Before the Earth Explodes Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Contents
• Setting Up the Game
• How to Play
  • Phase 1: Reactions
  • Phase 2: Actions
  • Phase 3: Colonize
  • Phase 4: Maintenance
• Winning the Game
• Action Cards
• Spaceship Cards
• Planet Cards

Game Contents

• 8 action cards
• 16 planet cards
• 16 spaceship cards
• 3 quarry cards
• 2 fleet cards
• 30 resources (10 of each type)
• 4 tracker clips
• 1 tiebreaker token
• 1 cloth bag

Setting Up the Game

1. Put all 30 resources into the cloth bag and shake the bag thoroughly; this is the supply.
2. Give each player 2 resources drawn at random from the bag.
3. Place the 3 quarry cards in a row in the center of the play area. Then place 2 resources, drawn at random from the bag, on each quarry card.
4. Each player takes a set of 4 action cards (Scout, Invade, Occupy, Mine) in their color.
5. Give each player 1 fleet card in their chosen color as well as 2 tracker clips — 1 for their damage track (left side) and 1 for their technology track (right side).
6. Shuffle the deck of 16 spaceship cards. Reveal the top 3 cards and place them in a face-up row below the quarry cards. Then place the deck face-down to the left of this row.
7. Shuffle the deck of 16 planet cards. Reveal the top 3 cards and place them in a face-up row below the spaceship cards. Then place the deck face-down to the left of this row.
8. Give the tiebreaker token to the tallest player (i.e., the player closest to outer space).

How to Play

In Before the Earth Explodes, there are no traditional player turns. Instead, the game takes place over a series of rounds of simultaneous play until 1 player wins. In every round, each player chooses 1 of their action cards secretly. The players then reveal their chosen cards simultaneously and progress through the following 4 phases:

• Phase 1: Reactions
• Phase 2: Actions
• Phase 3: Colonize
• Phase 4: Maintenance

Phase 1: Reactions

In this phase, the reactions (i.e., icons in the top portion) on the action cards are resolved, which may cancel the opponent's action and deal them damage, but only if they played a certain card. Resolve the cards in alphabetical order. If both players played the same action card, the player with the tiebreaker token resolves first. When a player takes damage, adjust the tracker clip on their damage track accordingly.

Example

1. Hayley played Scout (A), while Calvin played Mine (D).
2. Hayley resolves the reaction on her card first, which allows her to take 1 spaceship card from the row. Hayley chooses the STS Jude 0331 spaceship.
3. The spaceship's ability resolves immediately, so Hayley takes 1 resources of each type from the supply.
4. Calvin resolves the reaction on his card next, which cancels Hayley's action and deals her 1 damage.

Phase 2: Actions

In this phase, the actions (i.e., the bottom portion) on the action cards are resolved. Resolve the cards in alphabetical order. If both players played the same action card, the player with the tiebreaker token resolves first. When a player increases their technology, adjust the tracker clip on their technology track accordingly.

Example

1. Calvin played Occupy (C) this round, hoping to colonize a planet at a discount of 2 resources...
2. But Hayley anticipated it well by playing Invade (B), canceling Calvin's action.
3. So not only does Calvin not get to colonize a planet this round, but Hayley gets to copy the action Calvin would have had, effectively stealing his discount!

Phase 3: Colonize

In this phase, each player whose action was not canceled may now colonize 1 available planet by spending the required resources (i.e., icons in the center of the planet card). Spent resources are returned to the supply. Players colonize in alphabetical order. If both players played the same action card, the player with the tiebreaker token gets first choice of the available planets.

Example

In this round, neither player's action was canceled, so they each get to colonize 1 planet.

1. Calvin gets first choice because he played Scout (A), and he colonizes Nestarvis by spending 2 grey resources.
2. Hayley, who had played Occupy (C), colonizes Drecolara. The cost for colonizing Drecolara is normally 1 black and 1 grey resource, but Hayley's action gives her a discount, so she pays 0 resources instead.

Phase 4: Maintenance

Add 1 resource drawn at random from the bag to each quarry card that is not full. Refill the row of planet cards and the row of spaceship cards from their respective decks until there are 3 cards in each row. The players take their played action cards back into their hands. If both players played the same action card this round, the tiebreaker token passes.

Winning the Game

There are 4 different ways to win the game. You win as soon as you meet any of the following victory conditions:

1. You have colonized 7 planets.
2. You reach level 7 on the technology track.
3. Your opponent reaches 7 on the damage track.
4. You meet the victory condition on a spaceship card you have acquired.

Example

At the start of the round, Hayley was at level 5 on her technology track. She played Scout (A), and her action was not canceled, so she increases her technology by 1 during the Actions phase. She then uses the ability of the Drecolara planet she colonized earlier in the game, spending 2 resources to increase her technology by 1. This puts her at level 7 on the technology track, so she immediately wins!

Action Cards

Each player has an identical set of 4 action cards. The card you play each round determines which action you are able to take, and it may also cancel your opponent's action.

A (Scout)

• Reaction: Take 1 available spaceship card. If your opponent played B, cancel their action and deal them 1 damage.
• Action: Increase your technology by 1.

B (Invade)

• Reaction: If your opponent played C or D, cancel their action and deal them 1 damage.
• Action: If your opponent played C or D, you get to perform the action of that card.

C (Occupy)

• Reaction: N/A
• Action: If you colonize a planet this round, spend 2 resources less than normal.

D (Mine)

• Reaction: If your opponent played A, cancel their action and deal them 1 damage.
• Action: Collect all of the resources from 1 quarry.

Spaceship Cards

There are 16 unique spaceship cards. The 3 spaceship cards face up in the row at any given time are considered "available."

Most spaceship cards have abilities that are resolved immediately, but some spaceship cards (marked with an asterisk below) contain alternate victory conditions, which are passive abilities.

• Chelzane-0521: Reduce your damage by 1.
• The Davnarock: Take any 2 resources from the supply.
• The Destroyer*: You win when your opponent reaches 6 on the damage track.
• The Excalüber: Deal 1 damage to your opponent.
• Field Pod 9385: Increase your technology by 1. Take 1 grey resource from the supply.
• Genesis*: Your opponent must colonize 8 planets (instead of 7) to win.
• The Imitator: Copy the action of the action card played by your opponent.
• ISS Salvation: Search the planet deck for any 1 planet and colonize it at no cost.
• IXF Ullfers: Increase your technology by 1. Take 1 black resource from the supply.
• MV Kotar-Z: Collect all of the resources from 1 quarry.
• The Nihilist*: You win when you reach 7 on the damage track.
• PXV Huang: Increase your technology by 1. Take 1 white resource from the supply.
• The Retrogressor: Reduce your damage by 1. Deal 1 damage to your opponent.

Planet Cards

There are 16 unique planet cards. The 3 planet cards face up in the row at any given time are considered "available." Each planet has an ability that can be used once during the game. When the ability is used, flip the card face down. Face-down planets still count as colonized planets.

Planet abilities may be used during the ACTIONS or COLONIZE phases. Even if that player's action was canceled for the round, they may still use planet abilities, but only after their opponent has resolved their action.

• Blion-56-Y: Collect all of the resources from 2 quarries.
• CID-31: Reduce your damage by 2.
• Drecolara: Spend any 2 resources to increase your technology by 1 or decrease your technology by 1 to take any 2 resources from the supply.
• Eplade: Increase your technology by 1.
• Hoenides: Trade 1 black resource for any 1 resource from the supply.
• Kukroth: Trade 1 grey resource for any 1 resource from the supply.
• Lok-31: Collect all of the resources from 2 quarries.
• Nestarvis: Deal 1 damage to your opponent.
• Nuonus: Colonize an available planet, spending 3 resources less than normal.
• OSI-31: Colonize an available planet, spending 2 resources less than normal.
• Plecolea: Collect all of the resources from 1 quarry.
• San-31: Increase your technology by 2.
• Scarth-7: Take 1 available spaceship and use its ability immediately.