A Cosmic Rift is a temporary tear in the fabric of space that allows units to move between different areas of space (and possibly time).

(IP4.11) Cosmic Rifts cannot be damaged, destroyed, tractored, displaced, placed into stasis, or otherwise affected except as in these rules.

(IP4.12) Cosmic Rifts do not affect previously laid webs. Web cannot be laid or cast within 50 hexes of an existing Cosmic Rift.

(IP4.13) Cosmic Rifts do not affect planets, terrain or mines.

(IP4.14) Units can be tractored into a Cosmic Rift hex and will be transferred on entering the hex, but tractor beams cannot be maintained through or on exiting a Cosmic Rift. Units displaced into a Cosmic Rift hex are transferred by the rift.

(IP4.15) Cosmic Rifts break lock-ons. No unit or weapon may fire through a Cosmic Rift. Type-III drones and seeking weapons on ballistic courses, which do not have or require lock-on can move through a Cosmic Rift without effect.

(IP4.16) Units entering a Cosmic Rift hex during it’s existence are displaced to the destination scenario.

(IP4.17) Cosmic Rifts do not move after they form.

(IP4.18) Cosmic Rifts are used in campaigns or to generate scenarios. Destination scenarios are not controllable.

(IP4.21) A Cosmic Rift may occur in any scenario. Each player rolls 4 dice at the beginning of each turn.

(IP4.22) If a player rolls a 4 or 24 a Cosmic Rift forms that turn; if more than one player rolls a 4 or 24 no Cosmic Rift forms.

(IP4.23) If (IP4.22) generates a Cosmic Rift the player who generated it rolls to determine the various aspects of the rift.

(IP4.231) The player who generates the Cosmic Rift rolls 3 dice and totals the results. The Cosmic Rift forms that number of impulses from the present impulse.

(IP4.232) On the impulse the Cosmic Rift forms the player who generated the Cosmic Rift rolls a die to determine the direction of the Cosmic Rift hex from his largest unit (by SC, BPV, MC, TM, then warp energy) and rolls 3 dice to determine range.

(IP4.233) If (IP4.232) places the Cosmic Rift within 50 hexes of point terrain (star, planet, moon, blackhole, etc.) no Cosmic Rift forms.

(IP4.24) Any unit entering the hex of a Cosmic Rift is immediately displaced by that Cosmic Rift.

(IP4.25) Cosmic Rifts only exist for a short time. The player who generated the Cosmic Rift rolls six dice. The total multiplied by 32 is the number of impulses the Cosmic Rift will exist (from the impulse it was created). This die roll is not secret.

(IP4.26) Each time units displace (IP4.24) in either direction reduce the number of impulses of existence (IP4.25) by the total (one hex) movement cost (round fractions up) of those units.

(IP4.27) If units enter a Cosmic Rift and doesn’t return during its existence they are trapped in the generated (exit) scenario.

(IP4.28) Units within tactical intelligence level E can detect a Cosmic Rift.

(IP4.29) No Cosmic Rift can be generated within 300 hexes of a previous Cosmic Rift in any 300-turn period.

(IP4.31) A Cosmic Rift has some of the same effects as exiting the WYN Radiation Zone (P7.0) on all units (including bases) within 150 hexes in both scenarios. The effect is applied to each unit from the point it enters a range of 150 hexes or when the Cosmic Rift forms (if a unit is within 150 hexes) as follows:

(IP4.311) The effects of the Cosmic Rift vary for each unit each turn. Negative results are considered turn 1.

(IP4.312) WARP ENGINE POWER: Roll two dice for each unit each turn and subtract the result from the number of turns since the formation of the Cosmic Rift. Use (P7.1) to determine the effect of the Cosmic Rift on that unit’s warp engines for that turn.

(IP4.313) SENSOR RATING: Roll two dice for each unit each turn and subtract the result from the number of turns since the formation of the Cosmic Rift. Use the (P7.2) chart to determine the effect of the Cosmic Rift on that unit’s sensors for that turn.

(IP4.314) If seeking weapons have been launched by a unit it can maintain guidance for those seeking weapons even if it has lost lock-on for that turn. It cannot launch more if it has lost lock-on; Ignore (P7.22).

(IP4.315) Roll one die for EACH unit for EACH effect [(IP4.312) and (IP4.313)].

(IP4.316) The impulse reductions for units entering of exiting the Cosmic Rift do not count against these calculations.

(IP4.32) Exiting units are placed in the Cosmic Rift hex in the destination scenario as indicated by (IP4.415).

(IP4.33) Exiting units have the same speed and facing in relation to the Cosmic Rift in the destination scenario as they had on entering the Cosmic Rift in the originating scenario.

(IP4.34) The destination scenario begins on the turn the Cosmic Rift forms.

(IP4.35) Units exit a Cosmic Rift with the same speed and facing (relative to the exit Cosmic Rift) as they had on entering the Cosmic Rift.

(IP4.36) Turn mode and sideslip mode are reset (C3.45) on units exiting a Cosmic Rift.

(IP4.37) Positron Flywheels are reset on units exiting a Cosmic Rift (C9.23).

(IP4.38) Exiting a Cosmic Rift exposes a cloaked unit on the exit impulse.

(IP4.41) CHARTS

(IP4.411) Use the Annex IP-2 destination scenario charts.

(IP4.412) The first unit to enter the Cosmic Rift rolls 2 dice to determine which destination chart to use and another 2 dice to determine the scenario to use. All units entering a Cosmic Rift use the same destination scenario even if entering on different impulses or turns.

(IP4.413) ROLL is the destination scenario die roll result.

(IP4.414) SCENARIO is the destination scenario.

(IP4.415) PORT is the Cosmic Rift’s location in the destination scenario.

(IP4.416) DEFEND is the location of the defending player’s main unit or his starting hex.

(IP4.417) NOTES are any changes or other information required to set up the scenario.

(IP4.42) SETUP

(IP4.421) The Cosmic Rift is located in the hex indicated as PORT in the destination scenario.

(IP4.422) Use a floating map for all scenarios.

(IP4.423) Units leaving the map where a Cosmic Rift is located must keep track of their location relative to the Cosmic Rift in order to be able to return to the originating scenario.

(IP4.43) ATTACKING FORCE

(IP4.431) Units exiting a Cosmic Rift are the attacking forces.

(IP4.432) Attacking units enter the destination scenario on the impulse that they entered the Cosmic Rift.

(IP4.433) Attacking units enter the destination scenario with the weapon loading, weapon status, and other allotments they had on entering the Cosmic rift. Nothing is lost or gained by units exiting a Cosmic Rift.

(IP4.434) Items expended by attacking units prior to entering the Cosmic Rift (drones, shuttles, mines, PFs not on mech-links, etc.) are considered expended in the destination scenario.

(IP4.435) The attacking player has only the units that enter the Cosmic Rift while it is open.

(IP4.436) Reinforcements may be available for the attacking player if more of his units enter the Rift on later impulses.

(IP4.437) The attacking force may only disengage by escaping back through the Cosmic Rift.

(IP4.44) DEFENDING FORCE

(IP4.441) The defending player has the units and uses the rules called for by the destination scenario.

(IP4.442) Defending player units start in the hex or hexes specified by (IP4.416) and may move in the destination scenario after a Cosmic Rift is formed even if no attacking units have arrived.

(IP4.443) If the location of a defending player base, planet, or other immobile or specific unit are moved in the destination scenario all other defending player units maintain their orientation to this object or unit.

(IP4.444) If the destination scenario does not specify a defending race create a chart and roll to select a defending race.

(IP4.445) Players must set up a chart of defending races by agreement and/or die roll to determine the defending race.

(IP4.446) Defending player units may enter the Cosmic Rift from their scenario and are then considered the Attacking Force in the original scenario and are under the same (IP4.43) limitations.

(IP4.45) ESCAPE

(IP4.451) Units may escape by reentering the Cosmic Rift.

(IP4.452) Any unit failing to return to it’s originating scenario during the Cosmic Rift’s existence is considered destroyed (it will be caught sooner or later). In a campaign it may attempt to elude other forces and explore the area.

(IP4.51) A Cosmic Storm is a Cosmic Rift that forms in an Ion Storm (P14.0). They are very rare and can transfer entire systems/planets, etc. to the Cosmic Rifts destination. This may be how the system of Aurora was transferred to the Omega Sector.

(IP4.52) Within a Cosmic Storm ignore (IP4.12) and (IP4.13). Everything within the Ion Storm (units, terrain, planets, mines, web and other normally stable terrain) is transferred to the Cosmic Rifts destination.

(IP4.53) Due to the confusion of being transferred it takes 16 turns for transferred units to realize they have been transferred.

(IP4.54) Both the Ion Storm and the Cosmic Rift dissipate immediately after the transfer takes place.

(IP4.61) Players can set up their own destination scenario charts.

(IP4.62) Players may change the number of dice to roll in any of the above calculations [(IP4.22), (IP4.23), (IP4.3) including (IP4.312) and (IP4.313)] to vary generated scenarios.

(IP4.63) Players may set up a chart of destination races to vary the destination scenario or a chart of destination scenarios for each possible destination race (or vice-verse).

(IP4.64) Use X-ships, Early Years, or sublight units for either the attacking or defending race.

(IP4.65) CAMPAIGNS: In a campaign a cosmic rift often forms in the same hex on a regular basis (once every 2-200 years?). The die rolls for each calculation is varied for each calculation (IP4.62). The effects start when a unit enters an area within 150 hexes of the Cosmic Rift; this is that unit’s first turn for all calculations.