When many things are happening at once, the order in which these events are resolved becomes very important. When a player plays a card or an ability, it is placed on the pile (figuratively speaking) and awaits to be resolved. That player may then add any amount of news or abilities on the pile before passing the initiative to the next player.
Then that player can add news cards or abilities on the pile, or pass. The initiative moves around the table clockwise until all players have passed consecutively. The pile is then resolved from top to bottom.
If an effect removes (destroys) another effect lower in the pile, then that effect is immediately removed and will not be resolved.
The following is placed on the pile: cards, abilities and outer regions that are played, starbases that are upgraded, and damage that is dealt.
Example 'Pile' & Player Initiative
Elysha has only a single Executioner (ship) in Metropolis (outer region). Ian tries to reduce her income by attacking the region with his Slasher (ship), hoping that Elysha will either withdraw her ship, or that the ships will destroy each other, thus leaving the region uncontrolled.
Elysha does not withdraw. They both order their ships to target the opposing ship during the target step and move on to the damage dealing step.
Now the damage goes on the pile (3 to the Executioner and 2 to the Slasher), Since Ian is the attacker, he gets a chance to add something to the pile. He adds nothing and passes the initiative to Elysha. She adds a Stubborn Mechanic (news) to the pile, which targets her Executioner.
The initiative then passes back to Ian, who adds nothing to the pile. Elysha adds nothing either, so resolution of the pile begins.
Important: You cannot add new effects to a pile while it is being resolved.
Sacrifice
You may only sacrifice a card that is in play and is controlled by you, and only when a card or an ability permits you to do so. A sacrificed card goes to the owner’s scrapheap, as if it has been destroyed. If an ability tells you to sacrifice a card, you choose which card to sacrifice unless stated otherwise.
Target
If the word ‘target’ appears in an ability or on a news card, it can only be played if it has a legal target. The legal target is defined on the appropriate card.
When choosing targets for your ships during the targeting step in a battle phase, the only legal targets are enemy ships in the same region. If your ship’s ability requires a target, that target is not to be confused with the target that the ship deals its damage to.
