Concept

Clearing UnNav space is a time consuming process with some "gotcha" situations for a player that may result in things not occurring as intended. This document tries to spell things out, cover the typical cases, and hint at edge cases that could happen (but rarely do by accident).

Prerequisites

An SR (SR, SRX, or an X2 type that can operate as an SR).
All ships in the SQ are able to operate in unsurveyed space, which generally means no "war" hulls (CW, HDW, DW, etc.).

Example SQ: F01A- DNG, GSC, assorted other ships (surveying with a single ship may not be a good idea, so the UFP is sending a SQ with a DNG, GSC, and assorted other ships); starts in hex W13 (UnNav hex is W15).

Turn by Turn Process and Example

Turn 0- you move to a hex adjacent to an UnNav hex (some campaigns may allow ships with Harmonic Shields to skip the "stop adjacent to UnNav space" requirement). Other than the adjacency requirement, there are no additional movement limits.

Example- F01A is ordered to move from W13 to W14 (it may move additional hexes as long as it ended up adjacent to W15).

Turn 1- your SQ enters the UnNav space hex ("Move: 1+2RX", "Move: 3" with a strategic stop after the move into the red, and similar movement orders). Note that entering UnNav space can only be done as the SQ's first move of the turn. Note too that the SQ turning the hex into unsurveyed space (T3.0) via (T5.60) must have an SR, (vs. surveying unsurveyed space, which, per (T3.10), can be surveyed via an SR or SC). The SQ may search this turn, including using RXes for search bonuses.

Sample orders for F01A:
Move: 1+2RX
Seq: W14-W15
Orders: Enter W15 and begin preparations for surveying ("anti-red"). Use the RX for (whatever).
At the end of the turn, the SQ would be noted in your turn report as:
F01A- DNG, GSC, assorted other ships W15 (1)
The "(1)" shows that it is out of supply with one turn of supplies expended. The GM will also often note "Anti Red started" after the supply ticker status.

Turn 2- the SQ must spend the entire turn in the hex (but can use its 3 moves for RX). The SQ cannot search this turn, and the RXes cannot be used to modify searches.

Sample orders:
Move: 3RX
Orders: Use the RX for (whatever). Begin surveying hex ("anti-red").

At the end of the turn, the SQ would be noted as this:
F01A- DNG, GSC, assorted other ships W15 (2) Anti Red will be completed on segment 1 this turn.
Note that the supply ticker has advanced to (2). The RX may not be used for searching bonuses, but may be used for other things RXes are assigned to (AM, BN, etc.).

Turn -3 the SQ may perform any actions it wishes this turn (including searching later in the turn), provided it survives segment 1 (a battle could disrupt the clearing duty and reset the clock...). Typically, due to supply issues, the SQ will move back into surveyed space this turn.

Sample orders:
Move: 3
Seq: W15-W14-W15-SS
Orders: Return to Federation space, resupply, return to the now only unsurveyed hex, and begin surveying it. Use the RX for (whatever).

It is common to survey a hex fully, but due to the lack of supplies, the SQ has to leave the hex, get resupplied, and return (it would be back to "(1)" following these orders. The survey would run from segment 9 of turn 3 to segment 8 of turn 4 (so the SQ would only be able to leave the then surveyed hex on segment 9 or later).

Variations

If the SQ were made up of ships with Harmonic Shields installed (T5.100), it could use a 4th movement point if it was otherwise capable of moving that fast (typically this would be ships capable of HPM if the empire had it, X1 ships, X2 ships, or a SQ consisting of only outstanding crewed ships).
If the SQ consists of X1 ships (or X1 and X2 ships), the supply ticker would be (0) for turn 1, (1) for turn 2, and the SQ could stick around to survey (which it would finish on segment 1 of turn 4; it could then move on segments 2 or later).
If the SQ consists of X2 ships, it could use its inherent cargo boxes to supply itself for one turn. This could reduce the supply ticker by one step. If there are multiple UnNav hexes adjacent to each other, this can be wrangled to enter the 2nd UnNav hex on turn 3 and clear it on turns 4 and segment 1 of turn 5.
If there are multiple UnNav hexes adjacent to each other, the SQ could enter hex 1 as above, and proceed into the 2nd (or even 3rd) and then follow the above process on turns 3 and 4 (additional supplies may be needed, however).
Ships with cargo boxes which are otherwise able to enter the UnNav space hex could bring in supplies and reset supply tickers.
Some campaign specific techs or rules could change the supply requirements. Your campaign's documents will cover these and are beyond the scope of this write-up.

Edge Cases "anti-red" is shorthand for clearing the hex and turning it back to unsurveyed space. Some GMs may want specific wording to indicate clearing activity, others may accept "close enough" wording. You MUST indicate that you are doing something to turn the hex into unsurveyed space (i.e., the default assumption is that you are doing other things, such as preparing to establish a base there to use it as a WORM-II (C7.30) departure point).

If you lose a battle in the hex, your progress on clearing it is lost (this is the same as if you lose a battle when surveying a hex via (B4.25) or annexing it via (D15.20)). Note that the requirement for an entire turn plus the 1st segment of the following turn means that you have two turns that the enemy can attack you, albeit only a single segment of the second turn.