Emergence Event
Emergence Event Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
Players seek to explore and control locations in the galaxy to gain the resources, artifacts, and technology to prevail against more difficult encounters later in the game. As players explore the galaxy and time passes, encounters become more rewarding, but the penalty for failure rises. Players determine the game's length by how quickly they move through the galaxy and how well they manage the damage that their travels, as well as other captains, inflict on them.
Victory points are awarded for defeating encounters, collecting artifacts, and exploring the galaxy. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game is the winner. Made up of modular tiles, the galaxy and many of the elements within it are different each and every time you play Emergence Event, providing great replayability and unique challenges with every game.
Components
Captain Boards (4)
Each player receives 1 Captain board that shows a particular Captain's stats and advantages. The four captains are Star Racer Vinh, Ambassador Jolal, Matriarch Evans and The Commander. For a detailed diagram of Captain boards, see "Breakdown of Boards" below.
Scoring Board
The Scoring board is made up of 4 areas which track player movement, current game round, Preparation tracks, and Victory Points. For a detailed diagram of the Scoring board, see "Breakdown of Boards" below.
19 Galaxy Tiles
The game board is constructed by using 4 different types of Galaxy Tiles: the Center Galaxy Tile (1), Inner Galaxy Tiles (6), Outer Galaxy Tiles (8), and Home Galaxy Tiles (4). Each Galaxy Tile has 19 hexes inside it. For a detailed diagram of Galaxy Tiles, see "Breakdown of Boards" below.
4 Ship Miniatures
Ships are used to track each player's position within the Galaxy. Each ship is unique and corresponds to a particular Captain.
92 Captain Cards
Each Captain has a deck of 23 cards, including 4 unique and powerful Captain Power cards. For a more detailed explanation of Captain cards, see the Card Deck section.
18 Discovery Tiles
Discovery tiles are randomly drawn from the Discovery tile bag and placed on a Galaxy Tile when revealed. These tiles tell players which Discovery card to reference when attempting to Control the Discovery. For a more detailed explanation of Discoveries, see the Reference section.
Starting Player Token
The starting player token is used to mark which player is currently the starting player. Each Phase begins with the starting player.
5 Dice
Emergence Event uses 2 types of dice: 1 six-sided die (D6) and 4 Random Resource dice (RR). Each player receives 1 D6 during setup. This die is used for Trans-Dimensional Drive movement, Revealing a Galaxy Tile, and reward rolls. The Random Resource dice are shared by all players and are used to determine what Resources you receive.
15 Achievement Cards
Players can earn these cards to score extra Victory Points at Game End. For a more detailed explanation of Achievement Cards, see the Reference section.
38 Reward Tiles
Reward tiles are broken up into three types: 14 Attack Reward tiles, 16 Bonus Reward tiles, and 8 Artifact Shard tiles. These tiles must be kept in a Cargo Hold space. Bonus Reward tiles can be used at any time; Attack tiles can be played only during the Attack Phase; and Artifact Shards are combined into Artifacts, or provide Victory Points at Game End. For a more detailed explanation of Reward Tiles, see the Reference section.
18 Discovery Cards
Discovery cards convey stories about specific locations on Galaxy Tiles. There are 2 types of Discovery cards: Unique Events and Acts. For a more detailed explanation of Discoveries, see the Reference section.
24 Open Space Cards
Open Space cards are random Encounters that players must overcome when in Open Space. These Encounters scale up in difficulty as the game progresses into new Epochs. For a more detailed explanation of Open Space, see the Reference section.
16 Artifacts
Artifacts are extremely powerful components that can be equipped or stored on a ship. To learn more about Artifacts, see the Reference section.
104 Crystal Resources
Crystal resources come in 4 colors and are used to track the different kinds of Resources a Captain can store in the ship's Cargo Hold (excluding Refined Trinium). These Resources are used to upgrade Technologies on the Captain board and pay for other actions. There is no limit to the amount of available resources.
24 Damage Cards
Players receive Damage Cards when they perform poorly at Encounters, fail Open Space Encounters, or when another Captain plays an Attack tile against them. For a more detailed explanation of Damage Cards, see the Card Deck section.
184 Tokens
There are 3 different types of tokens: Control, Tech, and Stat. Control tokens are used by a player to designate regions of space where he or she has successfully completed an Encounter. Tech tokens track which level of Tech a player has currently achieved on their Technology board. Stat tokens are gained through Captain Powers and Encounters. These directly affect Crew Stats and can be either positive or negative.
Breakdown of Boards
Captain Board Breakdown
- Maximum Movement
- Bonus Stat
- Hand Size
- Captain Art
- Bridge Upgrade
- AI Upgrade
- Cargo Hold Upgrade
- Captain Name and Race
- Ship Powers
- Crew Stats
- Tech Symbol and Name
- Equipped Artifacts
- Resources Required
- Upgraded Cargo Hold
- Unavailable Cargo Space
- Tech Description
- TDD Energy Storage
- Required Refined Trinium for TDD
- Special Tech
Galaxy Tile Breakdown (Front)
- Planet
- Open Space
- Space Station
- Discovery
- Asteroid Field
Scoring Board Breakdown
- Victory Point Track
- Reward Table
- Round Track
- Movement Track
- Military Superiority Preparation Track
- Scientific Enlightenment Preparation Track
- Unification of Worlds Preparation Track
Galaxy Tile Breakdown (Back)
- Galaxy Tile Background
- Exploration
- Home Galaxy Indicator
(Shown for the Inner Galaxy Tile, Outer Galaxy Tile and Home Galaxy Tile.)
Setup
Before playing your first game of Emergence Event, be sure to carefully punch out the cardboard tokens and tiles in the box. The following setup rules are explained for a 4-player game. The blue callouts in each section will further explain how to set up 2- and 3-player games.
First-time players: Players are encouraged to play the Normal Game before attempting the Advanced Game. More details on the Advanced Game are found in red callout boxes throughout this rulebook.
1. Choose a Captain
Take 1 Control token from each Captain and have each player draw 1 randomly to determine which Captain they will play. Alternatively, players can choose which Captain they would like to play as long as all players agree.
2. Distribute Components
Once Captains have been selected, each player receives the following:
- Captain board matching the player's Captain
- Deck of Captain cards matching the player's Captain
- Ship miniature matching the player's Captain
- 7 Tech tokens
- 25 Control tokens matching the player's Captain
- Home Galaxy Tile matching the player's Captain
3. Scoring Board
Place the Scoring board off to one side of the table, between 2 players. Take 4 Control tokens from each player. Place 1 of each player's Control tokens on "0" of the VP track, as well as the Military Superiority, Scientific Enlightenment, and Unification of Worlds Preparation tracks. Next, place the Movement tracker in the open area inside the Movement track. Finally, place the Round tracker on the first space of the Round track.
4. Open Space Encounters
Thoroughly shuffle the 6 Trivial and 6 Medium Open Space cards, and place them face-down near the Scoring board. Put the Hard and Elite Open Space cards face-up in 2 separate stacks near the face-down pile until they are needed. Elite Open Space cards are used only when playing the Advanced Game.
Open Space difficulty levels: Trivial, Medium, Hard, Elite.
2- and 3-player setup
In a 2-player game, each Open Space difficulty deck type (Trivial, Medium, and Hard) has 4 cards, for a total of 12 in the Normal Game and 16 in the Advanced Game (includes Elite).
In a 3-player game, each Open Space difficulty deck type (Trivial, Medium, and Hard) has 5 cards, for a total of 15 in the Normal Game and 20 in the Advanced Game (includes Elite).
5. Discoveries
Set aside the 5 Act I Discovery tiles, shuffle the rest of the Discovery tiles, and place them face down in a stack near the Scoring board. Separate each of the Discovery card story arcs into separate piles for now, near the Scoring board.
2- and 3-player setup
In a 2-player game, there are 3 Story Discoveries (9 3-Act Discovery tiles) and 3 Unique Discoveries. Randomly select and set aside 3 Act I Discovery tiles. Shuffle the corresponding Act II and Act III Discovery tiles and place them face down in a stack near the Scoring board. There should be a total of 12 Discovery tiles.
In a 3-player game, there are 4 Story Discoveries (12 3-Act Discovery tiles) and 3 Unique Discovery tiles. Randomly select and set aside the 4 Act I Discovery tiles and proceed as above for a total of 15 Discovery tiles.
6. Damage Pool
Place the 24 Damage Cards face-up near the Scoring board.
2- and 3-player setup
In a 2-player game, there are 12 total Damage Cards.
In a 3-player game, there are 18 total Damage Cards.
7. Achievements
Place the 3 Achievement cards (Paragon of War, Savant of the Stars, and Galactic Emissary) face-up next to the Scoring board. Now shuffle the remaining Achievement cards, draw 3 cards at random, and place them face-up next to the first 3 Achievement cards, for a total of 6 Achievements. Place the remaining Achievement cards back in the box.
2- and 3-player setup
In a 2-player game, draw 1 random Achievement for a total of 4 Achievements.
In a 3-player game, draw 2 random Achievements for a total of 5 Achievements.
8. Reward Pool
Shuffle the Attack and Bonus Reward tiles together and place them face-down into 1 pile near the Scoring board. Place the positive and negative Stat tokens near these tiles.
9. Artifacts
Shuffle the Artifact tiles and place them in 1 face-down stack near the Scoring board. Place the Artifact Shards face-up near the Artifacts.
10. Resource Pool
Separate the 4 resources (Radma (Red), Balorum (Blue), Trinium (Yellow), and Refined Trinium (Orange)) into 4 piles near the Scoring board.
4-Player Galaxy Setup
Separate the 15 Galaxy Tiles into 2 stacks, one with 6 Inner Galaxy Tiles and the other with 8 Outer Galaxy Tiles. Shuffle the 2 stacks separately. Place the Center Galaxy Tile face-up in the center of the play area.
Next, randomly place the 6 face-down Inner Galaxy Tiles around the Center Galaxy Tile. Then randomly place the 8 Outer Galaxy Tiles around the Inner Galaxy Tiles as shown in the Galaxy Setup diagram, or in the 2- and 3-player diagrams if playing with fewer than 4 players.
2- and 3-Player Galaxy Setup
2- and 3-player setup
In a 2-player game, randomly remove 4 Outer Galaxy Tiles and set up the Galaxy based on the Galaxy Setup diagram. In a 3-player game, randomly remove 2 Outer Galaxy Tiles and set up the Galaxy based on the Galaxy Setup diagram.
Players now place their Home Galaxy Tile in the open area in-between the Outer Galaxy Tiles nearest their play area. Home Galaxy Tiles are placed so that the Discovery is 1 hex away from the adjacent Outer Galaxy Tile, and the other Locations (Asteroids and Planets) are adjacent to Inner and Outer Galaxy Tiles.
Finally, players place the ship that corresponds to their Captain on their home planet in the center of their Home Galaxy Tile.
Discovery Selection
Mix up the Act I Discovery tiles that were set aside earlier and place them face-down on the Center Galaxy Tile. Each player randomly chooses 1 and places it face-up on the Discovery Hex in his or her Home Galaxy Tile. The remaining Act I Discovery tile is shuffled into the stack of Discovery tiles near the Scoring board.
Captain Setup
Each player removes the 4 Captain Power cards from their Captain deck. Shuffle the 4 Captain Power cards face-down, select 1 at random, and put it into the deck of Captain cards. Players then place the other 3 Captain Power cards face-down in a pile near their Captain board. Shuffle the Captain deck and draw 4 cards in preparation for the first Turn of the game.
Planning for the future: Before players place their randomly selected Captain Power card into their deck, they may look at it. This gives players an idea of what exactly their Captain is capable of at the beginning of the game.
Game Turn
Emergence Event is divided into 3 major Epochs in which players explore the Galaxy. These Epochs are marked by green, yellow, and red spaces on the Scoring board's Round track. Each Epoch is broken up into Rounds, which are made up of Turns. Each Turn consists of 6 Phases:
- Attack Phase
- Captain Power Phase
- Movement Phase
- Encounter Phase
- Upgrade Phase
- Refresh Phase
Each Phase of a Turn is resolved in turn order. Begin with the current starting player (i.e., the player currently possessing the Starting Player Token) and continue clockwise with the next player. To determine the Starting Player, each player rolls the black 6-sided die. The highest result is the Starting Player at the beginning of the game. Ties are rerolled.
Advanced Game: The third Epoch (red) is used only in the Advanced Game.
1. Attack Phase
The Attack Phase is when Attack tiles are played. If a player wants to play an Attack tile from their Cargo Hold against another player, they must set it out face-down in front of their Captain board at the start of this phase. Attacks from Attack tiles are resolved in turn order.
Multiple Attacks: A player wanting to use multiple Attack tiles in a single Turn must place the tiles out in front of their Captain board. One tile per player is resolved in turn order until all tiles have been resolved.
If there are no Attack tiles to be played, or after the played tiles have all been resolved, proceed to the Captain Power Phase.
2. Captain Power Phase
The Captain Power Phase is the only time in which a player can play a Captain Power card from his or her hand. If a player wishes to play a Captain Power card, it must be placed face-down in front of their Captain board at the start of this phase. Players can only ever play one Captain Power card per Turn, regardless of how many they may have in their hand. Effects from Captain Powers are resolved immediately in turn order.
Captain Powers have 2 effects, positive and negative. Positive powers affect the Captain who plays the card. Negative powers affect all other Captains. Any time a Captain Power is used, both the Positive and Negative effects are triggered. If an effect (either Positive or Negative) is not applicable to a given player, then that particular player ignores the non-applicable effect. Captain Powers alter many aspects of the game and are unique. A detailed explanation of each Captain Power is given in the Captain Powers section.
(Example card, Ambassador Jolal's Mental Preparation: POSITIVE - Every Level of Science Tech you have gives you +1 to any Stat (can be split) during Open Space Encounters. NEGATIVE - Any other player in Open Space at the start of this Turn must give you 1 Yellow Resource. If they have no Yellow Resources, they take 1 Damage Card. If you gain any Yellow Resources from this, gain 1 VP.)
Speeding up the First 2 Phases: The starting player should ask the other players whether or not they have Attack tiles to play during the Attack Phase, as well as Captain Powers in the Captain Powers Phase. This ensures everyone has time to play actions in these Phases but also allows these first 2 Phases to be skipped if no one wishes to use Attack tiles or Captain Powers.
3. Movement Phase
Rounds are advanced by player movement in the game. Whenever the Movement tracker passes 12 on the Movement track, the Round marker advances by 1. Any changes that need to happen because the Round has progressed to a new Epoch are resolved immediately.
2- and 3-player setup: In a 2-player game, the Movement track is limited to 6 spaces. Once a player reaches 6 on the Movement track, any further movement resets and starts on the 1 space. In a 3-player game, the Movement track is limited to 9 spaces. Once a player reaches 9 on the Movement track, any further movement resets and starts on the 1 space.
Epochs
There are 2 Epochs in the Normal Game. Each Epoch is a measurement of time represented by 3 Rounds. Once a new Epoch is reached, all gameplay stops immediately and the next set of Open Space cards is shuffled into the Open Space deck. Gameplay can now resume, but with a few very important changes:
- Every Encounter at Locations is worth 1 fewer VP. This makes Planets and Asteroids worth 1 VP and Space Stations worth 2 VP.
- Open Space Encounters are more dangerous.
Players start the game in the first Epoch. Once the Round marker reaches 4, the second Epoch begins. Players play through 2 complete Epochs before proceeding to Game End scoring.
Advanced Game: If players choose to play the Advanced Game, then they play through 3 complete Epochs. The third Epoch adds Elite Open Space Encounters, and Location values are reduced once again by 1 VP. Once the round progresses to 7, the third Epoch begins. After players complete this third Epoch, they proceed to Game End scoring.
Ships can perform 2 types of movement during the Movement Phase: normal movement and Trans-Dimensional Drive (TDD). Players can choose to perform one type of movement on their Turn, not both.
Normal Move
1 MV = Advance 1 Space on the Movement track.
Normal movement allows players to play cards from their Hand as movement. If a Captain card has a move value (MV), it is located on the bottom of the card (values 1/2 MV, 1 MV, 2 MV, 3 MV exist). For each MV spent, the Captain's ship is moved to 1 adjacent hex and the Movement track advances by 1. Cards in the player's Hand with MV can be spent one at a time or in multiples, up to the player's entire Hand. However, Captains can move only up to their maximum MV as shown on their Captain board. Any MV spent over this maximum is lost. Spent cards are placed into a face-up Discard Pile next to the Captain deck. During this Phase, players can spend 1 MV when adjacent to an unrevealed Galaxy Tile to Reveal it (see Reveal below).
Example: Matriarch Evans plays 3 cards with 1 MV each during the Movement Phase. She can spend 2 MV to move through Open Space and her final MV to move onto the uncontrolled Planet. If she has the required stats, she may Encounter the Planet during the Encounter Phase. The cards she used for movement are placed into her discard pile and are not in her Hand to use during the Encounter Phase.
Restriction: Players are not allowed to move into the Center Galaxy Tile unless they have the Level-2 Navigation Tech purchased on their Captain board.
Reveal
Players adjacent to unrevealed Galaxy Tiles may spend 1 MV to Reveal 1 Galaxy Tile. This 1 MV is used only to Reveal the Galaxy Tile and cannot be used to also move the ship. As with any movement, spending this MV to Reveal a Galaxy Tile advances the Movement tracker by 1. The player is awarded 1 VP for Revealing a Galaxy Tile. When Revealing a Galaxy Tile, the player rolls 1 D6 and rotates the unrevealed Galaxy Tile so that the number matching the die roll is situated next to the ship's location. Players flip over the Galaxy Tile such that this edge is still next to their ship. Finally, the player must now populate the Galaxy Tile with a Discovery Tile. Draw 1 Discovery tile from the face-down stack and place it face-up onto the Galaxy Tile in the appropriate hex. Players who still have MV available may continue with their Movement Phase after Revealing, including Revealing any other nearby Galaxy Tiles.
Example: The player spends 1 MV to move adjacent to the unrevealed Galaxy Tile, spends an additional 1 MV to Reveal the Galaxy Tile, and then gains 1 VP. The player rolls a 5 when revealing the Galaxy Tile. The tile is rotated until the number 5 is adjacent to their ship. The Galaxy Tile is then flipped over. Finally, the player draws a Discovery tile from the face-down stack, and places it on the Discovery icon on the newly discovered Galaxy Tile.
Revealing at an Asteroid Field: It is also possible to Reveal Galaxy Tiles by Controlling an Asteroid Field via the Navigation Stat and using its Reveal reward. When Revealing a Galaxy Tile this way, players still gain the 1 VP for Revealing, but can position (i.e., rotate) the Galaxy Tile however they wish. Revealing a Galaxy Tile this way does not advance the Movement tracker. The player must still place a Discovery tile onto the appropriate hex.
Trans-Dimensional Drive (TDD)
TDD = Advance 3 Spaces on the Movement Track.
Trans-Dimensional Drive is used to move instantly from 1 Galaxy Tile to another up to 2 Galaxy Tiles away. TDD is unpredictable and can be used only if the player possesses the required Refined Trinium (2 Orange Resources in TDD Storage), and there is a revealed Galaxy Tile to jump to. Players can also find the Refined Trinium requirement to use TDD on their Captain board. TDD cannot be used to jump over unrevealed Galaxy Tiles and must also abide by the same Center Galaxy Tile restrictions found under normal move.
When players use TDD, they must select a legal hex (any empty hex not restricted by Tech requirements and in range) in a Galaxy Tile different than the one they occupy. Players place their ship in the selected hex, advance the Movement track by 3, and roll the D6. Consult the Center Galaxy Tile where the center hex is surrounded by the numbers 1 through 6. Using the center hex as a guide to the ship's current location, use the number rolled to move the ship to the appropriate adjacent hex.
Example: Matriarch Evans uses TDD to move 2 Galaxy Tiles away and places her ship in a legal hex. She then rolls a D6 and the result is a 1. Consulting the Center Galaxy Tile, Matriarch Evans moves her ship to where the Center Galaxy Tile indicates the 1 hex is in relation to her ship's current position.
Restriction: Players must make sure that any possible roll of the TDD die lands them in a legal hex. Illegal hexes include the Center Galaxy Tile (if restricted due to lack of Tech), unrevealed Galaxy Tiles, or the edge of the Galaxy. Also, more than one player's ship can never occupy the same hex. If, through the roll of a TDD die, this could happen, the initial movement is not allowed and the player must select a different hex to which to TDD.
Restriction 2: Players may never Reveal a Galaxy Tile through TDD movement.
Each player completes their entire Movement Phase in turn order before proceeding to the Encounter Phase.
Powers and Artifacts: Some Artifacts and Captain Powers allow players to move during different Phases of the game. This still advances the Movement tracker the appropriate amount, unless a movement is stated as being free. Free movement never advances the Movement tracker.
4. Encounter Phase
After players have completed the Movement Phase, the Encounter Phase begins and is resolved in turn order. Players attempt Encounters using their Crew Stats listed on the Captain board, plus Crew Stats on the Captain cards they still have left in their Hand after the Movement Phase. The exception to this rule is Open Space Encounters which are discussed later in this section.
Crew Collaboration: Every Crew Stat from Captain cards is added to the ship's base Crew Stats, along with any other bonuses the player has accumulated and chooses to use. Fulfilling multiple Crew Stats is often required for Discoveries and Open Space Encounters.
There are three types of Encounters:
- Locations (Planets, Asteroid Fields, and Space Stations)
- Discoveries (Discovery tiles)
- Open Space (empty hexes)
In order to have an Encounter, a player's ship must be on a hex containing a Location, a Discovery, or Open Space, with one of the following statements being true:
- The Location is not controlled.
- The Discovery is not controlled and the player is eligible to attempt the Discovery.
- An Open Space Encounter has not been completed in the current Galaxy Tile.
If one of the above statements is true, then the player can attempt the Encounter. Players can gain bonuses or penalties to their base Crew Stats in the following ways:
- Ship abilities
- Playing Captain cards
- Played Captain Powers currently in effect
- Stat modifier tokens
- Previously-purchased Tech from the Captain board
- Disabled Tech from another Captain's Attack tile
- Damaged Crew Stat(s) from another Captain's Attack tile
- Equipped Artifacts
Encounters at Locations
Each Encounter at a Location offers three different ways by which a player can attempt to Control that Location. Each requires the player to use a specific Crew Stat. The number needed to succeed at an Encounter in the chosen Crew Stat is called a target number (TN).
When Encountering a Location, a player must meet or exceed the minimum TN of the Crew Stat chosen at the Location. Each Location lists a minimum and maximum TN needed for success in 1 of the 3 Crew Stats. Players can play any remaining Captain cards left over in their Hand to boost the Crew Stat they choose. For every point below the maximum TN at the Location, the player takes 1 Damage Card into his or her Hand. The most damage a player can ever take from a Location is 3.
If the player cannot meet the minimum TN in any of the Crew Stats available for the Location, they cannot attempt to complete the Encounter. In such a case, the player may choose to stay at the current Location and attempt to complete the Encounter in another Encounter Phase, or they may choose to abandon the Encounter and leave the Location during the next Movement Phase.
After players have met the required TN of the Location, they perform the following:
- Gain VP based on the current Epoch.
- Raise the Preparation track matching the color of the Crew Stat that the player used by 1 (by 2 if the Location is a Space Station). For more information on Preparation tracks, see Preparation Tracks.
- Gain the reward(s) stated under the Stat used at the Location.
- Roll on the Reward table using 1 D6. Add +1 to the roll for each Discovery the player Controls.
- After receiving these rewards, players take 1 of the Control tokens from their supply and place it on the Location.
Planets (Target Number 6-9)
Requires: Tactical, Science, or Diplomacy.
VP awarded: First Epoch 3, Second Epoch 2, Third Epoch 1.
Planets are the most common Locations found in the Galaxy. The 3 ways to Control a Planet are through the Tactical, Science, or Diplomacy Crew Stats. Players need to meet the minimum TN in 1 of these 3 Crew Stats to take Control of a Planet.
The 3 different rewards for completing an Encounter at a Planet are:
- Tactical: 1 Reward tile and a Reward table roll
- Science: 1 Artifact Shard and a Reward table roll
- Diplomacy: +1 Hand size next Turn and a Reward table roll
Planets provide the controlling player with a special action called Repair during the Upgrade Phase.
Repair Crew: Players who are at a Planet that they Control during the Upgrade Phase may Repair any Damage Cards they have in their deck, if they pay for it with resources (1 Resource per DC) or Reward tiles (1 Reward Tile per 2 DC). Repaired damage is removed from the player's deck and placed back into the Damage Card pool. This Action can be performed at any time during the Upgrade Phase and can be done as many times as the player wishes, provided they can pay for the repairs. Anytime Damage Cards are repaired from the Draw Pile players must reshuffle the Draw Pile.
Example: Having moved onto a Planet during the Movement Phase, The Commander is now ready to take Control of the Planet in the Encounter Phase. He has 1 Captain card in his Hand with 3 Tactical, which, when added to his Tactical Crew Stat of 4, gives him 7 in Tactical. In addition, he had previously purchased the Level-1 Tactical Tech, which adds 1 to the Tactical Crew Stat, giving him a total of Tactical 8 to successfully take Control of the Planet. Because this is 1 less than the maximum TN of 9, The Commander takes 1 Damage Card to his Hand. He also successfully takes Control of the Planet and now receives 1 Reward tile and a Reward table roll. During the Upgrade Phase, he may repair the DC he just received, as well as any others in his deck, by spending resources or Reward tiles to perform the Repair Action.
Asteroid Fields (Target Number 6-9)
Requires: Security, Navigation, or Engineering.
VP awarded: First Epoch 3, Second Epoch 2, Third Epoch 1.
Asteroid Fields are a bit rarer than Planets but are found in greater numbers in the Outer Galaxy Tiles. The 3 ways to Control an Asteroid Field are through Security, Navigation, or Engineering. Players need to meet the minimum TN in 1 of these 3 Crew Stats to take Control of an Asteroid Field.
The 3 different rewards for completing an Encounter at Asteroid Fields are:
- Security: Free level-1 Tech and a Reward table roll, or 1 Refined Trinium and a Reward table roll.
- Navigation: Reveal any 1 Galaxy Tile and a Reward table roll, or 1 Refined Trinium and a Reward table roll.
- Engineering: 3 Random Resources and a Reward table roll, or 2 Refined Trinium and a Reward table roll.
Asteroid Fields provide the controlling player with a special Action called Trade during the Upgrade Phase.
Trading Resources: Players who are in an Asteroid Field hex that they Control during the Upgrade Phase may Trade 1 resource in their Cargo Hold for another from the Resource Pool. This can be done up to 2 times per Turn. This Action can be performed at any time during the Upgrade Phase.
Space Stations (Target Number 9-12)
Requires: Tactical, Science, or Diplomacy.
VP awarded: First Epoch 4, Second Epoch 3, Third Epoch 2.
Space Stations are the rarest Locations in the Galaxy, and most are located in Inner Galaxy Tiles. The TN needed to take Control of Space Stations is much higher than other Locations, but the rewards are also greater. Like Planets, the 3 ways to Control a Space Station are through Tactical, Science, or Diplomacy. Players need to meet the minimum TN in 1 of these 3 Crew Stats to take Control of a Space Station.
The 3 different rewards for completing an Encounter at Space Stations are:
- Tactical: Roll 2 times against the Reward table and choose 1 roll
- Science: +2 MV until used and a Reward table roll
- Diplomacy: +2 to any 1 Stat until used and a Reward table roll
Space Stations provide the controlling player with a permanent +1 to the Crew Stat depicted on the Space Station. Space Stations that depict a "?" allow the player to choose which stat they receive. Space Stations also provide the special Action called Recognition during the Upgrade Phase.
Recognizing a Great Captain: Players who are at a Space Station that they Control during the Upgrade Phase may spend 3 Resources of the same color to gain 1 VP. This Action can be performed only once per Turn any time during the Upgrade Phase.
Reward Roll
Players successfully completing Encounters at Locations are granted a Reward roll with 1 D6 on the Reward table after receiving the other Reward from the Location. This table is numbered 1 through 10. The rewards that can be gained through this table are: Artifact, Artifact Shard, Random Resources, Refined Trinium, Resources of player's choice, and Reward Tiles.
Reward table rolls can be affected by Reward Tiles, Captain Powers, and controlled Discovery tiles. A detailed description of each Reward is given in the Reference section.
Encounters at Discoveries
Unlike Locations, a Discovery Encounter can be done only if it has no prerequisites, or if the prerequisites have been met. Unique and Act I Discoveries have no prerequisites. Act II and Act III both require the player to Control the Discovery's preceding Acts. Discoveries always include Engineering or Navigation as 1 of the Crew Stats that players must meet during the Encounter, and can require additional Crew Stats as well.
Discoveries are also special in that they tell stories about specific events in the Galaxy. The more of a story you accomplish (i.e., the more Acts of a given Discovery you complete), the more VP they are worth. Finishing a Discovery's story arc always rewards the player with an Artifact (as long as Artifacts are still available). Unique Discoveries are one-time Encounters that provide varying rewards.
Discovery Classification: Discoveries are not considered Locations or Open Space. Players are not allowed to upgrade here unless they have purchased a Tech that allows them to do so.
Encounters in Open Space
Open Space Encounters are random events that occur when a player's ship ends its Turn on a hex that's not considered a Location or a Discovery (i.e., an "empty" hex). Unlike Encounters at Locations, the player draws back up to their current Hand Size during the Encounter Phase. He or she then draws an Open Space Encounter card, and encounters it.
Only 1 Open Space Encounter is available per Galaxy Tile. Only successful Open Space Encounters are marked with a Control token. Once any Captain succeeds at an Open Space Encounter on a given Galaxy Tile, no other Open Space Encounters may be attempted on that Galaxy Tile by any Captain. Ships that end their movement in an empty hex on a Galaxy Tile where the Open Space Encounter has already been completed perform no Encounter this Turn.
(Diagram: if no Open Space Encounter has been completed in this Galaxy Tile, an Open Space Encounter takes place; if one has already been completed in this Galaxy Tile, no Open Space Encounter can happen on this Tile.)
Depending on their success or failure, the player gains the reward or penalty listed on the Open Space card. Whether or not a player succeeds at an Open Space Encounter, the Open Space card is placed into the Open Space discard pile after it is resolved.
The Dangers of Open Space: Open Space Encounters have random TNs and should be approached with caution, especially in later Epochs, where the penalty for failure can be severe.
5. Upgrade Phase
Once the Encounter Phase has been completed, the Upgrade Phase begins. Upgrades can be performed ONLY at Locations controlled by the player. Advancing in the Security Technology Tree can change this.
Example: Matriarch Evans can only upgrade her ship on the Planet she Controls. She cannot upgrade on the Asteroid because she doesn't Control it, nor can she upgrade on the Discovery even though she Controls it.
Waiting Your Turn: While the Upgrade Phase is taking place, be sure to wait for your turn to perform any Actions or Upgrades at the Location. Some Captains have the ability to affect others during this phase and need the opportunity to do so.
Within player sequence, Upgrades and Actions can be performed in any order. During this phase, players spend resources to gain Technologies, as well as their Special Tech if they have met the prerequisites listed on the Captain board. These Technologies are permanent upgrades to the Ship and are tracked with Tech tokens. For more information on Techs, see the Reference section. This phase is also when players can gain new Captain Power cards into their deck. Once certain Tech prerequisites have been met, the player is awarded a new Captain Power and another effect. These Ship Upgrades are as follows:
- Bridge Upgrade (Requires 3 Level-1 Techs): Add 1 Captain Power card. Repair 2 Damage Cards in Discard.
- A.I. Upgrade (Requires 2 Level-2 Techs): Add 1 Captain Power card. Repair 2 Damage Cards in Deck.
- Cargo Hold Upgrade (Requires 1 Level-3 Tech): Add 1 Captain Power card. Full Cargo Hold Capacity.
For more information on Captain Powers, see the Card Deck section.
6. Refresh Phase
The Refresh Phase is when players draw cards into their Hand to reach their current Hand Size, as shown on the Captain Board. Once everyone has drawn cards to reach their current Hand Size, the Starting Player passes the Token to the left and the game Turn begins again with a new Starting Player.
Running out of Cards: Anytime a player's Draw Pile is empty and they still need to draw cards for the next Turn, they shuffle their Discard Pile thoroughly and create a new Draw Pile to replenish their Hand.
Card Decks
Captain Cards
Each deck has a total of 23 Captain cards. These cards are broken down into Captain Powers, Open Space, Resource, and Crew cards. The 4 different types of cards possess unique characteristics that can help a player better survive the Encounters in the game.
Captain Power Cards (4)
Card parts: 1. Card Title, 2. Positive Power, 3. Negative Power, 4. Captain's Icon.
Captain Powers trigger effects that change the rules of play. These effects override the normal rules of the game. Captain Power cards are unique to each particular Captain. They can be played during the Captain Power Phase, and have positive and negative effects. Positive effects of Captain Powers apply only to the player playing the card. Negative effects of Captain Powers apply to all other players.
Example card, The Commander's Trinary Coding. Positive: Gain +4 Diplomacy. Successful Diplomacy Encounters grant you +2 Resources & +1 Artifact Shard, as well as normal rewards. Negative: All other players must Discard a Diplomacy card. Anyone who can't must take 1 Damage Card to Hand. If any players take Damage Cards from this, gain 1 VP.
The Commander plays the Captain Power, Trinary Coding, on his Turn during the Captain Power Phase. The Commander gains the Positive Power this Turn shown in the above example. All other Captains are affected by the Negative Power on this card, which he reads aloud: "All other players must Discard a Diplomacy card. Anyone who can't, must take 1 Damage Card to Hand. If any players take Damage Cards from this, gain 1 VP." In turn order, each Captain looks at their hand, starting with Star Racer Vinh. She looks at her hand of cards and sees she does have a Diplomacy card. She shows the other players that she has one and immediately places it into her Discard, avoiding damage. Next is Matriarch Evans, and she doesn't have a Diplomacy card, and says so to the group. Matriarch Evans takes 1 Damage Card into her hand and The Commander immediately gains 1 VP. Finally, Ambassador Jolal declares he also doesn't have a Diplomacy card to the group. Jolal takes 1 Damage Card into his hand, but The Commander doesn't receive additional VP from this. The maximum amount of VP a player can gain from a single Negative Captain Power is 1.
Negative Power Reward: A player using a Captain Power gains the VP reward from the Negative Captain Power ONLY ONCE, regardless of how many players meet the circumstances to reward the VPs.
Although Captain Power cards are played during Phase 2, their effect persists until the end of the Refresh Phase. Some Captain Powers persist through multiple Turns. In this unique circumstance, a new Captain Power can be played the Turn after the persisting power is played without replacing it. Most Captain Powers don't have MV (Move Value) on them, so holding them in your Hand overly long can be crippling, as they take up valuable Hand space that could otherwise provide needed MV or Crew Stat boosts.
Players can gain more Captain Powers by acquiring Ship Upgrades. These Upgrades consist of 3 events that grant 1 new Captain Power each. They take place when a player acquires certain Tech Upgrades. For more information on Tech Upgrades, see the Reference section.
Deck Reference
- Draw Pile - This refers to the face-down cards players fill their Hand with.
- Hand - This refers to the cards players currently have available to them.
- Discard Pile - This refers to the area players place spent cards.
- Deck - This refers to all the cards for a particular Captain, which includes the Draw Pile, Hand, and Discard Pile.
Open Space Cards (1)
Card parts: 1. Card Title, 2. First Effect, 3. Second Effect, 4. Captain's Icon.
Each Captain's Open Space card reads: first effect, "May be used to cancel your Open Space Event." or second effect, a Captain-specific effect (e.g., "May be played during the Captain Power Phase to cancel all other Captain Powers.").
Open Space cards in a Captain's deck offer 2 effects. Players must choose which of the 2 effects to use each time they play the Open Space card. They cannot use both during the same Turn. The first effect is the same for each Captain. This effect can be used only during the Encounter Phase when the player is facing an Open Space Encounter. Using this effect allows the player to cancel an Open Space Encounter card. The Open Space Encounter card is placed in the Open Space Discard Pile. The player is considered to have done nothing during the Encounter Phase, receiving no Reward or penalty from the Open Space Encounter card.
The second effect is unique to each Captain. The card text indicates the Phase in which the card can be played and its effect. Like Captain Powers, these cards are extremely powerful and usually affect other players. Because of this, these cards typically do not have MV on them.
Resource Cards (2)
Card parts: 1. Card Title, 2. Resources Gained, 3. Captain's Icon, 4. Move Value.
Resource cards are Captain cards that offer a one-time use, granting players the Resources stated on the card (e.g., "GAIN 2" Resources; "Remove card from Deck if used for Resources"). If a player uses this effect, they remove the card from their deck and place it into the game box for the remainder of the game. It is not placed in their Discard Pile. Players using this benefit will miss out on the card's other useful strength: a higher MV compared to Crew cards. Players who choose to use it for MV place the card in their Discard Pile.
Resource cards can be used at any time whether or not it is your Turn. This can be very useful if a player is caught without any Resources and a Captain Power requires them to pay a Resource.
Normal move values on cards: 1/2 MV, 1 MV, 2 MV, 3 MV.
Crew Cards (16)
Card parts: 1. Card Title, 2. Stats Available, 3. Captain's Icon, 4. Move Value.
Crew Cards can be used for one of 2 things: Movement (MV) or Encounters. Once a card has been used for MV, it is placed in the player's Discard and cannot be reused during the Encounter Phase. When attempting an Encounter, the player may add all Crew Stats from cards in their Hand to the base Crew Stats listed on their Captain board, as well as any stat bonuses (e.g., those provided by purchased Tech), to meet or exceed the TN. Cards used during an Encounter are placed in the player's Discard Pile.
Basic Crew cards always have 3 different Stats. Each Crew card is named after the strongest Stat on the card. Every Captain has a varying amount of these Crew cards based on the Captain's strengths and weaknesses. For example: a Crew card with 3 Diplomacy, 2 Security, and 1 Science would have the Diplomacy title at the top of the card, and would be considered a "Diplomacy" card.
There are 3 special types of Crew cards: Mastery cards, Alert cards, and Command cards. These cards are more powerful versions of basic Crew cards. Mastery cards are very strong Crew cards that always have special abilities directly related to their Captain. Command cards contain more Crew Stats than other Crew cards, and Alert cards reduce the amount of Damage Cards (DC) taken during an Encounter.
Damage Cards
Card parts: 1. Card Title, 2. Move Value.
There are several ways to receive Damage Cards in game. Damage Cards (DC) serve to bloat a player's deck, making future Turns more difficult to accomplish. Anytime a player receives DC, it must go into their Hand from the DC Pool unless specifically stated otherwise.
Running out of Damage Cards: If a player takes damage from any source and there are not enough Damage Cards in the DC Pool, gameplay stops immediately. Each player goes through their entire deck, removes all their DC, and counts them. For every 2 DC owned by each player (rounded up), subtract 1 VP from the player's current total. After this is done, all DC are placed back into the DC Pool and play resumes.
The only Stat on a DC is 1/2 MV. Because there is no way to use this card by itself for MV during the Movement Phase, players need to get rid of DC as soon as possible. Players can temporarily get DC out of their current Hand by spending 2 DC together for 1 MV during the Movement Phase. This places the DC in Discard and out of the player's Hand until their Discard Pile is reshuffled and the player eventually redraws them.
There are multiple ways for players to remove the DC they've accumulated from their deck. Using the Repair action at a Planet controlled by the player is an easy way to remove DC. This costs the player Resources or Reward tiles. Some Ship Upgrades and Open Space Encounters can Repair DC, but these are one-time effects and shouldn't be relied upon.
Open Space Encounter Cards
Card parts: 1. Card Title, 2. Success Results, 3. Failure Results, 4. Difficulty Icon, 5. Target Numbers.
Example card, Life Pod: Success - 1 VP, 2 Blue Resources & 1 Reward tile. Failure - Take 1 Damage card to Hand or Discard 1 Resource.
Open Space cards have 4 difficulty levels: Trivial, Medium, Hard, and Elite (used only in the Advanced Game). At the start of the game, players can Encounter only Trivial or Medium difficulty cards. As the players move into the second Epoch, the Hard cards are shuffled into the Open Space deck, making them much more difficult to predict. In the Advanced Game, the Elite cards are shuffled into the Open Space deck when the players enter the third Epoch. This poses an extreme challenge to players who attempt Open Space during this Epoch.
- Trivial Open Space cards have a low Target Number (TN). These Encounters can be accomplished with minimal risk of failure. These cards grant 1 VP for success, along with other Rewards.
- Medium Open Space cards offer 2 different ways for players to accomplish the Encounter. Although the TN is higher than Trivial cards, the option to use 1 of 2 different Stats gives players a high probability of success. These cards grant 2 VP for success, along with other Rewards.
- Hard Open Space Cards always require multiple Stats to fulfill at varying TNs. While Hard Open Space cards can pose multiple high TNs, the Reward for succeeding at these Encounters is worth the effort. These cards grant 3 VP for success, along with other Rewards. Penalties for failure on these cards are also harsh, reducing the player's VP by 1, as well as imposing other effects.
- Elite Open Space cards always require multiple Stats to fulfill at varying TNs. These cards are available to Encounter only in the Advanced Game, and in its third Epoch. These cards grant 4 VP and 1 Artifact, along with other Rewards. Penalties for failure on these cards are extreme. Players lose 2 VP and suffer more severe damage and effects.
Discovery Cards
Card parts: 1. Discovery Title, 2. Story Title, 3. Type, 4. Lore, 5. Rewards, 6. Target Numbers.
Example card, Tear in Space (Markarian Back Story, Act I): Rewards - 3 VP / +1 Preparation Track / 2 Artifact Shards or 2 Random Resources.
Discovery cards tell the stories of present or past events in the Galaxy. Players can find Unique Discoveries or Discoveries represented in sequential Acts. The Rewards for completing a Discovery are very substantial. Due to the nature in which Discoveries are revealed in the Galaxy, players may have a difficult time completing all 3 Acts of a Discovery, especially in the Normal Game.
Tunnel Vision: Players should not focus on trying to accomplish Discoveries to the exclusion of all else. How the Galaxy is populated can greatly affect which Discovery stories can be completed before Game End.
Discoveries can be completed 1 time only. Once a player resolves a Discovery card, it is placed face-down near their play area. If a player completes an Act I Discovery, they should keep the rest of the Discovery Acts pertaining to that Story near them, as no one else may attempt them now.
Reference
Achievement Cards
Card parts: 1. Title, 2. Requirement, 3. VP Award.
Earning Achievement cards provides the player with extra VP at the end of the game. Some Achievement cards can be awarded to multiple players if they tie, while other Achievement cards can be earned by only 1 player.
Mandatory Achievements
The following 3 Achievement cards are required in each game, in addition to any Random Achievements based on the number of players playing.
- Paragon of War: Leading in Military Superiority. Breaks ties on Military Superiority. Gain 3 VP at Game End.
- Savant of the Stars: Leading in Scientific Enlightenment. Breaks ties on Scientific Enlightenment. Gain 3 VP at Game End.
- Galactic Emissary: Leading in Unification of Worlds. Breaks ties on Unification of Worlds. Gain 3 VP at Game End.
These 3 Achievement cards are earned and held as soon as the condition is met by a player. In addition, because the VP awards from these cards are given only to the leader of their corresponding Preparation Track at Game End, they are awarded to only 1 player.
Random Achievements
These Achievement cards are randomly drawn at the start of the game based on the number of players.
- Cartographer: First to Explore the center hex of the Center Galaxy Tile. This is awarded only to the first player to do this. Gain 5 VP at Game End.
- Colonizer: Most Planets Controlled. This is awarded to the player who Controls the most Planets at Game End and can be tied. Gain 3 VP at Game End if 1 player Controls the most. Gain 1 VP at Game End if tied.
- Collector: Most Artifacts Owned. This includes equipped or stored Artifacts. This is awarded to the player with the most Artifacts and can be tied. Gain 3 VP at Game End if 1 player has the most. Gain 1 VP at Game End if tied.
- Dominion: Control of Most Galaxy Tiles. Players must Control all Locations on a Galaxy Tile. Open Space and Discoveries are not required. This is awarded to the player with the most Galaxy Tiles controlled and can be tied. Gain 3 VP at Game End if 1 player Controls the most. Gain 1 VP at Game End if tied.
- Dreadnaught: Most Techs Owned. This is awarded to the player with the most total Techs owned and can be tied. Gain 3 VP at Game End if 1 player has the most. Gain 1 VP at Game End if tied.
- Elitist: Most Space Stations Controlled. This is awarded to the player who Controls the most Space Stations at Game End and can be tied. Gain 3 VP at Game End if 1 player has the most. Gain 1 VP at Game End if tied.
- Hoarder: Most Different Types of Goods Owned (Artifacts are considered a Good for this card only). Different Goods are defined as: Red Resource, Blue Resource, Yellow Resource, Refined Trinium, Artifacts, and Reward tiles. Gain 3 VP at Game End if 1 player has the most. Gain 1 VP at Game End if tied.
- Opportunist: Most Successes in Open Space. This is awarded to the player with the most Control Markers in Open Space and can be tied. Gain 3 VP at Game End if 1 player has the most. Gain 1 VP at Game End if tied.
2- to 4-Player setup: In a 2-Player game, draw 1 random Achievement card. In a 3-Player game, draw 2 random Achievement cards. In a 4-Player game, draw 3 random Achievement cards.
Technologies
The Technology portion of the Captain board tracks Techs that the player has received from Rewards or purchased with Resources. Players must get a Level-1 Tech in a category before they can get a Level-2 Tech in the same category. Likewise, a Level-3 Tech in a category requires players to already possess the Level-2 Tech in the same category.
Players can Upgrade only 1 Tech per color per Upgrade Phase. This means a player can Upgrade 1 Tactical or Security Tech, 1 Science or Navigation Tech, and 1 Diplomacy or Engineering Tech. Thus, the maximum number of Upgrades a player can do during the Upgrade Phase is 3 (excluding the Captain's Special Tech).
Free Techs: If a player receives a Free Tech from a Reward or by reaching 5 or 10 on a Preparation Track, this does not count toward the maximum Upgrades allowed during the Upgrade Phase.
Bridge Upgrade
The Bridge Upgrade is gained when a player has purchased 3 Level-1 Technologies. Once this happens, the player adds 1 Captain Power card to their Draw Pile and shuffles the Draw Pile. In addition, the player MUST immediately Repair 2 DC in their Discard Pile, if the player has DC to be repaired. This Upgrade can be performed only once.
A.I. Upgrade
The A.I. Upgrade is gained when a player has purchased 2 Level-2 Technologies. Once this happens, the player adds 1 Captain Power card to their Draw Pile and shuffles the Draw Pile. In addition, the player MUST immediately Repair 2 DC in their deck if the player has DC to be repaired. This Upgrade can be performed only once.
Cargo Hold Upgrade
A player gains the Cargo Hold Upgrade when they purchase 1 Level-3 Technology. This player then adds 1 Captain Power card to their Draw Pile and shuffles the Draw Pile. The player can now utilize the spaces marked "upgraded hold" in their Cargo Hold. This Upgrade can be performed only once.
Tech costs
Resource colors: Red = Radma, Blue = Balorum, Yellow = Trinium. Costs as printed on the Tech cards of the Captain board:
| Tech | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tactical | 2 Red | 2 Red, 1 Blue | 2 Red, 1 Blue, 2 Yellow |
| Security | 2 Red | 2 Red, 1 Yellow | 3 Red, 1 Yellow |
| Science | 2 Blue | 1 Red, 2 Blue | 1 Red, 2 Blue, 1 Yellow |
| Navigation | 2 Blue | 2 Blue, 1 Yellow | 3 Blue, 1 Yellow |
| Diplomacy | 2 Yellow | 1 Blue, 2 Yellow | 2 Blue, 2 Yellow |
| Engineering | 2 Yellow | 1 Red, 2 Yellow | 2 Red, 2 Yellow |
Tactical Technologies
- Level 1: Ship permanently gains +1 to its Tactical Stat.
- Level 2: Whenever Captain Powers are played against you and require you to pay a Resource, you can choose any color Resource in your Cargo Hold to pay to the player. The player still receives the color demanded by the Captain Power, so exchange with the resource pool when necessary.
- Level 3: This Tech allows players to increase the power of Damage Cards in their deck. From now on, DC played from the player's Hand is worth 1 MV, or it can be used to boost any single Stat of the player's choosing by +2 during the Encounter Phase.
Security Technologies
- Level 1: Ship permanently gains +1 to its Security Stat.
- Level 2: Whenever a player owning this Tech receives Rewards from an Encounter, they may choose 1 of any Good (Resources, Reward tiles, Artifact Shards, or Refined Trinium) as an additional Reward.
- Level 3: This Tech allows players to perform Upgrades during the Upgrade Phase at any hex in the Galaxy.
Science Technologies
- Level 1: Ship permanently gains +1 to its Science Stat.
- Level 2: Players performing the Trade action at an Asteroid Field that they Control receive 2 Resources for every 1 Resource they exchange. Since this action can be performed twice, 2 Resources could be turned into 4 of any color.
- Level 3: This Tech reduces all Target Numbers at Discoveries by 1 for the player owning this Tech. This applies only to Stats.
Navigation Technologies
- Level 1: Ship permanently gains +1 to its Navigation Stat.
- Level 2: This Tech allows players to travel into the Center Galaxy Tile. As an added bonus, whenever players use TDD, they may also add or subtract 1 from the TDD die result for Ship placement.
- Level 3: Players owning this Tech may choose their exact destination when using TDD instead of rolling the TDD die. If they decide to use this power and choose their destination, they must pay 1 additional Refined Trinium.
Diplomacy Technologies
- Level 1: Ship permanently gains +1 to its Diplomacy Stat.
- Level 2: Players who own this Tech may discard 1 card from their Hand during the Upgrade Phase. This is the only way players can ever discard without playing a card.
- Level 3: Whenever you play a Captain Power card during the Captain Power Phase, you may immediately draw 1 card from your Draw Pile and add it to your Hand.
Engineering Technologies
- Level 1: Ship permanently gains +1 to its Engineering Stat.
- Level 2: Once this Tech is purchased, players gain +1 to any 1 Stat needed when facing an Open Space Encounter. An additional benefit of owning this Tech is a permanent +1 increase to the ship's maximum MV.
- Level 3: This Tech grants the player 1 Free Movement during the Movement Phase. This Free Movement doesn't move the Movement Tracker, but it does count toward the player's maximum MV. In addition, players permanently gain +1 to their TDD distance in Galaxy Tiles.
Rewards
Many different Rewards can be earned during gameplay. Some of these Rewards are simple, easy-to-use Resources, and others grant one-time benefits or permanent upgrades. Following is the list of Rewards and how to use them.
Resources
Resources are used throughout the game to pay for various actions, such as Upgrades, Recognition, Trade, Repair, and Negative Captain Powers.
Overflowing Hold: Anytime a player receives any Rewards and does not have enough room in the Cargo Hold (or, in the case of Refined Trinium, TDD Storage), the player must decide which Goods to keep and the surplus is jettisoned into space (discarded).
Protecting Your Assets: Players should always place Reward tiles face down in their Cargo Hold and mix them up secretly if necessary. This may keep the other players from potentially destroying or even stealing 1 of the tiles you need most!
Reward Table
Roll 1 D6 and add +1 for each Discovery you Control. The table is numbered 1 to 10:
- Random Resource
- Random Resource & 1 Refined Trinium
- 2 Random Resources & 1 Refined Trinium
- 2 Random Resources & 1 Reward Tile & 1 Refined Trinium
- 2 Random Resources & 1 Artifact Shard & 1 Refined Trinium
- 2 Random Resources & (1 Reward Tile or 1 Artifact Shard) & 1 Refined Trinium
- 2 Random Resources & 1 Reward Tile & 1 Artifact Shard & 1 Refined Trinium
- 2 Resources & 1 Artifact Shard & 1 Refined Trinium
- 3 Resources & 1 Artifact Shard & 1 Reward Tile & 1 Refined Trinium
- 3 Resources & 1 Artifact & 1 Refined Trinium
Home Galaxy Tile bonus (printed on the Reward Table area of the Scoring board): +2 to any Stat until used, if you control all Locations and the Discovery in your home Galaxy tile.
Reward Tiles
Reward tiles possess various effects and are broken up into 3 different categories. Reward tiles may also be spent at Planets to perform the Repair action.
Attack Tiles
Attack tiles are easily identifiable by their red background; they can be used only during the Attack Phase. To play an Attack tile, the player places it face-down in front of their Captain board at the start of the phase. Each Attack tile is then resolved in Turn Order. Any single Attack tile can be used against 1 opponent only. In Turn Order, each player who has played an Attack tile declares which opponent they are attacking and then resolves the Attack tile. Once everyone has had an opportunity to play 1 Attack tile, players can play any additional Attack tiles which they had already placed in front of the Captain board. These are again resolved in turn order until all the Attack tiles are resolved. Any time an Attack tile is used, it is discarded after its effect has been resolved. Once placed in front of a Captain board, an Attack tile must be played and discarded. The following list details each Attack tile and what it does.
- Destroy 1 Reward tile (x2): This destroys 1 Reward tile in the targeted opponent's Cargo Hold. The attacking player declares which Reward Tile to destroy from the targeted opponent's face-down tiles (i.e., the attacking player may not ask the targeted opponent to turn his or her Reward Tiles face-up).
- Negate 1 Tech Tree this Turn (x2): The targeted opponent places this Attack tile on the Tech Tree declared by the attacking player. For the rest of this Turn, that entire Tech Tree is unavailable for use. Discard the Attack tile at the end of the next Upgrade Phase.
- Inflict 2 DC to Discard (x2): The targeted opponent immediately takes 2 DC from the supply and adds them to his or her Discard Pile.
- Steal 1 Resource (x4): The player selects an opponent and takes any 1 Resource from their Cargo Hold.
- Inflict -3 to a Stat this Turn (x2): The targeted opponent places this Attack tile on the Stat declared by the attacking player. For the rest of this Turn, that Stat is at -3. Discard the Attack tile at the end of the next Upgrade Phase.
- Steal 1 Refined Trinium (x2): The player selects an opponent and takes 1 Refined Trinium from their TDD Storage.
Bonus Tiles
Bonus tiles are easily identifiable by their silver background. While some Bonus tiles can be played at any time, others must be played during certain phases of the game. Any time a Bonus tile is used, it is discarded. The following list details each Bonus tile and what it does.
- +1 Move per Resource spent (x2): This tile can be played only during the Movement Phase. The player may pay Resources to gain MV in addition to using cards. This still advances the Movement Track and is limited to a player's maximum MV.
- +1 any Stat in Open Space (x2): This tile can be played only during the Encounter Phase when facing an Open Space Encounter.
- +1 Hand Size (x2) or +2 Hand Size (x2): This tile can be played any time before the Refresh Phase to gain +1 or +2 to the player's current Hand Size. During the Refresh Phase, the player draws up to the new maximum Hand Size based on the Bonus tile. This new Hand Size bonus is not used during Open Space Encounters when you draw up to your current Hand Size.
- 2 Yellow Resources (x1) or 2 Blue Resources (x1) or 2 Red Resources (x1): These tiles may be played at any time to gain 2 of the Resources depicted on the tile.
- Gain 2 Refined Trinium (x2): This tile may be played at any time to gain 2 Refined Trinium into the player's TDD storage.
- +2 Reward roll (x2) or +3 Reward roll (x1): This tile can be played at any time before receiving any Rewards that grant a Reward table roll. The player gains the indicated bonus to their next Reward table roll.
Artifact Shards
On their own, Artifact Shards don't do anything during gameplay. Once a player has 3 Artifact Shards in his or her Cargo Hold, they are immediately returned to the Scoring board area, and that player gains an Artifact from the face-down supply near the Scoring board. If there are no available Artifacts, the player may choose to keep 2 Artifact Shards, but must discard any additional Artifact Shards, as it is impossible to combine them into an Artifact.
Artifact Shards are considered to be Reward tiles once they are in your Cargo Hold. So, Attack tiles or Captain cards that affect Reward tiles in any way can also affect Artifact Shards. Artifact Shards reward VP at Game End.
Artifact Shard Limitation: Players can never choose to not combine the Artifact Shards for an Artifact. Therefore, the most Artifact Shards a player can ever have at once is 2.
Hiding Your Shards: Be sure to place your Artifact Shards face down in your Cargo Hold. This way, players trying to steal from you or destroy your Goods won't know exactly which tile to choose.
Preparation Tracks
Track parts: 1. Military Superiority Preparation Track, 2. Scientific Enlightenment Preparation Track, 3. Unification of Worlds Preparation Track, 4. Free Tech Award Positions, 5. Related Stats.
There are 3 tracks on the Scoring board numbered zero to 10 in ascending order. These tracks measure how well each Captain is prepared for the looming return of the Markarians. Each Preparation Track is also directly related in color to corresponding Stats and Techs on the Captain and Tech boards. Players can move up on Preparation Tracks by succeeding at Encounters, completing Discoveries, or using Captain Powers.
- Military Superiority is red. Any Location that a player successfully Encounters by using either the Tactical or Security Stat moves their Control token up one space on this track.
- Scientific Enlightenment is blue. Any Location that a player successfully Encounters by using either the Science or Navigation Stat moves their Control token up one space on this track.
- Unification of Worlds is yellow. Any Location that a player successfully Encounters by using either the Diplomacy or Engineering Stat moves their Control token up one space on this track.
There are 2 places on each Preparation Track, located at positions 5 and 10, that award players with 1 Free Technology of the corresponding color. Each player receives this award the first time they reach either 5 or 10 on each track. This Technology does not count toward a player's maximum Tech Upgrades allowed during the Upgrade Phase.
Leading the Way: When tied for highest on a Preparation Track, the player currently possessing the Achievement card is considered to be the leader. To wrest control of the card from another player, a player must pass them on the track.
The 3 mandatory Achievement cards (Paragon of War, Savant of the Stars, and Galactic Emissary) are directly related to being the highest on their respective Preparation Tracks. The first player to move up on a Preparation Track immediately gains the Achievement card associated with it. This player keeps it until another player surpasses them. At this time, the Achievement card is passed to the new leader.
Artifacts
Artifacts are extremely powerful Upgrades that can be equipped on your ship or stored in your Cargo Hold. When a player receives an Artifact, either from combining 3 Artifact Shards, or directly from a Reward, they must decide whether to equip it or store it.
If a player chooses to equip an Artifact, there must be an available slot on the Captain board for it to be placed face up. Equipped Artifacts are permanently located in the slot in which they are placed (even if they are one-use Artifacts). Equipped Artifacts may never be voluntarily removed unless specifically stated otherwise.
If a player chooses to store an Artifact, it is placed face down in the Cargo Hold, covering 4 Cargo Hold spaces. This Artifact has a value of 2 VP at Game End if the player manages to hold on to it until then. Stored Artifacts remain in the Cargo Hold and cannot be later equipped, though you can choose to jettison (discard) them like any other Good in your Cargo Hold.
Following is a list of all the available Artifacts in the game with descriptions of their powers.
- Antari Photonic Reorganizer: This Artifact permanently grants +1 to Reward table rolls. In addition, the player may Repair in any hex as if they were at a Planet they Control.
- Caldayan Drones: This Artifact permanently allows a player to ignore 1 DC per Turn. If a player takes no DC on a Turn, including any ignored from this Artifact, then the player gains 1 Resource of their choice during the Upgrade Phase.
- Caldayan Star Drive: This Artifact must be activated to be used and can be activated only once per game during the Movement Phase. When activated, the player immediately gains 1 VP and may travel to any hex in the Galaxy that is currently revealed. Doing this also grants +4 to any 1 Stat for this Turn only. After this Artifact is used, place it face down in the equip slot.
- Crown of the Antari Republic: This Artifact permanently reduces the Resource cost of the Recognition action at Space Stations by 1. In addition, players also may perform the Recognition action 1 additional time per Turn.
- Crystalline Data Shard: This Artifact grants a permanent +1 Diplomacy and +1 Navigation to a ship's base Stats.
- Cube of Quantum Displacement: This Artifact must be activated to be used and can be activated only once per game during the Refresh Phase. When activated, the player immediately gains 1 VP and receives a full extra Turn before the next Attack Phase takes place. Furthermore, all Stats on the ship are temporarily increased by +1 and the player receives maximum MV for free. This does not advance the Movement Track. After this Artifact is used, place it face down in the equip slot.
- Empyrean Orb of the Nexus: This Artifact permanently allows the player to spend Refined Trinium to boost Crew Stats on a per-Encounter basis. For each Refined Trinium spent from TDD storage, 1 Stat is increased by 1 during the current Encounter. This can be done multiple times and to different Stats. Once the Encounter is over, all Stats return to their original values.
Captain Powers
Matriarch Evans
Strengths: Enemy Captain Powers are less effective. Security and Science Encounters.
Weaknesses: Tactical Encounters. Reliance on collecting Artifacts for end game Victory Points.
Board stats: Tactical 2, Security 4, Science 4, Navigation 3, Diplomacy 3, Engineering 3; Maximum Move 3; Hand Size 4.
Ship Powers
Psionic Shields: If taking DC because of a Captain Power, receive -1 DC. During the Captain Power Phase, if Matriarch Evans takes only 1 DC from another player's Captain Power, then she ignores it. This negates any effect the other player gains from her taking DC. If Matriarch Evans takes more than 1 DC from another player's Captain Power, then subtract 1 from the total; in this case, the other player does gain the effect from Matriarch Evans taking DC.
Mind Control: May spend 1 Resource to gain a player's Attack tile. This power may be used during the Attack Phase when players are designating which Attack tiles they are going to play by placing them face down in front of their Captain boards. Matriarch Evans may gain control of another player's Attack tile before it is revealed. She must pay 1 Resource from her Cargo Hold to the Resource Pool. This action can be performed multiple times as long as she continues to pay the Resource cost.
Special Tech: Cerebral Engineering
Tech Requirement: Level-2 Science, Level-2 Engineering, and Level-1 Navigation. Resource Requirement: 2 Blue Resources and 1 Yellow Resource.
This unique Technology allows Matriarch Evans to reverse-engineer Artifacts that she possesses. Reverse-engineering Artifacts destroys them, but Matriarch Evans receives 2 VP and gains 1 Tech of her choice. This can be done once per Turn using her equipped or stored Artifacts. Even if an Artifact has a one-time use and has been flipped over, it can still be reverse-engineered.
Open Space Card
Effect 1: Matriarch Evans' Open Space card allows her to cancel an Open Space Encounter card.
Effect 2: If Matriarch Evans decides to play this card during the Captain Power Phase, she places it face down as if she were playing a Captain Power. After everyone has had a chance to place their Captain Powers face down, reveal this card first and thus cancel everyone's Captain Power cards. Matriarch Evans can still play her own Captain Power, as this card only cancels Captain Powers played by other players.
Captain Powers
Superior Mind
Positive Power: Matriarch Evans gains +4 to her Tactical Stat this Turn or she may ignore all DC for an Encounter this Turn. She can use either effect, but not both.
Negative Power: All other players must discard a Tactical card (a Captain card with "Tactical" at the top). If players discard a Tactical card from this power, nothing else happens to them. If an opponent isn't able to discard a Tactical card, then that player must Discard 2 Resources from their Cargo Hold. If the player discards the 2 Resources here, nothing else happens to them. If the player has zero or 1 Resource, he or she must discard that Resource and lose 1 VP.
Domination
Positive Power: Matriarch Evans gains +1 VP and +1 Reward tile if she succeeds at any Encounter that has Security as one of its required Stats.
Negative Power: This attack targets all other players in or adjacent to an Asteroid Field or Planet when this card is played. Players affected by this must take 1 DC to their Hand or give Matriarch Evans 1 Red Resource, their choice. If any player takes a DC from this, Matriarch Evans gains 1 VP.
Mental Preparation
Positive Power: This power is effective only if you intend on braving Open Space this Turn. Matriarch Evans gains +1 to any Stat for every level of Science Tech she currently possesses. These Stats can be assigned however the player wishes, but may be used only for Open Space Encounters.
Negative Power: This attack targets all other players in Open Space during the Captain Power Phase. Players in Open Space must pay Matriarch Evans 1 yellow Resource. If a player in Open Space can't pay the cost, they take 1 DC to their Hand. If any player pays Matriarch Evans a Resource from this card, she gains 1 VP.
Innate Ability
Positive Power: If Matriarch Evans has zero Science cards (a Captain card with its primary title "Science"), she gains +2 to her Hand Size next Turn.
Negative Power: This attack targets any other players who play a Science card this Turn. If a player plays a Science card, they must give Matriarch Evans 1 Blue Resource. If they cannot pay 1 Blue Resource, they lose 1 VP. This effect can happen multiple times to players if they play Science cards in different phases. An opponent needs to pay the cost only once per phase if multiple Science cards are played.
Ambassador Jolal
Strengths: Upgrading early Techs and Diplomacy Encounters.
Weaknesses: Starts with 2 low stats instead of 1. Reliance on Mastery cards to succeed at late-game Open Space Encounters.
Ship Powers
Organic Ship: Level-1 Techs cost only 1 Resource. During the Upgrade Phase, Ambassador Jolal needs to spend only 1 of the required Resources to Upgrade a Level-1 Tech. This can be done for all Level-1 Techs.
Adaptation (headed "Mind Control" in the printed rulebook text, apparently an error; the Captain board names it Adaptation): Mastery cards always grant a +1 bonus to any Stat. Whenever Ambassador Jolal plays Mastery cards (a Captain card with its primary title "Mastery"), he gains an additional +1 to any single Crew Stat. There are 2 Mastery cards in Ambassador Jolal's deck.
Special Tech: Arboretum Program
Tech Requirement: All Techs Level-1. Resource Requirement: 2 Red Resources, 2 Blue Resources, and 2 Yellow Resources.
This unique Technology allows Ambassador Jolal to gain 1 VP for every Planet he Controls at Game End.
Open Space Card
Effect 1: Ambassador Jolal's Open Space card allows him to cancel an Open Space Encounter card.
Effect 2: Ambassador Jolal can play this card at any time to transfer DC in his deck to all other players' Discard Piles. The DC transferred must be distributed evenly to all players if possible (Jolal chooses which players receive DC if unable to distribute evenly). This card can also use DC that is currently sitting on the Captain Power Solar Spores.
Captain Powers
Nurtured Skill
Positive Power: Ambassador Jolal gains +4 to his Engineering Stat or +4 to his Science Stat this Turn. In addition, Ambassador Jolal may discard 1 card from his Hand and draw a new one for every Yellow Tech (Diplomacy or Engineering) he owns.
Negative Power: This attack targets all other players who are having an Encounter at a Location this Turn. All TNs at Locations are increased in difficulty by +2.
Solar Spores
Positive Power: When Ambassador Jolal begins the Upgrade Phase, he may place any DC currently in his Hand on this Captain Power card. There can be only 6 DC maximum on this card at any time. This card remains in play until Ambassador Jolal decides to play the second effect (Effect 2) of his Open Space card. DC placed on this card does not count against him if the DC Pool is emptied and needs reset. If any other player receives DC after this card is played this Turn, Ambassador Jolal gains 1 VP.
Negative Power: This attack targets any other players who take DC this Turn after this card is played. If a player receives DC, they must give Ambassador Jolal 1 Trinium (Yellow) Resource. If they cannot, they lose 1 VP.
Arboreal Conclave
Positive Power: This power is effective only if you intend on braving Open Space this Turn. Ambassador Jolal gains +1 to any Stat for every level of Diplomacy Tech he currently possesses. These Stats can be assigned however the player wishes, but may be used only for Open Space Encounters.
Negative Power: This attack targets all players who have zero DC in their Hand when this card is played. If a player has zero DC in their Hand, they must either drop 1 space on the Unification of Worlds Preparation Track or Discard 2 Goods, their choice. Players can drop 1 on Unification of Worlds only if they are higher than zero. Players must choose the Discard Goods option if they have zero on Unification of Worlds. Each player that drops 1 level on Unification of Worlds allows Ambassador Jolal to gain 1 Resource of his choice. If players choose Discard Goods, they must Discard 2 Goods if possible and lose 1 VP. If not possible, they Discard what they have and lose 1 VP.
Seeds of Change
Positive Power: Using this card allows Ambassador Jolal to immediately spend 1 Good for each Planet under his Control. Based on the number of Goods Ambassador Jolal spends, gain 1 of the following Rewards:
- Spend 1 Good to gain +2 MV until used.
- Spend 2 Goods to make each player receive 1 DC to Hand.
- Spend 3 Goods to gain 1 legal Tech.
- Spend 4 Goods to gain 2 VP.
Ambassador Jolal can gain only 1 of the above Rewards regardless of how many Goods he currently has in his Cargo Hold.
Negative Power: This attack targets all players who have more Artifacts than Ambassador Jolal. If a player has more Artifacts than Ambassador Jolal, then they must either take 2 DC to their Discard Pile or lose 1 VP, their choice. In addition, if Ambassador Jolal has the fewest Artifacts (he can be tied for the fewest), he gains 1 VP.
The Commander
Strengths: Can equip three Artifacts. Tactical and Navigation Encounters.
Weaknesses: Diplomacy Encounters. Low Special Tech Victory Points.
Ship Powers
Precursor Tech: When equipping an Artifact, gain 1 Tech (must be legal). Whenever The Commander equips an Artifact, he may immediately gain 1 Tech of his choice as long as it is legal. This does not count against the maximum allowed Tech Upgrades during the Upgrade Phase.
Echoes of the Past: Has the ability to equip 3 Artifacts (can't store Artifacts). The Commander has the ability to equip 3 Artifacts. This strength comes with one drawback: The Commander is not allowed to store Artifacts in his Cargo Hold.
Special Tech: The Archivist Directive
Tech Requirement: Level-3 Tactical and Level-1 Diplomacy. Resource Requirement: 2 Red Resources, 1 Blue Resource, and 1 Yellow Resource.
This unique Technology allows The Commander to gain 1 VP for every equipped Artifact and level on the Unification of Worlds Track.
Open Space Card
Effect 1: The Commander's Open Space card allows him to cancel an Open Space Encounter card.
Effect 2: The Commander can choose to play this card at any time to permanently gain 1 opponent's Tech. You must have the required prerequisite Tech. The target of this attack may not use that Tech this turn.
Captain Powers
Exacting Algorithm
Positive Power: During this Turn, The Commander gains +2 Reward tiles and 1 Artifact Shard if the Encounter he succeeds at requires Tactical.
Negative Power: This attack targets all other players who have Artifacts equipped. Players who have Artifacts equipped when this card is played lose their benefits for this Turn only. If any other player has no equipped Artifacts when this card is played, they must give The Commander 2 Red Resources. If anyone paying Resources can't pay 2 Red Resources, they must pay any Red Resources they have (zero or 1) and take 2 DC to their Discard Pile.
Four Dimensional Mapping
Positive Power: When this card is played, The Commander gains bonus MV during the Movement Phase. If The Commander has any DC in his Hand, it is worth 2 MV instead of 1/2 MV this Turn. If The Commander has no DC in his Hand when this card is played, he gains 2 MV and 1 Blue Resource.
Negative Power: This attack targets all other players and forces them to Discard 1 Red Resource. If a player can't pay the Resource cost, they take 1 DC to Hand. If any player takes DC from this card, The Commander gains 1 Artifact Shard.
Trinary Coding
Positive Power: The Commander gains +4 to Diplomacy this Turn. In addition, if The Commander succeeds at an Encounter requiring Diplomacy, then he gains +2 Resources of his choice and 1 Artifact Shard.
Negative Power: This attack requires all other players to Discard a Diplomacy card (a Captain card with the title "Diplomacy"). If players Discard a Diplomacy card, nothing else happens to them. If any player can't Discard a Diplomacy card, then they must take 1 DC to Hand. If anyone takes DC from this card, The Commander gains 1 VP.
The Continuum
Positive Power: This power is effective only if you intend on braving Open Space this Turn. The Commander gains +1 to any Stat for every level of Tactical Tech he currently possesses. These Stats can be assigned however the player wishes, but may be used only for Open Space Encounters.
Negative Power: This attack targets all other players who are higher than The Commander on the Scientific Enlightenment Track. If a player is higher than The Commander on the Scientific Enlightenment Track, then that player must give The Commander 1 Blue Resource. If a player can't pay the Resource cost, they must take 1 DC to Hand. If any player takes DC from this card, The Commander gains 1 VP.
Star Racer Vinh
Strengths: Unparalleled TDD use and accuracy. Navigation and Engineering Encounters.
Weaknesses: Security Encounters. Space Stations and Elite Open Space Encounters.
Ship Powers
Motivation: TDD costs only 1 MV. TDD also grants 1 Resource. Whenever Star Racer Vinh uses Trans-Dimensional Drive (TDD), she moves the Movement Tracker up only 1 space. In addition, any time she uses TDD, she also gets 1 Resource of her choice.
Navigation Mastery: May add or subtract 1 to TDD Roll. Mastery Card allows you to TDD for free and choose the destination hex during the Movement Phase. Star Racer Vinh can manipulate the Trans-Dimensional Drive roll by plus or minus 1 from the beginning of the game. In addition, she also has a Mastery card, which allows her to TDD during the Movement Phase for zero MV cost and to choose the exact hex destination instead of rolling. The power to manipulate the TDD die roll can still be further enhanced by Tech and Artifacts.
Special Tech: Infinity Beacon
Tech Requirement: Engineering Level-3 and Navigation Level-2. Resource Requirement: 1 Yellow Resource.
This unique Technology allows Star Racer Vinh to gain 1 VP every time she uses TDD.
Open Space Card
Effect 1: Star Racer Vinh's Open Space card allows her to cancel an Open Space Encounter card.
Effect 2: Star Racer Vinh may play her Open Space card during the Movement Phase. Using her Open Space card in this way allows her to immediately gain her current maximum MV. This Movement advances the Movement Tracker as normal.
Captain Powers
The Lanar Maneuver
Positive Power: This power is effective only if you intend on braving Open Space this Turn. Star Racer Vinh gains +1 to any Stat for every level of Navigation Tech she currently possesses. These Stats can be assigned however the player wishes, but may be used only for Open Space Encounters.
Negative Power: This attack targets all other players who intend on having an Open Space Encounter this Turn. Players who have an Open Space Encounter this Turn must increase all TNs on the Open Space Encounter card by +2. Each player that fails Open Space when this card is played allows Star Racer Vinh to take 1 Blue Resource from the Resource Pool.
Reactor Overload
Positive Power: When Star Racer Vinh succeeds at any Encounter, she also gains +2 MV until used and an additional +1 Reward tile.
Negative Power: This attack targets all other players who are not currently at a Discovery. If a player is not at a Discovery, they must move 3 hexes or use Trans-Dimensional Drive. Any player choosing not to move 3 hexes or TDD must take 2 DC to their Discard Pile. If any players take DC because of this card, Star Racer Vinh gains 1 VP.
Radma Singularity
Positive Power: Star Racer Vinh gains +4 to her Security during this Turn. In addition, she also gains +2 MV for this Turn only. If Star Racer Vinh reaches her current maximum MV (including MV earned from the Positive Power), she gains 1 VP.
Negative Power: This attack targets all other players, causing them to Discard a card from their Hand. If a player has a MV 2 card, they must Discard it. Players who do not have a MV 2 card in their Hand must allow Star Racer Vinh to randomly Discard 1 card from their Hand and gain the MV listed on it.
Trinium Burn
Positive Power: Star Racer Vinh immediately gains 4 MV and performs the Movement in the Captain Power Phase. Each different Location Star Racer Vinh passes over during this MV grants her 1 VP each. If she uses the MV to fly over no Locations, then she instead gains 3 Resources. This is the only Movement allowed for Star Racer Vinh this Turn. This Movement does advance the Movement Tracker.
Negative Power: If a player plays a Navigation card, they must give Star Racer Vinh 1 Resource. If they cannot pay 1 Resource, they lose 1 VP. This effect can happen multiple times to players if they play Navigation cards in different phases. An opponent needs to pay the cost only once per phase if multiple Navigation cards are played. If Star Racer Vinh receives any Resources from other players due to the negative effect of this card, she receives 1 VP.
Game End
Scoring
Whether players are playing the Normal Game or the Advanced Game, the game ends after passing 12 on the Movement Tracker in the final round. Players get to finish their entire Turn before proceeding to Game End scoring.
2- and 3-player: In a 2-player game, the game ends after passing 6 on the Movement Tracker in the final round. In a 3-player game, the game ends after passing 9 on the Movement Tracker in the final round.
Players earn Game End VPs by accomplishing the following:
- Achievement cards: These VPs range from 1 to 5.
- Special Tech: Results vary per Captain.
- Stored Artifacts: 2 VP per Artifact in Cargo Hold. Equipped Artifacts do not count.
- Artifact Shards: 1 VP per Artifact Shard in Cargo Hold. (This is never more than 2 VP.)
After the VPs are calculated, the player with the most VPs wins the game and is the most prepared for the looming Markarian threat.
In case of ties, the player with the most Technologies wins. If players are still tied, the winner is the player with the most Artifacts (in this case, equipped Artifacts do count). If there is still a tie, the winner is the player with the most Goods in their Cargo Hold. Finally, if there is still a tie, the winner is the player with the highest cumulative total on the Preparation Tracks.
Quick Reference
Setup
| Players | Discoveries | DC in Pool |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 Story / 3 Unique | 12 |
| 3 | 4 Story / 3 Unique | 18 |
| 4 | 5 Story / 3 Unique | 24 |
Game Turn Order: 1 Attack Phase, 2 Captain Power Phase, 3 Movement Phase, 4 Encounter Phase, 5 Upgrade Phase, 6 Refresh Phase.
End Game Scoring: Stored Artifacts + Artifact Shards + Achievement Cards + Special Tech.
Tokens
- Control Token, Stat Token (+1/+2 and -1/-2), Tech Token, Discovery Tile, Game Round Track Token, Movement Track Token, Artifact Tile, Bonus Tile, Attack Tile.
- No TDD Token: used on Planet Cracker failure result.
- Starting Player Token: indicates the starting player for a given round.
- City of the Stars Token: used on City of the Stars success result.