Asking for Trobils
Asking for Trobils Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- Game Board
- 32 RiffRaff Cards
- 20 Trobil Cards
- 8 City Cards
- 12 RiffRaff Stands
- 48 Connection Cards
- 40 Crystals
- 7 Ship Cards
- 22 MegaTraps
- 46 Space Slugs
- 46 Space Carrots
- 40 Ore
- 46 Traps
- 44 Credit Tokens
- 28 Ship Miniatures
- 10 Resource Tokens
Setup
Resources
The term Resource includes:
- Crystals
- Ore
- Space Slugs
- Credits
- Space Carrots
- Traps
- MegaTraps
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Assemble and place the Board in the middle of the table.
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Separate the Resources and set them to the side, but within reach.
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Give each Player a Ship Card, 5 Credits, and a number of matching Ships according to player count. See Setup Cont. on page 3.
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Shuffle the Trobil Cards and City Cards separately. Without looking, randomly take a number of City Cards equal to players + 1 (place the unused City Cards back in the box). Take the same number of Trobil Cards, and shuffle them with the City Cards. Place the remaining Trobil Cards on top of this stack.
Draw cards equal to the number of players +1 and place them face up near Planet Paradise.
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Shuffle the RiffRaff Cards and place them on the Smashed Rock Location.
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Shuffle the Connection Cards and place them by the O-Renj Station Location. Place 3 face up on the indicated spaces.
2 Player Setup
- Players start with 2 Ships and place 2 additional Ships on the Wormhole to purchase later.
- Bumping Bonus: When Bumping the other Player on Planet Pomi, Smashed Rock, Tyson Comet, or the Nye Asteroid Belt, the Player Bumping receives an extra Resource from that Location.
- Remove 5 marked Trobil Cards out of the deck before setup. They are marked on the bottom right with a rocket ship icon.
3-5 Player Setup
Players start with 1 Ship and place 2 additional Ships on the Wormhole to purchase later.
6-7 Player Setup
Players start with 1 Ship and place 1 additional Ship on the Wormhole to purchase later.
Whoever has been to space most recently goes first. Otherwise, decide randomly.
Overview
In the star system O-Renj there's a planet called Paradise. And it was just that, until Trobils started popping up. Now the people are desperate to reclaim their planet.
Trobils are repulsive, obnoxious space vermin. They clutter the streets, eat anything in sight, cover everything in drool, and talk in movie theaters. No one is sure where they come from, but you'll have a difficult time getting rid of them once they appear. The only way to get rid of a Trobil is to throw it into a star! Paradise needs professional Trobil Hunters like you to remove their Trobils!
Summary
On your turn you either place 1 Ship or retrieve all of your Ships from the board. When you place a Ship on a Location, you interact with that Location.
You'll be able to increase what you get when visiting a Location by adding Connections to your Ship Card. How you increase what you receive is up to you.
You'll want Resources to catch Trobils. Catching Trobils is how you earn points. The Player with the most points at the end of the game wins as the most famous Trobil Hunter in O-Renj!
Taking a Turn
A Player must do 1 of 2 Actions on their turn. A Player cannot choose to do nothing on their turn.
Action 1: Place a Ship
A Player may place 1 Ship on any Location on the Board. They immediately follow what to do on that Location.
Bumping: If another Player's Ship is on a Location the Player wishes to visit, they may Bump the other Ship. This means that they give the Ship back to its owner. The Player then places their Ship on that Location and interacts with it. There is no blocking.
Bumping your own Ship: A Player may Bump their own Ship to visit the Location again, but the Ship being Bumped is destroyed (set it aside again). It can still be replaced by going to the Wormhole Location (See Wormhole).
Action 2: Take Ship(s)
If a Player has no Ships to place, they must pick up all of their Ships.
Trobil Cards
This is how you grab Trobils and score points to win the game.
- The Resources shown on a Trobil Card are required to take the card.
- The number on the card represents the points. Even if you turn the card over by throwing the Trobil into the O-Renj Star, you still retain these points.
- The amount of Credits shown is received only when visiting the Star of O-Renj.
RiffRaff Cards
At the Smashed Rock Location, you can run into Pirates for hire, Smugglers willing to share their Connections, Bounty Hunters looking for a quick Credit, and more.
- If the RiffRaff Card deck runs out, they should be reshuffled and placed back on the board.
- No Location may hold more than 1 RiffRaff Stand.
- No RiffRaff Stand may be placed on the Star of O-Renj Location.
- RiffRaff Cards are revealed and played immediately. They are not secret.
Locations
Paradise
The inhabitants of Paradise are dealing with the Trobil infestation. Once you are properly equipped to catch a Trobil, you may come here to trap it.
When a Player places a Ship here, they may take 1 Trobil Card if they have the indicated Resources. Return the Resources used to capture the Trobil Card to the supply. When a Player takes a Trobil Card, they keep it face up in front of them. They now, and for the rest of the game, have those points. To earn the Credits, they must visit the Star of O-Renj. They may only take 1 Trobil Card per trip to Paradise (unless a Courtesan RiffRaff Card is used).
A new Trobil Card replaces the one taken.
Star of O-Renj
The only way to kill a Trobil is to throw it into the Star of O-Renj. You already have the points for removing the Trobil from Paradise, but you only get paid if you destroy it.
When a Player places a Ship here, they may immediately throw any amount of Trobil Cards they have captured into the star. Turn the Cards face down, and collect the indicated amount of Credits for each card. Once a Trobil Card is flipped over, only the owner may look at the card. It is secret from other Players.
No RiffRaffs may be placed on the Star of O-Renj.
Planet Pomi
Only Monks reside on Planet Pomi. They spend most of their time tending the planet's ample vegetation, including a plant that Trobils adore.
When a Player places a Ship here, they collect 2 Space Carrot Resources.
Tyson Comet
The Tyson Comet is so old, no one knows where it came from, only that it contains mysterious Crystals that the Space Slugs on Paradise's Moon find irresistible.
When a Player places a Ship here, they collect 2 Crystal Resources.
Nye Asteroid Belt
On the edge of the O-Renj System, the Nye Asteroid Belt holds the only Ore strong enough to hold a large Trobil. It's also quite tasty.
When a Player places a Ship here, they collect 2 Ore Resources.
Smashed Rock
Some of the worst and most desperate RiffRaff huddle around this broken planet, hoping to catch a job or get some direction in their meager lives. Though they are, in general, of low character, they respect a Trobil Hunter and will help you out however they can.
When a Player places a Ship here, they collect 2 Credits and a RiffRaff Card. These cards are public and are played immediately (see RiffRaff Cards for more details).
O-Renj Station
There's always someone new to meet in this busy center of O-Renj.
When a Player places a Ship here, they may purchase up to 3 Connection Cards (1 at a time) and add them to their Ship Card on 1 of the 6 Locations.
Each Connection Card costs 2 Credits plus 1 Credit for every Connection Card already on the same Ship Card Location.
Example: A Player buys an Ore Connection Card and places it on the Smashed Rock Location of their Ship Card. Because there are no other Connection Cards on that Location, it costs 2 Credits. He then buys a Crystal Connection Card and places it on the same Location. This costs 3 Credits because there is one other Connection Card at the Smashed Rock Location. If he had placed it on another Location, without any Connection Cards, it would have only cost 2 Credits.
When a Player purchases 1 Connection Card, it is immediately replaced on the Board by a new Connection.
If all 3 available Connection Cards on the Board are the same at the end of purchasing, they are shuffled back in and replaced.
Adding a Connection Card to a Player's Ship Card will increase what the Player receives from the specified Location. They receive these Resources before encountering the Location, so a Player may use them to purchase other Resources on that Location.
Connection Cards cannot be moved once they are placed, and there is no limit to how many a Player can add to their Ship Card.
MegaFactory
The MegaFactory has always handled O-Renj's needs, and now that those needs involve getting rid of Mega Trobils, they make MegaTraps!
When a Player places a Ship here, they may choose 1 of the following actions:
- Pay 2 Ore and 1 Trap to collect 1 MegaTrap
- Pay 5 Ore and 3 Traps and to collect 2 MegaTraps
Paradise's Moon
Paradise's Moon always appears as a crescent. This moon is home to the Space Slug: the only creature Trobils bother to chew before devouring.
When a Player places a Ship here, they may choose 1 of the following actions:
- Take 1 free Space Slug
- Pay 1 Crystal and collect 2 Space Slugs
- Pay 2 Crystals and collect 3 Space Slugs
Merchant
No one's sure how he knew to set up shop here, but as soon as the Trobils arrived, there he was, selling the traps needed to capture them.
When a Player places a Ship here, they may choose 1 of the following actions:
- Collect 1 free Trap
- Pay 1 Credit and collect 2 Traps
- Pay 2 Credits and collect 3 Traps
Wormhole
The Science Academy of O-Renj knows that when a Ship passes through this Wormhole, it will come out the other side twice! That is, the Ship will have an exact duplicate. No one knows why exactly, but if you bribe the right scientist with the right amount of Resources, they'll let you fly through in order to double, or even triple your efforts!
When a Player places a Ship here, they may pay 3 Credits and 3 Ore Resources to gain an additional Ship. Connections apply to all Ships as if they are the same Ship.
If a Player Bumps his own Ship, the Bumped Ship will be destroyed. If a Player loses a Ship this way, they can go through the Wormhole again to replace it at the normal cost.
Ending the Game
City Cards
City Cards represent happy, Trobil-free cities! When a City Card is revealed, it remains out and takes the place of a Trobil Card. Once all cards are City Cards, the game immediately ends.
City Cards each have a unique point bonus for the end of the game. City Card bonuses only apply during final scoring, and they are kept secret throughout the game until revealed.
City Card bonuses:
- For every 3 Crystals receive 1 Point
- For every 3 Ore receive 1 Point
- For every 3 Credits receive 1 Point
- For every 2 Space Slugs receive 1 Point
- For every MegaTrap receive 1 Point
- For every 2 Traps receive 1 Point
- For every 2 Connections receive 1 Point
- For every 3 Space Carrots receive 1 Point
End of Game
The game ends when all City Cards have been revealed.
Everyone counts their points from the Trobils they've captured, and any bonuses they receive from City Cards.
The Player with the highest total points wins! Ties go to the Player with the most points earned from Trobil Cards. If there's still a tie, the Player with the most Trobil Cards wins.
Clarifications
Overall Rules
- Nothing is secret in Asking for Trobils, with the exception of turned over (thrown into the Star of O-Renj) Trobil Cards.
- On the Star of O-Renj and Paradise Locations, there is more than 1 space to Place a Ship. If there is a space available to Place a Ship at a Location, a Player may Place a Ship in the available space instead of Bumping. Players may have more than 1 of their own Ships on these Locations, without needing to Bump their own Ships.
- Players must either Place a Ship or Take Ships back on their turn. They must interact with that Location, and still interact with any RiffRaff if required. A Player always collects their Connection resources before interacting with a Location or RiffRaff.
- Players may only interact with a Location once per turn (unless a Courtesan is used). For instance, when visiting the Wormhole Location, Players may only purchase a Ship once per turn. They may not buy 2, even if they have the Resources to do so.
- If a Resource is depleted, use the Resource Tokens as a substitute for larger quantities. Resources are never limited.
Short Game Variant
To play a shorter game, remove the 5 cards marked for a 2 Player game setup.
Example Play
Erin places her first Ship on the Nye Asteroid Belt gaining 2 Ore.
Chris places his first Ship on Smashed Rock and receives 2 Credits and draws a RiffRaff Card. The card is a Racer which allows him to take another turn with the same Ship.
Chris places the same first Ship on the O-Renj Station. There he buys an Ore Connection for 2 Credits, and places it on the Tyson Comet Location of his Ship Card.
He purchases a second Ore Connection and places it above the last, paying 3 Credits for this placement. He skips buying his third Connection.
Erin places her second Ship on the Wormhole Location. She pays 3 Credits and 3 Ore. Then she grabs a third Ship, and places it near her Ship Card.
Chris places his second Ship on the Paradise Location. He grabs a Trobil Card and pays the Resources required at the top of the card. He then places it face up next to his Ship Card. A new Trobil Card replaces it.
Erin places her third Ship on the Merchant Location and chooses to pay 2 Credits to gain 3 Traps.
Chris has no unused Ships to place, so he picks up his 2 Ships.
Erin has no unused Ships to place, so she picks up her 3 Ships.
Chris places his first Ship on the Tyson Comet, gaining 2 Crystals and 2 Ore because of his Connections.
Erin places her first Ship on the Tyson Comet, Bumping Chris' Ship. Chris takes his Ship back, and Erin takes 2 Crystals. She takes a third Crystal as a Bumping Bonus (See 2 Player Setup).
Chris places his first Ship on the O-Renj Star to throw the Trobils he previously captured into the star. He does this by flipping his 2 Trobil Cards over and collecting the amount of Credits shown at the bottom of the card.
Erin places her second Ship on Paradise to collect a new Trobil Card by paying the appropriate Resources. She replaces the Trobil Card with a new one, revealing a City Card! There are now only 2 spots for Trobil Cards to appear and they are closer to the end of the game.
How to Teach Trobils
2 player: Start with 2 Ships, use 4. 3-5 players: Start with 1 Ship, use 3. 6-7 players: Start with 1 Ship, use 2.
During Setup
- Have all components, board, and cards laid out, but don't bother setting up the Trobils cards yet.
- Do not place the resources on the board covering the artwork. This makes it harder for new players to associate the locations on their Ship Cards if they can't see the art.
- Hand players their Ship card and plastic Ship(s). Tell them they can earn their other Ships later in the game, and put them on the Wormhole.
Theme
"In this star system of O-Renj, Trobils (show cards) have invaded the planet, Paradise, and we are Trobil Hunters trying to capture them and free the planet."
How to Win
"The player who captures the most Trobils and earns the most points (show points on card) at the end of the game is the winner."
On Your Turn
Explain what players do on their turn: "On your turn you will either place one Ship (demonstrate placing the Ship on a Location) on a Location, or, if you have none to place, you will pick up all of your Ships (demonstrate picking up the Ship and placing it back on their Ship card)."
Locations
When you explain the Locations, place their Ship on the correct spot, and show them which resources they will get by placing the resources on their Ship card.
Explain Locations in this Order
- Planet Pomi, Tyson Comet, and the Nye Asteroid Belt: The three most basic Locations.
- Smashed Rock: Just mention that Riffraff cards are never bad for the person that draws them and they happen immediately. Explaining each isn't necessary.
- Paradise's Moon, the Merchant, and the MegaFactory: These are the next level up from the most basic Locations because you can pay resources to get more resources.
- The Wormhole: Now you can refer to the Ships sitting there and how to earn them.
- The Space Station: It's best to physically demonstrate this to show how it all works as it is an unusual mechanic.
- Planet Paradise: Be sure to mention that you can only get one Trobil card at a time. Explain how to use the resources you just taught them how to get, to capture the card. Ignore the Credits in the Star on the card until the next Location is explained.
- The Star of O-Renj: Still showing the Trobil card, show the Credits and explain that they still get to keep the points. Also remember to tell them that they can throw in as many as they like all at once.
Bumping
Now when all of the Locations make sense, explain how bumping works. In a 2 Player game, this is where you also mention the extra resources gained on the 4 Locations for 2 Player bumping. Also explain that you can bump your own Ship, but it explodes if you do.
How the Game Ends
Now show them the City cards. Explain how bonus points at the end work.