed, and do not have the 1-in-6 chance of detonating from the dust that normal ordnance have.
In addition, they can be moved 10 cm and "turned" in any manner the defender sees fit, until they are revealed. Once revealed, they pursue the closest ship in the standard manner.
Special Orders:
A non-revealed ship is concentrating on sneaking up on the enemy, and may not go on special orders. The defender may voluntarily reveal ships at the start of his turn in order to make them be eligible for special orders.
Game Length:
The game continues until one fleet disengages or is destroyed.
Victory Conditions:
Standard victory points are earned, and the fleet with the highest total wins.