The Blinker EMP Drone is a special unit. It has no direct combat weapons but has a payload that is capable of rendering many units inoperative very easily. As such, the unit has a number of special rules, and these are described below. It should be noted that while the Blinker is an automated unit, it is not effected by loss of a controller or normal autmation rules. Indeed, it is highly unlikely that a controller would be anywhere in the vicinity of a Blinker going off! Movement: The Blinker has a special movement. While it is treated as a ground unit in that a counter for the Blinker must be positioned on the map, the device actually flies above the ground and terrain. As such, it only pays 1 movement point per hex travelled, regardless of terrain. There is no terrain that it cannot travel in. Course: Before the game begins, the Blinker must have a target nominated for it. This must be a hex, not an individual unit. The Blinker will then travel towards this target as much as it is able. The Blinker is allowed to make manoeuvres and thus not travel directly towards the target, but it is not allowed to double back on itself and must always move more hexes towards the target than it does moving in any other direction each turn. During the game, the target of a Blinker is not allowed to be changed. Combat: The Blinker itself doesn't have any combat abilities other than it's fairly lethal EMP device. However, it is suspectable to being shot down by other units. Ground units may shoot at the Blinker just as if they were shooting at a ground attack aircraft, although they suffer a -3 to-hit modifer (instead of the normal -2) to account for the smaller size of the Blinker. Ground attack aircraft may also shoot at the Blinker, but if so, this counts as their ground attack action and they may not attempt other ground attack missions this turn. Treat this attack as if the aircraft was attacking a ground target, and not as a dogfight. The ground attack aircraft does also recieve the -2 modifier to hit though. This represents the Blinkers limited evasion software. Other units (such as high flying aircraft) may not engage the Blinker in combat. Activation: When the Blinker is over the target hex, it immediately detonates. The Blinker is a large scale EMP device, this means that it's effects will take a lot of the board with it. This is good as hopefully a lot of enemy troops will be caught within the blast, but bad as the Blinker - like all EMP weapons - cannot differeniate between friendly and enemy troops and this all units within the blast radius will be effected equally. Within 12 hexes (including the target hex), all units are destroyed, their electronics shorted out completely. In the 12-25 hex band, all units are disabled (Move and Armament) for five turns. And at 25-40 hexes, units take a strength 12 attack, damage lasts 3 turns. This applies to ground units and aircraft on ground attack missions. Any aircraft which is disabled or has it's electronics fried will crash and be destroyed. Note that if used on the Moon/Mars, infantry units are killed by any successful attack when their life support goes off line. Vehicles able to carry the Blinker: Any airborne SDR unit able to carry extra weapon counters may have 1 blinker attached to their aircraft in place of one weapon counter. Only one blinker may be carried per aircraft.