Volatile Deposits

The standard obstacles are modified. During setup, Before placing obstacles, add 2 dust fields, and remove the station.

The special rule: While a ship is attacking a ship, if the ship defending is at distance 1 of an obstacle or obstacles, the attacker may choose 1 obstacle and resolve the following critical effect, if able.
If the attack pool contains at least 1 blue die with the critical icon showing, then in the “Resolve Damage” step, they can resolve the following critical effect. Each ship or squadron that is at distance 1 of the chosen obstacle, suffers damage equal to half the total number of critical icons in the attack pool, rounded up. (So if the attack pool contains 3 die with critical icons, the damage half, rounded up. Is 2.)
As a note, if the defending ship is owned by the first player, the attacker (2nd player) can resolve this critical effect with any color of die critical icon. Not just the blue die critical icon.

At End of the round.
For each asteroid field, whichever player has the highest command value of ships at distance 1 of an asteroid field gains 1 victory token worth 15 points.
Example,
Player A has 2 ships at distance 1 of an asteroid field
Player B has 1 ship also at distance 1 of the same asteroid field,
Each Player A ship has a command value of 1, for a total of 2.
And Player B’s ship has a command value of 3, for a total of 3.
Player B’s ship would gain a victory token.

This damage inflicted by the objective is NOT an attack, it is a card effect. This damage CANNOT be reduced or canceled by defense tokens, nor any card effects that involve moving or reducing damage can be utilized (unless they are effects not used in the term “attack” or otherwise stated).
If this damage is directed on a ship, this damage is suffered on one chosen hull zone chosen by the defender similar to the Debris Obstacle.

Volatile Deposits cannot be resolved if the ship attacking has the faceup damage card Targeter Disruption.

Volatile Deposits special rule cannot choose a Proximity Mine Token to suffer damage, as it is a “Token”. Not a ship or squadron.

A defending ship that spends a contain defense token and also has Damage Control Officer equipped (and not discarded) will prevent any critical effects from resolving.

A defending ship that has Commander Gherant equipped (and not discarded), the attacker cannot resolve any critical effects.