Star Trek: Captain's Chair · Board game rules
Can a neutral secured location become unsecured before being controlled?
Quick answer
Yes. A neutral location can become unsecured if tokens are removed or your opponent gains tokens there. [p.32 — Secured]
Details
A neutral LOCATION is secured only while you maintain at least 3 tokens total AND at least 2 more tokens than your opponent at that location. [p.32 — Secured]
If either condition stops being met—whether because your tokens are removed, your opponent places tokens there, or your opponent's tokens increase—the location immediately becomes unsecured. [p.32 — Secured] You can only take control of a secured location during your Control Step, so if it becomes unsecured before your turn, you lose the opportunity to control it that turn.
Watch out: Opponent ATTACK operations can remove your tokens or add their tokens to a location, potentially flipping a secured location back to unsecured before you get a chance to control it during your Control Step.