Anyway it make sense: the fighters use all their [energy/fuel/whatever-it-is] to reach the nearby sector and the ones that can dock to resupply are saved, the others (without a mothership to support them) are lost.

My entire group assumed option 1. We read it as +1 if you fulfill the first condition or +2 if you fulfill the second. So a maximum of 3 points for the card.

My guess would be that balance issues are the reason(s) that FFG decided that 4 is max. Like Ron Pearlman said in the intro to the first game: "...Too many humans, not enough space or resources to go around..."

Maybe alternate builds for the hero types that are already there? Such as an Intelligent Super Mutant or a Charismatic Ghoul?

There are four ways to get into a fight in this game:
1-Declare a Fight action
2-Move into a space with an Aggressive enemy
3-Enemy activation through Agenda cards
4-"Draw and Fight" results on encounter cards
 
The Sniper Rifle's special rule only applies to #1

I'm printing it out in a bright orange.  Once I confirm that it works (via printing my own!), I'll post the files to Thingiverse.com for free.  Stay tuned for details.  I hope to have the "body" done before I go to bed tonight with the lid maybe tomorrow.
Glow-in-the-dark green filament would be awesome for this.  I'm debating on priming and painting it to look like a weathered metal canister, with stenciled on pseudo-military looking text.

Hello all...
I have some pretty rudimentary 3D design skills, a 3D printer and probably a little bit of OCD when it comes to board game storage.  I thought it would be cool to have a little case for the hex tiles.  The 3D printer is running right now and should finish in several hours.  Here's hoping I got the measurements right!  The smaller part is a lid.  It's upside down in the picture.

Yeah, but the Empire was the bad guy.  Perhaps that sad Muatt player was trying to liberate the galaxy from the evil Letnev oppressors!

Rules reference 44 "Invasion"
Your guess is right. You need to land ground forces on the planet, skip every battle phase stuff and claim the planet card. 
You control a planet if and as long as you have its planet card in your play area.
On a planet you control you either have a unit or a control marker. 

Well with the release for Fallout THIS WEEK we’ve gotten just a wee bit more info to intensify our excitement!
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2017/11/27/the-power-of-the-atom/

My thoughts exactly. 

My guess would be that balance issues are the reason(s) that FFG decided that 4 is max. Like Ron Pearlman said in the intro to the first game: "...Too many humans, not enough space or resources to go around..."

BigKahuna, it's funny that you think that variant was one of my early ones... it was actually one of my final contributions to the game.  I designed it after years of playing the game a certain way and wanted an option to play a fundamentally different game with the same components/mechanics/flavor once in a while.  If you don't want to play that kind of game, then this variant is not for you, but that does not make it "terrible."  You say it pushes players to focus on engine building... that's precisely why I built it.  And your declaration that it widens the gap between stronger and weaker players... I really think you'd need to play it more than once or twice to see that that is absolutely not the case.  This is partly because of the trophy rule.  The real "secret" of this variant, and one it takes newbies a few games to realize, is that the "spend" objectives a far more powerful than most people realize at first.  Of the many times I played this variant, very often the winner of the game was the "weak" race that sat in the corner, quietly spending resources/influence and making opportunistic point seizures while his big strong neighbors fought tooth and nail with each other for territory.  Remember that the victory point tally is kept secret until one player has enough points to declare victory.
Addressing the criticism about not liking the ship trophy system:  It is a key part of the entire variant, and crucial to its success in my opinion.  It puts a limit on those heavy production war machine races (like L1z1x) who can replace their ships as quickly as they lose them.  This allows races that are weaker militarily to keep the big guys in check.  It also forces you to diversify your empire building somewhat, which makes it easier for a well-rounded empire to win over one that focuses purely on military domination.

Also, the version that most people have access to is not quite exactly my original... I believe whoever distributed that modified it to their taste slightly.  I don't have a problem with that, though.  The rules on BGG are close enough to my original work.  I am gratified that people liked the variant well enough to propagate it.  I can look through my computer and see if I can find my original work, but I don't really think it's necessary.  I believe somebody else entirely added the secret objectives back into the game.  I do not remember having rules for them, as the entire point of the variant was to change the way the game was played on a fundamental level.

The variant is not meant to entirely replace TI4's system for every game, so I would not necessarily recommend it to new players as a variant until they've grown slightly weary of the way it's written.  It is meant to provide a fundamentally different way to play the game.  It is meant to directly reward players who do consistently well at empire building throughout the game, rather than giving victory to whoever can figure out how to get what I used to call a "bubble victory..."  specifically, staying even or behind on points with the rest of the galaxy and then pulling off a 4 or 5-point upset to win all of a sudden.

I have long since abandoned posting my variant rules publicly.  My variants were the result of hours and hours of careful pondering and playtesting.  That work was based on years of experience with the game, and thousands of hours of time spent playing it.  I got tired of defending my design decisions to the hordes of dilettantes who flippantly critiqued my work when they had all of 5 games under their belts, spent all of 5 minutes considering my variant, and never even tried it (or if they did, they played it once).  I happily welcomed questions and constructive criticism from guys who shared my passion and knowledge of the game (like PsiComa and all of the old TI3wiki regulars) but I eventually decided that the "unwashed masses" could f#$@ the **** right off.  I miss the TI3wiki very much... most of it, anyway.

My guess would be that balance issues are the reason(s) that FFG decided that 4 is max. Like Ron Pearlman said in the intro to the first game: "...Too many humans, not enough space or resources to go around..."

Cards are sleeves, rules are read, and the ships are ready to wreak havoc upon the enemy!
Cannot wait to play with the group this weekend! Who else is in the same boat? Hoping that one guy doesn’t bail.
 

It is officially marked as shipping now!!!

Its here!!!
hardcover rulebook, in my hand!
havent has a chance to read it or compare with the stuff that comes with the game yet, but a real quick flip though doesn’t look like it actually has any new material. Just the rulebook, the lore compendium, and the background text from each of the race sheets. 
It could be though that there is new info hidden in those things though. 
 
Edit: does have several pages of designers notes in the beginning. And includes both the learn to play and rules reference books. 

If memory serves, The Vault Dweller (the player character in F1) helps the people of the small village of Shady Sands who between F1 and F2 lays the foundation for the NCR. In F2, The Chosen One (PC in F2) can do a number of side quests to help guide the NCR in slightly different directions.

It's currently flagged as "On The Boat" meaning it's on the way to FFGs warehouse from where distribution to FLGSs will then happen. So I believe it would be semi-safe to assume availability somewhere in early December. FFG would not be a good company if they miss the opportunity to sell such a highly anticipated title before Christmas. All. Those. Stockingstuffings!!!

I would definitivley like to see a Fallout-skinned Descent!

If memory serves, The Vault Dweller (the player character in F1) helps the people of the small village of Shady Sands who between F1 and F2 lays the foundation for the NCR. In F2, The Chosen One (PC in F2) can do a number of side quests to help guide the NCR in slightly different directions.

For who prefer CC and markers in fleet colors instead of race colors I suggest to use colored glass pebbles (like the ones in the image) of the proper dimension. I find them awesome as command counter while I continue to prefer race flags as control markers.

Fallout skinned World of Warcraft TBG.  It would work PERFECTLY.
Different tiers of rewards.  Armor and weapons.  Boss characters that need to be defeated.  Dungeons replaced with vaults.  Packs of enemies roaming the world.  Leveling up your character with skills/perks.  Fists full of dice.  I would go nuts for this.  Seriously, if you ever played WOWTBG, just think about it with Fallout and you can instantly see the potential.
The character building/development in WOWTBG was amazing and deep with lots of cool combos.  The loot system kept things very interesting.  Event decks...I can't wait till my youngest is old enough to play that game.
Coffin Box Fallout The Epic Board Game.  I NEED this.

I was playing at my LGS once and when someone asked how the humans had gotten so many ground troops, someone exclaimed, loud enough to be heard by the entire store "that's what humans do, make babies!"

Well the Caps have always been a staple currency in the Fallout universe so I think it's safe to say that they are two different denominations of coin. Red=1 and Blue=5 is my guess.