battle – affiliation restrictions –
Most affiliations have restrictions on whom they may attack. Normally, an affiliation may attack any affiliation other than their own. There are exceptions:
- Klingon, Kazon, Non-Aligned, and Neutral forces may also attack their own affiliations.
- Federation forces cannot attack any affiliation (except Borg).
- Borg forces may not initiate battle except when allowed or required by a card. When allowed to initiate battle, they may attack any affiliation including opposing Borg.
A mixed force is subject to all the attack restrictions of its members. For example, a mixed Away Team of Federation and Non-Aligned personnel, or a Federation crew aboard a Non-Aligned ship, is a Federation force, and may not initiate a battle (except against Borg). A Romulan crew aboard a Non-Aligned ship is a Romulan force, and may not be attacked by other Romulans. (The Borg Ship dilemma and Rogue Borg interrupts are always able to initiate battle.) Aboard a Nor you control, your affiliation battle restrictions are determined by all your personnel aboard who are compatible with the station’s affiliation.
If a card allows you to attack a specific affiliation, then you may attack any forces that include that affiliation, even if other cards are working with them. For example, Admiral Leyton allows you to attack a Dominion/Cardassian force. When a card, such as Emblem of the Empire, removes affiliation attack restrictions from a group of cards, they may attack any affiliation, including their own. If cards from that group mix with other cards whose affiliation attack restrictions have not been removed, the entire force is subject to the restrictions of the second group. A card that allows a specific attack (e.g., Captain Kirk may initiate battle against non-Federation Affiliation) does not remove affiliation attack restrictions.