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When an upgrade card reads "At the Start of Ship Phase..." does that the player can use the upgrade ability before ANY ships activate?

Thanks.

Yep.

That's what I figured. Learning the game but loving it too.

Though be careful with it. Some cards, such as the fleet command upgrades, have a 2 part timing. They require you to spend the token/discard the card before the ship phase. But their effects don't take place until later in the round. For example:

Shields to Maximum! charges a shield on a friendly ship after it activates but before it reveals a command.

Entrapment Formation! changes a ship's speed during the Determine Course step.

All Fighters Follow Me! works when a ship uses a squadron command.

These three all work on every ship in your fleet for the entire round that you used the upgrade, regardless of whether or not the Pelta is still on the battlefield when you come to use the ability.

I'll see if I can find some others.

In fact, I was looking at the Shields to Maximum - so shield doesn't show up until activation - which means if the Rebel player doesn't go first, he doesn't get the shield until the after the Imperial activates at least one ship.

Spot on!

And, of course, gets 1 shield on each of his other ships as the turn progresses.

Thanks again