Lumen: The Lost World
Lumen: The Lost World Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 2 erasable markers.
- 2 x 8 Basic Fighter tokens. Each Fighter has a strength of 1 to 3, as indicated by its arrows. Some Fighters have a special ability that can be activated if they are on their ACTIVE side. After using the ability, flip the Fighter to its INACTIVE side (showing a white border).
- 3 bags: 2 in the clan colors and 1 gray (neutral).
- 5 Clan markers for each of the two clans.
- 14 Bonus tokens, consisting of:
- 8 Mercenary Fighter tokens (gray background), which can be recruited during the game and have a special ability that can be activated.
- 3 Secret Mission tokens (green background).
- 3 Glow Action tokens (black background).
- 1 Initiative marker.
- 1 First Player token.
- 15 Discovery tokens.
- 21 Objective tokens.
Command Boards
Each player has a Command board (one for the Day clan, one for the Night clan). Each Command board consists of:
- A Calculation table.
- An Order Planning area.
- A Reserve area.
- A High Command area.
- 2 dice:
- 1 white die with values 0 to 5.
- 1 black die with values 1 to 6.
Battlefield Boards
7 Battlefield boards with numbers on their backs. Each board is composed of 1 to 3 Territories, separated by a white border. These Territories contain 1 to 7 Lumen.
The Territories belong to one of four seasons, each worth a different amount of Lumen when controlled at game end: Winter, Autumn, Summer, and Spring (see End of the Game).
Setup
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Choose a specific Scenario or pick one at random (refer to the Scenarios section of this rulebook). For your first battle, we recommend choosing scenario A - First Contact.
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Prepare the play area by placing the Battlefield boards as instructed by the Scenario. (Note: depending on the chosen scenario, it's possible you won't need all of the boards. Return any unused boards to the box.)
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Shuffle the Objective tokens without revealing their Lumen, and place them in a face-down draw pile near the play area.
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Put the Mercenary Fighter, Secret Mission, and Glow Action tokens in the gray (neutral) bag, and shuffle them. Place the bag near the play area.
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Place the following items onto the play area, as indicated by the chosen scenario:
- The starting Fighters of each clan, with their ACTIVE side face up.
- Any potential Objective tokens drawn at random, without revealing their Lumen.
- The Initiative marker.
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Shuffle the Discovery tokens and place 1 face down on each Territory that doesn't contain any Fighters.
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Each player receives a Command board and the 5 corresponding Clan markers. Place these items in front of you. Put your remaining Basic Fighters in your colored bag and shuffle them. Draw the first 3, and place them with their ACTIVE side face up on the spaces of the Reserve area of your Command board.
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Determine the first player using any method you like. This player places the First Player token in front of them. They also receive the 2 dice.
How to Play
- The game is played over 17 turns.
- At the start of each turn, the first player rolls the 2 dice.
- Based on the result, they carry out these 3 phases in order:
- Choosing a Calculation
- Planning Orders
- Issuing Orders
- Then, their opponent carries out phases 1 to 3 in order, with the following two restrictions in mind:
- They MUST use the die result the first player rolled.
- They CANNOT choose the same calculation as the first player, UNLESS there is no other choice available.
- At the end of the turn, check to see whether one of the players controls the Territory containing the Initiative marker.
A player controls a Territory if the total Combat Strength of their Fighters is bigger than the Combat Strength of their opponent's Fighters in this territory.
Example: in this Territory, the Day Clan's Fighter has a Combat Strength of 2, and the Night Clan's Fighters have a combined Combat Strength of 5. The Night Clan player therefore controls the Territory.
- The player who controls this Territory will be the first player in the following turn. They place the First Player token in front of them.
- If neither player controls the Territory (if it contains no Fighters or if the Fighters are tied for Combat Strength), the First Player token simply changes hands.
- After that, a new turn begins.
1 - Choosing a Calculation
a. Choose 1 of the following calculations in your Calculation table:
- The result of the lowest die.
- The result of the highest die.
- The sum of the two dice. Example: 4 + 1 = 5.
- The product of the two dice. Example: 4 x 1 = 4.
- The difference between the two dice. Example: 4 - 1 = 3. (The difference can be zero, but never negative.)
Note for T.R.E.K.12 System players: in this game, it's possible to use calculations with a result that's higher than 12! We don't recommend this, because a high number will be more difficult to score points with, but it is allowed. (A Roll & Write adventure: give it a try!)
b. Cross off the next available space in the row that corresponds to the calculation you chose. The first player uses the First Player token to indicate their choice.
Important: when all spaces of a row have been crossed off, this choice is no longer available to you.
Remember: on any given turn, the second player cannot choose the same calculation as the first player, UNLESS there is no other choice available.
2 - Planning Orders
Fill in a cell on your Command board by writing down the result you obtained in phase 1: Choosing a Calculation. Keep the following restrictions in mind:
- On your very first turn of the game, you can fill in any cell of your choice.
- On subsequent turns, you MUST fill in a cell adjacent to a cell you already filled in during one of your previous turns.
Example: you can fill in one of the cells marked in green (any cell adjacent to a cell you've already filled in).
If the value you wrote down is equal to or greater than 7:
- Cross off the leftmost available box of the High Command area on your Command board.
- As soon as all boxes underneath an available slot are crossed off:
- Draw a Bonus token from the neutral bag at random and place it in this slot, with its ACTIVE side face up. This Bonus token will immediately be available in phase 3: Issuing Orders. This token can be a Mercenary Fighter, a Secret Mission, or a Glow Action token (for an explanation of the Bonus tokens, refer to the Annex section).
- Then, if the slot has an Objective symbol, immediately draw an Objective token. You may look at it, but keep its value hidden from your opponent. You will only reveal the Lumen gained this way at the end of the game.
The next time this player writes down a value equal to or greater than 7 on their board, they will cross off this box, and immediately draw a Bonus token and an Objective token.
3 - Issuing Orders
Filling in your Command board may allow you to:
- Deploy Reinforcements to the Battlefield.
- Move Fighters across the Battlefield AND/OR activate the special abilities of Fighters on the Battlefield.
Sometimes the cell you filled in during phase 2: Planning Orders allows you to create/expand an Area, AND create/expand a Chain of Orders. In that case, you have to choose to either:
- Deploy your Reinforcements first, then move and/or activate special abilities, OR
- Move and/or activate special abilities first, then deploy your Reinforcements.
Deploying Reinforcements to the Battlefield
To be able to deploy Reinforcements, you first have to create Areas of cells with identical values. An Area is a group of at least 2 adjacent cells with identical values on your Command board.
When you write down a number that's identical to at least one adjacent number, you are creating or expanding an Area:
- Draw a pattern in each cell that makes up the Area.
- To make your Command board easier to read, we recommend using a specific pattern for each Area.
When you create or expand an Area on your Command board, you deploy Reinforcements for EACH NEW CELL of the associated Area. Example: when you create an Area (by writing a second 8 next to the first 8), you deploy 2 Reinforcements. When you add a third 8 to the existing Area on a future turn, you deploy 1 Reinforcement.
For each Reinforcement you deploy this way:
- Choose a Basic Fighter from your Reserve area, or a Mercenary Fighter from your High Command area (if available).
- Place it on the Battlefield, on a Territory in which you already have at least 1 other Fighter.
Note: whenever you deploy a Mercenary Fighter, place one of your Clan markers on it to show it's yours and avoid confusion.
When you're done deploying your obtained Reinforcements, refill the empty slots of your Reserve area by randomly drawing Basic Fighters from your colored bag. Do not refill tokens in your High Command area (Mercenary Fighters and Glow Actions) after using them.
Moving Fighters and/or Activating Special Abilities
To be able to move Fighters and/or activate their special abilities, you must first create a Chain of Orders on your Command board. A Chain of Orders is a consecutive sequence of numbers.
Each time you write down a number in a cell, you might be creating (or continuing) a sequence in combination with an adjacent number (in ascending or descending order). If that's the case, you must create a Chain of Orders by drawing a line between these 2 cells.
- A Chain of Orders CANNOT contain the same number multiple times. You cannot add a number to a Chain of Orders if that number is already part of the sequence.
Example: if you want to expand your Chain of Orders of 4-5-6 on the right, you would have to do it with a 3 (because the sequence already contains a 5). Next to the 6, you would have to write down a 7 (because the sequence already contains a 5).
- Likewise, each number can only be part of A SINGLE Chain of Orders. If the number you write down could be connected to several adjacent numbers, you can only choose one of them.
- Whenever you create or expand a Chain of Orders, you receive 1 action for EACH NEW CELL you added to the Chain of Orders.
Each action you receive this way can then be used to:
EITHER move 1 space by land: move 1 of your Basic Fighters or Mercenary Fighters already on the Battlefield to an ADJACENT Territory. Reveal any Discovery tokens that might be present there, and apply their effects (see Discovery Tokens in the Annex).
OR activate a Fighter's special ability: flip one of your active Basic Fighters or Mercenary Fighters to its INACTIVE side and activate its special ability (see the Annex for a list of the effects).
OR apply the effect of one of your Glow Action tokens. Then, shuffle the Glow Action token you used back into the neutral bag (see the Annex for a list of the effects).
Example: here, the Day Clan player applies the effect of their Glow Action token Teleportation. It allows them to swap the positions of 2 of their Fighters on the Battlefield.
End of the Game
- The game ends after the 17th turn, when the Calculation tables on the Command boards of both players are completely filled in.
- Both players then calculate their victory points (VP) as follows.
If at any point during the game, one of the players has no Fighters left on the game board, that player loses immediately.
Check Each Territory
The player who controls the Territory - i.e. the player whose Fighters have a bigger total Combat Strength than the opposing Fighters in this Territory - scores the Lumen on that Territory.
- The Winter Territories score 1 Lumen = 1 VP per Territory you control.
- The Autumn Territories score 3 Lumen = 3 VP per Territory you control.
- The Summer Territories score 5 Lumen = 5 VP per Territory you control.
- The Spring Territory scores 7 Lumen = 7 VP if you control this Territory.
If both players have equal Combat Strength in a Territory, neither of them scores any VP for it.
Discoveries
Each Loot token collected over the course of the game is worth the number of VP shown on its reverse side.
Loot tokens that are still on the Battlefield are not worth any VP, even if a player controls the Territory they are located in.
Objectives
Objective tokens can be obtained in various ways:
- By filling your High Command area.
- By completing Secret Missions during and/or at the end of the game.
- By completing objectives specific to certain scenarios.
Each player now adds up the Lumen they scored:
- For the Territories they control.
- For their Loot tokens.
- For their Objective tokens.
The player with the most VP is the winner.
In case of a tie, the player who controls the Territory containing the Initiative marker at the end of the game is the winner. If neither player controls this Territory, the victory is shared.
Scenarios
Each scenario's diagram shows which of the 7 numbered Battlefield boards to combine and how to arrange them, where to place each clan's starting Fighters and the Initiative marker, and (where relevant) which border Territories are marked A, B, or C for that scenario's Frontiers objective. Set up the board exactly as pictured in the scenario diagram before applying the special rules and objectives below.
A - First Contact (Disturbance on the Western Front)
No one really knows exactly how or why it all began. And yet, the tale of this first battle is still deeply etched in our memories. Ever since, at every dusk and every dawn, the Night and Day clans battle for control over the Lumen, trying to tip the balance of the Lost World in THEIR favor.
Uses all 7 Battlefield boards.
Special Rules: None.
Objectives:
- During the game: the first player to deploy a Mercenary Fighter to the Battlefield receives an Objective token (drawn at random from the unused Objective tokens).
- During the game: FRONTIERS - The first player to seize control of the 3 border Territories marked A or the 2 border Territories marked B immediately receives an Objective token.
- At the end of the game: the player with the Initiative marker at the end of the game receives an Objective token (drawn at random from the unused Objective tokens).
B - Disturbance on the Western Front
All of the intel our spies have gathered points to the same conclusion. If we want to get the upper hand in this battle, we need to move West, and take control of the coveted Spring Territory and its seven Lumen. To the victor go the spoils.
Uses all 7 Battlefield boards, arranged to put the Spring Territory at the western edge of the battlefield.
Special Rules: None.
Objectives:
- During the game: each player who manages to empty their colored bag receives 2 Objective tokens (drawn at random from the unused Objective tokens; maximum once per player).
- At the end of the game: the player with the fewest cells on their Command board that aren't part of an Area or a Chain of Orders receives an Objective token (drawn at random from the unused Objective tokens). In case of a tie, neither player receives the Objective token.
C - A Territory Too Far (Isles of Promise)
In order to access these highly coveted Territories, we'll have to go far... Very far. All the way across the river. Luckily, nothing is impossible when you have wings!
Uses all 7 Battlefield boards, arranged so that a river separates Territories 1, 2, and 7 from the others.
Special Rules:
- Crossing the river by land costs 2 actions.
- However, you can also move over the river by air.
- A Fighter that gets pushed into the river is returned to its colored bag and can rejoin the battle later.
Objectives:
- During the game: FRONTIERS - The first player to seize control of the 3 border Territories marked A or the 3 border Territories marked B immediately receives an Objective token.
D - Isles of Promise
The battle has found its way to the Archipelago. It's time to put your Shroomlings to good use. Although the other fighters like to mock them for their puny appearance, Shroomlings are the only creatures able to freely move from one island to another. For this purpose, they use a network of small, underground passages connecting the Winter Territories to the islets of the Archipelago.
The 7 Battlefield boards are arranged as separate islands (an Archipelago) rather than one connected landmass.
Special Rules:
- Players can use the special abilities of their Fighters and Glow Actions on the islands themselves, but not from one island to another.
- UNDERGROUND PASSAGES - Shroomlings can move by land from one Winter Territory to another, even if those spaces are located on different islands.
Objectives:
- At the end of the game, check each island:
- The player with the most Fighters on it receives an Objective token (drawn at random from the unused Objective tokens). In case of a tie, neither player receives an Objective token.
- If you are alone on the island, you receive an additional Objective token (drawn at random from the unused Objective tokens).
E - After the Flood (The Winter Soldier)
The conflict is getting bogged down... Literally and figuratively. There seems to be no end to the fighting, and now a cold and heavy rain has transformed the Lost World and its battlefields into an inextricable swamp. Well... Not for everyone. The Mudshells are delighted! Use them to your advantage.
Uses all 7 Battlefield boards.
Special Rules:
- Moving by air is not allowed.
- The Mudshells can move by land.
- The Summer Territories (green) are muddy. Leaving these spaces is impossible, except for the Mudshells, or by getting pushed.
Objectives:
- During the game: FRONTIERS - The first player to seize control of the 2 border Territories marked A or the 2 border Territories marked B immediately receives an Objective token.
- During the game: the first player to reach the Territory marked C (a Winter Territory) receives an Objective token.
F - The Winter Soldier
Winter is here. An icy cold slows down the advancements of even the bravest of soldiers. And yet... These Winter Territories offer a decisive advantage to whoever has the most Fighters there at the end of the battle.
Uses all 7 Battlefield boards.
Special Rules:
- Fighters inside the Winter Territories are unable to activate their special abilities.
Objectives:
- During the game: FRONTIERS - The first player to seize control of the 2 border Territories marked A or the 2 border Territories marked B immediately receives an Objective token.
- At the end of the game: the player with the most Fighters in the Winter Territories receives 2 Objective tokens (drawn at random from the unused Objective tokens). In case of a tie, neither player receives the Objective tokens.
G - The Great Crossing
Infiltrating the enemy and stealing their secret plans is a sure-fire way to achieve victory. Will one of your Fighters be able to accomplish this difficult mission, even though the morning fog makes flying over the Spring Territory impossible?
Uses all 7 Battlefield boards.
Special Rules:
- Moving by air to, from, or over the Spring Territory is not allowed.
Objectives:
- During the game: FRONTIERS - The first player to seize control of the 2 border Territories marked A immediately receives an Objective token.
- During the game: THE GREAT CROSSING - The first player to move a Fighter into their opponent's starting Territory receives 3 Objective tokens (drawn at random from the unused Objective tokens).
Annex
Basic Fighters
The Shroomling (x6 per clan)
- Combat Strength: 2.
- No special ability.
The Mudshell (x2 per clan)
- Combat Strength: 3.
- This creature's shell offers protection against Deadly Fighters and the Fury. The Mudshell cannot be moved during phase 3: Issuing Orders.
The Restorer (x2 per clan)
- Combat Strength: 1.
- When you flip the Restorer to its INACTIVE side, flip all other Fighters in its Territory and all adjacent Territories back to their ACTIVE side.
The Pusher (x2 per clan)
- Combat Strength: 1.
- When you flip the Pusher to its INACTIVE side, push 1 Fighter of your choice (yours or your opponent's) to an adjacent Territory.
The Assassin (x2 per clan)
- Combat Strength: 1.
- This creature belongs to the family of Deadly Fighters. When you flip the Assassin to its INACTIVE side, remove 1 of your opponent's Basic Fighters or Mercenary Fighters from the same Territory. This Fighter is returned to its colored bag and can rejoin the battle later.
- Important: the Mudshell is impervious to the Assassin's attack.
The Feathered (x2 per clan)
- Combat Strength: 1.
- When you flip the Feathered to its INACTIVE side, it takes off and moves by air to any other Territory on the Battlefield.
- Important: whether it's ACTIVE or INACTIVE, the Feathered may always move by land to an adjacent territory, by spending 1 action during phase 3: Issuing Orders.
Bonus Tokens
Mercenary Fighters (only 1 of each type)
When you receive a Mercenary Fighter during phase 2: Planning Orders, place it in the slot of your High Command area you just crossed off. This Mercenary Fighter is now part of your clan, and may be deployed during phase 3: Issuing Orders of the current turn or any future turn. When you deploy it to the Battlefield, place one of your Clan markers on it to indicate it belongs to you.
The Epic Pusher
- Combat Strength: 1.
- When you flip it to its INACTIVE side, the Epic Pusher:
- MUST first move 1 space by land.
- THEN, it pushes 1 other Fighter of your choice (yours or your opponent's) to an adjacent Territory.
The Epic Assassin
- Combat Strength: 1.
- This creature belongs to the family of Deadly Fighters. When you flip it to its INACTIVE side, the Epic Assassin:
- MUST first move 1 space by land.
- THEN, it removes 1 of the opponent's Basic Fighters or Mercenary Fighters from the same Territory. This Fighter is returned to its colored bag and can rejoin the battle later.
- Important: the Mudshell is impervious to the Epic Assassin's attack.
The Impatient
- Combat Strength: 2.
- When you flip it to its INACTIVE side, the Impatient takes the Initiative marker and places it on its own Territory or an adjacent Territory.
The Bomber
- Combat Strength: 1.
- This creature belongs to the family of Deadly Fighters. When you flip the Bomber to its INACTIVE side, remove 1 of your opponent's Basic Fighters or Mercenary Fighters from anywhere on the Battlefield. This Fighter is returned to its colored bag and can rejoin the battle later.
- Important: the Mudshell is impervious to the Bomber's attack.
The Weaver
- Combat Strength: 1 or 2, depending on which side is face up.
- When you flip it to its INACTIVE side, the Weaver:
- Cannot move.
- Captures all enemy Fighters inside its Territory. It's still possible for enemy Fighters to enter this Territory by air or by land, but it's not possible to leave the Territory as long as the Weaver is flipped to its INACTIVE side. The Weaver does not affect allied Fighters.
The Rootspring
- Combat Strength: 1 or 2, depending on which side is face up.
- When you flip it to its INACTIVE side, the Rootspring:
- Cannot move.
- Spreads its roots all over its Territory, preventing enemy Fighters from entering or leaving the Territory by land.
- Important: allied Fighters can still access this Territory by land. Enemy Fighters can still enter and leave this Territory by air. The Bomber can still target this Territory.
The Hypnotist
- Combat Strength: 2.
- When you flip the Hypnotist to its INACTIVE side, flip the enemy Fighters of your choice - in or adjacent to its Territory - to their INACTIVE side.
The Metamorph
- Combat Strength: 1 or 3, depending on which side is face up.
- While it's ACTIVE, the Metamorph cannot move during phase 3: Issuing Orders (but it can still be targeted by a Pusher). When you flip it to its INACTIVE side, it transforms into a Fighter with a Combat Strength of 3 that can move by land.
Glow Actions (only 1 of each type)
When you receive a Glow Action token during phase 2: Planning Orders, place it in the slot of your High Command area you just crossed off. This token can now be used during phase 3: Issuing Orders of the current turn or any future turn.
To use it, spend 1 action. Apply the effect of the Glow Action token, then shuffle it back into the neutral bag.
The Fury
- Remove 2 enemy Fighters (Basic or Mercenary) from 2 different Territories of the Battlefield. These Fighters are returned to their colored bag and can rejoin the battle later.
- Important: the Mudshell is impervious to the Fury's attack.
Clean Sheet
- Choose a Territory: remove all Fighters present there (yours and your opponent's). These Fighters are returned to their colored bags and can rejoin the battle later.
- Important: Mudshells are also vulnerable to a Clean Sheet.
Teleportation
- Swap the positions of 2 of your Fighters on the Battlefield.
Secret Missions (only 1 of each type)
When you receive a Secret Mission token during phase 2: Planning Orders, place it in the slot of your High Command area you just crossed off. At the end of the game, before final scoring, receive a number of Objective tokens based on the success of your Secret Missions.
Discovery Mission
- Receive 1 Objective token if you have 2 Discovery tokens at the end of the game, and 1 additional Objective token for each additional Discovery token.
Winter Mission
- Receive 1 Objective token if you control 2 Winter Territories at the end of the game, and 1 additional Objective token for each additional Winter Territory you control.
Shroomling Mission
- Receive 1 Objective token for each of your Territories containing 2 Shroomlings at the end of the game, and 1 additional Objective token for each additional Shroomling in those Territories.
Discovery Tokens
When 1 of your Fighters moves into a Territory containing a face-down Discovery token, flip the token face up and apply its effects.
Loot (x5)
- When you reveal a Loot token, leave it on its Territory until one of the clans is able to claim it. Each Loot token is worth 3 to 5 Lumen. To permanently claim a Loot token on a Territory, the combined Combat Strength of one clan's Fighters in that Territory must be bigger than the other clan's combined Combat Strength, with a difference that's equal to or higher than the number of Lumen on the Loot token. If your opponent has no Fighters on the Territory, their Combat Strength is 0. In that case, the combined Combat Strength of your Fighters must be equal to the number on the Loot token before you can claim it. As soon as a clan meets the condition, they claim the Loot token and will score its VP at the end of the game.
Interference (x2)
- When you reveal this token, discard it. Immediately destroy 1 cell of your choice on your opponent's Command board by barring it.
- Restriction: you're not allowed to destroy a cell that would completely block your opponent from accessing other cells on their Command board.
Planning (x2)
- When you reveal this token, place it face up next to your Command board. On a future turn in which you are the first player, you may discard it. If you do, you don't have to roll the dice. Instead, you may freely choose their values.
Paratrooper (x2)
- When you reveal this token, discard it. Draw a Fighter from your bag at random, and immediately add it to this Territory as a Reinforcement.
Priority Message (x2)
- When you reveal this token, discard it. Immediately cross off the leftmost available box of the High Command area on your Command board. Apply the effects of this box, if any.
Foul Play (x2)
- When you reveal this token, place it face up next to your Command board. During phase 3: Issuing Orders, each Foul Play token you discard allows you to gain 1 extra action (Move a Fighter by land or by air, Activate a special ability, or Apply the effect of a Glow Action token). If you have both Foul Play tokens, you're allowed to use both of them during the same turn in order to gain 2 additional free actions.
- Important, don't forget that you must always: Deploy your Reinforcements first, then move and/or activate special abilities, OR Move and/or activate special abilities first, then deploy your Reinforcements.
Credits
A game by Bruno Cathala and Corentin Lebrat. Illustrated by Vincent Dutrait. Graphic Design: Florent Wilmart. English Translation and Proofreading: Jo Lefebure and Shona Carceles Stuart-Smith for The Geeky Pen. Adaptation for Board Game Arena: Guy Baudouin.