From the UK manual
Star Wars Supremacy™ is a grand strategy game in which you take the control of either the Galactic Empire or the Rebel Alliance, managing resources, directing key characters, and assembling fleets from a master Command Centre. This game is set in the familiar Star Wars universe, and takes place shortly after the destruction of the original Death Star at Yavin.
Much of the action in Star Wars Supremacy takes place on a galactic level, you vie for control of systems, and use the resources form the systems you control to build up your forces, including your fleets.
When your fleets encounter those of your opponent over a system, Star Wars Supremacy turns from a grand strategy game to an exciting tactical one. In the tactical portion of the game, you exercise complete control over your fleets in battle, telling your capital ships and fighters which enemy ships to target and which manoeuvres and missions to perform.
To win Star Wars Supremacy, you must coordinate the resources at your command to fulfil the game's specific victory conditions: capturing or destroying your opponent's headquarters and capturing and holding your opponent's two top characters.