Frostpunk: The Board Game
Frostpunk Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Components
- Game Setup
- How to Win and Lose
- Important Rules
- Hope and Discontent
- Gameplay
- END OF GAME
- Sickness & Death
- Curing and Treating Citizens
- Advisors
Introduction
Foreword
Frostpunk: The Board Game is a cooperative tabletop game for 1 to 4 players set in a cold, post-apocalyptic, 19th-century world. Survival is only possible due to advanced steam technology, the pinnacle of which is the Generator, which provides life-giving heat to what remains of humanity.
As the Advisors of what may be the last city on Earth, your main objective in Frostpunk: The Board Game is for the City and its Citizens to survive. Each scenario has its own objectives that you must fulfill in order to win the game. The task placed upon your shoulders is not an easy one. The world of Frostpunk is a hostile and dangerous place, and if you are unable to manage your city well, you will lose.
This board game is a licensed adaptation of the video game “Frostpunk” created by 11 bit studios S.A.
The World of Frostpunk
In the summer of 1886 of Frostpunk’s alternative history, the snowstorms began. Crops failed; people starved. Millions fled south. They met only chaos, famine, and death. In the farthest reaches of the resource-rich north, the British Empire began construction of heat-bearing generators, where a chosen few could survive, safe from the chaos of crumbling civilisation. But they ran out of time. An apocalyptic ice storm came from the north, devouring everything in its path.
Some survivors managed to cross the seas and reach the site of a generator only to find it frozen solid. The generator was designed to power a city capable of weathering the end of the world... It falls to us to build that city… and so New London is established.
The things that define Frostpunk: The Board Game
In Frostpunk: The Board Game, in order to survive, you will need to constantly balance your decisions between managing and growing the city, and maintaining the morale and mood of its citizens. After the apocalyptic global cooling, the only heat comes from the Generator in the centre of the city. If you neglect it, everyone will freeze to death. The people who rely on your decisions are all that remains of humanity… Many lost their loved ones, and all of them were ripped from their previous lives and thrown into this new, harsh reality. They are the survivors, the ones that made it, but this does not mean they are dispassionate machines.
The decisions you make have consequences, both immediate and long term. Your choices might go against your own moral code and some laws you enact may seem strict or even cruel. How far will you go to ensure the survival of the last city on Earth?
To help you in this tremendous task you will research new technologies, scout the frozen wasteland for extra resources and perhaps more survivors, develop automatons that can work tirelessly, and push through the all-encompassing winter.
Optimisation and resource management often clash with empathy and thoughtful decision-making. While managing the city and social order will consume most of your time, at some point exploration of the outside world is necessary to understand its history and present state.
Main features of Frostpunk: The Board Game
Make the laws
Establish laws that regulate the existence of your growing society. Decide on your citizens’ working routine, healthcare, food provision, and other crucial aspects of everyday life. Maintain their hope and contentment – the moral condition of your society is as important as securing the basic means to keeping your people fed and safe.
Shape your society
When you reach a turning point, do not hesitate to determine the path of your people. Should you rule them with an iron fist... or show them a way of compassion and faith? Reach for extremes or try to find a fair balance? Whichever you choose, remember - there’s no turning back.
Weigh your choices
Some of your decisions will seem small – like deciding the fate of a troubled citizen or meeting the demands of a newborn faction – but be aware that the sum of your actions can lead to unexpected results. Your people put their faith in you, but their devotion is not limitless. Leadership can be a burden.
Develop new technologies
Survival demands progress. React to current events, but do not forget about the long term and investing in development and technological progress. Providing a highly advanced infrastructure with self-powered automatons, airships, and other technical wonders is difficult, but achievable. It all depends on your management and leadership skills.
Explore the Frostland
While New London is your main focus, there is much more to the world than what lies within the limits of your city. Expeditions, while risky, can bring you valuable intel, and precious supplies. There may even be people out there, and their fate lies solely in your hands.
Components
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Game Setup
Choose a scenario to play. The following instructions are for setting up the game using the ‘A New Home: Crater’ scenario which is recommended for your first game. Refer to the Scenario Book for instructions on how to set up the other scenarios.
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The setup steps in this Rulebook are either shown as a number in a circle 1 , or a number on its own 7. The numbers in a circle correspond to a number shown in a setup image, whereas the numbers on their own are not shown in a setup image.
Map setup
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How to Win and Lose
You win the game if you complete the goal of the scenario (detailed on the Scenario cards).
You lose the game if one or more of the following conditions are met:
PEOPLE LOSE THEIR WILL TO SURVIVE
This occurs when your last Hope token is removed from the Hope track.
PEOPLE BANISH YOU FROM THE CITY
This occurs when you place a 6th Discontent token onto the Discontent track (whether those tokens are active or not).
EXPLOSION OF THE GENERATOR
This occurs when the Generator breaks down for a second time.
OVERWHELMING SICKNESS
This occurs if any of the Sickness markers on the Population track is on space 26 or higher in the Preparation Phase.
OVERWHELMING HUNGER
This occurs during the Hunger Phase if your Hunger level is 25 or more after spending Food to decrease Hunger.
OVERWHELMING DEATHS
This occurs when the Corpse marker moves to the last space of the Corpse track.
The red skull and crossbones symbol is shown on various components as a reminder of these lose conditions.
Important Rules
RULES PRIORITY
Any rule from the Scenario Book takes precedence over anything in the Rulebook.
Any text on a card takes precedence over anything in the Rulebook or Scenario Book.
DECISION MAKING
In Frostpunk: The Board Game, players need to work together to win. Whenever a decision needs to be made in the game, if players cannot agree, the player with the Leadership marker has the final say.
GAINING, LOSING, AND SPENDING
During the game, you will be instructed to gain, lose, or spend certain things.
Food is tracked with the Food marker. Whenever you gain Food, move the marker to the right. Whenever you lose or spend Food, move it to the left.
Citizens (Workers, Engineers, and Children) are tracked with the 3 Citizen markers. Whenever you gain Citizens, move the corresponding marker to the right. Whenever you lose Citizens, move it to the left.
Sick Citizens are tracked with the 3 Sickness markers. Whenever you gain sick Citizens, move the corresponding marker to the right. Whenever you lose sick Citizens, move it to the left.
If the type of Citizen or sick Citizen you gain or lose is not specified, you may choose the type of each of those Citizens.
Wood, Coal, Steam Cores, and Steel are known as Resources. When you gain them, take them from the bank and place them in the supply. When you lose or spend them, move them from the supply to the bank.
The difference between losing and spending is as follows:
Lose: If you are instructed to lose something that you don’t have, just lose what you can and perform the corresponding effect as normal.
For example: If an effect causes you to lose 3 Wood from the supply, and you only have 1 Wood, just lose the 1 Wood. Similarly, if an effect causes you to lose 3 Engineers, and you only have 2 Engineers, just lose those 2 Engineers.
Spend: If an effect requires you to spend something, you must pay the full amount in order to resolve that effect. You cannot choose an effect for which you do not have the full amount to satisfy the spend requirement.
For example: If you need to spend 2 Wood to use an ability, and you only have 1 Wood, you cannot use that ability.
DISCARD PILES
The contents of all discard piles are open information; players may look through them at any time.
Hope and Discontent
Understanding and managing Hope and Discontent is an important aspect of the game. Not only will you lose the game if you lose all Hope or have too much Discontent, but many game effects are modified based on whether you have a certain type of Hope or Discontent.
Hope and Discontent tokens are double-sided; both have an active (light) and exhausted (dark) side. There are 3 types of Hope token and 3 types of Discontent token.
ACTIVATING AND EXHAUSTING TOKENS
Whenever you are instructed to Activate a token, flip over one exhausted token to the active side.
Whenever you are instructed to Exhaust a token, flip over one active token to the exhausted side.
If you are instructed to Activate or Exhaust a token but are unable to do so, ignore that effect.
However, if you are required to Exhaust a token to resolve an effect, you can only resolve that effect if you are able to Exhaust a token.
Card effects
The shorthand notation used on cards for increasing and decreasing Hope is shown as + or –, then a number, followed by either “Hope” or “Discontent”, or a specific type of token.
A + symbol means you increase, and a – symbol means you decrease.
The number shown is how many times you repeat the process.
For example: -2 Hope means to decrease Hope twice.
INCREASING AND DECREASING HOPE / DISCONTENT
During the game, you will sometimes be instructed to increase or decrease your Hope or Discontent.
Whenever you increase Hope or Discontent (and no specific type is listed), you must choose one of the following options:
- Draw a random token from the appropriate bag and place it exhausted side up on the leftmost empty space on the corresponding track, or
- Activate any one exhausted token from the appropriate track.
Whenever you increase your Hope or Discontent of a specific token type, perform the following two steps, in order:
- Draw a random token from the appropriate bag and place it exhausted-side up on the leftmost empty space of the corresponding track. (This token may or may not be of the type specified - it does not matter).
- If possible, Activate one exhausted token of the indicated type.
Note: The maximum amount of Hope is 6. Once you have 6 active Hope tokens, you cannot increase Hope further.
Each time you decrease Hope or Discontent, you must choose one of the following options:
- Exhaust any one active token on the corresponding track, or
- Remove any one exhausted token on the corresponding track and place it back in its bag. Slide any remaining tokens on the track to the left to fill any gaps.
If you are unable to perform the first option (because there are no active tokens), you must choose the other option.
Remember: If your last Hope token is removed from the Hope track, or you place a 6th Discontent token onto the Discontent track, you lose the game.
DISCARDING HOPE & DISCONTENT TOKENS
Whenever you are instructed to discard a token, remove it from the Hope & Discontent Board and place it back in the appropriate bag. The discarded token can be either active or exhausted.
Gameplay
A game of Frostpunk: The Board Game is played over several Rounds. Each Round is divided into 9 Phases, carried out in order. Use the Phase marker to track which Phase you are currently in.
Note: Phases 1-5 are skipped in the first Round of the game.
- DAWN PHASE: Pass the Leadership marker. Advance the Round marker, triggering any events.
- MORNING PHASE: Resolve the top card from the Morning deck.
- GENERATOR PHASE: Citizens may become sick because of the cold. Check for Generator stress.
- WEATHER PHASE: Resolve the top Weather card (Storm moves closer, Heat Range indicators advance, Hunter’s Huts provide food, and Expeditions progress).
- PREPARATION PHASE: Use Advisors, resolve Sickness markers.
- ACTION PHASE: Perform actions with Meeples.
- DUSK PHASE: Resolve the top card of the Dusk deck.
- HUNGER PHASE: Resolve Hunger from the previous Round and then feed Citizens.
- NIGHT PHASE: Place Meeples in heated Shelters. Citizens with nowhere warm to sleep get sick.
1. DAWN PHASE
A new day begins and the burden of leadership passes on.
At the start of this Phase, pass the Leadership marker clockwise to the next player. Then, move the Round marker one space forward on the Round track. If the Round marker reaches a Development token, remove that token from the Round track and place it, active-side up, on the Technology card that currently does not have a Development token on it. Then, choose any Technology card with an inactive Development token on it (if any) and place that token on the Round track (a number of spaces ahead of the Round marker as depicted on the Technology card). For more details of these cards, see page 38.
If the Round marker reaches a Scenario Trigger token, remove the Scenario Trigger token and refer to the Scenario card(s) related to that token, following the instructions on them. For more details of these cards, see page 33.
Note: If the Round marker moves onto a space with the Storm marker, this will be resolved in the Weather Phase.
2. MORNING PHASE
A new day brings another challenge for us to solve.
REVEAL A MORNING CARD
Reveal the top card from the Morning deck, and read its text. The card may have an instant effect which is resolved immediately. The card may also have some numbered options; if so, choose one of the available options and resolve its effects. Some options have a prerequisite condition in red text. You can only choose one of these options if you meet its prerequisite condition.
After fully resolving the card, remove it from the game, or place it in the Event display (as stated next to the option chosen).
TODO = Remove the card from the game (place it back in the box). Any Resources on the card are placed in the bank. Any Meeples on the card are placed in the supply. TODO = Place the card in the Event display (along the top-left edge of the Map).
3. GENERATOR PHASE
If we don’t provide enough heating, some of our citizens get sick, but if we use the generator too much, it may break down.
At the start of this Phase, you may fuel the Generator to increase the amount of heat it is providing.
FUEL THE GENERATOR
You may spend any number of Coal (moving them from the supply to the bank) to fuel the Generator. Advance the Heat marker one space for each Coal spent. The Heat marker may be moved onto the Cold marker, but not beyond.
Then, check how many Citizens become sick because of the cold (indicated by the position of the Cold marker). To do this, for each icon depicted on the Heat track between the Cold marker and the Heat marker, move the corresponding Sickness marker one space forward. If the Sickness marker would move to a space beyond the corresponding Citizen marker, flip it over instead of moving it (see Sickness & Death on page 30).
Once you have chosen whether or not to fuel the generator in this Phase, check the Generators Stress level.
GENERATOR STRESS LEVEL
Take a number of Coal cubes from the bank, as shown by the position of the Heat marker on the Heat track, and drop them into the top of the Generator.
After the cubes have fallen, carefully pull out the Generator drawer. Place any cubes in the drawer onto the Stress track. Then, carefully close the drawer.
Any cubes that fall out of the Generator when removing the drawer are also placed on the Stress track. Any cubes that fall out of the Generator when inserting the drawer remain in the drawer (and will be placed on the Stress track next round).
The 10 small spaces on the Stress track hold 1 cube each. When placing cubes on this track, fill these 10 spaces first, then place any remaining cubes into the overflow space (the large space at the top of the track, which can hold any number of cubes). Cubes on the Stress track are known as Stress cubes.
If there are any Stress cubes in the overflow space, the Generator breaks down.
Whether the Generator broke down or not, reset the Heat marker by moving it back to the first space of the Heat Track.
GENERATOR BREAKDOWN
The first time that the Generator breaks down, perform the following steps, in order:
- Flip the Heat marker to the overheated side.
- Advance the Cold marker one space on the Heat track, and all 3 Heat Range indicators one space on the Generator track.
- Return all Stress cubes from the Stress track (including those on the overflow space) back to the bank.
The second time that the Generator breaks down (i.e., when the Heat marker is on the overheated side and there are one or more cubes on the overflow space), the Generator explodes and you lose the game.
4. WEATHER PHASE
It gets colder each day, requiring more heat to keep everyone warm.
Reveal the top card from the Weather deck, resolve it, and then place it face up in the Weather card discard pile. Each Weather card has 4 sections that are resolved in order from top to bottom.
A. Move the Heat Range indicators
B. Hunter’s Traps
C. Expedition Progress
D. Move the Storm marker
A. MOVE THE HEAT RANGE INDICATORS
Advance the Cold marker and each Heat Range indicator the indicated number of spaces up the track as depicted in the first section of the Weather card, but not beyond the last space on the track.
B. HUNTER’S TRAPS
Gain 1 Food for each Hunting symbol on your Hunter’s Huts (a basic hut provides one symbol, an upgraded hut provides two).
C. EXPEDITION PROGRESS
Advance each of your Scouts the indicated number of spaces forward on their respective Expedition stack(s). More information about the Expedition movement can be found on page 35.
D. MOVE THE STORM MARKER
Move the Storm marker backward on the Round track a number of spaces as indicated at the bottom of the card.
After moving the Storm marker, if it is now on or before the space with the Round marker, a Storm hits your settlement. When this happens, reveal the relevant Storm card for the chosen scenario and resolve its effects. If the effects do not include the TODO icon, return the Storm card face down to the left of the Weather deck.
For the ‘A New Home: Crater’ scenario, the effect of the Storm depends on how many Storms have hit your settlement this game:
- 1st Storm to hit your settlement:
Move the Storm marker to space 12 of the Round track and flip all Tents to their cold side (Ruins), including ones on the Buildings board. - 2nd Storm to hit your settlement:
Remove the Storm marker from the game and flip all Bunkhouses to their cold side (Ruins), including any on the Buildings board.
Once a Shelter (Tent / Bunkhouse / House) has been flipped to its Ruins side, it may no longer be used as a Shelter during the Night Phase unless a specific Law has been passed. For more details on the Night Phase, see page 29.
5. PREPARATION PHASE
We look to our advisors for help.
CHOOSING AN ADVISOR
At the start of the Preparation Phase, players discuss which Advisor to use this Round, if any. You may only use one Advisor in a Round, but the same Advisor may be chosen each Round. The player with the Leadership marker has the final word on whose Advisor should be used this Round, if any.
Immediately after an Advisor has been chosen, the ability of that Advisor may then be used by exhausting the indicated Hope token. See page 31 for the full rules on Advisors.
RESOLVING SICKNESS
After resolving the Advisor’s ability (or choosing not to), check the Sickness markers. If any of the Sickness markers are on space 26 or higher, you lose the game due to overwhelming sickness. Otherwise, resolve the effect of each Sickness marker on the Population track from lowest to highest. For each Sickness marker, resolve the effect of each icon in the section the marker is in.
Note: There is no effect if the Sickness marker is on spaces 0-4.
The effects are as follows:
TODO Place the indicated number of Spent Citizen tokens of the corresponding type in the supply. Each Spent Citizen token means you have one fewer Meeple to use in the next Action Phase (see page 22).
TODO Flip this Sickness marker to its other side a number of times as indicated. Whenever you flip a marker from the Syringe side to the Skull side, it represents that a Citizen is now gravely ill, but there is no additional game effect. Whenever a token is flipped from the Skull side to the Syringe side, one of your Citizens dies, and the token is moved backwards one space (see Sickness & Death on page 30).
6. ACTION PHASE
Get to work! Move, people! There’s plenty to do.
At the start of the Action Phase, check that you have the correct number of Meeples in the supply based on the position of the corresponding Citizen markers on the Population track. Adjust the number of Meeples of each type in the supply as needed.
Note: Meeples placed on Expedition stacks as Scouts still count towards this total as if they were in your supply.
Then, if there are any Spent Citizen tokens in the supply, place a corresponding Meeple from the supply onto each of them. If there are not enough Meeples of a given type, leave the remaining Spent Citizen tokens of that type without a Meeple on.
Note: You cannot use a Meeple placed on a Spent Citizen token to perform an action with this Round.
PLAYER TURNS
Beginning with the player with the Leadership marker and going clockwise, each player takes a turn. Play continues in this way until you run out of available Meeples or do not want to take any more actions.
On your turn, you may first choose to fuel the Generator (as per the rules on page 20). The Heat marker may be moved onto the Cold marker, but not beyond.
Note: Do not check for Generator Stress when you fuel the Generator during this Phase; that only happens in the Generator Phase.
Then, you choose one available Meeple from the supply to perform one of the following Main actions:
- Remove Snow
- Gather Resources
- Construct
- Use a Building
- Deploy Scouts
- Perform a Special Action on a Scenario card or Event card
Note: You cannot use Child Meeples to take actions unless a specific Law has been introduced or another effect allows you to do this.
TAKING ACTIONS IN HEATED OR COLD CONDITIONS
Every action that you perform is taken in either heated or cold conditions.
Some actions are always heated actions; the Citizens you use will suffer no ill effects from the action.
Some are always cold actions; the Citizens you use will suffer ill effects from the cold.
Other actions may be either heated or cold depending on whether the Generator is providing heat to the Building or Map tile where the action is being taken.
Always heated: Construct, Deploy Scouts, Special Actions
Always cold: Remove Snow
Heated or Cold: Gather Resources, Use a Building
Note: A useful thing to remember is that you only need to check the heating provided by the Generator when you place Meeples on the map. All other actions are heated, except for the Remove Snow action (which depicts the syringe icon).
Each time you take an action, first check whether the action is heated or cold. If it is heated, there are no additional effects. If it is cold, before resolving the action, increase the number of sick Citizens of the Meeple type used for the action by 1. If the Sickness marker would move to a space beyond the corresponding Citizen marker, flip it over instead of moving it (see Sickness & Death on page 30).
To determine if the Gather Resources and Use a Building action is heated or cold, look at the position of the Heat marker.
The symbols on the Heat Range indicators depict either an Insulation level of a Building or a zone of the map.
INSULATION LEVELS
Each Building has an Insulation level associated with it, based on the colour of the stripe on the bottom of the tile.
Red Buildings have the highest insulation, then Orange, then Yellow.
Blue Buildings cannot be heated unless they are in a heated zone or with special Buildings / Laws.
White Buildings are special and their Insulation level does not matter.
If the Generator has not been started (the Heat marker is on the first space of the Heat Track), all Gather Resources and Use a Building actions are cold actions.
- If a zone symbol on a Heat Range indicator is lower than the level of the Heat marker, all actions in that zone are heated.
- If an Insulation level on a Heat Range indicator is lower than the level of the Heat marker, actions in a Building with that Insulation level are heated, regardless of where that Building is on the map.
Either of the conditions above are required for an action to be considered heated.
ACTION DESCRIPTIONS
REMOVE SNOW
YOU MUST CLEAR THE AREA TO FIND NEW RESOURCES AND GIVE YOU ROOM TO EXPAND.
This action is always cold.
PLACE AN AVAILABLE MEEPLE ON THE REMOVE SNOW SPACE OF THE SUPPLY BOARD, THEN CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS:
- Place two Near tiles (they do not have to be adjacent to each other), or
- Place one Far tile.
Note: If there is only space for one Near tile, only place one.
This action may be performed multiple times each Round.
Draw your chosen tile(s) from their respective stacks and place them face down (without looking at the opposite side) onto the board as follows:
- Near tiles must be placed adjacent to the Generator tile.
- Far tiles must be placed adjacent to a tile that is connected to the Generator tile (directly, or through other adjacent tiles). Far tiles cannot be placed adjacent to the Generator tile.
Once all tiles have been placed, flip them face up. On each space, place the depicted number of Trees or Resources from the bank. If the tile depicts a Food bonus, immediately gain that much Food.
GATHER RESOURCES
Our supplies are running dangerously low, we need to gather more resources.
This action may be either heated or cold depending on the location of the tile selected, and the Heating provided by the Generator.
To perform this action, place an available Meeple on an unoccupied space on a Map tile that has Coal, Wood, or Steam Cores. Take up to 2 Resources from that space and place them into the supply. You may only use each space once per Round (i.e., you cannot choose a space that already has a Meeple on it). This action may be performed multiple times each Round.
Note: Near and Far Map tiles have 2 spaces. The Generator tile has 5 spaces. With this action, you place a Meeple on a specific space and take Resources from that space only.
CONSTRUCT
Buildings are essential for your survival. This action is always heated. The Construct action allows you to Build Buildings and/or Dismantle Buildings. To perform this action, place an available Meeple on the Construction space of the Supply board. Each Construct action allows you to perform up to 3 Construct sub-actions (Build or Dismantle), which may be taken in any order and combination. For example: You could build one Building, dismantle another, and then build a new Building on the space where you dismantled the previous one. This action may be performed multiple times each Round.
BUILD
To Build, choose a Building from the Buildings board and spend the amount of Wood and/or Steam Cores depicted in the circle at the bottom of the column the Building is in. Alternatively, you may choose a Building below the Buildings board if it has been unlocked by a card. The cost to Build the Building is shown on that card. Place the Building on a space of the Map that does not contain a Meeple or another Building. If you place a Building on a space with Resources or Trees, return the Resources / Trees to the bank.
Notes:
- Buildings with a Red Build icon cannot be built.
- Large Buildings must be built on two spaces of the same Map tile.
- The Buildings below the Buildings board can only be built once a certain Law or Event has happened. The cost to build them is shown on the corresponding Law / Event.
- The Generator tile has 5 spaces. The place where the Generator drawer goes is not a space.
DISMANTLE
To Dismantle, choose a Building on the map without any Meeples on it and place it back onto the Buildings board in the corresponding space.
Notes:
- Buildings with a Red Dismantle icon ( ) cannot be dismantled or destroyed in any way.
- If a Ruin is dismantled, remove it from the game.
USE A BUILDING
You will need to utilise the advantages that Buildings provide to ensure that your city functions effectively. This action is heated or cold depending on the position of the Heat marker, the zone the Building is in, and the Insulation level of the Building. To perform this action, place an available Meeple on (or next to if using the miniatures) any Building on the map (a starting Building or one that has been constructed). Each Small Building can only have 1 Meeple on it; each Large Building can have up to 2 Meeples on it (placed as two separate actions). The individual actions of each Building are described in the Appendix. Note: If a Building depicts an Engineer symbol , only Engineer Meeples can be sent there to perform the action.
DEPLOY SCOUTS
It’s a dangerous journey, but one we must make. This action is always heated. You may only perform this action if the Beacon has been built. When you perform this action, take one Meeple (Worker or Engineer only) from the supply and place it on an Expedition stack that doesn’t have a Meeple on it, on the first (bottommost) space of that stack. The Meeple you place is now a Scout. There can only be one active Expedition (an Expedition stack with a Scout on it) until the Beacon has been upgraded, at which point there can be two active Expeditions. Therefore, if you have an upgraded Beacon and currently do not have any Expeditions, this action may be performed twice during a Round.
SPECIAL ACTIONS
This action is heated unless noted otherwise on the card. During the game, you may reveal Scenario cards and Event cards that contain Special Actions that can be used in the Action Phase. You may use the Special Action on any Scenario cards in your Scenario display. Event cards may be placed into your Event display, depending on the card text and choice you make. If an Event card is in the Event display, you may use the Special Action on it. Place your Meeple in the Special Action area on the card. Some cards require you to spend Food or Resources when you perform the action, others require you to place Resources on the card. Meeples placed on the Special Action are removed as normal in the Night Phase but any Resources placed on the card remain on the card. For example: This Event card allows you to place an Engineer and 1 Wood on it during the Action Phase. Each Special Action may only be performed once per Round. Some Special Actions are only once per game (as indicated on the card).
7. DUSK PHASE
As the day draws to a close, you must face the consequences of your actions.
At the start of this Phase, if any cards in the Scenario display or the Event display have any effects with “DUSK PHASE:” on them, resolve them now, in any order. Then, shuffle the Dusk deck, reveal the top card, and read its text. The card may have an instant effect which is resolved immediately. The card may also have some numbered options; if so, choose one of the available options and resolve its effects. Some options have a prerequisite condition in red text. You can only choose one of these options if you meet its prerequisite condition. Then either remove the card from the game or place it on the Event display or Dusk discard pile (as instructed by the card). = Remove the card from the game (place it back in the box). Any Resources on the card are placed in the bank. Any Meeples on the card are placed in the supply. = Place the card in the Event display. [No icon] = Unless instructed otherwise by the card, place this card on the Dusk discard pile (the leftmost space on the Dusk board, showing ). It may be reshuffled into the Dusk deck later in the game.
SOCIAL DISPUTE CARDS
There will always be exactly one Social Dispute card in the Dusk deck. After resolving a Social Dispute card, remove it from the game (place it back in the box). Then take the top card from the Social Dispute deck and shuffle it together with both the Dusk deck and Dusk discard pile to create a new Dusk deck (face down). If the Social Dispute deck runs out, do not add a new Social Dispute card. Note: Remember to read the Social Dispute card carefully before shuffling it into the deck so that you can be prepared for it. Cards depicting this red icon can never be discarded due to an effect or placed on the Dusk discard pile.
8. HUNGER PHASE
Hungry citizens from yesterday must be fed first. As darkness falls, we need to find a place to sleep.
DECREASING PREVIOUS HUNGER
At the start of this Phase, if your Hunger level is 1 or more (the Hunger marker is on position 1 or higher), you must spend Food to decrease the Hunger level as much as you are able. For each Food spent, decrease the Hunger level by 1. After spending your Food, check your Hunger level:
- If it is between 1 and 24 resolve the effects depicted in the section directly below the position of the Hunger marker.
- If it is 25 or more, you lose the game from overwhelming hunger. Increase Discontent. The indicated number of your Citizens die. The type of Citizen that dies is depicted at the top of the column for the previous Round on the Round & Morning board (see Citizen Death on page 30). Note: If any Citizens die in the first Round from hunger, use the type of Citizen from the current Round instead. After resolving the effects of Hunger, move the Hunger marker back to position 0 on the Food Track.
FEEDING CITIZENS
Next, you must feed your Citizens by spending 1 Food for each Citizen you have of the type indicated by the current Round (the position of the Citizen marker). If you do not have enough Food, add 1 Hunger level (move the Hunger marker one space forward) for each Food that you lack. If the Hunger level increases to more than 25, flip the Hunger marker over to the 25+ side, place it back at the start of the track and continue to move it from there. Note: You do not lose the game from overwhelming hunger at this point; only if the Hunger level is 25 or more after spending Food to decrease the Hunger level in the next Hunger Phase.
9. NIGHT PHASE
As darkness falls, we need to find a place to sleep.
In this Phase, you have to provide heated Shelters to your Citizens. Follow these steps:
- Return all Spent Citizen tokens that have Meeples on them back to the bank, placing the Meeples on them back into the supply. Any Spent Citizen tokens without Meeples on them are not returned to the bank (each one will reduce the number of available Meeples next Round).
- Return all Meeples placed this Round back to the supply, including Meeples on cards in the Event display (unless indicated otherwise). Do not return Scouts on Expedition stacks.
- You may choose to fuel the Generator (as per the rules on page 20) if required to heat your Shelters.
- Count the number of available sleeping slots in heated Shelters. For each one, choose a Meeple in the supply and lay it down; this indicates this Meeple has somewhere warm to sleep.
- For each Meeple in the supply that is still standing (has nowhere warm to sleep), gain 1 sick Citizen of the matching type (see Sickness & Death on page 30).
HEATED SHELTERS
Tents, Bunkhouses, and Houses provide shelter for 2 Citizen Meeples during the Night Phase but only if the Shelter is heated (unless another game effect allows it). If a Shelter has been flipped to a Ruin (the side with the icon), it cannot be used as a Shelter during the Night Phase unless a specific Law has been passed. Even then, it must still be heated to be used. The positions of the Heat marker and the Heat Range indicators, the Insulation level of the Shelter, and the zone the Shelter is in determine whether the Shelter is heated or not, just as with other Buildings.
Note: Some Special Buildings and Laws change the rules for Shelters, either by changing the number of Meeples you can place in Shelters, or by allowing certain other Buildings to provide shelter for specific types of Meeples.
END OF GAME
The game ends when you either lose the game because one of the game lose conditions has been met, or win the game because you completed the goal of the scenario (detailed on the Scenario cards).
Sickness & Death
SICKNESS
The Sickness markers track how many of each type of Citizen are sick.
Whenever a Citizen gets sick, move the corresponding Sickness marker one space forward on the Population track. If the type of sick Citizen is not specified, you may choose the type of each of those Citizens.
There can never be more sick Citizens of a particular type than there are Citizens of that type. If moving the Sickness marker would move it to a space beyond the corresponding Citizen marker, instead of moving that Sickness marker, flip it over.
If a Sickness marker is flipped from the Syringe side to the Skull side, it represents that a Citizen is now gravely ill, but there is no additional game effect.
If a Sickness marker is flipped from the Skull side to the Syringe side, one Citizen of that type dies (see ‘Death’ below). You also move that Sickness marker one space backward (the number of sick Citizens reduces because a sick Citizen just died).
If reducing the number of Citizens moves the Citizen marker to a space before the corresponding Sickness marker, you must move the Sickness marker backwards until the number of sick Citizens is equal to the total number of Citizens of the same type.
DEATH
When one of your Citizens dies, follow these steps:
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Move the Corpse marker one space forward on the Corpse track. If the Corpse marker moves onto the last space of the track, you lose the game from overwhelming deaths.
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Move the corresponding Citizen marker one space back on the Population track. If the corresponding Sickness marker is on a higher position than the Citizen marker, or if the Citizen died due to sickness (a Sickness marker on its Skull side was flipped to its Syringe side), also move the corresponding Sickness marker one space backward.
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Draw a Citizen card from the Citizen deck, place it face up on the discard pile, and apply the death effect printed on it based on the type of Citizen that died.
Instead of drawing a Citizen card from the deck, any player may discard a Citizen card matching the type of Citizen that died. If they do, apply the death effect of the discarded Citizen card.
In either case, apply as much of the death effect of the card as you are able, as depicted on the bottom of the card corresponding to the type of Citizen who died.
Curing and Treating Citizens
CURING
Various game effects (including some Building actions) allow you to Cure some of your Citizens. These are denoted by the word “Cure” followed by a number, or by the Cure icon preceded by a number. The number is how many Cure points you then get to use. Each Cure point allows you to move any one Sickness marker 1 space to the left. Any Cure points you cannot immediately use are lost.
Note: A Sickness marker on its Skull side cannot be moved to space 0 on the Population track (the gravely ill Citizen must be Treated before the marker is moved to space 0).
TREATING
Various game effects (including some Building actions) allow you to Treat some of your Citizens. These are denoted by the word “Treat” followed by a number, or by the Treat icon preceded by a number. The number is how many Treat points you then get to use.
Each Treat point allows you to flip a Sickness marker on its Skull side to its Syringe side without applying the death effect. Any Treat points you cannot immediately use are lost.
Advisors
Players take the role of one of the Advisors in 4 categories of expertise: Generator Advisor, Health Advisor, Social Advisor, Foreman Advisor. Each Advisor has a special ability available only to the assigned player. Advisor cards cannot be exchanged or swapped with other players during the game. As described on page 22, one Advisor may be chosen each Round. The ability of the chosen Advisor may be used once during the Preparation Phase by exhausting the indicated Hope token.
SOLO GAME
The ‘Call to Rise’ card may be used in the Preparation Phase, allowing you to draw Citizen cards based on how many Hope tokens you currently have. Once used, remove it from the game.