Hex Ranger

THE ROLL PLAYING GAME OF FRONTIER SPACE EXPLORATION

by Jim Alcala Sales
INTRODUCTION
This game is is mostly about dice rolling with a nod to playing a
character in a fictional setting.
In Hex Ranger you play a Space Ranger patrolling the frontier of
The Empire. You'll use your ship to destroy aliens and land on
planets to rescue shipwrecked colonists, or even explore
Precursor ruins.
GETTING STARTED
First you need to role up your character. Roll 3 six-sided dice (reroll if your total is 10 or less). Assign each of the results to your
character Stats: Body, Mind & Spirit. This represents your
characters normal state of health and your attribute maximums
(they will go up and down during the game). Give your character
a name.

Hex Ranger is based on

the excellent RPG
Solitaire Challenge: 3
Dice by Greywulf of
Greywulf's Lair blog and
the also excellent
expansion 3 Dice
Dungeon, A Solitaire
Dungeon Crawl Game
created by Brent of The
RPG Doctor blog
Check them out if you
want to see what
inspired this game.

Now you need a ship! Do the same thing as before but assign the results to your ship stats:
Combat, Shields & Engines. Name your ship.
GENERAL RULE
When you arrive at a new hex, roll three dice (it helps if they are different colored). This will
tell you what is there, what you will have to fight, and what reward you'll get once the battle is
over. Sometimes you'll need to determine other options such as how many exits a hex
contains. Always note the initial three rolls. These will become part of your score as you travel
around the galaxy. All of the information on what the die rolls mean comes from the tables
included at the end of these rules.
STARTING HEX
The first hex in a Star Map always contains a Space Station. In addition Re-roll any result of 4
or higher for adversary. The first hex in a Mission Map always contains an Entrance. In
addition re-roll any result of 4 or higher for adversary.

EXPLORING THE STARS

Pick a starting hex on one of the edges. Take a Look at the Star System Table. Roll 3 sixsided dice (3d6), the first die is for Location, the second die indicates Adversary and the third
determines your Reward.
Example: I roll a 3, a 4 and a 1. This results in a Medium System (1-2 Worlds), Aliens and a
Mission. The roll for Adversary, in this case Aliens also equals the Adversaries Strength. I
rolled a 4 to get Aliens so the Aliens have a Strength of 4. This represents how tough they
are.
EXPLORED HEXES
Once a hex has been explored, re-entering the hex or waiting (see Multi-player rules) requires
another Adversary roll but any result of 3 or more results in no Adversary. No other roles are
made when re-entering an already explored hex since you already know what is there and
already collected your reward.
COMBAT
You must defeat any Adversaries (if any) in a hex before you can acquire anything it contains.
To do that, you pick an attribute and roll a die. If you roll equal to or less than the attribute you
damaged your Adversary and its strength drops by one. An easy way to keep track of this is
to leave the Adversary's die on the table. Since you have 3 dice you can roll one for your
attacks, use one for the Adversarie's strength the the last for the Reward. Use the
Adversary's die to keep track of its Strength, turning the die each time it is damaged to the
next lower number.
If you roll greater than the attribute you used to attack, the Adversary has damaged you and
you must decrease the attribute used for the attack by one.
DAMAGE
If you damage an Adversary that has an Attribute of 1 it is defeated!
If an attribute of your Character or Starship is reduced to 0, you must add 1to the result of all
combat rolls. If all three attributes are reduced to 0 you are dead. If your ship is destroyed roll
a die. A result of 1 means you have been rescued. You may roll up a new ship and continue
in any adjacent hex in which your ship was destroyed. Any improvements made to your old
ship are lost including leveling up.
SHIP OR CHARACTER?
You use your ship's attributes when fighting adversaries rolled on the Star System Table and
World Table. You use your character on Missions (all other location tables).

AUTOMATIC SUCCESS AND FAILURE

When attacking, a 1 always hits and a 6 always misses.
REWARDS
Once you defeat an Adversary, you acquire what is listed under Reward. Add the benefits of
your Reward BEFORE you add to your Experience Score.
EXPERIENCE SCORE
Add up the total of all three dice you rolled for the location. Keep a running total of your
experience points. For every 50 experience points you level up and may increase the
maximum of one attribute, and return all your attributes to their maximum values. Keep track
of your character and ship level. There are certain things that can be affected by your levels.
You can still earn experience by defeating adversaries in explored hexes but since you are
only making one new roll and often not having an Adversary to fight there is little to be gained
traipsing over explored ground except to get to the next unexplored hex!
MAPPING THE GALAXY
Once you have cleared a hex (mark it with a dot) you may move to an adjacent hex provided
there are exits to that hex. There are ALWAYS exits to adjacent hexes in space so don't worry
about this when you are in your starship flying around the galaxy. This only applies to Mission
Maps.
In the hex mark down any worlds with circles, and Star Ports and and Space Stations with a
small t or other mark. You can cross worlds off as you finish exploring them. You can return
to Star Ports and Space Stations to gain their rewards (repairs, R&R) for both your character
and your ship. You must still make an Adversary roll as per an explored hex (see below). You
get to choose if you want to try and defeat the Adversary with either your Ship or your
Character.
If there are one or more worlds in a Star Hex they must be explored before the hex is
considered explored. Any adversaries are first defeated using your Starship, then you may
land and start exploring the world if there is a mission involved.
JUMP POINT
If a Star Hex contains a jump point you may jump to any other jump point already on the Star
Hex map once you defeat any adversaries guarding it. When you make the jump, roll for an
Adversary as you would when returning to a previously explored hex when you arrive at the
other jump point.

MISSIONS
Once you have defeated the adversaries in a Star Hex and the ones (if any) guarding the
world you use the Mission Map. This time, start in the middle of the sheet instead of the edge
like you did when first beginning Hex Ranger. You will use your character to explore the
world.
Roll once for your mission objective, and once for the Mission Location.
Once you have your Mission Location, then roll three times on the appropriate Mission
Location Table to get your starting room, Adversary and Reward
A Mission is complete when either you run out of hexes to explore or you attain your mission
objective and make it back to an entrance. Remember, you have to defeat the Adversary, if
any, at the entrance before you leave. Since this is likely a previously explored hex there isn't
likely to be an Adversary and if there is it won't be very strong.
Mission Failure can occur if your character flees a Mission Location before completing it. A
character may not take on another mission until he completes the failed mission. Sometimes
is may be necessary to retreat to a Star Port or Space Station to recover.
WHAT'S THIS 1-3+1?
Sometimes you need to randomly determine the number of worlds in a Star Hex or the
number of exits in a Mission Room hex. For 1-2 roll a die, odds is 1, evens is 2. For 1-3, roll a
die, 1-2 = 1, 3-4=2 and 5-6=3. If you see a "+1" that means determine the random number
and add one to the result.
EXIT
Unlike the Star Map Mission Maps contain rooms and those rooms have a variable number of
exits to them. When you enter a Mission Hex, outline it then after you have determined the
number of exits simply make a mark across the hex border to note an exit into another
adjacent hex. Tunnels and Corridors simply are a line drawn from one side of the hex to
another.
Exits cannot enter into previously explored hexes that do not have an exit on the same
adjacent side. The number of exits includes the one in which you entered. You must try to
place as many exits as the die roll indicates. Ignore excess exits that you cannot place.
THE END?
Keep going till you finish the Star Map. If you do, your character can retire with a fat pension
or take to the stars and begin another blank Star Map. The choice is yours.

STAR SYSTEM TABLE

ROLL

LOCATION

Empty

ADVERSARY

REWARD

Smugglers

Mission (roll for Mission and Location)

Space Station*

Raiders

Salvage (increase 1 attribute by 2 or two

attributes by 1 but only up to their normal
maximum)

Small System
(1-2 -1 worlds)

Pirates

Weapons/Armor Upgrade (increase Combat

Attribute by one up to maximum)

Large System
(1-2 worlds)

Aliens

Tech Upgrade (increase shields by one up to

maximum)

Nebula
(1-3 worlds)

Bounty Hunter

Emergency Power (Add 3 to one attribute one

use only 1-2 Combat, 3-4 Shields, 5-6 Engines)

Jump Point
(1-3 +1 worlds)

None

None

* Space Station (increase one attribute by 1 up to max each turn, check for Adversaries as per Explored Hex
rule)
WORLD TABLE
ROLL

LOCATION

Desolate

ADVERSARY

REWARD

Smugglers

Mission (roll for Mission and Location)

Water

Raiders

Star Port (increase 1 attribute by 2 or two

attributes by 1 but only up to their normal
maximum.

Jungle

Aliens

Mission

Ice

Rogue Navy

Mission

Volcanic

Orbital Defenses Space Station (increase 1 attribute up to

maximum)

Garden

None

None

MISSION TABLE
ROLL

OBJECTIVE

Place Bomb

Rescue

Find

Discover

Exterminate!*

Special**

MISSION SUBTABLE
LOCATION

RESCUE

FIND

DISCOVER

Abandoned Mining Facility

Colonists Data

Plague Cure

Alien Hive

Workers

The List

Key to Time

Derelict Ship

Civilians

Codes

Power Source

Infected Colony/Research
Facility

Alien
Dignitary

The
Doctor

New
Dimension

Pirate Base

Senator

Survivors Coordinates

Precursor Ruins

Pilot

Formula

Hidden Base

*Exterminate! (can't leave location until all exits are cleared)

**Special (Roll for Location twice, use the Adversaries of the second roll in the location of the first, Mission is
Exterminate!)

ABANDONED MINING FACILITY

ROLL
1

ROOM

ADVERSARY

Corridor (straight or curved) Stuck Bulkhead

REWARD
Mission Objective

Small Room (1-2 exits)

Mining Droids

MedPac (increase 1 attribute by 2 or two

attributes by 1 up to their maximum).

Large Room (1-3 exits)

Smugglers

Weapon Upgrade (increase Combat by one up

to maximum)

Lab (1-3 exits)

Alien Monster

Hard Choice (increase Spirit by one up to

maximum)

Courtyard (1-3 +1 exits)

Rogue AI

StimPac (Increase Spirit by 3 one use only)

Entrance (1-6 exits)

None

None
ALIEN HIVE

ROLL
1

ROOM

ADVERSARY

Membrane Tunnel (straight Workers

or curved)

REWARD
Mission Objective

Small Room (1-2 exits)

Mutant Colonists Gell pod (increase 1 attribute by 2 or two

attributes by 1 up to their maximum).

Large Room (1-3 exits)

Soldiers

Feeding Room (1-3 +1 exits) Merged

Colonists

Glowing Spores (increase Mind by one up to

maximum)
Strange Smells (increase Spirit by one up to
maximum)

Hatchery (1-6 exits)

Queen

Yellow Gland (Increase Body by 3 one use

only)

Entrance (1-6 exits)

None

None

DERELICT SHIP
ROLL
1

ROOM

ADVERSARY

Corridor (straight or curved) Stuck Bulkhead

REWARD
Mission Objective

Small Room (1-2 exits)

Plasma Leak

Med Station (increase 1 attribute by 2 or two

attributes by 1 up to their maximum).

Large Room (1-3 exits)

Ionized Conduits Weapon Locker (increase Body by one up to

maximum)

Control Room (1-3 exits)

Axillary Engine Room (1-3

exits)

Entrance (1-6 exits)

Hull Breach

Data Retrieval (increase Mind by one up to

maximum)

Core Overload

StimPac (Increase Spirit by 3 one use only)

None

None

INFECTED COLONY/RESEARCH FACILITY

ROLL
1

ROOM

ADVERSARY

Corridor (straight or curved) Infected

REWARD
Mission Objective

Small Room (1-2 exits)

Zombies

MedPac (increase 1 attribute by 2 or two

attributes by 1 up to their maximum).

Large Room (1-3 exits)

Mutant Zombies

Weapon Upgrade (increase Body by one up to

maximum)

Lab (1-3 exits)

Courtyard (1-3 +1 exits)

Entrance (1-6 exits)

Infected Marines Hard Choice (increase Mind by one up to

maximum)
Abomination

StimPac (Increase Spirit by 3 one use only)

None

None

PIRATE BASE
ROLL
1

ROOM

ADVERSARY

Corridor (straight or curved) Crude Trap

REWARD
Mission Objective

Small Room (1-2 exits)

Rookie Pirate

Hack Doctor (increase 1 attribute by 2 or two

attributes by 1 up to their maximum).

Large Room (1-3 exits)

Pirate

Stolen Military Hardware (increase Body by

one up to maximum)

Vault (1-3 exits)

Veteran
Cutthroat

Tactics (increase Mind by one up to maximum)

Great Hall (1-3 +1 exits)

Cyborg Captain

I Am The Law (Increase Spirit by 3 one use

only)

Entrance (1-6 exits)

None

None

PRECURSOR RUINS
ROLL
1

ROOM

ADVERSARY

Corridor (straight or curved) Collapsed hallway

(Strength 2)

REWARD
Ghostly Whispers (Increase any one
Attribute by one Permanently).

Small Room (1-2 exit)

Defense Gun
(Strength 3)

Nanomeds (increase 1 attribute by 2 or

two attributes by 1 up to their maximum).

Large Room (1-2 exits)

Robot (Strength 4)

Armor Upgrade (increase Body by one

permanently)

Vault (1-2 exits)

Warbot (Strength 5)

Secrets of the Ancients (increase Mind by

one permanently)

Temple (1-3 exits)

Death Machine
(Strength 6)

Strange Energy (Increase Spirit by one

permanently)

Entrance (1-3 exits)

Ancient AI (Strength 7) Anomalous Signal

Anomalous Signal: When in a Vault can be used to find a Powerful Ancient Artifact. There is
only one Anomalous Signal per Precursor Ruin.
Temple Teleport: From a Temple you can teleport to any other Temple or Entrance on the
map. You must first defeat any adversaries guarding the temple and then roll for adversaries
upon destination but remember that it is already explored so results of 3 or higher means
there is no Adversary.
POWERFUL ANCIENT ARTIFACT
ROLL

ARTIFACT

ADVERSARY

Strange Aura

Glowing Crystal

Mind increased by 3 for one roll per mission

Anti-grav Belt

Body increased by 3 for one roll per mission

Wrist Teleport Device

After clearing a room, teleport to any other explore room once per
mission.

Stunner

Cause one Adversary of current Strength 4 or less to be stunned.

You automatically win the fight but do not gain Experience for the
Adversary.

Personal Shield Pod

Re-roll one roll per mission.

Ignore one hit against you once per mission.

EXPLORING PRECURSOR RUINS

These ruins house great treasures. It is not uncommon for a Space Ranger to explore every
single room the ruin has to offer trying to find one of these Ancient Artifacts. Sometimes
several trips are spent traveling between the nearest Space Station and the ruin.
Precursor Ruins are the only Mission type that the Space Ranger can abandon and still take
on other missions. Be warned however, Precursor Ruins have a habit of disappearing. When
a Space Ranger returns to such a ruin, roll a die. One a 5-6 the ruin has vanished never to be
seen again.

Multi-player
Players can explore separately or together on the same Star Hex map. When exploring
separately they are all contributing to the same map. Thus a hex explored by one is
considered explored by all. Jump points, Star Ports and Space Stations are like-wise shared.
Experience and rewards are gained independently.
When players explore the same hex on the Star Map or Mission Map together, things are only
slightly different. Each player has their own ship and character. In each hex have each player
roll for Adversary. The highest Adversary roll determines the type. Total all the Adversary dice
rolls to determine it's Strength. Experience Score is totaled as normal and each player
receives the total amount. Rewards however can only go to one player.
A useful tactic is several players will each take turns exploring the Star Hex map. When one
of them finds a Mission they can wait in that hex each turn until the others arrive. Of course,
they must also roll for an Adversary but treat it as an Explored Hex.

Star Map
Legend
+
SPACE
STATION
O
WORLD
O
EXPLORED
WORLD
O
WORLD WITH
STAR PORT

.
EXPLORED
HEX
(put dot in
center)

NEBULA

*
JUMP POINT

Mission Maps
World:
Mission:
Location:

World:
Mission:
Location:

World:
Mission:
Location:

Record Sheets
Character
NAME:

LEVEL:

Starship
NAME:

LEVEL:

BODY:

COMBAT:

MIND:

SHIELDS:

SPIRIT:

ENGINES:

SPECIAL GEAR

UPGRADES

Character
NAME:

LEVEL:

Starship
NAME:

BODY:

COMBAT:

MIND:

SHIELDS:

SPIRIT:

ENGINES:

SPECIAL GEAR

UPGRADES

LEVEL:

Hex Ranger Worksheet

STATS TRACKER
B
M
S
C
S
E
CHARACTER
DICE ROLLS

EXPERIENCE

STARSHIP
DICE ROLLS

EXPERIENCE