Star Wars: Epic Duels on Vassal
The most important thing to remember when playing games on VASSAL is that
nothing is automated. From the rules of the game to interacting with the pieces,
VASSAL is nothing more than a place to play, like your table at home. Every
aspect of gameplay must be initiated and enforced by the players.
Contents
Note: This guide is Windows-centric. When this guide says
to right-click, Mac users need to Option.
To start a new game, select New Game from the file menu. You will be prompted
to choose a player number and a map.
To load a previously saved game, select Load Game from the file menu. You
will be prompted to find the file you wish to load.
To join a game on the internet, see Server
Control Window, below.
Game Setup
- Once the map loads, you will see a wooden table background, surrounded
by 12 empty decks, representing the four player deck positions and their
discard piles.
- Now click on the
button.
You will see the original 12 decks and a Random Deck; either draw
a card from the Random Deck (be sure to right-click and shuffle first) or
just pick a deck. Choose one and
right-click it and choose Send to Game Table.
- Go to the main window, and right-click the deck that you just sent to the
table - this deck is in the Player 1 position. Right-click that deck and
select Send to Player 2's deck. Continue sending this deck around the board
until
it has reached the proper position. Be sure to shuffle you deck a few times
before beginning.
- Note: For most games it
does not matter if you are logged into the game as Player 1, but you
are using Player 4's deck
- these designations are simply for clarification in complex six player
tournaments. You can use any draw pile or player hand as your own, no matter
which player
you are logged in as.
- Remember: It is easiest for game play to proceed in
a clockwise order around the map, so take note of the order
in which you send decks to the table.
- Press the
button.
Choose your character's name from the list, then click-and-drag the image
to the game table. Repeat for your minor character(s).
Gameplay Tips
- Shuffle the decks before beginning.
- You can draw cards from the deck by click-and-dragging the top card to
your hand window. Cards you draw from your deck are immediately visible to
you,
but not to any other player. To make a card visible to all players, right-click
the card and choose Flip Card. Use the hand windows to organize your cards,
but drag cards to the table to play them.
- Try not to manipulate your opponent's game pieces.
Buttons
The
Step Forward button: Step forward through log file (see Logfiles
below).
The
Connect button: Show/Hide
the server control window. See Server Control Window, below.
The
Figures button:Show/Hide figures window
The
Die - Click on this button to roll the die; the die's face will change according
to the roll.
Player
1's hand; for player 1 to keep his or her cards organized.
Player
2's hand; for player 2 to keep his her cards organized.
Note: The player hands can be used by any player to organize his or her cards
- you do not need to have the window that corresponds to the player number
you chose when you started/joined the game.
The
Decks button: Show/Hide ED Decks window.
Server Control Window

- Press this button to connect to the VASSAL server.
- Press this button to disconnect from the VASSAL server.
- Press this button to indicate you are looking for a game.
- Press this button to indicate you are not at the computer.
- Press this button to retrieve messages from the server.
- Press this button to send a message to the server.
- Press this button to find out who is using the VASSAL server on other games.
- This window indicates which rooms are active for this game. To join a room,
right-click the room's name and select Join Room. To create a new room, enter
a room name in the New Game field and hit enter.
- This window indicates which room you are in, and which users are also in
this room. This is the window you use to join a game already in in progress.
Right-click a user's name and choose Synchronize - if that player has a game
made, you will be prompted to choose a player side.
Logging a Game
Keep a logfile of you game in case there are rules disputes or if you are
part of the EDOL.
To start a logfile, select Begin Logfile from the File menu. Choose a save
location and filename. It is best name the file something memorable, like the
player's names and the date.
When the game ends (or a rule dispute halts the game)
end the logfile. To end
a logfile, select End Logfile fromt he File menu. You may now rename
that file to include the characters and map used, for greater specification.