Cosmic Run: Rapid Fire
Cosmic Run: Rapid Fire Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 8 Action Dice
- 2 Mine Dice
- 160 Tracking Sheets
- 2 Pencils
Tracking Sheet Anatomy
- Round Track — Keeps track of the rounds and how many mines are launched.
- Technologies — Place an X in a circle under a technology when you acquire it. Fill in circle after use.
- Cargo Bay — An alternate way to gain a technology.
- Control Panel — Provides ability to reroll a die.
- Score Area — Helps score at game end.
- Health Meter — Shows the ships' health status.
- Planet Tracks — Draw lines in circles to show movement.
Your Mission in a 2-Player Game
Your primary mission is to reach the planets before your opponent. Since ships may be disabled, the primary mission is sometimes impossible. Your secondary mission is to score the most Victory Points by making progress on the planet tracks and by acquiring technologies.
Setup
- Each player takes a tracking sheet and a pencil.
- The first "captain" of the game is the player who most recently watched a film about space travel.
- The captain takes all the dice.
Note: The tracking sheets are double-sided. Play the first games with the A-side. The B-side is more challenging.
Playing the Game
The game is played in a series of rounds until a game ending event (see Game End). Each round has 2 phases:
I. Mine Phase: Roll the mine dice and mark "space mines" on the planet tracks.
II. Action Phase: Roll the action dice, choose dice and perform actions.
Phase I: Mine Phase
In this phase, an alien race launches mines that are obstacles on your way to the planets.
- In the first round, the captain rolls the mine dice one time, as shown by the icon in the first square of the round track.
- After the roll, both players cross out the first icon on their round track.
- In future rounds, the captain rolls mine dice as many times as shown by the round's icon.
- With each mine dice roll, both players completely fill in the circles on the planet tracks matching the dice coordinates.
- A filled-in circle represents a mine that a ship cannot pass through, except by use of warp drive (see Warp Drive).
Example: It's the fourth round. The captain rolls the mine dice twice. The results are C6 and B5. Players fill in the matching circles after each roll.
- If the dice coordinates match the current location of a ship, it is "hit." The circle is filled in and the ship is pushed back (see Movement Die) to its nearest prior location.
- When a ship is hit, it suffers damage. Mark the damage by filling in a heart on the ship's health meter.
- Place mines even if the ship has passed the coordinates, unless the ship has reached the planet. If a ship has reached a planet, ignore the dice roll for that ship's track.
- If a circle matching the coordinates already contains a mine, ignore the roll.
Points of Emphasis
- A player may ignore a mine dice roll on all tracks by use of a defensive missile (see Defensive Missile).
- Before filling in circles, examine the roll's effects on all tracks, in case you'd like to use a defensive missile to stop the mines.
Phase II: Action Phase
In this phase, players take action dice and perform their corresponding actions.
- The captain rolls the action dice.
- Starting with the captain, each player chooses a die and performs the die's action.
- Players take turns taking a die and performing its action until all action dice are taken.
- Some actions may be enhanced with technologies (see Using Technologies).
Movement Die
If a chosen die shows "movement pips," the player moves the matching colored ship along its track, following these rules:
- The ship's movement begins in the circle closest to the ship at the track's bottom.
- Movement is indicated by drawing horizontal, vertical, or diagonal lines in the circles. The lines should show the type of movement used to enter into the circle (see example below).
- A ship may only move sideways or straight up, unless using navigational control to move diagonally (see Navigational Control).
- If a circle contains a mine, a ship may not pass through and must move around it or use warp drive to pass through it (see Warp Drive).
Example: The captain takes a movement die with 3 orange pips and marks his sheet. His opponent takes a die. The captain then takes a movement die with 2 orange pips and marks his sheet again.
Point of Emphasis: Make sure to use lines in the direction of the movement into the space. This helps to identify the ship's present location.
- The ship may move up to the number on the die and is not required to use all movement.
- When a ship reaches any circle at the top of a track above the letters, it "reaches the planet."
- The Armada Rule: A ship may not move more than 5 rows above the other non-disabled ships of the same player.
Example: The green ship is now 5 rows above the blue ship, so it may not move forward until the blue ship moves.
- As previously mentioned, if the mine dice coordinates match a circle containing a player's ship, the ship is hit. The circle is filled in, one of the ship's hearts is filled in, and the ship moves back to the closest prior location.
Example: At round's start, a mine dice roll shows B4. The mine hits the ship, so it takes damage and moves back to A3.
Advance and Attack Die
If the chosen die shows an "advance and attack" icon, the player moves the matching colored ship one space, then attacks the opponent's matching ship.
- The opponent, when attacked, fills in a heart on the ship's health meter.
- If a ship suffers 3 attacks, it is disabled and can no longer move.
- If a ship reaches a planet, it may ignore attacks.
Mine Die
If the chosen die shows a "mine" icon, the player turns the mine die with letters to the letter of her choice. She then rolls the numbered mine die. Using the result, the opponent marks the mines on his planet tracks (as in Phase I). The mine dice only affect the opponent.
Technology Dice
If the chosen die shows a technology, place an X in the topmost open circle on the matching track. After using a technology, fill in the circle.
Example: This player has 2 defensive missiles (green), 1 navigational control (purple), 1 transformer (red). After using navigational control, she fills in the circle.
Cargo Bay Option
A player may put any die into the cargo bay instead of using it. After placing a second die in the cargo bay in the same round, the player immediately gains any 1 technology and places an X in any topmost open technology circle. Dice placed in the cargo bay are removed after gaining a technology, so a player may perform this twice in the same round. Dice in the cargo bay are not carried over into the next round.
Control Panel Option
After taking an action die, a player may re-roll it. After re-rolling, cross out a re-roll icon on the control panel. Each player may do this 4 times per game. A player may use the power on the same die multiple times.
Using Technologies
Players use acquired technologies to perform special actions. After use, the player fills in the circle.
Defensive Missile
The missile defends a ship against mines and attacks. After a mine dice roll, a player may use a defensive missile to ignore the roll. One may also use a missile to ignore an attack.
Navigational Control
Navigational control, along with a movement die, allows a ship to move diagonally.
Example: The player takes a blue movement die with 2 pips. She uses navigational control to move 1 space diagonally, then completes the movement by moving 1 more space straight up.
Warp Drive
Warp drive, in conjunction with a movement die, allows a ship to pass through a mine. When using a movement die, the ship may pass through a mine if there is an open circle on the other side. The circle with the mine counts as a space, so requires a pip to move through. A ship may pass through 2 mines, but must use a movement die with 3 pips and use 2 warp drives.
Example: The player uses a blue movement die with 2 pips and 1 warp drive to move through the mine.
Transformer
The transformer allows one to change the color of a movement die. When using a movement die, any ship may move. The transformer may be used with navigational control (to move diagonally) or warp drive (to move through mines). For example, you may change the color of a movement die from blue to green and then use the warp drive to move through a mine on the green track.
End of Phase II
After all dice have been taken, begin a new round with a new captain, unless a game ending event has occurred (see Game End).
Game End
The game ends in 1 of 3 ways:
- Planets Reached: If a player's ships reach all 3 planets, that player immediately wins.
- No Possible Movement: If all 3 ships of a player cannot advance because the ships have been disabled, have reached a planet, and/or have been blocked by mines (and cannot possibly acquire the necessary amount of warp drives to pass through), the game immediately ends and players calculate scores.
- Twelve Rounds: After twelve rounds, the game ends and players calculate scores.
Scoring
If the game ends in the second or third way, players calculate Victory Points (VPs) based on the technologies acquired (whether or not they were used) and progress on the planet tracks.
- For each track, players score the number of VPs shown to the left of the highest level reached.
- If a ship has not passed the -5VP level, the player loses 5 VPs. The spaces between the -5VP and the next VP symbol are worth 0 VPs.
- A player loses 7VPs for each disabled ship. If disabled before passing the -5VP symbol, it loses 12 VPs.
- If scoring is used to determine the winner, the player with the most VPs wins. If tied, the player with the higher technology score wins.
Scoring Example
This game ended because the player is unable to move on any track. The player's score is 29.
- Technology Score: 16 VPs
- Blue Track Score: -12 VPs
- Orange Track Score: 15 VPs
- Green Track Score: 10 VPs
Minefield Variant
For a more challenging game, use the "B" side of the tracking sheet. For mine dice rolls, all matching coordinates are filled in. Note that white numbers occur twice in a track and yellow numbers occur once.
Friendly Variant
For a less aggressive game, play with no attacking. An "attack" becomes an "engine upgrade." When you take the "advance and attack" die, fill in a heart of your own ship matching the die color. If a ship has 2 hearts filled in, a movement die with exactly 1 matching colored pip counts as 2 pips for that ship. If a ship has 3 hearts, a movement die with exactly 1 matching colored pip counts as 3 pips for that ship. A defensive missile, however, may be used to prevent the opponent from using an attack die to upgrade.
If you take the mine die, circle the mines on the next open round space. In the next round, you may ignore all mine rolls. If it is the twelfth round, the mine die may be re-rolled until you get a different result.
Rapid Fire Variant
For a quicker game, ignore the armada rule and add this game end condition: if a player disables two opponent ships, that player immediately wins.
The Solo Game
You can play the game by yourself using the solo mode. Your mission is to have your ships reach all 3 planets before any 1 ship of your imaginary opponent, Zorlord, reaches a planet. In addition, at the time of reaching the final planet, your Victory Point total in the technology area must be higher than Zorlord's.
Setup
Use 2 score sheets, a pencil, and all the dice. One of the score sheets is yours and the other is Zorlord's.
Playing the Game
Play the game as normal, with the following changes.
Phase I
Only your sheet is affected by the mines.
Phase II
In Phase II, you alternate between choosing dice and rolling unchosen dice until all dice are chosen.
- Begin by rolling all action dice.
- Take turns choosing a die, beginning with Zorlord.
- Zorlord always chooses the die that is physically furthest away from you. If multiple dice are tied, choose the die that is furthest to the left and away.
- Mark Zorlord's sheet according to these rules:
- Movement Die: Place lines up the track so he takes the shortest possible route to the planet.
- Technology Die: Place an X whenever he acquires a technology. He will not use technologies, but his technology score is important.
- Advance and Attack Die: Advance Zorlord's ship 1 space up the matching track and attack your matching ship.
- Mine Die: Roll the mine dice and mark your sheet accordingly.
- After Zorlord takes a die, take 1 die for yourself and use it normally.
- Then, roll the remaining 6 dice and continue the process of taking dice as above, until you roll only 2 dice.
- After rolling the last 2 dice, if either of them is an advance and attack die, Zorlord immediately takes it. If both are advance and attack dice, he takes the one that is furthest away. Otherwise, you choose a die for Zorlord (marking his sheet first), then you take the final die.
Special Rules and Exceptions
- If you take the advance and attack die, it advances your ship, but does not attack.
- The mine die has no function for you, but you are allowed to reroll it to get a different result.
- You may use your control panel to force Zorlord to reroll his die. As normal, you may only use the control panel four times during the game and may also use it to reroll your own dice.
Game End
To succeed in the mission, you must meet all of the following requirements within 12 rounds:
- None of your ships are destroyed.
- All your ships must reach the planets before any 1 of Zorlord's ships reaches a planet.
- Upon reaching the last planet, your technology score must be higher than Zorlord's.
Novice Solo Mode
If the solo game seems too challenging, try the novice mode in which you take turns being the first player to take dice in a round. In this case, when you choose first, you may take the die that Zorlord would normally take. He then takes the second furthest die from you.
Expert Modes
To increase the challenge of the solo game, add any or all of the following rules:
- Roll the mine dice multiple times before the first round and mark tracks accordingly. The more times you roll, the higher the challenge.
- Use the B side of the tracking sheet for an extremely challenging game.
- You may not use the control panel to reroll Zorlord's die.
F.A.Q.
Q. May I use warp drive and navigational control at the same time to move diagonally through a mine? A. No.
Q. If my opponent's ship has reached the planet, do I still get 1 movement for an advance and attack die? A. Yes.
Q. May I split the movement die with the transformer to move up more than 1 track with the same movement die? A. No.
Q. May I backtrack and move through circles that I previously occupied? A. Yes, but you must reenter those spaces and mark the circle with another line.
Q. May I use the transformer to change the movement pip on an advance and attack die? A. Yes, but it does not change the attack color.