Andromeda Escape
Andromeda Escape Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
- Game board: with the wormhole, the 3 connected interstellar fly zones (see the numbered fly zones 1, 2 and 3 in the center of the board overview) and informative Head-Up Displays (HUDs).
- VP Count: this is where players keep track of their Victory Points (VP) during and at the end of the game. Place a spaceship on the "VP 20+" field when you score more than 20 VP.
- Skip: if you can't perform an action, you need to skip your turn. Move your disc 1 field clockwise in the Skip HUD and use the reward shown near it.
- Cards: left and right there is space for a draw deck of two types of Action Cards: ALERT and WARNING. In the center there is space for one open Action Card per type.
- Last Ship: place your last ship that went through the wormhole in the Last Ship HUD. The first player to succeed in this earns 9 VP.
- Lost Ship: SOS! All players place 1 ship in the Lost Ship HUD at the beginning of the game. You can only find this ship when you have ships "searching" in all 3 fly zones at the same time.
- Components: 4 sets of 10 spaceships and 2 discs in different colours.
- Cards: 15 Mission Cards, 36 Action Cards, and 4 Launch Platforms (1 per player). A callout on the component illustration reads: "Cover this field with a spaceship in a 2 to 4 Player game" (pointing to field Z-4 on the illustrated Launch Platform).
Game Setup
-
Each player chooses a Launch Platform and places the corresponding colour of spaceships on the spaces indicated on the platform:
- In a 2 player game: 9 ships per player
- In a 3 player game: 7 ships per player
- In a 4 player game: 5 ships per player
In addition, each player places:
- 1 disc on field 3 in the VP Count HUD
- 1 disc on field 1 in the Skip HUD
- 1 ship in the Lost Ship HUD
-
Shuffle all Mission Cards and give 3 cards to each player. Players choose 2 Mission Cards and place them face-down in front of them. The 3rd Mission Card goes back to the stack.
-
Shuffle the Action Cards ALERT and WARNING and place the decks face-down on their indicated areas on the game board. Then reveal 1 card from each deck. In addition, deal 1 ALERT card to each player.
-
Assign a starting player. The 3rd player starts with a disc on field 3 and the 4th players with a disc on field 2 in the Skip HUD.
Basic Rules
In clockwise order, each player takes their turn. Only at the start of your turn, you may play one or more Action Cards from your hand.
After playing any number of cards, a player takes only one of the following two actions:
- Bring a new spaceship into play by placing it on the outer ring.
- Move an already placed spaceship one field closer to the wormhole.
Here the following applies:
- Spaceships move from outside to inside.
- Spaceships can't be placed on a field occupied by another ship. You'll have to wait until that field becomes free.
- Making a move is mandatory. You cannot choose to skip a turn, unless your only option would be the dotted line to another fly zone. A move over a dotted line is not mandatory.
- Only when you can't make a move, you have to skip a turn (see "Skip").
Skip
At some point in the game the interstellar fly zones become somewhat crowded. Don't panic in the event that no movement is possible. You might be rewarded for your patience. Move your disc in the Skip HUD clockwise by 1 field. Depending on your new location, you:
- Field 1: SWAP - swap places with another player's spaceship directly in front of yours.
- Field 2: Need a bit more patience.
- Field 3: WARP - set a spaceship of your own upright. In one of your later turns, you may move it forward up to 2 fields.
Through the Wormhole
A spaceship is saved when you have navigated it to the wormhole in the center of the board. You then perform the following two actions:
- Put this spaceship back in the box.
- Take an open Action Card to your hand.
Note:
- Only when there are no more open Action Cards available on the board, both spaces are replenished.
- You do not take an Action Card after saving your Last Ship.
Lost Ship
- Oh dear! All players are missing a spaceship at the beginning of the game: a Lost Ship.
- You can only find this ship when you have ships "searching" in all 3 fly zones at the same time.
- Then, grab your Lost Ship and place it on the outer ring.
- Note: without your Lost Ship, you can't save your Last Ship!
Last Ship
When you are first to navigate your last ship through the wormhole, place this last spaceship on the 1st field in the Last Ship HUD. The next player who saves all spaceships places this last ship on the 2nd field and the third on 3rd.
Last Ship HUD: 1st place 9 VP, 2nd place 4 VP, 3rd place 2 VP.
Before placing your last spaceship, check whether you still have ships left on your Launch Platform or whether your Lost Ship has been found yet. This is to prevent players from forgetting to bring ships into play.
End of the Game
The game ends immediately when the penultimate player has navigated his last spaceship through the wormhole.
The last player with ships on the board still gets the VP from the Last Ship HUD (except for the 4th player in a 4-player game).
And the Winner is ...
The player with the most VP wins! VP are earned during the game (▷) and at the end of the game (▷|) by:
- Navigating all spaceships through the wormhole. The first 3 players to do so will earn 9 VP, 4 VP or 2 VP.
- Achieving missions during or at the end of the game (as indicated on the Mission Cards).
- Action Cards played during the game or held until the end of the game.
Keep track of your VP in the VP Count HUD during the game for played Action Cards and achieved missions. Add points at the end of the game for the Last Ship, Action Cards in your hand and missions achieved at the end of the game but not yet scored.
Cards
Mission Cards
Players can earn VP by accomplishing missions from their Mission Cards. Once a mission is accomplished, show the Mission Card to the other players and update the VP Count HUD with your earned VP. Unaccomplished Mission Cards at the end of the game do not give or cost you VP.
- VP when mission is accomplished: the number shown on the card (the 5 in the top-right corner of the example card).
- Mission number: see the table below.
| Card | Mission | VP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Occupy 4 starting positions in the same interstellar fly zone at the same time. | 5 |
| 2 | Occupy 4 fields next to a dotted route at the same time (fields in the second ring). | 6 |
| 3 | Occupy all 3 fields of the inner ring at the same time. | 6 |
| 4 | Position 4 spaceships in a connected line including a dotted line. | 5 |
| 5 | Position 4 spaceships in a connected line in the same interstellar fly zone (excluding a dotted line). | 6 |
| 6 | Be 2nd to have navigated all your spaceships through the wormhole. | 7 |
| 7 | Be 3rd to have navigated all your spaceships through the wormhole (not applicable in a 2-player game). | 9 |
Action Cards
Action Cards influence the game and give or cost VP either during the game when played (▷) or at the end of the game when still in hand (▷|). See at the top-right on the cards.
An Action Card can only be played, if it can be executed: the action can be performed and any VP penalties indicated on the card can be incurred.
Played Action Cards go to a discard deck.
- Number of VP when played (▷) or at the end of the game when the card is still in hand (▷|).
- Card letter: see the table below.
- Your ship and Ship of an opponent: the card illustrations show which ship is meant by the action.
| Card | Action | ▷ VP | ▷| VP |
|---|---|---|---|
| A WARNING | Place a spaceship back on your Launch Platform. | +2 | -2 |
| B WARNING | Jump backwards over one spaceship directly behind you. | +2 | -2 |
| C WARNING | Choose another player to move his ship to an empty field in the inner ring. | +2 | -1 |
| D WARNING | Move one of your ships to an empty field in the outer ring. | +1 | -1 |
| E WARNING | Choose another player to bring a new spaceship into play on the outer ring. | +1 | -1 |
| F WARNING | Swap places with another player's spaceship directly behind you. | +1 |
Warp
- ① Set your ship upright to charge for a Warp. Its position cannot be influenced by Swaps or Action Cards while standing up.
- ② In a later turn, you may move this ship across 1 or 2 connections.
2-Player Game Variant
For fans of chess or checkers, the 2 player game is an extra tactical challenge when played without cards. The challenge is to beat the start player by being the first to navigate all your spaceships through the wormhole!